CHAPTER XXV.

THE ARMY REFUSES TO ADVANCE.—ALEXANDER’S SPEECH TO THE OFFICERS.

It was reported that the country beyond the river Hyphasis was fertile,

and that the men were good agriculturists, and gallant in war; and

that they conducted their own political affairs in a regular and

constitutional manner. For the multitude was ruled by the aristocracy,

who governed in no respect contrary to the rules of moderation. It was

also stated that the men of that district possessed a much greater

number of elephants than the other Indians, and that those men were

of very great stature, and excelled in valour. These reports excited

in Alexander an ardent desire to advance farther; but the spirit of

the Macedonians now began to flag, when they saw the king raising

one labour after another, and incurring one danger after another.

Conferences were held throughout the camp, in which those who were the

most moderate bewailed their lot, while others resolutely declared that

they would not follow Alexander any farther, even if he should lead

the way. When he heard of this, before the disorder and pusillanimity

of the soldiers should advance to a great degree, he called a council

of the officers of the brigades and addressed them as follows:—“O

Macedonians and Grecian allies, seeing that you no longer follow me

into dangerous enterprises with a resolution equal to that which

formerly animated you, I have collected you together into the same

spot, so that I may either persuade you to march forward with me, or

may be persuaded by you to return. If indeed the labours which you

have already undergone up to our present position seem to you worthy

of disapprobation, and if you do not approve of my leading you into

them, there can be no advantage in my speaking any further. But, if as

the result of these labours, you hold possession of Ionia,[710] the

Hellespont, both the Phrygias, Cappadocia, Paphlagonia, Lydia, Caria,

Lycia, Pamphylia, Phoenicia, Egypt together with Grecian Libya, as

well as part of Arabia, Hollow Syria, Syria between the rivers,[711]

Babylon, the nation of the Susians, Persia, Media, besides all the

nations which the Persians and the Medes ruled, and many of those which

they did not rule, the land beyond the Caspian Gates, the country

beyond the Caucasus, the Tanais, as well as the land beyond that river,

Bactria, Hyrcania, and the Hyrcanian Sea; if we have also subdued

the Scythians as far as the desert; if, in addition to these, the

river Indus flows through our territory, as do also the Hydaspes, the

Acesines, and the Hydraotes, why do ye shrink from adding the Hyphasis

also, and the nations beyond this river, to your empire of Macedonia?

Do ye fear that your advance will be stopped in the future by any other

barbarians? Of whom some submit to us of their own accord, and others

are captured in the act of fleeing, while others, succeeding in their

efforts to escape, hand over to us their deserted land, which we add to

that of our allies, or to that of those who have voluntarily submitted

to us.