Page 789 no other Mortals. Upon which Alexander commanded Proclamation to be made by an Herald, that he would bestow 12 Talents as a reward upon him that should first mount the Rock, and so the second and the third, in their due order should every one receive a reward till it came to the last that ascended the Rock, who should receive 300 Daricks; the hopes of which reward stirr'd up the Macedonians, who were eager before to fall upon them of their own accord. Three hundred therefore of those that were accustom'd to climb Rocks, being drawn out, they furnish'd themselves with Cramp-Irons (wherewith they fastned their Tents) that they might fix them in the Snow where it was hard Frozen, and in other parts of the Rock where there was no Snow, and to them they tied strong Cords, and in the Night made to that part of the Rock that was steepest and highest, and therefore (as they conceiv'd) least guarded; and with the Cramps, some fastned in the Rock, and others in the Snow that was frozen, they scrambled up from place to place 'till they gain'd the Top: But of these, 30 perish'd in endeavouring to get up, so that their Bodies could not be found to be buried, being lost in the depth of the Snow; the rest about break of day recovered the top, and by shaking of the Linnen Cloaths gave notice to the Army that they had gain'd the place, for that sign Alexander had commanded them: Upon which a Trumpeter was forthwith sent out with command to the Barbarians that they should without any further delay surrender themselves, for that he had now found Soldiers that had Wings, who had possessed themselves of the top of the Rock; and at the same time the Soldiers that had gain'd the Rock, presented themselves in view to the Barbarians, who being amaz'd at such an unexpected sight, supposing them to be more, and better arm'd than indeed they were, gave up themselves; the sight of a few Macedonians was so terrible to 'em. There were there taken Prisoners many of the Wives and Children of the Barbarians, and amongst them the Wife and Daughters of Oxyartes. Oxyartes's Son likewise was about the Age of Nine Years.
HAving given a gracious Audience to the Ambassadors, he there stayed waiting for Hephestion and Artabazus, who being afterwards join'd him, he came into the Country call'd Bazaria. Of the riches of the Barbarians in those Places, there can be no greater argument, than the multitude of stately wild Beasts that range in large Woods and Forrests in that Country. They frequent spacious Woods pleasantly water'd with many refreshing springs. They are Wall'd round, in which are built Towers for Stands to view the hunting of the Beasts. One of these Chases had remain'd free and untouch'd for the space of Four generations, which Alexander entring with his Army, he commanded the Game in all parts as he came to be rouz'd; amongst which when a Lyon of a vast Bigness met and set upon the King, L •simachus (who afterwards was King) happening to be next to Alexander offered to make at the Beast with his hunting Spear, the King put him by, and bid him be gone adding that the Lyon might be kill'd by himself as well as by Lysimachus. This Lysimachus had before in a hunting in Syria kill'd an exceeding great Lyon with his own hand, but he had been even at the point of Death, his lest shoulder having been (in that Encounter) rent and torn even to the very Bone. The King twitting him with this, shew'd more of Valour afterwards in action than he did before in this expression; for he not only stood the Beast, but kill'd him at one blow. The story that was foolishly spread abroad that the King gave up Lysimachus to be devoured by a Lyon, rose (I believe) from this accident before related. But the Macedonians (though the King was thus happily delivered) yet according to the Custom of their Country, establish'd a Decree that he should not hunt on Foot without a Guard of his Captains and Friends. The King having kill'd Four thousand brave wild Beasts, feasted with his whole Army in the Forrest.
TO declare in this place the death of Clitus, and the foul act of Alexander in that matter (though it happned some little time after) yet I judge it not altogether out of course. The Macedonians (its said) have a certain day sacred to Bacchus, and Alexander