Delphi Complete Works of Quintus Curtius Rufus

by Quintus Curtius Rufus

  Thus the leaders, thus the nearest of the soldiers were inspired.

  Darius was on his left wing, closely surrounded by a great throng of his men, the elite of his infantry and cavalry, and he had scorned the enemy’s small numbers, thinking that the extension of their wings made their battle-line weak. Then, standing aloft, as he did, in his chariot, and turning his eyes and stretching out his hands right and left to the troops who stood about him, he said: “We, a short time since lords of the lands which on one side the Ocean laves, on the other the Hellespont embraces, must now fight, not for glory, but for life, and for what you [10] value higher than life, for freedom; this day will establish or end the greatest empire any age has seen. At the Granicus, we fought against the enemy with a very small part of our strength; in Cilicia, Syria could receive us in case we were defeated, and the Tigris and the Euphrates were mighty bulwarks of [11] our realm. We have come to the place where, if we are worsted, there is no room even for flight. Everything behind us has been consumed by so long a war; the cities do not have their inhabitants, the fields have no labourers. Our wives also and our children follow this army, an easy prey for the enemy unless we oppose our bodies in defence of our dearest pledges.

  “So far as my duty is concerned, I have assembled an army which this almost boundless plain can hardly contain, I have distributed men and horses, I have seen to it that so vast a multitude may not lack supplies, I have chosen a place in which our army [13] can deploy. The rest is in your power; only have courage to conquer, and scorn mere reputation, the weakest of weapons against brave men. What you have heretofore feared as valour is rashness; and when this has spent its first attack, it becomes weak, like some insects when they have ejected their sting.

  Moreover these plains have betrayed their small numbers, which the mountains of Cilicia had hidden. You see their thin ranks, their extended wings, their drained centre; for those in the rear, whom he has faced outwards, are already turning their backs. They can be trampled down, by Heaven!, by the hooves of our horses, even if I send forth nothing but [15] scythe-bearing chariots. And we shall have won the war, if we win the battle. For they too have no opportunity for flight; on the one side the Euphrates, on the other the Tigris hems them in and checks them.

  “Furthermore, what was before in their favour, is now changed to the opposite. Our army is easily moved and unencumbered, theirs is laden with plunder. Therefore, hampered as they are by spoils taken from us, we shall cut them to pieces, and the same thing will be the cause and the fruit of our victory. But if the name of their nation affects any one of you, let him bear in mind that the arms of the Macedonians are there, but not their bodies. For we in our turn have drained plenteous blood, and loss is always more serious in small numbers. As to Alexander, however great he may seem to the wavering and timid, he is but a single mortal, and if you have any belief in me, a rash and mad one, as yet more fortunate because of our fear of him than because of his own valour. But nothing can be lasting which is not supported by reason. Although the breeze of good luck may seem to blow, yet in the long run it is not sufficient support for rashness. Moreover, the vicissitudes of life are short and inconstant, and Fortune never shows indulgence without reserve.

  Perhaps the gods have so directed the course of the fates, that the empire of the Persians, which in a successful career of 230 years they had raised to the highest pinnacle, they might smite with a mighty shock merely and not lay it low, and that they might thus remind us of human frailty which is too often forgotten amid prosperity. Not long ago we were waging an offensive war against the Greeks, now in our own lands we are resisting a war brought upon us. We in our turn are victims of Fortune’s changes; of course this empire, since we both aspire to it, is too large for one nation to occupy!

  “But even if hope were lost, yet necessity ought to spur us on. We have come to our extremest danger. My mother, two daughters, Ochus, born to the hope of this empire, our nobles, that offspring of royal stock, your leaders, he holds prisoners, like so many criminals. Unless there is some help in you, I am captive in my greater part. Rescue my flesh and blood from bonds; restore to me my dear ones, mother and children, for whom you yourselves do not refuse to die; as for my wife, I have lost her in that prison house. Believe that all these are now stretching out their arms to you, are imploring the gods of our fatherland, are demanding your aid, your pity, your loyalty, to free them from fetters, from slavery, from the dole of beggary. Or do you believe that they serve with calmness those whose rulers they disdain to be?

  “I see the enemies’ line advancing; but the nearer I come to the crisis, the less content can I be with the words which I have spoken. I conjure you by the gods of our fatherland, by the eternal fire which is carried before me on altars, by the radiance of the sun whose rising is within the confines of my realm, by the immortal memory of Cyrus, who was the first to take this empire from the Medes and Lydians and brought it to Persia, save the name and nation of the Persians from utter disgrace. Onward! full of vigour and confidence, to leave to posterity the glory which you received from your ancestors. In your right hands you now carry freedom, power, hope for the future. Whoso has scorned death has escaped it; every coward it overtakes. I myself, not only because it is my country’s custom, but also that I may be seen of all, ride in a chariot, and you have my permission to imitate me whether I prove to set an example of courage or of cowardice.”

  Interim Alexander, ut et demonstratum a transfuga insidiarum locum circumiret et Dareo, qui cornu tuebatur, occurreret, agmen obliquum incedere iubet. [2] Dareus quoque eodem suum obvertit Besso admonito, ut Massagetas equites in laevum Alexandri cornu a latere invehi iuberet. [3] Ipse ante se falcatos currus habebat: quos signo dato universos in hostem effudit. Ruebant laxatis habenis aurigae, quo plures nondum satis proviso impetu obtererent. [4] Alios ergo hastae multum ultra temonem eminentes, alios ab utroque latere demissae falces laceravere. Nec sensim Macedones cedebant, sed effusa fuga turbaverant ordines. [5] Mazaeus quoque perculsis metum incussit mille equitibus ad diripienda hostis inpedimenta circumvehi iussis, ratus captivos quoque, qui simul adservabantur, rupturos vincula, cum suos adpropinquantes vidissent. [6] Non fefellerat Parmenionem, qui in laevo erat: propere igitur Polydamanta mittit qui regi et periculum ostenderet et, quid fieri iuberet, consuleret. [7] Ille audito Polydamante: ‘Abi, nuntia,’ inquit, ‘Parmenioni, si acie vicerimus, non nostra solum nos recuperaturos, [p. 97] sed etiam, quae hostium sunt, occupaturos. [8] Proinde non est, quod virium quicquam subducat ex acie, sed, ut me, ut Philippo patre dignum est, contempto sarcinarum damno fortiter dimicet.’ [9] Interim barbari inpedimenta turbaverant caesisque plerisque custodum captivi vinculis ruptis, quidquid obvium erat, quo armari possent, arripiunt et adgregati suorum equitibus Macedonas ancipiti circumventos malo invadunt. [10] Laeti, qui circa Sisigambim erant, vicisse Dareum, ingenti caede prostratos hostis, ad ultimum etiam inpedimentis exutos esse nuntiant: quippe eandem fortunam ubique esse credebant et victores Persas ad praedam discurrisse. [11] Sisigambis hortantibus captivis, ut animum a maerore adlevaret, in eodem, quo antea fuit, perseveravit. Non vox ulla excidit ei, non oris color vultusve mutatus est: sedit inmobilis — credo, praecoqui gaudio verita inritare fortunam — , adeo ut, quid mallet, intuentibus eam fuerit incertum. [12] Inter haec Menidas, praefectus equitum Alexandri, cum paucis turmis opem inpedimentis laturus advenerat — est incertum, suone consilio an regis imperio — , sed non sustinuit Cadusiorum Scytharumque impetum: quippe vix temptato certamine refugit ad regem, amissorum inpedimentorum testis magis quam vindex. [13] Iam consilium Alexandri dolor vicerat, et, ne cura recuperandi sua militem a proelio averteret, non inmerito verebatur: itaque Areten, ducem hastatorum — sarisophoros vocabant — [14] adversus Scythas mittit. Inter haec currus, qui circa prima signa turbaverant aciem, in phalangem invecti erant : Macedones confirmatis [p. 98] animis in medium agmen accipiunt. [15] Vallo similis acies erat: iunxerant hastas et ab utroque latere temere incurrentium ilia suffodiebant. Circumire deinde et cu
rrus et propugnatores praecipitare coeperunt. Ingens ruina equorum aurigarumque aciem conpleverat: [16] hi territos regere non poterant, qui crebra iactatione cervicum non iugum modo excusserant, sed etiam currus everterant, vulnerati interfectos trahebant, nec consistere territi nec progredi debiles poterant. [17] Paucae tamen evasere quadrigae in ultimam aciem iis, quibus inciderunt, miserabili morte consumptis: quippe amputata virorum membra humi iacebant, et, quia calidis adhuc vulneribus aberat dolor, trunci quoque et debiles quidam arma non omittebant, donec multo sanguine effuso exanimati procumberent. [18] Interim Aretes Scytharum qui inpedimenta diripiebant, duce occiso gravius territis instabat. Supervenere deinde a Dareo Bactriani pugnaeque vertere fortunam. Multi ergo Macedonum primo impetu obtriti sunt, plures ad Alexandrum refugerunt. [19] Tum Persae clam ore sublato, qualem victores solent edere, ferociter in hostem quasi ubique profligatum incurrerunt. Alexander territos castigare, adhortari, proelium, quod iam elanguerat, solus accendere: confirmatisque tandem animis ire in hostem iubet. [20] Rarior acies erat in dextro cornu Persarum: namque inde Bactriani discesserant ad opprimenda inpedimenta. Itaque Alexander laxatos ordines invadit et multa caede hostium invehitur. [21] At qui in laevo cornu erant Persae, spe posse eum includi agmen suum a tergo dimicantis opponunt: ingensque pericu- [p. 99] lum in medio haerens adisset, ni equites Agriani calcaribus subditis circumfusos regi barbaros adorti essent aversosque caedendo in se obverti coegissent. Turbata erat utraque acies. Alexander et a fronte et a tergo hostem habebat ... [22] Qui averso ei instabant, et ipsi ab Agrianis equitibus premebantur. Bactriani inpedimentis hostium direptis reversi ordines suos recuperare non poterant, plura simul abrupta a ceteris agmina, ubicumque alium alii fors miscuerat, dimicabant. [23] Duo reges iunctis prope agminibus proelium accenderant. Plures Persae cadebant, par ferme utrimque numerus vulnerabatur. Curru Dareus, Alexander equo vehebatur. [24] Utrumque delecti tuebantur sui immemores: quippe amisso rege nec volebant salvi esse nec poterant. Ante oculos sui quisque regis mortem occumbere ducebat egregium. [25] Maximum tamen periculum adibant, quos maxime tuebantur: quippe sibi quisque caesi regis expetebat decus. [26] Ceterum, sive ludibrium oculorum sive vera species fuit, qui circa Alexandrum erant, vidisse se crediderunt paulum super caput regis placide volantem aquilam, non sono armorum, non gemitu morientium territam, diu que circa equum Alexandri pendenti magis quam volanti similis adparuit. [27] Certe vates Aristander alba veste indutus et dextra praeferens lauream militibus in pugnam intentis avem monstrabat haud dubium victoriae auspicium. [28] Ingens ergo alacritas et fiducia paulo ante territos accendit ad pugnam, utique postquam auriga Darei, qui ante [p. 100] ipsum sedens equos regebat, hasta transfixus est. Nec aut Persae aut Macedones dubitavere, quin ipse rex esset occisus. [29] Ergo lugubri ululatu et incondito clamore gemituque totam fere aciem adhuc aequo Marte pugnantium turbavere cognati Darei et armigeri. Laevumque cornu in fugam effusum destituerat currum, quem a dextra parte stipati in medium agmen receperunt. [30] Dicitur acinace stricto Dareus dubitasse, an fugae dedecus honesta morte vitaret: sed eminens curru nondum omnem suorum aciem proelio excedentem destituere erubescebat, [31] dumque inter spem et desperationem haesitat, sensim Persae cedebant et laxaverant ordines. Alexander mutato equo — quippe plures fatigaverat — resistentium adversa ora fodiebat, fugientium terga. [32] Iamque non pugna, sed caedes erat, cum is Dareus quo que currum suum in fugam vertit. Haerebat in tergis fugientium victor, sed prospectum oculorum nubes pulveris, quae ad caelum efferebatur, abstulerat: [33] ergo haud secus quam in tenebris errabant ad sonum notae vocis aut signum subinde coeuntes. Exaudiebant tamen strepitus habenarum, quibus equi currum vehentes identidem verberabantur: haec sola fugientis vestigia excepta sunt.

  XV. Meanwhile Alexander, both in order to pass around the place of the snares pointed out by the deserter, and also to encounter Darius, who was guarding one wing, ordered his army to charge on a slant. Darius also turned his army in the same direction, having ordered Bessus to command the horsemen of the Massagetae to charge Alexander’s left wing on its flank. Darius himself had before him the scythe-bearing chariots, all of which on a given signal he poured upon the enemy. The charioteers drove on at full speed, in order to trample down greater numbers by a surprise attack. Therefore some were cut to pieces by the spears that projected far in advance of the pole, others by the scythes that pointed downward on both sides. And the Macedonians did not give ground gradually, but in scattered flight had thrown their ranks into disorder.

  Mazaeus also struck them with fear in their panic by ordering his 1000 cavalry to wheel about, in order to plunder the enemy’s baggage, thinking that the prisoners also who were being guarded would break their bonds, when they saw their countrymen approaching.

  This move had not escaped the notice of Parmenion, who was on the left wing; therefore he hastily sent Polydamas to the king, both to notify him of the danger and to ask what he ordered to be done.

  Alexander on hearing Polydamas said: “Go, report to Parmenion, that if we win the battle, we shall not only recover our own property, but shall seize what belongs to the enemy. Therefore there is no need for him to lead off any of his forces from the battleline, but, as is worthy of me and of my father Philip, let him scorn the loss of our packs and fight valiantly.”

  Meanwhile the barbarians had ransacked the baggage, and when many of the guards had been killed, the prisoners, freed from their bonds, seized whatever was at hand with which they could arm themselves, and having joined forces with the horsemen of their countrymen, fell upon the Macedonians, who were thus surrounded by a double danger.

  Filled with joy, the attendants upon Sisigambis reported that Darius had won, that the enemy had been overthrown with great bloodshed, and finally had even been stripped of their baggage; for they believed that the fortune of the battle was the same everywhere, and that the victorious Persians had dispersed to pillage. Sisigambis, when the prisoners urged her to free her mind from sorrow, remained in the same attitude as before. Not a word escaped her, neither her colour nor her expression changed; she sat unmoved — fearing, I suppose, by premature rejoicing to offend Fortune — , so much so that those who looked upon her were uncertain what her inclination was.

  Meanwhile Menidas, Alexander’s commander of cavalry, had come with a few squadrons to defend the baggage — whether on his own initiative or by the king’s order is uncertain — , but he could not sustain the attack of the Cadusians and Scythians; for with hardly any attempt at battle he fled back to the king, a witness to the loss of the baggage and not [13] its rescuer. Already Alexander’s resentment had changed his plan of action, and he feared with some reason that anxiety to recover their property might turn his soldiers from fighting; therefore he sent Aretes, leader of the lancers — they call them sarisophori — against the Scythians. Meanwhile the chariots, which in the neighbourhood of the leading standards had thrown the army into confusion, had charged upon the phalanx; the Macedonians with steady courage received them into the midst of their column. Their line was like a rampart; they had made a continuous row of spears together, and on both sides stabbed the flanks of the horses, as these rushed recklessly upon them. Then they began to encircle the chariots also and to hurl those who fought in them to the ground. The great overthrow of horses and charioteers had filled the field of battle; the charioteers could not control their frightened horses, which by repeated tossing of their necks had not only thrown off their yokes, but had even overturned the chariots; when wounded, they dragged along the dead, and were unable to stop through terror or to advance through weakness. Yet a few chariots-and-four made their way through to the rear, destroying those whom they met by a wretched death; for the severed limbs of men lay upon the ground, and since there was no pain while their wounds were still warm, maimed and weak though they were, some did not drop their weapons until they fell on their faces, dead from great loss of blood.

  Meanwhile Aretes, having slain the leader of the Scythians who were plundering the baggage, was attacking them the more violently in their terror. Then
the Bactriani came up, sent by Darius, and changed the fortune of the battle. Accordingly, many of the Macedonians were overwhelmed at the first shock, still more fled back to Alexander. Then the Persians, raising a shout such as victors are wont to utter, charged proudly upon the enemy, thinking that they had everywhere been put to flight. Alexander rebuked his frightened men, encouraged them, and single-handed gave fire to the battle, which had already slackened; and having at last restored their — courage, he bade them charge the enemy. The Persian force was weaker on the right wing; for the Bactriani had withdrawn from there to attack the baggage. Alexander therefore attacked their thinned ranks and penetrated them with great slaughter of the enemy.

  But the Persians who were on the left of the wing, hoping that he could be surrounded, opposed their force to the rear of the embattled king; and caught between the two bands, he would have incurred extreme peril, had not the cavalry of the Agriani put spurs to their horses and attacked the barbarians thronging about him, and by slashing at their backs compelled them to turn and face them. Both armies were confused. Alexander had the enemy both in front and behind him. Those who were assailing him from behind were themselves hard pressed by the cavalry of the Agriani. The Bactriani, returning after plundering the enemies’ baggage, could not reform their ranks; many bands of troops at the same time, detached from the rest, were fighting wherever chance had brought them together. The two kings, whose forces were almost joined as one, had given impetus to the contest. More of the Persians were falling; the number of wounded was about equal on both sides.