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Christ, into Syria, where the cities of Biblos and Sidon immediately 

 threw open their gates to him ; but the merchant-princes of Tyre, 

 probably conjecturing his real intentions, refused to admit his army 

 within their walls, and prepared, without a moment's delay, for 

 active and resolute resistance. There is scarcely any event more 

 celebrated in the history of Alexander, or in the annals of maritime 

 Asia, than the prolonged and vigorous siege, the obstinate and 

 skilful defence, and final subversion, of Tyre, during which all the 

 military science at that time known was not only exerted, but ex- 

 hausted, by either party. It cost Alexander seven months to reduce 

 it, and this unexpected delay undoubtedly provoked him to take 

 that sanguinary revenge on its brave inhabitants, which remains a 

 deep and indelible blot on his memory. All the circumstances of 

 this memorable affair are minutely related by Arrian, and to that 

 author the reader is referred for those particulars which would swell 

 this volume to a disproportionate magnitude*. 



Twice, during this protracted interval, ambassadors had arrived 

 from Darius with offers of enormous sums as the ransom of the 

 captive royal family, and with earnest supplication for peace on 

 Alexander's own terms ; but his views admitted of no peace till Asia 

 was wholly subjugated : it was far from his intention to hold a di- 

 vided empire with another. Asia itself was scarcely large enough 

 for an Alexander. 



Though there are some inconsistencies in Josephus's disputed 

 account of the visit which Alexander paid to Jerusalem in his way 

 to Gaza, of his prostration of himself before the high priest, and 

 hearing the unequivocal prophecies relating to himself in Daniel, 

 read and explained to him in the temple, in' which he is also re- 

 corded by the same writer to have sacrificed to the true God ; yet I 



* Arrian, lib. ii. cap. 18-24. 



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