CHAPTER XXIX.

SIEGE OF AORNUS.

At this juncture some of the natives came to him, and surrendering

themselves, offered to lead him to the part of the rock where it could

be most easily assailed, and from which it would be easy for him to

capture the place. With these he sent Ptolemy, son of Lagus, the

confidential body-guard, in command of the Agrianians and the other

light-armed troops, together with picked men from the shield-bearing

guards. He gave this officer instructions, as soon as he had got

possession of the place, to occupy it with a strong guard, and signal

to him that it was held. Ptolemy proceeded along a road which was rough

and difficult to pass, and occupied the position without the knowledge

of the barbarians. After strengthening his position with a stockade

and a ditch all round, he raised a beacon from the mountain, whence it

was likely to be seen by Alexander. The flame was at once seen, and on

the following day the king led his army forward; but as the barbarians

disputed his advance, he could do nothing further on account of the

difficult nature of the ground. When the barbarians perceived that

Alexander could not make an assault, they turned round and attacked

Ptolemy, and a sharp battle ensued between them and the Macedonians,

the Indians making great efforts to demolish the stockade, and Ptolemy

to preserve his position. But the barbarians, getting the worst of it

in the skirmish, withdrew as the night came on. Alexander now selected

from the Indian deserters a man who was not only devoted to him but

acquainted with the locality,[617] and sent him by night to Ptolemy,

carrying a letter, in which it was written that as soon as the king

attacked the rock, Ptolemy was to come down the mountain upon the

barbarians, and not be contented with holding his position in guard;

so that the Indians, being assailed from both sides at once, might be

in perplexity what course to pursue. Accordingly, starting from his

camp at daybreak, he led his army up the path by which Ptolemy had

ascended by stealth, entertaining the opinion that if he could force

his way in this direction and join his forces with those of Ptolemy,

the work would no longer be difficult for him; and so it turned out.

For until midday a smart battle was kept up between the Indians and

the Macedonians, the latter striving to force a way of approach, and

the former hurling missiles at them as they ascended. But as the

Macedonians did not relax their efforts, advancing one after another,

and those who were in advance rested till their comrades came up,

after great exertions they gained possession of the pass early in the

afternoon, and formed a junction with Ptolemy’s forces. As the whole

army was now united, Alexander led it thence against the rock itself.

But the approach to it was still impracticable. Such then was the

result of this day’s labours. At the approach of the dawn he issued

an order that each soldier individually should cut 100 stakes; and

when this had been done he heaped up a great mound against the rock,

beginning from the top of the hill where they had encamped. From this

mound he thought the arrows as well as the missiles launched from the

military engines would be able to reach the defenders of the rock.

Every one in the army assisted him in this work of raising the mound;

while he himself superintended it, as an observer, not only commending

the man who completed his task with zeal and alacrity, but also

chastising him who was dilatory in the pressing emergency.