CHAP. XCIII.] ALEXANDER CROSSES MOUNT TAURUS. 151 force. So thoroughly persuaded was Cyrus himself of this fact, that he had prepared a fleet, in case he found the pass occupied, to land troops by sea in Kilikia in the rear of the defenders; and great indeed was his astonishment, to discover that the habitual recklessness of Persian management had left the defile unguarded. The narrowest part, while hardly sufficient to contain four armed men abreast, was shut in by precipitous rock on each side'. Here, if anywhere, was the spot in which the defensive policy of Memnon might have been made sure. To Alexander, inferior as he was by sea, the resource employed by the younger Cyrus was not open. Arsames, Conduct of none, the Persian satrap. passes Taurus without the least resistance. He enters Yet Arsames, the Persian satrap commanding at B.c.333. Tarsus in Kilikia, having received seemingly from bis master no instructions, or worse than acted as if ignorant of the existence of his enter- Alexander prising enemy north of Mount Taurus. On the Mount first approach of Alexander, the few Persian soldiers occupying the pass fled without striking a blow, being seemingly unprepared for any enemy more formidable than mountain-robbers. Alexander thus became master of this almost insuperable barrier, without the loss of a man. On the ensuing day, he marched his whole army over it into Kilikia, and arriving in a few hours at Tarsus, found the town already evacuated by Arsames3. 1 Curtius, iii. 4, 11. Curtius, iii. 4, 11. "Contemplatus locorum situm (Alexander), non alias dicitur magis admiratus esse felicitatem suam," &c. See Plutarch, Demetrius, 47, where Agathokles (son of Lysimachus) holds the line of Taurus against Demetrius Poliorkêtes. Arrian, ii. 4, 3-8; Curtius, iii. 4. Curtius ascribes to Arsames the intention of executing what had been recommended by Memnon before Tarsus. B.C. 333, summer. Dangerous illness of Alexander. His confi dence in the physician Philippus, who cures him. At Tarsus Alexander made a long halt; much longer than he intended. Either from excessive fatigue-or from bathing while hot in the chilly water of the river Kydnus-he was seized with a violent fever, which presently increased to so dangerous a pitch that his life was despaired of. Amidst the grief and alarm with which this misfortune filled the army, none of the physicians would venture to administer remedies, from fear of being held responsible for what threatened to be a fatal result'. One alone among them, an Akarnanian named Philippus, long known and trusted by Alexander, engaged to cure him by a violent purgative draught. Alexander directed him to prepare it; but before the time for taking it arrived, he received a confidential letter from Parmenio, entreating him to beware of Philippus, who had been bribed by Darius to poison him. After reading the letter, he put it under his pillow. Presently came Philippus with the medicine, which Alexander accepted and swallowed without remark, at the same time giving Philippus the letter to read, and watching the expression of his countenance. The look, words, and gestures of the physician were such as completely to reassure him. Philippus, indignantly repudiating the calumny, repeated his full confidence in the medicine, and pledged himself to abide the result. At first it operated so violently as to make Alex the battle of the Granikus-to desolate the country in order to check Alexander's advance. But this can hardly be the right interpretation of the proceeding. Arrian's account seems more reasonable. 1 When Hephaestion died of fever at Ekbatana, nine years afterwards, Alexander caused the physician who had attended him to be crucified (Plutarch, Alexand. 72; Arrian, vii. 14). CHAP. XCIII.] ALEXANDER AT TARSUS-DANGEROUS FEVER. 153 ander seemingly worse, and even to bring him to death's door; but after a certain interval, its healing effects became manifest. The fever was subdued, and Alexander was pronounced out of danger, to the delight of the whole army'. A reasonable time sufficed, to restore him to his former health and vigour. purpose of Alexander in Kilikia. It was his first operation, after recovery, to send Operations forward Parmenio, at the head of the Greeks, Thessalians, and Thracians, in his army, for the of clearing the forward route and of securing the pass called the Gates of Kilikia and Syria2. This narrow road, bounded by the range of Mount Amanus on the east and by the sea on the west, had been once barred by a double cross-wall with gates for passage, marking the original boundaries of Kilikia and Syria. The Gates, about six days' march beyond Tarsus, were found guarded, but the guard fled with little resistance. At the same time, Alexander himself, conducting the Macedonian troops in a south-westerly direction from Tarsus, employed some time in mastering and regulating the towns of Anchialus and Soli, as well as the Kilikian mountaineers. Then, returning to Tarsus, and recommencing his 'This interesting anecdote is recounted, with more or less of rhetoric and amplification, in all the historians-Arrian, ii. 4; Diodor. xvii. 31; Plutarch, Alexand. 19; Curtius, iii. 5; Justin, xi. 8. It is one mark of the difference produced in the character of Alexander, by superhuman successes continued for four years-to contrast the generous confidence which he here displayed towards Philippus, with his cruel prejudgement and torture of Philôtas four years afterwards. 2 Arrian, ii. 5, 1; Diodor. xvii. 32; Curtius, iii. 7, 6. 3 Cyrus the younger was five days in marching from Tarsus to Issus, and one day more from Issus to the Gates of Kilikia and Syria.-Xenoph. Anab. i. 4, 1; Vol. IX. Ch. lxix. p. 35 of this History. B.C. 333. March of Alexander out of Kilikia, through Issus, to Myriandrus. forward march, he advanced with the infantry and with his chosen squadron of cavalry, first to Magarsus near the mouth of the river Pyramus, next to Mallus; the general body of cavalry, under Philôtus, being sent by a more direct route across the Alëian plain. Mallus, sacred to the prophet Amphilochus as patron-hero, was said to be a colony from Argos; on both these grounds Alexander was disposed to treat it with peculiar respect. He offered solemn sacrifice to Amphilochus, exempted Mallus from tribute, and appeased some troublesome discord among the citizens'. It was at Mallus that he received his first distinct communication respecting Darius and the main Persian army; which was said to be encamped at Sochi in Syria, on the eastern side of Mount Amanus, about two days' march from the mountain pass now called Beylan. That pass, traversing the Amanian range, forms the continuance of the main road from Asia Minor into Syria, after having passed first over Taurus, and next through the difficult point of ground above specified (called the Gates of Kilikia and Syria), between Mount Amanus and the sea. Assembling his principal officers, Alexander communicated to them the position of Darius, now encamped in a spacious plain with prodigious superiority of numbers, especially of cavalry. Though the locality was thus rather favourable to the enemy, yet the Macedonians, full of hopes and courage, called upon Alexander to lead them forthwith against him. Accordingly Alexander, wellpleased with their alacrity, began his forward march 1 Arrian, ii. 5, 11. CHAP. XCIII.] ALEXANDER AT MYRIANDRUS. 155 on the following morning. He passed through Issus, where he left some sick and wounded under a moderate guard-then through the Gates of Kilikia and Syria. At the second day's march from those Gates, he reached the seaport Myriandrus, the first town of Syria or Phenicia1. Here, having been detained in his camp one day by a dreadful storm, he received intelligence which altogether changed his plans. The Persian army had been marched away from Sochi, and was now in Kilikia, following in his rear. It had already got possession of Issus. March of from the Darius interior to Immense numbers of his army: and osten Darius had marched out of the interior his vast and miscellaneous host, stated at 600,000 men. His mother, his wife, his harem, his children, his personal attendants of every description, accom- Mount panied him, to witness what was anticipated as a Amanus. certain triumph. All the apparatus of ostentation and luxury was provided in abundance, for the king and for his Persian grandees. The baggage was enormous of gold and silver alone, we are that there was enough to furnish load for 600 mules and 300 camels2. A temporary bridge being thrown mascus. over the Euphrates, five days were required to enable the whole army to cross3. Much of the treasure and baggage, however, was not allowed to follow the army to the vicinity of Mount Amanus, but was sent under a guard to Damascus in Syria. told the treasure gage is sent to Da At the head of such an overwhelming host, Darius B.C. 333. was eager to bring on at once a general battle. It was not sufficient for him simply to keep back an enemy, 1 Arrian, ii. 6. 3 Curtius, iii. 7, 1. 2 Curtius, iii. 3, 24. |