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ed　almost　all　the　royal　property；　which　giving　Perdiccas　an　occasion　to　ask　him　what　he　would　leave　himself；　he　replied；　his　hopes。　〃Your　soldiers；〃　replied　Perdiccas；　〃will　be　your　partners　in　those；〃　and　refused　to　accept　of　the　estate　he　had　assigned　him。　Some　others　of　his　friends　did　the　like；　but　to　those　who　willingly　received　or　desired　assistance　of　him；　he　liberally　granted　it；　as　far　as　his　patrimony　in　Macedonia　would　reach；　the　most　part　of　which　was　spent　in　these　donations。　　　With　such　vigorous　resolutions；　and　his　mind　thus　disposed；　he　passed　the　Hellespont；　and　at　Troy　sacrificed　to　Minerva；　and　honoured　the　memory　of　the　heroes　who　were　buried　there；　with　solemn　libations；　especially　Achilles；　whose　gravestone　he　anointed；　and　with　his　friends；　as　the　ancient　custom　is；　ran　naked　about　his　sepulchre；　and　crowned　it　with　garlands；　declaring　how　happy　he　esteemed　him；　in　having　while　he　lived　so　faithful　a　friend；　and　when　he　was　dead；　so　famous　a　poet　to　proclaim　his　actions。　While　he　was　viewing　the　rest　of　the　antiquities　and　curiosities　of　the　place；　being　told　he　might　see　Paris's　harp；　if　he　pleased；　he　said　he　thought　it　not　worth　looking　on；　but　he　should　be　glad　to　see　that　of　Achilles；　to　which　he　used　to　sing　the　glories　and　great　actions　of　brave　men。　　　In　the　meantime；　Darius's　captains；　having　collected　large　forces；　were　encamped　on　the　further　bank　of　the　river　Granicus；　and　it　was　necessary　to　fight；　as　it　were；　in　the　gate　of　Asia　for　an　entrance　into　it。　The　depth　of　the　river；　with　the　unevenness　and　difficult　ascent　of　the　opposite　bank；　which　was　to　be　gained　by　main　force；　was　apprehended　by　most；　and　some　pronounced　it　an　improper　time　to　engage；　because　it　was　unusual　for　the　kings　of　Macedonia　to　march　with　their　forces　in　the　month　called　Daesius。　But　Alexander　broke　through　these　scruples；　telling　them　they　should　call　it　a　second　Artemisius。　And　when　Parmenio　advised　him　not　to　attempt　anything　that　day；　because　it　was　late；　he　told　him　that　he　should　disgrace　the　Hellespont　should　he　fear　the　Granicus。　And　so；　without　more　saying；　he　immediately　took　the　river　with　thirteen　troops　of　horse；　and　advanced　against　whole　showers　of　darts　thrown　from　the　steep　opposite　side；　which　was　covered　with　armed　multitudes　of　the　enemy's　horse　and　foot；　notwithstanding　the　disadvantage　of　the　ground　and　the　rapidity　of　the　stream；　so　that　the　action　seemed　to　have　more　frenzy　and　desperation　in　it；　than　of　prudent　conduct。　However；　he　persisted　obstinately　to　gain　the　passage；　and　at　last　with　much　ado　making　his　way　up　the　banks；　which　were　extremely　muddy　and　slippery；　he　had　instantly　to　join　in　a　mere　confused　hand…to…hand　combat　with　the　enemy；　before　he　could　draw　up　his　men；　who　were　still　passing　over；　into　any　order。　For　the　enemy　pressed　upon　him　with　loud　and　warlike　outcries；　and　charging　horse　against　horse；　with　their　lances；　after　they　had　broken　and　spent　these；　they　fell　to　it　with　their　swords。　And　Alexander；　being　easily　known　by　his　buckler；　and　a　large　plume　of　white　feathers　on　each　side　of　his　helmet；　was　attacked　on　all　sides；　yet　escaped　wounding；　though　his　cuirass　was　pierced　by　a　javelin　in　one　of　the　joinings。　And　Rhoesaces　and　Spithridates；　two　Persian　commanders；　falling　upon　him　at　once；　he　avoided　one　of　them；　and　struck　at　Rhoesaces；　who　had　a　good　cuirass　on；　with　such　force　that；　his　spear　breaking　in　his　hand；　he　was　glad　to　betake　himself　to　his　dagger。　While　they　were　thus　engaged；　Spithridates　came　up　on　one　side　of　him；　and　raising　himself　upon　his　horse；　gave　him　such　a　blow　with　his　battle…axe　on　the　helmet　that　he　cut　off　the　crest　of　it；　with　one　of　his　plumes；　and　the　helmet　was　only　just　so　far　strong　enough　to　save　him；　that　the　edge　of　the　weapon　touched　the　hair　of　his　head。　But　as　he　was　about　to　repeat　his　stroke；　Clitus；　called　the　black　Clitus；　prevented　him；　by　running　him　through　the　body　with　his　spear。　At　the　same　time　Alexander　despatched　Rhoesaces　with　his　sword。　While　the　horse　were　thus　dangerously　engaged；　the　Macedonian　phalanx　passed　the　river；　and　the　foot　on　each　side　advanced　to　fight。　But　the　enemy　hardly　sustaining　the　first　onset　soon　gave　ground　and　fled；　all　but　the　mercenary　Greeks；　who；　making　a　stand　upon　a　rising　ground；　desired　quarter；　which　Alexander；　guided　rather　by　passion　than　judgment；　refused　to　grant；　and　charging　them　himself　first；　had　his　horse　（not　Bucephalus；　but　another）　killed　under　him。　And　this　obstinacy　of　his　to　cut　off　these　experienced　desperate　men　cost　him　the　lives　of　more　of　his　own　soldiers　than　all　the　battle　before；　besides　those　who　were　wounded。　The　Persians　lost　in　this　battle　twenty　thousand　foot　and　two　thousand　five　hundred　horse。　On　Alexander's　side；　Aristobulus　says　there　were　not　wanting　above　four…and…thirty；　of　whom　nine　were　foot…soldiers；　and　in　memory　of　them　he　caused　so　many　statues　of　brass；　of　Lysippus's　making；　to　be　erected。　And　that　the　Grecians　might　participate　in　the　honour　of　his　victory　he　sent　a　portion　of　the　spoils　home　to　them　particularly　to　the　Athenians　three　hundred　bucklers；　and　upon　all　the　rest　he　ordered　this　inscription　to　be　set：　〃Alexander　the　son　of　Philip；　and　the　Grecians；　except　the　Lacedaemonians；　won　these　from　the　barbarians　who　inhabit　Asia。〃　All　the　plate　and　purple　garments；　and　other　things　of　the　same　kind　that　he　took　from　the　Persians；　except　a　very　small　quantity　which　he　reserved　for　himself；　he　sent　as　a　present　to　his　mother。　　　This　battle　presently　made　a　great　change　of　affairs　to　Alexander's　advantage。　For　Sardis　itself；　the　chief　seat　of　the　barbarian's　power　in　the　maritime　provinces；　and　many　other　considerable　places；　were　surrendered　to　him；　only　Halicarnassus　and　Miletus　stood　out；　which　he　took　by　force；　together　with　the　territory　about　them。　After　which　he　was　a　little　unsettled　in　his　opinion　how　to　proceed。　Sometimes　he　thought　it　best　to　find　out　Darius　as　soon　as　he　could；　and　put　all　to　the　hazard　of　a　battle；　another　while　he　looked　upon　it　as　a　more　prudent　course　to　make　an　entire　reduction　of　the　sea…coast；　and　not　to　seek　the　enemy　till　he　had　first　exercised　his　power　here　and　made　himself　secure　of　the　resources　of　these　provinces。　While　he　was　thus　deliberating　what　to　do；　it　happened　that　a　spring　of　water　near　the　city　of　Xanthus　in　Lycia；　of　its　own　accord；　swelled　over　its　banks；　and　threw　up　a　copper　plate；　upon　the　margin　of　which　was　engraven　in　ancient　characters；　that　the　time　would　come　when　the　Persian　empire　should　be　destroyed　by　the　Grecians。　Encouraged　by　this　accident；　he　proceeded　to　reduce　the　maritime　parts　of　Cilicia　and　Phoenicia；　and　passed　his　army　along　the　sea…coasts　of　Pamphylia　with　such　expedition　that　many　historians　have　described　and　extolled　it　with　that　height　of　admiration；　as　if　it　were　no　less　than　a　miracle；　and　an　extraordinary　effect　of　divine　favour；　that　the　waves　which　usually　come　rolling　in　violently　from　the　main；　and　hardly　ever　leave　so　much　as　a　narrow　beach　under　the　steep；　broken　cliffs　at　any　time　uncovered；　should　on　a　sudden　retire　to　afford　him　passage。　Menander；　in　one　of　his　comedies；　alludes　to　this　marvel　when　he　says…

　　　　　　　　　〃Was　Alexander　ever　favoured　more？　　　　　　　　　　　Each　man　I　wish　for　meets　me　at　my　door；　　　　　　　　　　　And　should　I　ask　for　passage　through　the　sea；　　　　　　　　　　　The　sea　I　doubt　not　would　retire　for　me。〃

　　But　Alexander　himself　in　his　epistles　mentions　nothing　unusual　in　this　at　all；　but　says　he　went　from　Phaselis；　and　passed　through　what　they　call　the　Ladders。　At　Phaselis　he　stayed　some　time；　and　finding　the　statue　of　Theodectes；　who　was　a　native　of　this　town　and　was　now　dead；　erected　in　the　market…place；　after　he　had　supped；　having　drunk　pretty　plentifully；　he　went　and　danced　about　it；　and　crowned　it　with　garlands；　honouring　not　ungracefully；　in　his　sport；　the　memory　of　a　philosopher　whose　conversation　he　had　formerly　enjoyed　when　he　was　Aristotle's　scholar。　　　Then　he　subdued　the　Pisidians　who　made　head　against　him；　and　conquered　the　Phrygians；　at　whose　chief　city；　Gordium；　which　is　said　to　be　the　seat　of　the　ancient　Midas；　he　saw　the　famous　chariot　fastened　with　cords　made　of　the　rind　of　the　cornel…tree；　which　whosoever　should　untie；　the　inhabitants　had　a　tradition；　that　for　him　was　reserved　the　empire　of　the　world。　Most　authors　tell　the　story　that　Alexander　finding　himself　unable　to　untie　the　knot；　the　ends　of　which　were　secretly　twisted　round　and　folded　up　within　it；　cut　it　asunder　with　his　sword。　But　Aristobulus　tells　us　it　was　easy　for　him　to　undo　it；　by　only　pulling　the　pin　out　of　the　pole；　to　which　the　yoke　was　tied；　and　afterwards　drawing　off　the　yoke　itself　from　below。　From　hence　he　advanced　into　Paphlagonia　and　Cappadocia；　both　which　countries　he　soon　reduced　to　obedience；　and　then　hearing　of　the　death　of　Memnon；　the　best　commander　Darius　had　upon　the　sea…coasts；　who；　if　he　had　lived；　might；　it　was　supposed；　have　put　many　impediments　and　difficulties　in　the　way　of　the　progress　of　his　arms；　he　was　the　rather　encouraged　to　carry　the　war　into　the　upper　provinces　of　Asia。　　　Darius　was　by　this　time　upon　his　march　from　Susa；　very　confident；　not　only　in　the　number　of　his　men；　which　amounted　to　six　hundred　thousand；　but　likewise　in　a　dream；　which　the　Persian　soothsayers　interpreted　rather　in　flattery　to　him　than　according　to　the　natural　probability。　He　dreamed　that　he　saw　the　Macedonian　phalanx　all　on　fire；　and　Alexander　waiting　on　him；　clad　in　the　same　dress　which　he　himself　had　been　used　to　wear　when　he　was　courier　to　the　late　king；　after　which；　going　into　the　temple　of　Belus；　he　vanished　out　of　his　sight。　The　dream　would　appear　to　have　supernaturally　signified　to　him　the　illustrious　actions　the　Macedonians　were　to　perform；　and　that　as　he；　from　a　courier's　place；　had　risen　to　the　throne；　so　Alexander　should　come　to　be　master　of　Asia；　and　not　long　surviving　his　conquests；　conclude　his　life　with　glory。　Darius's　confidence　increased　the　more；　because　Alexander　spent　so　much　time　in　Cilicia；　which　he　imputed　to　his　cowardice。　But　it　was　sickness　that　detained　him　there；　which　some　say　he　contracted　from　his　fatigues；　others　from　bathing　in　the　river　Cydnus；　whose　waters　were　exceedingly　cold。　However　it　happened；　none　of　his　physicians　would　ve