alexander in pamphylia.—capture of aspendus and side.

alexander then, moving from phaselis, sent part of his army to perga through the mountains, where the 71thracians had levelled a road for him by a route which was otherwise difficult and long. but he himself led his own brigade by the beach along the sea, where there is no route, except when the north wind blows. but if the south wind prevails it is impossible to journey along the beach. at that time, after a strong south wind, the north winds blew, and rendered his passage easy and quick, not without the divine intervention, as both he and his men interpreted.184 as he was advancing from perga, he was met on the road by envoys from the aspendians185 with full powers, who offered to surrender their city, but begged him not lead a garrison into it. having gained their request in regard to the garrison, they went back; but he ordered them to give him fifty talents186 as pay for his army, as well as the horses which they were rearing as tribute to darius. having agreed with him about the money, and having likewise promised to hand over the horses, they departed.

alexander then marched to sidē,187 the inhabitants of which were cymaeans from cyme, in aeolis. these people give the following account of themselves, saying that their ancestors starting from cyme, arrived in that country, and disembarked to found a settlement. they immediately forgot the grecian language, and forthwith began to utter a foreign speech, not, indeed, that of the 72neighbouring barbarians, but a speech peculiar to themselves, which had never before existed. from that time the sidetans used to speak a foreign language unlike that of the neighbouring nations. having left a garrison in sidē, alexander advanced to syllium,188 a strong place, containing a garrison of grecian mercenaries as well as of native barbarians themselves. but he was unable to take syllium offhand by a sudden assault, for he was informed on his march that the aspendians refused to perform any of their agreements, and would neither deliver the horses to those who were sent to receive them, nor pay the money; but that they had collected their property out of the fields into the city, shut their gates against his men, and were repairing their walls where they had become dilapidated. hearing this, he marched off to aspendus.