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

MARCH TO HELLESPONT. 231a peer. In liis every word and deed he was easily masternot from his royal birth, but from his qualities of body, headand heart.Alexander's route lay between the coast and Lake Cercinitis,via Ampliipolis, and passed Abdera and Maroneia. Crossingthe Hebrus, he continued along the coast, passed theMelas, and pushing down the peninsula, arrived at Sestos,some three hundred and fifty miles from Pella, in twentyPella to Asia Minor.days. This was a rapid march. It is said that the fleet accompaniedthe army along the shore, and that they rendezvousedevery night. This was the usual habit when armyand fleet had the same destination.Parmenio was charged with conveying the cavalry andnearly all the infantry from Sestos to Abydos, for which servicehe had the aid of the one hundred and sixty triremes,and of many trading vessels which had already been assembledin the Hellespont. This transit was easily accomplished,for there was practically no opposition from the Persians orthe Greek mercenaries under Memnon.Alexander himself,with a few of his troops, — the hypaspists and Companions, —is said to have sailed from Elaeus, where he offered sacrificesat the tomb of Protesilaus, the first Homeric Greek who per-