n addition to the dangers and
hardships of the way and of the season, to encounter the hostility of
their foes, as the tribes who inhabited these mountains assembled to
dispute the passage. Alexander was victorious, and reached a valley
through which there flows a river which has handed down its name to
the English language and literature. This river was the Meander. Its
beautiful windings through verdant and fertile valleys were so
renowned, that every stream which imitates its example is said to
_meander_ to the present day.

During all this time Parmenio had remained in the western part of Asia
Minor with a considerable body of the army. As the spring approached,
Alexander sent him orders to go to Gordium, whither he was himself
proceeding, and meet him there. He also directed that the detachment
which had gone home should, on recrossing the Hellespont, on their
return, proceed eastward to Gordium, thus making that city the general
rendezvous for the commencement of his next campaign.

One reason why Alexander desired to go to Gordium was that he wished
to untie the famous Gordian knot. The story of the Gordian knot was
this. Gordius was a sort of mountain farmer. One day he was plowing,
and an eagle came down and alighted upon his yoke, and remained there
until he had finished his plowing. This was an omen, but what was the
signification of it? Gordius did not know, and he accordingly went to
a neighboring town in order to consult the prophets and soothsayers.
On his way he met a damsel, who, like Rebecca in the days of Abraham,
was going forth to draw water. Gordius fell into conversation with
her, and related to her the occurrence which had interested him so
strongly. The maiden advised him to go back and offer a sacrifice to
Jupiter. Finally, she consented to go back with him and aid him. The
affair ended in her becoming his wife, and they lived together in
peace for many years upon their farm.

They had a son named Midas. The father and mother were accustomed to
go out sometimes in their cart or wagon, drawn by the oxen, Midas
driving. One day they were going into the town in this way, at a time
when it happened that there was an assembly convened, which was in a
state of great perplexity on account of the civil dissensions and
contests which prevailed in the country. They had just inquired of an
oracle what they should do. The oracle said that "a cart would bring
them a king, who would terminate their eterna