Delphi Complete Works of Quintus Curtius Rufus

by Quintus Curtius Rufus

  [10] Leonnatus, having waited a long time for someone to invite him to enter, after no one dared to appear, left his attendants in the vestibule and went into the tent. This very action disturbed the women, because he seemed to have broken in, not to have been given audience; and so the mother and the wife, prostrating themselves at his feet, began to plead that, before they were put to death, permission should be granted to them to bury Darius’ body in their native manner; that after performing that last duty to the king they would without reluctance meet [12] death. Leonnatus said that Darius was alive, and that they would not only be unharmed, but would also be queens, retaining all the tokens of then-former fortune. Not until then did the mother of Darius suffer herself to be raised to her feet.

  [13] Alexander on the following day, after having caused the soldiers whose bodies he had found to be buried with care, gave orders that the same honour should be paid to the noblest of the Persians as well, and that Darius mother be allowed to bury those whom she wished in the manner of their nation. She therefore directed that a few of her nearest of kin should be buried in accordance with the state of their present fortune, believing that the pomp of the funerals with which the Persians celebrate the last victors to the dead would be out of Place, when the victors were cremated in no costly manner. And now, alter the proper rites had been performed for the bodies of the dead, Alexander sent a messenger to the captive women that he himself was coming to them and denying admission to his throng of attendants, he entered the tent with Hephaestion. He was by far the dearest to the king of all his friends; brought up with him, and the confidant of all his secrets, he also had more freedom than anyone else in admonishing him, a privilege which he nevertheless used in such a manner that it seemed rather to be allowed by the king than claimed by himself: and ugh Hephaestion was of the same age as the king, he nevertheless excelled him in bodily stature Hence the queens, thinking that he was the king, did obeisance to him in their native fashion. Therein upon some of the captive eunuchs pointed out which was Alexander, and Sisigambis fell at his feet, begging pardon for not recognizing the king, whom she had never seen before. The king, taking her hand and raising her to her feet, said: “You were not mistaken, mother; for this man too is Alexander.” [18] And indeed, if he could have continued to practise such moderation to the end of his life, I could believe that he would have been happier than he seemed to be when he was imitating the triumphal procession of Father Liber, passing victorious over every nation all the way from the Hellespont to the Ocean.

  [19] Then he would surely have mastered pride and wrath, faults which he did not conquer, thus he would have refrained from murdering his friends at banquets, and he would have feared to put to death without a trial men distinguished in warfare, and in company with him the conquerors of so many nations. But not yet had Fortune overflooded his mind. So true is it that he who bore her stream so temperately and wisely when it was rising, at the last was not able to contain her flood when it became great. But at that time, at any rate, he so conducted himself that he surpassed all former kings in continence and clemency; the royal maidens of surpassing beauty he treated with as much deference as if they had been born from the same mother as himself: the wife of Darius, who was also his sister, whom no woman of her time surpassed in personal beauty, he was so far from violating, that he took the greatest care that no one should make shameful sport of her person while she was a prisoner. He gave orders that all their ornaments should be returned to the women, and the captives lacked nothing of the splendour of their former fortune except confidence.

  [24] And so Sisigambis said: “O King, you deserve that we should offer for you the same prayers which we formerly offered for our own Darius, and you do not merit our hatred, since you have surpassed so great a king, not in good fortune alone, but also in justice. You indeed call me mother and queen, but I confess that I am your handmaid. I both rise to the greatness of my past rank, and I can bear the yoke of my present lot. It is important for you that you should wish that the extent of your power over us should be attested by clemency rather than cruelty.” [26] Alexander, bidding them be of good courage, took the son of Darius in his embrace, and the child, not at all frightened at the sight of one whom he looked upon then for the first time, put his arms around his neck. Whereupon the king, touched by the boy’s fearlessness, with a glance at Hephaestion said:

  How I could wish that Darius had acquired some part of such a nature.” Then he left the tent.

  [27] On the bank of the river Pinarus Alexander consecrated three altars, to Jupiter, Hercules, and Minerva, and made for Damascus in Syria, where the king’s treasure was, having sent Parmenion ahead.

  XIII. But Parmenion, when he had gone on in advance and had received information that the satrap of Darius was at hand, fearing lest the small numbers of his men should arouse contempt, decided to summon a greater force. But it chanced that a native of Mardia fell in with the scouts whom Parmenion had sent ahead, and when he was brought interpretation. Here, as always when it is necessary to fill out lacunae, real or assumed, the supplements are purely to Parmenion, delivered to him a letter which had been sent to Alexander by the governor of Damascus, adding that he had no doubt that the governor would hand over all the royal equipment as well as [3] the money. Parmenion, after giving orders that the Mardian should be put under guard, opened the letter, in which it was written that Alexander should speedily send one of his generals with a small force, to whom he might hand over what Darius had left in his charge. Accordingly he sent back the Mardian to the traitor with an escort; he escaped from his guards and entered Damascus before daylight.

  This conduct had disturbed the mind of Parmenion, who feared a plot, and he did not venture to enter upon an unknown road without a guide; nevertheless, trusting to the good fortune of his king, he gave orders that some peasants should be captured, to serve as guides for the journey. When these had been quickly found, he arrived at the city on the fourth day, where the governor was already in a state of fear lest he had not been trusted. Therefore, feigning lack of confidence in the fortifications of the town, before sunrise he gave orders that the king’s money — the Persians call it gaza — along with his most precious possessions should be brought out, pretending flight, but actually intending to offer it as booty to the enemy. As Parmenion was leaving be city of Damascus, many thousands of men and women followed him, a throng to excite the pity of au, except the man to whose protection they had been entrusted. For in order that the reward for his treachery might be the greater, he was preparing to deliver to the enemy a booty more acceptable than by money, namely, men of high rank, the wives and children of the generals of Darius, and besides these the envoys from the Greek cities, whom Darius had left in the hands of the traitor, as if in a very safe citadel.

  [7] The Persians call men who carry burdens on their shoulders gangabae; these, since they could not endure the severity of the weather — for a storm had suddenly brought a fall of snow and the ground was stiff being then bound in frost-put on the robes adorned with gold and purple, which they were carrying with the money, and no one dared to forbid them, since the ill-fortune of Darius gave licence over him [8] even to the lowest of men. They therefore presented to Parmenion the appearance of an army not to be despised; so with unusual care he encouraged his men with a few words, as if for a regular battle, bidding them put spurs to their horses and make a swift charge upon the enemy.

  [9] But those who were carrying the burdens dropped them and took flight in terror; from the same fear the armed men too who were escorting them began to throw away their arms and make for familiar hiding-places. The governor, by pretending that he himself was panic-stricken, had caused general alarm. Scattered over all the fields lay the king’s riches, that money designed for the pay of a great force of soldiers, the adornments of so many men of high rank, of so many illustrious women, golden vases, golden bridles, tents adorned with regal splendour, chariots too, abandoned by their owners and filled with va
st riches, a sad sight even for the plunderers, if anything could stand in the way of avarice. For of the fortune, incredible and beyond belief, which had been stored up in the course of so many years, a part was now seen rent by brambles, a part buried in mud; the hands of the ravishers were not sufficient to carry the spoil.

  [12] And now they had come also to those who had fled first; very many women were dragging their little children as they went along. Among them were three maidens, daughters of Ochus, who had reigned before Darius; they had formerly been brought down from the high estate of their father by a revolution, but then Fortune was making their lot still more cruel. In the same throng were also the wife of the aforesaid Ochus, and the daughter of Oxathres — he was the brother of Darius — and the wife of Artabazus, chief of the courtiers, and his son; Hystanes was his name.

  The wife also of Phamabazus, to whom Darius had given supreme command of the seacoast, along with his son, was taken, the three daughters of Mentor, and the wife and the son of that most famous general Memnon; hardly any house of a member of the court escaped that great disaster. There were captured with these the Lacedaemonians’ and Athenians who had violated their pledge of alliance and followed the Persians: Aristogiton and Dropides and Iphicrates, by far the most renowned among the Athenians for birth and reputation, the Lacedaemonians Pasippus and Onomastorides with Onomas and Callicratides, these also men of note at home.

  The sum of coined money was 2600 talents, the weight of wrought silver amounted to 500 pounds. Besides these, 30,000 men, with 7000 pack-animals 17 carrying burdens on their backs, were taken. But the betrayer of so great a fortune the avenging deities quickly visited with the punishment he deserved, For one of his accomplices, reverencing the majesty of the king, I suppose, even in his present condition, slew the traitor and carried his head to Darius, a timely solace for his betrayal; for he both had gained vengeance over his enemy, and also saw that the memory of his grandeur was not yet effaced from the minds of everyone.

  “Darius had sent the greater part of his money and his other property to Damascus; even this wealth at Damascus was captured soon afterwards by Parmenion.

  CONTENTS OF BOOK IV

  From Issus Darius hastens to the Euphrates. Alexander marches into Phoenicia and takes Marathus, Byblus, and Sidon; at Marathus he answers a haughty letter of Darius, at Sidon makes Abdalonymus king of Sidon. The deserter Amyntas attempts to take possession of Egypt, but is killed by the Persians (i).

  Alexander, wishing to sacrifice to Hercules at Tyre, is refused admission to the city. He lays siege to the city, which is separated from the mainland by a strait of four stadia. The Tyrians, trusting to the strength of their position, and hoping for aid from Carthage, refuse to submit (ii).

  The siege of Tyre is carried on with great courage and skill on both sides. It was necessary to construct a causeway from the mainland, and the Tyrians made every effort to hinder the work. When Alexander was in doubt whether to continue the attack, he was encouraged by the arrival of a fleet from Cyprus and of Greek soldiers. The Carthaginians were unable to send help to the Tyrians (iii).

  A sea monster of enormous size gives an omen which both sides interpret as favourable to themselves. While the Tyrians with feasting and abundant wine are celebrating the victory which they look upon as foretold, their city is stormed and destroyed (iv).

  Alexander rejects a second offer of peace made by Darius. The Rhodians surrender their city and port to him. The Greeks at the Isthmian games vote him a golden crown. He appoints governors for the lands which he has conquered. Amphoterus and Hegelochus take Chios and Methymnê (v).

  Alexander lays siege to Gaza, which is vigorously defended by Betis. Alexander finally storms the city and, angry because he had been wounded during the attack, inflicts a cruel punishment upon Betis (vi).

  Alexander goes to Egypt, to visit the oracle of Jupiter Ammon. The difficulty of the journey because of the intolerable heat and the lack of water is exaggerated by the natives, but Alexander was undaunted and reached the abode of the oracle, which is described. There the priest of the god gave the king the answer he desired. Therefore he not only allowed himself to be called the son of Jupiter, but even ordered it (vii).

  Alexander chose a place for a city where Alexandria now is, and leaving men to build it, went on to Memphis. He wished to visit the interior of Egypt and even Ethiopia, but was prevented by the imminent war. Therefore he set in order the affairs of Egypt and the lands which he had subdued (viii).

  Darius, having assembled and armed a greater army at Babylon, crossed the Euphrates and Tigris and encamped at Arbela. Alexander followed him and found the crossing of the Tigris so difficult that his army might have been destroyed if Mazaeus had had the courage to oppose him, but the king’s perpetual good fortune did not fail him (ix).

  Alexander encourages his soldiers, who were alarmed by an eclipse of the moon, and marches to attack Darius. The wife of Darius dies, and Alexander mourns for her. Darius suspected that she had been killed because she had been unwilling to submit to violence, but the slave who had brought the news of her death praised the continence of Alexander (x).

  Influenced by Alexander’s conduct, Darius offered new conditions of peace and 30,000 talents for the persons of his mother and her daughters. Parmenion advised the king to accept the offer, but Alexander replied that he was not a trader but a king, and refused (xi).

  At the sight of Darius’ huge host the Macedonians are seized with a sudden panic, and if they had been attacked then might have suffered disaster, but they were quieted by the king. He himself weighed his own resolve against the advice of Parmenion, but had gone too far to be able to withdraw without disaster (xii).

  Alexander rejects Parmenion’s advice to attack the Persians by night. Resolved upon open warfare, he sleeps calmly until a late hour, when he is awakened by Parmenion. His line of battle (xiii).

  Description of the so-called battle of Arbela really of Gaugamela. After various shifts of fortune hotly pursued by Alexander (xv). —

  Alexander is recalled to help Parmenion who is hard pressed but is finally victorious. As he is returning to his camp, Alexander falls into great peril, but is saved by his boldness and courage.

  BOOK IV

  I. DARIUS, a king at the head of an army lately so great, who rather as if celebrating a triumph than waging war had entered battle standing on high in his chariot, was already in flight through the places which he had filled with his all but countless forces, but which now were without signs of life, a huge waste [2] and solitary desert. The king’s followers were few; for not all had turned their flight in the same direction as he, and those who did so could not with their exhausted horses keep pace with those which the [3] king kept constantly changing. Then he arrived at Onchae, where 4-000 Greeks received him; but nevertheless he hastened with undiminished speed to the Euphrates, believing that he would be master only of what he was able by swiftness to keep the enemy from seizing.

  [4] But Alexander had made Parmenion, through whom the booty at Damascus had been recovered, governor of the part of Syria called Coelê, with orders to preserve the booty itself and the prisoners with diligent care. The Syrians, not yet sufficiently tamed by the disasters of the war, rejected the new rule; but they were quickly subdued and obediently did what they were ordered. The island of Aradus also surrendered to Alexander. Straton, the king of the island, at that time possessed the adjoining sea-coast and many places also farther back from the sea; after receiving him in surrender Alexander went on to [7] the city of Marathus. There a letter from Darius was delivered to him by which he was exceedingly offended because of its arrogant tone; it angered him especially that Darius had added the title of King to his own name and had not given the same title [8] to Alexander. Moreover, Darius demanded, rather than asked, that having accepted a sum of money great enough to fill all Macedonia, Alexander should restore to him his mother and his wife and children; as to the sovereignty, he might fight for it, if he so
[9] desired, on equal terms. If he could at last listen to more wholesome advice, he would be content with his native kingdom, withdraw from lands ruled by another, and be his friend and ally. To the acceptance of such conditions he was ready to give and to receive a pledge.

  In reply Alexander wrote substantially as follows:

  King Alexander to Darius, greeting. Darius, whose name you have assumed, brought devastation on the Greeks who dwell on the shore of the Hellespont, and on the Ionian colonies of the Greeks, with every possible disaster, then he crossed the sea with a great army and made war upon Macedonia and Greece.

  Again, Xerxes, of the same Tace, came to attack us with hordes of savage barbarians; although defeated in a sea-fight, he nevertheless left Mardonius in Greece, in order that even in his absence he might [12] lay waste our cities and burn our fields. As to my father Philip, who does not know that he was killed by those whom your countrymen had tempted with the hope of a vast sum of money? Impious, in fact, are the wars you wage, and although you have arms, you bid for the lives of your enemies, just as lately you, the king of so great an army, for a thousand talents wished to hire an assassin to slay me.” Therefore it is a war of defence that I am waging, not of offence. And the gods also favour the better cause; I have reduced a great part of Asia into my power, I have defeated you yourself in battle. Although there is nothing that you have a right to expect from me, inasmuch as in dealing with me you have not even observed the laws of war, yet, if you will come to me as a suppliant, I promise that you shall recover without ransom your mother and your wife and your children. I know both how to conquer and how to treat the conquered. But if you fear to trust yourself to me, I will pledge my word that you may come without danger. For the future, when you write to me, remember that you are writing, not only to a king, but also to your king.” Thersippus was sent to deliver this letter.