, but that a single one of his mother's tears
would outweigh ten thousand such accusations.

Olympias used to write very frequently to Alexander, and in these
letters she would criticise and discuss his proceedings, and make
comments upon the characters and actions of his generals. Alexander
kept these letters very secret, never showing them to any one. One
day, however, when he was reading one of these letters, Hephaestion,
the personal friend and companion who has been already several times
mentioned, came up, half playfully, and began to look over his
shoulder. Alexander went on, allowing him to read, and then, when the
letter was finished he took the signet ring from his finger and
pressed it upon Hephaestion's lips, a signal for silence and secrecy.

Alexander was very kind to Sysigambis, the mother of Darius, and also
to Darius's children. He would not give these unhappy captives their
liberty, but in every other respect he treated them with the greatest
possible kindness and consideration. He called Sysigambis mother,
loaded her with presents--presents, it is true, which he had plundered
from her son, but to which it was considered, in those days, that he
had acquired a just and perfect title. When he reached Susa, he
established Sysigambis and the children there in great state. This had
been their usual residence in most seasons of the year, when not at
Persepolis, so that here they were, as it were, at home. Ecbatana[F]
was, as has been already mentioned, further north, among the
mountains. After the battle of Arbela, while Alexander marched to
Babylon and to Susa, Darius had fled to Ecbatana, and was now there,
his family being thus at one of the royal palaces under the command of
the conqueror, and he himself independent, but insecure, in the
other. He had with him about forty thousand men, who still remained
faithful to his fallen fortunes. Among these were several thousand
Greeks, whom he had collected in Asia Minor and other Grecian
countries, and whom he had attached to his service by means of pay.

[Footnote F: The modern Ispahan.]

He called the officers of his army together, and explained to them the
determination that he had come to in respect to his future movements.
"A large part of those," said he, "who formerly served as officers of
my government have abandoned me in my adversity, and gone over to
Alexander's side. They have surrendered to him the towns, and
citadels, and provinces which I int