CHAPTER XXI.
CAPTURE OF THE ROCK OF CHORIENES.
When Alexander had finished his operations among the Sogdianians, and
was now in possession of the rock, he advanced into the land of the
Paraetacians, because many of the barbarians were said to be holding
another rock, a strongly fortified place in that country. This was
called the rock of Chorienes; and to it Chorienes himself and many
other chiefs had fled for refuge. The height of this rock was about
twenty stades, and the circuit about sixty. It was precipitous on all
sides, and there was only one ascent to it, which was narrow and not
easy to mount, since it had been constructed in spite of the nature of
the place. It was therefore difficult to ascend even by men in single
file and when no one barred the way. A deep ravine also enclosed[591]
the rock all round, so that whoever intended to lead an army up to it,
must long before make a causeway of earth over this ravine in order
that he might start from level ground, when he led his troops to the
assault. Notwithstanding all this, Alexander undertook the enterprise.
To so great a pitch of audacity had he advanced through his career
of success, that he thought every place ought to be accessible to
him,[592] and to be captured by him. He cut down the pines, which were
very abundant and lofty all round the mountain, and made ladders of
them, so that by means of them the soldiers might be able to descend
into the ravine[593]; for otherwise it was impossible for them to do
so. During the daytime he himself superintended the work, keeping
half of his army engaged in it; and during the night his confidential
body-guards, Perdiccas, Leonnatus, and Ptolemy, son of Lagus, in turn
with the other half of the army, divided into three parts, performed
the duty which had been assigned to each for the night. But they could
complete no more than twenty cubits in a day, and not quite so much in
a night, though the whole army engaged in the labour; so difficult was
the place to approach and so hard was the work in it. Descending into
the ravine, they fastened pegs into the sharpest and narrowest part
of it, distant from each other as far as was consistent with strength
to support the weight of what was placed upon them. Upon these they
placed hurdles made of willow and osiers, very much in the form of a
bridge. Binding these together, they loaded earth above them, so that
there might be an approach to the rock for the army on level ground.
At first the barbarians derided, as if the attempt was altogether
abortive; but when the arrows began to reach the rock, and they were
unable to drive back the Macedonians, though they themselves were on a
higher level, because the former had constructed screens to ward off
the missiles, that they might carry on their labour under them without
receiving injury, Chorienes grew alarmed at what was being done, and
sent a herald to Alexander, beseeching him to send Oxyartes up to him.
Alexander accordingly sent Oxyartes, who on his arrival persuaded
Chorienes to entrust himself and the place to Alexander; for he told
him that there was nothing which Alexander and his army could not take
by storm; and as he himself had entered into an alliance of fidelity
and friendship with him, he commended the king’s honour and justice in
high terms, adducing other examples, and above all his own case for
the confirmation of his arguments. By these representations Chorienes
was persuaded and came himself to Alexander, accompanied by some of
his relations and companions. When he arrived, the king gave him a
courteous answer to his inquiries, and retained him after pledging his
fidelity and friendship. But he bade him send to the rock some of those
who came down with him to order his men to surrender the place; and
it was surrendered by those who had fled to it for refuge. Alexander
therefore took 500 of his shield-bearing guards and went up to get a
view of the rock; and was so far from inflicting any harsh treatment
upon Chorienes that he entrusted that very place to him again, and made
him governor of all that he had ruled before. It happened that the
army suffered much hardship from the severity of the winter, a great
quantity of snow having fallen during the siege; while at the same
time the men were reduced to great straits from lack of provisions.
But Chorienes said he would give the army food for two months; and
he gave the men in every tent corn, wine, and salted meat out of the
stores in the rock. When he had given them this, he said he had not
exhausted even the tenth part of what had been laid up for the siege.
Hence Alexander held him in still greater honour, inasmuch as he had
surrendered the rock, not so much from compulsion as from his own
inclination.