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CHAPTER IV. 



ALEXANDER pursues BESSUS into Bactria. Traverses the Northern 

 Asia. Crosses PAROPAMISUS. Conquers the Nations to the 

 West of the INDUS. Passage of the INDUS. Of the HY- 

 DASPES. Battle with PORUS, orPAURAVA; and Subjugation 

 of Western India. The Army mutinies. He erects stupendous 

 Altars, and returns. Voyage down the INDUS. Progress of 

 the Army through GEDROSIA, and of the Fleet up the PERSIAN 

 GULPH. Return to BABYLON. Death of ALEXANDER. 

 Conclusion. 



J-HE mighty projects of Alexander were now approaching to 

 maturity, and Asia bows her head to the hereditary sovereign of the 

 small kingdom of Macedon. Indignation at the unworthy treatment 

 of Darius, and solicitude to revenge the insult offered, in the 

 murder of that prince, by his rebellious subjects, to thrones and 

 the imperial dignity in general, urged Alexander to continue the 

 pursuit of Bessus into the more northern provinces of Asia. This, 

 however, was not done immediately, as the treason of that regicide, 

 and his assumption of the purple, awakened indeed his resentment, 

 but inspired him with no apprehension. He wished to render per- 

 manent the conquests he had recently made, and to prevent the 

 danger of revolt, by striking that terror into the adjoining provinces 

 which his presence with a victorious army so powerfully excited 

 wheresoever he went. Many hardy and valiant nations, also, in 

 that region of Asia, remained to be subjugated; and, therefore, 

 quitting Parthia, the Macedonian army marched into Hyrcania, 



