The reply of the Republic to Azelmic's application for troops, cast a foreboding gloom over the spirits of his subjects. It was too late now to supplicate to Alexander and receive from him the same terms, as had been granted to either Sidon or Carthage; for it was known to the Invader, that a solicitation for an Army had been made to Carthage and refused; which point was naturally not lost by Rhodanus in his eloquent appeal; for he represented the denial as having emanated not so much from fear, or hope of favour, as from admiration and love of Alexander and his Glory!
The Tyrians were, therefore, now left solitary and alone, as a majestic Column in the desert of Nations: they had now to depend upon their own solid base for support. Their chief weapon was their ancient Pride, which was daily being transfused from the brittle character of its metal, into the more pliable and useful temper of true courage; enabling its possessor to correctly analyze and appreciate the powers of an opponent. This courage, and their walled and Island-Citadel, enabled them to laugh to scorn the approach of the Macedonian: for intelligence had been received by them, that his Navy had been dismissed, and that the original report of its bearing down upon Tyrus, was but "a stratagem of the Invader."
Alexander's army now advanced, and commenced hostilities by destroying the suburbs of Tyrus situate upon the mainland; the inhabitants of which had previously entered the Island-Metropolis. Thus was the Last Siege of Tyrus commenced in the eleventh Hebrew month,—Shebat,—(January-February) in the year 332 before the Christian Æra.
CHAPTER X.
(JANUARY—AUGUST, 332 B. C.)
THE SIEGE AND DESTRUCTION OF TYRUS,
BY ALEXANDER OF MACEDON;
AND
THE HEROIC DEFENCE BY AZELMIC AND THE NATION.
This great National event in the History of an Ancient People, was commenced by Alexander in person, attended and assisted by the renowned Generals and favourites—Hephæstion, Antigonus, Seleucus, Lysimachus, Cassander, Ptolemeus, "Old Clytus," and Parmenio,—all of whom, except the first and two last named, subsequently became the successors to, and sharers of, their Master's army and ill-gotten dominions.
Upon the occupation of the mainland suburbs (the Tyrians and strangers having fled to the Island), all the then known engines of warfare (both of defence and offence) were constructed and arranged upon the shore,—the army encamped on elevated ground, so as to be seen from the Capital,—the Cavalry and Phalanx daily practised their complex evolutions,—all this display was for the purpose of intimidating the besieged,—but it failed in its intended object. Orders were then given to commence an attack, not so much upon the walls, as upon the People, by throwing into the City darts and missiles: but, high Towers for the bowmen,—Balistæ for discharging heavy stones,—Catapultæ for casting forth the deadly javelin,—were erected with no effect; for the clouds of lightning-arrows, and the heavy thunderbolts of war burst forth in vain; and the distant walls remained unscathed, and the Tyrians unharmed. Alexander must now have found the error in dismissing his Navy after the Passage of the Granicus: had he retained it, he would have been enabled, upon a victory over the Tyrian fleet, to have surrounded the walls, and so prevent supplies from entering the Metropolis; but which were now daily received by the besieged, without the power of prevention on the part of the Macedonian. In this dilemma Alexander proposed to Azelmic and his Council, terms of capitulation similar to those accepted by the Sidonians; but with the original proposition of offering a sacrifice in the temple of Hercules-Apollo. The "sacrifice" would have been the entire People! The Tyrians, however, feeling safe within their walls, received the proffered negotiation with scorn and contempt; and in regard to the last proposition, they still resolved not to admit Alexander, or even his peace-offering.