The Invasion of India by Alexander the Great as described by Arrian, Q. Curtius, Diodoros, Plutarch and Justin: Being Translations of such portions of the Works of these and other Classical Authors as describe Alexander's Campaigns in Afghanistan, the Panjâb, Sindh, Gedrosia and KarmaniaMcCrindle, John Watson
History
The Invasion of India by Alexander the Great as described by Arrian, Q. Curtius, Diodoros, Plutarch and Justin: Being Translations of such portions of the Works of these and other Classical Authors as describe Alexander's Campaigns in Afghanistan, the Panjâb, Sindh, Gedrosia and Karmania
McCrindle, John Watson
Alexander, the Great, 356 B.C.-323 B.C.; India -- History -- To 324 B.C. -- Sources
But when the Indians, instead of sallying out from behind their waggons
to attack the cavalry as it advanced, mounted upon them, and began
to shoot from the top of them, Alexander saw that this was not work
for cavalry, and so, having dismounted, he led on foot the phalanx of
infantry against them. The Macedonians found no difficulty in driving the
Indians from the first row of waggons, but on the other hand the Indians,
having formed in line in front of the second row, were able to force back
their assailants with greater ease, standing as they did more compactly
together, and in a narrower circle, while the Macedonians had less room
in which to operate against them. At this time they quietly drew back the
waggons of the first row, and through the gaps each man, as he found an
opportunity, assailed the enemy in an irregular way.[128] Yet even from
these waggons they were forcibly driven by the phalanx of infantry, and
even at the third row they no longer held ground, but fled with all the
haste they could into the city and shut themselves up within its gates.
Alexander that same day encamped with his infantry around the city, as
far at least as the phalanx enabled him to surround it, for the wall
was of such great extent that his camp did not completely environ it.
Opposite the part where the gap was left, and where also was a lake not
far from the walls, he posted the cavalry all round the lake, as he knew
it not to be deep, and at the same time anticipated that the Indians,
terrified by their previous defeat, would abandon the city during the
night. The event showed he had conjectured aright, for about the second
watch the most of them dropped down from the wall and came upon the
outposts of the cavalry. The foremost of them were cut to pieces by the
sentinels, but those in the rear, perceiving that the lake was guarded
all round, withdrew into the city. Alexander now encompassed the city
with a double stockade, except where the lake shut it in, and around the
lake he posted guards to keep still stricter watch. He resolved also to
bring up the military engines against the place for battering down the
walls. Some deserters, however, came to him from the city and informed
him that the Indians intended that very night to escape from the city
by way of the lake where the gap occurred in the stockade. So at that
point he stationed Ptolemy, the son of Lagos, with three divisions of the
hypaspists, each 1000 strong, all the Agrianians, and a single line of
archers, and pointed out to him the particular spot where the barbarians,
as he conjectured, were likeliest to attempt forcing their passage. “And
now,” said he, “when thou perceivest the barbarians forcing their way at
this point, do thou with the army arrest their advance, and order the
trumpets to sound the signal; and do you, sirs,” he added, turning to the
officers, “as soon as the signal is given, each of you with your men in
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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