201. Alexander's Generosity
Tunc quidem ita sē gessit, ut omnēs ante eum rēgēs clēmentia vincerentur. Omnem cultum reddī feminis iussit, neque quicquam ex prīstinae fortūnae magnificentiā captīvīs praeter fīdūciam dēfuit. Itaque Sisygambīs, Rēx, inquit, merēris ut eā precēmur tibi, quae Dārīō nostrō quondam precātae sumus, et, ut videō, dignus es imperiō, quī tantum rēgem nōn fēlīcitātē sōlum, sed etiam aequitāte superāverīs. Tū quidem mātrem mē et rēgīnam vocās, sed ego mē tuam famulam esse cōnfiteor. Rēx, ubi bonum animum habēre eās iussit, Dārīī fīlium collō suō admōvit. Quem cum minimē conterritum cervīcem suam amplectī animadvertisset, mōtus cōnstantia puerī, Hēphaestiōnem intuēns, Quam vellem, inquit, Darīus aliquid ex hāc indole hausisset.
bonum animum habere—‘to be of good courage.’
202. The Tyrians Refuse to Admit Alexander
Iam tōta Syria, iam Phoenīce quoque, exceptā Tȳrō, Macedonum erat, habēbatque rēx castra in continentī, ā quā urbem angustum fretum dirimit. Tyrōs et magnitūdine et clāritāte ante omnēs urbēs Syriae Phoenīcēsque memorābilīs, facilius societātem Alexandrī acceptūrā vidēbātur quam imperium. Corōnam igitur auream lēgātōs afferentēs rēx benignē allocūtus, Herculī, quem praecipuē colerent, sacrificāre velle sē dīxit: Macedonum enim rēgēs crēdere ab illō deō sēsē genus dūcere: sē vērō, ut id faceret, etiam ōrāculō monitum. Lēgātī respondent esse templum Herculis extrā urbem: ibi rēgem deō sacrum rīte factūrum. Nōn tenuit īram Alexander, cuius aliōquī impotēns erat. Itaque, Vōs quidem, inquit, fīdūcia locī, quod īnsulam incolitis, pedestrem hunc exercitum spernitis: sed brevī ostendam in continentī vōs esse. Proinde sciātis licet aut intrātūrum mē urbem aut oppugnātūrum.
Syria—the country between Asia Minor and Egypt.
Phoenice--Part of the sea-board of Syria, between the Mediterranean and the mountains of Lebanon.
Tyro--Tyrus, the chief town of Phoenice.
Herculi--Hercules, the Latin form of the Greek Herakles, son of Zeus and Alcmena, the national hero of Greece.
ducere--‘derived.’
cuius impotens erat—‘which he could not restrain;’ cuius, objective genitive.
Phoenice--Part of the sea-board of Syria, between the Mediterranean and the mountains of Lebanon.
Tyro--Tyrus, the chief town of Phoenice.
Herculi--Hercules, the Latin form of the Greek Herakles, son of Zeus and Alcmena, the national hero of Greece.
ducere--‘derived.’
cuius impotens erat—‘which he could not restrain;’ cuius, objective genitive.
203. Strange Omens
Igitur bellō dēcrētō oppidānī per mūrōs turrēsque tormenta dispōnunt, arma iūniōribus dīvidunt, opificēs in officīnās distribuunt, Omnia bellī apparātū strepunt: ferreae quoque manūs quās operibus hostium iniicerent, et alia tuendīs urbibus excōgitātā praeparantur. Sed cum fornācibus ferrum, quod excūdī oportēbat, impositum esset, sanguinis rīvī sub ipsīs flammīs exstitisse dīcuntur: idque ōmen in Macedonum metum vertunt Tyrī. Apud Macedonās quoque cum forte pānem quīdam frangerent, mānantīs sanguinis guttās animadvertērunt, territōque rēge Aristander, perītissimus vātum, sī extrīnsecus cruor flūxisset, Macedonibus id trīste futūrum ait: contrā, cum ab interiōre parte mānāverit, urbī exitium portendere. Posteā Alexander ōrātōrēs dē pāce ad urbem mīsit, quōs Tyriī contrā iūs gentium occīsōs in altum praecipitāvērunt. Atque ille suōrum tam indignā morte commōtus urbem obsīdere statuit.
alia excogitata—‘other devices contrived.’
in Macedonum metum vertunt--interpret as signifying fear on the part of the Macedonians.
ius gentium--‘international law.’
altum—‘the deep.’
in Macedonum metum vertunt--interpret as signifying fear on the part of the Macedonians.
ius gentium--‘international law.’
altum—‘the deep.’
204. The Building of the Mole
Sed ante iacienda mōlēs erat quae cum continentī urbem coniungeret. Magna vīs saxōrum ad manum erat, māteriēs ex Lībanō monte ratibus et turribus faciendīs advehēbātur. Iamque ā fundō maris in altitūdinem modicam opus crēverat, nōndum tamen aquam summam aequābat, et quō longius mōlēs agēbātur ā lītore, hoc magis, quicquid ingerēbātur, praealtum absorbēbat mare; cum Tyriī parvīs nāvigiīs admōtīs per lūdibrium exprobrābant, illōs dorsō, sīcut iūmenta, onera gestāre: interrogābant etiam num maior Neptūnō Alexander esset. Quā īnsectātiōne alacritātem mīlitum accendente, cum paulum mōlēs ex aquā ēminēret, Tyriī levibus nāvigiīs advectī missilibus lacessere mīlitem et ad cūram sēmet ipsōs tuendī ab operibus convertere.
ad manum—‘ready to hand.’
Libano--the Lebanon range.
quo longius—hoc magis--‘the further--the more.’ Ablatives of measure.
cum exprobabant--Cum used with the imperfect indicative shows that the action of the temporal clause is simultaneous with that of the principal sentence.
Neptuno—the god of the sea.
Libano--the Lebanon range.
quo longius—hoc magis--‘the further--the more.’ Ablatives of measure.
cum exprobabant--Cum used with the imperfect indicative shows that the action of the temporal clause is simultaneous with that of the principal sentence.
Neptuno—the god of the sea.
205. The Fall of Tyre
Neque obsessōribus opere impūne dēfungī licuit, in quōs crēbrae ēruptiōnēs ab oppidānīs fīēbant, tantumque damnī totiēs illātum est ut Alexander paene suōs abdūcere cōgerētur. Eō tamen studiō nītēbātur mīles ut urbs tandem cum continentī continuārētur. Tum vērō admōtae māchinae tormentaque, neque ita multō post mīles per patentia ruīnīs in urbem vādit, nēquīquam obsistentibus oppidānīs. Fit strāgēs et atrōciter in incolās saevītur. Eō tandem saevitiae perventum est ut nūllum animal superfutūrum vidērētur, nisi rēx ēdīxisset ut ab inermī abstineātur. Itaque Tyrōs septimō mēnse quam oppugnārī coepta erat, capta est, urbs et vetustāte orīginis et fortūna īnsignis. Nam mare, nōn vīcīnum modō, sed quodcunque classēs eius adiērunt, suae ditiōnis fēcit. Et sī fāmae libet crēdere, haec gēns līterās prīma aut docuit aut didicit. Colōniae certē eius paene tōtō orbe diffūsae sunt: Carthāgō in Āfricā, in Boeōtiā Thēbae, Gādēs ad Ōceanum.
cum continenti continuaretur—‘was connected with the mainland.’
per patentia ruinis--‘through an open breach,' lit. ‘through things lying open in ruins.’
atrociter in incolas saevitur--‘atrocities are committed on the inhabitants.’
eo saevitiae perventum est--‘to such lengths did cruelty proceed,’ ‘lit. ‘thither of cruelty.’
ut—abstineatur--‘the unarmed to be spared’, abstineatur is used where we should expect abstineretur; the tense used in oratio recta is preserved to give additional vividness to the description.
quam = postquam.
Gades—Cadiz, in Spain.
per patentia ruinis--‘through an open breach,' lit. ‘through things lying open in ruins.’
atrociter in incolas saevitur--‘atrocities are committed on the inhabitants.’
eo saevitiae perventum est--‘to such lengths did cruelty proceed,’ ‘lit. ‘thither of cruelty.’
ut—abstineatur--‘the unarmed to be spared’, abstineatur is used where we should expect abstineretur; the tense used in oratio recta is preserved to give additional vividness to the description.
quam = postquam.
Gades—Cadiz, in Spain.
206. Darius' Letter and Alexander's Answer
Hāc ferē tempestāte līterae ā Dārīō allātae quibus petēbat ut fīliam suam, cui Statīrae nōmen fuit, Alexander in mātrimōnium dūceret: dōtem fore dīmidiam imperiī partem. Quod sī forte dubitāret, quod offerrētur, accipere, nē id oblīvīscerētur, nōnnunquam mūtārī fortūnam, victōremque posse vincī. Alexander iīs, quī līterās attulerant, respondit Dārīum sibi aliēna prōmittere, et quod tōtum āmīsisset, velle partīrī. Legēs autem ā viētōribus dīcī, accipī ā victīs. Uter victor esset, sī sōlus ignōrāret ille, quam prīmum Mārte dēcernerent. Sē quoque, cum trānsīret mare, nōn Ciliciam aut Lȳdiam, tantī enim bellī exiguam hanc esse mercēdem, sed Persēpolīn, caput rēgnī eius, Bactra deinde et Ecbatana ultimīque orientis ōram imperiō suō dēstināsse.
aliena—‘the property of others.’
leges--‘conditions,‘
Marte--‘in fight’. Mars, the god of war.
Ciliciam, Lydiam--provinces of Asia Minor.
Persepolin--Persepolis, the capital, situated in the centre of Persia.
Ecbatana—the capital of Media, afterwards the summer residence of the Persian kings.
leges--‘conditions,‘
Marte--‘in fight’. Mars, the god of war.
Ciliciam, Lydiam--provinces of Asia Minor.
Persepolin--Persepolis, the capital, situated in the centre of Persia.
Ecbatana—the capital of Media, afterwards the summer residence of the Persian kings.
207. Egypt. Visit to the Oracle of Jupiter Hammon
Post Tȳrōn captam Alexander in Aegyptum pergit. Quō ubi advēnit summō studiō ab incolīs excipitur, quōs avāritiae superbiaeque Persārum taedēbat, Neque ita multō post adīre Iovis Hammōnis ōrāculum statuit. Iter expedītīs quoque et paucīs vix tolerābile ingrediendum erat: terrā caelōque aquārum pēnūria est, sterilēs arēnae iacent, quās ubi vapor sōlis accendit, fervidō solō exūrente vestīgia, intolerābilis aestus existit. Luctandumque est nōn sōlum cum ārdōre et siccitāte regiōnis sed etiam cum tenācissimō sabulō, quod praealtum et vestīgiō cēdēns aegrē mōliuntur pedēs. Haec Aegyptiī vērō maiōra iactābant. Sed ingēns cupīdō animum stimulābat adeundī Iovem, quem generis suī auctōrem, haud contentus mortālī fastīgiō, aut crēdēbat esse aut crēdī volēbat. Quās viae difficultātēs nōn sine suō mīlitumque perīculō ēluctātus, ad sēdem deī pervēnit. Ea undique arboribus tegitur, multīque fontēs alunt silvās. Caelī quoque mīra temperiēs vernō tepōrī maximē similis, omnēs annī partēs parī salūbritāte percurrit.
Iovis Hammonis—an Egyptian god identified by the Greeks with Zeus, and by the Romans with Jupiter. His temple was in the deserts of Libya, in N. Africa.
expeditis--‘for men in light marching order.’
sabulo--‘sand.’
iactabant—‘made the most of.’
expeditis--‘for men in light marching order.’
sabulo--‘sand.’
iactabant—‘made the most of.’
208. The Fountain of the Sun. Response of the Oracle
Est et aliud Hammōnis nemus: in mediō habet fontem, quem sōlis aquam vocant: sub lūcīs ortum tepida mānat, mediō diē, cuius vehementissimus est calor, frīgida eadem fluit, inclīnātō in vesperam calēscit, mediā nocte fervida exaestuat: ubi nox propius vergit ad lūcem, multum ex nocturnō calōre dēcrēscit, dōnec sub ipsum diēī ortum assuētō tepōre languēscat. Ac tum quidem rēgem propius adeuntem maximus nātū ē sacerdōtibus fīlium appellat, hoc nōmen illī parentem Iovem reddere affirmāns. Ille sē vērō et accipere ait et agnōscere, hūmānae sortis oblītus. Cōnsuluit deinde, an tōtīus orbis imperium fātis sibi dēstināret pater. Respondit sacerdōs terrārum omnium rēctōrem fore. Iovis igitur fīlium sē nōn sōlum appellārī passus est, sed etiam iussit.
sub—‘just before.’
inclinato--understand die.
fatis—‘by the decree of fate.’
inclinato--understand die.
fatis—‘by the decree of fate.’
209. Darius' Preparations
Posteā Alexander ad Euphrāten contendit, cum Dārīō dē imperiō dīmicātūrus. Is barbarās gentēs undique convocātās summa cūra armat īnstruitque quantōque cum hoste sit rēs docet. Equitibus equīsque tegumenta erant ex ferreīs lāminīs in seriē inter sē connexīs: quis anteā praeter iaculā nihil dederat, scūta gladiīque adiiciēbantur: equōrumque domandī gregēs peditibus distribūtī sunt, ut maior prīstinō esset equitātus. Ingēns etiam, ut crēdiderat, hostium terror, ducentae falcātae quadrīgae, ūnicum illārum gentium auxilium, secūtae sunt. Ex summō tēmōne hastae praefīxae ferrō, utrimque ā iugō ternī gladiī, inter radiōs rotārum plūra spīcula ēminēbant in adversum. Aliae deinde falcēs summissae rotārum orbibus haerēbant, et aliae in terram dēmissae, quicquid obvium concitātīs equīs fuisset, amputātūrae.
Euphraten—the Euphrates rises in Armenia, flows through the plains of Babylon, and falls into the Persian gulf soon after joining the Tigris.
serie inter se connexis--‘successively linked together.’
in adversum--‘pointing forwards.’
amputaturae—‘intended to lop off.’
serie inter se connexis--‘successively linked together.’
in adversum--‘pointing forwards.’
amputaturae—‘intended to lop off.’
210. Eclipse of the Moon
Cēterum Alexander perīculōrum et maximē multitūdinis contemptor ad Euphrāten pervēnit: quō pontibus iūnctō equitēs prīmōs īre, phalangem sequī iubet, Mazaēō praefectō equitum rēgiōrum nōn ausō proelium committere. Paucīs deinde nōn ad quiētem, sed ad reparandōs animōs, diēbus datīs mīlitī, strēnuē hostem īnsequī coepit, veritus nē interiōra rēgnī suī peteret. Sed ex itinere dēficiente lūnā pavor mīlitibus incussus est. Dīīs invītīs in ultimās terrās trahī sē querēbantur. An id aequum esse ut propter ūnum hominem tanta discrīmina adīrent? Eō portentō īram deōrum significārī: proinde domum reverterentur, sī quis salvus esse vellet. Iam prope sēditiōnem rēs erat, cum rēx vātēs voluntātem deōrum exprōmere iubet. Iī igitur sōlem Graecōrum lūnam esse Persārum docent, quotiēnsque illa dēficiat, ruīnam illīs gentibus portendī Quibus audītis adeō animī mīlitum cōnfirmantur ut sē rēgem sequī velle profitērentur.
contemptor—‘despising.’ Notice the concrete Latin word.
profiterentur—either primary or historic sequence can be used after the historic present.
profiterentur—either primary or historic sequence can be used after the historic present.