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

''BLOOD, NOT ICIlORr 523from the town into the open, Alexander simulated retreat,and retired to a hill nearly a mile distant. The enemy followed.But when the barbarians were within arrow-flight asignal was given, and the Macedonians turned upon the Massagansand Indians, who were in loose order in anticipation ofan easy victory. Their battle-shout and fierce front, as thelight troops advanced, fked a volley, and opened right and leftto uncover the heavy troops behind, sur^irised the barbariansbeyond measure, and when the line, headed by Alexander,charged down in phalanx at a run, the enemy was utterlyoverthrown so soon as they came hand to hand. Some twohundred were killed, and the rest fled headlong to the city.Alexander at once pushed on to the wall, hoping to take thetown by a coup de main. But he found this impracticable.The wall was well defended, and he himself, in reconnoitringfor the morrow's attack, was slightly wounded in the calf ofthe leg. He drew out the arrow himself, ordered his horseto be brought, and went on with his work without stanchingthe blood. But by and by he was compelled to stop. " Theymay call me son of Jupiter," said he, laughing, " but I suffer"none the less like a mortal. This is blood, not ichor !This wound stopped proceedings for the moment. Nextday Alexander, whose activity no wounds could abate, broughtup his engines, and in a short while battered down a jDieceof the wall ; but the Indians proved themselves stanch andbrave, and the Macedonians could not, despite their bestefforts, on that day force an entrance through the gaps. Asspeedily as possible, a tower and terrace were built, — Curtiussays it took nine days to build the terrace, — and on the dayafter their completion the tower was advanced to the wall.From this, missiles could be hurled by engines and shot by thearchers and slingers, to keep the defenders at a distance ; buteven this fire did not enable the Macedonians to force an