Ἀλεξάνδρου ἀνάβασις 6.4.1

6.4.1

οὕτω δὴ πλέων τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ κατέσχεν, ἵναπερ Ἡφαιστίωνί τε καὶ Κρατερῷ κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ στρατοπεδεύειν ἐπὶ ταῖς ἀντιπέρας ὄχθαις παρήγγελτο. μείνας δὲ ἐνταῦθα ἡμέρας δύο, ὡς καὶ Φίλιππος αὐτῷ ξὺν τῇ λοιπῇ στρατιᾷ ἀφίκετο, τοῦτον μὲν ἐπὶ τὸν Ἀκεσίνην ποταμὸν ἐκπέμπει ξὺν οἷς ἔχων ἧκε, τάξας παρὰ τοῦ Ἀκεσίνου ποταμοῦ τὴν ὄχθην πορεύεσθαι· τοὺς δὲ ἀμφὶ Κρατερόν τε καὶ Ἡφαιστίωνα αὖθις ἐκπέμπει, παραγγείλας ὅπως χρὴ τὴν πορείαν ποιεῖσθαι.

Chapter IV. — Alexander accelerates his voyage to frustrate the plans of the Malloi and Oxydrakai, and reaches the turbulent confluence of the Hydaspes and Akesines
Alexander sailing thus, halted on the third day at the place where he had ordered Hephaistion and Krateros to pitch their camps right opposite each other, each on his own side of the river. Having waited here for two days until Philippos arrived with the rest of the army, he sent that general forward with the detachment he had brought with him to the river Akesines, with orders to continue his march along the banks of that river. He also sent Krateros and Hephaistion off again with instructions how they were to conduct the march. He himself continued his voyage down the river Hydaspes, which was found throughout the passage to be nowhere less than twenty stadia in breadth. Mooring his boats wherever he could on the banks, he subjected the Indians who lived near the Hydaspes to his authority, some having surrendered on terms of capitulation, and such as resorted to arms, having been subdued by force. He then sailed rapidly to the country of the Malloi and Oxydrakai, because he had ascertained that they were the most numerous and warlike of all the Indian tribes in those parts, and news had reached him that they had conveyed their children, and their wives for safety into their strongest cities, and that they meant themselves to give him a hostile reception. He in consequence prosecuted the voyage with still greater speed, so that he might attack them before they had settled their plans, and while their preparations were still incomplete and they were in a state of confusion and alarm. On the fifth day after he had started from the place where he had halted, and been joined by Krateros and Hephaistion, he reached the junction of the Hydaspes and Akesines. Where these rivers unite the one river formed from them is very narrow, and not only is the current swift from the narrowness of the channel, but the waters whirl round in monstrous eddies, curl up in great billows, and dash so violently that the roar of the surge is distinctly heard by those who are still a great distance off. All this had been previously reported by the natives to Alexander, and he had repeated the information to the soldiers; but, notwithstanding, when the army in approaching the confluence caught the roar of the stream, the sailors simultaneously suspended the action of the oars, not at any order from the boatswains, who had become mute from astonishment, but because they were stunned with terror by the thundering noise.