oks with him to provide his meals for the future. He
thanked her, but said his tutor had given him some far better
relishers--namely, a march before daybreak as sauce for his dinner, and a
light dinner as sauce for his supper.

When he came to Gordium, in Phrygia, where one version of the story of
Midas had placed that king, he was shown a waggon to which the yoke was
fastened by a knotted with of cornel bough, and told that in this waggon
Midas had come to Gordium, and that whoever could undo it should be the
lord of Asia. Alexander dextrously drew out the pin, and unwound the
knot, to the delight of his followers.

In the spring he dashed down through the Taurus mountains, to take
possession of the city of Tarsus, in Cilicia, before Memnon could collect
the scattered Persian forces to enter it and cut him off from Syria. He
rode in heated and wearied, and at once threw himself from his horse to
bathe in the waters of the river Cydnus; but they came from the melting
snows of the mountains, and were so exceedingly cold that the shock of
the chill brought on a most dangerous fever. One physician, named
Philip, offered to give him a draught that might relieve him, but at the
same time a warning was sent from Parmenio that the man had been bribed
to poison him. Alexander took the cup, and, while he drank it off, he
held out the letter to Philip with the other hand; but happily there was
no treason, and he slowly recovered, while Parmenio was sent on to secure
the mountain passes. Darius, however, was advancing with a huge army, in
which was a band of Spartans, who hated the Persians less than they did
the Macedonians. The Persian march was a splendid sight. There was a
crystal disk to represent the sun over the king's tent, and the army
never moved till sunrise, when first were carried silver altars bearing
the sacred fire, and followed by a band of youths, one for each day in
the year, in front of the chariot of the sun, drawn by white horses;
after which came a horse consecrated to the sun, and led by white-robed
attendants. The king himself sat in a high, richly-adorned chariot,
wearing a purple mantle, encrusted with precious stones, and encompassed
with his Immortal band, in robes adorned with gold, and carrying
silver-handled lances. In covered chariots were his mother Sisygambis,
his chief wife and her children, and 360 inferior wives, their baggage
occupying 600 mules and 300 camels, all protected by so e