Delphi Complete Works of Quintus Curtius Rufus

by Quintus Curtius Rufus

  Accordingly the king, after appointing Agathon to command the citadel of Babylon with 700 Macedonians and 300 mercenaries, left Menes and Apollodorus as governors in charge of the region of Babylonia and Cilicia. To these 2000 soldiers and a thousand talents were given; and both were ordered to levy additional troops. He presented Mazaeus, the deserter, with the satrapy at Babylon, and ordered Bagophanes, who had surrendered the citadel, to follow him; Armenia was given to Mithrenes, the betrayer of Sardis. Then from the money handed over at Babylon there were assigned to each of the horsemen of the Macedonians 600 drachmae; the foreign cavalry received 500 each, the Macedonian infantry 200 apiece, and the mercenaries pay for two months.

  His ita conpositis in regionem, quae Sittacene vocatur, pervenit: fertilis terra copia rerum et omni commeatu abundans. [2] Itaque diutius ibi substitit ac, ne desides otio demitterent animos, iudices dedit praemiaque proposuit de virtute militari certantibus nova: [3] qui fortissimi iudicati essent, singulis militum milibus praefuturi erant — chiliarchas vocabant — tunc primum in nunc numerum copiis distributis: namque antea quingenariae cohortes fuerant nec fortitudini praemia cesserant. [4] Ingens militum turba convenerat egregio interfutura certamini, testis eadem cuiusque factorum et de iudicibus latura sententiam: quippe verone an falso honos cuique haberetur, ignorari non poterat. [5] Primus omnium virtutis causa donatus est Atarrhias senior, qui omissum apud Halicarnason a iunioribus proelium unus maxime accenderat, proximus ei Antigenes visus est, tertium locum Philotas Augaeus obtinuit, quartus Amyntae datus, post hos Antigonus et ab eo Lyncestes Amyntas fuit, septimum locum Theodotus, [6] ultimum obtinuit Hellanicus. In disciplina quoque militari relicta a maioribus pleraque summa utilitate [p. 115] mutavit. Nam cum ante equites in suam quisque gentem discriberentur seorsus a ceteris, exempto nationum discrimine praefectis non utique suarum gentium, sed delectis attribuit. [7] Tuba, cum castra movere vellet, signum dabat, cuius sonus plerumque tumultuantium fremitu ex oriente haud satis exaudiebatur: ergo perticam, quae undique conspici posset, supra praetorium statuit, ex qua signum eminens pariter omnibus conspicuum observabatur ignis noctu, fumus interdiu. [8] Iamque Susa ei adituro Abulites, regionis eius praefectus, sive Darei iussu, ut Alexandrum praeda retineret, sive sua sponte filium obviam misit, traditurum se urbem promittens. [9] Benigne iuvenem excepit rex et eodem duce ad Choaspin amnem pervenit, delicatam, ut fama est, vehentem aquam. Hic Abulites cum donis regalis opulentiae occurrit. [10] Dromades cameli inter dona erant velocitatis eximiae, XII elephanti a Dareo ex India acciti, iam non terror, ut speraverat, Macedonum, sed auxilium, opes victi ad victorem transferente fortuna. [11] Ut vero urbem intravit, incredibilem ex thesauris summam pecuniae egessit, L milia talentum argenti non signati forma, sed rudi pondere. [12] Multi reges tantas opes longa aettur: quas una hora in externi regis manus intulit. [13] Consedit deinde in regia sella multo excelsiore quam pro habitu corporis. Itaque, cum pedes imum gradum non contingerent, unus [p. 116] ex regiis pueris mensam subdidit pedibus. [14] Et cum spadonem, qui Darei fuerat, ingemiscentem conspexisset rex, causam maestitiae requisivit. Illе indicat Da reum vesci in ea solitum, seque sacram eius mensam ad ludibrium recidentem sine lacrimis conspicere non posse. [15] Subiit ergo regem verecundia violandi hospitales deos, iamque subduci iubebat, cum Philotas: ‘Minime vero haec feceris, rex, sed omen quoque accipe, mensam, ex qua libavit hostis epulas, tuis pedibus esse subiectam.’ [16] Rex Persidis finem aditurus Susa urbem Archelao et praesidium III milium tradidit, Xenophilo arcis cura mandata est mille Macedonum aetate gravibus praesidere arcis custodiae iussis, [17] thesaurorum Callicrati tutela permissa, satrapea regionis Susianae restituta Abulitae. Matrem quoque et liberos Darei in eadem urbe deponit. [18] Ac forte Macedonicas vestes multamque purpuram dono ex Macedonia sibi missam cum iis, quae confecerant, tradi Sisigambi iubet — omni namque honore eam et filii quoque pietate prosequebatur — [19] admonerique iussit, ut, si cordi ei quoque vestis esset, conficere eam neptes suas adsuefaceret, donoque se, quae docerent, dare. Ad hanc vocem lacrimae obortae prodidere animum aspernantis id munus: quippe non aliud magis in contumeliam Persarum feminae [p. 117] accipiunt quam admovere lanae manus. [20] Nuntiant, qui dona tulerant, tristem esse Sisigambim, dignaque res et excusatione et solacio visa. Ipse ergo pervenit ad eam et: ‘Mater,’ inquit, ‘hanc vestem, qua indutus sum, sororum non donum solum, sed etiam opus vides: [21] nostri decepere me mores. Cave, obsecro, in contumeliam acceperis ignorationem meam. Quae tui moris esse cognovi, ut spero, abunde servata sunt. [22] Scio apud vos filio in conspectu matris nefas esse considere, nisi cum ilia permisit: quotienscumque ad te veni, donec, ut considerem, adnueres, ipse steti. Procumbens venerari me saepe voluisti: inhibui. Dulcissimae matri Olympiadi nomen debitum tibi reddo.’

  II. After these affairs were thus arranged, Alexander came into the region which is called Sittacenê, a fertile land abounding in wealth of commodities and in all kinds of supplies. For that reason he remained there longer than usual, and that the soldiers might not through leisure and idleness become less spirited, he appointed judges and offered to those who wished to enter a contest in military valour prizes of a new kind; those who should have been judged the bravest were each to command a troop of 1000 men — they called them chiliarchae — this being the first time that the forces were divided into that number; for previously there had been lochoi consisting of 500 men, and the prizes of command had not gone to bravery.

  A great throng of soldiers had assembled to take part in this illustrious contest, both to act as witnesses of the deeds of each entrant, and to give their opinion as to the judges; for they could not fail to know whether honour was paid to each man justly or falsely. First of all the prize for valour was awarded to old Atarrhias, who before Halicarnassus, when the battle was abandoned by the younger men, had been chiefly instrumental in arousing them to action, Antigenes was judged to be next to him, Philotas of Augaea gained third place, the fourth was assigned to Amyntas, and after these came Antigonus and next Lyncestes Amyntas, Theodotus gained seventh place, and Hellanicus the last.”

  Also in the military discipline handed down by his predecessors Alexander made many changes of the greatest advantage. For whereas before the cavalry were enrolled each man in his own race, apart from the rest, he gave up the separation by nations and assigned them to commanders not necessarily of their own people, but of his own choice. When he wished to move his camp, he used to give the signal with the trumpet, the sound of which was often not readily enough heard amid the noise made by the bustling soldiers; therefore he set up a pole on top of the general’s tent, which could be clearly seen from all sides, and from this a lofty signal, visible to all alike, was watched for, fire by night, smoke in the daytime.

  And now, as he was on the point of approaching Susa, Abulites, the satrap of that region, whether by order of Darius, in order that the booty might detain Alexander, or of his own volition, sent his son to meet him, promising that he would surrender the city. The king received the young man courteously, and under his guidance came to the river Choaspes, which brings down, as report says, a fine water. There Abulites met him with gifts of regal splendour.

  [10] Among the presents were the camels known as dromedaries and of extraordinary swiftness, twelve elephants imported by Darius from India, no longer a terror to the Macedonians, as he had hoped, but a help, when Fortune transferred the wealth of the vanquished to the victor. Moreover, when he entered the city, he amassed from its treasures an incredible sum of money, 50,000 talents of silver, not stamped into coins, but rough ingots. Many kings during a long term of years had amassed such great wealth for their children and their posterity, as they thought, but a single hour delivered it into the hands of a foreign king.

  [13] Then Alexander seated himself on the royal throne, which was far too high for his bodily stature. Therefore, since his feet did not reach its lowest step, one of the royal pages placed a table under his feet. And when Alexander had noticed that a eunuch who had belonged to Darius was lamenting, he inquired the reason for his
sadness. The eunuch replied that Darius was accustomed to eat at that table, and that he could not without tears see a board consecrated to his service reduced to so insulting a use. Thereupon the king was touched with shame at such violation of the gods of hospitality, and was already giving orders for the table to be taken away, when Philotas cried: “By no means do so, my king, but accept this omen also, that the board from which your enemy partook of sumptuous meals has been your footstool.”

  The king, when about to approach the frontier of Persia entrusted the city of Susa to Archelaus with a garrison of 3000; to Xenophilus was given charge of the citadel and a thousand superannuated Macedonian soldiers were ordered to act as its garrison; the protection of the treasures was left to Callicrates, the satrapy of the district of Susa was restored to Abulites. The mother also and the children of Darius he left behind in that city. And it happened that some Macedonian garments and a great quantity of purple cloth had been sent to him as a gift from Macedonia, along with the women who had made them. These he ordered to be given to Sisigambis — for he treated her with every honour and even with the devotion of a son — and he caused her to be advised that, if the clothing also pleased her, she should train her granddaughters to make it, and that he made her a present of women who could teach them. At these words the tears in the queen’s eyes revealed the feeling that she spurned such a gift; for there is nothing that the women of Persia feel to be a greater disgrace than to work in wool.

  Those who had brought the gifts reported that Sisigambis was sorrowful, and the situation seemed to call both for an apology and for consolation. Therefore Alexander in person came to her and said: designations are used for the homeland of the Persians, for the empire at its greatest extent, and for such part of it as, at the time in question, was under Persian rule.

  “Mother, in this clothing which I am wearing you see, not only a gift of my sisters, but also their handiwork. It was our customs that led me astray. Do not, I beseech you, interpret my ignorance as an insult. What I have known to be in accordance with your habits, I have, I hope, scrupulously observed. I know that in your country it is a crime for a son to remain seated in the presence of his mother, except when she has given him permission; as often as I have visited you, I myself have stood until you gave me a sign that I might sit. You have often wished to show me respect by prostrating yourself; I have prevented it. I apply to you the title due to my dearly beloved mother Olympias.”

  Mitigato animo eius rex quartis castris pervenit ad Tigrim fluvium: Pasitigrim incolae vocant. Oritur in montibus Uxiorum et per l, stadia silvestribus ripis praeceps inter saxa devolvitur. [2] Accipiunt deinde eum campi, quos clementiore alveo praeterit, iam navium patiens. DC sunt stadia mollioris soli, per quod leni tractu aquarum Persico mari se insinuat. [3] Amne superato cum vnn milibus peditum et Agrianis sagittariisque atque Graecorum mercennariorum tribus milibus additis mille Thracum in regionem Uxiorum pervenit. Finitima Susis est et in primam Persidem excurrit [p. 118] artum inter se et Susianos aditum relinquens. [4] Medates erat regionis praefectus, haud sane temporum homo: [5] quippe ultima pro fide experiri decreverat. Sed periti locorum Alexandrum docent occultum iter esse per calles et aversum ab urbe: [6] si paucos misisset leviter armatos, super capita hostium evasuros. Cum consilium placuisset, idem itinerum fuerunt duces. M et D mercede conducti et Agriani fere M Tauroni praefecto dati ac post solis occasum iter ingredi iussi. [7] Ipse tertia vigilia castris motis circa lucis ortum superat angustias caesaque materia cratibus et pluteis faciundis, ut, qui turres admoverent, extra teli iactum essent, urbem obsidere coepit. [8] Praerupta erant omnia saxis et cotibus inpedita. Multis ergo vulneribus depulsi, [9] ut quibus non cum hoste solum, sed etiam cum loco dimicandum esset, subibant tamen, quia rex inter primos constiterat interrogans, tot urbium victores an erubescerent haerere in obsidione castelli exigui et ignobilis, simul admonens Tauronem mox auxilium esse laturum. Inter haec eminus petebatur: quem testudine obiecta milites — ut recederet, erpellere nequierant — [10] tuebantur. Tandem Tauron super arcem urbis se cum suo agmine ostendit. Ad cuius conspectum et hostium animi labare et Macedones acrius proelium inire coeperunt. [11] Anceps oppidanos malum urguebat, nec sisti vis hostium poterat. Paucis ad moriendum, pluribus ad fugam animus fuit, magna pars in arcem concessit. Inde XXX oratoribus missis ad deprecandum triste responsum a rege [p. 119] redditur, non esse veniae locum. [12] Itaque suppliciorum quoque metu perculsi ad Sisigambim, Darei matrem, occulto itinere ignotoque hostibus mittunt, qui peterent, ut ipsa regem mitigaret, haud ignari, parentis eam loco diligi colique. Et Medates sororis eius filiam secum matrimonio iunxerat, Dareum propinqua cognatione contingens. [13] Diu Sisigambis supplicum precibus repugnavit abnuens deprecationem pro illis non convenire fortunae, in qua esset, adiecitque metuere sese, ne victoris indulgentiam fatigaret, saepiusque cogitare, captivam esse se quam reginam fuisse. [14] Ad ultimum victa litteris Alexandrum ita deprecata est, ut ipsum excusaret, quod deprecaretur: petere se, ut illis quoque, si minus, sibi ignosceret: pro necessario ac propinquo suo, iam non hoste, sed supplice, tantum vitam precari. [15] Moderationem clementiamque regis, quae tunc fuit, vel una haec res possit ostendere: non Medati modo ignovit, sed omnes et deditos et captivos et libertate atque inmunitate donavit, urbem reliquit intactam, agros sine tributo colere permisit. A victore Dareo plura mater non inpetrasset. [16] Uxiorum dein gentem subactam Susianorum satrapaе contribuit divisisque cum Parmenione copiis illum campestri itinere procedere iubet, ipse cum expedito agmine iugum montium cepit, quorum perpetuum dorsum in Persidem excurrit. [17] Omni hac regione vastata tertio die Persidem, quinto angustias, quas illi Susidas pylas vocant, intrat. Ariobarzanes has cum XXV [p. 120] milibus peditum occupaverat, rupes undique praeruptas et abscisas, in quarum cacuminibus extra teli iactum barbari stabant de industria quieti et paventibus similes, [18] donec in artissimas fauces penetraret agmen. Quod ubi contemptu sui pergere vident, tum vero ingentis magnitudinis saxa per montium prona devolvunt, quae incussa saepius subiacentibus petris maiore vi incidebant nec singulos modo, sed agmina proterebant. [19] Fundis quoque excussi lapides et sagittae undique ingerebantur. Nec id miserrimum fortibus viris erat, sed quod inulti, quod ferarum ritu veluti in fovea deprehensi caederentur. [20] Ira igitur in rabiem versa eminentia saxa conplexi, ut ad hostem pervenirent, alius alium levantes conabantur ascendere: ea ipsa multorum simul manibus convolsa in eos, [21] qui conmoverant, recidebant. Nec stare ergo poterant nec niti, ne testudine quidem protegi, cum tantae molis onera propellerent barbari. Regem non dolor modo, sed etiam pudor temere in illas angustias coniecti exercitus angebat. [22] Invictus ante eam diem fuerat nihil frustra ausus, inpune Ciliciae fauces intraverat, mare quoque novum in Pamphyliam iter aperuerat: tunc haesitabat deprehensa felicitas, [23] nec aliud remedium erat quam reverti, qua venerat. Itaque signo receptui dato densatis ordinibus scutisque super capita consertis retro evadere ex angustiis iubet. XXX fuere stadia, quae remensi sunt.

  III. Having soothed the queen’s feelings, the king came at his fourth camp to the river Tigris; the natives call it Pasitigris. It rises in the mountains of the Uxii and for fifty stadia rolls on rapidly amid rocks and with wooded banks. Then plains receive it, through which it passes in a gentler course, now fit for boats. There are 600 stadia of smoother ground through which in a quiet stretch of water it makes its way into the Persian Sea. Having crossed the river with 9000 foot-soldiers and Agrianian archers and 3000 Greek mercenaries besides 1000 Thracians, he came into the land of the Uxii. This adjoins Susa, and extends into the first part of Persia, leaving a narrow passage between itself and the Susiani.

  [4] Medates was the governor of that region, a man by no means a time-server; for he had decided to endure the utmost to the best of his loyalty. But men who were well acquainted with the country informed Alexander that there was a secret road through the mountain pastures and leading away from the city; if he would send a few light-armed troops, they would come out above the heads of the enemy.

  [6] When this plan had been approved, the same men w
ere their guides over the roads. 1500 mercenaries and nearly 1000 Agriani were put under the command of Tauron and ordered to begin their march after [7] sunset. Alexander himself broke camp in the third watch, passed through the narrows about daybreak, and after cutting timber for making hurdles and mantlets, so that men bringing up siege-towers should be out of reach of missiles, began the siege of the city. The whole place was precipitous and encumbered by rocks and crags. Therefore the soldiers were repulsed after suffering many wounds, since they had to contend not only with the enemy, but also with the terrain; they came on again however, since the king had taken his place among the foremost, asking whether the victors over so many cities did not blush to falter in the siege of an insignificant and obscure fortress, at the same time reminding them that Tauron would presently bring help. As he said these words he was being attacked at long range; and the soldiers — they had been unable to prevail upon him to retire — were protecting him by interposing a tortoise-formation.

  [10] At last Tauron showed himself with his troops above the height of the city’s citadel. At sight of him both the courage of the enemy began to give way and the Macedonians to enter battle with more spirit. The double danger pressed the townsmen hard, and the force of the enemy could not be checked. A few were resolved to die, more to flee, the greater part withdrew to the citadel. From there when thirty envoys were sent to plead for mercy, the grim answer was returned by the king that there was no room for pardon. Therefore alarmed by the fear of torture also, they sent men by a secret way, unknown to the enemy, to Sisigambis, the mother of Darius, to beg that she herself should appease the king, knowing, as they did, that she was loved and honoured by him as a mother. Medates too had taken to wife her sister’s daughter, and thus was a near relative of Darius.