[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) › 9.3 # Quintus Curtius Rufus, History of Alexander 9.3 Historiae Alexandri Magni 9.3 - **Language:** Latin ### [9.3.1](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.1) Ne sic quidem ulli militum vox exprimi potuit. Expectabant, ut duces principesque ad regem perferrent vulneribus et continuo labore militiae fatigatos non detrectare munia, sed sustinere non posse. Ceterum illi metu attoniti in terram ora defixerant. > Chapter III. — Speech of Coenus on behalf of the army — Alexander's displeasure at the refusal of the soldiers to advance — He resolves to return — Raises altars as memorials of his presence — Reaches the Acesines, where Coenus dies — Reconciles Taxiles and Porus, and then sails down stream But not even by this appeal could a single word be elicited from any of the soldiers. They waited for the generals and chief captains to report to the king that the men, exhausted with their wounds and incessant labours in the field, did not refuse the duties of war, but were simply unable to discharge them. The officers, however, paralysed with terror, kept their eyes steadfastly fixed on the ground, and remained silent. Then there arose, no one knew how, first a sighing and then a sobbing, until, little by little, their grief began to vent itself more freely in streaming tears, so that even the king, whose anger had been turned into pity, could not himself refrain from tears, anxious though he was to suppress them. At last, when the whole assembly had abandoned itself to an unrestrained passion of weeping, Coenus, on finding that the others were reluctant to open their lips, made bold to step forward to the tribunal where the king stood, and signified that he had somewhat to say. When the soldiers saw him removing his helmet from his head — a custom observed in addressing the king — they earnestly besought him that he would plead the cause of the army. > — John Watson McCrindle 1896, The Invasion of India by Alexander the Great (Curtius' books VIII–IX) ### [9.3.2](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.2) Igitur primo fremitus sua sponte, deinde gemitus quoque oritur, paulatimque liberius dolor egeri coepit manantibus lacrimis, adeo ut rex ira in misericordiam versa ne ipse quidem, quamquam cupiebat, temperare oculis potuerit. ### [9.3.3](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.3) Tandem universa contione effusius flente Coenus ausus est cunctantibus ceteris propius tribunal accedere significans se loqui velle. ### [9.3.4](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.4) Quem ut videre milites detrahentem galeam capiti — ita enim regem adloqui mos est —, hortari coeperunt, ut causam exercitus ageret. ### [9.3.5](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.5) Tum Coenus: Dii prohibeant, in quit, a nobis inpias mentes! Et profecto prohibent: idem animus est tuis, qui fuit semper, ire, quo iusseris, pugnare, periclitari, sanguine nostro commendare posteritati tuum nomen. Proinde, si perseveras, inermes quoque et nudi et exangues, utcumque tibi cordi est, sequimur vel antecedimus. > "May the gods," he then said, "defend us from all disloyal thoughts; and assuredly they do thus defend us. Your soldiers are now of the same mind towards you as they ever were in times past, being ready to go wherever you order them, ready to fight your battles, to risk their lives, and to give your name in keeping to after ages. So then, if you still persist in your purpose, all unarmed, naked and bloodless though we be, we either follow you, or go on before you, according to your pleasure. But if you desire to hear the complaints of your soldiers, which are not feigned, but wrung from them by the sorest necessity, vouchsafe, I entreat you, a favourable hearing to men who have most devotedly followed your authority and your fortunes, and are ready to follow you wherever you may go. Oh, sir! you have conquered, by the greatness of your deeds, not your enemies alone, but your own soldiers as well. > — John Watson McCrindle 1896, The Invasion of India by Alexander the Great (Curtius' books VIII–IX) ### [9.3.6](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.6) Sed si audire vis non fictas tuorum militum voces, verum necessitate ultima expressas, praebe, quaeso, propitias aures imperium atque auspicium tuum constantissime secutis et, quocumque pergis, secuturis. ### [9.3.7](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.7) Vicisti, rex, magnitudine rerum non hostes modo, sed etiam milites. Quidquid mortalitas capere poterat, inplevimus. > "We again have done and suffered up to the full measure of the capacity of mortal nature. We have traversed seas and lands, and know them better than do the inhabitants themselves. We are standing now almost on the earth's utmost verge, and yet you are preparing to go to a sphere altogether new — to go in quest of an India unknown even to the Indians themselves. You would fain root out from their hidden recesses and dens a race of men that herd with snakes and wild beasts, so that you may traverse as a conqueror more regions than the sun surveys. The thought is altogether worthy of a soul so lofty as thine, but it is above ours; for while thy courage will be ever growing, our vigour is fast waning to its end. "See how bloodless be our bodies, pierced with how many wounds, and gashed with how many scars! Our weapons are now blunt, our armour quite worn out. We have been driven to assume the Persian garb since that of our own country cannot be brought up to supply us. We have degenerated so far as to adopt a foreign costume. Among how many of us is there to be found a single coat of mail? Which of us has a horse? Cause it to be inquired how many have servants to follow them, how much of his booty each one has now left. We have conquered all the world, but are ourselves destitute of all things. > — John Watson McCrindle 1896, The Invasion of India by Alexander the Great (Curtius' books VIII–IX) ### [9.3.8](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.8) Emensis maria terrasque melius nobis quam incolis omnia nota sunt. Paene in ultimo mundi fine consistimus. In alium orbem paras ire et Indiam quaeris Indis quoque ignotam. Inter feras serpentesque degentes eruere ex latebris et cubilibus suis expetis, ut plura, quam sol videt, victoria lustres. ### [9.3.9](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.9) Digna prorsus cogitatio animo tuo, sed altior nostro. Virtus enim tua semper in incremento erit, nostra vis iam in fine est. ### [9.3.10](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.10) Intuere corpora exanguia, tot perfossa vulneribus, tot cicatricibus putria. Iam tela hebetia sunt, iam arma deficiunt. Vestem Persicam induti, quia domestica subvehi non potest, in externum degeneravimus cultum. ### [9.3.11](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.11) Quoto cuique lorica est? quis equum habet? Iube quaeri, quam multos servi ipsorum persecuti sint, quid cuique supersit ex praeda. Omnium victores omnium inopes sumus. Nec luxuria laboramus, sed bello instrumenta belli consumpsimus. ### [9.3.12](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.12) Hunc tu pulcherrimum exercitum nudum obicies beluis? Quarum ut multitudinem augeant de industria barbari, magnum tamen esse numerum etiam ex mendacio intellego. > Can you think of exposing such a noble army as this, all naked and defenceless, to the mercy of savage beasts, whose numbers, though purposely exaggerated by the barbarians, must yet, as I can gather from the lying report itself, be very considerable. If, however, you are bent on penetrating still farther into India, that part of it which lies towards the south is not so vast, and were this subdued you could then quickly find your way to that sea which nature has ordained to be the boundary of the inhabited world. Why do you make a long circuit in pursuit of glory when it is placed immediately within your reach, for even here the ocean is to be found. Unless, then, you wish to go wandering about, we have already reached the goal unto which your fortune leads you. I have preferred to speak on these matters in your presence, O King! rather than to discuss them with the soldiers in your absence, not that I have in view to gain thereby for myself the good graces of the army here assembled, but that you might learn their sentiments from my lips rather than be obliged to hear their murmurs and their groans." > — John Watson McCrindle 1896, The Invasion of India by Alexander the Great (Curtius' books VIII–IX) ### [9.3.13](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.13) Quodsi adhuc penetrare in Indiam certum est, regio a meridie minus vasta est: qua subacta licebit decurrere in illud mare, quod rebus humanis terminum voluit esse natura. ### [9.3.14](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.14) Cur circuitu petis gloriam, quae ad manum posita est? Hic quoque occurrit Oceanus. Nisi mavis errare, pervenimus, quo tua fortuna ducit. ### [9.3.15](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.15) Haec tecum quam sine te cum his loqui malui, non uti inirem circumstantis exercitus gratiam, sed ut vocem loquentium potius quam gemitum murmurantium audires. ### [9.3.16](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.16) Ut finem orationi Coenus inposuit, clamor undique cum ploratu oritur regem, patrem, dominum confusis appellantium vocibus. > When Coenus had made an end of speaking there arose from all parts of the audience assenting shouts, mingled with lamentations and confused voices, calling Alexander king, father, lord, and master. And now also the other officers, especially the seniors, who from their age possessed all the greater authority, and could with a better grace beg to be excused from any more service, united in making the same request. Alexander therefore found himself unable either to rebuke them for their stubbornness or to appease their angry mood. Being thus quite at a loss what to do, he leaped down from the tribunal and shut himself up in the royal pavilion, into which he forbade any one to be admitted except his ordinary attendants. For two days he indulged his anger, but on the third day he emerged from his seclusion, and ordered twelve altars of square stone to be erected as a monument of his expedition. He ordered also the fortifications around the camp to be drawn out wide, and couches of a larger size than was required for men of ordinary stature to be left, so that by making things appear in magnificent proportions he might astonish posterity by deceptive wonders. > — John Watson McCrindle 1896, The Invasion of India by Alexander the Great (Curtius' books VIII–IX) ### [9.3.17](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.17) Iamque et alii duces praecipueque seniores, quis ob aetatem et excusatio honestior erat et auctoritas maior, eadem precabantur. ### [9.3.18](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.18) Ille nee castigare obstinatos nec mitigari poterat iratus: itaque inops consilii desiluit ex tribunali claudique regiam iussit omnibus praeter adsuetos adire prohibitis. ### [9.3.19](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.19) Biduum irae datum est: tertio die processit erigique duodecim aras ex quadrato saxo, monumentum expeditionis suae, munimenta quoque castrorum iussit extendi cubiliaque amplioris formae quam pro corporum habitu relinqui, ut speciem omnium augeret, posteritati fallax miraculum praeparans. ### [9.3.20](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.20) Hinc repetens, quae emensus erat, ad flumen Acesinen locat castra. Ibi forte Coenus morbo extinctus est: cuius morte ingemuit quidem rex, adiecit tamen propter paucos dies longam orationem eum exorsum, tamquam solus Macedoniam visurus esset. > From this place he marched back the way he had come, and encamped near the river Acesines. There Coenus caught an illness, which carried him off. The king was doubtless deeply grieved by his death, but yet he could not forbear remarking that it was but for the sake of a few days he had opened a long-winded speech as though he alone were destined to see Macedonia again. The fleet which he had ordered to be built was now riding in the stream ready for service. Memnon also had meanwhile brought from Thrace a reinforcement of 5000 cavalry, together with 7000 infantry sent by Harpalus. He also brought 25,000 suits of armour inlaid with silver and gold, and these Alexander distributed to the troops, commanding the old suits to be burned. Designing now to make for the ocean with a thousand ships, he left Porus and Taxiles, the Indian kings who had been disagreeing and raking up old feuds, in friendly relations with each other, strengthened by a marriage alliance; and as they had done their utmost to help him forward with the building of his fleet, he confirmed each in his sovereignty. He built also two towns, one of which he called Nicaea, and the other Bucephala, dedicating the latter to the memory of the horse which he had lost. Then leaving orders for the elephants and baggage to follow him by land, he sailed down the river, proceeding every day about 40 stadia, to allow the troops to land from time to time where they could conveniently be put ashore. > — John Watson McCrindle 1896, The Invasion of India by Alexander the Great (Curtius' books VIII–IX) ### [9.3.21](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.21) Iam in aqua classis, quam aedificari iusserat, stabat. Inter haec Memnon ex Thracia in supplementum equitum milia, praeter eos ab Harpalo peditum VII milia adduxerat armaque XXV milibus auro et argento caelata pertulerat. Quis distributis vetera cremari iussit. ### [9.3.22](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.22) Mille navigiis aditurus Oceanum discordesque et vetera odia retractantes Porum et Taxilen, Indiae reges, firmatae per adfinitatem gratiae reliquit in suis regnis summo in aedificanda classe amborum studio usus. ### [9.3.23](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.23) Oppida quoque duo condidit: quorum alterum Nicaeam appellavit, alterum Bucephala, equi, quem amiserat, memoriae ac nomini dedicans urbem. ### [9.3.24](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3.24) Elephantis deinde et inpedimentis terra sequi iussis secundo amne defluxit quadraginta ferme stadia singulis diebus procedens, ut opportunis locis exponi subinde copiae possent. ## Translations (1) - [The Invasion of India by Alexander the Great (Curtius' books VIII–IX)](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius~en-mccrindle.9.3.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.c25.133) — E. J. Rapson, English --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3](https://indike.org/pramana/inf.la.imperial.curtius.9.3) · Pramāṇa