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

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

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440 REVENGE ON BESS US DEFERRED.cities <strong>and</strong> jieoples.He saw that he must positively not leaveso great a section in a questionable attitude upon his flank.He <strong>the</strong>refore deferred his revenge upon Bessus for <strong>the</strong> moment,loath though he was to give him breathing spell in whichto accumulate power <strong>and</strong> troops, <strong>and</strong> planned to make a sou<strong>the</strong>rlysweep so as to reduce to submission all <strong>the</strong> tribes north<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> desert <strong>and</strong> west <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Arachotian rangfes. This routeimplied an extra march <strong>of</strong> nearly a thous<strong>and</strong> miles. Then,<strong>and</strong> not till <strong>the</strong>n, could he with safety advance over <strong>the</strong> greatwater-shed <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Parapamisus (Hindu-Koosh). In accordancewith this plan, so soon as Craterus arrived, he advancedsouth toProphthasia, meeting small opposition, except <strong>from</strong><strong>the</strong> tedium <strong>and</strong> difficidties <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> route.It is on this march that <strong>Alex<strong>and</strong>er</strong> is related to have encounteredan inimical tribe, which, on being pursued, retiredup <strong>the</strong> wooded slope <strong>of</strong>a mountain, <strong>the</strong> far<strong>the</strong>r side <strong>of</strong> whichwas a sheer precipice. As he had little time to delay, <strong>and</strong> as<strong>the</strong> wind was blowing to<strong>war</strong>ds <strong>the</strong> mountain slope, <strong>Alex<strong>and</strong>er</strong>contented himself with setting <strong>the</strong> woods on fire, <strong>and</strong> thusdrove <strong>the</strong> barbarians over <strong>the</strong> precipitous cliffs. This is anillustration <strong>of</strong> his fertility <strong>of</strong> resource, if it is at <strong>the</strong> sametime a demonstration <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> cruelties <strong>of</strong> <strong>war</strong>.Coin in <strong>the</strong> Bodleian Library, enlarg'ed.

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