The Annals of the World, History 1 · Age of the world 6 (10 of 18)

The Annals of the World · History 1 · Age of the world 6 (10 of 18)

p. 247Mean while Ptolomei, who was sent a forraging, went further off, with a small Troup, to discover, and sent back word to Alexander, that there seemed to be more fires, in the enemies Camp, than there were in all his: whereupon Alexander leaving a part of his army in the Camp, went with the rest to take a view of those fires himself: and having considered well of them, he cast the company which he brought with him, into three parts; one he gave to Leonatus, one of the Squires of his body, giving him the brigade of Attalus and Balacrus to attend him, the second he commanded Ptolomei to take charge of; and to him assigned a third part, of his own Argyraspides, or silver Targateers; and the brigade of Philip and Philoras, with two thousand archers, and all the Agrians, and one half of the whole Cavalrie; The third part he took to himself, and led them to a place, where he saw the greatest throng of the enemy to be. And they on the other side, confiding in their multitude, & supposing the Macedons to be but few in number, left the mountain, and came down into the plain, where after a bloody field fought, the Macedons gat the victory: Ptolomei, who led one of the three Brigadaes of Macedons, reporteth, that there were taken in that fight, upward of 40 thousand prisoners; and of cattle, above 230 thousand head, out of which, Alexander was purposed, to have culled out the principall of all kinds, because they were exceeding fair, and to have sent them into Macedon, to make a breed there, for the tillage of the ground.

From thence Alexander went into the country of the Assacenians, Year of the World 3677 who were said to have mustred a thousand Horse, 3 thousand Foot, and 30 Elephants, to encounter him. It was said also, that Assacenus, (which as it seems, was the common name which all their Kings went by) being lately dead, his mother Cleophis, commanded all at that present.

Craterus, having finished the city, as he was commanded, brought all his corselets to Alexander, with engines of battery and other instruments for a siege if need should be. Then set Alexander forward with the Horse of his fellow Cavaleers, and his Darters on horseback, with Coenus and Polysperchons companies, with a thousand Agrians, and Archers toward the Assacenians: marching thorough the country of the Guraeans, and was much troubled in the passage of the river Guraeus there. The natives hearing of his coming, durst not abide him in a body, but brake up their army, and dispersed themselves, everyone as he could into several cities, purposing there to stand upon their guard.

Alexander went first with his army to Massaga the greatest City of the Assacenian country, and enclosed with a wall of 35 furlongs in compasse: there were 30 thousand men within to defend the walls, of which number there were 7 thousand mercenaries, out of the inner parts of India: These coming to a fight at the foot of a hill distant from the river Guraeus some seven furlongs; were fain to flee back into their city, having lost about 2 hundred in their flight. Alexander presently drew up his maine battel of Macedons before the gates thereof, and took a Dart into his thigh from off the wall; and when it pained him, he cryed out, that they told him, he was Joves son, but that when he was wounded, he felt the pain of it like another man: adding withal, (as Plutarch in his book of Alexanders fortune writeth) when he saw the blood running down his body: a saying out of Homer in his 5 book of his Iliads, that this was blood indeed, but not.

Such blood as from the blessed gods doth flow.

By nine dayes end the besieged, seeing his works, the incessant labour and travel of the besiegers, what vast valleys they filled up, what towers they built, and how they made them run upon wheeles, they began to consider of it: but when their Captain was shot thorough with a Dart coming out of an engine of battery, from the Works without, their courage failed, and despairing of any longer holding out, retired into their p. 248Castle, and from thence sent Messengers to crave pardon, and submitted. Cleophis also the Queen with a great multitude of noble Ladies, all pouring wine into golden basins, came forth unto him: and the Queen laying her young son at his feet, obtained not onelyonly his pardon, but also to be restored to her fathers estate, and pristin fortune of his House; for which yet it was thought she was more beholding to her own beauty, than to his bounty: for men commonly said, that all that was but the see of a nights lodging; and that she got her kingdom again, by her allurements, which she could not do with all the strength she had: whence it was, that among the Indians, she went afterward by the name of the Kings whore. In all which siege yet Alexander lost not above 25 men.

The Indians which were there, hired out of the inner parts of Indie, and in the siege, had annoyed Alexander more than all the rest; being according to the articles suffered to depart with their armes, encamped themselves about 8 hundred furlongs off from thence, whereof Alexander being advertised, grew into an implacable rage against them; and set upon them, saying, that he indeed suffered them to depart with their armes, but not that they should ever after use them against the Macedons: and they, nothing terrified with the greatnesse of their danger, lockt themselves close together, and casting themselves into a ring, took their wives and children into the midst of them: And so when the enemy came on, they withstood them in very manful wife: and the women themselves, as any of the men were slain, took up their armes, and with them went and served among the men; yet at last overborne with the numbers of the enemy, they all died in the place; And Alexander bestowed the women and the rest of the rascality which were left, upon his Troup of Horse; which act of his, blemished his glory, and stuck as a spot upon all his former noble actions in his wars.

Alexander sent Coenus to a strong and rich City called Bazira, supposing that the inhabitants there, hearing what passed at Assacan, would have submitted, as the Aassacans had done; which yet they refused to do: but he sent Alcaetas, and Attalus, and Demetrius General of the Horse, to the City Ora, and willed them to draw a wall round about it, and do no more till he came. The inhabitants made a salley upon Alcaetas his quarter: but the Macedons easily put them back, and quickly mured them upon that side. And when as Alexander heard, that Abissarus would privily put in there, more of the natives to defend it; he presently sent word to Caenus, to build a strong castle upon it, and leaving a good garrison in it, which might be able, to hinder the Tillage of their ground, to returne to him with the residue of the army.

They of Bazira, seeing Caenus gone with the greatest part of his army, contemning those that were left in the Castle, drew out into the open field: where having lost 500 upon the place, and 70 more taken prisoners, the rest which returned into the city were closer shut up, and streightened than before, and not suffered to peepe out of the Gates.

Alexander took the city Ora at the first assault, and took such Elephants as he found therein: which when the inhabitant of Bazira heard, fearing to be taken, they all in the dead of the night, fled out of the gates, and got up into a Rock, called Aornus and the rest of the cities thereabout, did the like, every man with his armes: and Alexander having put Garrisons in Ora and Massaga; built up the walls of Bazira, and seised on the townes, which the Inhabitants had left.

Taxiles being dead, his son Omphis or Mophis, who had perswaded his father to submit to Alexander, sent unto him to know his pleasure, whether he should take the kingdom presently upon him, or live a private man till his coming: and though word was returned him that he should reigne, yet he forbare for the present: mean while, when Hephaestion and Perdiccas being sent to make a bridge over the river Indus, came that way, he received them with all honour, and furnished them with provisions gratis; but went not out to meet them upon the way, least he should seem to depend on any man for favour, but Alexander himself.

Alexander coming to Embolyma, a city not far distant from the Rock Aornus, left Craterus with a part of the army there, and gave him order to make provision of corne and other necessaries, for a long time, if occasion should be to stay at the siege of Aornus, and in case he should not be able to take it at the first. Himself, taking with him his Agrians and Archers, and Caenus his brigade, and out of the Macedonian Squadron, such as were of the nimblest sort, and with all best armed, and 200 of his Cavaleers, and archers on horseback 100, marched to the Rock.

The fame went that Hercules heretofore, when he was in those parts, tried to take that place, but could not, and that he was put off thence by an earthquake, which set Alexander the more on fire to take it, that therein he might be seen to out-do Hercules. The compasse of the Rock, was an hundred furlongs, and the heigth thereof sixteene, p. 249if we believe Diodor. for Arrianus sayes, that the compasse of it was 2 hundred furlongs; and the heighth thereof, where it was lowest, eleven; at the foot of it toward the South, ran the River Indus, not far from the head where it riseth, as [Strabo, lib. 15.] telleth us, the rest is taken up with vast bogs, and inaccessible crags: in one of which there dwelt a poor old man, with his two sons, in a cave wherein there were three beds, cut out of the Rock. Alexander promised him 80 talents, if he would shew him a way up into the Rock: whereupon he told him there was but one way; and shewed him where it was. Alexander finding there was no way but that, manned that place so strongly, that they could not possibly receive any the least relief, from without. And then setting his army to work, he cast up a mount of earth, and rubbage so high, that now he could come at least to fight with them at a small distance, and to assault them, which assault lasted nine whole dayes and nights together, without cessation. Alexander having lost many of his men, what in fighting, what in climbing the rocks (among which were Chares, and one Alexander) though he had no hope to take it, yet he made shew, as if he would not off from the siege, leaving yet the passage which led into the Rock open, for them to flee out there that would: which they perceiving, and being adawed at his constancy and resolution, took the advantage of a darke night, and fled every man of them, by that way out of the rock.

The King, seeing no stirring there the next day, sent Balacrus to see what the matter was; and he brought word, that the enemy was all gone. Then he taking with him certain Squires of the body, and 700 of his silver Targateers, went himself first up into the rock, and then the rest of the Macedons, lending one another a hand, to climbe up, as well as they could; and then giving the word, to pursue the enemy, they did, and slew many of them in the chase: many of them also, flying over the Rocks fell and burst themselves in pieces. Alexander having conquered the places rather than the men that dwelt therein: offered yet many sacrifices, and built Altars to Minerva and Victoria, in that Rock: and leaving a Garrison there, made one Sisicoptus, al. Sisocostus, Governour of that place, and country thereabouts: which Sisocostus, came formerly out of India to Bessus in Bactria, and when Alexander had subdued it, he came in with his men unto him, and ever after served him faithfully.

Alexander removed from Aornus, and went into the country of the Assaceni; for he was told that the brother of Assaecanus, the last King, with a number of Elephants, and no small company of the Inhabitants, and bordering Nations, were fled to the mountains in those parts: and when he came to the city Dirta, he found no creature there, nor in the country thereabouts.

The next day he sent out Nearchus and Antiochus, each of them commanding a thousand silver Targateers: and to Nearchus he assigned certain light armed Agrians; to the other, besides the thousand silver Targateers which he commanded, he added 2 thousand more of the same sort. These he sent out to scout about, and to see if they could light upon any of the natives, of whom they might enquire among other things, especially concerning the Elephants.

Himself marcht forward to the bank of the River Indus, sending an army before him to mend the wayes, without which it had been impossible for him to have got thorough them. But when he found, that the streights and narrow passages thereof were taken up by one Erix, he left Coenus to bring after the main body of the army, by easie journeys; but himself going forward with his slingers and archers, cleared the Forest, and made a safe way for the army that came after. Diodorus calls this Indian Aphrices, and sayes, he had with him 20 thousand men, and 15 Elephants; But the Indians, whether out of a hatred to this Erix or Aphrices, or whether to ingratiate themselves with Alexander, slew him, and brought both his head and armes to Alexander: He pardoned them, but thanked them not, for example sake.

From hence, in sixteen dayes march, he cameto the River Indus side; and took in the city Penceliotes, not far from thence, upon surrender: and leaving there a Garrison of Macedons, he left Philippus to command them. He subdued also a multitude of lesser towns standing upon that River, Cophaeus, and Assagetes, the Governours of that country attending on him from place to place. He understood also by some of the natives, which he had taken prisoners, that the men of that country were all gone, to Barisades, (perhaps Abisarus) and that the Elephants were left a graseing, upon the bank of Indus: whereupon he commanded them to shew him the way to the place where the Elephants were. In catching of them, two fell over the Rocks and perished; the rest were taken, and being handled, and made fit for service, were taken into his army: And having found there a wood of timber-trees, he caused it to be felled, and ships to be built thereof: which being lanched, he went in them to the bridge of Boates, which Hephaestion and Perdiccas had built for him. And they, foreseeing that they should have more Rivers than one to passe, made their ships, or boats so as they might take them asunder at their pleasure, and carry them in carts, as occasion was, and then put them p. 252together again, besides which they built two others, of 30 oars a piece, and many more of a lesser sort.

Alexander stayed there 30 dayes to rest his army, and in that time offered magnificent sacrifices to his gods, and made pastimes and shews, both with Horse and Foot, by the river side; and then made one of his Nobles, Nicanor, Governour of all that region on this side Indus. Afterward he passed the river, by the bridge that was made at Pencolaites (as Strabo saith, lib. 15.) with his army, end there sacrificed again to his gods, after his own country manner. Now that Alexander came into the Region which lies between the Indus, and the river Hydaspes, in the beginning of the spring, is testified by Aristobulus, who was then with him, vouched by Strabo [lib. 15. pag. 691.]

And now, Year of the World c. was Alexander 30 furlongs off, when Omphis the son of Taxiles, with an army all in arms, and Elephants disposed by equal distances among the companies, met him, and at first Alexander, not well knowing whether he came as a friend or a foe, prepared for a fight; but Omphis, finding Alexanders error, caused his army to make a stand, set spurs to his horse, and went all alone to Alexanders presence, and rendred both himself and kingdom, (which yet was not much bigger than Egypt) into his hands. And when Alexander asked him, whether he had most labourers or souldiers in his kingdom, he answered, that having a war to maintain against two Kings, he must of necessity keep more souldiers, than labourers in his kingdom. Those enemies of his, were Abisarus and Porus, who reigned on the other side of the river Hydaspes; Omphis, upon Alexanders permission, took upon him the title and habit of a King, and withal, after the manner of his country, the name of Taxiles, for that name goes with the kingdom, whoever gets it.

The city Taxila, from whence the King takes his name, is the greatest of all other, lying between the rivers of Indus and Hydaspes: all the inhabitants whereof, as well as himself, entertained Alexander very joyfully. Upon the fourth day after his arrival there, Omphis let him know what corn he furnished Hephaestion with all for his army, and presented both him and all his Nobles, with Crowns of pure gold, and moreover upon Alexander himself, he bestowed 30, as Arrianus, or 56 Elephants, as Curtius saith, and with a multitude of goodly cattle, three thousand Oxen, and upwards of ten thousand sheep. Arrianus addeth, that he sent him also seven hundred Indian Horse, and 200 talents of silver, whereas Curtius mentions onelyonly 80 talents of silver in sowes.

Alexander was infinitely taken with this entertainment of his, and sent him back his 200 talents of silver again, with a thousand talents more of his own, and many a cup-bord of plate for his table besides, both of gold and silver, with a great deal of Persian attire, and 30 Horses which were for his own saddle, and furniture of his own, thereunto belonging: which liberality of his, as it much pleased and obliged Omphis, so it infinitely offended his nobles, among which, Meleager, sitting at supper, and being somewhat high flowen with wine, told him, that he was very glad, to see that he found a man here in India, whom he thought worthy of a thousand talents. Alexander remembring what penance he had done for Clitus, forbare revenge, onelyonly he said, That envious men were nought else but their own tormentors.

The next day, Abisarus, King of the Indian mountainers, sent his own brother to him, with other Ambassadors, to present him with monies, and Elephants, and to submit both him and all that he had to his disposing and pleasure, and Alexander having made a firm league with him, sent them back again unto him. Ambassadors also came to him from Doxareus, a Governour in those parts, with presents from him.

In the country of Taxila, Alexander again offered his usual sacrifices, and made shews and games of exercises both by Horse and Foot. And, leaving Philippus the son of Machates, Governour in those parts, and a Garrison in the city and country of Taxila, left there also such others of his army, as through any infirmity were grown unserviceable, and then removed toward the river Hydaspes.

And now supposing that Porus upon the fame of his name might easily be drawn to submit unto him, sent a message to him by Cleochares, to require tribute of him, and to command him to meet him at the border of his kingdom. Porus answered, that the one of these two things he would not faile to do, which was, to meet him at the first entrance of his kingdom, but it should be, in warlike manner.

There was another Porus, King also of a neighboring nation of India, his nephew, who for the hatred which he bare to his Uncle, sent Ambassadors to Alexander, and offered himself and all his kingdome to do him service.

p. 251Alexander sent back Caenus to the river Indus, with charge, to take in pieces, the ships that were there made, and to bring them over land in Carts unto him, so the lesser sort of them, were divided into two parts, and the greater into three, and all to be brought to the river Hydaspes.

There putting them together again, and lanching them, he with his army returned to Taxila, and there having gotten five thousand Indians, which Taxiles and others had brought him, he returned to the bank of Hydaspes. And upon the way, Barzaentes, sometimes Governour of the Drangians, and procurer of the revolt of the Arachosians, being taken prisoner, together with 30 Elephants of his, was delivered into his hands. This prise fell pat, for his war against the Indians, who trusted more in their beasts, for the most part, than in their men. Gamaxus also, a petty King in those parts, and a confederate of Barzaentes, was taken, and brought bound unto him. Both were committed, and the Elephants taken into his service, and delivered to Taxiles, al. Omphis, and then he went forward, and came to Hydaspes, where he caused Barzaentes, for his old treason against his master Darius, to be put to death, as we find by Arrianus [lib. 3. pag. 72.]

Ports lay encamped on the other side of the river Hydaspes, to stop Alexanders passage, a man of a huge statue, and a mind answerable thereunto, for it is said, that he was five cubids high, and vantage: though Plutarch say, that he was but four cubits high: and a hand breadth: but so thick in the bulk, that his coat of armour was twice as big as any other mans. He rode upon an Elephant, higher than all the rest, on which he sate, like an ordinary man on Horse-back. Curtius sayes, that in the forefront of his battle, he placed 80 huge Elephants: whereas Diodore sayes, he had 13. And Arrianus, that he had upwards of 200. Chariots he had 300, and 30000 Foot, in his army. Diodorus reports, that he had above 1000 Chariots, and 50000 thousand Foot: though Plutarch gives him but 20000, but then he allows him 2000 Horse, Diodore, 3000, and Arrianus 4000, by him brought into the field. The river Hydaspes ran between the two armies, and Porus with his Elephants, appearing alwayes in the head of his army, lay ready to hinder the passage of Alexander, and Alexander caused noises dayly to be made in his army, to make the like noises, from the Barbarians more usual, and therefore lesse terrible to his men, and after a while, in a tempestuous dark night, he put over certain of his Foot; and choicest Horse, a great way up the river, into a small Island, whence in the midst of a tempest of rain, and thunder, and lightning, and whirl-winds; though, he saw sundry of his men strook dead in the place, and others sore hurt there with, yet over he would, and land he hid on the other side. The river, swollen with the rain, foundred, and brake down the banks in many places, with the swiftnesse of his course, and the water withall brake in between. Alexander got on land, where he could hardly stand, for the slabb…nesse of the ground, and gulfs, occasioned by the breaking in of the river, between which the Macedons perceiving, they also forced themselves to land, being up to the very arme pits in water.

Having passed the water, he with the Horse, gat some 20 furlongs before the Foot, and there put to flight a thousand of the enemies Horse, and 60 Chariots, which he lighted on: The Chariots he took every one, with 400 of their Horse. Now Porus finding that Alexander was gotten over, fell upon him with all his army, save onelyonly such as he left to attend the body of the Macedonian army, where they stood ready to passe. Alexander fearing the multitude of the enemy, and their Elephants, fell himself upon the one wing of them, and commanded the rest to do the like upon the other. And when the natives being hard laied to any where, retired alwayes in a body to the Elephants, as to a place of refuge, the fight grew confused every where, and scantly could he rout and make them turn their backs and fly, till two a clock in the after noon: and this is the relation of this fight made by Alexander in his own letters.

The former of these two fights, wherein he slew 400 horse, and took 60 Chariots, Aristobulus saies, was with Porus his son, adding, that he was slain in that encounter. But Ptolomei makes the forces which were sent out with Porus his son, to have been twice as many, as Alexander in his letter mentions; for he sayes, that he came out at that time, with two thousand Horse, and 120 Chariots, as for the latter, which was fought with Porus himself, and which Alexander doth but touch. Arrianus describeth it more at large: and concerning the number slain in both the battles, he thus writeth. There were slain (saith he) of the Indian Foot, little lesse than twenty thousand, and of their Horse three thousand, all their Chariots were scattered, two of Porus his sons slain. Spitarches also, who commanded all that region of India, and all the Captains, both of the Elephants and Chariots, and of his Horse and Foot, died in the battle: and the Elephants, which were not killed in the fight, were all taken of Alexanders foot, which were to the number of 6000. in the first encounter, there were lost but 80 at the most, of the archers on horse-back, which gave the first onset, there were slain 10, of his fellow Cavaleers 20, and of the rest of the horse 200 p. 252with which we may compare the accompt which Diodorus makes: there died, saith he, of the Indians, upward of 12000, and among them, Porus his two sons, and all the chief Commanders of his army, and bravest Captains that he had: But prisoners there were taken 9000, and 80 Elephants. Of the Macedon Horse were slain 280, and somewhat more than 700 Foot.

When Porus was taken, Alexander asked him how he lookt to be used, and he answered, Like a King, Alexander asked him again, whether he would ought else, and his answer was, that word, Like a King, comprehends all, whereupon Alexander, seeing his noble and royal disposition, used him accordingly, and took him into the number of those whom he called his friends, and restored him to his kingdom again, which, reaching from Hydaspes to the bank of the river Acesives, contained in it 300 cities; witnesse [Strabo, lib. 15. pag. 698.]

Arrianus sheweth, that these things fell out, foreign: (i. e. in that season of the year, when the sun declined from the summer solstice: at which season, the greatest rains usually fall in India, and swell the river Hydaspes, which in the midst of winter a man may wade over, [lib. 5. pag. 107.] with which Jacobus Capellus compares another place of his, [lib. 7. pag. 163,] where he writes the like of the River Euphrates: saying, that it is foordable in the winter; but foreign: (i. e.) when the spring approaches, and much more, when the sun returns from his summer tropick, it grows deep, and runs all over his banks. For whereas the Grecians call the four Seasons of the years by the common name of foreign, or conversions, or Tropics; well may they which divide the year but into two parts, to wit, Summer and Winter, reckon their Summer conversion from the vernal, and their Winter one, from the autumnal equinoctial: Whereupon it is, that Arrianus, speaking after the Eastern manner, saith, foreign: (i. e.) the Spring approaching; and much more after the aequinoctium, which is the entrance with them, into the summer season, the rain there began to fall, and the waters to rise. Now concerning those Indian Regions, Aristobulus, was an eye-witnesse of them, (as being at that present with Alexander at the River Hydaspes) foreign: (i. e.) that at the beginning of the Spring, the rains begin to fall, and so grow stronger from day to day: as we read in [Strabo, lib. 15. pag. 114.]

And that this battle was fought between the vernal equinoctial, and the summer solstice, Arrianus plainly shewes, where he sayes, foreign, (i. e.) This was the end of the battle, fought by Alexander against Porus and his Indians, on the other side of the river Hydaspes, in the year when Hegemon was L. Chancelor of Athens, in the monethmonth Munichion: which in that year answered almost entirely to out monethmonth of May, according to the Julian Calendar: for that the summer solstice, was not till Alexander came to the river Acesines, I shall hereafter shew out of Nearchus.

Alexander was glad of this victory, which opened him the way to the utmost borders of the East, and thereupon, caused all his men that fell in the battle to be honourably interred; sacrificed to the Sun, as the giver of this victory, and made games and enterludes, both on foot and horseback at the river Hydaspes, near the place where he first put over: and because there was in that place, exceeding store of all manner of provisions, therefore he stayed there 30 dayes, to rest his wearied companies: And moreover to hearten up his souldiers for the remainder of this war, he called them together, and in an harangue unto them, commended their prowesse and vallour, and told them, that all the force of India was quasht by that one dayes work of theirs, that all the rest, was but a rich spoile for them to take; he gave the cheif commanders of his army crownes to weare; and to every one of them 1000 peeces of gold, honouring and rewarding every one of the rest according to his place, desert, and quality in the army. And as concerning the Trophie which he there erected, you may see, [Philost. l. 2. and Apollon. c. ult.]

Now because Alexander had a purpose, so soon as he should set foot upon Indian ground, to go see the Ocean Sea, he therefore went in hand here, to set his shipwrights on work, the rather, for that in the Emodian hills adjoyning, there was abundance of tall Fit trees, with some store of Cedar and Pine trees among, and other timber, all fit for shipping: but when they went ot felling, they found there Serpents, great store, of an exorbitant bignesse, and some of them 16 cubits long: There were also found in those woody mountains, Rhinocerotes, a rare beast to be found in other countreys: with sundry kindes of Apes, infinite in number, and of an unusual bignesse of body; whereof the Macedons upon a time espying a multitude, ranged on the side of a hill, in a kind of array like souldiers, thought at first that they had been an enemy, and thereupon cried out, arme, arme; and set themselves in a posture to fall upon them: untill Taxiles, who was then with Alexander, told them what they were, and so that fray ended, [Strabo, l. 15. p. 698, 699.]

Alexander built here two Cities, on each side the Hydaspes: the one on this side the river, at the place where hee passed; the second on the other side, p. 253where hee fought the battle; This from the victory there gotten against the Indians, he called by a Greek name, Nicaea. The other he called Bucephalis, or Bucephalia, from his horse Bucephalus, for he died there, not of any wound received in the fight (as some, and among the rest, A. Gellius [lib. 5. cap. 2.] would have it) but spent with travel and very age, for he was then 30 years old; as besides Arrianus, one Sicritus himself, cited by Plutarch, testifieth: And the King made him a solemne funeral, and a Monument, and there built a City round about it; saith Pliny, [lib. 8. cap. 42.] Near to which Cities it was, as Strabo noteth, that he built his Navy for the Ocean, [lib. 15. pag. 698,] upon the Hydaspes, which ran between the two kingdoms of Porus and Taxiles, both whose help and great industry, he used in building this fleet, as Curtins, [l. 9. c. 7.] observeth.

Alexander leaving Craterus there, with a part of his army, to finish the buildings of these two Cities, and to wall them, went further into India, against those, who bordered upon Porus his kingdom, which by Aristobulus are called Glauconicae, but by Ptolomeus, Glausae; taking one half of his fellow Cavaleers along with him, and the choicest men out of every Squadron, with all his Archers on Horseback, and his Squadron of Agrians, and other Archers. In this voyage, 37 Cities gave themselves up into his hands; the least of which, had 5 thousand inhabitants in it, and many 10; besides a multitude of townes and villages, which were no lesse populous than the Cities themselves: all which he laid to Porus his kingdom; and having made Taxiles and him good friends, sent Taxiles back into his own kingdom again.

At the same time came Ambassadors from Abisarus to Alexander; promising to be wholy at his command, provided that he would not command him to yeild up his person to him: for that he would neither live without a kingdom, nor reign if he were enslaved to another man: whereupon Alexander sent him back word, that seeing he would not come to Alexander, Alexander with his army would take the pains to go to him, to his great cost. There came also Ambassadors to him from those Indians which lived as free States, and from an other Porus, King of Indians likewise.

Phrataphernes, Governour of Parthia and Hircania, came at this time to Alexander, with such Thracians, as he had left with him: there came also menssengers to him from Sicicus Governour of the Assacenians, to tell him, that they having murdered his L. President, had revolted from him. Against these he dispatcht away Philippus and Tyriespes with an army, willing them to suppresse the rebellion of the Assacenians, and keep that Province in order. About which time also, Cleophis the Queen of the Assacenians bare Alexander a son, which bare his name, and was afterward King of that country, [Justin. lib. 12. cap. 7. with Curtius, lib. 8. cap. 20.]

That other Porus, nephew to him whom Alexander had overcome; for very fear, not so much of Alexander, as of his Uncle Porus, left his kingdom, and fled into the country of the Gangaridae; taking with him as many as he could get to follow him, that were fit to bear armes.

Alexander with his army put over Acesives, Year of the World d. a violent River, and which was 15 furlongs broad. they who had bladders made of skins, to use, did well enough: but they which put over in boates, dashing many times upon the rocks in the way, brake them, and lost themselves, as Arrianus out of Ptolomei reports, [lib. 5. pag. 115.] But Alexander left Coenus with his Brigade, on the hither side, to provide for the passage of such as were making provisions of corn and other things for the army, against they should come thither.

Nearchus, who was then himself in the army, sayes, (cited by Strabr, lib. 15. pag. 692.] that whereas Alexander had first encamped by the River side, he was fain to remove his Camp afterward to a higher ground, for the overflowing of the water; and that this happened about the Summer solstice: and Arrianus confirms as much, in his [Indica, pag. 172.] where he saith, that Alexanders army ran away from the River Acesives, when the water thereof, at Midsummer came and overflowed all the country.

Here were Woods of a vast extent, and shady trees, of a wondrous bulk, and strange higth: some 70 cubits high; and so thick, that 4 men could hardly fathom them, and cast a shadow, 3 acres, or 300 foot off; their limbs, for the most part, like huge beams bowing downward to the ground, grew from thence up again, not as from the same bough, but as if it were out of a new root: of which kind we may read more in [Pliny, lib. 12. cap. 5. and Strabo, lib. 15. pag. 694.] where he saith out of Aristobulus, that under one of these trees, 50 men might sit at dinner.

Here also vvas great store of Serpents, vvhichwhich vvere but small of body, but of divers and curious colours, and so deadly biting, that it caused sudden death to any that vvas bitten by them. The Macedons therefore, to prevent this danger, hung their beds from the limbs of the trees, and so slept above ground, what they could sleep, which was but little, till at length they learnt a remedy of it, from the country people, which p. 254was a root, which they shewed them to take, if any man happened to be bitten.

From hence Alexander dismissed Porus, to return into his own kingdom, with charge to return, with an army of the choicest and ablest Indians, that he could make, and with such Elephants, as he had; and then passed the deserts, and came with his army, to the river Hyarotis, al. Hydraotes, another river of India, as broad as the Acesines, but not so violent altogether, as that is, leaving garrisons every were, as he went, in couvenient places, that so Craterus and Caenus might safely come unto him, with corn which they were to take up, in all places where they came: and then committing part of his army to Hephaestion, to wit, two squadrons of Foot, and both his own, and Demetrius his Cornets of Horse, and half his Archers, sent them into the country of that Porus, which was fled away, and bad him assign it over to his friend King Porus; and if he found any other Indian nation, bordering upon the river Hyarotis, which lived as free states, he should lay them all to Porus his kingdom, himself passed the Hyarotis, but with lesse trouble, than he had done the Acesines.

To this river there was adjoyning a grove of shadie trees, not usually seen in other parts, and wild Peacocks, flying up and down therein. But the King going still forward, took in sundry other nations, some upon surrender, and some by force; others he was fain to run after, and overtake, and make them yield unto him.

Mean while, Alexander was told, that there were other Indian states, and a people called the Cathaeans, who intended to bid him battle, if he came into their coasts; and they dealt with other free states of India likewise, to confederate with them in this action: as also another nation of those parts called Oxidracans, and the Mallians, against whom, a little before, Abisarus and Porus with their joynt armies, and many other confederate Indians, went, but could do no good upon them, and so returned: but the place where they purposed to abide his coming, was said to be Sangalae, a city of the Cathaeans, and a great one too, as in those parts; and compassed about, not only with a wall, but also with a bog. These Cathaeans are by Polyaenus [lib. 4. stratag.] called Calthaei, and by Diodorus, Cathari, who sayes that it was made a law, by the common consent of all these nations, that if the husband died, the wife should be buried with his Corps; which very thing is observed by Strabo, of the Cathaeans, [lib. 15. pag. 699.]

Alexander, going into these parts, came the second night to a city called Pimprama. That nation of the Indians are called Adraistae, and by Diodorus Andrastae, who presently came in and yielded upon conditions.

Alexander, resting his souldiers there the next day, on the third day, marched to Sagala, where the Cathaeans, and their fellows, expecting his coming, stood all ranged in battle array upon the rising of a hill before the city, having instead of a trench, placed before them, three rows of Chariots lockt close together. But their Chariots being quickly dispersed by Alexander, they all presently fled back into the city, where Alexander forthwith fell to besiege them, and cast up a double trench round about the city, save where the bog hindred them. And there he set Ptolomei, with three thousand of the silver Targateers, all the squadron of Agrians, and one company of Archers, to guard that quarter: moreover he set all the Chariots which he had taken athwart that passage, to hinder them from flying. The inhabitants indeavouring, in the fourth watch of the night, to flee away, fell upon those Chariots, and were beaten back by Ptolomei, who slew 500 of them, and made them retreat within their gates again. Mean while Porus came to him, with the rest of his Elephants, and five thousand Indians; and now his Engines of battery were fitted, and approached to the wall. The Macedons therefore not having quite battered the inner wall, but onelyonly undermined a vaumure made of brick, and reared their ladders round about, took the city by assault, wherein were slain 17 thousand souls, and taken 70 thousand more, three hundred Chariots, five hundred Horses. Alexander lost in all this siege, not passing 100 men, but there were hurt, some 1500 more, among which was Lysimachus, one of the squires of the body.

Alexander, burying his dead after the Macedonian manner, sent Perdiccas with a sufficient company to ravage and plunder all the country thereabout, but sent Eumenes the secretary, (to wit, that Eumenes, secretary sometime to King Philip, and whose life, Plutarch and Probus have both written) with 300 Horse, to two cities, which had confederated with those of Sangala; that, offering them pardon, he should receive them to mercy; but the townesmen, hearing what was done at Sangala, were fled all out of the town, before he came: whereupon as many as were not able, thorough infirmity, to follow the rest, were by him taken and slain, to the number of five hundred, but Alexander despairing to overtake the rest, returned to Sangala, and utterly destroyed it.

p. 255Then vvent he to besiege another strong tovvn, into vvhichwhich a multitude of people, out of other vveaker places vvere gathered: but vvhen they vvithin, craved his mercy, and opened him their gates, he pardoned them; and taking hostages of them, he marched avvay to the next tovvn, vvhichwhich vvas a very great one, and full of people. There he caused the hostages vvhichwhich he received to be presented before the vvalls; which when they within knew, (as being neighbours children, they could not but know them) they desired to speak with them; and the hostages telling them what a merciful man Alexander was, and how dreadful withal to his enemies, easily perswaded them to yeild unto him: and now the report that was cast abroad of Alexander, that he went about, more like a robber, than a Conqueror, was altered; and the rest of the cities, gave up themselves, without holding up either sword or buckler against him, [Curt. lib. 9. cap. 2. Polyae. Stratag. lib. 4. in Alexan. sect. 30.]

From hence he went into the kingdom of Sopithes, who was of a goodly stature, above all the men of those parts; for he was more than 4 cubits high: and coming out of his chief City, with his two sons, both of full age, he delivered up into Alexanders hand, his golden rod, all set with B…rills: and resigned to him, himself, his children, and all his kingdom. And having received his kingdom again from his hand, a few days after he feasted Alexander and all his army in a sumptuous manner, And having presented Alexander himself with many great and costly gifts; he gave him also 150 Indian dogs, which were, as was said, of a mixt kind, between dogs and tigers, and of a wonderful strength and courage: for proof whereof, there were four of them presently set upon an exceeding great Lion, [Strabo, lib. 15. pag. 700. Esia. Histor. Animal. lib. 8. cap. 1.]

Mean while Hephaestion, returned to him, with such companies as he carried out; having subdued countries of the Indians far and near where ever he came: and Alexander thereupon spared not to honour him with all deserved praises, before the army.

Leaving Sopithes in his kingdom as he found him, Alexander went forward still to the next nation, where Phegeus was King, and when all the inhabitants there welcomed the Macedons, and Phegeus himself, went out to meet Alexander with gifts and presents; submitting himself wholy to his pleasure: Alexander re-established him in his kingdom, and being roially entertained with all his army, stayed there two whole dayes.

Upon the third day he departed from thence, and came to the River Hyphasis, al. Hypanis, which is 7 furlongs over, and 6 fathom deep: and being besides very rocky under water, was very difficult to passe; and being informed by Phegeus of such things as he desired, he found that on the other side the river, there was a vast Desert of 11 or 12 dayes journey: and at the end thereof, the River Ganges, the greatest of all India: that beyond that there dwelt sundry nations; The Gaugaridae, al. Gongaridae, and Prasians, al. Praesidians, al. Praesiaeans, al. Pharrasians, al. Tabraesians, for by all these different names they go. That the King was called Agrammes, (Diodor. calls him Xagrames,) that his army was 20000 Horse, and 200000 Foot, and 2000 Chariots, and 3 or (as Diodorus saith) 4000 Elephants, all trained up and fitted for the war.

When these things seemed incredible to Alexander, he had further speech with Porus about it: Porus told him, that the force and power of that King and kingdom was indeed very great, and no lesse than was spoken of: But that the King that now there was, was a base-born thing, and no better than a poor barbers son, hated and scorned by his subjects. And one Androcottus, who vvas then but a youth, and had not onelyonly seen Alexander, but also for a certain saucy prank played vvith him, vvas commanded to be put to death, and had died for it, had he not took himself to his heeles, as Justin, [lib. 15. cap. 4.] tells us, vvas vvont aftervvard to say, That Alexander missed but a little of getting all that country into his hands, for that the King there at that time, vvas so vvicked, so base, so hated, and so much scorned of his people.

Here Alexander began to consider vvith himself, that his souldiers vvere all tired out and spent vvith the length of the vvar; and that novv every man began to look for an end of these dangers, with a reward and fruit of all their labours: for they had now been eight whole years (for so long it was since he came first to be King) in a continual perilous and laborious war. And it then fell out withal, that for 70 dayes together, there poured down from heaven, nothing but fearful storms of rain, with lightnings and thunders upon them; as we read in Diodorus: whereupon, as the same Diodorus saith, to pacifie the souldiers mindes, he gave them leave to plunder a most rich and plentiful country of the enemies, and to take all to themselves. And whiles they were busie at this work, he called together their wives and children, and made there an ordinance, that the wives should receive their monethly allowance in corn, and their children the same wages, that their fathers did.

p. 256When the souldiers were returned home loden with wealth and riches, the King caled them all together, unto whom he made almost a set speech, to request them to accompany him cheerfully to the conquest of the Gangaridae, unto whom Caenus the son of Polemocrates, made an answer in the name of the whole army, and concluded, that they all desired an end of the war. And when the Macedons would in no wise listen to his desires, yet as Ptolomei reports, he went on, and offered sacrifice for a passage over: and when the entrailes portended all direfull things, if he proceeded, he then called together his friends, and such as were the ancientest, and of greatest familiarity with him, and told them first, and afterwarward declared to all, the army that since all things seemed to be adverse to his proceeding any farther, he was now content and resolved to return.

Yet Pliny, very improbably, will needs have it, that notwithstanding all this, he passed the river Hypanis, and erected altars on the other side thereof, [lib. 6. c. 17.] for that which followes in the same place; to wit, That the Kings own letters do confirme as much, I conceive that those words refer not to his passing over the river Hypanis or Hypasis, but to that which went before, concerning the order and distance of his removals and journeys from place to place, described and set down by Diognetus and Baeton, his two principal Harbengers, and Camp-masters: For who can believe that Alexander alone, without his army, and without any purpose of going any further, would offer to passe such a dangerous river as that was, or if he would that the enemy which attended him on the other side, would not have set upon him, and hindred him in his work, especially, seeing that Strabo, [lib. 15. pag. 700.] noteth, that he went no further Eastward, to wit, because he was forbidden to passe the river Hypanis or Hypsasis, and Plutarch also tells us, that in his time, the Kings of the Praesiaeans or Prasians, passing the river westward, worshiped those Altars, which Alexander then set up, and did Sacrifice upon them, after the Grecian manner.

Wherefore manifest it is, that Alexander, dividing his army into several companies, caused 12 altars to be built all of square stone on the hither side of the river Hypanis, and not on the further; each of which alters was 50 cubits high, and like to so many great towers, and of a greater bulk than towers use to be of, upon which, having offered sacrifices after the Grecian mode to his gods, he presented them also with games of all sorts, wrestling, and dancing, and sports on horseback: Then made he his Camp three times greater in every respect than it was ever wont to be: his trenches 50 foot broad and 10 foot deep, and of the earth cast up out of the ditch, drew a reasonable wall also, round about the trench: He commanded his foot also, that in their several tents they should set up two bedsteads, each of them 5 cubits high: and the horsemen, that they, besides such beds, should also in their tents make mangers for their horses, as bigge again as at other times; with armes, and horse bitts, and other furniture belonging to them, after the same proportion, and to hang them up, and leave them behind them, to abuse posterity, with an imaginary belief of his greatnesse: concerning the inscriptions and titles of his altars, we may see more in [Philostratus, his life of Apollonius.]

These things thus done, he returned by the same way he came to the river Hydraotes: which having passed, he came back to Acesines.

There found he this City ready built, by Hephaestion, whom he left to do it, and thither he drew such of the neighbouring places as would, and of his mercenary souldiers, as many as were growen unfit for the war, to store it with inhabitants.

Arsaces, who ruled all in the province, bordering upon the kingdom of Abisarus, and the brother of Abisarus, and his associates came to Alexander; and brought him presents, such as were of greatest esteeme in those parts, and 30 Elephants sent from Abisarus; telling him Abisarus would have come to him, had it not been for a sickness which then held him: and when such messengers as Alexander sent to him, at their returne affirmed as much, and that he was sick indeed, he was easily perswaded of the truth of his excuses; and thereupon made Abisarus Governour under himself of that province, and made Arsaces subject unto him: and appointing what tributes they should pay, offered sacrifice again at the river Acesines.

Having passed the Acesines, he came to Hydaspes, where he repaired, by the help of his souldiers, what ever the overflowing of that unruly river had demolished in his two Cities lately there built, Nicaea, and Bucephalis: for because that from the time that he went from thence, till his now return thither again, it had done nothing else but raine, especially the Etesian or yearly winds at that season blowing, as Aristobulus saith, cited by Strabo. [lib. 15. pag. 691.] And so it fell out, that together with that rain, which continued for 70 dayes space, there fell also horrible tempests of thunders and lightenings, as I shewed before out of Diodorus.

p. 257Alexander, when he had caused a multitude of ships, what of two, what of three stages high, to be built, and rigged, upon the Hydaspes, besides others, for the passage of his Horse and Foot over the river, he resolved to fall down from thence, into the southern Ocean; and for that purpose gathered all the Phaenicians, Cypriots, Carians, and Egyptians which followed his Camp together, and put them aboard his ships.

At the same time died Coenus, one of his best, and bosom friends, whose death he much lamented, and caused him to be enterred with all honour and sumptuousnesse, which that time and place afforded, yet not forgetting the speach which he made in the armies behalf, for a return, gave him this biting taunt. That had he known how short a time he had to live, he would never have made so long an oration to that purpose.

Then came to him new supplies out of Greece, as well auxiliaries, as mercenary souldiers, under their several Commanders, to wit, 30 thousand Foot, and six thousand Horse: bringing with them besides, rich arms, for 25 thousand Foot, and 100 talents in Apothecary stuff for medicines, as Diodorus noteth: and Curtius [lib. 9. cap. 5.] Memnon also brought him out of Thracia, six thousand horse, besides those which came from Harpalus, and seven thousand Foot, and 25 thousand arms, in laid with silver and gold, which he caused to be distributed in the army, and the old ones to be burnt.

Now that Harpalus, which Curtius tells us, sent a supply unto him, was none other, but he, whom Alexander had trusted with the keeping of his tributes, and treasure in the city and province of Babylon, and whome he had left, foreign, (i. e.) his overseer, and Procurator, or L. Steward of all that country, as Plutarch in Alexand. writeth, yet left he the rule and government of it to Mazeus, who had delivered it up into his hand; and when he died, Ditamenes succeeded him in that charge. Though Diodorus calls this Harpalus, the President of that province, in his History of [year 2. 113 Olympiade] upon which now we are: where he further tells us, that he, hoping that Alexander would never return alive out of India, gave himself over to all kind of intemperance and luxury, sparing for no cost. And first, saith he, he fell to committing of all manner of whordom and luxury with the women kind of that country, and then laying it on, upon all other sorts of unseemly and unseasonable delights and pleasures: he made havock of the Kings monies, committed to his charge; and took order for sundry sort of fish to be brought unto him, from as far off as the red sea, and was so lavish in his feasting, and usual diet, that every man cried shame of him, for it, and sent for a noted strumper, Pythonice by name, from as far as Athens, and when she died, for another from the same place, called Glycera: whereof Theopompus complained in a letter of his to Alexander, telling him, he spent above 200 talents, in making two tombs for Polynice, when she died, one at Athens, and another at Babylon it self, and that he dedicated a Grove, and an Alter, and a Temple to Pythonice, by the name and title of Venus Pythonica, and that he set up Glyceraes statue in brasse, at Tarsus in Syria, and gave her leave to have her habitation in the Kings own palace, commanded the people to call her by the title of, and reverence her as, a Queen, [Athenaeus lib. 13. cap. 23.]

The like did Cleander, Sitacles, and Heracon, in Media, all hoping that Alexander would never return alive out of India, and in assurance thereof, fell to plundering of private mens estates, and pulling down of Temples, ravishing the young virgins, of the noblest families, with many other kinds of vilanies upon the goods and persons of the subject; insomuch, that the very name of a Macedon grew odious to all nations, for their avarice and luxury in all kinds. But above all, Cleander, who having first ravished a noble Virgin himself, gave her afterward to his slave for his whore, [Curt. lib. 10. cap. 1. Arria. lib. 6. pag. 142.]

Alexander, preparing for his voyage into the Ocean, and seeing old grudges kindling afresh between Porus and Taxiles, made them friends again, and linked them together by bonds of affinity, which he procured to be made between them before he went, and then sent them away each to his own kingdom. And for Porus, he not onelyonly made him king of all the countries lying between Hydaspes and Acesines, as before, but also, of all the free states, which he had subdued between the rivers of Acesines, and Hypanis, which were several nations, and in them, cities above two thousand, as in Arria. [lib. 6. pag. 124.] others reckon in that space 15 several nations, and in them, great cities, to the number of 5000, besides towns and villages … them belonging, as [Plutarch in Alexand.] And the truth is, that the region lying between Hydaspes and Hypanis, conteineth now more than nine nations, but there were therein 5000 cities, every one of them as big as Coos, in Meropis, as Strabo, out of Apollodorus, who wrote of the affairs of Parthia, reports, [lib. 15. pag. 686.] who yet in his own opinion thinks, that in this reckoning, he did overlash; saying, foreign, (i. e.) it seemeth, that this number is put a little Hyperbolically, and therefore Pliny draws this number to the cities, which p. 258he subdued in all India, [lib. 6. cap. 17.] in these words. These who were with Alexander in his voyage report, that in that tract of India which he subdued, there were 5 thousand towns and cities, every one of them as big as Coos, in the compasse of 9 nations. Philippus, one of his company of Nobles attending him, and who was by him made Lord and Governour of a Country beyond the River Indus.

The Horse of the City Nisaea, were sent back: Craterus and Hephaestion, were commanded to march before him into the capital City of Sopithes his kingdom, and there to attend the coming of the Fleet; Craterus held on, upon the right hand of the Hydaspes with a part of the Horse and Foot, and Hephaestion on the left, with the remainder and far greater part of the whole army, and 2 hundred Elephants. The whole army at this time consisted of one hundred and twenty thousand men, with those which he brought from the sea coast. And now they returned to him also, whom he sent to levy fresh companies, bringing with them men of divers nations, and diversly armed, [Arria. lib. 6. and in his Indica. pag. 181.] and Plutarch sayes, that at this time he had …20 thousand Foot, and 15 thousand Horse.

Curtius sayes, that this Navy was one thousand ships, of which Diodorus sayes, 200 were open, the rest were of the nature of Row-barges, as Diodorus saith. Arrianus, in his Indica, saith he had but 8 hundred in all, some for carriage of horses, the rest of loading for corne and other provisions, but of all sorts, amounting to little lesse than two thousand.

Ammiral of this fleete, was Nearchus, born in Creete, and Euagoras of Corinth Purser to it; but of Alexanders own ship wherein he went, was Master or Steeresman, one Onesicritus, an Asty pulaean born, and Arrianus in his Indica, sets down the Master of every particular Ship.

This done, Alexander sacrificed to his country gods, and such other as the Priests advised him to: and among the rest, to Neptune, and to Amphitrite, and to the Nereides or sea Nymphs; and above all, to the Ocean it self, and to the River Hydaspes from whence he set forth; as also to the River Acesines, into which the Hydaspes falls, and to the river Indus, which receives them both. Also he proclaimed several sorts of Games, of Musick, and Wrestling, and the like, with Prizes, for such as would put in for them; distributing beasts, for every company to sacrifice by themselves.

In the morning, the army went aboard, to wit, the silver Targateers, and Archers, and such of the Horsemen as were called his nobles or friends, amounting to the number of 8 thousand, not many dayes before the setting of the Pleiades, as [Strabo, lib. 15.] out of Aristobulus, sheweth; which falleth much about the end of our Octob. Alexander himself coming aboard, poured out a golden vio… of wine from the prowe of the ship into the River, calling upon Acesines, Hydaspes, and Indus, all at once. Afterward when he offered to his Progenitor Hercules, and to Ammon, and the rest of the gods, acco…ding to his accustomed manner, the trumpet sounded, at his command, to draw down the ships into the water, and to be going, whereupon every man did accordingly; …or order was given, how far every barge, how far every horse-lighter, how far every ship of war should steere off from each other, for fear least any should perchance fall foul of any other in the… course, and that one should not strive to out sail, or out rowe another; but keep every one in his rank and order wherein he set forth.

Alexander, going on in this order, came on the third day to the place where he appointed Craterus and Hephaestion to attend him: there he stayed two dayes, that Philip might there overtake him, with the rest of the army; for he had sent him to the River Acesines, commanding him to march down by the bank thereof: and sent away Crate…us and Hephaestion again with directions, what course to hold in their march by land.

He, holding on his course upon the River Hydaspes, which was every where 20 furlongs over at the least, landed his souldiers and went to Sibarus, or country of the Sobians. These, they say, were of the posterity of them, who with Hercules heretofore besieged the Rock of Aornus; and when they could not take it, were left here by him when they were not able to march with him any further: their cloths were nothing but skins of wild beasts, and their weapons nothing but clubs: and although the Grecian manners and fashions were worn out, yet might a man easily perceive some traces and marks of their original among them; But when Alexander pitcht his Camp near unto the chiefest City of their country, the principal men of them came forth unto him, and being admitted to his presence, they put him in mind of their first origin, and what re erence they had to the nation of the Greeks, and offered him their service, in what ever his pleasure was, as became men of the same blood with him and his Grecians, testifying as much, by the no ordinary presents which they gave unto him. Alexander received them very graciously, and made them a free State, to live according to their own laws.

p. 259From hence he made a rode further into the country some 250 furlongs, and having wasted all the field, came and besieged the chief City of that country.

The Agalassians opposed him, with 4000 Foot, and 3000 Horse, upon the bank of a River: but he passing the River, quickly distressed and routed them, and having slain the most part, made the rest run into the towns, which having taken, he slew them that were of age, and sold the rest for slaves.

Other inhabitants there were which would needs take up arms too, and vvere gathered together into one city, to the number of 20 thousand: Into this city also, he brake by pure force; but when they barricadoed their streets, and fought upon them from the battlements of their houses, he was forced to get out again, and left many of his Macedons dead behind him, wherefore in a rage he set fire on the houses, and burnt both it, and most of the people therein, with fire. Three thousand there were which got into the castle; they sued for pardon and had it.

And then returning a shipboard with his nobles, he went with all speed into the countries of the Mallians and Oxydracans: because he was informed of them, that they were two very populous and warlike Nations, and that having carried their wives and children into fenced places, they purposed to abide him in the field, and he made the more haste, to the end he might fall upon them, whiles they were but in their preparatives, and not fully yet provided for him.

Upon the 5 day, falling still down the river, he came to the confluence of the two rivers, Acesines and Hydaspes: where they both meet and make one river, but in a very narrow Channel: and by that means, runs with a most violent and rapid current, and maketh strange whirlepooles with all: whereupon many of their ships were bilged, and two of the greatest of them falling fowle each of other, split in sunder, and perished with those who were therein. Alexanders own ship, falling into one of these whirlepooles, was in extream danger to have been lost, and he in her. But having gotten a litle lower, where the Channel openeth somewhat wider, the stream grew calmer; and the ships coming to the bank on the right hand, found a safe harbour to ride in, under a bank which running out into the river, brake the violence of it, and so had they leisure to draw their ships on land.

The King set up altars upon the banks side, and sacrificed to his gods for escaping so grand a danger: and then marched 30 furlongs further, into the countrey, and falling upon the natives, that would not submit unto him, he charged them onelyonly, not to help the Mallians, and so returned to his ships again; and there found Craterus, Hephaestion and Philippus came with their several Armies, and readie to attend him.

The countreys of the Oxydracans and Mallians lie between the place where the Hydaspes falls into the Acesines, and that where they both together fall into the river Indus, as Arrianus in his Indica teacheth us; [pag. 171.] These were wont to be alwayes in war, each against other; but now Alexander, a common enemy to both, coming on, made them friends: for a further confirmation whereof, they gave ten thousand virgins each to other to be crosse-married; their foot were in all 80 thousand; their horse, 10 thousand; besides 7 hundred chariots; Curtius saith 9 hundred, [Justin, lib. 12. cap. 9.] and Orosius [lib. 3. cap. 19.] give unto these Mandri or Ambri, and Sabracans, and Subagrans, and Sugambrians, for by all these names, the Malli and Oxydracans (who in Diodorus are also corruptly written Syracusians) in divers editions go, 60 thousand horse.

The Macedons, who thought they had been past all danger, and lookt for no more fighting businesse, when they now saw themselves engaged in a new war, with more fierce and warlike Nations, than any they had hitherto met withall in any part of India struck (as they were) with a suddain fear, began a fresh to murmure and mutiny against Alexander; but he by a faire Oration which he made unto them, pacified them, and made all well again.

Commander in chief of all this army of the Natives, was a man of approved valour, chosen out of the Oxydracans: and he pitcht his camp at the foot of a hill, making store of fires that he might make his army thereby seeme the greater, and making alwaies great shouts and noises, after their country manner to terrifie the Macedons, if it might have been. But the next morning Alexander, full of hope, and all assurance of victory, encouraged his souldiers, and took the field against them: when upon the suddain, the enemies, whether for fear, or whether upon some falling out among themselves, ran all away, left the field, and betook themselves to the mountains and woods, which because the Macedons could not overtake, they therefore fell to the rifling of their Camp.

Alexander having rigged his Navie, sent Nearchus with it, down the river into the countrey of the Mallians, charging him to be there 3 daies before the army, and passing the Hydaspes, commanded Craterus, who was on the right hand of the Hydaspes, to p. 260take charge of the Elephants, and of Polysperchons Brigade, and his Archers on horseback, and of Philips Regiment. He willed also Hephaestion to go 5 dayes march before him; and Ptolomei, to come 3 dayes journey behind him: that whosovever escaped Hephaestion, might be sure to fall into the hands of one of them two. But commanded them that went foremost, when they came to the confluence of Acesines and Hydraotes, which was the utmost bound of the Mallians, as the confluence of Acesines and Hydaspes was of the Oxydracans, there to stay and attend his coming, and till Craterus and Ptolomies armies were come in and joyned to him.

Himself taking with him his Regiment of silver Targateers, and his squadron of Agrians, and Pythons brigade, and all his Archers on Horseback, and one half of his fellow Cavaleers, went through a sandy thirsty country into the Region of the Mallians, to set upon them, before either the Oxydracans could come to help them, or they the Oxydracans.

Now the first day he encamped near a little river, distant from the Acesines, some 100 furlongs, where, having rested himself a while, and his army, he commanded every man to fill what bottles he had, with water, and then put on again; and in the remainder of that day, and the night following, marched 400 furlongs, and in the mornig, lighted upon a great many of the Mallians, who, because they conceived, that surely he would never come over that dry and thirsty wilderness, were walking abroad idely with out the city. The most of them he slew, the rest ran into the gates, and there lockt them up; then caused he his Horse to surround the walls, instead of a trench, till his Foot came up.

But so soon as they were come, he presently dispatched away Perdiccas, with his own, and Clitus his Horse, and with the Agrians, to besige another town of the Mallians, where he understood, that many of the Indians were gathered together, willing them to keep them in, but not to make any assault, till he came onelyonly to take care that none gat out, to carry news into other parts, that he was come into the country, and then began he to make his approaches, and to assault the city, which he say before.

Having slain many of them in the assault, the rest left the walls, and fled to the Castle, and that being also taken, he slew therein two thousand men.

Perdiccas, coming to the city, which he was commanded to besiege, found all the birds flowen; and because he found that they were but newly gone, he followed after them, with all the speed he could make: all he overtook he slew: the rest escaped into the bogs, and fennie places, and there saved themselves.

Alexander, having rested and refresht both himself and his army, a while, removed in the first watch of the night: and having made a long march that night, at break of day came to the river Hydraotes, where he found that many of the Mallians, were already passed over; the rest he set upon, as they were passing, and slew them every man: then himself passed the river with his army, and overtook such as were gone before; and of them he slew many, and took other prisoners: Neverthelesse, most of them got away into a city, very strongly situate, and well fenced with works.

But when his foot came up, Alexander sent Python against them, with his own, and two other Regiments of Horse, who at first onset, scrued them into the Town, and took it; and made all that had fled thither, and were not slaine in the taking of it, slaves: which done, Python returned to the Camp.

Then led Alexander his army against a City of the Brachmanni, whither he understood other of the Mallians were fled: and as soon as he came, besieged it round with his Squadrons very thick. The souldiers forthwith left the walls, and fled to the Castles, which taken, the inhabitants, some set their own houses on fire, and threw themselves into it: others would sell their skins, as dear as they could, and died fighting: there died in all five thousand of them, few came alive into the enemies hand.

Alexander stayed there one day, to give his souldiers breath, and the next day he marched against other Towns of the Mallians: all which he found, to have left their cities, and fled to the woods and mountains: there also he spent one day.

The next day he sent Pithon, and Demetrius, Captain of a Regiment of Horse, back to the river side, to whom he joyned also, certain other Troups, and Companies, requisite for the service he imployed them in, willing them, if by the way, they chanced to light upon any of those, who were fled to the woods, if they submitted not, to kill them; whereupon they slew a very great many, as they passed.

p. 261Himself marcht against the Capitall City of the Mallians, to which, as he understood, many others had retired themselves. But even this great city also, hearing of his coming, abandoned the place, and fled, & flying over the river Hydraotes, there put themselves in battle array, upon the high clifts of that river, as if they would there stop his passage. Alexander followed them instantly with his Horse, commanding his Foot to come after; but when he was in the midst of the river, the Indians forsook the place, and though in good array, yet ran away: whereas yet they were not fewer in number than 50 thousand, and Alexander seeing them in a strong compacted body, yet having no Foot come up to him, offered here and there, and every where to charge upon them; but thought it no discretion to engage in a fight against them.

But so soon as the Agrians, and other well-ordered Squadrons, and the Archers came, and the main battel of the Foot, were now in sight, the Indians took them to their heeles, and ran away all to the next fenced City. Them Alexander pursued, and slew a many of them; and when they were there, Alexander presently surrounded the City with his Horse before the Foot came up.

Demophoon a Southsayer, having speech with Alexander, told him, by certain signs and prodigies by him observed, that there was some great danger towards him, and withal desired him to forbear, at least to defer the siege thereof. The King reviling him with shrewed words, for disheartning the souldiers whiles they were in action; and dividing his army in two parts, took one to himself, and gave the other to Perdiccas, and both together went to scale the wall: which brunt the Indians not enduring, left their stations on the wall, and fled all to the Castle. Alexander with those about him, brake open the first gate himself, and got into the City, and began to set ladders against the Castle wall: And when he saw his Macedons not come on so roundly, as he wished, he took a ladder himself and set against the wall, and gat upon the top of it. Pencestes, bearing the target, which he borrowed out of the Temple of Minerva in Troy, and which in all encounters he ever caused to be born before him, followed, and after him Leonatus, one of the Squires of his body, upon the same ladder, and Abreas (one of the foreign or Duplarians: (i. e.) of that order of Knights or Esquiers, who had double pay or allowance) upon another. And then the silver Targateers, hearing of the danger the King was in, strove to set up the ladders so thick, that they brake, and so all came tumbling to the ground, and thereby both lost themselves, and hindered others from getting up that would, [See Appianus toward the end, lib. 2. Bell. Civil.]

Alexander, who was shot at on every hand, from the towres, adjoyning, (for no man durst come to handy-blows with him upon the wall) leapt off the wall down into the Castle yard, and setting his back to a wall there, slew sundry that came to assault him, with his own hand; and among the rest, the Captain himself of the Indians, which came boldly on upon him: so that afterward none other durst come near him; but all set themselves to shoot him a far off.

Mean while Pencestes, Leonatus, and Abreas, leapt down the wall into the yard after him, and came to his rescue; of which Abreas, shot thorough the face into the head, died upon the place. And Alexander himself (as Ptolomei reporteth) received so great a wound in the breast, that his very breath came forth at it together with his blood. Pencestes, who interposed, with Minerva's buckler in his hand, and Leonatus, who took in his own body the blows which were meant to him, were likewise sore wounded: and little wanted it, but that Alexander himself, had there poured forth his soul, together with his blood. And all agree, that Pencestes defended him with his Palladian buckler: whence Pliny calls him, [lib. 34. cap. 8.] the preserver of Alexander the Great. Concerning Leonatus, and Abreas, the Duplarian; all do not agree: but that Ptolomei the son of Lagus, vvas at the rescue of him, Clitarchus and Timogenes, and Pausanias in his Attica, do affirm: vvhichwhich yet himself denies, and sayes, he was not; and that all that while he was in fight with the enemy alsewhere: So great saith Curtius, was the carelesnesse of those old Historians in writing, or which is as bad, easinesse in believing.

The Macedons at last breaking into the Castle, put every man therein to the sword, not sparing man or woman, old or young, and brought the King out upon their targets, living or dead, they knew not well whether. The cure of his wounds was more grevious, than the wounds themseves: but enduring the paine, he came at last to have hope of life again: which yet the army could hardly be brought to believe, it having been once bruited abroad that he was dead of his wounds. Wherefore so soon as possibly he could, he caused himself to be carried to the River side, from thence to fall down in a Barge to the place where his army lay, which was at the confluence of the Hydraotis with the Acefines, where Hephaestion was, commanding the army, and Nearchus the Navy; so soon as he came on land, he admitted the souldiery to kisse his p. 262hand, and refusing his lictier, gat upon his Horse, to be seen of all, and then alighted▪ and went a foot to his pavilion.

The King having his wounds cured in seven dayes space, though not yet healed, hearing that the Indians were perswaded of his death, caused two Barges to be joyned together, and upon them his Tent Royal to be spread; open on every side, to be seen of all thereby, to stay the report, that went among his enemies, that he was dead; and from thence went down the river, giving order, that none should come near the barge he was in, for fear of shogging his weak body, with the beating of the Oares: and so on the fourth day, came to a country, deserted indeed, by the inhabitants, but plentifully stored, with all manner of provisions, both corn and catle, wherefore that place pleased him well, to stay at, and refesh both himself and his army in.

Nearchus the Ammiral, reporteth, that his Nobles blamed him, for doing the office of a souldier, rather than a King or Captain in the army, and when he grew angry thereat, and shewed his dislike by his looks; a certain old Baeotian pleased him again, by reciting an old Iambick verse, to this purpose, That he who would do any great thing reason was, he should suffer something too. And indeed, Curtius [lib. 9. cap. 12.] mentions an oration uttered to him by Craterus, in the name of his Nobles, to the same purpose, with his answer thereunto: wherein, shewing that a man can never want matter to win glory by: After the ninth year, (saith he) of my reign, and twentieth of my age, do ye think it possible for me to be wanting, to my self in advancing my glory, which I have ever addicted and devoted my self unto? for so Curtius brings him in speaking, whereas yet in true point of Chronology, this was the tenth year of his reign (which agreeth well enough with this saying) though the 30 of his age.

Whiles the King stayed here many dayes; all which he spent in the full curing of his wounds, and in encreasing the number of his ships; the Grecian souldiers which he had planted in certain Cities of Bactria, and Sogdiana, which himself had there built, to the number of about 3000 men, partly because they grew weary of living among those Barbarous people, and partly, because they took courage, upon the news of Alexanders death, fell off from the Macedon government; and having killed some of the chief of their own country men, began to take arms: and seizing on the Castle of the City Bactra, which was not so carefully kept, as it should have been, drew the inhabitants to joyn with them in this revolt; chief in this conspiracy, was one Athenodorus, who also assumed to himself the Title of a King, not so much out of a desire of any soverainty, as out of a purpose he had, to draw men thereby to follow him in his return to Greece. But there was one Biton or Bicon, a Grecian likewise, who out of a grudge and envy, which he bare him hereupon, invited him to a banquet, and there, by the hand of one Boxus, slew him. The next day this Biton called a company together, and there perswaded some, that Athenodorus would have killed him: others there were, who thought it was nought else but a meer roguery of Bitons, and they quickly drew others to their belief: whereupon they all took up arms, ready to have slain him, if they could; but the chief among them perswaded the rest, and so all grew quiet again.

Biton, having got out of these bryers, fell to practise the destruction of those who had saved his life; which they perceiving, laid hold on him, and Boxus both. But Boxus they put instantly to death: Biton they purposed to have first to the Rack; and now they were ready to fall to work with him: when upon the sudden, the Grecians, like men out of their wits, rose all in arms, no man knew why; whereupon they forbare Biton, for fear of a rescue by the multitude; and he all naked as he was, fled to the Grecians: and they seeing what case he was in, and ready to be rackt, changed their minds, and rescued him from the danger he was in.

Mean while, the Mallians, that were left, sent their messengers to Alexander, to yield up all the nation to his mercy; and in like manner from the Oxydracans, came the Captaines themselves, and chief men of every City; and with them, one hundred and fifty of the principall of the whole nation, giving up the whole Country into his hands. Alexander willed them to send him one thousand of their principall men. Curtius saith, 2500 horse, which he might keep by him, either as hostages, or as souldiers to serve him, till he had ended his war with the Indians.

Then invited he all the principall men, and petty Kings of these nations, to a feast, where he caused one hundred golden Beds to be set, at a reasonable distance each from other: every of those beds was enclosed with Curtains wrought of scarlet and gold: in which feast was set out to be seen, what ever the old luxury of the Persians, or new fanglenes of the Macedons, both jumbled together, could afford.

Dioxippus the Athenian was at this feast; of whom Pliny, [lib. 35. cap. 11. Athena. lib. 6. cap. 6. Elian. lib. 10. cap. 22. and lib. 12. cap. 58. and Plut. in his book of Curiofities] make mention: Dioxippus, I say, a famous Champion, and one whom the King, p. 263for his great strength of body, and courage of spirit, made very much of: and one Choragusa Macedon, a man of mighty strength likewise, and who had, in many a fight, given great testimony of his worth. This Choragus being in drink, would needs chalenge Dioxippus to a single fight. And the next day Dioxippus stark naked, and all over anointed with oyl, came into the list, having nothing but a trunchon, and a cloak for his armes, and there closed with the Macedon, who came in armed, with sword and buckler, and pike, and javelin, and laid him at his foot.

The Macedons, and Alexander himself, took this for a fowle slur and disgrace, put upon the Macedons nation, in the sight of these Barbarians, and repined at it: and shortly after, at another feast, there was a golden cup missing; and the suspition of stealth thereof laid upon Dioxippus; the indignity whereof, wrought so far upon him, that returning to his lodging, he there wrate, and left a letter for Alexander, and then slew himself.

Alexander shipt his horses, and of his fellow Cavaleers some 1700, and of others, as many, and 20 thousand foot, and went not far upon the Hydraotes, before he came to the confluence of it, and the Acesines: and then falling down upon the Acesines, came at length to the confluence of the Acesines with the river Indus, and there he stayed with his Navie, till Perdiccas came to him with the body of the army: having by the way as he came, subdued the Abastenians, who were a free state among those Indians.

While he there stayed, there came to him, other ships of 30 Oares a piece, and certain ships of burthen, which had been newly built in the countrey of the Xathri, another free state in those parts: and Embassadors also, from the Ossadians, a free state likewise, all submitting to him.

Likewise the messengers of the Oxydracans and Mallians, returned to him with presents, among which, besides some small quantity of linnen cloath, there were 1000 Indian targets, and 100 talents of steele, and Lions of a vast bignesse, and Tigers, all brought to hand, and tame: As also the skins of huge Lizards, and Tortaise shells: There were also 300 Chariots, and 1030 horses to draw them: foure for every Chariot, as we read in Curtius, [l. 9. c. 15.] Arrianus saith also, that they sent him 3 thousand men for hostages; the bravest and goodliest men they could find among them; with 500 chariots, and men in them to fight, over and above what Alexander had required at their hands; adding, that Alexander accepted their Chariots, and returned their hostages home again.

Alexander commanded them to pay him such tribute as they formerly paid to the Arachosians, and set Philip to be their Satrapa or Governor, his government to extend to the confluence of the 2 rivers, Indus and Acesines, and no further: so that we can hardly believe Plutarch, where he saith that the extent of this Philips government was thrice as bigg as Porus his kingdom, especially if it were so bigg, as he himself delivers it to have been. But Alexander left unto him, for a guard of that Province, all the Thracian horse, and such companies of foot as he thought fit and requisite for that purpose. Moreover he caused a City to be built at the confluence of those two rivers; supposing it would quickly grow very populous, and of great renown, and therefore caused Docks, for the building of Ships, to bee there made, in great number.

At that time came to him Oxyartes, father unto Roxane, whom Alexander had married, and was by him acquitted from all suspition of having any hand in the revolt of the Grecians that were in Bactria.

Afterward Polysperchon was sent to Babylon with an army, as in Justin. [lib. 12. cap. 10.] and Craterus was commanded with a great part of the army that was left, and the Elephants, to march down on the left hand of the bank of the river Indus, because that seemed the easier way for the Corseleteers to go, and the bordering Nations were no surer to him, than need was; and then himself, with some choice companies, took ship, and set forward toward his so long intended journey to the Ocean: and it is said that he went never a day lesse than 600 furlongs: and yet was full five moneths in going with some odd dayes over and above, [Plin. l. 6. c. 17.]

In this voiage of his down the river, he first came to the countrey of the Sabracans, or Sambestans: This was a Nation; inferiour to none of all India, both for number, and warlikenesse of men: and was governed by a popular State, throughout all their Cities. These, hearing of the coming of the Macedons, presently armed 60 thousand foot, and six, or (as Curtius saith) eight thousand horse, with five hundred Chariots; and set over them, to command, three most expert Captains. But the Navy coming upon them (of which more is to be seen, besides Curtius, [lib. 9. cap. 15.] in Pliny, [lib. 19. cap. 1,]) they took a fright at the strangenesse of the sight, and casting withal in their minds, the fame and invincible glory of the Macedons, took advice of the old men among them, who for the avoiding of so imminent a danger, advised them to submit; p. 264whereupon they sent messengers; and gave themselves up wholy into his hands: whom he graciously received: and they again bestowed on him, besides other gifts, honours also befitting a demy God.

Four dayes after he came to a Nation, which lay on both sides the River, which were called, Sodrans (or Sogdans, as in Arrianus,) and Massanians: and received them likewise to grace and favour as he had done the former. And here, upon the bank of the River Indus, he built another Alexandria: and chose out a thousand men to people it, and made havens for Merchants, and docks for shipping; and there he cured such of his ships as had any wayes been bruised: And made Oxyartes, his father in law, and Pithon, Governours of all the country from the confluence of the Acesines and Indus to the sea: adding thereto also, all the sea coast. But himself falling still down the River, came so speedily into the country of King Musicanus, that he was there, before Musicanus ever heard that he was coming: wherefore not knowing what else to do, he forthwith went out to meet him, presenting him with the choicest gifts that India did afford, and in special, with all his Elephants; and gave up himself and all his whole kingdom into his hands, craving pardon for that he had done it no sooner. Alexander pardoned him that offence; and wondring both at the country it self, and the city there: of which we may see more [in Strabo, lib. 15. pag. 694. and pag. 701.] which he collected out of Aristobulus, and Onesicratus, restored him to his kingdom, as he was before.

Here he heard the complaints brought against Tiriolte, al. Tiryeste, whom he had made Governour over the Parapamisadae, with his accusers face to face: and finding him guilty of many acts of cruelty and avarice committed by him, he put him there to death, and gave that Government to his father in law, Oxyartes.

He commanded Craterus to build a Citadel or Fort, upon the City of Musicanus: which was dispatcht before he went from thence, because he saw that plat fit to serve for a bridle in the mouths of the neighbouring nations, to keep them in order with.

From thence, with his Archers and Agrians, and all the Horse, which he had a ship-board, he came to another Nation of the Indians, called Praestans, and marched against their King Porticanus, al. Oxycanus, because he neither came himself, nor sent Ambassadors unto him: and took two of the greatest Cities that he had in his Dominions: Porticanus himself was in one of them, which Alexander took the third day of his siege thereof. But Porticanus flying into the Castle, sent Ambassadors to treate of conditions: but ere ever they came to his presence, two great panes of the wall fell flat down to the ground; by the breaches whereof the Macedons flew into the Castle, and when Porticanus, with those few which were with him stood still upon their guard, they were all presently put to the sword: The Castle was pulled down; all in the town were sold away for slaves: the spoile thereof given to the souldier, onelyonly the Elephants Alexander took, and carried away for himself.

Diodorus sayes, that Alexander first gave those Cities to be spoiled by his souldiers, and then set fire on them, and after that went and took in all the rest of his Cities and Towns and destroyed them: and thereby struck a terror into all the neighbouring Nations; and that the rest of the countries hearing of his approach onelyonly, presently sent, and yeilded themselves unto him, without the least resistance, as Arrianus writeth.

After this, he entered the country of the Brachmanes, where Sambus, al. Sabus, or Samus, as Curtius, al. Sabbas, as Plutarch, al. Ambigerus, as Justin, al. Ambiras, as Orosius calleth him, was King: of whom Alexander had been told that he was fled away: but when he came near his chief City, called Sindomana, al. Sindonalia, he found the gates set wide open to him, and Sambo his servants came forth to meet him vvith money and Elephants to present unto him, telling him vvithal, that Sambus vvas fled indeed; not out of hostility to him, but for fear of Musicanus, whom Alexander had let go and pardoned, and for that there was mortal enmity between them two.

Alexander having taken in, this and many other places, went and by force took another City which had fallen off and revolted from him; and put to death many of the Brachmanes who had been the occasion and authors of it. For by their instigation it was that Sambus, who had but lately submitted to him, and the Cities of his subjection, had revolted from him. Curtius sayes, that Alexander took the City, by undermining the wall; and that the natives stood amazed to see men rise out of the ground in the middest of their City.

Clitarchus, cited by Curtius, saith, that there were eight, or rather (as Diodorus with others have it) 80000 men slain in that country: and a multitude of others sold away for slaves. These plagues therefore the Brachmanes suffered: the rest, which simply submitted to him, and craved his pardon, had no harme: And King Sambus, p. 265getting away as farre off as he could, with thirty Elephants, saved himself.

Alexander got into his hand, to the number of ten, of those which were called Gymnosophistae, who had principlly perswaded Sambus to flee away: and had caused much trouble to him and his Macedons; to these he propounded certain hard and obscure questions, threatning to hang them every man, if they did not resolve him; those questions of his, with their answers upon them, Plutarch sets down in the life of Alexander, where he also tells us, that having heard them, he dismissed them, with many honours heaped upon them for their pains.