saw in front of him smooth ground
carefully prepared for the operations of chariots and cavalry, began a
diagonal movement towards the right, which tended at once to place him
beyond the levelled ground, and to bring him in contact with his enemy's
left wing rather than with his direct front. The movement greatly
disconcerted his adversary, who sought to prevent it by extending and
advancing his own left, which was soon engaged with Alexander's right
in a fierce hand-to-hand conflict. Alexander still pressed his slanting
movement, and in resisting it Darius's left became separated from his
centre, while at the same time he was forced to give the signal for
launching the chariots against the foe sooner than he had intended, and
under circumstances that were not favorable. The effect of the operation
was much the same as at Cunaxa. Received by the Macedonian light-armed,
the chariots were mostly disabled before the enemy's main line was
reached; the drivers were dragged from the chariot-boards; and the
horses were cut to pieces. Such as escaped this fate and charged the
Macedonian line, were allowed to pass through the ranks, which opened to
receive them, and were then dealt with by grooms and others in the rear
of the army.

No sooner had the chariot attack failed, and the space between the two
lines of battle become clear, than Alexander, with the quick eye of a
true general, saw his opportunity: to resist his flank movement, the
Bactrians and Sacae with the greater part of the left wing had broken
off from the main Persian line, and in pressing towards the left
had made a gap between their ranks and the centre. Into this gap the
Macedonian king, at the head of the "Companion" cavalry and a portion of
the phalanx, plunged. Here he found himself in the near neighborhood
of Darius, whereupon he redoubled the vigor of his assault, knowing the
great importance of any success gained in this quarter. The Companions
rushed on with loud cries, pressing with all their weight, and thrusting
their spears into the faces of their antagonists--the phalanx, bristling
with its thick array of lances, bore them down. Alexander found himself
sufficiently near Darius to hurl a spear at him, which transfixed his
charioteer. The cry arose that the king had fallen, and the ranks at
once grew unsteady. The more timid instantly began to break and fly;
the contagion of fear spread; and Darius was in a little while almost
denuded of protection o