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

476 VICTORY OVER SCYTHIANS.regiment of Greek auxiliary cavaliy and four squadrons oflancers, in all one thousandtwo hundred strong. Thesethe Scythians smartly attacked,and by riding in circles aroundthem, according to their meth-,, ^, od of attack, without comingbcjthians. ®to close quarters, woundedmany with their arrows and darts, and threatened them withdefeat.Seeing his men close pressed, Alexander, covered bythe archers, Agrianians and lighttroops under Balacrus, ledforward the cavalry in one body, and compelled the Scythiansto forsake their skirmishing tactics and form line. Then,throwing part of the light horse about their flank, he himselfheaded three squadrons of Companion cavalry and the horselancers, and advanced sharply on the enemy in column.TheScythians, finding themselves unable to use their peculiarskirmishing tactics on account of the rapid manoeuvres ofAlexander's columns, lost head, and, unequal to the task of aclash with the Macedonians, were speedily dispersed, encounteringa loss of one thousand slain.There were one hundredand fifty of them captured.Pursuit was at once undertaken.The heat was very oppressive,the distance great, and the men, suffering from thirst,drank largely of stagnant water, there being no other to behad.Alexander did the like, and shortly after, while followingup the enemy, he was seized with a grave sickness as aresult, and thus the prophecy of the victims was fulfilled.The pursuit was arrested. The king was carried exhaustedback to the camp, and his life for some days was in muchdanger. But his rugged constitution came to the rescue, andhe recovered. The battle at the Jaxartes had cost one hundredand sixty kiUed, and one thousand wounded, a loss of