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

334 THE SIEGE MACHINERY.sels had come up, the king again gave the order to advance.The Tyrians, who had previously resolved to fight, and werenoted for their prowess, especially at sea, were so astonishedat the number of vessels — thrice their own force — whichAlexander had collected, so disheartened that their allies haddeserted them, and sotaken aback by Alexander's audacityin offering battle, which he did with unquestioned confidence,that they declined to come out into the open, but contentedthemselves with blockading the mouth of the north or Sidonianharbor by a row of as many triremes as could be putin, which they disposed bows on for fear of capture. Seeingthis, Alexander did not seek to force the entrance. ThePhoenicians, however, by some skillful manoeuvring, managedto cut out three triremes which had ventured beyond the harbor,and destroyed them. The sailors swam to shore. Alexandermoored his fleet along the coast on both sides of hismole, where there was shelter from the winds. Andromachusand the Cyprians moored opposite the Sidonian harbor, andthe Phoenicians opposite the Egyptian harbor. Alexander'sheadquarters were established on the latter side.The reductionof Tyre was now only a question of time.A vast number of missile-throwing and other machines hadnow been collected from Cyprus and Phoenicia, or built onthe ground. All that the science of the day afforded andmuch in new invention was put to use. Of these engines,some were mounted on the mole and others on flat-boats ormerchantmen, and on the slowest-sailing triremes. Towerswere built on some ofthese vessels, provided with bridges tobe thrown over to the walls.Rams were mounted on others.These floating engines were moored opposite the city. Theyw^ere now brought into play, but were speedily and skillfullyopposed by the Tyrians, who erectedtowers on the walls oppositethe mole and opposite the ships. This prevented the