CHAPTER XXI.

DARIUS IS ASSASSINATED BY BESSUS.

At this time Bagistanes, one of the Babylonian nobles, came to him

from the camp of Darius, accompanied by Antibelus, one of the sons of

Mazaeus. These men informed him that Nabarzanes, the commander of the

cavalry which accompanied Darius in his flight, Bessus, viceroy of

Bactria, and Barsaëntes, viceroy of the Arachotians and Drangians,[462]

had jointly arrested the king. When Alexander heard this, he marched

with still greater speed than ever, taking with him only the Companions

and the skirmishing cavalry, as well as some of the foot-soldiers

selected as the strongest and lightest men. He did not even wait for

Coenus to return from the foraging expedition; but placed Craterus over

the men left behind, with instructions to follow in short marches.

His own men took with them nothing but their arms and provisions for

two days. After marching the whole night and till noon of the next

day, he gave his army a short rest, then went on again all night, and

when day began to break reached the camp from which Bagistanes had set

out to meet him; but he did not catch the enemy. However, in regard

to Darius, he ascertained that he had been arrested and was being

conveyed in a covered carriage[463]; that Bessus possessed the command

instead of Darius, and had been nominated leader by the Bactrian

cavalry and all the other barbarians who were companions of Darius in

his flight, except Artabazus and his sons, together with the Grecian

mercenaries, who still remained faithful to Darius; but they, not being

able to prevent what was being done, had turned aside their march

from the public thoroughfare and were marching towards the mountains

by themselves, refusing to take part with Bessus and his adherents in

their enterprise. He also learnt that those who had arrested Darius had

come to the decision to surrender him to Alexander, and to procure

some advantage for themselves, if they should find that Alexander was

pursuing them; but if they should learn that he had gone back again,

they had resolved to collect as large an army as they could and to

preserve the rule for the commonwealth. He also ascertained that for

the present Bessus held the supreme command, both on account of his

relationship to Darius and because the war was being carried on in his

viceregal province. Hearing this, Alexander thought it was advisable

to pursue with all his might; and though his men and horses were

already quite fatigued by the incessant severity of their labours, he

nevertheless proceeded, and, travelling a long way all through the

night and the next day till noon, arrived at a certain village, where

those who were leading Darius had encamped the day before. Hearing

there that the barbarians had decided to continue their march by

night, he inquired of the natives if they knew any shorter road to

the fugitives. They said they did know one, but that it ran through a

country which was desert through lack of water. He nevertheless ordered

them to show him this way, and perceiving that the infantry could not

keep up with him if he marched at full speed, he caused 500 of the

cavalry to dismount from their horses; and selecting the officers of

the infantry and the best of the other foot-soldiers, he ordered them

to mount the horses armed just as they were. He also directed Nicanor,

the commander of the shield-bearing guards, and Attalus, commander

of the Agrianians, to lead their men who were left behind, by the

same route which Bessus had taken, having equipped them as lightly as

possible; and he ordered that the rest of the infantry should follow in

regular marching order. He himself began to march in the afternoon, and

led the way with great rapidity.[464]

Having travelled 400 stades in the night, he came upon the barbarians

just before daybreak, going along without any order and unarmed; so

that few of them rushed to defend themselves, but most of them, as soon

as they saw Alexander himself, took to flight without even coming to

blows. A few of those who turned to resist being killed, the rest of

these also took to flight. Up to this time Bessus and his adherents

were still conveying Darius with them in a covered carriage; but when

Alexander was already close upon their heels Nabarzanes and Barsaëntes

wounded him and left him there, and with 600 horsemen took to flight.

Darius died from his wounds soon after, before Alexander had seen

him.[465]