a tergo erant, aestimare non poterant. Itaque Cophen (nam trepidantes reliquerat) strenue' revocant, et cum eo XXX principes mittunt, qui petram tradant, et ut incolumibus? abire liceat, paciscantur. Ille quamquam verebatur, ne conspecta juvenum paucitate deturbarent eos barbari, tamen et fortunae suae confisus, et Arimazi superbiae infensus, nullam se condicionem deditionis accipere respondit. Arimazes, desperatis magis quam perditis rebus, cum propinquis nobilissimisque gentis suae descendit in castra: quos omnes verberibus affectos sub ipsis radicibus petrae crucibus jussit affigi. Multitudo dediticiorum incolis novarum urbium cum pecunia capta dono data est: Artabazus in petrae regionisque, quae apposita esset ei, tutela relictus.

6

1 Equivalent to protinus, continuo, without delay.'

2 See Gram. § 376, 3, with note; and Zumpt, § 601.

That is, the affair was rather thrown up by himself in despair, than actually lost. In Latin we can say despero rem transitively, as well as despero de re intransitively. See Zumpt, $ 417.

Tiara.

LIBER VIII.

(1) Alexander, after taking the rock of Arimazes, divides his army into several parts. Craterus takes vengeance for the defeat of Attinas, and, by a victory over the Dahae, completes the subjugation of this part of Sogdiana. Ambassadors come with proposals of peace to Alexander's head-quarters at Maracanda. (2) In the extensive, and for many years strictly-preserved hunting-forest of Bazaira, a hunt is appointed, in which the whole army engage, and during which Alexander, refusing the assistance of Lysimachus, kills a lion. (3) Clitus is appointed governor of Bactra, and a farewell feast is given in his honour. Alexander, when excited with wine, boasts of his deeds, and speaks slightingly of his father Philip. (4) Clitus expresses himself little satisfied with the conduct of the king, and depreciates the deeds of Alexander and the juniors (5,) and in his bitterness of spirit, goes so far as even to cast imputations upon Alexander's personal honour. The king can no longer restrain his wrath: his friends for some time prevent him by force from committing any act of violence; but when let free, he waits for Clitus at the entrance, and stabs him. (6) He is soon visited by the bitterest pangs of remorse, and after giving way to his despair for three days, is only quieted by the united efforts of the Macedonians. (7) The Bactrian exiles are conquered and entirely subdued in the district of Xenippa. (8) The pass into Nautaca is defended by Sysimithres. Alexander takes the fortification. (9) Sysimithres at last, induced by the arguments of Oxartes, surrenders, and is received to mercy and favour. (10) While the other portions of the army remain quiet in Nautaca (winter of 328–327 в. c.), he himself, with the cavalry, makes a rapid pursuit of the other rebels, and entirely suppresses the revolt. During this expedition, Philip, a royal page, and brother of Lysimachus, dies of over-exertion. Erigyius dies in the camp. (11) The king is freed from the necessity of making a campaign against the Dahae, as Spitamenes is murdered by his own wife. (12) She herself brings his head to Alexander's camp. (13) The Dahae, upon the murder of Spitamenes, seize Dataphernes, and give him up bound to Alexander. The king deposes some of his governors of provinces for mal-administration, and appoints others in their room. (14, 15) After resting for three months in Nautaca, Alexander breaks up, and marches through the district of Gabaza. During this expedition a severe storm comes on suddenly, in which many of the soldiers perish. (16) The satrap Oxyartes submits, and makes the king a feast, in which Alexander

sees Roxane, the fair daughter of his host, and, attracted by her beauty, marries her in due form. (17) Alexander now directs his thoughts to the conquest of India. The army is supplemented by 30,000 chosen Asiatics: the splendour of the arms of the Macedonians is increased. Alexander wishes to receive from the Macedonians the honours due to the son of a god. In this attempt he is assisted by certain Greeks. (18) At a great festival, Cleo, a Sicilian, proposes that thenceforward the king shall be honoured as a god. (19) Callisthenes, a native of Olynthus, censures the deification of a living man, and ridicules the proposal of Cleo. (20) The Macedonians approve of Callisthenes' opinion, and Alexander is forced to give up his wish. He gives orders, however, for the Asiatics to worship him, and is seriously angry with Polypercon for laughing at this. (21) A conspiracy is formed among the royal pages against the king's life. Hermolaus and his beloved Sostratus, its authors, take into their confidence seven others; but a considerable time elapses before it can be so arranged that they shall have the watch together at the king's quarters. (22) The time for executing the deed arrives: but at first, the king remains unusually long at supper, and even when he is retiring to his couch, he is induced by a woman, supposed to be a prophetess, to return to the banqueting-room, and continue there with his guests till morning. The watch is relieved, but the conspirators remain till morning. They find, however, no opportunity of executing their design, but Alexander rewards them handsomely for what he considers their kind attention in waiting the whole night. (23) One of the conspirators reveals the matter to his brother, who hurries with him to the king's quarters. Alexander is roused from sleep, and gives orders for the apprehension of the conspirators. (24) When brought up for trial, all confess. Hermolaus speaks, and alleges the cause of their hatred of the king to have been his cruelty. (25) He expresses himself in bitter terms regarding the king's pride and contempt of the manners of his fatherland. (26, 27, 28) Alexander defends himself against the charges of cruelty and avarice, explains the reasons for his mild treatment of the Asiatics, and why he wished divine honours from them. He frees the relatives of the conspirators from all responsibility for the crime. (29) The criminals who have confessed are put to death by their comrades. Callisthenes too, being accused of having instigated the youths, shares their fate. (30) Alexander commences his expedition to India, in the end of spring 327 B. C. The rivers and climate of the country are described. (31) Its peculiar natural productions; the customs of the inhabitants. (32) The luxury of the kings. (33) The life of the wise men of the land is depicted. (34) The nearest Indian princes give themselves up. Alexander intrusts the command of the main body of the army to Hephaestion and Perdiccas, ordering them to advance direct to the Indus. He himself, with Craterus, marches through the mountainous district on the north

K

of the Cophen (now the Cabul), and razes to the ground the first city that opposes his progress. (35) He lights unexpectedly upon the city of Nysa. The inhabitants surrender, and the town is recognised as having been founded by the god Dionysius. (36) The Macedonians, throwing aside all discipline, for ten days celebrate Bacchanalia, on a mountain near Nysa. (37) The army is divided into several parts, and many cities are taken, partly deserted. Alexander advances to the strong town of Mazagae, and there receives a wound. (38) Nevertheless the siege is carried on with vigour. The queen, Cleophis, surrenders, and gains Alexander's favour. (39) The rock of Aornis on the Indus is taken possession of by the inhabitants of the neighbouring towns, who refuse to submit. An Indian guides the Macedonians to a peak, separated from Aornis by a deep cleft. The soldiers zealously and rapidly fill up this cleft. (40) The position of the barbarians is stormed, but all Alexander's attempts to take it are vain. (41) However, he still maintains the siege, and the Indians, to his great joy, make an unexpected retreat by night. Alexander subdues the neighbouring town of Ecbolima. (42) Alexander unites at the Indus with the division under Hephaestion, and crosses that river by a bridge previously constructed. Omphis, the ruler of the country, who has already, from fear of his neighbours, Porus and Abisares, entered into communication with Alexander, now gives up his person and all his means of carrying on war to the disposal of Alexander. (43) Alexander acknowledges him as Taxiles (king), and returns him his presents with most liberal additions. (44) Abisares, king of the mountainous territory beyond the Hydaspes, sends ambassadors to give in his submission. Porus refuses to obey the summons to submit, and with his troops, elephants, and war-chariots, takes up a position on the Hydaspes, to oppose Alexander's crossing. (45) The sight of the broad and rapid river, and of the hostile array on the opposite side, fills the Macedonians with alarm. Skirmishes on the islands in the river terminate in the destruction of several gallant Macedonians. (46) Alexander deceives Porus as to the place at which he intends to cross, and, assisted by a storm, succeeds in making the passage. (47) Hages, the brother of Porus, attacks him with the war-chariots, but the state of the ground is unfavourable for this purpose, and he is routed. (48) Porus himself comes resolutely on. Alexander arranges the plan of the battle, which is immediately begun. (49) The Indians fight in irregular and scattered order. Porus heads the attack of the elephants, which at the onset is successful, but afterwards is broken by the light troops and the compact Macedonian phalanx. (50) After the other elephants are driven off, Porus continues the fight gallantly, riding on his; till at last he sinks down half dead, whereupon all resistance ceases. (51) Porus, protected to the last by his faithful elephant, is brought before Alexander, and by his manly and prudent answers gains the favour of the conqueror; the most beautiful trait in whose cha

racter was, that he always paid respect to what was honourable or noble in his enemies.

ALEXANDER, majore fama quam gloria' in dicionem redacta petra, cum propter vagum hostem spargendae manus essent, in tres partes divisit exercitum. Hephaestionem uni, Coenon alteri duces dederat : ipse ceteris praeerat. Sed non eadem mens omnibus barbaris fuit. Armis quidam subacti; plures ante certamen imperata fecerunt, quibus eorum, qui in defectione perseveraverant, urbes agrosque jussit attribui. At exules Bactriani cum DCCC Massagetarum2 equitibus proximos vicos vastaverunt. Ad quos coercendos Attinas, regionis ejus praefectus, CCC equites, insidiarum, quae parabantur, ignarus, eduxit. Namque hostis in silvis, quae erant forte campo junctae, armatum militem condidit, paucis propellentibus pecora, ut improvidum ad insidias praeda perduceret.3 Itaque incomposito agmine solutisque ordinibus Attinas praedabundus sequebatur; quem praetergressum silvam, qui in ea consederant, ex improviso adorti, cum omnibus interemerunt. Celeriter ad Craterum hujus cladis fama perlata est; qui cum omni equitatu supervenit: et Massagetae quidem jam refugerant, Dahae mille oppressi sunt: quorum clade totius regionis finita defectio est.

Alex

ander quoque, Sogdianis rursus subactis, Maracanda repetit. Ibi Berdes, quem ad Scythas super Bosporum colentes miserat, cum legatis gentis occurrit. Phrataphernes quoque, qui Chorasmiis praeerat, Massagetis et Dahis regionum confinio adjunctus, miserat, qui facturum imperata pollicerentur. Scythae petebant, ut regis sui filiam matrimonio sibi jungeret: si dedignaretur affinitatem, principes Macedonum cum primoribus suae gentis connubio coire pateretur: ipsum quoque regem venturum ad eum pollicebantur. Utraque legatione benigne audita, Hephaestionem et Artabazum opperiens, stativa habuit: quibus adjunctis, in regionem quae appellatur Bazaira pervenit.

2. Barbarae opulentiae in illis locis haud ulla sunt majora indicia, quam magnis nemoribus saltibusque nobilium fera

The subjugation of Arimazes and his rock was rather a matter to be talked about and praised at the time, than such as would bring Alexander enduring glory.

2 A Scythian (nomadic) tribe.

In order, by the prospect of booty, to lead him who suspected nothing into the ambush.'

As to the termination bundus, see Gram. § 145.

5 See vii. 26.

6 Not, however, as a Persian satrap, but as an independent king. The Chorasmii appear to have dwelt about the modern Chiwa.