[387] Arrian, iii. 15, 4. οὔτε ἀκοντισμῷ ἔτι, οὔτε ἐξελιγμοῖς τῶν
ἵππων, ἥπερ ἱππομαχίας δίκη, ἐχρῶντο—about the Persian cavalry
when driven to despair.
[388] Arrian, iii. 14, 2. ἦγε δρόμῳ τε καὶ ἀλαλαγμῷ ὡς ἐπὶ αὐτὸν
Δαρεῖον—Diodor. xvii. 60. Alexander μετὰ τῆς βασιλικῆς ἴλης καὶ
τῶν ἄλλων τῶν ἐπιφανεστάτων ἱππέων ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ἤλαυνε τὸν Δαρεῖον.
[389] Arrian, iii. 14, 3. Καὶ χρόνον μέν τινα ὀλίγον ἐν χερσὶν
ἡ μάχη ἐγένετο. Ὣς δὲ οἵ τε ἱππεῖς οἱ ἀμφ᾽ Ἀλέξανδρον καὶ
αὐτὸς Ἀλέξανδρος εὐρώστως ἐνέκειντο, ὠθισμοῖς τε χρώμενοι, καὶ
τοῖς ξυστοῖς τὰ πρόσωπα τῶν Περσῶν κόπτοντες, ἥ τε φάλαγξ ἡ
Μακεδονικὴ, πυκνὴ καὶ ταῖς σαρίσσαις πεφρικυῖα, ἐμβέβληκεν ἤδη
αὐτοῖς, ~καὶ πάντα ὁμοῦ τὰ δεινὰ καὶ πάλαι ἤδη φοβερῷ ὄντι Δαρείῳ
ἐφαίνετο, πρῶτος αὐτὸς ἐπιστρέψας ἔφευγεν~. At Issus, Arrian
states that “Darius fled along with the first” (ii. 11, 6); at
Arbela here, he states that “Darius was the first to turn and
flee;” an expression yet stronger and more distinct. Curtius
and Diodorus, who seem here as elsewhere to follow generally
the same authorities, give details, respecting the conduct of
Darius, which are not to be reconciled with Arrian, and which are
decidedly less credible than Arrian’s narrative. The fact that
the two kings were here (as at Issus) near, and probably visible,
to each other, has served as a basis for much embroidery. The
statement that Darius, standing on his chariot, hurled his spear
against the advancing Macedonians—and that Alexander also hurled
his spear at Darius, but missing him, killed the charioteer—is
picturesque and Homeric, but has no air of reality. Curtius and
Diodorus tell us that this fall of the charioteer was mistaken
for the fall of the king, and struck the Persian army with
consternation, causing them forthwith to take flight, and thus
ultimately forcing Darius to flee also (Diodor. xvii. 60; Curt.
iv. 15, 26-32). But this is noway probable; since the real fight
then going on was close, and with hand-weapons.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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