G R E 
He tlierefore difmounted five hundred of his cavalry; 
V laced the bravefi of his foot, coinpletely armed, on 
lioif'eback; and, coniniandinj^ Attains and Nicanor to 
juirfiie rlie great road which Beluis had followed, he ad¬ 
vanced in perfon with his chofen baml by a nearer way. 
From the dole of the evening rill day-break he had 
rode near fifty miles, when he firlt difccvered tlie enemy 
flying in diforder, and unarmed. Probably to facilitate 
their ovvji efcape, the fatraps Satibarzanes and Barza- 
entcs (tabbed Darius, and then rode away with BcHus, 
accompanied by fix hundred horle. Notwithfianding 
the celerity of Alexander, the unhappy Darius cxjnred, 
in tlif year before Chrill 330, before the conqueror be- 
b.eld him. Daiius was tiie bill king of the lionfe of 
Flyflafpes, and the tealh in fuccellion to the monarchy 
of Cyrus. In this arduous crifis, Alexander difplayed 
tender fympathy witli afflidion, and juft hatred of trea- 
fon. He gave orders, tliat the body of Darius (liould 
be removed witli every mark of rclped to Perfia, and 
folemnly interred in the royal maufoleum. The chil¬ 
dren of the deceafed prince were treated with thofe 
diftinitions which belonged to their birth ; and Barcine, 
his eldelt daughter, was finally efponfed by Alexando'. 
The pardon of the Greek mercenaries, who were ad- 
m'itied into the Macedonian fervice, and the honourable 
rcception'of Artabazus and his fons, well became the 
cliaradler of a prince, who could difeern and reward 
the merit of his enemies. Alexander then purfued the 
murderers of Darius through the inhofpitable territo¬ 
ries of the Arii and Zarangaei. Having received the 
fubmilnon of Aornos and Bathia, he pafiTed the rapid 
Oxus, and learned, on the ea-fiern banks of this river, 
that Belfus, who had betrayed his mailer, had been be¬ 
trayed in his turn by Spitamenes. The former was fur- 
prifed by tlic Macedonians, and treated with a barbarity 
better merited by his own crimes, than becoming the 
charadler of Alexander. 
Spitamenes fucceeded to his ambition and danger. 
In purfuit of this daring rebel, the refentment of Alex¬ 
ander hurried him through the vail provinces of Aria, 
Badtria, Sogdiana, and other confiderable divilions of 
the fouthern region of Tartary. I'h.e more northern 
and independent tribes of tliat immenfe country, whofe 
jfafioral life lormed an admirable preparation for war, 
ventured to take arms againfl: a conqueror who hovered 
on the frontier of their plains, and w hofe camp tempted 
them with the profpedt of a rich plunder. This was 
called the Badtrian and Scythian war, which commenced 
in the year before Chrifi: 329. Tlie policy of Spita¬ 
menes inflamed their courage, and animated their hopes. 
Thefe rude nations, and this obfeure leader, proved the 
mod dangerous enemies with whom Alexander had to 
contend. Sometimes they faced him in the field, and 
after obftinately refilling, retreated Ikilfully. Though 
never vanqui (lied, Alexander obtained many.dear-bought 
vidtories. The Scythians, on feveral occafions, furprifed 
hisadvanced parties, and interrupted his convoys. The 
abruptnel's of their attack was only equalled by the cd- 
lerity of their retreat; their numbers, their courage, 
and their llratagems, all rendered them formidable. 
But the enlightened intrepidity, and inimitable difei- 
pline, of the Greeks and Macedonians, finally prevailed 
over barbarian craft and defultory fury-. Not content 
with repelling thefe lavage foes, Alexander croH'ed the 
Jaxartes, and defeated the Scythians on the northern 
bank of that river. This vidlory was luificient for his 
renown; and the urgency of his affairs foon recalled 
him from that inholpitable country. The provinces 
between the Cafpian and Jaxartes tv/ice rebelled, and 
were twice reduced to lubmiffion. The barbarians 
fighting fingly were fuccelfively fubdned; their bravell 
troops were gradually intermixed in the Macedonian 
ranks ; and Alexander, thus continually reinforced by 
new numbers, was enabled to overawe thofe extenfive 
countries, by dividing his army into five formidable 
E C E. S43 
brigades, commanded by Ilephrefiion, Ptolemy, Per- 
diccas, Cxints, and himfelf. Near Gabx, a fortrefs of 
Sogdiana, Cxnus attacked and defeated Spitamenes, 
The Sogdians and Badlrians dclerted their unfortunate^ 
general, and fiirrendered th.eir arms to the conqueror. 
7 lic Malfagctx ;ind other Scythians, having plundered 
the camp of tiieir allies, fled -with Spitamenes to the 
defert; but being apprifed that tlie iVlacedpnians pre^ 
pared to piirfue tlicm, they flew this a6tive and daring 
chief, whofe courage clei'erved a better fate-; and in 
hopes of making their own peace, lent his liead to the 
conqueror. 
After the death of Spitamenes, in tlie year before 
Ciirifi 327, the enemy feebly refilled Alexander in tlie 
open country ; but in the provinces of Sogdiana and 
Parxtacene, two fortrclTes loiig deemed impregnable, 
ftill bade defiance to the invader. Into tlie former, 
Oxyartes the Baiflrian had placed his wife and cliildren. 
The rock was lleep, nigged, and inaccefiible, and pro¬ 
vided with corn for a long fiege. The deep (how, by 
which it was furroiinded, incrcafed the difficulty of a(- 
faulving it, and lupplied thegarrifon with.-water. Alex¬ 
ander, upon ruminoning the Bactrians to furrender,, was 
alked in derifion, Whether lie b.ad furnillied himfelf 
with winged foldiers? Thisinfolence piqued his pride ; 
and lie determined to make himfelf mailer of the for¬ 
trefs, with whatever difficulties and'dangers his under¬ 
taking might be attended. He propoled a reward of 
twelve talents to the man who lliould firll mount the 
top of the rock on which it was fituated. T. lie lecond 
and third were to be proportionably rewarded, and even 
the lalt of ten was to be gratified with the fiim of three 
hundred darics. The hopes of this recompence ftiinn- 
lated the mod daring and ingenious. Three hundred 
volunteers foon offered, who were furnillied with ropes 
maile of the llrongell flax, and with iron pins tiled in 
pitching tents. They were liketvile provided with 
finall pieces of linen, v.'hich, being joined together, 
migltt ferve as a fignal. Thus equipped, they pro¬ 
ceeded at the clofe of evening towards the moll abrupt 
fide of the rock, and therefore the inofl likely to be 
unguarded. By driving the iron pins into congealed 
fnovv, and then fallening-to tliem the ropes, they gra¬ 
dually hoifled themfelves up the mountain. By this 
fiinple contrivance, thofe daring adventurers gained the 
funimit of the rock, which overlooked the fortrefs ; 
and waving their fignal in the morning, were difeovered 
by Alexander. At this joyous fight, he fiiinmoned the 
belieged to furrender to his winged foldiers. The bar¬ 
barians beheld an'^ trembled ; terror multiplied the 
number of their enemies ; and Alexander was invited 
to take poireffion of the fortrefs. This Itrong and lii- 
therto unconquerable cafile contained Roxana, dangh. 
ter of Oxyartes, who was deemed, next to the fpoufe 
of Darius, the greatell beauty in tlie call. Alexander 
was captivated by her form and her acconiplifliments j 
but even in the fervour of youth, and the intoxication 
of profperity, his generous mind difdained tlie criiei 
rights of a conqueror, as jufiified by the maxims and 
example of his age and country. With a incderationi 
and felf-command, worthy the Icholar of Arillotie, he 
declined the embraces of his captive, till his condeu 
feending affeilion railed her to the throne, chooling ra¬ 
ther to offend the prejudices of the Macedonians, than, 
to tranfgrefs the laws of humanity. 
In Badlria, Alexander learned that the Parastaeie 
were in arms, and that many of his molt dangerous ene¬ 
mies had fhut themfelves up in the fortrefs of Chorienes., 
Upon this intelligence, he haflened to tlie Parastacene. 
The height of tlie rock, which was every-where deep 
and craggy, he found to be near three miles, and its. 
circumference above feven. It was furroiinded by a, 
broad and deep ditdh, at fiicli dillance from the bafu 
as placed the garrifon beyond the reach of millile wea¬ 
pons. Alexander gave orders that the fir-trees, of ex¬ 
traordinary 
