CHAPTER 27

 

Until now the army had been marching through friendly territory, a relatively easy march, even with the harsh weather and the rough ground. The King made them march at a quick pace but he also gave them time to rest and never asked from them anything he was not willing to do. The soldiers even had time to spend at the small villages scattered at the northern border of the kingdom.

 

Alexander had issued orders to not plunder the villages, he would not tolerate any misbehavior for they part and was ready to punish them if any man gave him reasons to. Luckily, everything was going well and according to the King’s plans, and the army continued in a good mood.

 

This morning the army had stopped for a brief rest at the last village before stepping into the territory of the most savage Thracian tribes. To reach the Danube, they had to cross the main Balkan range, and for what Hephaistion saw on the faces of the men, while walking to where the King was, they were feeling uneasy. They didn’t know their new King to trust him with their lives.  

 

This will change as soon as we have our first victory –thought Hephaistion, rubbing his hands to heat them; even with gloves he was cold. He was confident in Alexander’s abilities and he was sure that he would be the greatest general of all time. Not even once Hephaistion thought that they wouldn’t succeed; if Alexander was in charge everything would be fine. 

 

- I swear it’s true! –said Krateros laughing, to Perdikkas, Leonnatos and Ptolemy. Hephaistion stopped.

 

- Where did you hear that? –asked Perdikkas, with morbid curiosity.

 

- Heard? I SAW it –said Krateros, proudly as if he had been decorated after a great battle—In the last village we passed.

 

- A girl and a donkey? –asked Ptolemy, trying to imagine that—Wait, I think Nick once told something like this.

 

- But that’s…that’s not anatomically possible, isn’t it? –said Leonnatos, making them laughed.

 

- Oh! It is possible –exclaimed Krateros with his booming voice—My boys and I made bets of how long could the girl stand. Anatolios won, she stood for almost 15 minutes –they laughed again and Hephaistion decided he had heard enough, and he continued walking.  

 

The cold was getting worst, he only hope it wouldn’t snow. 

 

He found the King talking with Cassander, or it would be better to say that he found Cassander complaining and the King listening and gathering all his patience not to kill Antipater’s son and, blame the Thracians for the great loss of a great Macedonian.

 

- We need to camp here –said Antipater’s son—This is the last friendly village, after this point we are going to be surrounded by savages –he was talking to the King as if Alexander didn’t knew that and needed to be reminded the most basic things. Yep, Cassander truly had a special ability to be annoying.

 

- I have no plans of staying here, Cassander –said the King with all the patience he could summon, but Hephaistion knew him better than this, and judging for the vein in his forehead he was angry. The King ran his fingers through his untidy hair. The cloak of bear’s skin that was covering him made him look like bigger than he was—We are moving as soon as the men finished their breakfast.

 

- But what is the hurry?! You have us marching as if we were pursued by the Great King’s army –exclaimed Cassander, exasperated—We did a march of 2 weeks in one, I’m tired, the men are tired, the wise thing to do is to camp here. We rest and then continue.

 

Alexander saw him in silence, and then he lifted his head to see the gray sky. Not a sunny day but at least it wasn’t snowing.

 

- Are you giving me orders, Cassander? –his voice was calm but cold and sharp like a knife, without any emotion. Antipater’s son swallowed.

 

- No –Cassander managed to say.

 

- I didn’t come here to have a picnic with my army –he made an especial emphasis on the word “my”— I came to fight against the Thracians.

 

- I understand that, but I don’t understand why the hurry –Cassander insisted.

 

He is brave –thought Hephaistion, crossing his arms on his chest—At least that is something. Not anybody talk to Alexander like that, even less when he is angry.

 

The King settled his eyes on him and Cassander shivered.

 

- I don’t have to explain my plans with you. I’m the King, the General of this army and the Capitan General of Greece, I expect that you obey my orders as the rest of the soldiers without asking, but you haven’t done anything else but complain since we left Pella –said Alexander in the same cold voice; hearing him talk like made hard to imagine that he could be a loving person with Hephaistion—I want to arrive as soon as possible to Thrace to take the tribes by surprise, I don’t want to give them time to defend themselves, and this is the last explanation I give to you. 

 

Cassander was grateful when Alexander left him. His eyes gave him the shivers, as fool as it sounded. Why was he so afraid of a man younger than he? It had always been like that, since they met, when the King was just a boy, there was something in Alexander that made him different from the rest of men, something that made him special and Cassander resented that.

 

Cassander wanted to be an important man, to be fear and respected among his peers, and Alexander got that very easily. Alexander was intelligent…No, he was brilliant, good looking, good soldier, skill horseman, and inborn commander… and, as if anything of this wasn’t enough, he had Hephaistion with him. The unconditional love of a man like the son of Amyntor, extremely handsome, intelligent and strong.

 

Why Alexander had everything? Why can’t he be like the King? Oh, but one day, he will be King, and Cassander swore by Zeus, Poseidon and Hades that he would be King of Macedonia even if he had to kill Alexander, the man who had everything.

 

- Cassander again? –asked his best friend, when Alexander reached him.

 

- I’m telling you this, Phai. I’m NOT taking Cassander with me to Asia –said the King through clenched teeth, walking with him.

 

- Don’t be mad, he is not that important –said Hephaistion, patting his back.

 

- What do you think? Do you think I’m wrong in pushing the army this much? –asked Alexander. Sometimes when they talk, Hephaistion had the impression that the King was thinking 2 things at the same time, like now. He was asking him his opinion but Hephaistion was sure he was also thinking about the upcoming march and the Thracians.

 

- You know more than me about military strategies –Hephaistion stretched his arms up.

 

- Yes, but I want to hear your opinion –the King insisted, and his friend took a moment before answering.

 

- No, I don’t think you do. You ask more of the men than your father did because you want to achieve greater things –that answer made Alexander smiled and he kissed his cheek.

 

- Thank you. 

 

Five minutes later, the trumpets sounded, calling the army to assemble. The soldiers cursed and insulted their officers while taking their equipment, and the officers barked orders, hurrying the men to get ready with bad words and vulgarities. Since they were approaching to hostile territory, Alexander ordered to march in battle formation and with full armor. All the baggage, the slaves, the mules and unnecessary things were send to the baggage wagons at the end of the line of soldiers.

 

Of course the men cursed again. Marching with full armor and weapons ready in that ground, rough and full of rocks, was very hard, but at least it was a cold day without sun. 

 

- From now on we are going on foot, boys! –roared Kleitos, walking in front of the Ile Basilike.

 

Cassander and Philotas looked outraged. It was enough to have sent their slaves to the baggage train and been riding with their armors on, and now Alexander wanted to make them walk. What did he think? That they were ordinary pezetairoi?  

 

- Says who? –asked Parmelio’s son, more violently that he had intended to.

 

- The King –answered Kleitos. The hipparch didn’t like Philotas, in fact very few people liked him. Philotas had a very strange idea, he thought that for an officer to be friends with their subordinates it was a disgrace and he condemned this kind of friendships. Reason why he couldn’t understand Alexander, the King’s way of thinking was beyond him.

 

Philotas dismounted and ran to where the King was, cursing under his breath.

 

- What’s the meaning of this, Alexander? –asked Philotas, so angry that he forgot about his manners.

 

Alexander, who was walking with Boukephalos taking him by the reins, stopped and turned.

 

- Did something happen, Philotas? –he was in no mood for a discussion, Cassander had drained all his patience.

 

- Why is the cavalry going on foot?

 

- Why? I think is pretty obvious, don’t you see the ground? –asked Alexander pointing down—I don’t want to have horses with broken legs, we can’t go mounted, so we walk.

 

- You heard the Thracian guide yesterday, there is another path to get to the Danube –said Philotas, stubbornly.

 

- No, there isn’t –said the King bluntly—He was lying, must probably to take us to a trap. According to my scouts this is the only path.

 

Alexander believed that successful in a campaign depended greatly on having a good intelligence team, to be always ahead of his enemies; and he never relied in one source.

 

- But, we can’t go on foot –insisted Philotas, as if the King had asked for his virginity.

 

- Why not? –Alexander was loosing his patience, and Philotas was pushing him.

 

- It’s humiliating –exclaimed Philotas— We are hetairoi.

 

- Yes you are, but you have legs and you are also a soldier, and you will do as I say. So, WALK! –Hephaistion had to hide his face on his horse side. He was smiling. Philotas’ face was priceless. Until now, nobody had talked to him like that, and he was surprised, confused and outraged. But at the end, he did as he was told, and he walked like the rest.

 

They walked for almost 2 hours through high ground; tall trees were standing at the sides of the road, and the smell of grass and pine floated to them. The men saw squirrels along the road and some birds that venture out of their nests now that wasn’t snowing. They arrived to the Shipka pass on a good mood, but then...

 

- What’s that? –asked Leonnatos, pointing at the front.

 

- I can’t see anything –said Perdikkas, shielding his eyes with his hand to see.

 

- There is something at the front –insisted Leonnatos, catching Kleitos’ attention.

 

The hipparch whistled to Ptolemy who was at the front, near the King.

 

- Ptolemy, what’s at the front?! –shouted Kleitos, narrowing his eyes trying to see anything.

 

- I don’t know! –was the answer.

 

- Bloody Ptolemy! –cursed the hipparch.

 

In front of an army always went a small party of scouts, to inform about the ground or possible dangers, and Alexander’s army was not the exception. A few moments latter, the King saw his party of scouts arriving to where he was, and the King ordered the army to stop advancing.

 

- Sire –said the leader of the party without breath.

 

- Bring water –ordered the King, and a page ran to obey—Take your time.

 

The page returned and the man drank quickly from the King’s personal cup. Kleitos and Philotas arrived running, not wanting to miss the news.

 

- Sire; the Thracians have all their wagons arranged in front of them, blocking the pass –said the man, water running down his neck. 

 

- Bloody Thracians! –exclaimed Kleitos—They plan to fight us from behind the barricade, clever little bastards.

 

Alexander turned to see the Thracians behind the barricade. Something was not right, and his inner cricket told him that here was more than meets the eye. If they wanted to made a barricade, why to use wagons? They could have made a palisade or a ditch but wagons…

 

If I were them; what could I do with wagons? –thought Alexander, watching the ground carefully. It was slightly high were the Thracians were. 

 

- Alexander? ALEXANDER? –said Kleitos. The King turned—You are daydreaming. Do you want to order the attack? We could send the cavalry first and use the spears as javelins, throw them to impale these sons of a bad mother.

 

- Throw?

 

- Yes, throw –said the hipparch—Are you feeling well?

 

Alexander’s uneven eyes shone.

 

- Of course, they plan to send the wagons rolling down –said the King, leaving the men around him utterly confuse. Only Hephaistion found his words with perfect sense—Order the men to stand in battle formation and take the horses out of the path. Now!

 

Once the King had the army in perfect order, covering entirely the path, he mounted on Boukephalos and rode to the front, to address them. He had to explain them what was going to happen and he needed to be seen by his soldiers.

 

- Macedonians! –said Alexander in his parade voice— For some of you this is your first battle, for many others this is just another battle, but THIS is the first battle we are going to fight together –he made a pause, and saw to his men faces—Your duty as soldiers is to look after yourselves and to fight as demons against your enemies. My duty as your King, and your General, is to watch over you, and to lead you to victory –he had their complete attention. Good— There! –he pointed at the Thracians—Are your enemies, hidden behind wagons. But beware! –he raised his voice and the men at front line jumped—They aren’t planning to use the wagons as a wall to slow us down. No! They plan to send the wagons rolling down the path to smash our lines, and open gaps through our formation –the soldiers opened their eyes in astonishment, and would have start talking to each other but they wanted to hear what Alexander had to say—But fear not! I won’t let that to happen. We are going to march directly to them, and when the wagons come, we are going to open a path in our lines and let them pass –he made another pause to let his men assimilate his words—For those of you who can’t move fast enough, you are going to lay down, under your shields and wait until the last wagon has passed. 

 

Who could have said that this was the same man that crashed against a tree for steeling my mail? As crazy as his idea sounded it worked beautifully, thanks to the Macedonian army fierce discipline. He didn’t lose one man in that adventure and totally defeated the Thracians, and the best thing was that we took a lot of plunder, which served to pay the men. That day Alexander won his men’s trust and that had no price, now they knew his King was an able commander and they would follow him.      

 

We continued our march to the Danube and found the infamous Triballians. They took refuge on an island in the middle of the Danube. It was extremely difficult to attack them, and to make things worst, another native force moved behind us cutting our retreat.

 

- We are surrounded –Kleitos informed the King—Another tribe is blocking our rearguard.

 

- Mm, stop the advance and turned, we are going to face them and engage battle –said Alexander.

 

- How do you intent to deploy the troops? –asked the hipparch. It was funny to see them together, Kleitos was a veteran soldier and Alexander a young King of 20 years old. But despite his youth he was King, and only he could order how to deploy the troops.

 

20 years old…in the XXI Century, in most countries, you can’t even drink alcohol at that age, and there was my Alexander, a King deciding the fate of men at such a young age…

 

- As usual, infantry at the center and cavalry at the wings –answered the King. He wasn’t concern at all, Alexander was sure his forces were superior even if he was outnumber.

 

Of course Alexander won against them and shortly after the Macedonian naval force joined us at the opposite side of the island where the Triballians were. Then Alexander decided to built a bridge, as King Darius I had done when he invaded Thrace, some 2 hundred years before us. But things started to go wrong for us, and all the efforts to built a bridge fail…

 

- Alexander! –came a scout running to where the King was standing, listening to Artorius, his best engineer, explaining to him that the wise thing to do was to give up the idea of the bridge—Alexander, the Getae are moving on the other side of the river.

 

- Show me –asked the King.

 

True enough, the native tribe of the Getae had assembled a considerable force and was moving at the other side of the river. The territory at the north of Macedonia was full of savage tribes: the Thracians, the Getae, the Scythians, the Illyrians… These were warlike tribes and Alexander knew it was important to subjugate them before going to Asia, and he planned to leave his mark in this savage part of the world, to be remember generations later.

 

- We are going to cross the river –said the King to his war council, hours later—We can’t ignore the Getae and we must defeat them to eliminate another threat to our border.

 

- And how do you plan to cross the river without a bridge? –asked Cassander, he was tired of that campaign and only wished to go back to Macedonia and to his comfortable house. Alexander smiled.

 

The King ordered to ferry his forces: 1,500 cavalry and 4,000 foot soldiers across the Danube under cover of darkness (1) The Gods smiled at him because it was a night without moon. As soon as the last man and horse was at the other side of the river, Alexander had them in battle formation and marched against the Getae’s camp. The sun was rising, and when the Getae saw the impressive sight of the Macedonian army in battle formation, armors shining under the sun, the spears pointing at the sky as a challenge to the Gods; they ran away, took their women and children and vanished.

 

- Do you want me to order a pursuit? –asked Philotas, but Alexander shook his head.

 

- No need, now they know I’m serious about fighting them –said the King, under his impressive helmet—I don’t expect to hear from them soon.

 

- What now? –asked Leonnatos.

 

- We go back.

 

The officers started to assembly their units at the edge of the river, when a messenger came running with a letter for the King. Hephaistion saw that Alexander went pale and then he clenched his jaw. Something was wrong.

 

- What happened? –asked Hephaistion, in a low voice.

 

- It’s a letter from Thessalonike –said the King—She said…read it for yourself.

 

His friend took the letter and, as his gray eyes went through the letter, he couldn’t believe it.

 

- Your mother killed Caranus –said Hephaistion without voice.

 

Thessalonike was scared, apparently the Queen had burned the baby on a brazier (2) Cleopatra Eurydice was crazy with grief and the young Princess didn’t know what else to do than to write to her brother. 

 

- I have to get back as soon as possible –said Alexander, in a dark mood.

 

Again, the army was ferry. But this time things were more complicated. A storm broke out; the rain pouring with fury and the wind blowing without mercy. The thunders made the ground tremble scaring men and horses.

 

- Alexander! –shouted Kleitos, to be heard over the storm—We can’t cross the river now, we must wait until the storm subdues.

 

The hipparch was soak, and the wind was bending the trees behind him. The wind was blowing with such strength that Hephaistion wouldn’t be surprised if he saw a cow flying in that moment. It was like a hurricane.    

 

- No, we are crossing, now –said Alexander stubbornly, he couldn’t waste more time there. And to set and example, he jumped on one of the rafts. 

 

- ALEX! –shouted Hephaistion, running to the river edge—Alex, get down; you can’t cross with this storm.

 

If the King heard him, he decided to ignore him. The raft set off to the other side, but halfway the storm worsened and, to Hephaistion utterly horror, the raft turned over throwing the King to the river.

 

- ALEXANDER! –shouted Hephaistion. Panic took control over him. He ran to the river and, acting before thinking, he jumped to the wild stream.

 

- PHAI! –screamed Leonnatos, watching how his friends disappeared under the tumultuous waters.

 

XXX

(1) Peter Green. Alexander of Macedon, p 129

(2) Peter Green. Alexander of Macedon, p 107

Note: The girl and the donkey business wasn’t my invention, I read that the Romans had this kind of “show” where a girl had intercourse with a donkey.