conquest of cappadocia.—alexander’s illness at tarsus.

the next day he sent out to ancyra214 in galatia, where he was met by an embassy from the paphlagonians, offering to surrender their nation to him and to enter into an alliance with him; but they requested him not to invade their land with his forces. he therefore commanded them to submit to the authority of calas, the viceroy of phrygia. marching thence into cappadocia, he subjugated all that part of it which lies on this side of the river halys,215 and much of that which lies beyond it. having appointed sabictas viceroy of cappadocia, he advanced to the gates of cilicia,216 and when he arrived at the camp of cyrus, who (went) with xenophon,217 and saw that the gates were occupied by strong guards, he left parmenio there with the regiments of infantry which were more heavily armed; and about the first watch, taking the shield-bearing guards, the archers, and the agrianians, he advanced by night to the gates, in order to fall upon the guards when they least expected it. however, his advance was not unobserved; but his 85boldness served him equally well, for the guards, perceiving that alexander was advancing in person, deserted their post and set off in flight. at dawn next day he passed through the gates with all his forces and descended into cilicia.218 here he was informed that arsames had previously intended to preserve tarsus for the persians; but when he heard that alexander had already passed through the gates, he resolved to abandon the city; and that the tarsians were therefore afraid he would turn to plunder their city and afterwards evacuate it. hearing this, alexander led his cavalry and the lightest of his light infantry to tarsus with a forced march; consequently arsames, hearing of his start, fled with speed from tarsus to king darius without inflicting any injury upon the city.

alexander now fell ill from the toils he had undergone, according to the account of aristobulus; but other authors say that while he was very hot and in profuse perspiration he leaped into the river cydnus219 and swam, being eager to bathe in its water. this river flows through the midst of the city; and as its source is in mount taurus and it flows through a clean district, it is cold and its water is clear. alexander therefore was seized with convulsions, accompanied with high fever and continuous sleeplessness. none of the physicians thought he was likely to survive,220 except philip, an 86acarnanian, a physician in attendance on the king, and very much trusted by him in medical matters, who also enjoyed a great reputation in the army in general affairs. this man wished to administer a purgative draught to alexander, and the king ordered him to administer it. while philip was preparing the cup, a letter was given to the king from parmenio, warning him to beware of philip; for he heard that the physician had been bribed by darius to poison alexander with medicine. but he, having read the letter, and still holding it in his hand, took the cup which contained the medicine and gave philip the letter to read. while philip was reading the news from parmenio, alexander drank the potion. it was at once evident to the king that the physician was acting honourably in giving the medicine, for he was not alarmed at the letter, but only so much the more exhorted the king to obey all the other prescriptions which he might give, promising that his life would be saved if he obeyed his instructions. alexander was purged by the draught, and his illness then took a favourable turn. he afterwards proved to philip that he was a faithful friend to him; and to the rest of those about he proved that he had perfect confidence in his friends by refusing to entertain any suspicion of their fidelity; and at the same time he showed that he could meet death with dauntless courage.