a smaller history of greece-第42部分

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nube；　and　thence　marched　against　the　Illyrians　and　Taulantians；　whom　he　speedily　reduced　to　obedience。

During　Alexander's　absence　on　these　expeditions　no　tidings　were　heard　of　him　for　a　considerable　time；　and　a　report　of　his　death　was　industriously　spread　in　Southern　Greece。　　The　Thebans　rose　and　besieged　the　Macedonian　garrison　in　the　Cadmea；　at　the　same　time　inviting　other　states　to　declare　their　independence。　Demosthenes　was　active　in　aiding　the　movement。　　He　persuaded　the　Athenians　to　furnish　the　Thebans　with　subsidies　and　to　assure　them　of　their　support　and　alliance。　　But　the　rapidity　of　Alexander　again　crushed　the　insurrection　in　the　bud。　　Before　the　Thebans　discovered　that　the　report　of　his　death　was　false　he　had　already　arrived　at　Onchestus　in　Boeotia。　　Alexander　was　willing　to　afford　them　an　opportunity　for　repentance；　and　marched　slowly　to　the　foot　of　the　Cadmea。　　But　the　leaders　of　the　insurrection；　believing　themselves　irretrievably　compromised；　replied　with　taunts　to　Alexander's　proposals　for　peace；　and　excited　the　people　to　the　most　desperate　resistance。　　An　engagement　was　prematurely　brought　on　by　one　of　the　generals　of　Alexander；　in　which　some　of　the　Macedonian　troops　were　put　to　the　rout；　but　Alexander；　coming　up　with　the　phalanx；　whilst　the　Thebans　were　in　the　disorder　of　pursuit；　drove　them　back　in　turn　and　entered　the　gates　along　with　them；　when　a　fearful　massacre　ensued　committed　principally　by　the　Thracians　in　Alexander's　service。　　Six　thousand　Thebans　are　said　to　have　been　slain；　and　thirty　thousand　were　made　prisoners。　　The　doom　of　the　conquered　city　was　referred　to　the　allies；　who　decreed　her　destruction。　　The　grounds　of　the　verdict　bear　the　impress　of　a　tyrannical　hypocrisy。　　They　rested　on　the　conduct　of　the　Thebans　during　the　Persian　war；　on　their　treatment　of　Plataea；　and　on　their　enmity　to　Athens。　　The　inhabitants　were　sold　as　slaves；　and　all　the　houses；　except　that　of　Pindar；　were　levelled　with　the　ground。　　The　Cadmea　was　preserved　to　be　occupied　by　a　Macedonian　garrison。　　Thebes　seems　to　have　been　thus　harshly　treated　as　an　example　to　the　rest　of　Greece；　for　towards　the　other　states；　which　were　now　eager　to　make　their　excuses　and　submission；　Alexander　showed　much　forbearance　and　lenity。　　The　conduct　of　the　Athenians　exhibits　them　deeply　sunk　in　degradation。　　When　they　heard　of　the　chastisement　indicted　upon　Thebes；　they　immediately　voted；　on　the　motion　of　Demosthenes；　that　ambassadors　should　be　sent　to　congratulate　Alexander　on　his　safe　return　from　his　northern　expeditions；　and　on　his　recent　success。　　Alexander　in　reply　wrote　a　letter；　demanding　that　eight　or　ten　of　the　leading　Athenian　orators　should　be　delivered　up　to　him。　　At　the　head　of　the　list　was　Demosthenes。　　In　this　dilemma；　Phocion；　who　did　not　wish　to　speak　upon　such　a　question；　was　loudly　called　upon　by　the　people　for　his　opinion；　when　he　rose　and　said　that　the　persons　whom　Alexander　demanded　had　brought　the　state　into　such　a　miserable　plight　that　they　deserved　to　be　surrendered；　and　that　for　his　own　part　he　should　be　very　happy　to　die　for　the　commonwealth。　　At　the　same　time　he　advised　them　to　try　the　effect　of　intercession　with　Alexander；　and　it　was　at　last　only　by　his　own　personal　application　to　that　monarch　with　whom　he　was　a　great　favourite；　that　the　orators　were　spared。　　According　to　another　account；　however；　the　wrath　of　Alexander　was　appeased　by　the　orator　Demades；　who　received　from　the　Athenians　a　reward　of　five　talents　for　his　services。　　It　was　at　this　time　that　Alexander　is　said　to　have　sent　a　present　of　100　talents　to　Phocion。　　But　Phocion　asked　the　persons　who　brought　the　money〃Why　he　should　be　selected　for　such　a　bounty？〃　　　〃Because；〃　they　replied；　〃Alexander　considers　you　the　only　just　and　honest　man。〃　　　〃Then；〃　said　Phocion；　〃let　him　suffer　me　to　be　what　I　seem；　and　to　retain　that　character。〃　And　when　the　envoys　went　to　his　house　and　beheld　the　frugality　with　which　he　lived；　they　perceived　that　the　man　who　refused　such　a　gift　was　wealthier　than　he　who　offered　it。

Having　thus　put　the　affairs　of　Greece　on　a　satisfactory　footing；　Alexander　marched　for　the　Hellespont　in　the　spring　of　B。C。　334；　leaving　Antipater　regent　of　Macedonia　in　his　absence；　with　a　force　of　12；000　foot　and　1500　horse。　　Alexander's　own　army　consisted　of　only　about　50；000　foot　and　5000　horse。　　Of　the　infantry　about　12；000　were　Macedonians；　and　these　composed　the　pith　of　the　celebrated　Macedonian　phalanx。　　Such　was　the　force　with　which　he　proposed　to　attack　the　immense　but　ill…cemented　empire　of　Persia；　which；　like　the　empires　of　Turkey　or　Austria　in　modern　times；　consisted　of　various　nations　and　races　with　different　religions　and　manners；　and　speaking　different　languages；　the　only　bond　of　union　being　the　dominant　military　power　of　the　ruling　nation；　which　itself　formed　only　a　small　numerical　portion　of　the　empire。　　The　remote　provinces；　like　those　of　Asia　Minor；　were　administered　by　satraps　and　military　governors　who　enjoyed　an　almost　independent　authority。　　Before　Alexander　departed　he　distributed　most　of　the　crown　property　among　his　friends；　and　when　Perdiccas　asked　him　what　he　had　reserved　for　himself　he　replied；　〃My　hopes。〃

A　march　of　sixteen　days　brought　Alexander　to　Sestos；　where　a　large　fleet　and　a　number　of　transports　had　been　collected　for　the　embarkation　of　his　army。　　He　steered　with　his　own　hand　the　vessel　in　which　he　sailed　towards　the　very　spot　where　the　Achaeans　were　said　to　have　landed　when　proceeding　to　the　Trojan　war。　　He　was；　as　we　have　said；　a　great　admirer　of　Homer；　a　copy　of　whose　works　he　always　carried　with　him；　and　on　landing　on　the　Asiatic　coast　he　made　it　his　first　business　to　visit　the　plain　of　Troy。　　He　then　proceeded　to　Sigeum；　where　he　crowned　with　a　garland　the　pillar　said　to　mark　the　tumulus　of　his　mythical　ancestor　Achilles；　and；　according　to　custom；　ran　round　it　naked　with　his　friends。

Alexander　then　marched　northwards　along　the　coast　of　the　Propontis。　　The　satraps　of　Lydia　and　Ionia；　together　with　other　Persian　generals；　were　encamped　on　the　river　Granicus；　with　a　force　of　20；000　Greek　mercenaries；　and　about　an　equal　number　of　native　cavalry；　with　which　they　prepared　to　dispute　the　passage　of　the　river。　　A　Rhodian；　named　Memnon；　had　the　chief　command。　The　veteran　general　Parmenio　advised　Alexander　to　delay　the　attack　till　the　following　morning；　to　which　he　replied；　that　it　would　be　a　bad　omen　at　the　beginning　of　his　expedition；　if；　after　passing　the　Hellespont；　he　should　be　stopped　by　a　paltry　stream。　Thereupon　he　directed　his　cavalry　to　cross　the　river；　and　followed　himself　at　the　head　of　the　phalanx。　　The　passage；　however；　was　by　no　means　easy。　　The　stream　was　in　many　parts　so　deep　as　to　be　hardly　fordable；　and　the　opposite　bank　was　steep　and　rugged。　　The　cavalry　had　great　difficulty　in　maintaining　their　ground　till　Alexander　came　up　to　their　relief。　　He　immediately　charged　into　the　thickest　of　the　fray；　and　exposed　himself　so　much　that　his　life　was　often　in　imminent　danger；　and　on　one　occasion　was　saved　only　by　the　interposition　of　his　friend　Clitus。　　Having　routed　the　Persians；　he　next　attacked　the　Greek　mercenaries；　2000　of　whom　were　made　prisoners；　and　the　rest　nearly　all　cut　to　pieces；　In　this　engagement　he　killed　two　Persian　officers　with　his　own　hand。

Alexander　now　marched　southwards　towards　Sardis；　which　surrendered　before　he　came　within　sight　of　its　walls。　　Having　left　a　garrison　in　that　city；　he　arrived　after　a　four　days'　march　before　Ephesus；　which　likewise　capitulated　on　his　approach。　Magnesia；　Tralles；　and　Miletus　next　fell　into　his　hands；　the　last　after　a　short　siege。　　Halicarnassus　made　more　resistance。　　It　was　obliged　to　be　regularly　approached；　but　at　length　Memnon；　finding　it　no　longer　tenable；　set　fire　to　it　in　the　night；　and　crossed　over　to　Cos。　　Alexander　caused　it　to　be　razed　to　the　ground；　and　pursued　his　march　along　the　southern　coast　of　Asia　Minor；　with　the　view　of　seizing　those　towns　which　might　afford　shelter　to　a　Persian　fleet。　　The　winter　was　now　approaching；　and　Alexander　sent　a　considerable　part　of　his　army　under　Parmenio　into　winter…　quarters　at　Sardis。　　He　also　sent　back　to　Macedonia　such　officers　and　soldiers　as　had　been　recently　married；　on　condition　that　they　should　return　in　the　spring　with　what　reinforcements　they　could　raise；　and　with　the　same　view　he　despatched　an　officer　to　recruit　in　the　Peloponnesus。　　Meanwhile　he　himself　with　a　chosen　body　proceeded　along　the　coasts　of　Lycia　and　Pamphylia；　having　instructed　Parmenio　to　rejoin　him　in　Phrygia　in　the　spring；　with　the　main　body。　　After　he　had　crossed　the　Xanthus　most　of　the　Lycian　towns　tendered　their　submission。　　On　the　borders　of　Lycia　and　Pamphylia；　Mount　Climax；　a　branch　of　the　Taurus　range；　runs　abruptly　into　the　sea；　leaving　only　a　narrow　passage　at　its　foot；　which　is　frequently　overflowed。　　This　was　the　case　at　the　time　of　Alexander's　approach。　　He　therefore　sent　his　main　body　by　a　long　and　difficult　road　across　the　mountains　to　Perge；　but　he　himself　who　loved　danger　for　its　own　sake；　proceeded　with　a　chosen　band　along　the　shore；　wading　through　water　that　was　breast…high　for　nearly　a　whole　day。　　Then　forcing　his　way　northwards　through　the　barbarous　tribes　which　inhabited　the　mountains　of　Pisidia；　he　encamped　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Gordium　in　Phrygia。　　Here　he　was　rejoined　by　Parmenio　and　by　the　new　levies　from　Greece。　　Gordium　had　been　the　capital　of　the　early　Phrygian　kings；　and　in　it　was　preserved　with　superstitious　veneration　the　chariot　or　waggon　in　which　the　celebrated　Midas；　the　son　of　Gordius；　together　with　his　parents；　had　entered　the　town；　and　in　conformity　with　an　oracle　had　been　elevated　to　the　monarchy。　　An　ancient　prophecy　promised　the　sovereignty　of　Asia　to　him　who　should　untie　the　knot　of　bark　which　fastened　the　yoke　of　the　waggon　to　the　pole。　　Alexander　repaired　to　the　Acropolis；　where　the　waggon　was　preserved；　to　attempt　this　adventure。　　Whether　he　undid　the　knot　by　drawing　out　a　peg；　or　cut　it　through　with　his　sword；　is　a　matter　of　doubt；　but　that　he　had　fulfilled　the　prediction　was　placed　beyond　dispute　that　very　night　by　a　great　storm　of　thunder　and　lightning。

In　the　spring　of　333　Alexander　pursued　his　march　eastwards；　and　on　arriving　at　Ancyra　received　the　submission　of　the　Paphlagonians。　　He　then