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“But I can fix things so as to ride to the next station when the mail comes in from the east.” “Well, if you are in the neighborhood, I’ll give you a reserved seat.” “That’s the talk; I’ll do my best.” “You mustn’t forget that he is running away from me.”
Cal swung the other leg over its mate and submerged a fly that was groping far beyond ordinary hydraulic range. Raising his hand he protested: “Hold on, pardner; young Brandley ain’t running away from you.” “How do you know he isn’t?” “I warn’t with him long, but long enough to see what kind of stuff he’s made of; he’s...
“I hope so, but I doubt it.” “He’ll never show the white feather, more than you will.” Inasmuch as Cal included Alden in this compliment, our young friend could make no objection to the same. CHAPTER XXII
JETHRO’S SECRET AND WHAT FOLLOWED The day was crisp, clear and sunshiny, Alden strove to shake off the feelings that oppressed him. He knew he was not treating his hospitable friends right, for they had shown him every courtesy, as they would have done had he chosen to spend weeks at the mail station; Cal invited him t...
Suddenly the still air was pierced by a wild shout. It was the “coyote yell,” of the Pony Express Rider coming from the west. Seemingly in the same moment, Cal hurried round the corner of the cabin, leading one of the wiry half-breed horses by the bridle. The man from within the building came through the door and peere...
The words were yet in the air, when the rider leaped to the ground, whirled about and began unfastening the mail bags. Cal helped, they were slung upon the back of the waiting pony and Jim vaulted into the saddle, caught up the reins and pricked the flanks of his animal with his keen spurs. During the few seconds this ...
“Good――” “But the Indians got the rider; haven’t seen hide or hair of him. I’m off!” And without another word, his horse thundered on a dead run to the southeast. The astounded Alden turned to follow him with his eyes, when he descried a tall bony horse approaching, on whose back was a massive man with shaggy whiskers,...
“Hello, Shagbark!” shouted the youth, running toward him delighted and yet awed by the awful message the Pony Express Rider flung at them. He had veered so as to avoid the approaching train, and was already beyond sight. The grim veteran did not try to hide his delight at sight of the young man. The movement of his hea...
“They war a few minutes ago,” replied the guide, turning in his saddle and looking back as if not sure everything was right. The plodding train was rounding into sight, and at the head was Jethro Mix on his horse. Alden waved his hand. The dusky fellow stared a minute unable to grasp the situation. Then, recognizing hi...
“We’ll camp hyar!” called Shagbark to the teamsters, all of whom had come within easy reach of his voice. While the wagons were assuming position, and the men preparing to spend the night where Chadwick’s party had camped the night before, Alden exchanged greetings with Mr. Fleming, his wife and the remainder of his fr...
“Do you think Brandley has been killed by the Indians?” “As sure as you’re standing there,” replied the taller; “the biggest tomfool thing I ever done was to let him start off with the mail. It means my finish.” Bill thought more of the trouble coming to him than he did of the fate that had overtaken poor Ross Brandley...
“Not a thing; he isn’t the first one the Indians got and he won’t be the last by a jugful.” It was Cal who now spoke. “There ain’t any doubt that he was shot from the back of the pony, which dashed off and ran to the station with the mail. If we’d let you start out with the pouches, as you wanted to do, that’s what wou...
“All day while I have been brooding and hating him he has been lying somewhere in the solitude looking up to the sky and seeing it not. God forgive me!” Angered by the indifference of the two men, Alden turned back and joined Shagbark, who had dismounted and removed the saddle and bridle of his horse. Jethro had done t...
“Al, you never let me tell you dat secret I wanted to tell you.” “I have no patience to listen now: more important matters are on my mind.” “But you’v got hear it or I’ll bust.” “Go ahead,” said Shagbark, who saw that it had some bearing on the sore trouble of his young friend.
“You remember in St. Joe, when dat chap butted into you?” “Of course, but never mind about that.” “Do you know what he said to you?” “I don’t remember, and I don’t care.”
“You neber had de rights ob dat; I stubbed my toe, bumped agin him and knocked him agin _you_. De minute he did dat, he turned to you and said, ‘_I beg your pardon!_’ but you thinked he said something insulting, _but he didn’t_.” Alden stared at Jethro. “Are you speaking the truth?” he asked in a husky voice. “As suah’...
“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” “I tried to seberal times but you wouldn’t let me.” “Why didn’t you tell me at the time?” Jethro chuckled.
“I wanted to see de fout.” “Jeth, I ought to beat the life out of you for that.” “Dat’s what I thinks; here am your gun; take hold of the barrel and break it ober my head; I won’t say a word.” And the fellow handed the weapon to his master and meekly awaited his pleasure.
“To think,” said Alden, as if talking to himself; “that Ross Brandley acted the gentleman and I the brute. No wonder he resented it when I refused to receive his apology. I thank Heaven we did not meet while I knew not the truth. Ah, if I could have seen him before this last happened and told him my regrets!” Shagbark ...
“Not much chance, but thar is one as I obsarved in a hundred. Wait till we git to the next station. It mought be that when he seen things looked squally he slipped off his pony and took to kiver. Not much chance I say, but it may be. Let’s hope till we hyar more.” Alden took slight comfort from the words of his rough f...
“And that is what _I_ shall do!” said Alden, with a flash of his eyes and a compression of his lips; “and I shall not return till I learn the truth.” “And I’se gwine wid you,” added Jethro Mix. “I don’t see that you can be of any help, but you may come if you wish. You owe the risk of your own life for the wrong you ha...
* * * * * Now suppose we join hands in the hunt for Ross Brandley, and leave all the adventures and experiences to be told in ALDEN AMONG THE INDIANS OR
THE SEARCH FOR THE MISSING PONY EXPRESS RIDER. * * * * * Transcriber’s Notes: ――Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_).
――Printer’s, punctuation, and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected. ――Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved. ――Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved.
= = = PG30624 = = = ALEXANDER THE GREAT E-text prepared by D Alexander and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 30624-h.htm or 30624-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/f...
Makers of History ALEXANDER THE GREAT by JACOB ABBOTT
With Engravings New York and London Harper & Brothers Publishers 1902 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty-nine, by Harper & Brothers, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of New York. Copyright, 1876, by Jacob Abbott.
PREFACE. The history of the life of every individual who has, for any reason, attracted extensively the attention of mankind, has been written in a great variety of ways by a multitude of authors, and persons sometimes wonder why we should have so many different accounts of the same thing. The reason is, that each one ...
I. ALEXANDER'S CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH 13 II. BEGINNING OF HIS REIGN 36 III. THE REACTION 57 IV. CROSSING THE HELLESPONT 78
V. CAMPAIGN IN ASIA MINOR 103 VI. DEFEAT OF DARIUS 128 VII. THE SIEGE OF TYRE 147 VIII. ALEXANDER IN EGYPT 169
IX. THE GREAT VICTORY 189 X. THE DEATH OF DARIUS 213 XI. DETERIORATION OF CHARACTER 234 XII. ALEXANDER'S END 251
ENGRAVINGS. Page MAP. EXPEDITION OF ALEXANDER _Frontispiece._ ALEXANDER AND BUCEPHALUS 27
MAP OF MACEDON AND GREECE 48 MAP OF MACEDON AND GREECE 58 MAP OF THE PLAIN OF TROY 88 PARIS AND HELEN 94
ACHILLES 97 MAP OF THE GRANICUS 104 THE BATHING IN THE RIVER CYDNUS 124 MAP OF THE PLAIN OF ISSUS 134
THE SIEGE OF TYRE 157 THE FOCUS 185 THE CALTROP 197 ALEXANDER AT THE PASS OF SUSA 211
PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT OF MOUNT ATHOS 261 [Illustration: MAP. EXPEDITION OF ALEXANDER.] ALEXANDER THE GREAT. CHAPTER I.
HIS CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH. B.C. 356-336 The briefness of Alexander's career.--His brilliant exploits.--Character of Alexander.--Mental and physical qualities.--Character of the Asiatic and European civilization.--Composition of Asiatic and European armies.--King Philip.--Extent of Macedon.--Olympias.--The young prince Al...
Notwithstanding the briefness of Alexander's career, he ran through, during that short period, a very brilliant series of exploits, which were so bold, so romantic, and which led him into such adventures in scenes of the greatest magnificence and splendor, that all the world looked on with astonishment then, and mankin...
Now Alexander was born the heir to the throne of one of the Grecian kingdoms. He possessed, in a very remarkable degree, the energy, and enterprise, and military skill so characteristic of the Greeks and Romans. He organized armies, crossed the boundary between Europe and Asia, and spent the twelve years of his career ...
The duties of officers, too, on the field of battle, were very different then from what they are now. An officer _now_ must be calm, collected, and quiet. His business is to plan, to calculate, to direct, and arrange. He has to do this sometimes, it is true, in circumstances of the most imminent danger, so that he must...
Alexander could understand them very easily, as they were written in his mother tongue. He was greatly excited by the narrations themselves, and pleased with the flowing smoothness of the verse in which the tales were told. In the latter part of his course of education he was placed under the charge of Aristotle, who w...
The embassadors were very much surprised at such evidences of maturity of mind, and of far-seeing and reflective powers on the part of the young prince. They could not help comparing him with Artaxerxes. "Alexander," said they, "is _great_, while our king is only _rich_." The truth of the judgment which these embassado...
[Illustration: ALEXANDER AND BUCEPHALUS.] At any rate, Bucephalus was calmed and subdued by the presence of Alexander. He allowed himself to be caressed. Alexander turned his head in such a direction as to prevent his seeing his shadow. He quietly and gently laid off a sort of cloak which he wore, and sprang upon the h...
Alexander's character matured rapidly, and he began very early to act the part of a man. When he was only sixteen years of age, his father, Philip, made him regent of Macedon while he was absent on a great military campaign among the other states of Greece. Without doubt Alexander had, in this regency, the counsel and ...
One of the guests at this banquet, in saying something complimentary to the new queen, made use of expressions which Alexander considered as in disparagement of the character of his mother and of his own birth. His anger was immediately aroused. He threw the cup from which he had been drinking at the offender's head. A...
CHAPTER II. BEGINNING OF HIS REIGN. B.C. 336 Philip is reconciled to Olympias and Alexander.--Olympias and Alexander returned.--The great wedding.--Preparations for the wedding.--Costly presents.--Celebration of the wedding.--Games and spectacles.--Statues of the gods.--Military procession.--Appearance of Philip.--The ...
Alexander was suddenly called upon to succeed his father on the Macedonian throne, in the most unexpected manner, and in the midst of scenes of the greatest excitement and agitation. The circumstances were these: Philip had felt very desirous, before setting out upon his great expedition into Asia, to become reconciled...
These great men, on the other hand, and all the other public authorities in the various Grecian states, sent compliments, congratulations, and presents to Philip, each seeming ambitious to contribute his share to the splendor of the celebration. They were not wholly disinterested in this, it is true. As Philip had been...
After the procession of the statues passed along, there came bodies of troops, with trumpets sounding and banners flying. The officers rode on horses elegantly caparisoned, and prancing proudly. These troops escorted princes, embassadors, generals, and great officers of state, all gorgeously decked in their robes, and ...
An officer of state immediately hastened to Alexander, and announced to him his father's death and his own accession to the throne. An assembly of the leading counselors and statesmen was called, in a hasty and tumultuous manner, and Alexander was proclaimed king with prolonged and general acclamations. Alexander made ...
At all events, Alexander found himself suddenly elevated to one of the most conspicuous positions in the whole political world. It was not simply that he succeeded to the throne of Macedon; even this would have been a lofty position for so young a man; but Macedon was a very small part of the realm over which Philip ha...
There were two officers in particular who were the ministers on whom Philip had mainly relied. Their names were Antipater and Parmenio. Antipater had charge of the civil, and Parmenio of military affairs. Parmenio was a very distinguished general. He was at this time nearly sixty years of age. Alexander had great confi...
There was Sparta also, called sometimes Lacedæmon. The inhabitants of this city were famed for their courage, hardihood, and physical strength, and for the energy with which they devoted themselves to the work of war. They were nearly all soldiers, and all the arrangements of the state and of society, and all the plans...
There was in those days a sort of general congress or assembly of the states of Greece, which was held from time to time, to decide questions and disputes in which the different states were continually getting involved with each other. This assembly was called the Amphictyonic Council, on account, as is said, of its ha...
The Pass of Thermopylæ was a scene strongly associated with ideas of military glory and renown. It was here that, about a hundred and fifty years before, Leonidas, a Spartan general, with only three hundred soldiers, had attempted to withstand the pressure of an immense Persian force which was at that time invading Gre...
THE REACTION. B.C. 335 Mount Hæmus.--Thrace.--The Hebrus.--Thrace.--Valley of the Danube.--Revolt among the northern nations.--Alexander marches north.--Old Boreas.--Contest among the mountains.--The loaded wagons.--Alexander's victorious march.--Mouths of the Danube.--Alexander resolves to cross the Danube.--Preparati...
A branch of this mountain range, called Rhodope, extends southwardly from about the middle of its length, as may be seen by the map. Rhodope separated Macedonia from a large and powerful country, which was occupied by a somewhat rude but warlike race of men. This country was Thrace. Thrace was one great fertile basin o...
He conducted his forces through a part of Thrace without meeting with any serious resistance, and approached the mountains. The soldiers looked upon the rugged precipices and lofty summits before them with awe. These northern mountains were the seat and throne, in the imaginations of the Greeks and Romans, of old Borea...
It is a serious undertaking to get a great body of men and horses across a broad and rapid river, when the people of the country have done all in their power to remove or destroy all possible means of transit, and when hostile bands are on the opposite bank, to embarrass and impede the operations by every mode in their...
He found that it was _time_ for him to return. The southern cities and states of Greece had not been unanimous in raising him to the office which his father had held. The Spartans and some others were opposed to him. The party thus opposed were inactive and silent while Alexander was in their country, on his first visi...
It was now, however, too late for the Thebans to repent of what they had done. They were far too deeply impressed with a conviction of the decision and energy of Alexander's character, as manifested in the whole course of his proceedings since he began to reign, and especially by his sudden reappearance among them so s...
It is horrible, because the soldiers, exasperated to fury by the resistance which they meet with, and by the awful malignity of the passions always excited in the hour of battle, if they succeed, burst suddenly into the precincts of domestic life, and find sometimes thousands of families--mothers, and children, and def...
But, in carrying this terrible decision into effect, he acted in a manner so deliberate, discriminating, and cautious, as to diminish very much the irritation and resentment which it would otherwise have caused, and to give it its full moral effect as a measure, not of angry resentment, but of calm and deliberate retri...
He did teach them that he was a man. His unexpected appearance, when they imagined him entangled among the mountains and wilds of unknown regions in the north; his sudden investiture of Thebes; the assault; the calm deliberations in respect to the destiny of the city, and the slow, cautious, discriminating, but inexora...
CROSSING THE HELLESPONT. B.C. 334 The expedition into Asia.--Debates upon it.--Objections of Antipater and Parmenio.--Their foresight.--Alexander decides to go.--Preparations.--Description of Thessaly.--Vale of Tempe.--Olympus.--Pelion and Ossa.--Alexander's generosity.--Love of money.--Religious sacrifices and spectac...
He brought the subject before his ministers and counselors. They, in general, concurred with him in opinion. There were, however, two who were in doubt, or rather who were, in fact, opposed to the plan, though they expressed their non-concurrence in the form of doubts. These two persons were Antipater and Parmenio, the...
Alexander left an army of ten or twelve thousand men with Antipater for the protection of Macedon. He organized another army of about thirty-five thousand to go with him. This was considered a very small army for such a vast undertaking. One or two hundred years before this time, Darius, a king of Persia, had invaded G...
Alexander, as king of Macedon, possessed extensive estates and revenues, which were his own personal property, and were independent of the revenues of the state. Before setting out on his expedition, he apportioned these among his great officers and generals, both those who were to go and those who were to remain. He e...
The festivities in honor of Jupiter and the Muses were continued in Macedon nine days, a number corresponding with that of the dancing goddesses. Alexander made very magnificent preparations for the celebration on this occasion. He had a tent made, under which, it is said, a hundred tables could be spread; and here he ...
Troy was situated upon a plain. Homer describes an island off the coast, named Tenedos, and a mountain near called Mount Ida. There was also a river called the Scamander. The island, the mountain, and the river remain, preserving their original names to the present day, except that the river is now called the Mender, b...
Three of the goddesses claimed the apple, each insisting that she was more beautiful than the others, and this was the dispute which they agreed to refer to Paris. They accordingly exhibited themselves before him in the mountains, that he might look at them and decide. They did not, however, seem willing, either of the...
There was in Sparta, one of the cities of Southern Greece, a certain king Menelaus, who had a youthful bride named Helen, who was famed far and near for her beauty. Paris came to the conclusion that she was the most lovely woman in the world, and that he was entitled, in virtue of Venus's promise, to obtain possession ...
[Illustration: ACHILLES.] Agamemnon was the commander-in-chief of the Greek army. After a certain victory, by which some captives were taken, and were to be divided among the victors, Agamemnon was obliged to restore one, a noble lady, who had fallen to his share, and he took away the one that had been assigned to Achi...
Alexander accordingly resolved that his first landing in Asia should be at Troy. He left his army under the charge of Parmenio, to cross from Sestos to Abydos, while he himself set forth in a single galley to proceed to the southward. There was a port on the Trojan shore where the Greeks had been accustomed to disembar...
After completing his visit upon the plain of Troy, Alexander moved toward the northeast with the few men who had accompanied him in his single galley. In the mean time Parmenio had crossed safely, with the main body of the army, from Sestos to Abydos. Alexander overtook them on their march, not far from the place of th...
CAMPAIGN IN ASIA MINOR. B.C. 334-333 Alexander hemmed in by Mount Ida and the Granicus.--The Granicus.--Prodromi.--Alexander stopped at the Granicus.--Council called.--Alexander resolves to advance.--His motives.--The Macedonian phalanx.--Its organization.--Formidable character of the phalanx.--Is irresistible.--Divisi...
He thought it would be easiest to cross the river. It is very difficult to get a large body of horsemen and of heavy-armed soldiers, with all their attendants and baggage, over high elevations of land. This was the reason why the army turned to the northward after landing upon the Asiatic shore. Alexander thought the G...
Parmenio recommended that they should not attempt to pass the river immediately. The Persian army consisted chiefly of cavalry. Now cavalry, though very terrible as an enemy on the field of battle by day, are peculiarly exposed and defenseless in an encampment by night. The horses are scattered, feeding or at rest. The...
The phalanx was subdivided into brigades, regiments, and battalions, and regularly officered. In marching, it was separated into these its constituent parts, and sometimes in battle it acted in divisions. It was stationed in the center of the army on the field, and on the two sides of it were bodies of cavalry and foot...
Such are the stories that are told. They may have been literally and fully true, or they may have been exaggerations of circumstances somewhat resembling them which really occurred, or they may have been fictitious altogether. Great generals, like other great men, have often the credit of many exploits which they never...
Alexander encamped to refresh his army and to take care of the wounded. He went to see the wounded men one by one, inquired into the circumstances of each case, and listened to each one who was able to talk, while he gave an account of his adventures in the battle, and the manner in which he received his wound. To be a...
When the winter came on, Alexander and his army were about three or four hundred miles from home; and, as he did not intend to advance much farther until the spring should open, he announced to the army that all those persons, both officers and soldiers who had been married within the year, might go home if they chose,...
During all this time Parmenio had remained in the western part of Asia Minor with a considerable body of the army. As the spring approached, Alexander sent him orders to go to Gordium, whither he was himself proceeding, and meet him there. He also directed that the detachment which had gone home should, on recrossing t...
[Illustration: THE BATHING IN THE RIVER CYNDUS.] At length the whole army was assembled, and the king recommenced his progress. He went on successfully for some weeks, moving in a southeasterly direction, and bringing the whole country under his dominion, until, at length, when he reached Tarsus, an event occurred whic...
Alexander put the letter under his pillow, and communicated its contents to no one. At length, when the medicine was ready, Philip brought it in. Alexander took the cup containing it with one hand, and with the other he handed Philip the communication which he had received from Parmenio, saying, "Read that letter." As ...
DEFEAT OF DARIUS. B.C. 333 Darius's opinion of Alexander.--He prepares to meet him.--Greek mercenaries.--Counsel of Charidemus.--Darius's displeasure at Charidemus.--He condemns him to death.--Magnificence of Darius's army.--Worship of the sun.--The Kinsmen.--The Immortals.--Appearance of Darius.--Costly apparel of Dar...
Accordingly, Darius collected an immense army himself, and advanced to meet the Macedonians in person. Nothing could exceed the pomp and magnificence of his preparations. There were immense numbers of troops, and they were of all nations. There were even a great many Greeks among his forces, many of them enlisted from ...
There were bodies of troops distinguished from the rest, and occupying positions of high honor, but these were selected and advanced above the others, not on account of their courage, or strength, or superior martial efficiency, but from considerations connected with their birth, and rank, and other aristocratic qualit...
[Illustration: PLAIN OF ISSUS.] It will be observed by looking upon the map, that the chain of mountains called Mount Taurus extends down near to the coast, at the northeastern corner of the Mediterranean. Among these mountains there are various tracts of open country, through which an army may march to and fro, betwee...
It was now near the evening. Alexander sent forward a strong reconnoitering party, ordering them to proceed cautiously, to ascend eminences and look far before them, to guard carefully against surprise, and to send back word immediately if they came upon any traces of the enemy. At the present day the operations of suc...
Alexander, hearing of this, sent Leonnatus, his former teacher, a man of years and gravity, to quiet their fears and comfort them, so far as it was possible to comfort them. In addition to their own captivity, they supposed that Darius was killed, and the mother was mourning bitterly for her son, and the wife for her h...
The wife of Darius was young and very beautiful, and they had a little son who was with them in the camp. It seems almost unaccountable that Darius should have brought such a helpless and defenseless charge with him into camps and fields of battle. But the truth was that he had no idea of even a battle with Alexander, ...
One circumstance occurred at the close of this great victory which illustrates the magnanimity of Alexander's character, and helps to explain the very strong personal attachment which every body within the circle of his influence so obviously felt for him. He found a great number of envoys and embassadors from the vari...
B.C. 333 The city of Tyre.--Its situation and extent.--Pursuits of the Tyrians.--Their great wealth and resources.--The walls of Tyre.--Influence and power of Tyre.--Alexander hesitates in regard to Tyre.--Presents from the Tyrians.--Alexander refused admittance into Tyre.--He resolves to attack it.--Alexander's plan.-...
Tyre had been built originally on the main-land; but in some of the wars which it had to encounter with the kings of Babylon in the East, this old city had been abandoned by the inhabitants, and a new one built upon an island not far from the shore, which could be more easily defended from an enemy. The old city had go...
It was, of course, a very serious question with Alexander, as his route lay now through Phoenicia and in the neighborhood of Tyre, what he should do in respect to such a port. He did not like to leave it behind him and proceed to the eastward; for, in case of any reverses happening to him, the Tyrians would be very lik...
After examining carefully all the circumstances of the case, Alexander conceived the very bold plan of building a broad causeway from the main-land to the island on which the city was founded, out of the ruins of old Tyre, and then marching his army over upon it to the walls of the city, where he could then plant his e...
But all was of no avail. The work, though impeded, still went on. Alexander built large screens of wood upon the pier, covering them with hides, which protected his soldiers from the weapons of the enemy, so that they could carry on their operations safely behind them. By these means the work advanced for some distance...
Not long after this the sea itself came to the aid of the Tyrians. There was a storm; and, as a consequence of it, a heavy swell rolled in from the offing, which soon undermined and washed away a large part of the pier. The effects of a heavy sea on the most massive and substantial structures, when they are fairly expo...
In the mean time, as the siege advanced, the parties became more and more incensed against each other. They treated the captives which they took on either side with greater and greater cruelty, each thinking that they were only retaliating worse injuries from the other. The Macedonians approached nearer and nearer. The...

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