the whole army should enter the stream
and advance across it. The Granicus was in most places fordable; but
there were occasional deeper parts, which had to be avoided; and there
was thus some difficulty in reaching the opposite bank in line. That
bank itself was generally steep and precipitous, but offered also
several gentle slopes where a landing was comparatively easy. The
Persians had drawn up their cavalry along the line of the river close to
the water's edge, and had placed their infantry in the rear. Alexander
consequently attacked with his cavalry. The engagement began upon the
right. Amytas and Ptolemy, who were the first to reach the opposite
bank, met with a strenuous resistance and were driven back into the
stream by the forces of Memnon and his sons. The battle, however, on
this side was restored by Alexander himself, who gradually forced the
Persians back after a long hand-to-hand fight, in which he received
a slight wound, and slew with his own hand several noble Persians.
Elsewhere the resistance was less determined. Parmenio crossed on the
left with comparative ease, by his advance relieving Alexander. The
Persians found the long spears of the Macedonians and their intermixture
of light-armed foot with heavy-armed cavalry irresistible. The
Macedonians seem to have received orders to strike at their adversaries'
faces--a style of warfare which was as unpleasant to the Persians as it
was to the soldiers of Pompey at Pharsalia. Their line was broken
where it was opposed to Alexander and his immediate companions; but the
contagion of disorder rapidly spread, and the whole body of the cavalry
shortly quitted the field, after having lost a thousand of their number.
Only the infantry now remained. Against these the Macedonian phalanx was
brought up in front, while the cavalry made repeated charges on
either flank with overwhelming effect. Deserted by their horse, vastly
outnumbered, and attacked on all sides, the brave mercenaries stood
firm, fought with desperation, and were mostly slaughtered where they
stood. Two thousand out of the 20,000--probably wounded men--were made
prisoners. The rest perished, except a few who lay concealed among the
heaps of slain.

The Persians lost by the battle 20,000 of their best footmen, and one or
two thousand horse. Among their slain the proportion of men of rank
was unusually large. The list included Spithridates, satrap of Lydia,
Mithrobarzanes, governor of Cappadocia,