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

XXII.CILICIA. SUMMER AND FALL, B. C. 333.Mbmnon, who had just been placed in sole command of the ^gean byDarius, and was preparing to invade Macedonia, now died. This relievedAlexander from grave danger, for Memnon had no worthy successor. Dariusdetermined to collect an army and march to meet Alexander. The latter, afterhis late successes, was better able to sustain a fleet, and took measures to replacethe one he had disbanded. At Gordium Alexander cut the Gordian knot, — orat least managed to impress upon all the idea that he had fulfilled the omenconnected therewith, and would be lord of Asia. Master of all Asia Minorwest of the Taurus, he marched towards the Cilician Gates. This defile Darius'satrap had failed to fortify. Alexander captured it, descended into Cilicia, andtook Tarsus by a coup de main. Sending Parmenio forward to secure the SyrianGates, he himself reduced Rugged Cilicia in a week's campaign, and overranthe rest of the country. He here learned that the citadels of Halicarnassusand all the other important Carian cities had been taken by his lieutenants.Memnon, wlio was now in sole and unlimited command ofthe ^gean, having the design of carrying the war into Macedon,of instigating revolt against Alexander among his enemiesin Greece, and of cutting him and his army off fromEurope, managed to get possession of the island of Chios bythe treachery of ApoUonides, and reestablished the oligarchy.Thence he sailed to Lesbos, landed, and took its four largetowns, all, in fact, but the city of Mitylene.This city resistedhis efforts for some time with the aid ofits Macedonian garrison.But Memnon went systematically to work. He cut thecity off from the land by double walls, and blockaded its portwith his fleet. This soon reduced it to great straits. But nodoubt very luckily for Alexander (for he was his one distinctlyable opponent) Memnon shortly after died ofa fever, leaving