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

MILETUS STORMED. 259land signified that he woukl be victorious on hindand not atsea. And he acted on this interpretation. It seems strangeindeed to think of these two generals, men of exceptionalability, intelligence and common sense, disputing over so triviala thing as this. That they should seriously argue such amatter is as curious as the apparent pliancy of the omen.And yet is it more strange than the intellect and acrimonywasted in our day on the quite as trivial question of thedamnation ofthe heathen?The Milesians now sent a dep?itation to the king, andoffered to make their port and city equally open to the Persiansand Greeks if Alexander would raise the siege. ButAlexander rejected their offer with scorn. He came not toAsia, said he, to take a half, but the whole. He determinedto assault the walls the next day atdaybreak, and dismissedthe deputation with a threat so to do. The engines were atonce set to work, speedily broke down the wall in severalplaces, and Alexander led his troops to the breach at the timehe had set.To prevent the Persian fleet from succoring thetown, as well as to forestall the flight of the Milesian mercenariesto the ships, Nicanor ranged his galleys across thenarrowest part of the harbor, side by side, with beaks towardsthe enemy. The Macedonians, pressing sharply in throughthe broken walls, easily drove the garrison from its defense,and slew vast numbers. Many of the Greek mercenariesattempted to escape in skiffs, and even by floating upon theirhollow shields, to an island near the city.Of these the greatestnumber fell into the hands of the fleet, but some succeededin reaching the island. When Alexander endeavored to capturethis place of refuge the next day, approaching it in histriremes \vith ladders lashed to the prows so as to be able toscale the rocks, this handful of men, three hundred in number,made so brave a resistance that, out of simple admiration