[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Foreign](https://indike.org/pramana/inf) › [Latin](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la) › [Principate (31 BCE – 300 CE)](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial) › [Quintus Curtius Rufus, History of Alexander](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius) › 8.12 # Quintus Curtius Rufus, History of Alexander 8.12 Historiae Alexandri Magni 8.12 - **Language:** Latin ### [8.12.1](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.8.12.1) Inde processit Ecbolima et, cum angustias itineris obsideri XX milibus armatorum ab Erice quodam conperisset, gravius agmen exercitus Coeno ducendum modicis itineribus tradidit, > Thence he marched towards Embolima, but on learning that the pass which led thereto was occupied by 20,000 men in arms under Erix, he hurried forward himself with the archers and slingers, leaving the heavy-armed troops under the command of Coenus to advance leisurely. Having dislodged those men who beset the defile, he cleared the passage for the army which followed. The Indians, either from disaffection to their chief or to court the favour of the conqueror, set upon Erix during his flight and killed him. They brought his head and his armour to Alexander, who did not punish them for their crime, but to condemn their example gave them no reward. Having left this pass, he arrived after the sixteenth encampment at the river Indus, where he found that Hephaestion, agreeably to his orders, had made all the necessary preparations for the passage across it. > — John Watson McCrindle 1896, The Invasion of India by Alexander the Great (Curtius' books VIII–IX) ### [8.12.2](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.8.12.2) ipse praegressus per funditores ac sagittarios deturbatis, qui obsederant saltum, sequentibus se copiis viam fecit. ### [8.12.3](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.8.12.3) Indi sive odio ducis sive gratiam victoris inituri Ericen fugientem adorti interemerunt caputque eius atque arma ad Alexandrum detulerunt. Ille facto inpunitatem dedit, honorem denegavit exemplo. ### [8.12.4](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.8.12.4) Hinc ad flumen Indum sextisdecumis castris pervenit omniaque, ut praeceperat, ad traiciendum praeparata ab Hephaestione repperit. Regnabat in ea regione Omphis, qui patri quoque fuerat auctor dedendi regnum Alexandra et post mortem parentis legatos miserat, > The sovereign of the territories on the other side was Omphis, who had urged his father to surrender his kingdom to Alexander, and had moreover at his father's death sent envoys to enquire whether it was Alexander's pleasure that he should meanwhile exercise authority or remain in a private capacity till his arrival. He was permitted to assume the sovereignty, but modestly forbore to exercise its functions. He had extended to Hephaestion marks of civility, and given corn gratuitously to his soldiers, but he had not gone to join him, from a reluctance to make trial of the good faith of any but Alexander. Accordingly, on Alexander's approach, he went to meet him at the head of an army equipped for the field. He had even brought his elephants with him, which, posted at short intervals amidst the ranks of the soldiery, appeared to the distant spectator like towers. > — John Watson McCrindle 1896, The Invasion of India by Alexander the Great (Curtius' books VIII–IX) ### [8.12.5](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.8.12.5) qui consulerent eum, regnare se interim vellet an privatum opperiri eius adventum. ### [8.12.6](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.8.12.6) Permissoque, ut regnaret, non tamen ius datum usurpare sustinuit. Is benigne quidem exceperat Hephaestionem gratuitum frumentum copiis eius admensus, non tamen ei occurrerat, ne fidem ullius nisi regis experiretur. ### [8.12.7](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.8.12.7) Itaque venienti obviam cum armato exercitu egressus est, elephanti quoque per modica intervalla militum agmini inmixti procul castellorum fecerant speciem. ### [8.12.8](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.8.12.8) Ac primo Alexander non socium, sed hostem adventare credebat iamque et ipse arma milites capere et equites discedere in cornua iusserat paratus ad pugnam. At Indus cognito Macedonum errore iussis subsistere ceteris ipse concitat equum, quo vehebatur: idem Alexander quoque fecit, sive hostis sive amicus occurreret, vel sua virtute vel illius fide tutus. > Alexander at first thought it was not a friendly but a hostile army that approached, and had already ordered the soldiers to arm themselves, and the cavalry to divide to the wings, and was ready for action. But the Indian prince, on seeing the mistake of the Macedonians, put his horse to the gallop, leaving orders that no one else was to stir from his place. Alexander likewise galloped forward, not knowing whether it was an enemy or a friend he had to encounter, but trusting for safety perhaps to his valour, perhaps to the other's good faith. They met in a friendly spirit, as far as could be gathered from the expression of each one's face, but from the want of an interpreter to converse was impossible. An interpreter was therefore procured, and then the barbarian prince explained that he had come with his army to meet Alexander that he might at once place at his disposal all the forces of his empire, without waiting to tender his allegiance through deputies. He surrendered, he said, his person and his kingdom to a man who, as he knew, was fighting not more for fame than fearing to incur the reproach of perfidy. > — John Watson McCrindle 1896, The Invasion of India by Alexander the Great (Curtius' books VIII–IX) ### [8.12.9](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.8.12.9) Coiere, quod ex utriusque vultu posset intellegi, amicis animis. Ceterum sine interprete non poterat conseri sermo: itaque adhibito eo barbaras occurrisse se dixit cum exercitu totas imperii vires protinus traditurum nec expectasse, dum per nuntios daretur fides. ### [8.12.10](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.8.12.10) Corpus suum et regnum permittere illi, quem sciret gloriae militantem nihil magis quam famam timere perfidiae. Laetus simplicitate barbari rex et dexteram, fidei suae pignus, dedit et regnum restituit. > The king, pleased with the simple honesty of the barbarian, gave him his right hand as a pledge of his own good faith, and confirmed him in his sovereignty. The prince had brought with him six-and-fifty elephants, and these he gave to Alexander, with a great many sheep of an extraordinary size, and 3000 bulls of a valuable breed, highly prized by the rulers of the country. When Alexander asked him whether he had more husbandmen or soldiers, he replied that as he was at war with two kings he required more soldiers than field labourers. These kings were Abisares and Porus, but Porus was superior in power and influence. Both of them held sway beyond the river Hydaspes, and had resolved to try the fortune of war whatever invader might come. > — John Watson McCrindle 1896, The Invasion of India by Alexander the Great (Curtius' books VIII–IX) ### [8.12.11](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.8.12.11) LVI elephanti erant, quos tradidit Alexandra, multaque pecora eximiae magnitudinis, tauros ad III milia, pretiosum in ea regione acceptumque animis regnantium armentum. ### [8.12.12](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.8.12.12) Quaerenti Alexandro, plures agricultores haberet an milites, cum duobus regibus bellanti sibi maiore militum quam agrestium manu opus esse respondit. ### [8.12.13](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.8.12.13) Abisares et Porus erant, sed in Poro eminebat auctoritas. Uterque ultra Hydaspen amnem regnabat et belli fortunam, quisquis arma inferret, experiri decreverat. ### [8.12.14](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.8.12.14) Omphis permittente Alexandro et regium insigne sumpsit et more gentis suae nomen, quod patris fuerat: Taxilen appellavere populares sequente nomine imperium, in quemcumque transiret. > Omphis, under Alexander's permission, and according to the usage of the realm, assumed the ensigns of royalty along with the name which his father had borne. His people called him Taxiles, for such was the name which accompanied the sovereignty, on whomsoever it devolved. When, therefore, he had entertained Alexander for three days with lavish hospitality, he showed him on the fourth day what quantity of corn he had supplied to Hephaestion's troops, and then presented him and all his friends with golden crowns, and eighty talents besides of coined silver. Alexander was so exceedingly gratified with this profuse generosity that he not only sent back to Omphis the presents he had given, but added a thousand talents from the spoils which he carried, along with many banqueting vessels of gold and silver, a vast quantity of Persian drapery, and thirty chargers from his own stalls, caparisoned as when ridden by himself. This liberality, while it bound the barbarian to his interests, gave at the same time the deepest offence to his own friends. One of them, Meleager, who had taken too much wine at supper, said that he congratulated Alexander on having found in India, if nowhere else, some one worthy of a thousand talents. The king, who had not forgotten what remorse he had suffered when he killed Clitus for audacity of speech, controlled his temper, but remarked that envious persons were nothing but their own tormentors. > — John Watson McCrindle 1896, The Invasion of India by Alexander the Great (Curtius' books VIII–IX) ### [8.12.15](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.8.12.15) Igitur cum per triduum hospitaliter Alexandrum accepisset, quarto die et, quantum frumenti copiis, quas Hephaestion duxerat, praebitum a se esset, ostendit et aureas coronas ipsi amicisque omnibus, praeter haec signati argenti LXXX talenta dono dedit. ### [8.12.16](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.8.12.16) Qua benignitate eius Alexander mire laetus et, quae is dederat, remisit et M talenta ex praeda, quam vehebat, adiecit multaque convivalia ex auro et argento vasa, plurimum Persicae vestis, XXX equos ex suis cum isdem insignibus, quis adsueverant, cum ipsum veherent. ### [8.12.17](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.8.12.17) Quae liberalitas sicut barbarum obstrinxerat, ita amicos ipsius vehementer offendit. E quibus Meleager super cenam largiore vino usus gratulari se Alexandro dixit, quod saltem in India repperisset dignum talentis м. ### [8.12.18](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.8.12.18) Rex haud oblitus, quam aegre tulisset, quod Clitum ob linguae temeritatem occidisset, iram quidem tenuit, sed dixit invidos homines nihil aliud quam ipsorum esse tormenta. ## Translations (1) - [The Invasion of India by Alexander the Great (Curtius' books VIII–IX)](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius~en-mccrindle.8.12.p1) — John Watson McCrindle 1896, English ## Linked texts (1) - [The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.rapson-1922.v1.c25.57) — E. J. Rapson, English --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.8.12](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.8.12) · Pramāṇa