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

374 ALEXANDER CONFIDENT.large part of whose strength lies in a constant, almost audacious,hopefulness. This, however, never clouded Alexander'sintellect, which remained open to a full comprehension ofallfactors on which he must act. It is just this exceptionalcombination of character and intellect which goes to make upthe great captain, and no less suffices.It is related that, lateat night, after fully completing his battle plan, he fell into adeep sleep, out of which he was awakened by Parmenio longafter dawn. He was so confident of victory that he couldgleep. This does not look like nervous anxiety. He arrayedhimseK with care, and appeared in his most glittering armorand with a face which presaged certain success to the army.The iles and taxes had in due order filed out of the camp andinto line. The stockade which had been erected to protectthe camp was left intact to protect the non-combatants andprisoners, and the army stood forth ready for battle. Afterriding the line, the advance at slow step was ordered, and theMacedonians strode forward, as proud a force as ever reliedon its courage and disciplineto wrest victory from so vast afoe, or perish sword in hand.Nothing leads one to rely upon Arrian rather than QuintusCurtius more than their respective descriptions of this battle.Arrian's portrait of Alexander is uniform, and commendsitself to one's judgment ; his description of the battle enablesthe careful student to place and manoeuvre the troops.Theremay be some variance as to details, but the main facts arethere, clear and crisp. The relation of Curtius of all battlesand sieges is obscure, and inconsistent in most parts ; whilehis sketch of the king makes him alternately a demigod and amilksop — never an Alexander.Darius, though he proposed to fight upon his own preparedground, was ready to open the battle by a charge of chariots.Anticipating this, and to receive such a charge, Alexander