Alexander : a history of the origin and growth of the art of war from ...

TOWARD THE DANUBE. 189the Thracian Triballians on the Danube, with whom Philiphad had a far from snceessful bout, in which he had beenwounded. And beyond these tribes lay others, " fearful robberseven to robbers themselves," all of whom were liablejoin in any insurrection or raid which might be begun bythose nearest the Macedonian frontier. These tribes hadbeen quelled, but not thoroughly subdued, by Philip.toAndnow, in a second uprising, no halfway measures would do,if Alexander expected to absent himself from Macedon foryears.Greece was tranquil ; spring afforded suitable conditionsfor mountain warfare ; the time was rife. Parmenio had beenrecalled from Asia, where a lieutenant still remained, and wasleft in Macedonia to guard it against Illyrian incursions, whileAlexander set forth to teach these Danube barbarians thelesson which Philip's wound had prevented hisgiving themau fond. Antipater, meanwhile, was given the civil governmentat Pella in charge.There were two roads open to Alexander: following thecourse of the Axius up its passes through the land of thefaithful Agrianians ; or easterly along the coast throughthe domain of the free Thracians, up towards the valley ofthe Hebrus and across Mount Haenius range to attack theTriballian question from the east.He chose the latter route,as it led through the land of the uncertain-minded Odryssians,whom he could probably conciliate on the way. He ordereda fleet from Byzantium to repair to its mouths ready to ascendthe Danube, on which river he proposed in due time tomeetit. Early in the spring he started along the route with thepurpose ofsettling the troubles at the Danube and afterwardthose on the Illyrian borders once for all.From Amphipolis he marched to Philippi and northwardalong the Nessus and over the Rhodope mountains toward