the Asiatic hordes, which stayed attack by mere weight of flesh and
closed again behind every penetrating column, made the issue doubtful,
till Darius himself, terrified at the oncoming of the heavy Macedonian
cavalry, turned his chariot and lost the day. Alexander's men had to
thank the steadiness which Philip's system had given them, but also, in
the last resort, the cowardice of the opposing chief.

The Persian King survived to be hunted a year later, and caught, a dying
man, on the road to Central Asia; but long before that and without
another pitched battle the Persian throne had passed to Alexander.
Within six months he had marched to and entered in turn, without other
let or hindrance than resistance of mountain tribesmen in the passes,
the capitals of the Empire--Babylon, Susa, Persepolis, Ecbatana; and
since these cities all held by him during his subsequent absence of six
years in farther Asia, the victory of the West over the Ancient East may
be regarded as achieved on the day of Arbela.




CHAPTER VI

EPILOGUE


Less than ten years later, Alexander lay dead in Babylon. He had gone
forward to the east to acquire more territories than we have surveyed in
any chapter of this book or his fathers had so much as known to exist.
The broad lands which are now Afghanistan, Russian Turkestan, the
Punjab, Scinde, and Beluchistan had been subdued by him in person and