o excited and restive that the charioteer was unable
to manage them. Darius, we are told, left his chariot and his arms,
mounted a mare which had recently foaled, and rode away. He would not
have escaped even thus, had not mounted messengers just then arrived
from Parmenio, begging Alexander to come to his aid, as he was engaged
with a large body of the enemy upon which he could make no impression.
Indeed, throughout this battle, Parmenio is said to have displayed
great remissness and self-will, either because his courage was damped
by age, or because, as we are told by Kallisthenes, he envied
Alexander's greatness and prosperity. Alexander was much vexed at the
message, but without explaining to the soldiers what his real reasons
were, ordered the trumpets to sound the recall, as though he were
tired of slaughter, or because night was now coming on. He himself at
once rode to the scene of danger, but on his way thither heard that
the enemy had been completely defeated and put to flight.

XXXIV. The result of this battle was the complete destruction of the
Persian empire. Alexander was at once saluted King of Asia, and after
a splendid sacrifice to the gods, distributed the treasures and
provinces of that country among his friends. In the pride of his heart
he now wrote to Greece, saying that all the despots must be driven
out, and each city left independent with a constitutional government,
and gave orders for the rebuilding of the city of Plataea, because the
ancestors of the citizens of Plataea gave their territory to be
consecrated to the gods on behalf of the liberties of Greece. He also
sent some part of the spoils to the citizens of Kroton, in Italy, to
show his respect for the memory of Phayllus the athlete, who, during
the Persian invasion, when all the other Greek cities in Italy
deserted the cause of their countrymen in Greece, fitted out a ship of
war at his own expense, and sailed to Salamis to take part in the
battle there, and share in the dangers of the Greeks. Such honour did
Alexander pay to personal prowess, for he loved to reward and to
commemorate noble deeds.

XXXV. Alexander now marched into the country of Babylonia, which at
once yielded to him. As he drew near to Ekbatana he marvelled much at
an opening in the earth, out of which poured fire, as if from a well.
Close by, the naphtha which was poured out formed a large lake. This
substance is like bitumen, and is so easy to set on fire, that wit