himfelf. The presence of the two kings infpired both fides with new vigour. Darius was mounted on a chariot, and Alexander on horfeback; both furrounded with their braveft officers and foldiers, whofe only endeavour was to fave the lives of their refpective princes, at the hazard of their own. The battle was obftinate and bloody. Alexander, having wounded Darius's equerry with a javelin, the Perfians, as well as the Macedonians, imagined that the king was killed; upon which the former, breaking aloud into the most dismal founds, the whole army was feifed with the greatest confternation. The relations of Darius, who were at his left hand, fled away with the guards, and fo abandoned the chariot; but those who were at his right, took him into the centre of their body. Hiftorians relate, that this prince having drawn his fcimitar, reflected whether he ought not to lay violent hands upon himself, rather than fly in an ignomínious manner: but, perceiving from his chariot that his foldiers ftill fought, he was afhamed to forfake them; and, as he was divided between hope and despair, the Perfians retired infenfibly, and thinned their ranks; when it could no longer be called a battle, but a flaughter. Then Darius, turning about his chariot, fled with the reft; and the conqueror was now wholly employed in pursuing him.

Whilft all this was doing in the right wing of the Macedonians, where the victory was not doubtful; the left wing, commanded by Parmenio, was in great danger. A detachment of the Perfian, Indian, and Parthian horse, which were the best in all the Perfian army. having broke through the infantry on the left, advanced to the very baggage. The moment the captives faw them arrive in the camp, they armed themselves with every thing that came first to hand, and re-inforcing their cavalry, rufhed upon the Macedonians, who were now charged both before and behind. They, at the fame time, told Syfigambis, that Darius had won the battle (for this they believed); that the whole baggage was plunddered, and that she was now going to recover her liberty.

But

But this princefs, who was a woman of great wisdom, though this news affected her in the ftrongest manner, could not easily give credit to it; and being unwilling to exafperate, by too hafty a joy, a conqueror, who had treated her with so much humanity, she did not difcover the leaft emotion; did not once change countenance, nor let drop a fingle word; but in her ufual pofture, calmly waited till the event fhould denounce her fate,

Parmenio, upon the firft report of this attack, had dispatched a meffenger to Alexander, to acquaint him with the danger to which the camp was expofed, and to receive his orders. "Above all things (faid the prince) "let him not weaken his main body; let him not mind "the baggage, but apply himself wholly to the engage"ment; for victory will not only reftore us our own "poffeffions, but also give those of the enemy into our "hands." The general officers, who commanded the infantry which formed the centre of the second line, feeing the enemy were going to make themselves masters of the camp and baggage, made a half-turn to the right, in obedience to the orders which had been given, and fell the Perfians behind, many upon of whom were cut to pieces, and the reft obliged to retire; but as these were horse, the Macedonian foot could not follow them.

Soon after, Parmenio himself was exposed to much greater peril. Mazæus, having rufhed upon him with all his cavalry, charged the Macedonians in flank, and began to furround them. Immediately Parmenio fent Alexander advice of the danger he was in; declaring, that in cafe he were not immediately fuccoured, it would be impoffible for him to keep his foldiers together. The prince was actually pursuing Darius, and fancying he was almost come up with him, rode with the utmost fpeed. He flattered himself, that he fhould abfolutely put an end to the war, in case he could but feife his perfon. But, upon this news, he turned about, in order to fuccour his left wing, fhuddering with rage to fee his prey and victory turn in this manner from him; and complaining

plaining againft fortune, for having favoured Darius more in the flight, than himself in the purfuit of that

monarch.

Alexander, in his march, met the enemy's horse who had plundered the baggage; all which were returning in good order, and retiring back, not as foldiers who had been defeated, but almoft as if they had gained the victory. And now the battle became more obftinate than before; for, the Barbarians marching clofe in columns, not in order of battle, but that of a march, it was very difficult to break through them; and they did not amuse themselves with throwing javelins, nor with wheeling about, according to their ufual cuftom; but man engaging against man, each did all that lay in his power to unhorfe his enemy. Alexander loft threefcore of his guards in this attack. Hephæftion, Conus, and Menidas, were wounded in it; however he triumphed on this occafion, and all the Barbarians were cut to pieces, except fuch as forced their way through his fquadrons.

During this, news had been brought Mazæus that Darius was defeated; upon which, being greatly alarmed and dejected by the ill fuccefs of that Monarch, though the advantage was entirely on his fide, he ceafed to charge the enemy, who were now in diforder, fo brifkly as before. Parmenio could not conceive how it came to pafs, that the battle, which before was carried on fo warmly fhould flacken on a fudden: However, like an able commander, who feifes every advantage, and who employs his utmost endeavours to infpire his foldiers with fresh vigour, he obferved to them, that the terror which fpread throughout the whole army, was the forerunner of their defeat; and fired them with the notion how glorious it would be for them to put the laft hand to the victory. Upon this exhortation, they recovered their former hopes and bravery; when transformed into other men, they gave their horfes the rein, and charged the enemy with fo much fury, as threw them into the greatest diforder, and obliged them to fly. Alexander came up at that inftant, and overjoyed to find the fcale turned in his favour,

and

and the enemy entirely defeated, he renewed (in concert. with Parmenio) the purfuit of Darius. He rode as far as Arbela, where he fancied he should come up with that monarch and all his baggage; but Darius had only juft paffed by it, and left his treasure a prey to the enemy, with his bow and fhield.

Such was the fuccefs of this famous battle, which gave empire to the conqueror. According to Arrian, the Perfians loft three hundred thousand men, befides those who were taken prifoners; which, at leaft, is a proof that the lofs was very great on their fide. That of Alexander was very inconfiderable, he not lofing, according to the laft-mentioned author, twelve hundred men, most of whom were horfe. This engagement was fought in the month of * October, about the fame time, two years before, that the battle of Iffus was fought. As Gaugamela, in Affyria, the fpot where the two armies engaged, was a fmall place of very little note, this was called the battle of Arbela, that city being nearest to the field of battle.

SECT. IX. Alexander poffeffes himself of Arbela, Babylon, Sufa, Perfepolis; and finds immenfe riches in thofe cities. In the heat of drinking he fets fire to the palace of Perfepolis.

ALEXANDER's firft care, after his obtaining

the victory, was to offer magnificent facrifices to the gods by way of thankfgiving. He afterwards rewarded fuch as had fignalized themselves remarkably in battle; beftowed riches upon them with a very liberal hand, and gave to each of them houses, employments, and governments. But, being defirous of expreffing more particularly his gratitude to the Greeks, for having appointed him generaliffimo against the Perfians, he gave orders

9 A. M. 3674. Ant. J. C. 330.

Diod. I. xvii. p. 538-540. Arrian. 1. iii. p. 127-133. Plut. in Alex. p. 685-688. Quint. Curt. 1. v. c. 1-7. Juftin. 1. xi. c. 14. * The month, called by the Greeks Beedromion, answers partly to our month of October.

orders for abolishing the feveral tyrannical inftitutions that had started up in Greece; that the cities fhould be restored to their liberties, and all their rights and privileges. He wrote particularly to the Platæans, declaring, that it was his defire their city fhould be rebuilt, to reward the zeal and bravery by which their ancestors had distinguished themfelves, indefending the common liberties of Greece.

He also fent part of the spoils to the people of Crotona in Italy; to honour, though fo many years after, the good-will and courage of Phayllus the champion, a native of their country, who (whilft war was carrying on between the Medes, and when all the reft of the Greeks that were settled in Italy had abandoned the true Grecians, imagining they were entirely undone) fitted out a galley at his own expence, and failed to Salamis, to partake of the danger to which his countrymen were at that time expofed. So great a friend and encourager, fays Plutarch, was Alexander, of every kind of virtue; confidering himself, fays the fame author, obliged in a manner to perpetuate the remembrance of all great actions; to give immortality to merit, and propose them to pofterity, as fo many models for their imitation.

66

Darius, after his defeat, having but very few attendants, had rode towards the river Lycus. After croffing it, feveral advised him to break down the bridges, because the enemy purfued him. But he made this generous anfwer, That life was not fo dear to him, as to "make him defire to preferve it by the deftruction of fo many thousands of his fubjects and faithful allies, who, "by that means, would be delivered up to the mercy of "the enemy; that they had as much right to pass over "this bridge as their fovereign, and confequently that it "ought to be as open to them." After riding a great number of leagues full speed, he arrived at midnight at Arbela. From thence he fled towards Media, over the

Armenian

Herodotus relates this hiftory in very few words, 1. viii. c. 47. Non ita fe faluti fuæ velle confultum, ut tot millia fociorum hofti objiciat: debere&aliis fugæ viam patere, quæ patuerit fibi, JUSTIN.