As soon as Alexander had finished his sacrifice they went to him, and
tried to persuade him to fall upon the Persians by night, as the
darkness would prevent his troops from seeing the overwhelming numbers
of the enemy. It was then that he made that memorable answer, "I will
not steal a victory," which some thought to show an over-boastful
spirit, which could jest in the presence of such fearful danger; while
others thought that it showed a steady confidence and true knowledge
of what would happen on the morrow, and meant that he did not intend
to give Darius, when vanquished, the consolation of attributing his
defeat to the confusion of a night attack; for Darius had already
explained his defeat at Issus to have been owing to the confined
nature of the ground, and to his forces having been penned up between
the mountains and the sea. It was not any want of men or of arms
which would make Darius yield, when he had so vast a country and such
great resources at his disposal: it was necessary to make pride and
hope alike die within him, by inflicting upon him a crushing defeat in
a fair field and in open daylight.
XXXII. After his officers had retired, Alexander retired to his tent
and is said to have slept more soundly than was his wont, which
surprised the generals who came to wait upon him early in the morning.
On their own responsibility they gave orders to the soldiers to
prepare their breakfast; and then, as time pressed, Parmenio entered
his tent, and standing by his bed-side, twice or thrice called him
loudly by name.
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