The Anabasis of Alexander : $b or, The history of the wars and conquests of Alex

When I began this Translation, more than two years ago, I had no intention of publishing it; but as the work progressed, it occurred to me that Arrian is an Author deserving of more attention from the English-speaking races than he has yet received. No edition of his works has, so far as I am aware, ever appeared in England, though on the Continent many have been published. In the following Translation I have tried to give as literal a rendering of the Greek text as I could without transgressing the idioms of our own language. My theory of the duty of a Translator is, to give the ipsissima verba of his Author as nearly as possible, and not put into his mouth words which he never used, under the mistaken notion of improving his diction or his way of stating his case. It is a comparatively easy thing to give a paraphrase of a foreign work, presenting the general drift of the original; but no one, unless he has himself tried it, can understand the difficulty of translating a classical Author correctly without omission or mutilation.

In the Commentary which I have compiled, continual reference has been made to the other extant authorities on the history of Alexander, such as Diodorus, Plutarch, Curtius, Justin, and Aelian; so that I think I may safely assert that, taking the Translation and the Notes together, the book forms a complete history of Alexander's reign. Much geographical and other material has also been gathered from Herodotus, Strabo, Pliny, and Ammianus; and the allusions to the places which are also mentioned in the Old Testament are given from the Hebrew.

As Arrian lived in the second century of the present era, and nearly five hundred years after Demosthenes, it is not to be expected that he wrote classical Greek. There are, however, at least a dozen valuable Greek authors of this century whose works are still extant, and of these it is a safe statement to make, that Arrian is the best of them all, with the single exception of Lucian. I have noticed as many of his deviations from Attic Greek constructions as I thought suitable to a work of this kind. A complete index of Proper Names has been added, and the quantities of the vowels marked for the aid of the English Reader. In the multiplicity of references which I have put into the Notes, I should be sanguine if I imagined that no errors will be found; but if such occur, I must plead as an excuse the pressure of work which a teacher in a large school experiences, leaving him very little energy for literary labour.

E. J. C.

DUMFRIES, December, 1883. BOOK I.

CHAP.

I. Death of Philip and Accession of Alexander.—His Wars with the Thracians 8

II. Battle with the Triballians 12

III. Alexander at the Danube and in the Country of the Getae 14

IV. Alexander destroys the City of the Getae.—The Ambassadors of the Celts 16

V. Revolt of Clitus and Glaucias 18

VI. Defeat of Clitus and Glaucias 22

VII. Revolt of Thebes (September, B.C. 335) 25

VIII. Fall of Thebes 28

IX. Destruction of Thebes 31

X. Alexander's Dealings with Athens 34

XI. Alexander crosses the Hellespont and visits Troy 36

XII. Alexander at the Tomb of Achilles.—Memnon's advice Rejected by the Persian Generals 38

XIII. Battle of the Granicus (B.C. 334) 41

XIV. Arrangement of the Hostile Armies 43

XV. Description of the Battle of the Granicus 45

XVI. Defeat of the Persians.—Loss on Both Sides 47

XVII. Alexander in Sardis and Ephesus 50

XVIII. Alexander marches to Miletus and Occupies the Island of Lade 52

XIX. Siege and Capture of Miletus 55

XX. Siege of Halicarnassus.—Abortive Attack on Myndus 58

XXI. Siege of Halicarnassus 61

XXII. Siege of Halicarnassus 63

XXIII. Destruction of Halicarnassus.—Ada, Queen of Caria 64

XXIV. Alexander in Lycia and Pamphylia 66

XXV. Treason of Alexander, Son of Aëropus 68

XXVI. Alexander in Pamphylia.—Capture of Aspendus and Side 70

XXVII. Alexander in Phrygia and Pisidia 72

XXVIII. Operations in Pisidia 74

XXIX. Alexander in Phrygia 76

BOOK II.

I. Capture of Mitylene by the Persians.—Death of Memnon 78

II. The Persians capture Tenedus.—They are Defeated at Sea 80

III. Alexander at Gordium 82

IV. Conquest of Cappadocia.—Alexander's Illness at Tarsus 84

V. Alexander at the Tomb of Sardanapalus.—Proceedings in Cilicia 87

VI. Alexander advances to Myriandrus.—Darius Marches against him 89

VII. Darius at Issus.—Alexander's Speech to his Army 91

VIII. Arrangement of the Hostile Armies 94

IX. Alexander changes the Disposition of his Forces 97

X. Battle of Issus 99

XI. Defeat and Flight of Darius 101

XII. Kind Treatment of Darius's Family 104

XIII. Flight of Macedonian Deserters into Egypt.—Proceedings of Agis, King of Sparta.—Alexander occupies Phoenicia 106

XIV. Darius's Letter, and Alexander's Reply 111

XV. Alexander's Treatment of the Captured Greek Ambassadors.—Submission of Byblus and Sidon 114

XVI. The Worship of Hercules in Tyre.—The Tyrians refuse to admit Alexander 117

XVII. Speech of Alexander to his Officers 120

XVIII. Siege of Tyre.—Construction of a Mole from the Mainland to the Island 121

XIX. The Siege of Tyre 123

XX. Tyre Besieged by Sea as well as Land 124

XXI. Siege of Tyre 127

XXII. Siege of Tyre.—Naval Defeat of the Tyrians b 129

XXIII. Siege of Tyre 131

XXIV. Capture of Tyre 132

XXV. The Offers of Darius rejected.—Batis, Governor of Gaza, refuses to Submit 134

XXVI. Siege of Gaza 136

XXVII. Capture of Gaza 137

BOOK III.

I. Conquest of Egypt.—Foundation of Alexandria 140

II. Foundation of Alexandria.—Events in the Aegean 142

III. Alexander visits the Temple of Ammon 144

IV. The Oasis of Ammon 147

V. Settlement of the Affairs of Egypt 148

VI. March into Syria.—Alexander's Kindness to Harpalus and his other early Adherents 150

VII. Passage of the Euphrates and Tigris 152

VIII. Description of Darius's Army at Arbela 154

IX. Alexander's Tactics.—His Speech to the Officers 157

X. Rejection of Parmenio's Advice 159

XI. Tactics of the Opposing Generals 160

XII. Alexander's Tactics 163

XIII. The Battle of Arbela 164

XIV. Battle of Arbela.—Flight of Darius 166

XV. Defeat of the Persians and Pursuit of Darius 168

XVI. Escape of Darius into Media.—March of Alexander to Babylon and Susa 170

XVII. Subjugation of the Uxians 174

XVIII. Defeat of Ariobarzanes and Capture of Persepolis 176

XIX. Darius pursued into Media and Parthia 179

XX. March through the Caspian Gates 181

XXI. Darius is Assassinated by Bessus 182

XXII. Reflections on the Fate of Darius 185

XXIII. Expedition into Hyrcania 187

XXIV. Expedition against the Mardians 189

XXV. March to Bactra.—Bessus aided by Satibarzanes 191

XXVI. Philotas and Parmenio put to Death 193

XXVII. Treatment of Amyntas.—The Ariaspians 195

XXVIII. Alexander crosses the Hindu-Koosh 196

XXIX. Conquest of Bactria, and Pursuit of Bessus across the Oxus 199

XXX. Capture of Bessus.—Exploits in Sogdiana 201

BOOK IV.

I. Rebellion of the Sogdianians 205

II. Capture of Five Cities in Two Days 206

III. Storming of Cyropolis.—Revolt of the Scythians 208

IV. Defeat of the Scythians beyond the Tanais 210

V. Spitamenes destroys a Macedonian Detachment 212

VI. Spitamenes driven into the Desert 214

VII. Treatment of Bessus 216

VIII. The Murder of Clitus 218

IX. Alexander's grief for Clitus 221

X. Dispute between Callisthenes and Anaxarchus 223

XI. Callisthenes Opposes the Proposal to honour Alexander by Prostration 225

XII. Callisthenes refuses to Prostrate himself 228

XIII. Conspiracy of the Pages 229

XIV. Execution of Callisthenes and Hermolaüs 231

XV. Alliance with the Scythians and Chorasmians 233

XVI. Subjugation of Sogdiana.—Revolt of Spitamenes 235

XVII. Defeat and Death of Spitamenes 237

XVIII. Oxyartes Besieged in the Sogdian Rock 239

XIX. Alexander Captures the Rock and Marries Roxana 241

XX. Magnanimous Treatment of the Family of Darius 242

XXI. Capture of the Rock of Chorienes 244

XXII. Alexander reaches the River Cabul, and Receives the Homage of Taxiles 246

XXIII. Battles with the Aspasians 248

XXIV. Operations against the Aspasians 250

XXV. Defeat of the Aspasians.—The Assacenians and Guraeans Attacked 252

XXVI. Siege of Massaga 254

XXVII. Sieges of Massaga and Ora 255

XXVIII. Capture of Bazira.—Advance to the Rock of Aornus 257

XXIX. Siege of Aornus 260

XXX. Capture of Aornus.—Arrival at the Indus 262

BOOK V.

I. Alexander at Nysa 265

II. Alexander at Nysa 267

III. Incredulity of Eratosthenes.—Passage of the Indus 269

IV. Digression about India 270

V. Mountains and Rivers of Asia 273

VI. General Description of India 274

VII. Method of Bridging Rivers 277

VIII. March from the Indus to the Hydaspes 279

IX. Porus obstructs Alexander's Passage 280

X. Alexander and Porus at the Hydaspes 282

XI. Alexander's Stratagem to get across 283

XII. Passage of the Hydaspes 284

XIII. Passage of the Hydaspes 285

XIV. The Battle at the Hydaspes 287

XV. Arrangements of Porus 288

XVI. Alexander's Tactics 290

XVII. Defeat of Porus 291

XVIII. Losses of the Combatants.—Porus Surrenders 293

XIX. Alliance with Porus.—Death of Bucephalas 295

XX. Conquest of the Glausians.—Embassy from Abisares.—Passage of the Acesines 297

XXI. Advance beyond the Hydraotes 299

XXII. Invasion of the Land of the Cathaeans 301

XXIII. Assault upon Sangala 302

XXIV. Capture of Sangala 304

XXV. The Army refuses to Advance.—Alexander's Speech to the Officers 306

XXVI. Alexander's Speech (continued) 308

XXVII. The Answer of Coenus 311

XXVIII. Alexander resolves to Return 313

XXIX. Alexander recrosses the Hydraotes and Acesines 314

BOOK VI.

I. Preparations for a Voyage down the Indus 317

II. Voyage down the Hydaspes 318

III. Voyage down the Hydaspes (continued) 320

IV. Voyage down the Hydaspes into the Acesines 321

V. Voyage down the Acesines 323

VI. Campaign against the Mallians 324

VII. Campaign against the Mallians (continued) 326

VIII. Defeat of the Mallians at the river Hydraotes 328

IX. Storming of the Mallian Stronghold 329

X. Alexander dangerously Wounded 331

XI. Alexander Wounded 333

XII. Anxiety of the Soldiers about Alexander 335

XIII. Joy of the Soldiers at Alexander's Recovery 336

XIV. Voyage down the Hydraotes and Acesines into the Indus 338

XV. Voyage down the Indus to the Land of Musicanus 340

XVI. Campaign against Oxycanus and Sambus 342

XVII. Musicanus Executed.—Capture of Patala 343

XVIII. Voyage down the Indus 345

XIX. Voyage down the Indus into the Sea 346

XX. Exploration of the Mouths of the Indus 348

XXI. Campaign against the Oritians 349

XXII. March through the Desert of Gadrosia 351

XXIII. March through the Desert of Gadrosia 353

XXIV. March through Gadrosia 355

XXV. Sufferings of the Army 356

XXVI. Alexander's Magnanimous Conduct 358

XXVII. March through Carmania.—Punishment of Viceroys 360

XXVIII. Alexander in Carmania 362

XXIX. Alexander in Persis.—Tomb of Cyrus Repaired 364

XXX. Peucestas appointed Viceroy of Persis 367

BOOK VII.

I. Alexander's Plans.—The Indian Philosophers 369

II. Alexander's Dealings with the Indian Sages 371

III. Self-sacrifice of the Indian Calanus 372

IV. Marriages between Macedonians and Persians 374

V. The Soldiers Rewarded 376

VI. An Army of Asiatics Trained under the Macedonian Discipline 378

VII. Navigation of the Tigres 379

VIII. The Macedonians Offended at Alexander 381

IX. Alexander's Speech 383

X. Alexander's Speech (continued) 386

XI. Reconciliation between Alexander and his Army 387

XII. Ten Thousand Macedonians sent Home with Craterus.—Disputes between Antipater and Olympias 390

XIII. The Nisaean Plain.—The Amazons 393

XIV. Death of Hephaestion 395

XV. Subjugation of the Cossaeans.—Embassies from Distant Nations 398

XVI. Exploration of the Caspian.—The Chaldaean Soothsayers 400

XVII. The Advice of the Chaldees rejected 402

XVIII. Predictions of Alexander's Death 404

XIX. Embassies from Greece.—Fleet prepared for Invading Arabia 406

XX. Description of Arabia.—Voyage of Nearchus 408

XXI. Description of the Euphrates and the Pallacopas 411

XXII. An Omen of Alexander's Approaching Death 412

XXIII. The Army Recruited from the Persians.—Hephaestion's Memory Honoured 414

XXIV. Another Omen of Alexander's Death 417

XXV. Alexander Seized with Fever 418

XXVI. Alexander's Death 420

XXVII. Rumour that Alexander was Poisoned 421

XXVIII. Character of Alexander 422

XXIX. Apology for Alexander's Errors 424

XXX. Eulogy of Alexander 425

Index of Proper Names 429

ERRATA.

Page 3. Four lines from the bottom, for Anab. v. 1, read v. 5, 1. Page 8. Note 1, for Diod., xix. 93, 94; read xvi. 93, 94. Note 3, for Diod., xvi. 85; read xvii. 4. Page 48. For Onares read Omares. Page 108. (Note) for Zeph. i. 2; read 11. Page 116. (Note) for Paradise Lost, viii. 18; read i. 446.

LIFE AND WRITINGS OF ARRIAN.

All we know of Arrian is derived from the notice of him in the Bibliotheca of Photius, who was Patriarch of Constantinople in the ninth century, and from a few incidental references in his own writings. We learn from Suidas that Dion Cassius wrote a biography of Arrian; but this work is not extant. Flavius Arrianus was born near the end of the first century of the Christian era, at Nicomedia, the capital of Bithynia. He became a pupil of the famous Stoic philosopher Epictetus, and afterwards went to Athens, where he received the surname of the "younger Xenophon," from the fact that he occupied the same relation to Epictetus as Xenophon did to Socrates. Not only was he called Xenophon by others, but he calls himself so in Cynegeticus (v. 6); and in Periplus (xii. 5; xxv. 1), he distinguishes Xenophon by the addition the elder. Lucian (Alexander, 56) calls Arrian simply Xenophon. During the stay of the emperor Hadrian at Athens, A.D. 126, Arrian gained his friendship. He accompanied his patron to Rome, where he received the Roman citizenship. In consequence of this, he assumed the name of Flavius. In the same way the Jewish historian, Josephus, had been allowed by Vespasian and Titus to bear the imperial name Flavius.

Photius says, that Arrian had a distinguished career in Rome, being entrusted with various political offices, and at last reaching the supreme dignity of consul under Antoninus Pius. Previous to this he was appointed (A.D. 132) by Hadrian, Governor of Cappadocia, which province was soon after invaded by the Alani, or Massagetae, whom he defeated and expelled. When Marcus Aurelius came to the throne, Arrian withdrew into private life and returned to his native city, Nicomedia. Here, according to Photius, he was appointed priest to Demeter and Persephone. He died in the reign of Marcus Aurelius.

The earlier literary efforts of Arrian were philosophical. After the expulsion of the philosophers from Rome, by Domitian, Epictetus delivered his lectures at Nicopolis, in Epirus, where it is probable that Arrian was his pupil.

I. These lectures were published by Arrian, under the title of Discourses of Epictetus, in eight books, the first four only of which have come down to us. He tells us himself in the introduction to this work, that he strove as far as possible to preserve the very words of his teacher as mementoes of his method of reasoning and diction. Gellius (xix. 1) speaks of a fifth book of these Discourses.

II. He also compiled The Enchiridion of Epictetus, an abstract of the philosophy of Epictetus, which is still extant. This manual of the Stoic moral philosophy was very popular, both among Pagans and Christians, for many centuries.

III. Another work by Arrian, in twelve books, distinct from the above, is mentioned by Photius under the title of "Ὁμιλίαι Ἐπικτήτου", or Friendly Conversations with Epictetus. Of this only a few fragments survive.

IV. Another lost work of Arrian on the life and death of Epictetus is mentioned by Simplicius in the beginning of his Commentary on the Enchiridion.

V. Besides editing these philosophical works, Arrian wrote many original books. By far the most important of these is the Anabasis of Alexander, or the History of Alexander the Great's Campaigns. This is one of the most authentic and accurate of historical works. Though inspired with admiration for his hero, the author evinces impartiality and freedom from hero-worship. He exhibits great literary acuteness in the choice of his authorities and in sifting evidence. The two chief sources from which he drew his narrative were the histories written by Ptolemy, son of Lagus, and Aristobulus, son of Aristobulus, both of whom were officers in Alexander's army. Other authorities quoted by Arrian himself were:—Eratosthenes, Megasthenes, Nearchus, Aristus, and Asclepiades. He also made use of Alexander's letters, which he mentions five times; only once, however, quoting the exact words of the writer. The last authority which he mentions, is the Royal Diary kept by Eumenes, of Cardia, the private secretary of Philip as well as of Alexander, and by the historian Diodotus, of Erythrae. It is used by Arrian only once, as it is by Plutarch.

VI. The work named Indica, is a description of India, and was usually united in manuscripts with the Anabasis, as an eighth book. Though it may be looked upon as a supplement to the Anabasis, Arrian often refers in the one work to the other. From this we may infer that the author wished the Indica to be considered a distinct book from the Anabasis; and from the remark in Anab. v. 1, it is clear that it was composed after the Anabasis. This book is written in the Ionic dialect, like the History of Herodotus and the Indica of Ctesias. The latter untrustworthy book Arrian wished to supplant by his own narrative, principally based on the works of Megasthenes and Nearchus.

VII. Photius mentions among Arrian's historical works:—The Events after Alexander, in ten books, which gives the history of Alexander's successors. Photius (cod. 92) has preserved many extracts from this work.

VIII. Bithynica in eight books, a work often quoted by Eustathius in his commentaries to the Iliad and to Dionysius Periegetes. In regard to the contents of this book, Photius (cod. 93) says:—"The Bithynica commences from the mythical events of history and comes down as far as the death of the last Nicomedes, who at his death bequeathed his kingdom to the Romans, who had never been ruled by a king after the expulsion of Tarquin."

IX. Parthica, in seventeen books. See Photius (cod. 58).

X. History of the Alani. See Photius (cod. 93). Only fragments of this and the Parthica remain.

XI. Besides the large works, we learn from Photius (cod. 93) that Arrian wrote the biographies of the Corinthian Timoleon and of the Syracusan Dion. Lucian (Alex. 2), also states that he wrote the life of Tilliborus, the notorious robber of Asia Minor.

XII. A valuable geographical work by Arrian has come down to us, called "Περίπλους πόντου Εὐξείνου", a description of a voyage round the coasts of the Euxine. This naval expedition was executed by him as Governor of Cappadocia. The Alani, or, Albani of the East, a tribe related to the Massagetae, were threatening to invade his province, and he made this voyage with a view of fortifying the most important strategic points on the coast. From section 26 of the Periplus we find that this voyage must have taken place about the year 131 or 132 A.D.; for the death of King Cotys II., noticed in that passage as just dead, is proved by Böckh's investigations to have occurred in 131 A.D. Two other geographical works, The Periplus of the Red Sea and The Periplus of the Euxine, formerly ascribed to Arrian, are proved to belong to a later date.

XIII. A work on Tactics, composed 137 A.D. In many parts this book agrees nearly verbally with the larger work of Aelian on the same subject; but Leo Tacticus (vii. 85) expressly mentions the two works as distinct.

XIV. An Array of Battle against the Alani, is a fragment discovered in the seventeenth century in the Description of his Battles with the Alani, who invaded his province, probably 137 A.D., as Arrian had previously feared.

XV. A small work by Arrian on the Chase, forms a supplement to Xenophon's book on the same subject. It is entitled Cynegeticus of Arrian or the second Xenophon the Athenian.