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

430 DARIUS' OFFICERS.Alexander's advance had to be made with the utmost circumspection,for the barbarians beset every one of the manyand intricate passes, and were ready to fall upon any unprotectedpart of this column ; but what Alexander had earlylearned from Xenophon about doing this species of work,had since been supplemented by a goodly amount of individualexperience. Having with his column crossed the firstrange of mountains, he learned that some of Darius' old officerswere not far off. He pushed forward with the hypaspists,the lightest of the phalangites and some archers, oververy hard roads, and in the midst of threatened attacks and%. A Caspi'^^ MrsCaspian Campaign.ambuscades. He was compelled to leave rear-guards at manypoints, to protect the passage of his column. Pity, indeed,that the details of his march have been lost ! Reaching theriver Ziobetis, which cannot now be identified, he campedfour days, dui-ing which time many of these men came inand surrendered. Among them were Nabarzanes and Phrataphernes.The latter and his sons did subsequent excellentservice for Alexander. Of Nabarzanes no further mentionis made. He was probably relegated to obscurity. By theexercise of skill and care, Alexander drew in his rear-guards,and completed his passage of the mountains without materialloss, though the Agrianians had a sharp rear-guard fight at