TREATMENT OF BESSUS.
When he had accomplished this, he came to Zariaspa; where he remained
until the depth of winter arrived.[529] At this time came to him
Phrataphernes the viceroy of Parthia, and Stasanor, who had been sent
into the land of the Areians to arrest Arsames.[530] Him they brought
with them in chains, as also Barzanes, whom Bessus had appointed
viceroy of the land of the Parthians, and some others of those who at
that time had joined Bessus in revolt. At the same time arrived from
the sea, Epocillus,[531] Melamnidas and Ptolemy, the general of the
Thracians, who had convoyed down to the sea the Grecian allies and
the money sent with Menes.[532] At this time also arrived Asander
and Nearchus at the head of an army of Grecian mercenaries.[533]
Asclepiodorus, viceroy of Syria, and Menes the deputy also arrived
from the sea, at the head of another army. Then Alexander gathered a
conference of those who were then at hand, and led Bessus in before
them. Having accused him of the betrayal of Darius, he ordered his nose
and ears to be cut off, and that he should be taken to Ecbatana to be
put to death there in the council of the Medes and Persians.[534] I
do not commend this excessive punishment; on the contrary, I consider
that the mutilation of the prominent features of the body is a
barbaric[535] custom, and I agree with those who say that Alexander
was induced to indulge his desire of emulating the Median and Persian
wealth and to treat his subjects as inferior beings according to the
custom of the foreign kings. Nor do I by any means commend him for
changing the Macedonian style of dress which his fathers had adopted,
for the Median one,[536] being as he was a descendant of Heracles.[537]
Besides, he was not ashamed to exchange the head-dress which he
the conqueror had so long worn, for that of the conquered Persians.
None of these things do I commend; but I consider Alexander’s great
achievements prove, if anything can, that supposing a man to have a
vigorous bodily constitution, to be illustrious in descent, and to be
even more successful in war than Alexander himself; even supposing
he could sail right round Libya as well as Asia, and hold them both
in subjection as Alexander indeed designed; even if he could add the
possession of Europe to that of Asia and Libya; all these things would
be no furtherance to such a man’s happiness, unless at the same time he
possess the power of self-control, though he has performed the great
deeds which have been supposed.