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

522 MISTAKEN POLICY.the Gur£eus. The barbarians attempted to defend this riverat a point where they might have given Alexander muchtrouble, for it is swift and with a rocky bed, which affordeda poor footing to troops crossing under fire ; but overawedby the firm front of the Macedonians, they retired, eachparty to its own city, and decided to defend their homes inlieu ofrisking a general battle in the open field.It is curious that savage or semi-civilized nations so oftencommit the mistake of standing a siege, or of delivering a battle,in lieu of resorting to small war. In the latter, especiallyon their own soil,they are not unapt to be on a par with thebest troops ; in the former, with equal bravery, they uniformlyfail against the better weapons and discipline, or thegreater teclmical skill, of the civilized armies.A#*Alexander now marched on Massaga, thelargest town andcapital of the Assacenians. The barbarians had hired a forceof seven thousand Indian mercenaries, and emboldened bytheir presence, — for apparently these professional soldierswere held in high repute, and deservedly, — they undertookto make a sudden attack on Alexander's force when it hadreached their vicinity and was about to go into camp. Inorder to throw them off their guard, and draw them away