careless, and averfe to business of every kind; and they facrificed matters of the highest importance to their vain amufements. Some of them were born with fuch happy difpofitions, that they would have become good princes, had they not been énervated by the charms of a voluptuous life; and abandoned themselves to the allurements of a too defpotic power, and an over-great profperity. By flattery, they were rendered incapable of liftening, in their councils, to any expreffion delivered with freedom, or of fuffering the leaft oppofition to their wills.

It is no wonder they were not beloved by their fubjects, fince their whole ftudy was to aggrandize themfelves, and to facrifice all confiderations to that alone. Darius, in his misfortunes, was abandoned by the generals of his armies, by the governors of his provinces, by his officers, domeftics, and subjects; and did not find any where a fincere affection, nor a real attachment to his perfon and intereft. The dazzling splendour of the Perfian monarchy concealed a real weaknefs; and this unwieldy power, heightened by fo much pomp and pride, was abhorred by the people; fo that this Coloffus, at the very first blow, fell to the ground.

SECT.

SECT. XII. Lacedæmonia revolts from the Macedo-' nians, with almost all Peloponnefus. Antipater marches out on this occafion, defeats the enemy in a battle, in which Agis is killed. Alexander marches against Befus. Thaleftris, queen of the Amazons, comes to to vifit him from a far country. Alexander, at his return from Parthia, abandons himself to pleasure and excefs. He continues his march towards Beffus. A pretended confpiracy of Philotas against the king. He, and Parmenio his father, are put to death. Alexander fubdues feveral nations. He at last arrives in Bactriana, whither Beffus is brought him.

HILST things paffed in Afia, as we have

feen, fome tumults broke out in Greece and Macedonia. Memnon, whom Alexander had fent into Thrace, having revolted there, and thereby drawn the forces of Antipater on that fide; the Lacedæmonians thought this a proper opportunity to throw off the Macedonian yoke, and engaged almost all Peloponnefus in their defign. Upon this news, Antipater, after having › fettled to the beft of his power the affairs of Thrace, returned with the utmost expedition into Greece, whence he immediately dispatched couriers, in order to give Alexander an account of these several transactions. As I foon as Antipater was, come up with the enemy, he refolved to venture a battle. The Lacedæmonian army confifted of no more than twenty thousand foot, and two thousand horfe, under the command of Agis their king; whereas that of Antipater was twice that number. Agis, in order to make the fuperiority of numbers of no effect, had made choice of a narrow fpot of ground. The battle began with great vigour, each party endeavouring to fignalife themfelves in an extraordinary manner, for the honour of their respective countries; the one fired with

z A. M. 3675. Ant. C. J. 329. Diod. 1. xvii. p. 537. Q. Curt.. 1. vi, c. I.

that the foldiers, to a man, would obey him, provided he would addrefs himself to them in tender expreffions. He promised to do it. The circumftance which had given occafion to this falfe report, was, his having disbanded fome Grecian foldiers, after rewarding them in a very bountiful manner; fo that the Macedonians imagined they alfo were to fight no more.

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Alexander having fummoned the army, made the following fpeech: "I am not furprised, O foldiers, "if, after the mighty things we have hitherto per"formed, you fhould be fatiated with glory, and have "no other views but ease and repofe. I will not now enumerate the various nations we have conquered. "We have fubdued more provinces than others have cities. Could I perfuade myfelf, that our conquefts were well fecured, over nations who were fo foon overcome, I would think as you do (for I would not "diffemble my thoughts) and would make all the hafte "imaginable to revifit my household-gods, my mother, "my fifters, and my fubjects, and enjoy in the midst of my country the glory I have acquired in concert with you. But this glory will all vanish very soon, if we "do not put the laft hand to the work. Do you imagine, "that fo many nations, accuftomed to other fovereigns, " and who have no manner of fimilitude to us either in their religon, manners, or language, were entirely “fubdued the moment they were conquered; and that "they will not take up arms, in cafe we return back

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with fo much precipitation? What will become of "the reft who ftill remain unconquered? How! fhall "we leave our victory imperfect, merely for want of "courage! But that which touches me much more; "shall we fuffer the deteftable crime of Beffus to go "unpunished? Can you bear to fee the fceptre of "Darius in the fanguinary hands of that monfter, who, "after having loaded him with chains, as a captive, at "laft affaffinated his fovereign, in order to deprive us of "the glory of faving him? As for myfelf, I shall not "be eafy till I fee that infamous wretch hanging on a gibbet,

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"gibbet, there to pay, to all kings and nations of the earth, the just punishment due to his execrable crime. "I do not know whether I am mistaken; but methinks "I read his fentence of death in your countenances; "and that the anger which sparkles in your eyes, de"clares you will foon imbrue your hands in that "traitor's blood."

The foldiers would not fuffer Alexander to proceed; but clapping their hands, they all cried aloud, that they were ready to follow wherever he would lead them. All the speeches of this prince generally produced this effect. In how defponding a condition foever they might be, one fingle word from him revived their courage in an inftant, and inspired them with that martial alacrity and ardour, which appeared always in his face. The king, taking advantage of this favourable difpofition of the whole army, croffed Parthia, and in three days arrived on the frontiers of Hyrcania, which fubmitted to his arms. He afterwards fubdued the Mardii, the Arii, the Dranga, the Arachof, and several other nations, into which his army marched, with greater fpeed than people generally travel. He frequently would pursue an enemy for whole days and nights together, almost without fuffering his troops to take any reft. By this prodigious rapidity, he came unawares upon nations who thought him at a great distance, and fubdued them before they had time to put themselves in a pofture of defence. Under this image Daniel the prophet fhadowed Alexander many ages before his birth, by reprefenting him as a panther, a leopard, and a goat, who rushed forward with fo much fwiftnefs, that his feet feemed not to touch the ground.

b

Nabarzanes, one of Beffus's accomplices, who had written before to Alexander, came and furrendered himself, upon promise of a pardon, when he heard that he was arrived at Zadracarta, the capital of Hyrcania; and, among other prefents, brought him Bagoas the eunuch,

Q. Curt. lib. vi. cap. 5.

eunuch, who afterwards gained as great an afcendant over Alexander, as before over Darius.

At the fame time arrived Thaleftris, queen of the Amazons. A violent defire of seeing Alexander had prompted that princess to leave her dominions, and travel through a great number of countries to gratify her curiofity. Being come pretty near his camp, the fent word that a queen was come to visit him; and that the had a prodigious inclination to cultivate his acquaintance, and accordingly was arrived within a little distance from that place. Alexander having returned her a favourable anfwer, the commanded her train to ftop, and herself came forward with three hundred women; and the moment the perceived the king, the leaped from her horse, having two lances in her right hand. The drefs the Amazons used to wear, did not quite cover the body; for their bofom being uncovered on the left fide, every other part of their body was hid; their gowns being tucked up with a knot, and fo defcended no farther than the knee. They preferved their right breaft to fuckle their female offspring, but ufed to burn the left, that they might be the better enabled to bend the bow and throw the dart, whence they were called* Amazons.

Thaleftris + looked upon the king without discovering the leaft fign of admiration, and furveying him attentively, did not think his ftature answerable to his fame; for the Barbarians are very much ftruck with a majestic air, and think thofe only capable of mighty atchievements, on whom nature has bestowed bodily advantages. She did not fcruple to tell him, that the chief motive of her journey was to have pofterity by him; adding, that fhe was worthy of giving heirs to his empire. Alexander, upon this requeft, was obliged to make fome ftay in this place; after which Thaleftris returned to her kingdom,

This is a Greek word fignifying, without breafts. + Intervito vultu regem Thalestris intuebatur, habitum ejus haudquaquam serum famæ parem oculis perluftrans. Quippe omnibus barbaris in corporum majeftate veneratio eft; magnorumque operum non alios capaces putant, quàm quos eximia Specie donare natura dignata eft. Q. CURT. lib. vi. Tay. 5.