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

258 NAVAL BATTLE DECLINED.fortunate enough to arrive three days before the Persiansquadron, and he was enabled to seize the island of Lade,and thus insure by land and sea the complete blockade of theinner city. Alexander sent the Thracians and some fourthousand mercenaries to the island to place it in a state ofdefense beyond danger. He had with him, after his severaldetachments, some twelvethousand phalangians and hyjmspists,the Agrianians and bowmen, four squadrons of Macedonianhorse and the Thracian light cavalry.Many of Alexander's generals, even cautious old Parmenio,advised Alexander to attack the Persian fleet, consisting offour hundred vessels, which had arrived and now rode atanchor near the headland of Mycale. A naval battle seemedindeed inevitable, and the morale of the Macedonians washigh ; and, said Parmenio, it was well to keep up its tension•by a constant offensive.But Alexander decided that a presentvictory at sea could bring him no advantage commensuratewith the risk, while the loss of a naval battle would carrywith it a dangerous fall in prestige which might encourage torevolt his enemies in Greece. He declined to make ventureof his fortunes on an element where he was notstrong as on land, but an element so far not his own.only not soDespitethat the Greeks had always defeated the Persians on thewater, his ships were not as well manned as those of theCyprians and Phoenicians, and were only one hundred andsixty to four hundred.His intelligence overrode his naturalantagonism. He was right, for there were reasons why hecould not repose the greatest confidence in the fidelity of hisGreek mariners.Parmenio looked at the matter from another standpoint.An eagle had been seen sitting on the rocks near the ships,an omen which Parmenio construed as favorable. So didAlexander.But the king maintained that the eagle being on