losses of the combatants.—porus surrenders.

at the same time craterus and the other officers of alexander’s army who had been left behind on the bank of the hydaspes crossed the river, when they perceived that alexander was winning a brilliant victory. these men, being fresh, followed up the pursuit instead of alexander’s exhausted troops, and made no less a slaughter of the indians in their retreat. of the indians little short of 20,000 infantry and 3,000 cavalry were killed in this battle.687 all their chariots were broken 294to pieces; and two sons of porus were slain, as were also spitaces, the governor of the indians of that district, the managers of the elephants and of the chariots, and all the cavalry officers and generals of porus’s army. all the elephants which were not killed there, were captured. of alexander’s forces, about 80 of the 6,000 foot-soldiers who were engaged in the first attack, were killed; 10 of the horse-archers, who were also the first to engage in the action; about 20 of the companion cavalry, and about 200 of the other horsemen fell.688 when porus, who exhibited great talent in the battle, performing the deeds not only of a general but also of a valiant soldier, observed the slaughter of his cavalry, and some of his elephants lying dead, others destitute of keepers straying about in a forlorn condition, while most of his infantry had perished, he did not depart as darius the great king did, setting an example of flight to his men; but as long as any body of indians remained compact in the battle, he kept up the struggle. but at last, having received a wound on the right shoulder, which part of his body alone was unprotected during the battle, he wheeled round. his coat of mail warded off the missiles from the rest of his body, being extraordinary both for its strength and the close fitting of its joints, as it was afterwards possible for those who saw him to observe. then indeed he turned his elephant round and began to retire. alexander, having seen that he was a great man and valiant in the battle, was very desirous of saving his life. he accordingly sent first to him taxiles the indian; who rode up as near to the elephant which was carrying porus as seemed to him safe, and bade him stop the beast, assuring him that it was no longer possible for him to flee, and bidding him listen to alex295ander’s message. but when he saw his old foe taxiles, he wheeled round and was preparing to strike him with a javelin; and he would probably have killed him, if he had not quickly driven his horse forward out of the reach of porus before he could strike him. but not even on this account was alexander angry with porus; but he kept on sending others in succession; and last of all mero?s an indian, because he ascertained that he was an old friend of porus. as soon as the latter heard the message brought to him by mero?s, being at the same time overcome by thirst, he stopped his elephant and dismounted from it. after he had drunk some water and felt refreshed, he ordered mero?s to lead him without delay to alexander; and mero?s led him thither.