y of horse. The left wing of the
Macedonians, under the command of Parmenio, was ordered to keep near
the sea, to prevent being outflanked. The right wing was led by
Alexander in person, who rushed impetuously into the water, and was
soon engaged in close combat with the Persians. The latter were
immediately routed; but what chiefly decided the fortune of the day was
the timidity of Darius himself, who, on beholding the defeat of his
left wing, immediately took to flight. His example was followed by his
whole army. One hundred thousand Persians are said to have been left
upon the field. On reaching the hills Darius threw aside his royal
robes his bow and shield, and, mounting a fleet courser, was soon out
of reach of pursuit. The Persian camp became the spoil of the
Macedonians; but the tent of Darius, together with his chariot, robes,
and arms, was reserved for Alexander himself. It was now that the
Macedonian king first had ocular proof of the nature of Eastern
royalty. One compartment of the tent of Darius had been fitted up as a
bath, which steamed with the richest odours; whilst another presented a
magnificent pavilion, containing a table richly spread for the banquet
of Darius. But from an adjoining tent issued the wail of female
voices, where Sisygambis the mother, and Statira the wife of Darius,
were lamenting the supposed death of the Persian monarch. Alexander
sent to assure them of his safety, and ordered them to be treated with
the most delicate and respectful attention.

Such was the memorable battle of Issus, fought in November, B.C. 333.
A large treasure which Parmenio was sent forward with a detachment to
seize, fell into the hands of the Macedonians at Damascus. Another
favourable result of the victory was that it suppressed some attempts
at revolt from the Macedonian power, which with the support of Persia,
had been manifested in Greece. But, in order to put a complete stop to
all such intrigues, which chiefly depended on the assistance of a
Persian fleet, Alexander resolved to seize Phoenicia and Egypt, and
thus to strike at the root of the Persian maritime power.

Meanwhile, Darius, attended by a body of only 4000 fugitives, had
crossed the Euphrates at Thapsacus. Before he had set out from Babylon
the whole forces of the empire had been summoned; but he had not
thought it worth while to wait for what he deemed a merely useless
encumbrance; and the more distant levies, which comprised so