CAPTURE OF BAZIRA.—ADVANCE TO THE ROCK OF AORNUS.
When the men in Bazira heard this news, despairing of their own
affairs, they abandoned the city about the middle of the night, and
fled to the rock as the other barbarians were doing. For all the
inhabitants deserted the cities and began to flee to the rock which
is in their land, and is called Aornus.[613] For stupendous is this
rock in this land, about which the current report is, that it was
found impregnable even by Heracles, the son of Zeus. I cannot affirm
with confidence either way, whether the Theban, Tyrian, or Egyptian
Heracles[614] penetrated into India or not; but I am rather inclined to
think that he did not penetrate so far; for men are wont to magnify the
difficulty of difficult enterprises to such a degree as to assert that
they would have been impracticable even to Heracles. Therefore, I am
inclined to think, that in regard to this rock the name of Heracles was
mentioned simply to add to the marvellousness of the tale. The circuit
of the rock is said to be about 200 stades (_i.e._ about twenty-three
miles), and its height where it is lowest, eleven stades (_i.e._, about
a mile and a quarter). There was only one ascent, which was artificial
and difficult; on the summit of the rock there was abundance of pure
water, a spring issuing from the ground, from which the water flowed;
and there was also timber, and sufficient good arable land for 1,000
men to till.[615] When Alexander heard this, he was seized with a
vehement desire to capture this mountain also, especially on account
of the legend which was current about Heracles. He then made Ora
and Massaga fortresses to keep the land in subjection, and fortified
the city of Bazira. Hephaestion and Perdiccas also fortified for him
another city, named Orobatis, and leaving a garrison in it marched
towards the river Indus. When they reached that river they at once
began to carry out Alexander’s instructions in regard to bridging it.
Alexander then appointed Nicanor, one of the Companions, viceroy of the
land on this side the river Indus; and in the first place leading his
army towards that river, he brought over on terms of capitulation the
city of Peucelaotis, which was situated not far from it. In this city
he placed a garrison of Macedonians, under the command of Philip, and
then reduced to subjection some other small towns situated near the
same river, being accompanied by Cophaeus and Assagetes, the chieftains
of the land. Arriving at the city of Embolima,[616] which was situated
near the rock Aornus, he left Craterus there with a part of the army,
to gather as much corn as possible into the city, as well as all the
other things requisite for a long stay, so that making this their base
of operations, the Macedonians might be able by a long siege to wear
out the men who were holding the rock, supposing it were not captured
at the first assault. He then took the bowmen, the Agrianians, and the
brigade of Coenus, and selecting the lightest as well as the best-armed
men from the rest of the phalanx, with 200 of the Companion cavalry and
100 horse-bowmen, he advanced to the rock. This day he encamped where
it appeared to him convenient; but on the morrow he approached a little
nearer to the rock, and encamped again.