the description of this second battle, (which is indeed nowhere well described, neither for the confusion and hasty running away of the Asians could it be,) we have enough, by the slaughter that was made of them, and by the few that fell of the Macedonians, to inform us what manner of resistance was made. For if it be true that threescore thousand Persian footmen were slain in this battle, with ten thousand of their horsemen; or (as Curtius saith) an hundred thousand footmen, with the same number of horsemen, and besides this slaughter forty thousand taken prisoners, while of Alexander's army there miscarried but two hundred and fourscore of all sorts, of which numbers Arianus and other historians cut off almost the one half; I do verily believe that this small number rather died with the over-travail and pains-taking in killing their enemies, than by any strokes received from them. And surely if the Persian nation (at this time degenerate, and the basest of the world) had had any savour remaining of the ancient valour of their forefathers, they would never have sold so good cheap, and at so vile a price, the mother, the wife, the daughters, and other the king's children, had their own honour been valued by them at nothing, and the king's safety and his estate at less. Darius by this time found it true that Charidemus, a banished Grecian of Athens, had told him, when he made a view of his army about Babylon, to wit, that the multitude which he had assembled of divers nations, richly attired, but poorly armed, would be found more terrible to the inhabitants of the country, whom in passing by they would devour, than to the Macedonians, whom they meant to assail; who being all old and obedient soldiers, embattled in gross squadrons, which they call their phalanx, well covered with armour for defence, and furnished with weapons for offence of great advantage, would make so little account of his delicate Persians, loving their ease and their palate, being withal ill-armed and worse disciplined, as except it would please him to entertain (having so great abundance of treasure to do it withal) a sufficient number of the same Grecians, and so to encounter the Ma

cedonians with men of equal courage, he would repent him overlate, as taught by the miserable success like to follow.

But this discourse was so unpleasing to Darius, (who had been accustomed to nothing so much as to his own praises, and to nothing so little as to hear truth,) as he commanded that this poor Grecian should be presently slain; who while he was a sundering in the tormentor's hand, used this speech to the king, That Alexander, against whom he had given this good counsel, should assuredly revenge his death, and lay deserved punishment upon Darius for despising his advice.

It was the saying of a wise man: Desperata ejus principis salus est, cujus aures ita formatæ sunt, ut aspera quæ utilia, nec quicquam nisi jucundum accipiat; "That prince's safety is in a desperate case, whose ears judge all "that is profitable to be too sharp, and will entertain nothing that is unpleasant."

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"For liberty in counsel is the life and essence of coun"sel;" Libertas consilii est ejus vita et essentia, qua erepta consilium evanescit.

Darius did likewise value at nothing the advice given him by the Grecian soldiers that served him, who entreated him not to fight in the straits; but had they been counsellors and directors in that war, as they were underlings and commanded by others, they had with the help of a good troop of horsemen been able to have opposed the fury of Alexander, without any assistance of the Persian footmen. For when Darius was overthrown with all his cowardly and confused rabble, those Grecians, under their captain Amyntas, held firm, and marched away in order, in despite of the vanquishers. Old soldiers are not easily dismayed; we read in histories ancient and modern, what brave retreats have been made by them, though the rest of the army in which they have served hath been broken.

At the battle of Ravenna, where the imperials were beaten by the French, a squadron of Spaniards, old soldiers, came off unbroken and undismayed, whom when Gaston de Foix, duke of Nemours, and nephew to Lewis the Twelfth,

charged, as holding the victory not entire by their escape, he was overturned and slain in the place. For it is truly said of those men who by being acquainted with dangers fear them not, that, neglecto periculo imminentis mali opus ipsum quantumvis difficile aggrediuntur; "they go about "the business itself, how hard soever it be, not standing to "consider of the danger which the mischief hanging over "their heads may bring;" and as truly of those that know the wars but by hearsay, quod valentes sunt et prævalentes ante pericula, in ipsis tamen periculis discedunt; they have ability enough, and to spare, till dangers ap"pear; but when peril indeed comes, they get them gone."

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These Grecians also, that made the retract, advised Darius to retire his army into the plain of Mesopotamia, to the end that Alexander being entered into those large fields and great champaigns, he might have environed the Macedonians on all sides with his multitude; and withal they counselled him to divide that his huge army into parts, not committing the whole to one stroke of fortune, whereby he might have fought many battles, and have brought no greater numbers at once than might have been well marshalled and conducted. But this counsel was so contrary to the cowardly affections of the Persians, as they persuaded Darius to environ the Grecians which gave the advice, and to cut them in pieces as traitors. The infinite wisdom of God doth not work always by one and the same way, but very often in the alteration of kingdoms and estates, by taking understanding from the governors, so as they can neither give nor discern of counsels. For Darius, that would needs fight with Alexander upon a straitened piece of ground near unto the city of Issus, where he could bring no more hands to fight than Alexander could, (who by the advice of Parmenio stayed there, as in a place of best advantage,) was utterly overthrown, his treasure lost, his wife, mother, and children (whom the Grecians his followers had persuaded him to leave in Babylon or elsewhere) taken prisoners, and all their train of ladies spoiled of their rich garments, jewels, and honour. It is true, that both

the queen, with her daughters, who had the good hap to be brought to Alexander's presence, were entertained with all respect due unto their birth, their honours preserved, and their jewels and rich garments restored unto them; and though Darius's wife was a most beautiful lady, and his daughters of excellent form, yet Alexander mastered his affections towards them all; only it is reported out of Aristobolus the historian, that he embraced the wife of the valiant Memnon, her husband lately dead, who was taken flying from Damascus by Parmenio, at which time the daughters of Ochus, who reigned before Darius, and the wives. and children of all the nobility of Persia in effect fell into captivity; at which time also Darius's treasure (not lost at Issus) was seized, amounting to six thousand and two hundred talents of coin, and of bullion five hundred talents, with a world of riches besides.

Darius himself, leaving his brother dead, with divers other of his chief captains, (casting the crown from his head,) hardly escaped.

After this overthrow given unto Darius all Phoenicia (the city of Tyre excepted) was yielded to Alexander, of which Parmenio was made governor.

Aradus, Zidon, and Biblos, maritimate cities of great importance, of which one Strato was king, (but hated of the people,) acknowledged Alexander. Good fortune followed him so fast that it trod on his heels; for Antigonus, Alexander's lieutenant in Asia the Less, overthrew the Cappadocians, Paphlagonians, and others lately revolted; Aristodemus, Darius's admiral, had his fleet partly taken and in part drowned by the Macedonians newly levied; the Lacedæmonians that warred against Antipater were beaten, four thousand of those Greeks which made the retreat at the last battle, forsaking both the party of Darius and of Alexander, and led by Amyntas into Egypt, to hold it for themselves, were buried there; for the time was not yet come to divide kingdoms.

Alexander, to honour Hephaestion, whom he loved most, gave him power to dispose of the kingdom of Zidon. A

man of a most poor estate, that laboured to sustain his life, being of the royal blood, was commended by the people unto him, who changed his spade into a sceptre, so as he was beheld both a beggar and a king in one and the same hour.

It was a good desire of this new king, when, speaking to Alexander, he wished that he could bear his prosperity with the same moderation and quietness of heart that he had done his adversity; but ill done of Alexander, in that he would not perform in himself that which he commended in another man's desire; for it was a sign that he did but accompany, and could not govern his felicity.

While he made some stay in those parts, he received a letter from Darius, importing the ransom of his wife, his mother, and his children, with some other conditions of peace, but such as rather became a conqueror, than one that had now been twice shamefully beaten, not vouchsafing in his direction to style Alexander king. It is true that the Romans, after that they had received an overthrow by Pyrrhus, returned him a more scornful answer upon the offer of peace, than they did before the trial of his force. But as their fortunes were then in the spring, so that of Darius had already cast leaf, the one a resolved, well-armed and disciplined nation, the other cowardly and effeminate. Alexander disdained the offers of Darius, and sent him word, that he not only directed his letter to a king, but to the king of Darius himself.

SECT. V.

How Alexander besieged and won the city of Tyre. ALEXANDER coming near to the city of Tyre, received from them the present of a golden crown, with great store of victuals and other presents, which he took very thankfully, returning them answer, that he desired to offer a sacrifice to Hercules, the protector of their city, from whom he was descended. But the Tyrians like not his company within their walls, but tell him that the temple of Hercules was seated in the old city adjoining, now aban