BOOK XV.

THE HISTORY OF ALEXANDER.

SECT. I. Alexander's birth. The temple of Ephesus is burnt the

same day. The happy natural inclinations of that prince.

Aristotle is appointed his preceptor, who inspires him with a

surprising taste for learning. He breaks Bucephalus.

SECT. II. Alexander, after the death of Philip, ascends the throne

at twenty years of age. He subjects and reduces the nations

contiguous to Macedon who had revolted. He goes into Greece

to dissolve the alliance formed against him. He captures and

destroys Thebes, and pardons the Athenians. He procures

himself to be nominated, in the diet or assembly at Corinth,

generalissimo of the Greeks against Persia. He returns to Ma-

cedon, and makes preparations for carrying his arms into Asia

SECT. III. Alexander sets out from Macedon upon his expedition

against the Persians. He arrives at Ilion, and pays great ho-

Pago

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8

nour to the tomb of Achilles. He fights the first battle against

the Persians at the river Granicus, and obtains a famous victory 15

SECT. IV. Alexander conquers the greatest part of Asia Minor.

He is seized with a dangerous disease, occasioned by bathing in

the river Cydnus. Philip the physician cures him in a few

days. Alexander passes the defiles of Cilicia. Darius advances

at the same time. The bold and free answer of Caridemus

to that prince, which costs him his life. Description of Dari-

us's march

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34

SECT. V. Alexander gaias a famous victory over Darius, near the
city of Issus. The consequences of that victory.

SECT. VI. Alexander marches victorious into Syria. The trea-

sures deposited in Damascus are delivered to him. Darius writes

a letter to Alexander in the most haughty terms, which he an-

swers in the same style. The gates of the city of Sidon are

opened to him. Abdolonymus is placed upon the throne

against his will. Alexander lays siege to Tyre, which, after

having made a vigorous defence for seven months, is taken by

storm. The fulfilling of different prophecies relating to Tyre 45

SECT. VII. Darius writes a second letter to Alexander. Jour-

ney of the latter to Jerusalem. The honour which he pays to

Jaddus the high-priest. He is shown those prophecies of Dan-

iel which relate to himself. The king grants great privileges

to the Jews, but refuses them to the Samaritans. He besieges

and takes Gaza, enters Egypt, and subdues that country. He

there lays the foundations of Alexandria, then goes into Libya,

where he visits the temple of Jupiter Ammon, and causes him-

self to be declared the son of that god. His return into Egypt 65

SECT. VIII. Alexander, after his return from Egypt, resolves to

go in pursuit of Darius. At his setting out, he hears of the

death of that monarch's queen. He causes to be paid her the

honours which were due to her rank. He passes the Euphrates

and Tigris, and comes up with Darius. The famous battle of

Arbela.

SECT. IX. Alexander possesses himself of Arbela, Babylon, Susa,

Persepolis; and finds immense riches in those cities. At a

banquet he sets fire to the palace of Persepolis

SECT. X. Darius leaves Ecbatana. He is betrayed and put in

chains by Bessus, governor of Bactria. The latter, upon Alex

ander's advancing towards him, flies, after having covered Da-

rius with wounds, who expires a few moments before Alexan-

der's arrival. He sends his corpse to Sysigambis

SECT. XI. Vices which first caused the decline, and at last the

ruin, of the Persian empire.

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SECT. XII. Lacedæmon revolts from the Macedonians, with almost

all Peloponnesus. Antipater marches thither, and defeats the

enemy in a battle, in which Agis is killed. Alexander marches

against Bessus. Thalestris, queen of the Amazons, comes

to visit him from a very remote country. Alexander, at his

return from Parthia, abandons himself to pleasure and excess.

He continues his march against Bessus. A pretended conspi-

racy of Philotas against the king. He and Parmenio his fa-

ther are put to death. Alexander subdues several nations. He

at last arrives in Bactriana, whither.Bessus is brought to him. 110

SECT. XIII. Alexander, after taking a great many cities in Bac-

triana, builds one near the river laxartes, which he calls by his

own name. The Scythians, alarmed at the building of this

city, as it would be a check upon them, send ambassadors to

the king, who address themselves to hit with uncommon free-

dom. After having dismissed them, he passes the Iaxartes,

gains a signal victory over the Scythians, and behaves with hu-

manity to the vanquished. He checks and punishes the insur-

rection of the Sogdians, sends Bessus to Ecbatana to be put to

death, and takes the city of Petra, which was thought impreg-

nable

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134

SECT. XIV. The death of Clitus. Several expeditions of Alex-

ander. He endeavours to procure worship to be paid to him-

self, after the manner of the Persians. Discontents arise among

the Macedonians. Death of Callisthenes the philosopher

SECT. XV. Alexander sets out for India. A digression with re-

gard to that country. He besieges and takes several cities

which appeared impregnable, and is often in danger of his life.

He crosses the river Indus, and afterwards the Hydaspes, and

gains a signal victory over Porus, whom he restores to his throne 144

SECT. XVI. Alexander advances into India. A digression relat-

ing to the Brachmans. That prince resolves to march as far

as the Ganges, which raises a general discontent in his army.

Remonstrances being made to him on that account, he lays

aside his design, and is contented with going no farther than

the ocean. He subdues all obstacles in his way thither, and is

exposed to great danger at the siege of the city of the Oxy-

drace, and arriving at last at the ocean, he afterwards pre-

pares for his return into Europe

SECT. XVII. Alexander, in his march through deserts, is griev

ously distressed by famine. He arrives at Pasagarda, where

Cyrus's monument stood. Orsines, a powerful satrap, is put to

death through the clandestine intrigues of Bagoas the eunuch.

Calanus voluntarily meets his death. Alexander marries Stati-

ra, the daughter of Darius. Harpalus arrives at Athens; De-

mosthenes is banished. The Macedonian soldiers make an

insurrection, which Alexander appeases. He recalls Antipater

from Macedonia, and sends Craterus in his room. The king's

sorrow for the death of Hephæstion

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SECT. XVIII. Alexander enters Babylon, in spite of the sinister

predictions of the Magi and other soothsayers. He there forms

the plans of several voyages and conquests. He sets about re-

pairing the breaches made in the embankments of the Tigris

and Euphrates, and rebuilding the temples of Belus. He

abandons himself to immoderate drinking, which brings him

to his end. The universal grief spread over the whole empire

upon that account. Sysigambis is not able to survive him.

Preparations are made to convey Alexander's corpse to the tem-

ple of Jupiter Ammon in Libya
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SECT. XIX. The judgment which we are to form of Alexander 195

SECT. XX. Reflections on the Persians, Greeks, and Macedoni-

ans, by Monsieur Bossuet, bishop of Meaux

BOOK XVI.

THE HISTORY OF ALEXANDER'S SUCCESSORS.

SECT. I. Troubles which followed the death of Alexander. The

partition of the provinces among the generals. Aridæus elected

king. Perdiccas appointed his guardian, and regent of the

empire.

SECT. II. The revolt of the Greeks in Upper Asia. The impres

sions occasioned by the news of Alexander's death at Athens.

The expedition of Antipater into Greece. He is first defeated,

and afterwards victorious. Makes himself master of Athens,

and leaves a garrison there. The flight and death of Demos-

thenes.

SECT. III. Procession at the funeral of Alexander. His body is

conveyed to Alexandria. Eumenes is put into possession of

Cappadocia by Perdiccas. Ptolemy, Craterus, Antipater, and

Antigonus, form a confederacy against each of them. The

death of Craterus. The unfortunate expedition of Perdiccas

into Egypt. He is slain there

SECT. IV. The regency is transferred to Antipater. Eumenes

besieged by Antigonus in Nora. Jerusalem besieged and taken

by Ptolemy. Demades put to death by Cassander. Antipater

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on his death-bed nominates Polysperchon for his successor

in the regency. The latter recalls Olympias. Antigonus be-

comes very powerful

SECT. V. The Athenians condemn Phocion to die. Cassander

makes himself master of Athens, where he establishes Deme-

trius Phalereus in the government of that republic. His pru-

dent administration. Eumenes quits Nora. Various expedi

tions of Antigonus, Seleucus, Ptolemy, and other generals

against him. Olympias causes Aridæus to be slain, and is

murdered in her turn by the orders of Cassander. The war

between him and Polysperchon. The re-establishment of

Thebes. Eumenes is betrayed by his own troops, delivered

up to Antigonus, and put to death

SECT. VI. Seleucus, Ptolemy, Lysimachus, and Cassander, form

a confederacy against Antigonus. He deprives Ptolemy of Sy-

ria and Phoenicia, and makes himself master of Tyre, after a

long siege. Demetrius, the son of Antigonus, begins to dis-

tinguish himself in Asia Minor. He loses a first battle, and

gains a second. Seleucus takes Babylon. A treaty of peace

between the princes is immediately broken. Cassander causes

the young king Alexander, and his mother Roxana, to be put

to death. Hercules, another son of Alexander the Great, is

likewise slain, with his mother Barsina, by Polysperchon.

Antigonus causes Cleopatra, the sister of the same Alexander,

to be put to death. The revolt of Orphellas in Libya

SECT. VII. Demetrius, the son of Antigonus, besieges and takes

Athens, and establishes a democracy in that city. Demetrius

Phalereus, who commanded there, retires to Thebes. He is

condemned to suffer death, and his statues are thrown down.

He retires into Egypt. The excessive honours paid by the

Athenians to Antigonus and his son Demetrius. This latter

obtains a great naval victory over Ptolemy, takes Salamina, and

makes himself master of all the island of Cyprus. Antigonus

and Demetrius assume the title of kings after this victory, and

their example is followed by the other princes. Antigonus

forms an enterprise against Egypt, which proves unsuccessful 284

SECT. VIII. Demetrius forms the siege of Rhodes, which he raises

a year after, by concluding a treaty, much to the honour of the

city. Helepolis, a famous machine. The Colossus of Rhodes.

Protogenes, a celebrated painter, spared during the siege

SECT. IX. The expedition of Seleucus into India. Demetrius

compels Cassander to raise the siege of Athens. The exces

sive honours paid him in that city. Aleague between Ptolemy

Seleucus, Cassander, and Lysimachus, against Antigonus and

Demetrius. The battle of Ipsus, a city of Phrygia, wherein

Antigonus is slain, and Demetrius put to flight

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