6_Glorious_Epochs_of_Indian_History

1ST GLORIOUS EPOCH 35
the vast Persian empire fell before them like a paper palace,
they were so much flushed with their victory that they fondly
considered their commander to be endowed with divine
qualities, and as such unconquerable. Alexander himself
could not escajje the infection of pride. His ambition to win
for himself the over lordship of the whole world soared to the
sky. Bharat appeared to him just next to and as easy a prey
as, Persia. So very vast a land and so very weak !!! So he
wanted to crown his Persian conquest with the glittering
diadem of the Indian imperial authority. Greedily enough he
ran to have it with all haste !
74. But the experience he had had was quite contrary to
what he had expected. In India he had to face the bitterest
opposition at every step. Although he never lost a battle as
such, his Greek army was completely exhausted and exas­
perated in the very process of winning them. These victories
were far too costlier than the ones in Persia, and all their
vauntful declarations of conquering India as easily as Persia
proved to be empty words 'full of sound and fury signifying
nothing'. And in the end he had to return with the acquisi­
tion of only a small strip of land along the Indus river.
75. Thus was Alexander disappointed and to a certain
extent insulted. But that valiant emperor was not downcast!
He was itching to return once again to India after stabilizing
things in the newly conquered regions of India and annexing
them permanently to his vast empire, like those of Syria,
Persia, Babylon and others.
76. Alexander declared the annexation of the region
from Hindukush and Gandhar to Taxila (Takshasheela), half
of the Panchanad up to the river Vyas, and that from the
confluence of the Vitasta with the Indus to the sea. He
appointed the Indian King Ambuj or Ambhi of Taxila his
governor (Satrap) of the Hindukush region'*, and King
Porus as his governor of the Panchanad. To the third but
narrow strip of land along the Indus, were appointed his two
trusted Greek generals, Philip and Nicanor, under whom he