CHAPTER V.

ALEXANDER AT THE TOMB OF SARDANAPALUS.—PROCEEDINGS IN CILICIA.

After this he sent Parmenio to the other Gates which separate the land

of the Cilicians from that of the Assyrians, in order to capture them

before the enemy could do so, and to guard the pass.[222] He gave

him the allied infantry, the Grecian mercenaries, the Thracians who

were under the command of Sitalces, and the Thessalian cavalry. He

afterwards marched from Tarsus, and on the first day arrived at the

city of Anchialus.[223] According to report, this city was founded by

Sardanapalus the Assyrian;[224] and both from the circumference and

from the foundations of the walls it is evident that a large city had

been founded and that it had reached a great pitch of power. Also near

the wall of Anchialus was the monument of Sardanapalus, upon the top

of which stood the statue of that king with the hands joined to each

other just as they are joined for clapping.[225] An inscription had

been placed upon it in Assyrian characters,[226] which the Assyrians

asserted to be in metre. The meaning which the words expressed was

this:—“Sardanapalus, son of Anacyndaraxas, built Anchialus and Tarsus

in one day; but do thou, O stranger, eat, drink, and play, since all

other human things are not worth this!” referring, as in a riddle, to

the empty sound which the hands make in clapping. It was also said that

the word translated _play_ had been expressed by a more lewd one in the

Assyrian language.

From Anchialus Alexander went to Soli,[227] into which city he

introduced a garrison, and imposed upon the inhabitants a fine of 200

talents of silver,[228] because they were more inclined to favour

the Persians than himself. Then, having taken three regiments of

Macedonian infantry, all the archers, and the Agrianians, he marched

away thence against the Cilicians, who were holding the mountains;

and in seven days in all, having expelled some by force, and having

brought the rest over by composition, he marched back to Soli. Here he

ascertained that Ptolemy and Asander[229] had gained the mastery over

Orontobates the Persian who was guarding the citadel of Halicarnassus,

and was also holding Myndus, Caunus, Thera, and Callipolis.[230] Cos

and Triopium[231] also had been brought into subjection. They wrote

to inform him that Orontobates had been worsted in a great battle;

that about 700 of his infantry and 50 of his cavalry had been killed,

and not less than 1,000 taken prisoners. In Soli Alexander offered

sacrifice to Asclepius,[232] conducting a procession of the entire

army, celebrating a torch race, and superintending a gymnastic and

musical contest. He granted the Solians the privilege of a democratical

constitution; and then marched away to Tarsus, despatching the

cavalry under Philotas to march through the Aleian plain to the

river Pyramus.[233] But he himself with the infantry and the royal

squadron of cavalry came to Magarsus, where he offered sacrifice to

the Magarsian Athena. Thence he marched to Mallus, where he rendered

to Amphilochus the sacrificial honours due to a hero.[234] He also

arrested those who were creating a sedition among the citizens, and

thus put a stop to it. He remitted the tribute which they were paying

to King Darius, because the Malliotes were a colony of the Argives, and

he himself claimed to have sprung from Argos, being a descendant of

Heracles.