galleys which he ordered had been prepared, and the passage bridged, he
gave his army a rest of thirty days to recruit their strength. Having
then offered to the gods sacrifices on a magnificent scale, he led his
army over to the other side, where he met with an incident which took
a strange and unexpected turn. For Taxilês being by this time dead,
his son Môphis[336] had succeeded to the government. Now Môphis had
before this not only sent word to Alexander, then in Sogdiana, that he
would fight on his side against any Indians who might appear in arms
against him, but at this juncture had also sent ambassadors to say that
he surrendered his kingdom into his hands. So when Alexander was at
a distance of forty stadia he set forth to meet him, attended by his
friends, and his army drawn up in battle order and his elephants ranged
in line. Alexander, seeing a great host advancing towards him drawn up
as if for action, thought that the Indian had treacherously offered to
surrender that he might thus fall upon the Macedonians before they could
prepare for battle. He therefore ordered the trumpeters to sound to
arms, and, having marshalled his troops, advanced to give the Indians
battle. But Môphis, on seeing the commotion in the Macedonian ranks, and
comprehending its cause, left his army, and riding forward with a few of
his friends, corrected the mistake into which the Macedonians had fallen,
and surrendered himself and his army to the king. Alexander, to mark his
approbation of this conduct, gave back his kingdom to Môphis, and ever
afterwards treated him as a friend and ally. He also changed his name to
Taxilês.[337]
_Chapter LXXXVII.—Alexander marches against Pôros—The appearance
presented by the Indian army with its elephants_
Such were the transactions of this year—that in which Chremês was archon
at Athens, and in which the Romans appointed Publius Cornelius and Aulus
Postumius consuls.[338] Thereafter Alexander, who had recruited his army
by an interval of rest in the country of Taxilês, took the field against
Pôros, the king of the neighbouring Indians, who had an army of more than
50,000 foot, about 3000 horse, above 1000 chariots, and 130 elephants.
This king had made an alliance with another prince called Embisaros,[339]
the ruler of an adjacent tribe, and who possessed an army which was but
little inferior to his own. Alexander, on learning that this king was 400
stadia distant, resolved to attack Pôros before his ally could reach him.
Pôros, being warned of the near approach of the enemy, at once drew up
his troops in order of battle. His cavalry he distributed on the wings,
and his elephants he placed in his front line at equi-distances, and so
arranged as to strike the enemy with terror. In the intervals between
the animals he stationed the rest of his soldiers, instructing them to
succour the elephants and protect them from being assailed in flank by
the enemy’s missiles. The whole disposition of his army gave it very
much the appearance of a city—the elephants as they stood resembling its
towers, and the men-at-arms placed between them resembling the lines of
wall intervening between tower and tower. But Alexander, having observed
how the forces of the enemy had been disposed, regulated thereby the
formation of his own line.
_Chapter LXXXVIII.—The defeat of Pôros_
The Macedonian cavalry began the action, and destroyed nearly all the
chariots of the Indians. Upon this the elephants, applying to good use
their prodigious size and strength, killed some of the enemy by trampling
them under their feet, and crushing their armour and their bones, while
upon others they inflicted a terrible death, for they first lifted them
aloft with their trunks, which they had twined round their bodies, and
then dashed them down with great violence to the ground. Many others
they deprived in a moment of life by goring them through and through
with their tusks. But the Macedonians heroically bore the brunt of this
dreadful onslaught, and having killed with their long pikes the men
stationed between the elephants, made the poise of the battle equal.
They next assailed the animals themselves with a storm of javelins, thus
piercing them with numerous wounds, which so tortured them that the
Indians mounted on their backs lacked sufficient strength to control
their movements, for the animals on heading to their own ranks bore
against them with an impetuosity not to be repressed, and trampled their
own friends under their feet. Then ensued a great confusion, but Pôros,
who was mounted on the most powerful of all his elephants, on seeing what
had happened, gathered around him forty of the animals that were still
under control, and falling upon the enemy with all the weight of the
elephants, made a great slaughter with his own hand, for he far surpassed
in bodily strength any soldier of his army. In stature he measured five
cubits, while his girth was such that his breastplate was twice the
size required for a man of ordinary bulk. For this reason the javelins
he flung from his hand flew with all but the impetus of shots from a
catapult. The Macedonians who stood opposed to him being terror-struck at
his astonishing prowess, Alexander sent to their assistance the archers
and the divisional light troops, with orders that every man should make
Pôros the object of his aim. The soldiers lost no time in carrying out
these orders. Their bolts flew thick and fast, and as the Indian king at
whom they were all aimed presented a broad mark, none of them failed to
carry home. Pôros fought on with heroic courage, but being drained of
blood by the number of his wounds, he fainted away, and leaning on his
elephant for support, was borne to the ground. A report having spread
that their king was dead, the remnant of the Indian host fled from the
field, but many of them were slain in the flight.
_Chapter LXXXIX.—Losses sustained by each side in the battle of the
Hydaspês—Alexander orders a fleet to be built on the Hydaspês._
Alexander having gained this splendid victory, recalled his soldiers from
the field by sound of trumpet. In this engagement more than 12,000 of the
Indians fell, among whom were two of the sons of Pôros, and his generals,
and the most distinguished of his other officers. More than 9000 men were
taken prisoners, and eighty elephants were captured. Pôros himself, who
was still alive, was given into the hands of the Indians to be cured of
his wounds. Of the Macedonians, there fell 280 horsemen and more than
700 foot-soldiers. The king buried the dead, and in proportion to their
merits rewarded those who had signalised themselves by their bravery in
the action. He then sacrificed to the Sun, as the deity who had given
him the conquest of the eastern parts of the world. As the mountainous
country adjacent produced much well-grown fir, and not a little cedar
and pine, besides an unlimited quantity of other kinds of timber fit for
building ships, he prepared what ships he required. For he intended,
after he had reached the limits of India and subdued all its inhabitants,
to sail down stream to the ocean. He founded two cities, one beyond the
river at the place where he crossed, and the other on the field where
he had defeated Pôros.[340] The work of building the ships was quickly
finished, owing to the great number of hands employed on it; and he then
appointed Pôros, who had recovered from his wounds, in consideration of
the valour he had displayed, to be king of the country over which he had
formerly ruled. He then gave his army thirty days to recruit in this
region, which yielded an unstinted supply of all the necessaries of life.
_Chapter XC.—Some account of the serpents, apes, and trees seen by the
Macedonians in India_
In the mountainous country which adjoined the scene of action there were
found other peculiar products besides timber for shipbuilding, for it
abounded with snakes of an extraordinary size, being sixteen cubits in
length,[341] and with many kinds of apes, which also were remarkable for
their size. The apes of themselves suggested what stratagem should be
employed in hunting them, for they are prone to imitate whatever they see
men doing, but yet are not easily overpowered by mere force, since they
are possessed both of great strength of body and sharpness of wit. Some
members, therefore, of the hunting party smear their eyes with honey,
others in full view of their game put on their shoes, while others hang
mirrors around their necks. Then, having affixed nooses to their shoes,
they leave these behind them, and in place of the honey they substitute
gum, and at the same time attach hauling-ropes to the mirrors. So when
the apes try to do all that they had seen done by the men they find
themselves powerless to do so, for their eyelids are glued together,
their feet entangled in the nooses, and their bodies held fast by the
ropes. In these circumstances they fall an easy prey to the hunters.
Alexander having struck terror into the king called Embisaros, who had
come too late to the assistance of Pôros, compelled him to do what he
commanded. Having then crossed the river with his army, he advanced
through a country of surpassing fertility, for it had various kinds of
trees which rose to a height of seventy cubits, and had such a girth that
it took fully four men to clasp them round, while their shadow projected
to a distance of 300 feet. This region also was much infested with
snakes. These were small in size, and marked with diverse colours, for
while some were like bronze-coloured wands, others had a thick hair-like
mane, and with their sting inflicted a death of acute pain, for the
sufferings of any one they bit were dreadful, and were accompanied with a
flux of sweat which looked like blood. On this account the Macedonians,
being terribly plagued by their stings, suspended their couches from
the trees, and kept awake the greater part of the night; but when they
had learned from the natives that a certain root was an antidote, its
application relieved them from their sufferings.[342]
_Chapter XCI.—Alexander pursues Pôros, nephew of the great Pôros—Subdues
the Adrestai and Kathaians and enters the kingdom of Sôpeithês—Peculiar
customs of the natives of these parts_
When he moved forward with his forces certain men came to inform him
that Pôros, the king of the country, who was the nephew of that Pôros
whom he had defeated, had quitted his kingdom and fled to the nation of
the Gandaridai. Alexander, irritated at the news, despatched Hêphaistiôn
into his country with a body of troops and ordered him to hand over the
kingdom to the other Pôros who was on his side. He then marched in person
against the Adrestai,[343] and having reduced some of their cities which
offered resistance, and persuaded others to surrender, he invaded the
country of the Kathaians, a people among whom the custom prevailed that
widows should be burned along with their husbands, the barbarians having
put in force a decree to this effect because an instance had occurred
of a wife procuring her husband’s death by poison.[344] The king laid
siege to their greatest and strongest city and burned it to the ground,
in revenge for the many dangers incurred in capturing it. While he was
besieging another considerable city the Indians in a suppliant manner
entreated his mercy and he spared them accordingly.
He next warred against the cities that were subject to the sway of
Sôpeithês.[345] These were governed by laws in the highest degree
salutary, for while in other respects their political system was one
to admire, beauty was held among them in the highest estimation. For
this reason a discrimination between the children born to them is made
at the stage of infancy, when those that are perfect in their limbs
and features, and have constitutions which promise a combination
of strength and beauty, are allowed to be reared, while those that
have any bodily defect are condemned to be destroyed as not worth the
rearing.[346] They make their marriages also in accordance with this
principle, for in selecting a bride they care nothing whether she has a
dowry and a handsome fortune besides, but look only to her beauty and
other advantages of the outward person. It follows that the inhabitants
of these cities are generally held in higher estimation than the rest of
their countrymen. Their king Sôpeithês, who was admired by all for his
beauty and his stature, which exceeded four cubits, came forth from the
city where his palace was, and on surrendering himself and his kingdom
to Alexander was reinstated in his authority by the clemency of the
conqueror. Sôpeithês with the utmost cordiality feasted the whole army in
splendid style for several days.
[Illustration: FIG. 12.—SÔPHYTÊS.]
_Chapter XCII.—Courage and ferocity of the dogs in the dominions of
Sôpeithês_
Among the many valuable presents which he bestowed on Alexander were 150
dogs remarkable for their size and strength, and superior also in other
points, and said to have been bred from tigresses.[347] Being desirous
that Alexander should have proof of their mettle by seeing them at work,
he placed a full-grown lion within an enclosure, and selecting two of
the least valuable of the dogs included in the present, cast them to the
lion. When these were likely to be vanquished by the wild beast he let
loose other two dogs. Then when the four dogs together proved more than
a match for the lion, a man who was sent into the ring with a knife cut
away the right leg of one of the dogs. When the king loudly remonstrated,
and his body-guards rushed forward and arrested the hand of the Indian,
Sôpeithês announced that he would give three dogs instead of the one
which was mutilated. Then the huntsman, taking hold of the leg, cut it
away quietly bit by bit. The dog, without uttering so much as a yell or a
moan of pain, kept his fangs fixed in the bite, until all his blood being
drained he drew his last breath on the body of the lion.
_Chapter XCIII.—Submission of Phêgeus—Advance to the Hypanis—Description
given by Phêgeus of the country beyond the Hypanis—Of the Praisians and
their king Xandrames_
During these transactions Hêphaistiôn, who had made large conquests
of Indian territory with the expedition under his command, rejoined
Alexander, who, after having praised that general for his valour
and devotion to his service, then led his army into the dominions
of Phêgeus.[348] Here, as the natives welcomed the presence of the
Macedonians, and Phêgeus came out with many gifts to meet them, Alexander
consented to let him retain his kingdom. Then having for two days enjoyed
along with his army the noble hospitality of this prince, he advanced
toward the Hypanis,[349] a river with a width of seven stadia, a depth of
six fathoms, and a violent current which made its passage difficult. He
had obtained from Phêgeus a description of the country beyond the Indus:
First came a desert which it would take twelve days to traverse; beyond
this was the river called the Ganges which had a width of thirty-two
stadia, and a greater depth than any other Indian river; beyond this
again were situated the dominions of the nation of the Praisioi and the
Gandaridai,[350] whose king, Xandrames, had an army of 20,000 horse,
200,000 infantry, 2000 chariots, and 4000 elephants trained and equipped
for war. Alexander, distrusting these statements, sent for Pôros and
questioned him as to their accuracy. Pôros assured him of the correctness
of the information, but added that the king of the Gandaridai was a man
of quite worthless character, and held in no respect, as he was thought
to be the son of a barber.[351] This man—the king’s father—was of a
comely person, and of him the queen had become deeply enamoured. The
old king having been treacherously murdered by his wife, the succession
had devolved on him who now reigned. Alexander, though sensible of the
difficulties which would attend an expedition against the Gandaridai, had
nevertheless no thought of swerving from the path of his ambition, but
having in his favour the courage of the Macedonians and the responses of
the oracles, he was buoyed up with the hope that he would conquer the
barbarians, for had not the Pythian priestess pronounced him invincible,
and had not Ammôn promised him the dominion of the whole world?[352]
_Chapter XCIV.—Miserable condition of the Macedonian army—Its refusal to
advance beyond the Hypanis_
He saw, however, that his soldiers were dispirited by interminable
campaigns, and by their exposure for nearly eight years to toils and
dangers reduced to a condition of the utmost misery, and he therefore
conceived it was necessary for him to animate his troops for the
expedition against the Gandaridai[353] by plying them with suitable
arguments. For death had made severe ravages in his ranks, and all hope
was gone that his wars would ever come to an end. Then their horses’
hoofs had been worn off by ceaseless marches, and their weapons worn out
by use. The Hellenic costumes again were by this time threadbare and
could not be replaced, and hence the men were obliged to use cloth woven
in barbaric looms wherewith to cut out such dresses for themselves as
were worn by Indians. It also so happened that violent storms of rain
burst from the clouds for the space of seventy days, accompanied with
continual outbreaks of thunder and lightning. Alexander, considering
this state of things an obstacle to his designs, placed all his hopes of
gaining his ends on winning by benefactions the hearty support of his
soldiers. Accordingly he allowed them to plunder the enemy’s country
where supplies of all sorts abounded, and on those days when the army
was busily engaged in foraging he called together the soldiers’ wives
and children, and then promised to give the women an allowance of food
month by month, and the children a donative according to the calculations
of what their fathers received as the pay of their military rank. When
the soldiers who had found a rich and ample booty returned to the camp,
he gathered them all together, and in a well-weighed speech addressed
the assembly on the subject of the expedition against the Gandaridai;
but when the Macedonians would by no means assent to his proposals he
renounced his contemplated enterprise.
_Chapter XCV.—Alexander erects altars and other memorials near the
Hypanis, and returns to the Akesinês_
He then resolved to set up marks to indicate the limits to which he had
advanced; so first of all he built altars to the twelve gods of 50
cubits in height. Having next enclosed an encampment thrice the size
of the one he occupied, he dug round it a trench 50 feet broad and 40
feet deep, and with the earth cast up from this trench he erected a
rampart of extraordinary dimensions. He further ordered quarters to be
constructed as for foot-soldiers, each containing two beds 5 cubits
in length for each man, and besides this accommodation, two stalls of
twice the ordinary size for each horseman. Whatever else was to be left
behind was directed to be likewise proportionately increased in size. His
object in all this was not merely to make a camp as for heroes, but at
the same time to leave among the people of the country tokens of mighty
men to show with what enormous bodily strength they were endowed. When
these works were finished he retraced his steps with all his army to the
river Akesinês.[354] On reaching it he found that the boats had been
built, and when he had rigged these out, he ordered an additional number
to be constructed. At this time there arrived from Greece allies and
mercenaries led by the generals in command of the allies, amounting to
more than 30,000 foot and not much less than 6000 cavalry. Splendid full
suits of armour besides were brought for the infantry to the number of
25,000,[355] and 100 talents of medicinal drugs, all which he distributed
among the soldiers. When the equipment of the fleet was finished, and 200
boats without hatches and 800 tenders had been got ready, he proceeded
to give names to the cities which had been founded on the banks of the
river, calling one Nikaia in commemoration of his victory, and the other
Boukephala after his horse that perished in the battle with Pôros.
_Chapter XCVI.—Voyage to the Southern Ocean begun—Submission of the
Siboi—The Agalassians attacked and conquered_
Alexander now embarked with his friends, and started on the voyage to
the Southern Ocean. The bulk of the army simultaneously marched along
the banks of the river under the command of Krateros and Hêphaistiôn.
On coming to the place where the Akesinês and Hydaspês join each other
the king landed his troops, and led them against a people called the
Siboi. These, it is said, were descended from the soldiers who, under
Heraklês, attacked the rock Aornos, and after failing to capture it were
settled by him in this part of the country. Alexander encamped near their
capital, and thereupon the citizens who filled the highest offices came
forth to meet him, and reminded him how they were connected by the ties
of a common origin. They avowed themselves to be, in virtue of their
kinship, ready and willing to do whatever he might require, and presented
him also with magnificent gifts. Alexander was so gratified by their
professions of goodwill that he permitted their cities to remain in the
enjoyment of their freedom.[356] He then advanced his arms against their
next neighbours; and finding that the people called Agalassians[357] had
mustered an army of 40,000 foot and 3000 horse, he gave them battle, and
proving victorious put the greater number of them to the sword. The rest,
who had fled for safety to the adjacent towns, which were soon captured,
he condemned to slavery. The remainder of the inhabitants had been
collected into one place, and he seized 20,000 of them, who had taken
refuge in a large city, which he stormed. The Indians, however, having
barricaded the narrow streets, fought with great vigour from the houses,
so that Alexander in pressing the attack lost not a few Macedonians. This
enraged him, and he set fire to the city, burning with it most of its
defenders.[358] He gave quarter, however, to 3000 of the survivors, who
had fled for refuge to the citadel and sued for mercy.
_Chapter XCVII.—Disaster to the fleet at the confluence of the rivers_
He again embarked with his friends, and sailed down stream as far as the
confluence of the Indus with the two rivers already mentioned. These
mighty streams met with tumultuous roar, and formed at their junction
many formidable eddies, which destroyed whatever sailing craft were
sucked into their vortex. The current besides was so swift and strong
that it baffled all the skill of the pilots. Two ships of war foundered
in consequence, and of the other vessels not a few were stranded. A
furious surge broke over the admiral’s ship itself—a mishap which nearly
proved fatal to the king. Wherefore, as death itself stared him in the
face, he stripped off his clothes, and in his naked condition clung to
anything that offered a chance of safety. His friends were at the same
time swimming alongside the ship, every one eager to receive the king in
the event of its capsizing. The utmost confusion prevailed on board, the
men contending with the force of the current, and the river baffling all
human skill and endeavour, so that it was with the greatest difficulty
Alexander made the shore, on which he was cast along with the vessels.
For this unexpected deliverance he offered sacrifice to the gods for
his escape from extreme peril after contending, like Achilles, with a
river.[359]
_Chapter XCVIII.—Combination of the Syrakousai and Malloi—Alexander,
neglecting the warning of a soothsayer, attacks their stronghold, and
scales the walls of its citadel_