12.07.2015 Views

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 ...

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

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS
  • No tags were found...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

THE SCYTHIANS CRAVE PEACE. 477nearly twenty per cent., for not exceeding six thous<strong>and</strong> menhad been engaged. Much booty, including eighteen hundredcamels, had been taken.<strong>Alex<strong>and</strong>er</strong>'s victory over <strong>the</strong> Scythians had by good fortune<strong>the</strong> desired result. Not long after, envoys came <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong>Scythian king, with an apology for <strong>the</strong> conduct <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> troopsat <strong>the</strong> river, alleging that this was but a b<strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong> marauders<strong>and</strong> freebooters, with whose lawless acts <strong>the</strong> Scythian statehad nothing to do. The king tendered his fealty, <strong>and</strong> undertookto perform whatever <strong>Alex<strong>and</strong>er</strong> should prescribe. As<strong>Alex<strong>and</strong>er</strong> had no desire or time to engage in operations beyond<strong>the</strong> Jax<strong>art</strong>es (for he must turn at once on <strong>the</strong> Sogdianians, <strong>and</strong>moreover his vanity was satisfied with having advanced as faras Cyrus), he was pleased to give credit to <strong>the</strong> message <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ambassadors, <strong>and</strong> sent <strong>the</strong>m back with a courteous answer,releasing without payment <strong>of</strong> ransom <strong>the</strong> prisoners he hadtaken. This generosity, coupled to <strong>the</strong> king's remarkablefeats <strong>of</strong> <strong>war</strong>, which <strong>the</strong>y had both seen <strong>and</strong> heard <strong>of</strong>, gave tohis name among <strong>the</strong> Scythians <strong>the</strong> same halo with which <strong>the</strong>irbrethren beyond <strong>the</strong> Danube seven years before had surroundedit. This reputation was <strong>Alex<strong>and</strong>er</strong>'s surest defenseagainst <strong>the</strong>se tribes.<strong>Alex<strong>and</strong>er</strong> <strong>the</strong> Great.(From a Mosaic in <strong>the</strong> Lou\Te.)

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!