The Anabasis of Alexander or, The history of the wars and conquests of Alexander the Great
themselves, and then fled into the desert in company with Spitamenes.
But when they were informed that Alexander was already on the start to
march into the desert, they cut off the head of Spitamenes and sent
it to him, with the hope by this deed of diverting him from pursuing
them.[578]
CHAPTER XVIII.
OXYARTES BESIEGED IN THE SOGDIAN ROCK.
Meantime Coenus returned to Alexander at Nautaca, as also did Craterus,
Phrataphernes the viceroy of the Parthians, and Stasanor the viceroy of
the Areians, after executing all the orders which Alexander had given
them. The king then caused his army to rest around Nautaca, because it
was now mid-winter; but he despatched Phrataphernes into the land of
the Mardians and Tapurians to fetch Autophradates the viceroy, because,
though he had often been sent for, he did not obey the summons. He
also sent Stasanor into the land of the Drangians, and Atropates into
Media,[579] with the appointment of viceroy over the Medes, because
Oxodates seemed disaffected to him. Stamenes also he despatched to
Babylon, because news came to him that Mazaeus the Babylonian governor
was dead. Sopolis, Epocillus, and Menidas he sent away to Macedonia,
to bring him the army up from that country. At the first appearance
of spring,[580] he advanced towards the rock in Sogdiana, to which he
was informed many of the Sogdianians had fled for refuge; among whom
were said to be the wife and daughters of Oxyartes the Bactrian, who
had deposited them for safety in that place, as if forsooth it were
impregnable. For he also had revolted from Alexander. If this rock
was captured, it seemed that nothing would be left to those of the
Sogdianians who wished to throw off their allegiance. When Alexander
approached it, he found it precipitous on all sides against assault,
and that the barbarians had collected provisions for a long siege. The
great quantity of snow which had fallen helped to make the approach
more difficult to the Macedonians, while at the same time it kept the
barbarians supplied with plenty of water. But notwithstanding all
this, he resolved to assault the place; for a certain overweening and
insolent boast uttered by the barbarians had thrown him into a wrathful
state of ambitious pertinacity. For when they were invited to come to
terms of capitulation, and it was held out to them as an inducement,
that if they surrendered the place, they would be allowed to withdraw
in safety to their own abodes, they burst out laughing, and in their
barbaric tongue bade Alexander seek winged soldiers, to capture the
mountain for him, since they had no apprehension of danger from other
men.[581] He then issued a proclamation that the first man who mounted
should have a reward of twelve talents,[582] the man who came next to
him the second prize, and the third so on in proportion, so that the
last reward should be three hundred darics[583] to the last prize-taker
who reached the top. This proclamation excited the valour of the
Macedonians still more, though they were even before very eager to
commence the assault.
CHAPTER XIX.
ALEXANDER CAPTURES THE ROCK AND MARRIES ROXANA.
All the men who had gained practice in scaling rocks in sieges, banded
themselves together to the number of three hundred, and provided
themselves with the small iron pegs with which their tents had been
fastened to the ground, with the intention of fixing them into the
snow, where it might be seen to be frozen hard, or into the ground, if
it should anywhere exhibit itself free from snow. Tying strong ropes
made of flax to these pegs, they advanced in the night towards the most
precipitous part of the rock, which was also most unguarded; and fixing
some of these pegs into the earth, where it made itself visible, and
others into the snow where it seemed least likely to break up, they
hoisted themselves up the rock, some in one place and some in another.
Thirty of them perished in the ascent; and as they fell into various
parts of the snows, not even could their bodies be found for burial.
The rest, however, reached the top of the mountain at the approach of
dawn; and taking possession of it, they waved linen flags towards the
camp of the Macedonians,[584] as Alexander had directed them to do. He
now sent a herald with instructions to shout to the sentries of the
barbarians to make no further delay, but surrender at once; since “the
winged men” had been found, and the summits of the mountain were in
their possession. At the same time the herald pointed at the soldiers
upon the crest of the mountain. The barbarians, being alarmed by the
unexpectedness of the sight, and suspecting that the men who were
occupying the peaks were more numerous than they really were, and that
they were completely armed, surrendered, so frightened did they become
at the sight of those few Macedonians. The wives and children of many
important men were there captured, including those of Oxyartes. This
chief had a daughter, a maiden of marriageable age, named Roxana,[585]
who was asserted by the men who served in Alexander’s army to have been
the most beautiful of all Asiatic women, with the single exception of
the wife of Darius.[586] They also say that no sooner did Alexander
see her than he fell in love with her; but though he was in love
with her, he refused to offer violence to her as a captive, and did
not think it derogatory to his dignity to marry her. This conduct of
Alexander I think worthy rather of praise than blame. Moreover, in
regard to the wife of Darius, who was said to be the most beautiful
woman in Asia, he either did not entertain a passion for her, or else
he exercised control over himself,[587] though he was young, and in
the very meridian of success, when men usually act with insolence and
violence. On the contrary, he acted with modesty and spared her honour,
exercising a great amount of chastity, and at the same time exhibiting
a very proper desire to obtain a good reputation.[588]
CHAPTER XX.
MAGNANIMOUS TREATMENT OF THE FAMILY OF DARIUS.
In relation to this subject there is a story current, that soon after
the battle which was fought at Issus between Darius and Alexander, the
eunuch who was guardian of Darius’s wife escaped and came to him. When
Darius saw this man, his first inquiry was, whether his children, wife,
and mother were alive? Ascertaining that they were not only alive, but
were called queens, and enjoyed the same personal service and attention
which they had been accustomed to have with Darius, he thereupon made a
second inquiry, whether his wife was still chaste? When he ascertained
that she remained so, he asked again whether Alexander had not offered
any violence to her to gratify his lust? The eunuch took an oath and
said: “O king, thy wife is just as thou didst leave her; and Alexander
is the best and most chaste of men.” Upon this Darius stretched his
hands towards heaven and prayed as follows:—“O King Zeus,[589] to
whom power has been assigned to regulate the affairs of kings among
men, do thou now protect for me especially the empire of the Persians
and Medes, as indeed thou didst give it to me. But if I am no longer
king of Asia according to thy behest, at any rate do thou hand over my
power to no other man but Alexander.” Thus not even to enemies, I ween,
are chaste actions a matter of unconcern. Oxyartes, hearing that his
children were in the power of Alexander, and that he was treating his
daughter Roxana with respect, took courage and came to him. He was held
in honour at the king’s court, as was natural after such a piece of
good fortune.[590]
CHAPTER XXI.
CAPTURE OF THE ROCK OF CHORIENES.
When Alexander had finished his operations among the Sogdianians, and
was now in possession of the rock, he advanced into the land of the
Paraetacians, because many of the barbarians were said to be holding
another rock, a strongly fortified place in that country. This was
called the rock of Chorienes; and to it Chorienes himself and many
other chiefs had fled for refuge. The height of this rock was about
twenty stades, and the circuit about sixty. It was precipitous on all
sides, and there was only one ascent to it, which was narrow and not
easy to mount, since it had been constructed in spite of the nature of
the place. It was therefore difficult to ascend even by men in single
file and when no one barred the way. A deep ravine also enclosed[591]
the rock all round, so that whoever intended to lead an army up to it,
must long before make a causeway of earth over this ravine in order
that he might start from level ground, when he led his troops to the
assault. Notwithstanding all this, Alexander undertook the enterprise.
To so great a pitch of audacity had he advanced through his career
of success, that he thought every place ought to be accessible to
him,[592] and to be captured by him. He cut down the pines, which were
very abundant and lofty all round the mountain, and made ladders of
them, so that by means of them the soldiers might be able to descend
into the ravine[593]; for otherwise it was impossible for them to do
so. During the daytime he himself superintended the work, keeping
half of his army engaged in it; and during the night his confidential
body-guards, Perdiccas, Leonnatus, and Ptolemy, son of Lagus, in turn
with the other half of the army, divided into three parts, performed
the duty which had been assigned to each for the night. But they could
complete no more than twenty cubits in a day, and not quite so much in
a night, though the whole army engaged in the labour; so difficult was
the place to approach and so hard was the work in it. Descending into
the ravine, they fastened pegs into the sharpest and narrowest part
of it, distant from each other as far as was consistent with strength
to support the weight of what was placed upon them. Upon these they
placed hurdles made of willow and osiers, very much in the form of a
bridge. Binding these together, they loaded earth above them, so that
there might be an approach to the rock for the army on level ground.
At first the barbarians derided, as if the attempt was altogether
abortive; but when the arrows began to reach the rock, and they were
unable to drive back the Macedonians, though they themselves were on a
higher level, because the former had constructed screens to ward off
the missiles, that they might carry on their labour under them without
receiving injury, Chorienes grew alarmed at what was being done, and
sent a herald to Alexander, beseeching him to send Oxyartes up to him.
Alexander accordingly sent Oxyartes, who on his arrival persuaded
Chorienes to entrust himself and the place to Alexander; for he told
him that there was nothing which Alexander and his army could not take
by storm; and as he himself had entered into an alliance of fidelity
and friendship with him, he commended the king’s honour and justice in
high terms, adducing other examples, and above all his own case for
the confirmation of his arguments. By these representations Chorienes
was persuaded and came himself to Alexander, accompanied by some of
his relations and companions. When he arrived, the king gave him a
courteous answer to his inquiries, and retained him after pledging his
fidelity and friendship. But he bade him send to the rock some of those
who came down with him to order his men to surrender the place; and
it was surrendered by those who had fled to it for refuge. Alexander
therefore took 500 of his shield-bearing guards and went up to get a
view of the rock; and was so far from inflicting any harsh treatment
upon Chorienes that he entrusted that very place to him again, and made
him governor of all that he had ruled before. It happened that the