Delphi Complete Works of Quintus Curtius Rufus

by Quintus Curtius Rufus

  XIII. On the following day envoys of Abisares came to the king. They, according to their orders, surrendered everything into his power; and having given and received a pledge of good faith, they were [2] sent back to their king. Thinking that Porus also could be forced to surrender by the fame of his name, Alexander sent Cleochares to him to demand that he should pay tribute and meet Alexander at the frontier of his territories. Porus replied that he would comply with the second of these demands, that he would be on hand when Alexander entered his realm, but it [3] would be in arms. Alexander had already decided to cross the Hydaspes River, when Barzaentes, the instigator of the revolt of the Arachosii, was brought to him in fetters, as well as thirty elephants which had been captured at the same time with him, a timely aid against the Indi; for they had more hope and strength in those beasts than in their army. Damaraxus also, the king of a small district of India, who had allied himself with Barzaentes, was brought to Alexander in fetters. Accordingly, when the [5] deserter and the prince had been put under guard and the elephants given to Taxiles, Alexander came to the river Hydaspes, on whose farther bank Porus had taken position, intending to prevent the enemy [6] from crossing. Porus had put in front eighty-five elephants of extraordinary strength of body, and behind these 300 chariots and about 30,000 foot-soldiers, among whom were archers with heavier arrows, as was said before, than they could shoot to advantage.

  [7] Porus himself was mounted upon an elephant towering above the rest of the brutes, and armour decorated with gold and silver adorned a body of unusual stature. His courage was equal to his strength of body, and his wisdom was as great as [8] could be found among uncultivated folk. Not merely the appearance of the enemy, but also the size of the river that must be crossed terrified the Macedonians. Extending to a width of four stadia, with a deep channel which nowhere disclosed a ford, it gave [9] the impression of a vast sea. And it did not check its swift course in proportion to the extent of its widely spread waters, but as if confined by its banks to a narrow channel, it rushed on in a foaming torrent, and rebounding billows revealed hidden [10] rocks in many places. Still more formidable was the appearance of the bank, which had been filled with horses and men. There stood huge masses of vast bodies, and when they were purposely irritated they wearied the ears with their hideous trumpeting. On one hand the river, on the other the enemy had nevertheless struck unlooked-for terror into breasts which were indeed capable of good hope and had surely often seen such hope realized. For they thought that the unsteady boats could not be steered to the bank nor landed there in safety. [12] There were in midstream numerous islands, to which both the Indi and the Macedonians crossed by swimming, raising their weapons over their heads. There light skirmishing took place, and both kings by the decision of these small contests were testing [13] the outcome of the main struggle. Now there were in the army of the Macedonians Hegesimachus and Nicanor, high-born youths conspicuous for rashness and daring, aroused by the constant good fortune of [14] their side to despise all dangers; under their lead the most active of the young men, armed only with lances, swam across to an island which a crowd of the enemy held and, armed with nothing better than [15] daring, slew many of the Indi. They might have come off with glory if successful rashness were ever capable of moderation; but while they were awaiting contemptuously and even haughtily those who were coming against them, they were surrounded by those who had secretly swum out and were overwhelmed [16] by weapons hurled at long range. Those who had escaped the enemy were swept away by the force of the river or swallowed up in the whirlpools. And this battle greatly increased the confidence of Porus, who saw the whole event from the bank.

  [17] Alexander, uncertain what to do, finally devised the following stratagem to deceive the enemy. There was an island in the river larger than the rest, wooded also and suitable for concealing an ambuscade, moreover in a very deep ditch not far from the bank which he himself held he could conceal not only foot-soldiers but even men and their horses; therefore, in order to distract the enemy’s attention [18] from guarding against this advantageous place, he ordered Ptolemy “with all his cavalry to ride to a point far from that island, and from time to time to alarm the Indi by shouts, as if they were going to [19] swim across the river. For many days Ptolemy did this, and by this device compelled Porus also to turn his army to that part at which he pretended to be aiming. Already the island was out of the enemy’s [20] sight. Alexander ordered his tent to be pitched on a different part of the bank, and the cohort which usually attended him to stand before that tent and all the equipment of royal magnificence to be purposely [21] displayed before the eyes of the foe. Attalus also, of the same age as himself and not unlike him in face and figure, especially when he was seen from a distance, he adorned with the royal robe, in order to give the impression that the king himself was encamped on that part of the bank and was not thinking of crossing.

  [22] The carrying out of this plan was first delayed then furthered by a storm, since Fortune turned even [23] obstacles to good results. He was preparing to cross the river with the rest of his forces to the shore near the island of which mention was made before, having diverted the attention of the enemy against those who, with Ptolemy, had occupied a part of the bank farther down the river, when a tempest poured out rain which was scarcely to be endured by people [24] under cover. And the soldiers, overwhelmed by the storm, fled back to the land, deserting the boats and the rafts, but the uproar made by the bustling men was drowned by the noisy gusts of wind and could not be heard by the enemy. Then in a moment the rain ceased, but such thick clouds overspread the sky that they hid the light, and men who were talking together [25] could scarcely recognize each other’s faces. The night that darkened the sky would have terrified anyone else, since it was necessary to sail upon an unknown river, when perhaps the enemy were holding that very bank at which they were blindly and recklessly [26] aiming. But the king, inviting glory by courting danger, and thinking that the obscurity which terrified the rest was his opportunity, having given the signal for all silently to embark in the boats, ordered the one in which he himself was carried to be [27] pushed off first. The bank at which they aimed was deserted by the enemy; for Porus was still watching Ptolemy only. Therefore only one boat, which a wave had dashed upon a rock, was stranded; the rest reached their goal, and Alexander ordered his soldiers to arm themselves and take their places in the ranks.

  XIV. And now the army had formed its wings and the king himself was leading it, when it was announced to Porus that the bank was held by armed men and that a dangerous moment was at hand. And at first, by that defect of the human mind which indulges wishful thinking, he believed that Abisares, his ally in the war, was coming, for so it [2] had been agreed. But presently, as the light grew clearer and revealed the enemy’s battle line, Porus sent 100 four-horse chariots and 4000 horsemen to oppose the advancing column. The leader of the troops which he sent was Spitaces, his brother, and the greater part of his strength was in his chariots; [3] each of these carried six men, two with bucklers, two archers stationed on each side, the rest were the drivers, who were by no means unarmed; for when it as necessary to fight hand to hand, they dropped the reins and poured a shower of javelins upon the enemy.

  [4] However, on that day this aid was of hardly any use; for, as was said above, the rain which had fallen with greater violence than usual had made the plains slippery and unfit for riding, and the heavy and almost immovable chariots stuck fast in the muck and [5] mudholes. On the other hand, Alexander with his unencumbered and light-armed force charged them vigorously. The Scythians and the Dahae first of all attacked the Indi; then Alexander sent Perdiccas with the cavalry against the right wing of the enemy.

  [6] And already the battle had begun everywhere, when those who drove the chariots, thinking it the last possible aid for their side, began to rush with loose [7] rein into the midst of the contest. This was a common evil for both sides. For the foot-soldiers of the Macedonians were trampled at the first attack
, and the chariots sent over the slippery and impassable ground [8] shook off those who guided them. The frightened horses of others dragged the chariots not only into [9] the mudholes and pools, but even into the river, a few, driven by the enemy’s weapons, made their way to Porus, who was vigorously urging on the fight. He, when he saw the chariots wandering all over the field without drivers, distributed the elephants to [10] those of his friends who were nearest to him. Behind these he had stationed the infantry and the archers, as well as those who were accustomed to beat the drums; this with the Indi took the place of the sound of trumpets, and the elephants were not terrified by the noise, since their ears had been long since trained [11] to the familiar sound. A statue of Hercules was carried at the head of the infantry force; this was a very great incentive to the combatants, and to have abandoned those who were carrying it was held [12] to be a military disgrace. They even decreed the penalty of death to those who should not bring it back from the field of battle, since the fear which they had once felt of that enemy had been changed even to adoration and veneration. The Macedonians were checked for a time, by the sight not only of the elephants but of the king himself.

  [13] The beasts, stationed between lines of armed men, at a distance looked like towers, while Porus himself had almost exceeded the measure of human stature; the beast on which he rode seemed to add to his height, since it rose as much higher than the other elephants as he did above the rest of his men.

  [14] Accordingly Alexander, contemplating both the king and the army of the Indi, said: “At last I behold a danger worthy of my spirit; I am dealing at the same time with beasts and with remarkable [15] men.” Then, looking at Coenus, he said: “When I, attended by Ptolemy, Perdiccas, and Hephaestion, have made a charge against the left wing of the enemy and you see me in the thick of the brunt of battle, do you move to the right wing and attack the enemy while they are in disorder. You, Antigenes, and you, Leonnatus, and Tauron, will at the same time advance against the centre and attack their front.

  [16] Our spears, which are very long and strong, will never serve us better than against these beasts and their drivers; bring down those who are mounted on them and stab the brutes. It is a doubtful kind of strength, and rages more violently against its own men; for it is driven against the enemy by command, against its own men by fear.”

  [17] Having said this, he was the first to put spurs to his horse. And already, as had been planned, he had plunged into the ranks of the enemy, when Coenus [18] with mighty force charged the left wing. The phalanx too at the first onset burst through the middle of the line of the Indi. But Porus, where he saw that the cavalry were charging, ordered the elephants to be advanced, but that animal, being slow and well-nigh immovable, could not equal the [19] speed of the horses. The barbarians too could make no use of their arrows. For since these were long and very heavy, they could not safely and conveniently fit them to the bow unless they first rested its end upon the earth, and as the ground was slippery and therefore interfered with attempting this, by the time they were ready to take aim they were overtaken [20] by the speed of the enemy. Therefore, disregarding the king’s order — which generally happens when it is fear rather than a leader that begins to issue the sharper commands to men who are in great confusion — there were as many commanders as there were [21] scattered bands; one was giving orders to unite the line of battle, another to divide it, some to stand fast, and others to envelop the enemy from behind; [22] there was no general plan of action. Porus, however, with a few over whom shame had more power than fear, proceeded to collect his scattered forces and to advance against the foe, giving orders that the elephants be put in front of his line of troops.

  [23] The brutes caused great terror, and their trumpeting not only threw into confusion the horses, animals so fearful of everything, but also the men and the ranks.

  [24] And already those who shortly before were victors were looking about for an opportunity for flight, when Alexander sent against the elephants the light-armed Agriani and the other Thracians, troops [26] better in a rapid attack than in close combat. These cast a great shower of weapons both upon the elephants and upon those who were guiding them. The phalanx also began steadily to attack the terrified [26] animals. But some, who pursued the elephants too eagerly, so irritated them by wounds that they turned upon them. Hence, being trampled under foot, they served to the rest as a lesson to attack [27] with greater caution. It was a particularly awful spectacle when with their trunks they seized men and their weapons and passed them over their heads to [28] the drivers. As a result, the shifting battle, as they now pursued and now fled from the elephants, prolonged the undecided contest until late in the day, when with axes — for that kind of help had been prepared beforehand — they began to cut off their feet.

  [29] With slightly curved swords, like sickles, which they called copides, they attacked the brutes’ trunks. And their fear left nothing untried, not only in dealing death, but also in new ways of making death itself painful.

  [30] Therefore the elephants, at last worn out by wounds, rushed upon and overthrew their own men, and those who had guided them were hurled to the ground and trampled to death by them. And now like cattle, more frightened than dangerous, they [31] were being driven off the field of battle, when Porus, abandoned by very many of his followers, began from his own elephant to pour upon those who surrounded him many javelins which had been made ready in advance. And although he wounded many at long range, he himself was exposed to shots from every [32] side. He had already suffered nine wounds, now in his back, now in his breast, and had lost so much blood that his arms were weak and the weapons which he tried to throw rather fell from his hands [33] than were hurled with any force. His elephant too, roused to madness and not yet wounded, charged with no less vigour against the enemy’s ranks, until the driver of the beast saw that the king had collapsed, had dropped his weapons, and was hardly [34] conscious. Then he urged the monster to flight, pursued by Alexander; but the king’s horse, which had been pierced by many shafts and was giving out, fell under him, rather dismounting him than throwing him off. And so, while he was changing his horse he [35] pursued more slowly. Meanwhile the brother of Taxiles, king of the Indi, being sent ahead by Alexander, began to advise Porus not to persist in resisting to the bitter end, but to surrender himself to the [36] victor. But he, although his strength was exhausted and he had lost much blood, nevertheless, aroused by the familiar voice, said: “I recognize the brother of Taxiles, the betrayer of his kingdom and his country,” and hurled at him the only javelin which, as it happened, had not fallen from his hands; and it passed through the middle of his breast and came out at his back. After performing this last feat of [37] valour Porus began to flee with greater speed. But the elephant also, which had received many spear-wounds, began to give out; hence Porus checked his flight and opposed the infantry to the pursuing enemy-

  Already Alexander had come up with him and, perceiving Porus’ obstinacy, ordered that no quarter be given to those who resisted. Therefore weapons were hurled from every side both upon the foot-soldiers and upon Porus himself, by which he was at last overwhelmed and began to slide off his beast.

  [39] The Indian who was managing the animal,” thinking that the king was dismounting in the usual manner, ordered the elephant to kneel; when he did so, the rest of the animals also — for so they had been trained let down their bodies to the ground. This action delivered Porus and the rest of his company to the [40] victors. The king, believing that Porus had been killed, ordered his body to be stripped of its armour, and men were running up to take off his cuirass and his robe, when the elephant began to protect his master, and to attack the spoilers, and lifting the king’s body, to place it upon his back. Therefore the beast was overwhelmed with weapons from all sides, and when he had been killed Porus was placed in a chariot.

  [41] When the king saw him lifting his eyes, moved by pity, not by hatred, he said: “What the mischief was the madness which forced you,
knowing the fame of my exploits, to try the fortune of war, when you had Taxiles, so near a neighbour, as an example of my [42] clemency to those who submit?” But Porus answered: “Since you ask me, I will reply with that frankness which you have granted me in asking your question. I thought that no one was stronger than I. For I knew my strength, but had not yet tried yours. The outcome of war has shown that you are the stronger. But not even so am I unhappy in being second to [43] you.” Being further asked how he thought the victor ought to treat him, he replied: “As this day advises you, on which you have learned how [44] perishable good fortune is.” Porus effected more by his admonition than if he had resorted to prayers; for the greatness of his spirit, unterrified and unbroken even by misfortune, Alexander saw fit to treat, not merely with compassion, but even with [45] honour. He had the wounded man attended to as if he had fought for him. When, contrary to the expectation of all, he recovered, Alexander received him into the number of his friends, and presently gave him a kingdom greater than he had held before.

  [46] And truly there was no stronger and more consistent characteristic of his nature than admiration for true merit and glory; yet he estimated fame more frankly in an enemy than in a fellow citizen. For he believed that by his own countrymen his greatness could be impaired, but that it would be the more illustrious the greater those had been whom he had conquered.

  CONTENTS OF BOOK IX