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

great clamor.PORUS DECEIVED. 545He got his phalanx under arms in the light ofthe camp-fires ; the signal to move was blown in the campthe horse trotted rapidly and with much noise up and down ;the boats were got ready and loaded as if to cross. All thiswas done en evidence. The troops worked incessantly,though it took comparatively few of the Macedonians to makea very lively feint. To offset these apparently threateningattacks, Porus woidd bring out his elephants and march themdown to the bank where he heard the most noise ;place hiswhole force under arms and wait till daylight at the spotwhere he supposed Alexander was attempting to make acrossing.After some time Porus began to weary his troops by marchingthem to and fro, in answer to anticipated attempts tocross, and finding that the attempts were never actually made,he grew more careless. He disliked to expose his troops tothe bad weather of the season. Alexander could make adeal of commotion with a small part of his forces ; Porus feltsafe with no less than his whole army in line. He was exhaustinghis men faster than Alexander his. He evidentlycame to believe that Alexander would wait for a low state ofwater, and that all these attempts argued a fear to cross.ForAlexander had purposely spread a report to this effect whichhad reached Porus. Yet he had kept his troops well in hand,and proposed to steal a passage whenever it was possible, despitethe bad condition of weather and water.Alexander of course saw how inexpedient it would be toattempt a passage opposite the enemy's camp. His horsecould probably not be made to face the elephants if thesebeasts were brought near the shore. To the unusual smellof the huge animals as well as their aspect they had as yetnot become accustomed ; and they showed the utmost dreadof the trumpeting of the creatures. Alexander feared that