Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/266

 234 HISTORY OF GREECE. from November 326 b c. to August 325 b. c. But it was a voyage full of active military operations on both sides of the river. Alexander perpetually disembarked to attack, sub due, and slaughter all such nations near the banks as did not vol- untarily submit. Among them were the Malli and Oxydrakai, free and brave tribes, who resolved to defend their liberty, but, unfortunately for themselves, were habitually at variance, and could not now accomplish any hearty cooperation against the com- mon invader.^ Alexander first assailed the Malli with his usual celerity and vigor, beat them with slaughter in the field, and took several of their towns.^ There remained only their last and strongest town, from which the defenders were already driven out and forced to retire to the citadel.^ Thither they were pursued by the Macedonians, Alexander being among the foremost, with only a few guards near him. Impatent because the troops with their scaling-ladders did not come up more rapidly, he mounted upon a ladder that happened to be at hand, attended only by Peukestes and one or two others, with an adventurous courage even transcending what he was wont to display. Having cleared the wall by killing several of its defenders, he jumped down into the interior of the citadel, and made head for some time, nearly alone, against all within. He received however a bad wound from an arrow in the breast, and was on the point of fainting, when his soldiers burst in, rescued him, and took the place. Every person within, man, woman, and child, was slain.^ The wound of Alexander was so severe, that he was at first rejDorted to be dead, to the great consternation and distress of the m-my. However, he became soon sufficiently recovered to show Moreover Aristobulus said that they had ro rain diiriiij; all the vovrtge iowii, tKrouc;h all the summer montlis : Nearchus stated the tontrarv (Strabo, '.c) ' Ciinuis, ix. 4, 15; Diodor. xvii 98. * Arrian, vi. 7, 8. ^ This last strongliold of the Malli is supposed, l>y Mr. Cunningliam and »thers, to have been the modern c ty of Multan. Tiie river liavec or lly- !<raotes is said to have formerly run past the city of Multan into the clhenab or Akesines. •ccounts given of this achievement and dangerous wound of Alexander. Compare Diodor. xvii. 98, 99 ; Curtius, ix. 4, 5 ; Plutarch, Alex. 63.
 * Arrian, vi. 9, 10, 11. He notices the great discrepancy in the variooa