Γεωγραφικα 15.1.29

15.1.29

μεταξὺ δὲ τοῦ Ὑδάσπου καὶ τοῦ Ἀκεσίνου ἥ τε τοῦ Πώρου ἐστί, πολλὴ καὶ ἀγαθή, σχεδόν τι καὶ τριακοσίων πόλεων, καὶ ἡ πρὸς τοῖς Ἠμωδοῖς ὄρεσιν ὕλη, ἐξ ἧς Ἀλέξανδρος κατήγαγε τῷ Ὑδάσπῃ κόψας ἐλάτην τε πολλὴν καὶ πεύκην καὶ κέδρον καὶ ἄλλα παντοῖα στελέχη ναυπηγήσιμα, ἐξ ὧν στόλον κατεσκευάσατο ἐπὶ τῷ Ὑδάσπῃ πρὸς ταῖς ἐκτισμέναις ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ πόλεσιν ἐφʼ ἑκάτερα τοῦ ποταμοῦ, ὅπου τὸν Πῶρον ἐνίκα διαβάς· ὧν τὴν μὲν Βουκεφαλίαν ὠνόμασεν ἀπὸ τοῦ πεσόντος ἵππου κατὰ τὴν μάχην τὴν πρὸς τὸν Πῶρον (ἐκαλεῖτο δὲ Βουκεφάλας ἀπὸ τοῦ πλάτους τοῦ μετώπου· πολεμιστὴς δʼ ἦν ἀγαθός, καὶ ἀεὶ τούτῳ ἐκέχρητο κατὰ τοὺς ἀγῶνας), τὴν δὲ Νίκαιαν ἀπὸ τῆς νίκης ἐκάλεσεν. ἐν δὲ τῇ λεχθείσῃ ὕλῃ καὶ τὸ τῶν κερκοπιθήκων διηγοῦνται πλῆθος ὑπερβάλλον καὶ τὸ μέγεθος ὁμοίως· ὥστε τοὺς Μακεδόνας ποτὲ ἰδόντας ἔν τισιν ἀκρολοφίαις ψιλαῖς ἑστῶτας ἐν τάξει κατὰ μέτωπον πολλοὺς (καὶ γὰρ ἀνθρωπονούστατον εἶναι τὸ ζῷον, οὐχ ἧττον τῶν ἐλεφάντων) στρατοπέδου λαβεῖν φαντασίαν καὶ ὁρμῆσαι μὲν ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ὡς πολεμίους, μαθόντας δὲ παρὰ Ταξίλου συνόντος τότε τῷ βασιλεῖ τὴν ἀλήθειαν παύσασθαι. ἡ δὲ θήρα τοῦ ζῴου διττή· μιμητικὸν δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ δένδρα ἀναφευκτικόν· οἱ οὖν θηρεύοντες, ἐπὰν ἴδωσιν ἐπὶ δένδρων ἱδρυμένον, ἐν ὄψει θέντες τρύβλιον ὕδωρ ἔχον τοὺς ἑαυτῶν ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐναλείφουσιν ἐξ αὐτοῦ· εἶτʼ ἀντὶ τοῦ ὕδατος ἰξοῦ τρύβλιον θέντες ἀπίασι καὶ λοχῶσι πόρρωθεν· ἐπὰν δὲ καταπηδῆσαν τὸ θηρίον ἐγχρίσηται τοῦ ἰξοῦ, * καταμύσαντος δʼ ἀποληφθῇ τὰ βλέφαρα, ἐπιόντες ζωγροῦσιν. εἷς μὲν οὖν τρόπος οὗτος, ἄλλος δέ· ὑποδυσάμενοι θυλάκους ὡς ἀναξυρίδας ἀπίασιν, ἄλλους καταλιπόντες δασεῖς τὰ ἐντὸς κεχρισμένους ἰξῷ· ἐνδύντας δὲ εἰς αὐτοὺς ῥᾳδίως αἱροῦσι.

Between the Hydaspes and Acesines is the country of Porus, an extensive and fertile district, containing nearly three hundred cities. Here also is the forest in the neighbourhood of the Emodi mountains in which Alexander cut down a large quantity of fir, pine, cedar, and a variety of other trees fit for ship-building, and brought the timber down the Hydaspes. With this he constructed a fleet on the Hydaspes, near the cities, which he built on each side of the river where he had crossed it and conquered Porus. One of these cities he called Bucephalia, from the horse Bucephalus, which was killed in the battle with Porus. The name Bucephalus was given to it from the breadth of its forehead. He was an excellent war-horse, and Alexander constantly rode him in battle.
The other city he called Nicaea from the victory, νικη (Nice), which he had obtained.
In the forest before mentioned it is said there is a vast number of monkeys, and as large as they are numerous. On one occasion the Macedonians, seeing a body of them standing in array opposite to them, on some bare eminences, (for this animal is not less intelligent than the elephant,) and presenting the appearance of an army, prepared to attack them as real enemies, but being informed by Taxiles, who was then with the king, of the real fact, they desisted.
The chase of this animal is conducted in two different manners. It is an imitative creature, and takes refuge up among the trees. The hunters, when they perceive a monkey seated on a tree, place in sight a basin containing water, with which they wash their own eyes; then, instead of water, they put a basin of bird-lime, go away, and lie in wait at a distance. The animal leaps down, and besmears itself with the bird-lime, and when it winks, the eyelids are fastened together; the hunters then come upon it, and take it.
The other method of capturing them is as follows: the hunters dress themselves in bags like trowsers, and go away, leaving behind them others which are downy, with the inside smeared over with bird-lime. The monkeys put them on, and are easily taken.