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ally, Taxiles, (called Omphis by Curtius, with the addition of a 

 story not confirmed by any thing in Arrian,) now became evident ; 

 for, he not only refreshed his army during thirty days in his rich 

 and flourishing capital of Taxila, but experienced from his liberality 

 a repetition of such presents as would be most useful to him in 

 passing the probably hostile countries beyond the Hydaspes. He 

 also personally joined his army with a body of seven hundred horse 

 and five thousand foot, besides thirty elephants ; and to this step he 

 was induced not less by the. friendship which he had conceived for 

 Alexander, than the rooted antipathy which he is said to have 

 harboured against two rival princes, his neighbours, named by the 

 Greeks Abissares and Porus, whose dominions lay beyond the river 

 that bounded his dominion eastward. Abissares, however, by far the 

 weakest of the two, hastened to make his peace with his now for- 

 midable enemy, while Alexander yet abode at Taxila, and his sub- 

 mission was benignantly received ; the ambassadors sent by him 

 being treated with respect, and the presents transmitted honoured with 

 the return of others. Another chieftain, also, named by the Greeks 

 Doxareas, and said to have reigned in these districts, made submissive 

 tenders to Alexander, and added considerable presents to purchase 

 his favour and protection. But Porus, or as, on Sanscreet authority, we 

 should more correctly denominate him, PAURAVA, sovereign of the 

 region beyond the Hjdaspes, resolutely refused tamely to yield up to 

 a foreign invader the independance of his warlike nation and the 

 throne of his illustrious progenitors. To the heralds sent to demand 

 the payment of tribute, in proof of his obedience, and that he 

 Avould meet the Macedonian conqueror on the confines of his 

 dominion, the high-minded monarch exclaimed, " that he ac- 

 knowledged no victor, and would transmit no tribute ; that, indeed, 

 he would meet Alexander on his frontier, but that it should not be 

 as a suppliant or as a vassal ; it should be in arms, in arms, 



