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

286 DARIUS' PLANS.Alexander's landing in Asia. But Memnon was not at thattime fully trusted, and was unable to make his influence orThe death ofhis intelligence avail.Memnon was on a par with the uniform currentof good fortune, which always seemed to set in Alexander'sfavor. It robbed Darius of the one man who couldprobably have made head against the Macedonians, who wouldhave known how to utilize the vast resources of the Persianempire to advantage, and who would have restrained Dariusfrom committing the irreparable errors of which he wasguilty. With but a tithe of the forces Darius raised, hewould, no doubt, have increased Alexander's task tenfold.His death disabled the management at sea so as to make itmore probable that Alexander could again utilize a fleet.felt able to cope with Memnon's successors, if he had notbeen with this admirable soldier himself.After Memnon's death, Darius held a council of war todetermine what action it were best to take to oppose the rashbut dangerous invader of his dominions. Rejecting theadvice of the Greeks about him, he placed his confidence,naturally enough, in the courage and intelligence of his Persiancourtiers and generals, and determined to take the fieldhimseK, with a levy en masse of the kingdom. He sent to the-lEgean to confirm Pharnabazus in his command, but at thesame time withdrew from him all the Greek mercenaries servingin the fleet, purposing to use them in the army to be puton foot. This latter act handicapped the Persian admirals,and effectually put a stop to any chance of invading Macedon.But Dataraes, meanwhile, had taken Tenedos.The Macedonian treasury was now in better condition toafford the expense of a fleet. This, happily, it was not difficultto create. Alexander sent Hegelochus to the Hellespontineregion to seize all merchantmen coming home from the EuxineHe