333. 



[ 214 ] 



subjection, all the other Greek cities of Asia joyfully opened their 

 gates, and hailed him their deliverer from the bondage of Persia. 

 The approach of winter put an end to the first campaign, and left 

 him at full leisure to provide for the security of his new con- 

 quests. 



Alexander, about this period, took the uncommon resolution of 

 entirely dismissing his fleet; another circumstance that strongly 

 evinces how very remote from his thoughts was an idea of re- 

 turning to his hereditary dominions, and that he thought Asia already 

 his own. At the same time, he took effectual care to render the 

 Persian fleet useless, by immediate and vigorous efforts to make 

 himself master of all the ports on its extended coast. To this end , 

 having obtained fresh recruits to his army from Greece, during the 

 Before Christ, winter, early in the spring of the year 333, he began his march 

 through Phrygia, Pamphylia, Cappadocia, and the other maritime 

 provinces of Asia Minor, all which he rapidly subdued, appointing 

 governors to each from the number of his most tried friends. In the 

 mean time, Darius was by no means inactive. At the desire of M em- 

 non himself, he dispatched that faithful and enterprising officer with 

 a considerable army into Greece, with the view of exciting insur- 

 rection among the Greek states, and of compelling Alexander to re- 

 turn to the defence of his hereditary dominions. The unfortunate 

 death of Memnon, by sickness, before Mytelene, which city he 

 was at that time besieging, frustrated all the intended effects of 

 this wise project ; and Darius, now convinced of the necessity of 

 vigorous exertion, summoned the forces of his vast empire to Baby- 

 lon, where they assembled to the amount of nearly half a million. 

 Instead, however, of waiting for Alexander in the wide plains of 

 that province where his immense army, and, in particular, his 

 cavalry, would have room to act to the greatest advantage against an 

 army so very inferior, his evil genius hurried him into the fatal 







