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

196 VICTORY OVER GETJE.growing corn stood high, which in a measure concealedtheir movements ; and here, too, the enemy had no outpost.Through this field they advanced at daylight, pressing downthe high thick corn with sarissas held transversely, the infantryleading, followed by the horse, which, says Arrian,coidd not well make its way until the corn was trampleddown. So soon as they came to open ground the infantry,under Nicanor, son of Parmenio, formed square and advanced,leaning its left on the river, while its right was sustained bythe horse under Alexander. The Getae were so utterly dumbfoundedat this crossing of the greatest of rivers in a fewhours by so large a force that they were ill-prepared to opposetheMacedonians, and fled, at the first attack of the cavalry,towards theircity, which was about four miles from theriver.Lest there should be an ambush, Alexander continuedto march his phalanx in a square, with the left flank leaningupon the river bank ; but he vigorously pushed the cavalry onin pursuit of the retreating Getse. The latter, their city beingpoorly fortified, attempted no defense, but fled, with as manyof their women and children as they could cany upon theirhorses, to the steppes leading upward from the river. Alexanderrazed the city to the ground, took the booty, which heappointed Meleager, son of Neoptolemus, and Philip, son ofMachatas, to collect and carry away, offeredsacrifice to Jupiter,Hercules and the Danube, and recrossed the same day tohis camp. He did not care to advance his borders beyondthis great natural boundary, for, particularly as the Getse hadbeen taught to respect his power and prowess, the Danubeitself was the best of defenses to his kingdom.Alexander now received ambassadors from Syrmus andother near-by tribes, asking for the young king's friendship.This was cheerfully granted with mutual pledges. One ofthese tribes, Celts from the Adriatic region, of gigantic stat-