the soldiers rewarded.

he now thought it a favourable opportunity to liquidate the debts of all the soldiers who had incurred them849; and for this purpose he ordered that a register should be made of how much each man owed, in order that they might receive the money. at first only a few registered their names, fearing that this was being instituted as a test by alexander, to discover which of the soldiers found their pay insufficient for their expenses, and which of them were extravagant in their mode of living. when he was informed that most of them were not registering their names, but that those who had borrowed money on bonds were concealing the fact, he reproached them for their distrust of him. for he said that it was not right either that the king should deal otherwise than sincerely 377with his subjects, or that any of those ruled by him should think that he would deal otherwise than sincerely with them. accordingly, he had tables placed in the camp with money upon them; and he appointed men to manage the distribution of it. he ordered the debts of all who showed a money-bond to be liquidated without the debtors’ names being any longer registered. consequently, the men believed that alexander was dealing sincerely with them; and the fact that they were not known was a greater pleasure to them than the fact that they ceased to be in debt. this presentation to the army is said to have amounted to 20,000 talents.850 he also gave presents to particular individuals, according as each man was held in honour for his merit or valour, if he had become conspicuous in crises of danger. those who were distinguished for their personal gallantry he crowned with golden chaplets:—first, peucestas, the man who had held the shield over him; second, leonnatus, who also had held his shield over him, and moreover had incurred dangers in india and won a victory in ora.851 for he had posted himself with the forces left with him against the oritians and the tribes living near them, who were trying to effect a revolution, and had conquered them in battle. he also seemed to have managed other affairs in ora with great success. in addition to these, he crowned nearchus for his successful voyage round the coast from the land of the indians through the great sea; for this officer had now arrived at susa. besides these three, he crowned onesicritus, the pilot of the royal ship; as well as hephaestion and the rest of the confidential body-guards.