Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/115

 BATTLE OF GRAXIKUS. 83 regularly armed infantry, seemingly hypaspistae.' He then him- self entered the river, at the head of the right half of the army, cavalry and infantry, which advanced under sound of trumpets and with the usual war-shouts. As the occasional depths of water prevented a straightforward march with one uniform line, the Macedonians slanted their course suitably to the fordable fipaces ; keeping their front extended so as to approach the oppo- site bank as much as possible in line, and not in separate col- umns with flanks exposed to the Persian cavalry.^ Not merely the right under Alexander, but also the left under Parmenio, advanced and crossed in the same movement and under the like precautions. The foremost detachment under Ptolemy and Amyntas, on reachmg the opposite bank, encountered a strenuous resistance, concentrated as it was here upon one point. They found Mem- non and his sons with the best of the Persian cavalry immedi- ately in their front ; some on the summit of the bank, from whence they hurled down their javelins — others down at the water's-edge, so as to come to closer quarters. The Macedonians tried every effort to make good their landing, and push their way by main force through the Persian horse, but in vain. Hav- ing both lower ground and insecui-e footing, they could make no impression, but were thrust back with some loss, and retired upon the main body which Alexander was now bringing across. On his approaching the shore, the same struggle was renewed around his person with increased fei'vor on both sides. He was himself ' Arrian, i. 14, 9. roiV irpo6p6fiovg iTTTziac mean the same cavalry as those who are called (in 14, 2) aapiaao(l>6povg iiz-iaQ, under Amyntas son of Ar- rliibaeus. ifJiSaivec eg tuv nopov, 2.o^//v uel TvapaTeivuv tt/v tu^iv y napeUiKE to ^evfid^ h'u 6!) fiTj EK^aivovTi avrC) oi Hepaai Kara Kipag TrpoffnmToiev, uAAa Kal av Tog, (jf uvvaTov, rj) a?.ayyL Trpoa/ii^?] aiiTotg. Apparently, this passage ?iO^>jv ud naparsivuv rf/v ru^tv, r napel'kKe rh pei'na is to be interpreted by the phrase which follows describing the pur- pose to be accomplished. I cannot think that the words imply a movement in echelon, as Riistow and Kochly contend (Geschichte des Griechischen Kriegswesens, p. 271) — nor a crossing of the river against the stream, to break the force of the O'lr- rent, as is the opinion of others.
 * Arrian, i. 14, 10. Avrbg 6e (Alexander) uyuv ru di^iov Kepag