thenians.--Phocion.--Measures of
the Athenians.--Triumphant return of Demosthenes.--Grand reception of
Demosthenes.--Preparations for the funeral.--Destination of Alexander's
body.--A funeral on a grand scale.--The funeral car.--Its construction
and magnitude.--Ornaments and basso relievos.--Column of mules.--Crowds
of spectators.--The body deposited at Alexandria.--Alexander's true
character.--Conclusion.

After the events narrated in the last chapter, Alexander continued,
for two or three years, his expeditions and conquests in Asia, and in
the course of them he met with a great variety of adventures which can
not be here particularly described. He penetrated into India as far as
the banks of the Indus, and, not content with this, was preparing
to cross the Indus and go on to the Ganges. His soldiers, however,
resisted this design. They were alarmed at the stories which they
heard of the Indian armies, with elephants bearing castles upon their
backs, and soldiers armed with strange and unheard-of weapons. These
rumors, and the natural desire of the soldiers not to go away any
further from their native land, produced almost a mutiny in the army.
At length, Alexander, learning how strong and how extensive the spirit
of insubordination was becoming, summoned his officers to his own
tent, and then ordering the whole army to gather around, he went out
to meet them.

He made an address to them, in which he recounted all their past
exploits, praised the courage and perseverance which they had shown
thus far, and endeavored to animate them with a desire to proceed.
They listened in silence, and no one attempted to reply. This solemn
pause was followed by marks of great agitation throughout the
assembly. The army loved their commander, notwithstanding his faults
and failings. They were extremely unwilling to make any resistance to
his authority; but they had lost that extreme and unbounded confidence
in his energy and virtue which made them ready, in the former part of
his career, to press forward into any difficulties and dangers
whatever, where he led the way.

At last one of the army approached the king and addressed him somewhat
as follows:

"We are not changed, sir, in our affection for you. We still have, and
shall always retain, the same zeal and the same fidelity. We are ready
to follow you at the hazard of our lives, and to march wherever you
may lead us. Still we must ask you, most respectfully, to consider th