But
later in his life, so many persons were accused before him, and so
many of them truly, that his temper became soured and he inclined to
believe them to be all alike guilty. And he was especially
transported with rage, and made completely pitiless if any one spoke
ill of him, for he valued his reputation more than his life or his
crown.
He now set out again in pursuit of Darius, with the intention of
fighting another battle with him: but on hearing that Darius had been
taken by the satrap Bessus, he dismissed all his Thessalian cavalry
and sent them home, giving them a largess of two thousand talents over
and above the pay which was due to them. He now set out on a long and
toilsome journey in pursuit of Darius, for in eleven days he rode more
than five hundred miles, so that his men were terribly distressed,
especially by want of water. One day he met some Macedonians who were
carrying water from a river in skins on the backs of mules. Seeing
Alexander faint with thirst, as it was the hottest time of the day,
they quickly filled a helmet with water and gave it to him to drink.
He asked them to whom they were carrying the water, to which they
answered, "To our own sons; but provided that you live, even if they
should die, we can beget other children." On hearing this he took the
helmet into his hands; but seeing all the horsemen around him eagerly
watching him and coveting the water, he gave it back without tasting
it.
Pages:
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529