The Story of Alexander

by Robert Steele

CHAPTER XIII. HOW ALEXANDER AND HIS MEN PASSED THE NIGHT OF FEAR, AND HOW HE SAW THE GREATEST AND THE LEAST THING ON EARTH.

Within a month came tidings that Porus had gathered together another army, and would wage war with Alexander, for the hosts that had been on the march to him were there, and those of the Indians who had fled from the first battle, and all were anxious to overcome the Greeks. Alexander set out with his men, though it was in August, in the hottest of the year, for it was his habit to attack the enemy and never let them attack him. But his men suffered greatly from the heat, and some died of it alone, since their way led them into a desert place where they had to wear all their armour, for the land was full of snakes and adders shining in gold and bright colours, and if a man put off his armour and one of these bit him, his death was certain.

And when they passed the place of the snakes they came into a dry land where were no rivers or wells of water, and the army suffered greatly, for the water in their vessels dried up, and no man had to drink. For two days they toiled on, searching for water and finding none, and in the evening a certain knight, Severus by name, came on a little water in a hollow beneath some stones, and put it in his helmet and brought it with joy to Alexander and offered it to him. Then Alexander thanked him greatly, and before all his knights he took it up in his hands, as if he were going to drink it, and then he put it down and said, “If I drink this, will it sustain all the army, or shall I only be refreshed, and they thirsty still?” And the knight said, “Lord, our will is that you be first refreshed.” “What, and all ye perish?” said the Prince, and he held out the helmet before his lords, and poured out the water on the dry ground. “I will thirst first and feast last of all my men.” And the hearts of all his army were rejoiced, as if they had drunk abundantly.

And that night the wind began to blow, and the camels smelt water on the breeze, and they lifted themselves up and went towards it, and none could stop them, all the hosts followed them, and they led them after four hours’ journey to a little stream full of reeds. The soldiers of the host drank therein, but when it came to watering the beasts they found that there were too many of them, for all the goods of the camp were loaded on elephants, and on camels, and on mules. Then they searched about, but they found no other water near, so they made up their minds to follow this brook till they came to its end in some great river or lake, and in a day’s time they came to a great castle in a lake all full of reeds. So the beasts and the men drank, and when they had rested they began to enquire whose was this castle, and what was inside it. Now they rode round the lake, but nowhere did they see any road by which the castle could be entered, nor any gate to it, but there seemed to be men on the walls who were looking at them and their array. At the last, however, they saw two rows of great trees running across the lake towards the castle, and some of the knights spurred their horses into the water between them, and found a passage where the water came up to their horses’ necks. Then they sounded the trumpets from the shore, but there was no answer from the castle, nor any banner displayed. So the knights rode into the water along the causeway, and on and on till they came near the castle, and saw a great gate closed, and over it a notice carved in great letters filled with bright gold.

And when they had read it they tried to pass on to the castle, but they found that the road sank, so that their horses had to swim, and great beasts like sea lions rose through the water, and threw them off their steeds, so that they turned their horses’ heads and came to land again, and shewed all these things to Alexander.

Now these were the words on the stone:

“NO MAN MAY ENTER TO THE GREATEST AND LEAST TREASURE OF THE WORLD, TILL HE HAS PASSED THE NIGHT OF FEAR.”

And as the day began to fall, the whole camp heard a roar as of many wild beasts, and they looked and saw an army of tigers and dragons coming against them, and Alexander and his men drew their swords, but the beasts of the army were so terrified by the roaring of the wild beasts that they fled away and no man could stop them, and needs most the knights and soldiers follow them. But not far from there was a small lake of sweet water, and the horses and mules, the camels and the elephants, crowded into this pool, and gathered together in a ring in the middle of it, and stood there trembling and shivering. Then Alexander ordered his men to pitch their tents round this pool and to remain on guard, and they began to cut down wood for fires, and to prepare to lie there at their ease for some days. When night fell the moon rose over the mountains, and men ceased work and rested to enjoy the sweet coolness of the evening air, and the quiet rest of all things in the moonlight.