ALEXANDER REACHES THE RIVER CABUL, AND RECEIVES THE HOMAGE OF TAXILES.
After performing this exploit, Alexander himself went to Bactra; but
sent Craterus with 600 of the cavalry Companions and his own brigade of
infantry as well those of Polysperchon, Attalus, and Alcetas, against
Catanes and Austanes, who were the only rebels still remaining in the
land of the Paraetacenians.[594] A sharp battle was fought with them,
in which Craterus was victorious; Catanes being killed there while
fighting, and Austanes being captured and brought to Alexander. Of the
barbarians with them 120 horsemen and about 1,500 foot soldiers were
killed. When Craterus had done this, he also went to Bactra, where the
tragedy in reference to Callisthenes and the pages befell Alexander.
As the spring was now over, he took the army and advanced from Bactra
towards India,[595] leaving Amyntas in the land of the Bactrians with
3,500 horse, and 10,000 foot. He crossed the Caucasus[596] in ten days
and arrived at the city of Alexandria, which had been founded in the
land of the Parapamisadae when he made his first expedition to Bactra.
He dismissed from office the governor whom he had then placed over
the city, because he thought he was not ruling well. He also settled
in Alexandria others from the neighbouring tribes and the soldiers
who were now unfit for service in addition to the first settlers, and
commanded Nicanor, one of the Companions, to regulate the affairs of
the city itself. Moreover he appointed Tyriaspes viceroy of the land of
the Parapamisadae and of the rest of the country as far as the river
Cophen.[597] Arriving at the city of Nicaea, he offered sacrifice to
Athena and then advanced towards the Cophen, sending a herald forward
to Taxiles[598] and the other chiefs on this side the river Indus, to
bid them come and meet him as each might find it convenient. Taxiles
and the other chiefs accordingly did come to meet him, bringing the
gifts which are reckoned of most value among the Indians. They said
that they would also present to him the elephants which they had with
them, twenty-five in number. There he divided his army, and sent
Hephaestion and Perdiccas away into the land of Peucelaotis,[599]
towards the river Indus, with the brigades of Gorgias, Clitus,[600]
and Meleager, half of the Companion cavalry, and all the cavalry of
the Grecian mercenaries. He gave them instructions either to capture
the places on their route by force, or to bring them over on terms
of capitulation; and when they reached the river Indus, to make the
necessary preparations for the passage of the army. With them Taxiles
and the other chiefs also marched. When they reached the river Indus
they carried out all Alexander’s orders. But Astes, the ruler of the
land of Peucelaotis, effected a revolt, which both ruined himself and
brought ruin also upon the city into which he had fled for refuge. For
Hephaestion captured it after a siege of thirty days, and Astes himself
was killed. Sangaeus, who had some time before fled from Astes and
deserted to Taxiles, was appointed to take charge of the city. This
desertion was a pledge to Alexander of his fidelity.