alexander-第5节

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ot　to　seek　the　enemy　till　he　had　first　exercised　his　power　here　and　made　himself　secure　of　the　resources　of　these　provinces。　While　he　was　thus　deliberating　what　to　do；　it　happened　that　a　spring　of　water　near　the　city　of　Xanthus　in　Lycia；　of　its　own　accord；　swelled　over　its　banks；　and　threw　up　a　copper　plate；　upon　the　margin　of　which　was　engraven　in　ancient　characters；　that　the　time　would　come　when　the　Persian　empire　should　be　destroyed　by　the　Grecians。　Encouraged　by　this　accident；　he　proceeded　to　reduce　the　maritime　parts　of　Cilicia　and　Phoenicia；　and　passed　his　army　along　the　sea…coasts　of　Pamphylia　with　such　expedition　that　many　historians　have　described　and　extolled　it　with　that　height　of　admiration；　as　if　it　were　no　less　than　a　miracle；　and　an　extraordinary　effect　of　divine　favour；　that　the　waves　which　usually　come　rolling　in　violently　from　the　main；　and　hardly　ever　leave　so　much　as　a　narrow　beach　under　the　steep；　broken　cliffs　at　any　time　uncovered；　should　on　a　sudden　retire　to　afford　him　passage。　Menander；　in　one　of　his　comedies；　alludes　to　this　marvel　when　he　says…

　　　　　　　　　〃Was　Alexander　ever　favoured　more？　　　　　　　　　　　Each　man　I　wish　for　meets　me　at　my　door；　　　　　　　　　　　And　should　I　ask　for　passage　through　the　sea；　　　　　　　　　　　The　sea　I　doubt　not　would　retire　for　me。〃

　　But　Alexander　himself　in　his　epistles　mentions　nothing　unusual　in　this　at　all；　but　says　he　went　from　Phaselis；　and　passed　through　what　they　call　the　Ladders。　At　Phaselis　he　stayed　some　time；　and　finding　the　statue　of　Theodectes；　who　was　a　native　of　this　town　and　was　now　dead；　erected　in　the　market…place；　after　he　had　supped；　having　drunk　pretty　plentifully；　he　went　and　danced　about　it；　and　crowned　it　with　garlands；　honouring　not　ungracefully；　in　his　sport；　the　memory　of　a　philosopher　whose　conversation　he　had　formerly　enjoyed　when　he　was　Aristotle's　scholar。　　　Then　he　subdued　the　Pisidians　who　made　head　against　him；　and　conquered　the　Phrygians；　at　whose　chief　city；　Gordium；　which　is　said　to　be　the　seat　of　the　ancient　Midas；　he　saw　the　famous　chariot　fastened　with　cords　made　of　the　rind　of　the　cornel…tree；　which　whosoever　should　untie；　the　inhabitants　had　a　tradition；　that　for　him　was　reserved　the　empire　of　the　world。　Most　authors　tell　the　story　that　Alexander　finding　himself　unable　to　untie　the　knot；　the　ends　of　which　were　secretly　twisted　round　and　folded　up　within　it；　cut　it　asunder　with　his　sword。　But　Aristobulus　tells　us　it　was　easy　for　him　to　undo　it；　by　only　pulling　the　pin　out　of　the　pole；　to　which　the　yoke　was　tied；　and　afterwards　drawing　off　the　yoke　itself　from　below。　From　hence　he　advanced　into　Paphlagonia　and　Cappadocia；　both　which　countries　he　soon　reduced　to　obedience；　and　then　hearing　of　the　death　of　Memnon；　the　best　commander　Darius　had　upon　the　sea…coasts；　who；　if　he　had　lived；　might；　it　was　supposed；　have　put　many　impediments　and　difficulties　in　the　way　of　the　progress　of　his　arms；　he　was　the　rather　encouraged　to　carry　the　war　into　the　upper　provinces　of　Asia。　　　Darius　was　by　this　time　upon　his　march　from　Susa；　very　confident；　not　only　in　the　number　of　his　men；　which　amounted　to　six　hundred　thousand；　but　likewise　in　a　dream；　which　the　Persian　soothsayers　interpreted　rather　in　flattery　to　him　than　according　to　the　natural　probability。　He　dreamed　that　he　saw　the　Macedonian　phalanx　all　on　fire；　and　Alexander　waiting　on　him；　clad　in　the　same　dress　which　he　himself　had　been　used　to　wear　when　he　was　courier　to　the　late　king；　after　which；　going　into　the　temple　of　Belus；　he　vanished　out　of　his　sight。　The　dream　would　appear　to　have　supernaturally　signified　to　him　the　illustrious　actions　the　Macedonians　were　to　perform；　and　that　as　he；　from　a　courier's　place；　had　risen　to　the　throne；　so　Alexander　should　come　to　be　master　of　Asia；　and　not　long　surviving　his　conquests；　conclude　his　life　with　glory。　Darius's　confidence　increased　the　more；　because　Alexander　spent　so　much　time　in　Cilicia；　which　he　imputed　to　his　cowardice。　But　it　was　sickness　that　detained　him　there；　which　some　say　he　contracted　from　his　fatigues；　others　from　bathing　in　the　river　Cydnus；　whose　waters　were　exceedingly　cold。　However　it　happened；　none　of　his　physicians　would　venture　to　give　him　any　remedies；　they　thought　his　case　so　desperate；　and　were　so　afraid　of　the　suspicions　and　ill…will　of　the　Macedonians　if　they　should　fail　in　the　cure；　till　Philip；　the　Acarnanian；　seeing　how　critical　his　case　was；　but　relying　on　his　own　well…known　friendship　for　him；　resolved　to　try　the　last　efforts　of　his　art；　and　rather　hazard　his　own　credit　and　life　than　suffer　him　to　perish　for　want　of　physic；　which　he　confidently　administered　to　him；　encouraging　him　to　take　it　boldly；　if　he　desired　a　speedy　recovery；　in　order　to　prosecute　the　war。　At　this　very　time；　Parmenio　wrote　to　Alexander　from　the　camp；　bidding　him　have　a　care　of　Philip；　as　one　who　was　bribed　by　Darius　to　kill　him；　with　great　sums　of　money；　and　a　promise　of　his　daughter　in　marriage。　When　he　had　perused　the　letter；　he　put　it　under　his　pillow；　without　showing　it　so　much　as　to　any　of　his　most　intimate　friends；　and　when　Philip　came　in　with　the　potion；　he　took　it　with　great　cheerfulness　and　assurance；　giving　him　meantime　the　letter　to　read。　This　was　a　spectacle　well　worth　being　present　at；　to　see　Alexander　take　the　draught　and　Philip　read　the　letter　at　the　same　time；　and　then　turn　and　look　upon　one　another；　but　with　different　sentiments；　for　Alexander's　looks　were　cheerful　and　open；　to　show　his　kindness　to　and　confidence　in　his　physician；　while　the　other　was　full　of　surprise　and　alarm　at　the　accusation；　appealing　to　the　gods　to　witness　his　innocence；　sometimes　lifting　up　his　hands　to　heaven；　and　then　throwing　himself　down　by　the　bedside；　and　beseeching　Alexander　to　lay　aside　all　fear；　and　follow　his　directions　without　apprehension。　For　the　medicine　at　first　worked　so　strongly　as　to　drive；　so　to　say；　the　vital　forces　into　the　interior；　he　lost　his　speech；　and　falling　into　a　swoon；　had　scarce　any　sense　or　pulse　left。　However　in　no　long　time；　by　Philip's　means；　his　health　and　strength　returned；　and　he　showed　himself　in　public　to　the　Macedonians；　who　were　in　continual　fear　and　dejection　until　they　saw　him　abroad　again。　　　There　was　at　this　time　in　Darius's　army　a　Macedonian　refugee；　named　Amyntas；　one　who　was　pretty　well　acquainted　with　Alexander's　character。　This　man；　when　he　saw　Darius　intended　to　fall　upon　the　enemy　in　the　passes　and　defiles；　advised　him　earnestly　to　keep　where　he　was；　in　the　open　and　extensive　plains；　it　being　the　advantage　of　a　numerous　army　to　have　field…room　enough　when　it　engaged　with　a　lesser　force。　Darius；　instead　of　taking　his　counsel；　told　him　he　was　afraid　the　enemy　would　endeavour　to　run　away；　and　so　Alexander　would　escape　out　of　his　hands。　〃That　fear；〃　replied　Amyntas；　〃is　needless；　for　assure　yourself　that　far　from　avoiding　you；　he　will　make　all　the　speed　he　can　to　meet　you；　and　is　now　most　likely　on　his　march　toward　you。〃　But　Amyntas's　counsel　was　to　no　purpose；　for　Darius　immediately　decamping；　marched　into　Cilicia　at　the　same　time　that　Alexander　advanced　into　Syria　to　meet　him；　and　missing　one　another　in　the　night；　they　both　turned　back　again。　Alexander；　greatly　pleased　with　the　event；　made　all　the　haste　he　could　to　fight　in　the　defiles；　and　Darius　to　recover　his　former　ground；　and　draw　his　army　out　of　so　disadvantageous　a　place。　For　now　he　began　to　perceive　his　error　in　engaging　himself　too　far　in　a　country　in　which　the　sea；　the　mountains；　and　the　river　Pinarus　running　through　the　midst　of　it；　would　necessitate　him　to　divide　his　forces；　render　his　horse　almost　unserviceable；　and　only　cover　and　support　the　weakness　of　the　enemy。　Fortune　was　not　kinder　to　Alexander　in　the　choice　of　the　ground；　than　he　was　careful　to　improve　it　to　his　advantage。　For　being　much　inferior　in　numbers；　so　far　from　allowing　himself　to　be　outflanked；　he　stretched　his　right　wing　much　further　out　than　the　left　wing　of　his　enemies；　and　fighting　there　himself　in　the　very　foremost　ranks；　put　the　barbarians　to　flight。　In　this　battle　he　was　wounded　in　the　thigh；　Chares　says；　by　Darius；　with　whom　he　fought　hand…to…hand。　But　in　the　account　which　he　gave　Antipater　of　the　battle；　though　indeed　he　owns　he　was　wounded　in　the　thigh　with　a　sword；　though　not　dangerously；　yet　he　takes　no　notice　who　it　was　that　wounded　him。　　　Nothing　was　wanting　to　complete　this　victory；　in　which　he　overthrew　above　an　hundred　and　ten　thousand　of　his　enemies；　but　the　taking　the　person　of　Darius；　who　escaped　very　narrowly　by　flight。　However；　having　taken　his　chariot　and　his　bow；　he　returned　from　pursuing　him；　and　found　his　own　men　busy　in　pillaging　the　barbarians'　camp；　which　（though　to　disburden　themselves　they　had　left　most　of　their　baggage　at　Damascus）　was　exceedingly　rich。　But　Darius's　tent；　which　was　full　of　splendid　furniture　and　quantities　of　gold　and　silver；　they　reserved　for　Alexander　himself；　who；　after　he　had　put　off　his　arms；　went　to　bathe　himself　saying；　〃Let　us　now　cleanse　ourselves　from　the　toils　of　war　in　the　bath　of　Darius。〃　〃Not　so；〃　replied　one　of　his　followers；　〃but　in　Alexander's　rather；　for　the　property　of　the　conquered　is　and　should　be　called　the　conqueror's。〃　Here；　when　he　beheld　the　bathing　vessels；　the　water…pots；　the　pans；　and　the　ointment　boxes；　all　of　go