say that Ammon saluted him as the son of Zeus.

Alexander returned to Phoenicia in the spring of 331. He then directed
his march through Samaria, and arrived at Thapsacus on the Euphrates
about the end of August. After crossing the river he struck to the
north-east through a fertile and well-supplied country. On his march
he was told that Darius was posted with an immense force on the left
bank of the Tigris; but on arriving at that river he found nobody to
dispute his passage. He then proceeded southwards along its banks, and
after four days' march fell in with a few squadrons of the enemy's
cavalry. From some of these who were made prisoners Alexander learned
that Darius was encamped with his host on one of the extensive plains
between the Tigris and the mountains of Kurdistan, near a village
called Gaugamela (the Camel's House). The town of Arbela, after which
the battle that ensued is commonly named, lay at about twenty miles
distance, and there Darius had deposited his baggage and treasure.
That monarch had been easily persuaded that his former defeat was owing
solely to the nature of the ground; and, therefore, he now selected a
wide plain for an engagement, where there was abundant room for his
multitudinous infantry, and for the evolutions of his horsemen and
charioteers. Alexander, after giving his army a few days' rest, set
out to meet the enemy soon after midnight, in order that he might come
up with them about daybreak. On ascending some sand-hills the whole
array of the Persians suddenly burst upon the view of the Macedonians,
at the distance of three or four miles. Darius, as usual, occupied the
centre, surrounded by his body-guard and chosen troops. In front of
the royal position were ranged the war-chariots and elephants, and on
either side the Greek mercenaries, to the number, it is said, of
50,000. Alexander spent the first day in surveying the ground and
preparing for the attack; he also addressed his troops, pointing out to
them that the prize of victory would not be a mere province, but the
dominion of all Asia. Yet so great was the tranquillity with which he
contemplated the result, that at daybreak on the following morning,
when the officers came to receive his final instructions, they found
him in a deep slumber. His army, which consisted only of 40,000 foot
and 7000 horse, was drawn up in the order which he usually observed,
namely, with the phalanx in the centre in six divisions, and