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

384 LOSSES.back the Persian right. Alexander's strong arm had notreally been required. Seeing that Parmenio could now attendto this part of the field, Alexander once again turnedto the pursuit of Darius, too long delayed. It is said thatthe fugitives made a cloud of dust so thick that only the soundof the whips urging on the horses were his guide in followingup the enemy.Parmenio easily completed the destruction ofthe Persian right, which had not only been checked, but, onlearning of the flight of their king, at once yielded up thestruggle.Mazseus, with a body of troops, escaped around theleft ofthe army, crossed the Tigris, and made for Babylon.Alexander advanced across the Lycus, in which thousandshad been drowned in trying to escape, and camped to give hismen and horses a little rest. Parmenio seized the Persiancamp at Gaugamela with all the elephants and camels. Atmidnight, the moon having risen, Alexander again setpursuit towards Arbela, hoping to capture Darius, theout intreasureand royal property, and reached the town, seventy milesdistant, the next day. But Darius had kept well ahead. Hecould not be caught, though, asat Issus, Alexander took hisspear and bow and chariot, and a large amount ofgold.In the battle and pursuit Alexander lost one thousand horsesfrom wounds or from fatigue ; and, according to Diodorus,whose figures here seem most reliable, fivehundred in Macedoniankilled. Taking the usual ratio of wounded, the lossof the Macedonians fell little short of twelve per cent. Ofthe Persians the slain areestimated by Curtius at forty thousand; by Diodorus at ninety thousand. " There were saidto have been three hundred thousand slain," relates Arrian,this time manifestly quoting an error.Arrian's Anabasis generally contains internal evidence ofaccuracy.From what he says you can plan out what Alexanderdid. But in quoting losses he is sometimes less correct.