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

242 A TUSSLE OF HEROES.das certainly originated, and Alexander constantly used, aformation which had the quality and effect of the obliqueorder in the shape best adapted to the circumstances.It hasbeen discussed above how far Epaminondas' formation atLeuctra or Mantinaea probably approached the echeloned.At the Granicus there couldbe no such regularity from thevery nature ofthe case.The Persians began the use of weapons by hurling theirjavelins from the high banks in all directions towards thefords, where Ptolemy, preceded by Amyntas, was strugglingthrough the slippery clay towards the shore. The cavalryfell to, hand to hand. The Persians advanced boldly to thewater's edge to force the enemy back. They cast theirspeai'S ; the Macedonians used theirs to thrust, and couldthus repeat their blows many times with the same weapon.The Macedonian cavalry was much inferior in number ; themen suffered severely from the missiles showered down fromthe high bank above them, where were posted the best-armedPersian horsemen, commanded and encouraged by renownedand valiant chiefs. The leading Macedonians fought withvalor, but they were quickly cut down and the line was drivenback.The king, leading the agema of cavalry, came to therescue with Philotas and the remainder of the Companions,and fiercely attacked that portion of the Persian line wherehe saw that the flower of the horse and the leaders stood.Holding himself here by efforts worthy of his ancestorHercules, he enabled squadron after squadron of his cavalryto essay the crossing under protection of his stanchattack. The fight was unlike the cavalry skirmishing of thatday, which was by short and repeated shocks ; it was morelike an ancient tussle of heroes, man to man, horse to horse ;each one trying to force the other back by theweight, as well as by valor and sturdy blows.momentum ofThe Persians