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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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488 THE FIVE COLUMNS.none but isolated bodies to contend with, this was a safeenough proceeding. As <strong>the</strong> king approached <strong>the</strong> Oxus <strong>and</strong>camped, a spring <strong>of</strong> water <strong>and</strong> oil (no doubt petroleum)sprang up or was discovered beside his tent. From this circumstance<strong>the</strong> soothsayer, Arist<strong>and</strong>er, foretold that victory,but dearly bought, would be his meed in <strong>the</strong> present undertaking.There are unfortunately few details <strong>of</strong> this campaign preservedto us.The Sogdianians had again committed <strong>the</strong> fatalFive Column Campaign.imprudence <strong>of</strong> taking to <strong>the</strong>ir fortified towns instead <strong>of</strong> relyingon <strong>the</strong>ir usual desultory <strong>war</strong>fare, which it would havepuzzled <strong>the</strong> Macedonians infinitely more to meet. These fivecolumns swept to <strong>and</strong> fro across <strong>the</strong>ir l<strong>and</strong>, very likely up <strong>and</strong>down <strong>the</strong> Oxus <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Polytimetus <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir affluents, reducingplace after place, some by force <strong>and</strong> some by teims <strong>of</strong>surrender, going as far as <strong>the</strong> Margus River <strong>and</strong> beyond,<strong>and</strong> finally rendezvoused at Marac<strong>and</strong>a. According to QuintusCurtius, <strong>Alex<strong>and</strong>er</strong>'s column moved down <strong>the</strong> Oxus, <strong>and</strong>

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