DEFEAT OF THE SCYTHIANS BEYOND THE TANAIS.
In twenty days he fortified the city which he was projecting, and
settled in it some of the Grecian mercenaries and those of the
neighbouring barbarians who volunteered to take part in the settlement,
as well as the Macedonians from his army who were now unfit for
military service.[518] He then offered sacrifice to the gods in his
customary manner and celebrated an equestrian and gymnastic contest.
When he saw that the Scythians were not retiring from the river’s bank,
but were seen to be shooting arrows into the river, which was not wide
here, and were uttering audacious words in their barbaric tongue to
insult Alexander, to the effect that he durst not touch Scythians, or
if he did, he would learn what was the difference between them and
the Asiatic barbarians, he was irritated by these remarks, and having
resolved to cross over against them, he began to prepare the skins for
the passage of the river.[519] But when he offered sacrifice with a
view to crossing, the victims proved to be unfavourable; and though he
was vexed at this, he nevertheless controlled himself and remained
where he was. But as the Scythians did not desist from their insults,
he again offered sacrifice with a view to crossing; and Aristander told
him that the omens still portended danger to himself. But Alexander
said that it was better for him to come into extreme danger than
that, after having subdued almost the whole of Asia, he should be a
laughing-stock to the Scythians, as Darius, the father of Xerxes, had
been in days of yore.[520] Aristander refused to explain the will of
the gods contrary to the revelations made by the deity simply because
Alexander wished to hear the contrary. When the skins had been prepared
for the passage, and the army, fully equipped, had been posted near
the river, the military engines, at the signal pre-concerted, began to
shoot at the Scythians riding along the river’s bank. Some of them
were wounded by the missiles, and one was struck right through the
wicker-shield and breastplate and fell from his horse. The others,
being alarmed at the discharge of missiles from so great a distance,
and at the death of their champion, retreated a little from the bank.
But Alexander, seeing them thrown into confusion by the effect of his
missiles, began to cross the river with trumpets sounding, himself
leading the way; and the rest of the army followed him. Having first
got the archers and slingers across, he ordered them to sling and shoot
at the Scythians, to prevent them approaching the phalanx of infantry
stepping out of the water, until all his cavalry had passed over. When
they were upon the bank in dense mass, he first of all launched against
the Scythians one regiment of the Grecian auxiliary cavalry and four
squadrons of pike-men. These the Scythians received, and in great
numbers riding round them in circles, wounded them, as they were few in
number, themselves escaping with ease. But Alexander mixed the archers,
the Agrianians, and other light troops under the command of Balacrus,
with the cavalry, and then led them against the enemy. As soon as they
came to close quarters, he ordered three regiments of the cavalry
Companions and all the horse-lancers to charge them. The rest of the
cavalry he himself led, and made a rapid attack with his squadrons
in column. Accordingly the enemy were no longer able as before to
wheel their cavalry force round in circles, for at one and the same
time the cavalry and the light-armed infantry mixed with the horsemen
pressed upon them, and did not permit them to wheel about in safety.
Then the flight of the Scythians was already apparent. 1,000 of them
fell, including Satraces, one of their chiefs; and 150 were captured.
But as the pursuit was keen and fatiguing on account of the excessive
heat, the entire army was seized with thirst; and Alexander himself
while riding drank of such water as was procurable in that country. He
was seized with an incessant diarrhœa; for the water was bad; and for
this reason he could not pursue all the Scythians. Otherwise I think
all of them would have perished in the flight, if Alexander had not
fallen ill. He was carried back to the camp, having fallen into extreme
danger; and thus Aristander’s prophecy was fulfilled.