Sidon made application, through ambassadors, to Alexander for his protection, and was thus saved from destruction by anticipating the conflict through a tributary surrender:—and which voluntary act satisfied the Macedonian, who stipulated, however, that he should place a new King upon the throne. This was agreed to, and Byblos and Aradnus joined in the humiliating surrender.
In compliment to his favourite,—Hephæstion,—the Conqueror allowed him to appoint whom he pleased for King of Sidon. Hephæstion, thereupon, selected a poor man of the Capital by the name of Strato, and instantly raised him to the dignity of Sidonian Sovereign. The mendicant was a remote branch of the Royal House, but had been unjustly degraded by the reigning Monarch. When the new-raised King had his first interview with Alexander, his grateful remark was—"I pray that Apollo will enable you, Alexander, to bear prosperity with the same fortitude, with which I have struggled with adversity!"
The Macedonian highly applauded the philosophical point of the remark, and secured him in his new possession.
As no great gift can be without a referential motive, either to the past, or for the future,—the donation by Hephæstion, where no past service had deserved it (and there were nearer branches of the Royal House than Strato), must have had, therefore, some deep meaning. It is only long after historic events are passed and analyzed, that they can be calmly or correctly judged; and in tracing Alexander's approach to the celebrated "Daughter of Sidon," this donation of a throne,—and to the party receiving it,—was in direct flattery to Tyrus; as in like manner, at a subsequent period, Marcus Antonius presented provinces to Egypt to secure the sun-clad and voluptuous Cleopatra!
The subjugation of Tyrus by policy was one of the schemes of Alexander,—for avoiding its destruction,—he would then be sure of Navies, Pilots, and Mariners, to carry his warfare, at a later period, to the river Tiber and to Rome itself;—for his thirst of Conquest,—had it not been allayed by the poison-draught in Asia,—could only have been quenched within the great Capital of Italy. Alexander, therefore, flattered the Tyrians by raising to the throne of Sidon, a man who bore the same name,—(Strato) and was of the same family as the Founder of the present dynasty at Tyrus; and consequently, remotely related to Azelmic, whom Alexander endeavoured (by this act of apparent generosity) to circumvent and overthrow by policy, not warfare. Historians have applauded the justice of Hephæstion,—they should have analyzed the deep-laid scheming of his Master,—who merely employed his favourite, to mask his own deep intent upon the great Commercial emporium of the World. The Tyrians, however, were practical merchant-princes, and were not to be deceived by any species of exchange, although Kings were the commodity.
334 B. C.] The unforeseen capitulation of Sidon,—the Mother-land,—aroused the Tyrians to a sense of their own position,—Sidon, Byblos, and Aradnus, had surrendered,—these Capitals, therefore, could not aid the Merchant-Metropolis. To increase the apprehension of the Tyrians, it was reported through the continued policy of Alexander, that he was, also, attended by a fleet of Galleys to cover any retreat,—or to land, and reconvey his troops from, or to any point, from the Bosphorous to the Nile,—or from thence to Carthage. The Conqueror had, however, in reality, dismissed his fleet before the victory of Issus, in order to inspire his troops with additional courage, from the then apparent fact, that they had no means of retreat from the enemies' country by the means of Galleys. He must have remembered that that feeling of safety of retreat lost the Persians the Battle of Marathon. [490 B. C.] The Macedonian had another motive in reporting that his fleet was approaching,—viz., To take the Tyrian attention from any land defence, by enforcing the belief that the attack would be by means of the Navy. He knew, also, that Azelmic and his People had no extensive knowledge of Military Science,—for they could have no occasion for its exercise, occasioned by their Island locality,—their high-reared walls being their bulwarks:—and they consequently commenced, as he expected, preparations for a Naval Conflict:—but, unknown to Alexander they had formed a masterly design, viz., to attack him both by land and sea, and that simultaneously; thence, if the Macedonian lost a land battle, and his fleet dispersed, (no difficult matter for the Tyrians) it would be easy to arouse other nations to crush the Invader. Tyrus, however, had no army fit to cope with Alexander, in any general engagement, and especially with his Phalanx and Cavalry. Azelmic, therefore, secretly despatched special Envoys to his only remaining ally,—viz., Carthage,—for no other nation could be with safety applied to in any emergency,—except Sidon,—for the treatment by the Tyrians to other countries had alienated every sentiment of National friendship. In their pride and prosperity they had forgotten that adversity may come! Sidon had capitulated, and received nearly an alien King,—Carthage, therefore, alone remained. Azelmic's ambassadors were received by the Tyro-Carthaginians with every demonstration of respect, as being due to a Nation from which they themselves had sprung. The answer to the application for an Army to oppose the advance of Alexander upon Tyrus, could only be divulged by, and within the Senate of the Republic; the Envoys were, therefore, courteously dismissed with presents and honours, together with the assurance that a speedy reply should be sent to the Island-Capital.
In the mean time, the policy of Azelmic was still further employed to circumvent that of Alexander's,—for during the absence of the Envoys he endeavoured to flatter the wily Macedonian in his own manner; and thereupon sent as a present to him a splendid golden Crown, as a friendly compliment:—this was received with apparent feelings of amity, and in return, Philip's Son desired to honour Tyrus by worshipping in person, (with his Officers,) in the Temple of Hercules-Apollo! Azelmic sarcastically replied to this effect, on behalf of Tyrus,—viz., that the honour intended by Alexander in entering the Metropolis, and worshipping, with his followers, (for his suite would have been the entire Army) in the Chief Temple of the Nation was duly appreciated, and more than they deserved, or were desirous of receiving,—that since the Hero of Macedon only desired to pay his tribute of respect to the Temple of Hercules-Apollo, that could be done amid the Ruins of the Old Temple on the Mainland; and that from the summit of the walls of the Island-City,—Azelmic, his Nobles, and People, would witness the ceremony! Alexander, of course, declined the offer,—at once perceiving that his scheme of entering Tyrus was frustrated: and he, also, almost simultaneously with this invitation to worship in the Ruined Temple, received intelligence of the important embassy secretly sent to Carthage. Alexander, therefore, instantly found that he had cause to view in Azelmic and his People, foes whose forethought and consequent judgment, might replace any deficiency that might be apparent from the want of an organised Army. The two rival Monarchs awaited with anxiety the reply of Carthage. In the mean time the Republican Senate [333 B. C.] held the final conference upon the subject of the Tyrian solicitation,—and thereupon, deputed thirty of the chief Citizens of Carthage as a delegation, to convey to Azelmic the following unlooked for reply: viz.—That the Senate viewed with deep condolence the present, and approaching condition of the home of their ancestors:—but, upon contemplation of the position of Carthage itself, they deeply regretted to find, that it precluded even the remote possibility of sending troops or succour to Tyrus!
Thus Carthage, apparently safe from the present approaches of Alexander, had her own fears of Invasion; yet had the Senate acceded to the wish of Tyrus, the two nations, by forming a junction, might have successfully opposed the further advance of the enemy; but Carthage had resolved (like Sidon) to save herself by policy, not warfare.
The Senate of Carthage, therefore, (following the Sidonian example) deputed an Ambassador to Alexander in order to secure his favour, or by a tribute to remain in peace. They consequently deputed for the important and National embassy,—Rhodanus,—a man possessing extraordinary address and beauty of person, supported by the fascination of the most accomplished eloquence. The insinuating manners, and flattery of Rhodanus, (who was presented by Parmenio,) together with his gallant bearing, had such a magical effect upon the vain Macedonian, that he instantly cast a friendly eye upon Carthage:—thus, that Country was saved from invasion by the cheapest, yet most valued tribute in the mind of the hero of the Granicus,—viz., Flattery. Jaddus, the High-Priest of Judæa, subsequently saved Jerusalem in the same manner, by producing the Prophecy of Daniel, and identifying Alexander as "the King of Grecia,"—the "rough goat" of the prediction.
Rhodanus accompanied the Son of Philip in all his after-expeditions, and consequently had power, and did transmit to Carthage the plans of his new Master, who had no suspicion of his flatterer's treachery. Rhodanus saved his country,—and yet upon his return to Carthage, he was looked upon as a traitor, from having served in the army of the Grecian, and was thereupon sentenced to death:—ingratitude and barbarity carried the decree into execution.