Page 561 occasion, commanded his Army to make an halt, and he himself with a few in his Company, posts away, and presently undeceives the Macedonians, by delivering up himself and his Army (which was the Strength of the Kingdom) into the Power of the King; who was so well pleas'd with what the Barbarian had done, that he restor'd him to his Kingdom, and ever after found Taxiles (for so he was call'd) his constant and faithful Friend and Associate. And these were the Transactions of this Year.
Alexander overcomes Porus. How Apes are taken, Strange Serpents for Venem. Large Trees. Marches against the Andrastians, Catheri, and against Sophithes. The Custom of them under Sophithes. Indian Dogs. Entertain'd by Phigeus. The Macedonians refuse to march against the Gandarides. Alexander leaves Monuments behind him at the River Hyphasis. Nicea built, and Bucephalis. The Ibori present Alexander. Routs the Agalassians. In danger in the River Indas by Whirlpools. Marches against the Oxidracans and Mallians. The King leaps off the Wall into the Town. A Duel between Coragus and Dioxippus. The Sambestae submit to Alexander; and the Sodrans and Massanians. Subdues Musicanus, Porticanus, and Sambus. Poison'd Weapons. The King's Dream. Comes into the main Ocean. Comes into Gedrosia. The Savageness of the People. His Army near perishing in Gedrosia. Comes into Carmania. Punishes the Bormcial Goremours, Nearchus returns. Islands cover'd at high Tides. The strange Death of Calanus. Alexander marrieth Statira. Harpalus his Luxury. He seizes with his own Hand them that mutiny'd.
AT the time when Chremes was Lord Chancellor at Athens, and Publius Cornelius and Aulus Posthumius executed the Consulship at Rome; Alexander, after he had refresh'd his Army in the Province of Taxilis, march'd against Porus Prince of the Neighbouring Indians, who had in his Army above Fifty thousand Foot, Three thousand Horse, above a Thousand Chariots, and an Hundred and thirty Elephants, and was confederated with another Neighbouring King, call'd Embisarus, not inferior in Power to Porus.Alexander understanding that he was not above 400 Furlongs distant from Porus, advanc'd with a Resolution to fight him, before the other join'd him. Porus perceiving him to approach, drew up his Horse in two Wings: His Elephants, so accountred as to terrifie his Enemies, he plac'd at equal distances one from another in the Front, and lin'd them with his arm'd Men, who were commanded to guard and defend them from Darts and Arrows in the Flank. The whole Army drawn up thus in Battalia, seem'd like a City: For the Elephants stood like so many Towers, and the Soldiers plac'd among them resembled the Walls. Alexander, on the other hand (observing how his Enemies were drawn up) so dispos'd and order'd his own Men, as the present Circumstances of his Affairs then requir'd.
The Horse engag'd in the first place, and thereupon almost all the Indians Chariots were presently broken in pieces: Afterwards the Elephants being made use of (by the mighty Bulk of their Bodies and their great Strength) bore down and trod underfoot many of the Macedonians; others were catch'd up in their Trunks, and toss'd into the Air, and then fell down again with great violence upon the Earth, and so miserably perish'd: Many likewise were so rent and torn by their Teeth, that they died forthwith. However, the Macedonians with invincible Courage indur'd all the Hardships wherewith they were press'd, and with their Sarissas kill'd the Soldiers that guarded the Elephants: So that now they fought upon equal Terms; and not long after, the Beasts being ply'd with Darts on every side, and not being able longer to endure the many Wounds they receiv'd, their Riders were not able to rule them, insomuch as they furiously rush'd backwards, and broke in upon their own Regiments, and trode many of them underfoot, which caus'd great disturbance and consusion. Upon which, Porus mounted upon the Bravest Elephant (seeing how things were like to be) commanded Forty of those that were not as yet startled and affrighted, to be plac'd round about him. And with these