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easily have been spared from the treasures devoted to corrupt the 

 venal republics of Greece. Such, however, are the Persian tradi- 

 tional histories, and the quarrel and consequent irruption of Alexan- 

 der is by them referred to the following cause : The stipulated tri- 

 bute having been again withholden, an ambassador was dispatched 

 to the court of Macedon to demand it of the young monarch, who 

 returned this metaphorical answer; that the bird, which had been 

 Accustomed to lay those golden eggs, (the original term signifying 

 both an egg and a piece of money,) had taken its flight into the other 

 world. This message violently enraged Darius, who sent back the 

 ambassador with a second message, equally irritating and insulting, 

 accompanied with a present expressive of his marked contempt for 

 the person and power of the juvenile possessor of the Macedonian 

 throne. Before the Persian herald could arrive, Alexander had 

 taken the field at the head of an army, worthy of their general; an 

 army more brave than numerous, inflexibly determined, at all 

 hazards, to humble the overgrown power of Persia, and consisting 

 of the flower of the warlike progeny of Greece, collected from every 

 region, whence the most undaunted champions of freedom for 

 three centuries had issued forth to brave the fiercest rage of battle 

 and run the noblest career of glory. By far the greater part of his 

 infantry, however, were natives of the mountainous districts of the 

 Superior Macedonia, cradled in the forest and rocked by the storm, 

 who, having had their turbulent spirits regulated by the strict dis- 

 cipline of Philip, had constantly fought under his banners, and been 

 trained, from their youth, to conquest. Such, in general, were the 

 hardy bands that formed his infantry ; while the wide plains of 

 Thrace and Thessaly furnished him with squadrons of cavalry, the 

 most expert and daring in the world. The total amount is stated 

 by Arrian at thirty thousand foot and five thousand horse, with 



