CHAPTER IX.

ALEXANDER CHANGES THE DISPOSITION OF HIS FORCES.

Meantime when Alexander perceived that nearly all the Persian cavalry

had changed their ground and gone to his left towards the sea, and

that on his side only the Peloponnesians and the rest of the Grecian

cavalry were posted there, he sent the Thessalian cavalry thither with

speed, ordering them not to ride along before the front of the whole

array, lest they should be seen by the enemy to be shifting their

ground, but to proceed by stealth in the rear of the phalanx.[249] In

front of the cavalry on the right, he posted the lancers under the

command of Protomachus, and the Paeonians under that of Aristo; and of

the infantry, the archers under the direction of Antiochus, and the

Agrianians under that of Attalus. Some of the cavalry and archers

also he drew up so as to form an angle with the centre[250] towards

the mountain which was in the rear; so on the right his phalanx had

been drawn up separated into two wings, the one fronting Darius and

the main body of Persians beyond the river, and the other facing those

who had been posted at the mountain in their rear. On the left wing

the infantry consisting of the Cretan archers and the Thracians under

command of Sitalces were posted in front; and before these the cavalry

towards the left. The Grecian mercenaries were drawn up as a reserve

for all of them. When he perceived that the phalanx towards the right

was too thin, and it seemed likely that the Persians would outflank him

here considerably, he ordered two squadrons of the Companion cavalry,

viz. the Anthemusian,[251] of which Peroedas, son of Menestheus, was

captain, and that which was called Leugaean, under the command of

Pantordanus, son of Cleander, to proceed from the centre to the right

without being seen. Having also marched the archers, part of the

Agrianians and of the Grecian mercenaries up along his right in the

front, he extended his phalanx beyond the wing of the Persians. But

when those who had been posted upon the mountain did not descend, a

charge was made by a few of the Agrianians and archers at Alexander’s

order, by which they were easily put to the rout from the foot of the

mountain. As they fled to the summit he decided that he could make use

of the men who had been drawn up to keep these in check, to fill up

the ranks of his phalanx. He thought it quite sufficient to post 300

horsemen to watch the men on the mountain.