1 INVASION OF ALEXANDER, 69
2 his armour, the king formed a conspicuous mark for the archers who were
3 stationed on the adjoining battlements. Some of his assailants he killed
4 with his sword, others he hurled headlong down the ramparts. Some of
5 his soldiers, seeing their king in danger, attempted to scale the wall with
6 ladders; but such was the pressure upon them that they gave way in the
7 confusion. In the meanwhile, the fierce and dauntless spirit of Alexander
8 induced him to adopt a still more reckless measure. Observing that he
9 could not long retain his dangerous situation on the battlement, he
10 gallantly leaped into the fortress, followed by three of his officers, and
11 stood fighting among the thickest of the foe, resolving to conquer, or
12 die a hero’s death. The commander of the Indian army rushed upon
13 him sword in hand, but was run through the body by Alexander.
14 Many others who renewed the attack shared the samo fate. Alexander
15 and his companions, planting themselves against a wall, repelled every
16 attack. His eyes glowed fiercely, and such was the awe which his majestic
17 deportment and terrible features inspired, that at length none dared
18 approach him. The brave Abreas, who, with dauntless spirit, was fighting
19 by the side of his sovereign, was struck with an arrow through the temple
20 and expired at the feet of his royal master. Another arrow, three feet
21 in length, piercing Alexander’s breastplate, entered his body and wounded
22 him severely in the breast. A great deal of blood flowed from the wound,
23 but Alexander retained his equanimity, and, despising death, continued
24 fighting with undiminished ardour; but at length his strength failed
25 him, and, a dizziness seizing him, he fell forward on his shield, and his two
26 surviving companions covered his body with their shields, They, too, were
27 both severely wounded, but they forgot their own misfortunes in the suffer-
28 ings of their royal master. In the meantime, the excitement on the other
29 side of the wall was great. All chance of scaling the walls by lad-
30 ders having been destroyed, iron pins were driven into the walls which
31 were made of brick, and the soldiers, mounting on one another’s shoulders,
32 gained the top. Great was their excitement on seeing their king lying
33 wounded, and, with a terrible outcry, the devoted soldiers, rushing down
34 from the walls, formed themselves into a rampart round his prostrate
35 body; portions of the wall being soon dismantled, the bulk of the
36 army forced their passage into the heart of the citadel. A tremen-
37 dous carnage now ensued among the Malli, the infuriated soldiery sparing
38 neither age nor sex, Alexander was borne to his tent on a shield, and the
39 greatest anxiety was felt for him. The arrow, which had penetrated his
40 chest, had caused a great effusion of blood. It was extracted from the
41 body, with much skill, by Critodemus, a physician of Coos. A report of
42 the king’s death having, in the meanwhile, been spread, intense alarm pre-
43 vailed in the camp and every face exhibited the utmost solicitude. To remove
44 the apprehension of his soldiers, Alexander appeared before them, and waved
45 his right hand to salute his faithful followers. He then ordered his horse
46 to be brought, and rode through the ranks, to the great joy of the whole
47 army ; and the neighbouring woods resounded with the acclamation: “Long
48 live Alexander; health and prosperity to the conqueror of Asia!”
49 Both the Malli and Oxydracae, or people of Uch, sent heralds to Alex-
50 ander with tenders of unconditional submission ; Alexander accepted the
51 submission of both, and appointed Philip satrap of his newly acquired
52 dominions. The people of Uch sent him. one thousand men, the bravest
53 and noblest of their race, as hostages, besides five hundred war chariots,
54 with their charioteers and horses, fully equipped. Alexander was much
55 gratified by this mark of respect shown by the Oxydracae, and returned
56 A startling feat.
57 Alexander wounded.
58 Intense excitement
59 among the Grecian
60 soldiers,
61 A tremendous
62 carnage.
63 Submission of the
64 Malli and Oxydracae.
65 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com