alexander’s speech (continued).

“i, for my part, think, that to a brave man there is no end to labours except the labours themselves, provided 309they lead to glorious achievements. but if any one desires to hear what will be the end to the warfare itself, let him learn that the distance still remaining before we reach the river ganges and the eastern sea is not great; and i inform you that the hyrcanian sea will be seen to be united with this, because the great sea encircles the whole earth. i will also demonstrate both to the macedonians and to the grecian allies, that the indian gulf is confluent with the persian, and the hyrcanian sea with the indian gulf. from the persian gulf our expedition will sail round into libya as far as the pillars of heracles.712 from the pillars all the interior of libya713 becomes ours, and so the whole of asia714 will belong to us, and the limits of our empire, in that direction, will be those which god has made also the limits of the earth. but, if we now return, many warlike nations are left unconquered beyond the hyphasis as far as the eastern sea, and many besides between these and hyrcania in the direction of the north wind, and not far from these the scythian races. wherefore, if we go back, there is reason to fear that the races which are now held in subjection, not being firm in their allegiance, may be excited to revolt by those who are not yet subdued. then our 310many labours will prove to have been in vain; or it will be necessary for us to incur over again fresh labours and dangers, as at the beginning. but, o macedonians and grecian allies, stand firm! glorious are the deeds of those who undergo labour and run the risk of danger; and it is delightful to live a life of valour and to die leaving behind immortal glory. do ye not know that our ancestor715 reached so great a height of glory as from being a man to become a god, or to seem to become one, not by remaining in tiryns716 or argos, or even in the peloponnese or at thebes? the labours of dionysus were not few, and he was too exalted a deity to be compared with heracles. but we, indeed, have penetrated into regions beyond nysa717; and the rock of aornus, which heracles was unable to capture, is in our possession. do ye also add the parts of asia still left unsubdued to those already acquired, the few to the many. but what great or glorious deed could we have performed, if, sitting at ease in macedonia, we had thought it sufficient to preserve our own country without any labour, simply repelling the attacks of the nations on our frontiers, the thracians, illyrians, and triballians, or even those greeks who were unfriendly to our interests? if, indeed, without undergoing labour and being free from danger i were acting as your commander, while you were undergoing labour and incurring danger, not without reason would you be growing faint in spirit and resolution, because you alone would be sharing the labours, while procuring the rewards of them for others. but now the labours are common to you and me, we have an equal share of the dangers, and the rewards are open to the free competition of all. for the land is yours, and you act as its viceroys. the greater part also of the 311money now comes to you; and when we have traversed the whole of asia, then, by zeus, not merely having satisfied your expectations, but having even exceeded the advantages which each man hopes to receive, those of you who wish to return home i will send back to their own land, or i will myself lead them back; while those who remain here, i will make objects of envy to those who go back.”