The Anabasis of Alexander or, The history of the wars and conquests of Alexander the Great
Susa you deserted him and went away, handing him over to the protection
of conquered foreigners. Perhaps this report of yours will be both
glorious to you in the eyes of men and devout forsooth in the eyes of
the gods. Depart!”
CHAPTER XI.
RECONCILIATION BETWEEN ALEXANDER AND HIS ARMY.
Having thus spoken, he leaped down quickly from the platform, and
entered the palace, where he paid no attention to the decoration of
his person, nor was any of his Companions admitted to see him. Not
even on the morrow was any one of them admitted to an audience; but
on the third day he summoned the select Persians within, and among
them he distributed the commands of the brigades, and made the rule
that only those whom he had proclaimed his kinsmen,[876] should have
the honour of saluting him with a kiss.[877] But the Macedonians
who heard the speech were thoroughly astonished at the moment, and
remained there in silence near the platform; nor when he retired did
any of them accompany the king, except his personal Companions and
the confidential body-guards. Though they remained, most of them had
nothing to do or say; and yet they were unwilling to retire. But when
the news was reported to them about the Persians and Medes, that the
military commands were being given to Persians, that the foreign
soldiers were being selected and divided into companies, that a Persian
foot-guard, Persian foot Companions, a Persian regiment of men with
silver shields,[878] as well as the cavalry Companions, and another
royal regiment of cavalry distinct from these, were being called by
Macedonian names, they were no longer able to restrain themselves;
but running in a body to the palace, they cast their weapons there in
front of the gates as a sign of supplication to the king. Standing in
front of the gates, they shouted, beseeching to be allowed to enter,
and saying that they were willing to surrender the men who had been
the instigators of the disturbance on that occasion, and those who
had begun the clamour. They also declared they would not retire from
the gates either day or night, unless Alexander would take some pity
upon them. When he was informed of this, he came out without delay;
and seeing them lying on the ground in humble guise, and hearing most
of them lamenting with loud voice, tears began to flow also from
his own eyes. He made an effort to say something to them, but they
continued their importunate entreaties.[879] At length one of them,
Callines by name, a man conspicuous both for his age and because he
was captain of the Companion cavalry, spoke as follows:—“O king, what
grieves the Macedonians is, that thou hast already made some of the
Persians kinsmen to thyself, and that Persians are called Alexander’s
kinsmen, and have the honour of saluting thee with a kiss; whereas none
of the Macedonians have as yet enjoyed this honour.” Then Alexander
interrupting him, said:—“But all of you without exception I consider
my kinsmen, and so from this time I shall call you.” When he had said
this, Callines advanced and saluted him with a kiss, and so did all
those who wished to salute him. Then they took up their weapons and
returned to the camp, shouting and singing a song of thanksgiving to
Apollo. After this Alexander offered sacrifice to the gods to whom it
was his custom to sacrifice, and gave a public banquet, over which he
himself presided, with the Macedonians sitting around him; and next
to them the Persians; after whom came the men of the other nations,
honoured for their personal rank or for some meritorious action. The
king and his guests drew wine from the same bowl and poured out the
same libations, both the Grecian prophets and the Magians commencing
the ceremony. He prayed for other blessings, and especially that
harmony and community of rule might exist between the Macedonians and
Persians. The common account is, that those who took part in this
banquet were 9,000 in number, that all of them poured out one libation,
and after it sang a song of thanksgiving to Apollo.[880]
CHAPTER XII.
TEN THOUSAND MACEDONIANS SENT HOME WITH CRATERUS.—DISPUTES BETWEEN
ANTIPATER AND OLYMPIAS.
Then those of the Macedonians who were unfit for service on account
of age or any other misfortune, went back of their own accord, to the
number of about 10,000. To these Alexander gave the pay not only for
the time which had already elapsed, but also for that which they would
spend in returning home. He also gave to each man a talent in addition
to his pay.[881] If any of them had children by Asiatic wives, he
ordered them to leave them behind with him, lest they should introduce
into Macedonia a cause of discord, taking with them children by foreign
women who were of a different race from the children whom they had left
behind at home born of Macedonian mothers. He promised to take care
that they should be brought up as Macedonians, educating them not only
in general matters but also in the art of war. He also undertook to
lead them into Macedonia when they arrived at manhood, and hand them
over to their fathers. These uncertain and obscure promises were made
to them as they were departing; and he thought he was giving a most
indubitable proof of the friendship and affection he had for them by
sending with them, as their guardian and the leader of the expedition,
Craterus, the man most faithful to him, and whom he valued equally with
himself.[882] Then, having saluted them all, he with tears dismissed
them likewise weeping from his presence. He ordered Craterus[883] to
lead these men back, and when he had done so, to take upon himself the
government of Macedonia, Thrace, and Thessaly, and to preside over the
freedom of the Greeks. He also ordered Antipater to bring to him the
Macedonians of manly age as successors to those who were being sent
back. He despatched Polysperchon also with Craterus, as his second in
command, so that if any mishap befell Craterus on the march (for he
was sending him back on account of the weakness of his health), those
who were going might not be in need of a general.[884] A secret report
was also going about that Alexander was now overcome by his mother’s
accusations of Antipater, and that he wished to remove him from
Macedonia.[885] This report was current among those who thought that
royal actions are more worthy of honour in proportion to their secrecy,
and who were inclined to impute what is worthy of belief to a bad
motive rather than to attribute it to the real one; a course to which
they were led by appearances and their own depravity. But probably this
sending for Antipater was not designed for his dishonour, but rather
to prevent any unpleasant consequences to Antipater and Olympias from
their quarrel which he might not himself be able to rectify. For they
were incessantly writing to Alexander, the former saying that the
arrogance, acerbity, and meddlesomeness of Olympias was exceedingly
unbecoming to the king’s mother; insomuch that Alexander was related
to have used the following remark in reference to the reports which
he received about his mother:—that she was exacting from him a heavy
house-rent for the ten months.[886] The queen wrote that Antipater
was overweeningly insolent in his pretensions and in the service of
his court, no longer remembering the one who had appointed him, but
claiming to win and hold the first rank[887] among the Macedonians and
Greeks. These slanderous reports about Antipater appeared to have more
weight with Alexander, since they were more formidable in regard to the
regal dignity. However no overt act or word of the king was reported,
from which any one could infer that Antipater was in any way less in
favour with him than before.[888]
CHAPTER XIII.
THE NISAEAN PLAIN.—THE AMAZONS.
It is said that Hephaestion much against his will yielded to this
argument and was reconciled to Eumenes, who on his part wished to
settle the dispute.[889] In this journey[890] Alexander is said to
have seen the plain which was devoted to the royal mares. Herodotus
says that the plain itself was named Nisaean, and that the mares were
called Nisaean[891]; adding that in olden times there were 150,000
of these horses. But at this time Alexander found not many above
50,000; for most of them had been carried off by robbers. They say
that Atropates, the viceroy of Media, gave him a hundred women, saying
that they were of the race of Amazons.[892] These had been equipped
with the arms of male horsemen, except that they carried axes instead
of spears and targets instead of shields. They also say that they had
the right breast smaller than the left, and that they exposed it in
battle. Alexander dismissed them from the army, that no attempt to
violate them might be made by the Macedonians or barbarians; and he
ordered them to carry word to their queen that he was coming to her
in order to procreate children by her.[893] But this story has been
recorded neither by Aristobulus nor Ptolemy, nor any other writer who
is a trustworthy authority on such matters. I do not even think that
the race of Amazons was surviving at that time; for before Alexander’s
time they were not mentioned even by Xenophon,[894] who mentions the
Phasians, Colchians, and all the other barbaric races which the Greeks
came upon, when they started from Trapezus or before they marched down
to Trapezus. They would certainly have fallen in with the Amazons if
they were still in existence. However it does not seem to me credible
that this race of women was altogether fictitious, because it has been
celebrated by so many famous poets. For the general account is, that
Heracles marched against them and brought the girdle of their queen
Hippolyte into Greece.[895] The Athenians also under Theseus were the
first to conquer and repulse these women as they were advancing into
Europe[896]; and the battle of the Athenians and Amazons has been
painted by Micon,[897] no less than that of the Athenians and Persians.
Herodotus also has frequently written about these women[898]; and so
have the Athenian writers who have honoured the men who perished in
war with funeral orations. They have mentioned the exploit of the
Athenians against the Amazons as one of their special glories.[899]
If therefore Atropates showed any equestrian women to Alexander, I
think he must have shown him some other foreign women trained in
horsemanship, and equipped with the arms which were said to be those of
the Amazons.[900]
CHAPTER XIV.
DEATH OF HEPHAESTION.
In Ecbatana Alexander offered sacrifice according to his custom, for
good fortune; and he celebrated a gymnastic and musical contest.
He also held drinking parties with his Companions. At this time
Hephaestion fell sick; and they say that the stadium was full of people
on the seventh day of his fever, for on that day there was a gymnastic
contest for boys. When Alexander was informed that Hephaestion was
in a critical state, he went to him without delay, but found him no
longer alive.[901] Different authors have given different accounts
of Alexander’s grief on this occasion; but they agree in this, that
his grief was great. As to what was done in honour of Hephaestion,
they make diverse statements, just as each writer was actuated by
good-will or envy towards him, or even towards Alexander himself. Of
the authors who have made these reckless statements, some seem to
me to have thought that whatever Alexander said or did to show his
excessive grief for the man who was the dearest to him in the world,
redounds to his own honour; whereas others seem to have thought that
it rather tended to his disgrace, as being conduct unbecoming to any
king and especially to Alexander. Some say that he lay prostrate on his