Delphi Complete Works of Quintus Curtius Rufus

by Quintus Curtius Rufus

  [30] But what was presently announced to the king had inflicted a stain on the continual good fortune of his enterprises. He had sent Menedemus, as was said before, to besiege Spitamenes, the author of the defection of the Bactriani; Spitamenes, having learned of the coming of the enemy, in order not to be shut within the walls of the city, and at the same time trusting that Menedemus could be taken unawares had secretly laid an ambuscade where he knew that [32] Menedemus would come. The road was covered with woods and adapted to conceal the ambush; there he hid the Dahae. Each of their horses carrries two riders, of whom in turn one suddenly dismounts [33] and confuses the order of a cavalry battle. The speed of the men is equal to the swiftness of their horses. These, which had been ordered to surround the woods, Spitamenes showed at the same time on the flanks, [34] in front, and in the rear of the enemy. Menedemus hemmed in on all sides, although not even equal in numbers, yet resisted for a long time, crying that since they had been deceived by an ambuscade, no solace was left for them except that of an honourable death, a solace arising from the slaughter of the enemy. He himself rode a very powerful horse, by which often carried at full speed into solid blocks of barbarian [36] troops, he routed them with great carnage. But when they all attacked him alone, and he was drained of blood by many wounds, he urged Hypsicles, one of his friends, to mount his horse and save himself by flight. As he was saying this, life left him, and his body slipped down from his horse to the ground.

  [37] Hypsicles could in fact have escaped, but after losing his friend he resolved to die. His only care was, not to fall unavenged; therefore, spurring on his horse, he plunged into the midst of the enemy, and having fought a memorable fight, was overwhelmed by their — weapons. When those who had survived the carnage saw that, they took position on an eminence a little higher than the rest of the field; there Spitamenes besieged them, hoping by starvation to drive [39] them to surrender. There fell in that battle 2000 foot and 300 horsemen. Alexander with crafty prudence concealed this disaster, threatening with death those who had returned from the battle, if they made public what had happened.

  VIII. But when he could no longer bear an expression which belied his feelings, he withdrew to his tent, which he had purposely placed on the bank of the [2] river. There without witnesses, weighing his plans one by one, he spent the night sleepless, often raising the skins of the tent to look at the enemies’ fires, from which he could calculate how great their number of [3] men was. And already daylight was at hand, when, putting on his cuirass, he went out to the soldiers, for the first time since the recent wound which he had suffered. So great was their veneration for the king that his presence readily dispelled all thought [5] of the danger which they dreaded. Happy therefore and shedding tears of joy, they saluted him, and confidently demanded the battle which they had before [6] refused. He announced that he was going to transport the cavalry and the phalanx on rafts, and he ordered the lighter-armed troops to swim, [7] supported by inflated skins. The situation did not call for more words, nor could the king say more because of his illness. But the rafts were put together with such enthusiasm on the part of the soldiers, that within three days about 12,000 were finished.

  [8] And already they had prepared everything tor crossing, when twenty envoys of the Scythians, according to the custom of their race riding through the camp on horseback, ordered announcement to be made to the king that they desired to deliver a [9] message to him. Being admitted to the tent and invited to be seated, they had fixed their eyes on the king’s face, because, I suppose, to those who estimated spirit by bodily stature his moderate size [10] seemed by no means equal to his reputation. However, the comprehension of the Scythians is not so rude and untrained as that of the rest of the barbarians; in fact, some of them are even said to be capable of philosophy, so far as a race that is always [11] in arms is capable of such knowledge. Hence what they are reported to have said to the king is perhaps foreign to our customs and our orators, who have been allotted more cultivated times and intellects. But although their speech may be scorned, yet our fidelity ought not to be; and so we shall report their words without change, just as they have been handed down to us.

  Well then, we have learned that one of them, the eldest said: “If the gods had willed that your bodily stature should be equal to your greed, the world not contain you, with one hand you would touch the rising, with the other the setting sun, and having reached the latter, you would wish to know where the brilliance of so great a god hides itself. So also you desire what you cannot attain. From Europe you pass to Asia, from Asia you cross into Europe; then, when you have subdued the whole human race, you will wage war with the woods and the snows, with rivers and wild beasts. Why, do you not know that great trees are long in growing, but are uprooted in a single hour? He is a fool who looks at their fruits, but does not scan their height. Beware lest, while you strive to reach the top, you fall with the very branches which you have grasped. Even the lion has sometimes been the food of the smallest of birds, and rust consumes iron. Nothing is so strong that it may not be in danger even from the weak. What have we to do with you? We have never set foot in your lands. Are not those who live in the solitary woods allowed to be ignorant who you are, whence come? We cannot obey any man, nor do we desire to rule any.

  [17] That you may know the Scythian nation we have received as gifts a yoke of oxen and a plow, an arrow, a spear, and a bowl. These we use both with [18] our friends and against our foes. We give grain to our friends, acquired by the labour of our oxen, with them from the bowl we offer libation to the gods, we attack our foes from a distance with the arrow, with the spear hand to hand. —

  “it is thus that we have conquered the king of Syria and later those of the Persians and the Medes, and that a way was opened for us even into Egypt.

  But you, who boast that you are coming to attack robbers, are the robber of all the nations to which you have come. You have taken Lydia, you have seized Syria, you hold Persia you have the Bactriani in your power, you have aimed at India; already you are stretching your greedy and insatiable hands [20] for our flocks. What need have you for riches, which compel you to hunger for them? First of all men, you by a surfeit have produced a hunger wherein the more you have, the keener is your desire for [21] what you have not. Does it not occur to you how long you are delaying around Bactra? While you are subduing the Bactriani the Sogdiani have begun to make war. For you victory is a source of war. For although you may be the greatest and bravest of all men, yet no one is willing to endure a foreign lord. —

  [22] “Only cross the Tanais; you will learn how far the Scythians extend, yet you will never overtake them. Our poverty will be swifter than your army, which carries the pillage of so many nations. Again, when you believe us afar off, you will see us in your camp. For we both pursue and flee with the same [23] swiftness. I hear that the solitudes of the Scythians are made fun of even in Greek proverbs, but we seek after places that are desert and free from human cultivation rather than cities and rich fields.

  [24] Therefore hold your fortune with tight hands; she is slippery and cannot be held against her will Wholesome advice will be better shown by the future than by the present. Put curbs upon your good fortune; [25] you will manage it the more easily. Our people say that Fortune is without feet, she has only hands and wings; when she stretches out her hands, grasp her wings also. —

  [26] “Finally, if you are a god, you ought to confer benefits on mankind, not strip them of those they have; but if you are a mortal man, always remember that you are what you are. It is folly to remember [27] those things which make you forget yourself. Those on whom you have not made war you will be able to use as friends. For friendship is strongest among equals, and those are regarded as equals who have [28] not made trial of one another’s strength. Do not believe that those whom you have conquered are your friends. There is no friendship between master and slave; even in peace the laws of war are kept.

  [29] Believe not that the Scythians ratify a
friendship by taking oath; they take oath by keeping faith. The oath is a caution of the Greeks, who jointly seal agreements and call upon the gods; our religion consists in good faith itself. Those who do not respect men [30] deceive the gods. And you have no need of a friend whose goodwill you may doubt. Moreover in us you will have guardians of both Asia and Europe; we touch upon Bactra, except that the river Tanais is between us. Beyond the Tanais we inhabit lands extending to Thrace, and report says that the Macedonians border upon Thrace. Consider whether you wish enemies or friends to be neighbours to your wish empire.” So spoke the barbarian.

  IX. In reply the king responded that he would make use of his own fortune and of their advice; for he would follow his fortune, in which he had confidence, and the advice of those who had pursuaded him not to do anything rash and reckless. Having dismissed the envoys, he embarked his army on the rafts which he had prepared beforehand. On the prows he had stationed those who carried bucklers, with orders to sink upon their knees, in order that they might be safer against the shots of arrows. Behind these stood those who worked the hurling engines, surrounded both on each side and in front by armed men. The rest who were placed behind the artillary, were armed with shields in testudo-formation, defended the rowers, who were not protected by corselets. The same order was observed also on those rafts which carried the cavalry. The greater part of these let their horses swim astern, held by the reins. But the men who were carried on skins stuffed with straw were protected by the rafts that came between them and the foe.

  The king himself with a select band of troops was the first to cast off a raft and to order it to be against the opposite bank. To him the Scythians opposed ranks of horsemen moved up to the very margin of the bank, that the rafts might not be able even to reach the land. Moreover, besides the sight of the army guarding the banks, great terror had seized those who were managing the rafts; for the steersmen could not direct their course, since they were driven in a aslanting direction, and the soldiers, who kept their feet with difficulty and were worried by fear of being shaken overboard, threw into confusion the work of the boatmen. Although making every effort the soldiers could not even hurl their javelins, since they thought rather of keeping their footing without danger than of attacking the enemy. Their safety was the hurling-engines, from which bolts were hurled with effect against the enemy who were crowded together and recklessly exposed [8] themselves. The barbarians also poured such a great amount of arrows upon the rafts, that there was hardly a single shield that was not pierced by many of their [9] points at the same time. And now the rafts were being brought to land, when those who were armed with bucklers rose in a body and with sure aim, since they had firm footing, hurled their spears from the rafts. And as soon as they saw that the horses were terrified and drawing back, inspired by mutual encouragement, they began to leap to land and [10] vigorously to charge the disordered barbarians. Then the troops of horsemen, who had their horses bridled, broke through the enemies’ line. In the meantime the rest, being covered by those who were fighting, [11] prepared themselves for battle. The king himself by the vigour of his courage made up for what he still lacked in bodily strength because of his illness. His words of encouragement could not be heard, since the old wound on his neck was not yet wholly healed, but [12] all saw him fighting. And so they themselves played the part of leaders, and urging one another against the enemy, they began to rush upon them, regardless of their lives. —

  [13] Then truly the barbarians could not endure the faces, the arms, nor the shouts of the enemy, but all with loose rein -for it was an army of cavalry — took flight The king, although he was unable to endure the tossing of his ailing body, yet persisted in pursuing [14] them for eighty stadia. And when finally his strength gave out, he ordered his men, so long as any light remained, to follow at the backs of the fugitives, he himself, having exhausted even his strength of mind, returned to the camp and remained there.

  [15] Already they had passed the bounds of Father Bacchus, which were marked by stones set up at frequent intervals and by tall trees whose trunks [16] were covered with ivy. But the wrath of the Macedonians carried them still farther; for it was nearly midnight when they returned to camp, after having slain many and taken still more prisoners, and they drove off 1800 horses. But of the Macedonians there fell sixty horsemen and about one hundred foot-soldiers; 1000 were wounded.

  [17] This campaign by the fame of so opportune a victory completely subdued Asia, which in great part was revolting. They had believed that the Scythians were invincible; alter their defeat they confessed that no nation would be a match for the Macedonians. Accordingly the Sacae sent envoys [18] to promise that they would submit; the valour of the king had not influenced them more than his clemency towards the conquered Scythians. For he had sent back all the prisoners without a ransom, in order to make it appear that his rivalry with the most warlike nations was in bravery and not in blind rage. Therefore he received the envoys of the Sacae courteously and gave them Euxenippus to accompany them; he was still very young and a favourite of the king because of his youthful beauty, but although in handsome appearance he was equal to Hephaestion, he was not his match in a charm which was indeed not manly.

  [20] The king himself, having ordered Craterus with the greater part of the army to follow by moderate marches, went on to the city of Maracanda. From there Spitamenes, on learning of his coming, had [21] fled to Bactra. Accordingly the king, having in four days traversed a great extent of country, had reached the place where, under the lead of Menedemus, he had lost 2000 foot-soldiers and 300 cavalry. He ordered the bones of these to be covered with a mound and offered sacrifice to the spirits of the dead in the Macedonian fashion. Now Craterus, who had been ordered to follow with the phalanx, had rejoined the king; accordingly, in order that all who had revolted might alike be visited with the disasters of war, he divided his forces and gave orders that the fields should be set on fire and that all who were of military age should be killed.

  X. The region of Sogdiana is for the greater part deserted; desert wastes occupy a width of 800 [2] stadia. It extends straight on for a vast distance, through which flows a river which the natives cal! the Polytimetus. This is at first a torrent, since its banks force it into a narrow channel, then a cavern [3] receives it, and hurries it off under the ground. Its hidden course is revealed only by the noise of the flowing waters, since the soil itself under which so great a river flows does not exude even a slight moisture. Of the prisoners of the Sogdiani thirty of the noblest born, men of extraordinary strength of body, had been brought in to the king; when these learned through an interpreter that they were being led to execution by order of the king, they began to sing a song a as if rejoicing, and to show a kind of pleasure by dances and by wanton movements of their [5] bodies. The king, surprised at their facing death with such greatness of spirit, ordered them to be recalled, and inquired the reason for such transports of joy when they had execution before their eyes.

  They replied that if they were to be killed by anyone else they would have died sorrowful; as it was, being restored to their ancestors by so great a king, conqueror of all nations, they were celebrating by their usual songs and with rejoicing a glorious death, which brave men might even pray for.

  [7] Admiring such great courage, Alexander said:

  “I ask you whether you would wish to live on condition of not being unfriendly to me to whose favour [8] you will owe your lives.” They replied that they had never been unfriendly to him, but that when provoked to war they were enemies of their foe. It one had preferred to try them with kindness rather than with injury, they would have striven not to be outdone in courtesy. And when asked by what pledge they would bind their loyalty, they said that the life which was granted them would be their pledge; that they would pay it when he demanded it. And they kept their promise. For those who were then sent to their homes have by their good faith held their fellow-citizens together; four, who were retained as a part of his body-guard, yielded
to none of the Macedonians in affection for the king.

  [10] Having left Peucolaus among the Sogdiani with 3000 infantry — for he needed no larger force — Alexander came to Bactra. From there he ordered Bessus to be taken to Ecbatana, to expiate with [11] his life his murder of Darius. At about the same time Ptolemy and Melanidas brought the king 4000 infantry and 1000 horsemen, to serve as mercenaries. Asander also came from Lycia with an equal number of foot-soldiers and 500 horsemen. The same number followed Asclepiodorus from Syria. Antipater had sent 8000 Greeks, among whom were [13] 600 cavalry. With his army thus increased the king marched forth to set in order the provinces which had been disordered by the revolt; and after putting to death the ringleaders of the disturbance, he returned on the fourth day to the river Oxus. This river, because it carries silt, is always turbid and unwholesome [14] to drink. Therefore the soldiers had begun to dig wells; yet, although they excavated the soil to a great depth, they found no water. At length a spring was found right in the king’s tent, and because they had been late in perceiving it, they spread the report that it had suddenly appeared, and the king himself wished it to be believed that it was a [15] gift of the gods. Then he crossed the rivers Ochus and Oxus and came to the city of Margiana. Round about it six sites were chosen for founding towns, two facing south and four east; they were distant from one another only a moderate space, so that they might be able to aid one another without seeking help from a distance. All these were situated on [16] high hills. At that time they served as curbs upon the conquered nations; to-day, forgetful of their origin, they serve those over whom they once ruled.