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

CAPTURE OF AORNUS 535this scheme. He gave no sign of suspecting the treachery,but allowed the barbarians to begin their retreat, which theydid at night. He then took seven hundred of his best menfrom theagema and hypaspists, and making his way acrossthe ravine, himself was the first to scale the rock at a pointwhere the rear-guard of the enemy had deserted it. By pullingeach other up and by the use of ropes and poles, the forcewas, without great delay, and undiscovered by the barbarians,who were intent on collecting their valuables for flight, gotupon the upper level of the rock, from whence, falling on theenemy at a concerted signal as they were just flying, theyslew many ; while others, in their panic-stricken endeavors toescape, threw themselves down the precipices right and left.A large number undoubtedly escaped, and made their wayinto the mountains ; but the force was quite dispersed. ThusAlexander captured the inexpugnable rock of Aornus, againstwhich, according to the legend, even Hercides had recoiled.Sacrifices were offered on the highest point of the rock, theworks were strengthened, and a Macedonian garrison was leftto defend it.Sissicottus, who had obtained Alexander's favorby his faithful and intelligent assistance, was made viceroy ofthe district.Alexander now heard of a body of barbarians which hadassembled in the northern country, and immediately made aretrograde movement to Dyrta, a fortified place in the landof the Assacenians.Here had been gathered, by the brotherof the chief who died at Massaga, an army of twenty thousandmen and fifteen elephants. This new chief hoped thatthe inaccessibility of Dyrta, which was well back in therecesses of the mountains, would deter Alexander from movingagainst him ; and that when the Macedonians left, hemight be able to reassert his authority, and by falling onAlexander's rear, accomplish something of importance.