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united their requests that he would not engage personally in an 

 attack, which would, probably, be attended with inevitable destruc- 

 tion to the first assailants. The instant, however, the trumpets 

 sounded, as a signal for that attack, Alexander flew like lightning 

 to the spot, and, bidding his valiant guards follow their sovereign's 

 steps, began laboriously to climb the rock. The whole army, ani- 

 mated by his example, in a transport of enthusiasm, encouraging 

 one another with shouts and songs, pressed eagerly forward to the 

 steep ascent, and every instrument used in escalade was diligently em- 

 ployed to facilitate their progress. That diligence, however, was, in 

 the first instance, utterly fruitless ; for, the besieged rolled down upon 

 them, from above, stones of a vast magnitude, rendered irresistible by 

 the velocity of their descent, which bore them violently back again, 

 and, while some fell, dreadfully bruised and mangled, to the ground, 

 others were precipitated into the Suvat, where they were ingulphed. 

 This novel mode of fighting, added to this resolute opposition, struck 

 no dismay into the mind of Alexander, nor annihilated the hopes he 

 had formed of finally reducing Aornus. Deriving only additional 

 vigour from the increase of danger, the army redoubled its efforts to 

 ascend the rock ; but, from its steepness and the smoothness of its 

 surface, they could gain no firm hold nor footing ; while the hard- 

 ness of its substance resisted, like adamant, the edge of the tools 

 with which they in vain endeavoured to pierce its sides and fix the 

 scaling-ladders. Still, however, they undauntedly persevered. Again 

 and again baffled, they as repeatedly renewed their attacks ; but 

 Alexander, seeing no prospect of success by open assault, and being 

 filled with commiseration for the brave men, who were perishing in 

 multitudes around him, at length ordered a retreat to be sounded. 

 A close and prolonged blockade might be productive of famine 

 among the innumerable throng who had shut themselves up in the 



