Philosophy of Botany. 193 



timately and executed. This is the first instance in the annals 

 of history of the procedure of public combustion of condemned 

 writings. 



While at this epoch several speculative, philosophical schools 

 flourished ; the arts, dramatic poetry, and oratory had reached 

 the climax of perfection ; and peace reigned on the western 

 side of the Hellespont, the Macedonian campaign in Asia, the 

 culminating point in the strategy of ancient history, swept 

 over the Persian Empire, crushing the hereditary foes of 

 Greece. The daring and gifted son of the shrewd Philip of 

 Macedon, had in rapid strides subdued all the eastern nations 

 from the oasis of Jupiter Ammon to the distant Bactria. In 

 the short space of time between the battle on the Granicus 

 (June, B.C. 334) to the battle at Arbella and Gaugamela (Oc- 

 tober, B.C. 331) the whole of the Persian Empire, with all its 

 outlying appendages, had, by right of conquest, become the 

 property of the victor. With the death of Darius (July, B.C. 

 330), Alexander became also the legitimate heir to Darius, the 

 king, in accordance with Oriental custom and traditions. 



The unrestrained and ambitious Alexander came to a halt 

 only through the irrepressible objection of his entire army 

 after crossing the Indus in its upper course. He met and de- 

 feated there Porus, an independent ruler, in the populous and 

 rich Pendschab. Here the Macedonians for the first time 

 faced the peculiar Indian armament, a train of armed ele- 

 phants, who, though fierce and valiant fighters, could not with- 

 stand the undaunted valor of Alexander's warriors. The shores 

 of the Hyphasis, an eastern tributary of the Indus, on the foot 

 of the Himalayas, became the terminus of his advance. The 

 reduction of Persia was an act of policy and retribution. Fur- 

 ther extension of dominion would only glorify personal am- 

 bition, would be an impious frenzy. In a general council of 

 war the return was insisted upon, and the order for return met 

 the greatest gratification of the soldiers, whose homesick 

 hearts grieved for Hellas and the Olympian games. At the 

 end of the summer (B.C. 326) the home march was com- 

 menced, and continued into Persia under many difficulties and 

 exposures. Engaged with plans for the consolidation of his 

 empire, he designed to make Babylon his future residence. 



7 



