Her letters to
Alexander.--Sysigambis.--Alexander's kindness to her.--Darius at
Ecbatana.--His speech to his army.--Conspiracy against Darius.--Bessus
and his confederates.--Advance of Alexander.--Retreat of Darius.--The
Caspian Gates.--Pursuit of Darius.--Foraging parties.--The pursuit
continued.--Alexander stops to rest his army.--Want of
water.--Disregarded by Alexander.--The pursuit grows more
exciting.--Guides employed.--The Persians overtaken.--Murder of
Darius.--Sufferings of Darius.--Treachery of friends.--Darius
found.--Sufferings from thirst.--Darius calls for water.--The
interpreter.--Darius's message to Alexander.--Affecting
scene.--Alexander's grief at Darius's death.--He sends the body
to Sysigambis.--Crossing the Oxus.--Capture of the traitor
Bessus.--Mutilation of Bessus.--He is sent to Sysigambis.--Terrible
punishment of Bessus.

Alexander's march from Susa to Persepolis was less a march than a
triumphal progress. He felt the pride and elation so naturally
resulting from success very strongly. The moderation and forbearance
which had characterized him in his earlier years, gradually
disappeared as he became great and powerful. He was intoxicated with
his success. He became haughty, vain, capricious, and cruel. As he
approached Persepolis, he conceived the idea that, as this city was
the capital and center of the Persian monarchy, and, as such, the
point from which had emanated all the Persian hostility to Greece, he
owed it some signal retribution. Accordingly, although the inhabitants
made no opposition to his entrance, he marched in with the phalanx
formed, and gave the soldiers liberty to kill and plunder as they
pleased.

There was another very striking instance of the capricious
recklessness now beginning to appear in Alexander's character, which
occurred soon after he had taken possession of Persepolis. He was
giving a great banquet to his friends, the officers of the army, and
to Persians of distinction among those who had submitted to him. There
was, among other women at this banquet, a very beautiful and
accomplished female named Thais. Alexander made her his favorite and
companion, though she was not his wife. Thais did all in her power to
captivate and please Alexander during the feast by her vivacity, her
wit, her adroit attentions to him, and the display of her charms, and
at length, when he himself, as well as the other guests, were excited
with wine, she asked him to allow her to ha