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

ACHILLES COME TO LIFE. 603The light troops now arrived, and after a while the head ofthe phalanx was seen approaching at a rapid pace across theplain. The Indians lost courage, and fled to the citadel oftheir town, suffering grievous loss in the pursuit.Alexanderkept close behind them, and on reaching the place, coopedthem up in the citadel, first by a line ofcavaliy and then bythe infantry as fast as it arrived. He then gave his troops afew hours' needed rest. For the infantry was exhausted bysevere marching, and the cavalry equally so by marching andheavy fighting beside.Early next day the king formed two storming columns,himself heading one and Perdiccas the other. The Indiansbut weakly defended the wall, and retired wholly into thecitadel. This was a strong work, over a mile about, withmany towers, and with the Hydraotis flowing around it.The»town was separated from the citadel by a branch of the river,and all told was five miles in circumference. There is nomention in the authorities of the citadel being surrounded bythe river.In this 23articular, Cunningham has been followed,as in all the topography of this campaign. Alexanderspeedily made his way into the outer circuit through a gatewhich he forced, but Perdiccas was unable to make muchprogress for want of scaling ladders. Arrived at the citadel,the Macedonians at once began to undermine the wall, andladders were sent for hurriedly. Alexander, always impatientin his valor, seeing that the work did not advance asfast as his own desires, himself seized one of the first twoscaling ladders which arrived, planted it against the wall, andascended foremost of all, bearing his shield aloft to ward offthe darts from above. He was followed on the same ladderby Peucestas, the soldier who always carried the shield broughtfrom the temple of the Trojan Athena before him in battle,and by Leonnatus, the confidential body-guard. Up the ad-