Page 535 himself of all the difficult Passes and Places, as not daring to fight in the Plain and open Field, as he suppos'd. The Inhabitants of all the Places through which Alexander came, slighting the inconsiderable Number of the Macedonians, and frighted with the approach of the vast Army of the Persians, without any regard to Alexander sided with Darius, and readily supply'd the Persians with Provisions and all other Necessaries, and by the Rule of their own Opinions adjudg'd the Victory before hand to the Barbarians.
In the mean time Alexander had possess'd himself of Issus, (surpriz'd with the Fear of his Army,) a considerable City of Cilicia; and understanding by his Spies that Darius was not distant above Thirty Furlongs, and that he was even now approaching with his Army so provided, and in that order, as to make them terrible to all, he judg'd the Gods highly favour'd him in putting such an Opportunity into his Hands, as that by the gaining of one Victory he should ruin the whole Empire of Persia. Hereupon he stirr'd up the Spirits of his Soldiers, (by a Speech for the Occasion,) encouraging them to fight Manfully, now all lay at Stake. His Regiments of Foot, and Squadrons of Horse, he posted so, as the Place and Ground would best allow: The Horse was plac'd before the whole Body of the Foot, which were order'd behind to support and relieve the Horse. Being in the Right Wing himself, he march'd on towards the Enemy with the choicest of the Horse. The Thessalian Horse were in the Left, for Valour and Skill sar excelling all the rest. And now the Armies came within the cast of a Dart one of another, upon which there flew such a shower of Darts from the Barbarians against them with Alexander, that through their Multitude they so brush'd in their flight one upon another, that their Force was much abated, and did little harm. Then presently the Trumpets on both Sides sounded a Charge, and the Macedonians were the first that set up a great Shout, which being answer'd by the Barbarians, all the Hills and Mountains there near at hand eccho'd and rang again with the Noise. But the Shout of the Barbarians far exceeded the other, being made by Five hundred thousand Men at once.
Then Alexander look'd every where round about to spy out Darius, whom having found, he made at him (with those Horse that were with him) with all the speed imaginable, desiring not so much to conquer the Persians, as to gain the present Victory by his own Personal Valour. In the mean time the whole Body of Horse engag'd, great Slaughters being made on both Sides; but the Valour of those engag'd caus'd the Victory to hang in Suspence a long time, appearing sometimes here and sometimes there, by Changes and Turns. No Dart cast, or Stroak given by any was in vain, but did some Execution, for in such a Multitude the Mark was sure to be hit. So that great Numbers were wounded, and others fighting to their last Breath, chose rather to lose their Lives, than part with their Honour, And the Officers at the Head of their Regiment so bravely behav'd themselves, that they put Life and Courage into the Common Soldiers. There might then be seen all sorts of Wounds, and as various and sharp Contests for Victory Oxathres a Persian, and Brother of Darius, a very valiant Man, as soon as he saw Alexander make so fiercely at Darius, was resolv'd to undergo the same Fortune with his Brother, and therefore charges Alexander's Body with the best of the Horse he could make choice of out of his own Troops, and knowing that his Love to his Brother would advance his Fame and Reputation above all other things among the Persians, he fought close by his Chariot, and with that Courage and Dexterity, that he laid many dead at his Feet; and inasmuch as the Macedonians were as resolute on the other Side not to move a Foot, the dead Bodies rose up in heaps of Carkasses round about the Chariot of Darius. And being that every one strove to lay hold on the King, both Sides fought with great Obstinacy, without any regard of their Lives. In this Conflict many of the Persian Nobility were slain, amongst whom were Antixyus and Rheomitus, and Tasiaces the Lord Lieutenant of Egypt. And many of the Macedonians likewise; and Alexander himself (compass'd round by the Enemy) was wounded in the Thigh. The Chariot-Horses of Darius receiving many Wounds, and frighted with the multitude of Carkasses that lay round in Heaps about them, grew so unruly, that they had hurri'd Darius into the midst of his Enemies, if he had not in this Extremity catch'd hold of the Reins himself, being forc'd thus to make bold with the Laws of the Persians, in debasing the Majesty of the Persian Kings. In the mean time his Servants brought to him another Chariot, and a great hurly burly there was while he was ascending this, insomuch as Darius himself (by the Enemy pressing hard upon him) was in a great Terror and Consternation; Which when some of the Persians discern'd, they began first to fly, the Horse that were next following the Example of their Fellows, and at length all made away as fast as they could. The Places being narrow and strait, in their hast they trod down one another, and many