ALEXANDER IS SURPRISED
In the second watch of the night, the Macedonian outposts challenged
four men whose horses were flecked with foam. The strangers came from
the direction of Issus, along the narrow and rugged road that led
southward through the Syrian Gates, between the mountains and the sea.
Alexander had led his army that day through the pass, and it was
encamped at Myriandrus. In the moonlight the sentinels saw that the
strangers were grimy with dust and that their faces were grim and gray
with fatigue.
"I am Leonidas, of the Companions," said one of the riders who seemed
to be the leader. "Lead me to the general in charge."
They were conducted to Ptolemy, son of Lagus, who immediately
recognized Leonidas. He greeted Chares and Clearchus with surprise.
The Spartan led him aside.
"Darius is at Issus," he said.
Ptolemy stared at him incredulously.
"The Persians behind us!" he exclaimed. "You must be dreaming!"
"No," Leonidas replied. "All day we have fled before them."
"The king must know at once," Ptolemy said. "Follow me."
He led the way through the sleeping camp to Alexander's tent, in which
a lamp was burning. A sentinel stood before it in full armor.
"What is your business?" he demanded.
"I must speak with the king," Ptolemy replied.
"The king left orders that he must not be disturbed. Wait until the
morning," the man said calmly.
"I will take the responsibility," Ptolemy retorted angrily. "Stand
aside!"
"You cannot pass," the soldier answered, without moving.
"What is this?" Alexander inquired, raising the curtain of the tent.
He held in his hand a copy of the Iliad, in which he had been reading.
"Is it you, Ptolemy--and Leonidas? Enter."
They followed him into the tent, which contained nothing save his
weapons and a couch spread upon the ground.
"Clearchus and Chares back again!" the young king cried in a tone of
satisfaction. "You have much to tell me; but first I must hear what
Leonidas brings."
"Darius and his army have passed the Amanic Gates and are now at
Issus," Leonidas said briefly.
The smile left Alexander's lips.
"How many men has he?" he asked.
"Five hundred thousand, of whom thirty thousand are mercenaries of
Greek blood," Leonidas answered.
"They are in our rear," Alexander said, half to himself. He began to
pace backward and forward, with his hands behind his back and his head
inclined slightly toward his left shoulder. Although the startling
news brought to him by the Spartan had taken him wholly by surprise,
his decision was swift. Before he had made three turnings, his entire
plan of campaign had been changed.
"The Gods have delivered them into our hands!" he said in a tone of
conviction. "I dared not expect such good fortune. In the narrow
plain of Issus, their army will defeat itself. The victory is ours."
His face was radiant and he spoke joyously, like a man whose mind has
been relieved of a great anxiety; but his eyes were fastened upon the
face of Ptolemy. Alexander had not failed to note the expression of
apprehension that his lieutenant wore. He saw it vanish before the
warmth of his own confidence. He felt that he would be able to avert
any feeling of panic that might arise in the army at the unexpected
turn of events.
"This is good news you bring," he said to Leonidas, "and I am repaid
for waiting."
He glanced sharply at the sunken eyes and bloodless lips of the Spartan
and spoke to the sentinel.
"Tell them to bring food and wine at once," he commanded.
The young king's eyes fell upon Nathan, apparently for the first time.
"Who is this?" he asked. "Come forward."
The Israelite had been standing in the background, watching Alexander's
face with a gaze of peculiar intensity.
"This is Nathan, who led us captive from Halicarnassus," Clearchus
replied. "He saved us when we were condemned to death in Babylon, and
his aid enabled us to assist Leonidas in escaping from the Persians so
as to bring you his news. He wishes to take service under you, and at
your leisure to tell you of certain prophecies concerning you that were
inspired by the God of Israel."
"It is well," Alexander said. "He will serve with you and Chares in
the squadron that Leonidas commands. Ptolemy, send a thousand of your
men to hold the pass behind us, until we come."
Alexander insisted that the young men should eat the food that was
brought into the tent in obedience to his order. While they were
satisfying their hunger, he plied them with questions concerning Darius
and his army, the character of his men and their commanders, and the
formation and resources of the country about Babylon. It was late when
he finally permitted them to retire.
In the morning Alexander called a general council of his leaders to
impart to them the information that Leonidas had brought. He gave it
without comment, foreseeing that its first effect would be to arouse
uncertainty and dismay that must be overcome before the men would be
fit for battle.
The council was held in the open air in front of Alexander's tent.
There came the captains of the Companions and of the phalanx and the
generals of the allies. About them pressed the rank and file of the
army, curious to learn the cause of the summons. Parmenio stood beside
Alexander, his furrowed face grave with thought.
All eyes were turned upon the countenance of the young king, glowing
with confidence and enthusiasm.
"Darius and his army are behind you, at Issus," he announced. "I have
called you together to learn your opinions as to what we should do.
Let each speak freely."
For a moment the soldiers stood in silence, looking doubtfully at each
other. Then a murmur of uneasiness rose among them. They had expected
to find the enemy on the Syrian plains, and behold, he was in their
rear.
"Parmenio," Alexander said, "what is your mind?"
"We must fight," the old general replied, carefully and slowly. "The
Persians are between us and our homes. They can enslave the Greek
cities of the coast that we have set free. But they are so many that
they cannot wait. Hunger will force them to attack us on our own
ground. Let us wait until that time comes and then give them battle."
His words caused a brief stir of approval, but the great mass of men
remained silent.
"What is your advice, Ptolemy, son of Lagus?" Alexander demanded.
"It is true that Darius is in our rear," Ptolemy responded, "but it is
also true that we are between him and his empire, that we have come to
conquer. Let us march upon Babylon and take the city. The road lies
open before us."
A shout arose and a clashing of swords upon shields. It was evident
that Ptolemy's rashness found more favor than Parmenio's caution.
One after another the generals and captains gave their opinions, some
agreeing with the older leader and some with the younger. When all had
spoken Alexander seemed to meditate for a moment.
"O men of Hellas!" he cried, raising his head and looking into their
eyes, "we came to avenge the ancient wrongs that these barbarians
inflicted upon our fathers. Remember Darius, son of Hystaspes; how he
brought his ships to your coasts and was defeated at Marathon.
Remember Xerxes and the victory of Salamis. Never in the memory of man
have we been free from Persian attack; and when they no longer dared to
face us, they have sent their gold to corrupt our leaders and turn us
one against the other. For these insults and injuries, their empire is
forfeit; for the Gods have grown weary of their treachery.
"What has happened when we met them, sword in hand? In the long list
of their attacks upon us, they have had nothing but defeat. Did not
the Ten Thousand march to the very gates of Babylon?
"I say to you that the Gods have wearied of the barbarian. We were
marching to meet Darius upon the plain, where the vast number of his
army might have encompassed us. We were willing to allow him to choose
his own ground, but the Gods would not have it so. They have blinded
his eyes and led him to us almost as a sacrifice. Nothing remains but
to strike the blow.
"O men of Macedon, my friends and companions, liberators of Greece, the
hour of our triumph is near. At the Granicus we overthrew the army of
a viceroy; now we are to meet the army of the Great King himself.
"It is Persia that awaits our onset at Issus. There have the Gods
assembled the might and power of the empire and it stands like corn
ripe for the reaper. The sheaves of this harvest shall be of gold that
the barbarians have gathered for us as bees gather honey.
"Heroes of Hellas! from your iron hands none can wrest victory unless
you will it! For yourselves and your children you are about to win
fame that shall endure through the ages. I have never led you to
defeat, and now I promise you the victory!"
Dead silence reigned while Alexander artfully made his appeal to the
immemorial hatred of Persia, pointed out the advantage that Darius had
given them, and raised the hope of fame and spoil. As he finished, a
cry rent the air that showed he knew his men.
"Alexander! Alexander!" they shouted. "Lead us!"
With swelling hearts, the generals and captains pressed forward to
grasp his hand and swear to lay down their lives for him. He greeted
them each by name, reminding them of their bravest deeds and making
each man feel that the result of the battle might depend upon him
alone. The council broke up, spreading its enthusiasm through the
camp. On all sides the soldiers fell to polishing their weapons and
boasting of what they would do when they faced the army of Darius.
That day was devoted to preparation. Alexander had sent a scouting
party of picked men to sail up the coast and learn the disposition of
the enemy's force. This expedition returned at nightfall and reported
that the wounded and invalid soldiers who had been left in Issus had
been cruelly slain by order of Darius and their bodies impaled along
the shore. Rage filled the army at this news and hardened the resolve
of the men to die rather than forego their victory and revenge.
The trumpets sounded at the first flush of dawn, and by sunrise the
army was flowing back through the Syrian Gates to the field where the
fate of the world was to be decided.