ons of the phalanx.--Its position in
battle.--Battle of the Granicus.--Defeat of the Persians.--Alexander's
prowess.--His imminent danger.--Results of the battle.--Spoils sent to
Greece.--Memnon overruled.--Alexander visits the wounded.--Alexander
resumes his march.--The country surrenders.--Incidents.--Alexander's
generosity.--Omens.--The eagle on the mast.--Interpretations.--Approach
of winter.--The newly married permitted to go home.--A detachment of
bridegrooms.--Taurus.--Passage through the sea.--Hardships.--The
Meander.--Gordium.--Story of the Gordian knot.--Midas.--Gordius made
king.--Alexander cuts the knot.--He resumes his march.--Alexander's bath
in the Cydnus.--His sickness.--Alexander's physician Philip.--Suspicions
of poison.--Asia subdued.--The plain of Issus.

Although Alexander had landed safely on the Asiatic shore, the way was
not yet fairly open for him to advance into the interior of the
country. He was upon a sort of plain, which was separated from the
territory beyond by natural barriers. On the south was the range of
lofty land called Mount Ida. From the northeastern slopes of this
mountain there descended a stream which flowed north into the sea,
thus hemming Alexander's army in. He must either scale the mountain or
cross the river before he could penetrate into the interior.

He thought it would be easiest to cross the river. It is very
difficult to get a large body of horsemen and of heavy-armed soldiers,
with all their attendants and baggage, over high elevations of land.
This was the reason why the army turned to the northward after landing
upon the Asiatic shore. Alexander thought the Granicus less of an
obstacle than Mount Ida. It was not a large stream, and was easily
fordable.

[Illustration: THE GRANICUS.]

It was the custom in those days, as it is now when armies are
marching, to send forward small bodies of men in every direction to
explore the roads, remove obstacles, and discover sources of danger.
These men are called, in modern times, _scouts_; in Alexander's day,
and in the Greek language, they were called _prodromi_, which means
forerunners. It is the duty of these pioneers to send messengers back
continually to the main body of the army, informing the officers of
every thing important which comes under their observation.

In this case, when the army was gradually drawing near to the river,
the _prodromi_ came in with the news that they had been to the river,
and found th