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

ALEXANDER SUBMITS. 583who desired to returnhome and to advance with the faitlifulremainder. Tlie rest might go back to Macedon and telltheir friends that they had deserted their king in the midstof his enemies. But the Macedonian army well understoodits powers ; the men were saddened, but remained unmovedin their determination, though their king withdrew himselffrom their sight and remained in his tent for three days,nursing his wi-ath in private. He imagined that he couldonce more alter their mood by this means.But Alexander finally recognized that he must submit to astate of things which he could not control, and sought a meansof gracefully doing so.The sacrificial victims proved or wereordered to be declared unpropitious to further advance, andthus having the excuse of bowing to the fiat ofthe gods andnot to men, the king deemed it well for his own dignity tofollow the indication of the sacrifices. For he was certainthat his army woidd no longer follow him and he must decideto turn his face in the direction of home. This decision heannounced to the army; and it was received with shouts andexultation. The men crowded around the king's tent andprayed blessings iipon him, " because by them alone he sufferedhimself to be conquered."According to Curtius and Diodorus, Alexander had endeavoredto wheedle the army into a further advance. Heallowed the men to indulge in a looting raid into the land ofthe adjoining friendly King Phegeus ; while absent, madetheir wives and children, vast numbers of whom were alwayswith the army, presents of all manner of valuables, amountingto fully a month's pay ; and on the return of the men, ladenwith booty, endeavored to persuade them, not in a conferencewith leaders, but in open meeting, to continue on the coursehe had cut out. But this has not the smack of reality. Arrian'srelation is much more probable, as it comes from a bettersource.