alexander-第16部分

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t　them　men　of　great　parts　and　to　have　erred　in　nothing　so　much　as　in　having　too　great　respect　for　the　laws　and　customs　of　their　country。　Others　say　Dandamis　only　asked　him　the　reason　why　Alexander　undertook　so　long　a　journey　to　come　into　those　parts。　Taxiles；　however；　persuaded　Calanus　to　wait　upon　Alexander。　His　proper　name　was　Sphines；　but　because　he　was　wont　to　say　Cale；　which　in　the　Indian　tongue　is　a　form　of　salutation　to　those　he　met　with　anywhere；　the　Greeks　called　him　Calanus。　He　is　said　to　have　shown　Alexander　an　instructive　emblem　of　government；　which　was　this。　He　threw　a　dry　shrivelled　bide　upon　the　ground；　and　trod　upon　the　edges　of　it。　The　skin　when　it　was　pressed　in　one　place　still　rose　up　in　another；　wheresoever　he　trod　round　about　it；　till　he　set　his　foot　in　the　middle；　which　made　all　the　parts　lie　even　and　quiet。　The　meaning　of　this　similitude　being　that　he　ought　to　reside　most　in　the　middle　of　his　empire；　and　not　spend　too　much　time　on　the　borders　of　it。　　　His　voyage　down　the　rivers　took　up　seven　months'　time；　and　when　he　came　to　the　sea；　he　sailed　to　an　island　which　he　himself　called　Scillustis；　others　Psiltucis；　where　going　ashore；　he　sacrificed；　and　made　what　observations　he　could　as　to　the　nature　of　the　sea　and　the　sea…coast。　Then　having　besought　the　gods　that　no　other　man　might　ever　go　beyond　the　bounds　of　this　expedition；　he　ordered　his　fleet；　of　which　he　made　Nearchus　admiral　and　Onesicritus　pilot；　to　sail　round　about；　keeping　the　Indian　shore　on　the　right　hand；　and　returned　himself　by　land　through　the　country　of　the　Orites；　where　he　was　reduced　to　great　straits　for　want　of　provisions；　and　lost　a　vast　number　of　his　men；　so　that　of　an　army　of　one　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　foot　and　fifteen　thousand　horse；　he　scarcely　brought　back　above　a　fourth　part　out　of　India；　they　were　so　diminished　by　disease；　ill　diet；　and　the　scorching　heats；　but　most　by　famine。　For　their　march　was　through　an　uncultivated　country　whose　inhabitants　fared　hardly；　possessing　only　a　few　sheep；　and　those　of　a　wretched　kind；　whose　flesh　was　rank　and　unsavoury；　by　their　continual　feeding　upon　sea…fish。　　　After　sixty　days'　march　he　came　into　Gedrosia；　where　he　found　great　plenty　of　all　things；　which　the　neighbouring　kings　and　governors　of　provinces；　hearing　of　his　approach；　had　taken　care　to　provide。　When　he　had　here　refreshed　his　army；　he　continued　his　march　through　Carmania；　feasting　all　the　way　for　seven　days　together。　He　with　his　most　intimate　friends　banqueted　and　revelled　night　and　day　upon　a　platform　erected　on　a　lofty；　conspicuous　scaffold；　which　was　slowly　drawn　by　eight　horses。　This　was　followed　by　a　great　many　chariots；　some　covered　with　purple　and　embroidered　canopies；　and　some　with　green　boughs；　which　were　continually　supplied　afresh；　and　in　them　the　rest　of　his　friends　and　commanders　drinking；　and　crowned　with　garlands　of　flowers。　Here　was　now　no　target　or　helmet　or　spear　to　be　seen；　instead　of　armour；　the　soldiers　handled　nothing　but　cups　and　goblets　and　Thericlean　drinking　vessels；　which；　along　the　whole　way；　they　dipped　into　large　bowls　and　jars；　and　drank　healths　to　one　another；　some　seating　themselves　to　it；　others　as　they　went　along。　All　places　resounded　with　music　of　pipes　and　flutes；　with　harping　and　singing；　and　women　dancing　as　in　the　rites　of　Bacchus。　For　this　disorderly；　wandering　march；　besides　the　drinking　part　of　it；　was　accompanied　with　all　the　sportiveness　and　insolence　of　bacchanals；　as　much　as　if　the　god　himself　had　been　there　to　countenance　and　lead　the　procession。　As　soon　as　he　came　to　the　royal　palace　of　Gedrosia；　he　again　refreshed　and　feasted　his　army；　and　one　day　after　he　had　drunk　pretty　hard；　it　is　said；　he　went　to　see　a　prize　of　dancing　contended　for；　in　which　his　favourite　Bagoas；　having　gained　the　victory；　crossed　the　theatre　in　his　dancing　habit；　and　sat　down　close　by　him；　which　so　pleased　the　Macedonians　that　they　made　loud　acclamations　for　him　to　kiss　Bagoas；　and　never　stopped　clapping　their　hands　and　shouting　till　Alexander　put　his　arms　round　him　and　kissed　him。　　　Here　his　admiral；　Nearchus；　came　to　him；　and　delighted　him　so　with　the　narrative　of　his　voyage；　that　he　resolved　himself　to　sail　out　of　the　mouth　of　the　Euphrates　with　a　great　fleet；　with　which　he　designed　to　go　round　by　Arabia　and　Africa；　and　so　by　Hercules's　Pillars　into　the　Mediterranean；　in　order　for　which；　he　directed　all　sorts　of　vessels　to　be　built　at　Thapsacus；　and　made　great　provisions　everywhere　of　seamen　and　pilots。　But　the　tidings　of　the　difficulties　he　had　gone　through　in　his　Indian　expedition；　the　danger　of　his　person　among　the　Mallians；　the　reported　loss　of　a　considerable　part　of　his　forces；　and　a　general　doubt　as　to　his　own　safety；　had　begun　to　give　occasion　for　revolt　among　many　of　the　conquered　nations；　and　for　acts　of　great　injustice；　avarice；　and　insolence　on　the　part　of　the　satraps　and　commanders　in　the　provinces；　so　that　there　seemed　to　be　an　universal　fluctuation　and　disposition　to　change。　Even　at　home；　Olympias　and　Cleopatra　had　raised　a　faction　against　Antipater；　and　divided　his　government　between　them；　Olympias　seizing　upon　Epirus；　and　Cleopatra　upon　Macedonia。　When　Alexander　was　told　of　it；　he　said　his　mother　had　made　the　best　choice；　for　the　Macedonians　would　never　endure　to　be　ruled　by　a　woman。　Upon　this　he　despatched　Nearchus　again　to　his　fleet；　to　carry　the　war　into　the　maritime　provinces；　and　as　he　marched　that　way　himself　he　punished　those　commanders　who　had　behaved　ill；　particularly　Oxyartes；　one　of　the　sons　of　Abuletes；　whom　he　killed　with　his　own　hand；　thrusting　him　through　the　body　with　his　spear。　And　when　Abuletes；　instead　of　the　necessary　provisions　which　he　ought　to　have　furnished；　brought　him　three　thousand　talents　in　coined　money；　he　ordered　it　to　be　thrown　to　his　horses；　and　when　they　would　not　touch　it；　〃What　good；〃　he　said；　〃will　this　provision　do　us？〃　and　sent　him　away　to　prison。　　　When　he　came　into　Persia；　he　distributed　money　among　the　women；　as　their　own　kings　had　been　wont　to　do；　who　as　often　as　they　came　thither　gave　every　one　of　them　a　piece　of　gold；　on　account　of　which　custom；　some　of　them；　it　is　said；　had　come　but　seldom；　and　Ochus　was　so　sordidly　covetous　that；　to　avoid　this　expense；　he　never　visited　his　native　country　once　in　all　his　reign。　Then　finding　Cyrus's　sepulchre　opened　and　rifled；　he　put　Polymachus；　who　did　it；　to　death；　though　he　was　a　man　of　some　distinction；　a　born　Macedonian　of　Pella。　And　after　he　had　read　the　inscription；　he　caused　it　to　be　cut　again　below　the　old　one　in　Greek　characters；　the　words　being　these：　〃O　man；　whosoever　thou　art；　and　from　whencesoever　thou　comest　（for　I　know　thou　wilt　come）；　I　am　Cyrus；　the　founder　of　the　Persian　empire；　do　not　grudge　me　this　little　earth　which　covers　my　body。〃　The　reading　of　this　sensibly　touched　Alexander；　filling　him　with　the　thought　of　the　uncertainty　and　mutability　of　human　affairs。　At　the　same　time　Calanus；　having　been　a　little　while　troubled　with　a　disease　in　the　bowels；　requested　that　he　might　have　a　funeral　pile　erected；　to　which　he　came　on　horseback；　and；　after　he　had　said　some　prayers　and　sprinkled　himself　and　cut　off　some　of　his　hair　to　throw　into　the　fire；　before　he　ascended　it；　he　embraced　and　took　leave　of　the　Macedonians　who　stood　by；　desiring　them　to　pass　that　day　in　mirth　and　good…fellowship　with　their　king；　whom　in　a　little　time；　he　said；　he　doubted　not　to　see　again　at　Babylon。　Having　this　said；　he　lay　down；　and　covering　up　his　face；　he　stirred　not　when　the　fire　came　near　him；　but　continued　still　in　the　same　posture　as　at　first；　and　so　sacrificed　himself；　as　it　was　the　ancient　custom　of　the　philosophers　in　those　countries　to　do。　The　same　thing　was　done　long　after　by　another　Indian　who　came　with　Caesar　to　Athens；　where　they　still　show　you；　〃the　Indian's　monument。〃　At　his　return　from　the　funeral　pile；　Alexander　invited　a　great　many　of　his　friends　and　principal　officers　to　supper；　and　proposed　a　drinking　match；　in　which　the　victor　should　receive　a　crown。　Promachus　drank　twelve　quarts　of　wine；　and　won　the　prize；　which　was　a　talent　from　them　all；　but　he　survived　his　victory　but　three　days；　and　was　followed；　as　Chares　says；　by　forty…one　more；　who　died　of　the　same　debauch；　some　extremely　cold　weather　having　set　in　shortly　after。　　　At　Susa；　he　married　Darius's　daughter　Statira；　and　celebrated　also　the　nuptials　of　his　friends；　bestowing　the　noblest　of　the　Persian　ladies　upon　the　worthiest　of　them；　at　the　same　time　making　it　an　entertainment　in　honour　of　the　other　Macedonians　whose　marriages　had　already　taken　place。　At　this　magnificent　festival；　it　is　reported；　there　were　no　less　than　nine　thousand　guests；　to　each　of　whom　he　gave　a　golden　cup　for　the　libations。　Not　to　mention　other　instances　of　his　wonderful　magnificence；　he　paid　the　debts　of　his　army；　which　amounted　to　nine　thousand　eight　hundred　and　seventy　talents。　But　Antigenes；　who　had　lost　one　of　his　eyes；　though　he　owed　nothing；　got　his　name　set　down　in　the　list　of　those　who　were　in　debt；　and　bringing　one　who　pretended　to　be　his　creditor；　and　to　have　supplied　him　from　the　bank；　received　the　money。　But　when　the　cheat　was　found　out；　the　king　was　so　incensed　at　it；　that　he　banished　him　from　court；　and　took　away　his　command；　though　he　was　an　excellent　soldier　and　a　man　of　great　courage。　For　when　he　was　but　a　youth；　and　served　under　Philip　at　the　siege　of　Perinthus；　where　he　was　wounded　in　the　eye　by　an　arrow　shot　out　of　an　engine；　he　would　neither　let　the　arrow　be　taken　out　nor　be　persuaded　to　quit　the　field　till　he　had　bravely　repulsed　the　enemy　and　forced　them　to　retire　into　the　town。　Accordingly　he　was　not　able　to　support　such　a　disgrace　with　any　patience；　and　it　was　plain　that　grief　and　despair　would　have　made　him　kill　himself；　but　the　king　fearing　it；　not　only　pardoned　him；　but　let　him　also　enjoy　the　benefit　of　his　deceit。　　　The　thirty　thousand　boys　whom　he　left　behind　him　to　be　taught　and　disciplined　were　so　improved　at　his　return；　both　in　strength　and　beauty；　and　performed　their　exercises　with　such　dexterity　and　wonderful　agility；　that　he　was　extremely　pleased　with　them；　which　grieved　the　Macedonians。　and　made　them　fear　he　would　have　the　less　value　for　them。　And　when　he　proceeded　to　send　down　the　infirm　and　maimed　soldiers　to　the　sea；　they　said　they　were　unjustly　an