CHAPTER VII.

DARIUS AT ISSUS.—ALEXANDER’S SPEECH TO HIS ARMY.

Darius crossed the mountain range by what are called the Amanic Gates,

and advancing towards Issus, came without being noticed to the rear

of Alexander.[239] Having reached Issus, he captured as many of the

Macedonians as had been left behind there on account of illness.

These he cruelly mutilated and slew. Next day he proceeded to the

river Pinarus. As soon as Alexander heard that Darius was in his rear,

because the news did not seem to him trustworthy, he embarked some of

the Companions in a ship with thirty oars, and sent them back to Issus,

to observe whether the report was true. The men who sailed in the

thirty-oared ship discovered the Persians encamped there more easily,

because the sea in this part takes the form of a bay. They therefore

brought back word to Alexander that Darius was at hand. Alexander

then called together the generals, the commanders of cavalry, and the

leaders of the Grecian allies, and exhorted them to take courage from

the dangers which they had already surmounted, asserting that the

struggle would be between themselves who had been previously victorious

and a foe who had already been beaten; and that the deity was acting

the part of general on their behalf better than himself, by putting

it into the mind of Darius to move his forces from the spacious plain

and shut them up in a narrow place, where there was sufficient room

for them to deepen their phalanx by marching from front to rear, but

where their vast multitude would be useless to their enemy in battle.

He added that their foes were similar to them neither in strength nor

in courage; for the Macedonians, who had long been practised in warlike

toils accompanied with danger, were coming into close conflict with

Persians and Medes, men who had become enervated by a long course of

luxurious ease; and, to crown all, they, being freemen, were about to

engage in battle with men who were slaves. He said, moreover, that

the Greeks who were in the two armies would not be fighting for the

same objects; for those with Darius were braving danger for pay,

and that pay not high; whereas, those on their side were voluntarily

defending the interests of Greece. Again, of foreigners, the Thracians,

Paeonians, Illyrians, and Agrianians, who were the most robust and

warlike of men in Europe, were about to be arrayed against the most

sluggish and effeminate races of Asia. In addition to all this,

Alexander was commanding in the field against Darius. These things

he enumerated as evidences of their superiority in the struggle; and

then he began to point out the great rewards they would win from the

danger to be incurred. For he told them that on that occasion they

would overcome, not merely the viceroys of Darius, nor the cavalry

drawn up at the Granicus, nor the 20,000 Grecian mercenaries, but would

overcome all the available forces of the Persians and Medes, as well

as all the other races subject to them dwelling in Asia, and the Great

King present in person. After this conflict nothing would be left for

them to do, except to take possession of all Asia, and to put an end

to their many labours. In addition to this, he reminded them of their

brilliant achievements in their collective capacity in days gone by;

and if any man had individually performed any distinguished feat of

valour from love of glory, he mentioned him by name in commendation

of the deed.[240] He then recapitulated as modestly as possible his

own daring deeds in the various battles. He is also said to have

reminded them of Xenophon and the ten thousand men who accompanied him,

asserting that the latter were in no way comparable with them either

in number or in general excellence. Besides, they had had with them

neither Thessalian, Boeotian, Peloponnesian, Macedonian, or Thracian

horsemen, nor any of the other cavalry which was in the Macedonian

army; nor had they any archers or slingers except a few Cretans and

Rhodians, and even these were got ready by Xenophon on the spur of

the moment in the very crisis of danger.[241] And yet even these put

the king and all his forces to rout close to Babylon[242] itself, and

succeeded in reaching the Euxine Sea after defeating all the races

which lay in their way as they were marching down thither. He also

adduced whatever other arguments were suitable for a great commander to

use in order to encourage brave men in such a critical moment before

the perils of battle. They urged him to lead them against the foe

without delay, coming from all sides to grasp the king’s right hand,

and encouraging him by their promises.