ch excessive praise
seemed shameful, while to withhold it was dangerous. After a drinking
bout, he would take a bath, and often slept until late in the
following day; and sometimes he passed the whole day asleep. He cared
but little for delicate food, and often when the rarest fruits and
fish were sent to him from the sea-coast, he would distribute them so
lavishly amongst his friends as to leave none for himself; yet his
table was always magnificently served, and as his revenues became
increased by his conquests, its expense rose to ten thousand drachmas
a day. To this it was finally limited, and those who entertained
Alexander were told that they must not expend more than that sum.

XXIV. After the battle of Issus, he sent troops to Damascus, and
captured all the treasure, the baggage, and the women and children of
the Persian army. Those who chiefly benefited by this were the
Thessalian cavalry, who had distinguished themselves in the battle,
and had been purposely chosen for this service by Alexander as a
reward for their bravery; yet all the camp was filled with riches, so
great was the mass of plunder. Then did the Macedonians get their
first taste of gold and silver, of Persian luxury and of Persian
women; and after this, like hounds opening upon a scent, they eagerly
pressed forward on the track of the wealthy Persians. Alexander,
however, thought it best, before proceeding further, to complete the
conquest of the sea-coast. Cyprus was at once surrendered to him by
its local kings, as was all Phoenicia, except Tyre. He besieged Tyre
for seven months, with great mounds and siege artillery on the land
side, while a fleet of two hundred triremes watched it by sea. During
the seventh month of the siege he dreamed that Herakles greeted him in
a friendly manner from the walls of Tyre, and called upon him to come
in. Many of the Tyrians also dreamed that Apollo appeared to them, and
said that he was going to Alexander, since what was being done in the
city of Tyre did not please him. The Tyrians, upon this, treated the
god as though he were a man caught in the act of deserting to
Alexander, for they tied cords round his statue, nailed it down to its
base, and called him Alexandristes, or follower of Alexander.
Alexander now dreamed another dream, that a satyr appeared to him at a
distance, and sported with him, but when he endeavoured to catch him,
ran away, and that, at length, after much trouble, he caught him.
This