er bank, which they would have to mount in the face
of the enemy. Some also raised a religious scruple, averring that the
Macedonian kings never made war during the month Daisius. Alexander
said that this could be easily remedied, and ordered that the second
month in the Macedonian calendar should henceforth be called
Artemisium. When Parmenio besought him not to risk a battle, as the
season was far advanced, he said that the Hellespont would blush for
shame if he crossed it, and then feared to cross the Granikus, and at
once plunged into the stream with thirteen squadrons of cavalry. It
seemed the act of a desperate madman rather than of a general to ride
thus through a rapid river, under a storm of missiles, towards a steep
bank where every position of advantage was occupied by armed men. He,
however, gained the farther shore, and made good his footing there,
although with great difficulty on account of the slippery mud. As soon
as he had crossed, and driven away those who had opposed his passage,
he was charged by a mass of the enemy, and forced to fight, pell-mell,
man to man, before he could put those who had followed him over into
battle array. The enemy came on with a shout, and rode straight up to
the horses of the Macedonians, thrusting at them with spears, and
using swords when their spears were broken. Many of them pressed round
Alexander himself, who was made a conspicuous figure by his shield and
the long white plume which hung down on each side of his helmet. He
was struck by a javelin in the joint of his corslet, but received no
hurt. Rhoesakes and Spithridates, two of the Persian generals, now
attacked him at once. He avoided the charge of the latter, but broke
his spear against the breastplate of Rhoesakes, and was forced to
betake him to his sword. No sooner had they closed together than
Spithridates rode up beside him, and, standing up in his stirrups,
dealt him such a blow with a battle-axe, as cut off one side of his
plume, and pierced his helmet just so far as to reach his hair with
the edge of the axe. While Spithridates was preparing for another
blow, he was run through by black Kleitus with a lance, and at the
same moment Alexander with his sword laid Rhoesakes dead at his feet.
During this fierce and perilous cavalry battle, the Macedonian
phalanx[407] crossed the river, and engaged the enemy's infantry
force, none of which offered much resistance except a body of
mercenary Greeks in the pay of