His helmet was of
steel, polished as bright as silver, and was wrought by Theophilus,
while round his neck he wore a steel gorget, inlaid with precious
stones. His sword, his favourite weapon, was a miracle of lightness
and tempering, and had been presented to him by the King of Kitium in
Cyprus. The cloak which hung from his shoulders was by far the most
gorgeous of all his garments, and was the work of the ancient artist
Helikon,[410] presented to Alexander by the city of Rhodes, and was
worn by him in all his battles. While he was arraying his troops in
order of battle, and giving final directions to his officers, he rode
another horse to spare Boukephalus, who was now somewhat old. As soon
as he was ready to begin the attack, he mounted Boukephalus and led on
his army.
XXXIII. Upon this occasion, after addressing the Thessalians and other
Greek troops at considerable length, as they confidently shouted to
him to lead them against the barbarians, we are told by Kallisthenes
that he shifted his lance into his left hand, and raising his right
hand to heaven, prayed to the gods that, if he really were the son of
Zeus, they would assist and encourage the Greeks. The prophet
Aristander, who rode by his side, dressed in a white robe, and with a
crown of gold upon his head, now pointed out to him an eagle which
rose over his head and directed its flight straight towards the enemy.
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