CHAPTER 110

 

The sun hasn’t come out yet in those unknown lands but the Macedonian squadron of one thousand horsemen and one thousand infantry soldiers, were already up, ready in the dark at the center of the Macedonian camp where a especial zone was always prepared to form the army in case it was necessary.

 

Nikandros yawned for the fifth time in fifteen minutes, leaning his tired body against his magnificent warhorse. He hated mornings, mornings were his worst enemies, after a great party his hangover were always in the morning, after spending a hot intense night with a beautiful woman came the morning and, more than once he has seen that, what he thought was the incarnation of Aphrodite, under sunlight, turned out to be a horrible creature that more than once had scared the living hell out of him.

 

And now, just when he was having such a pleasant night, resting at the side of his beautiful Persian twins, he had to get up before dawn to go on a dangerous mission with some pompous officer, leaving the safety of the main camp to venture in the wildness and hostility of enemy territory.

 

Just what I always wanted –thought Nikandros with sarcasm, rolling his eyes.

 

Nikandros scratched his head and turned both sides, the weight of his armor was so annoying and he would gladly take his breastplate off but he knew better that to behave like a new recruit. His friend Kleopatros was near him, and looking as sleepy and tired as him, he had drank more than he should the previous night and, for the look on his face, he was regretting it.

 

Nikandros could recognize several members of the hetairoi cavalry there along with horsemen from the allied cavalry. That awaken his curiosity, he could also distinguish pezetairoi and xenoi (mercenaries) among a couple of members of the Agema. They were 2 thousand, more or less, according to his quick calculations.

 

- Kleopatros! –Nikandros called his friend, and the aforementioned jumped. He was falling asleep, his body leaning dangerously to one side of his horse. 

 

- Wha…what? –Kleopatros rubbed his eyes, yawning.

 

- Do you know where are we going? –Nikandros stretched his arms over his head. 

 

- Going? –for a moment his friend had no idea of what was he talking about, his brain too sleep. It was cold and dark, his body felt numbed and the long wait was cooing him. Nikandros rolled his eyes.

 

- The mission, dumb ass.

 

- Oh, no I have no idea –Kleopatros yawned again—I only know what I told you last night, we are ordered to go with an officer on an especial mission to the Euphrates River.

 

- Two thousand men seem to me too many for just a reconnaissance mission –Nikandros surveyed the faces of the men around him—This is something more. 

 

- We’ll know soon enough –his friend pointed with his chin—There comes someone.

 

Nikandros turned and saw a tall figure approaching them, followed by 2 strong men that appeared to be his personal guard. The sun chose that moment to rise and the first rays of light fell upon the Macedonian camp, illuminating dramatically the newcomer. 

 

- You have to be kidding me –whispered Nikandros, under his breath, recognizing his brother Hephaistion. 

 

The General stopped in front of the anxious troops. All eyes were on him, many with curiosity, others, who knew him, thinking really hard what could be this mysterious mission, and the rest, the most veteran ones, just wanted to get finish with this and get going before falling asleep or catching a cold. Hephaistion nodded slowly, they were fine men, that was good, he would need the best of troops to achieve what Alexander asked for him. 

 

- Men! The King has honored us with a especial and crucial mission –said Hephaistion, raising his voice to be heard, he didn’t have Alexander’s charm and he would never be capable of making men to followed him with passion and devotion, but he knew how to have the work done—We are heading to the river Euphrates to supervise the construction of 2 bridges –he made a pause to let his words sink—The safety of the whole army is in our hands now so I expect a gallant behavior from all of you. This isn’t a reconnaissance mission and you can expect trouble, but remember, we didn’t come here on a pleasant trip –that made some smile—On our way then.

 

The General ended his short speech, even if he was skilful with words he had always be a direct man and knew better than bored men who had waited for him since before dawn. He mounted, his black cloak sliding at the side of his horse and Kyros, standing at his side, handed him his helmet.

 

The Theban raised his head and saw Glycon not far from the General. He was tempted to smile at him but Glycon didn’t turn to his direction. Kyros didn’t feel offended; he knew they were different and that one day they would have to follow different paths. He smiled, looking at his hands, he could hear Hephaistion giving orders to his escort and the sounds the men mounting and getting ready to start the march around him.

 

The Theban closed and opened his eyes, slowly, as if that simple movement could transport him elsewhere. He would never be a warrior as his master, and he would never be able to fight at Glycon’s side but, at least he had to be grateful with Alexander, thanks to his extremely long campaign he had the chance of enjoying Glycon’s company more than he could have expected under other circumstances.

 

Funny how the world changed…or maybe it was just him, but he didn’t hate Alexander anymore, it was his destiny, he knew this now, the Gods wanted him in Asia living a great adventure, not in Thebes, living a normal life with his family. Kyros still missed his family but now he had learned to live without them.

 

- Kyros –Hephaistion’s voice made him lift his head—See that my luggage is ready.

 

- Yes, sir –the Theban nodded and ran to obey.

 

A few paces from them, Kleopatros started to laugh, catching the attention of the men around him, and patted Nikandros back with force.

 

- We are under your brother’s command –he laughed again. Nikandros was still in shock and said nothing, this was the last thing he had expected.

 

XXX

 

Not too far from there, Darius, the Great King of the vast Persian Empire, the lord and master of millions of souls, was having a very different morning. It was curious how the same sun could entertain people so different and in so different circumstances. The Persian camp was like an alternate reality, a place where nothing happened, even if it was a military camp, it could be easily forgotten that there was a war outside.

 

Darius was training with his personal swordsman, but with unusual force and fierce, this morning the Great King was troubled, angry, irritated, worried and all his emotions found a way out during his training in each blow and each thrust. His trainer was taken aback, he had never seen such fire in the Great King and, more than once, he feared he was going to lose an ear. Darius’ sword was aiming to kill, and that was making him nervous, if the Great King wanted to kill him he was a dead man.

 

A small audience was reunited there, outside the royal tent. Again a group of noblemen and their families came with the Great King, just like the group who had accompanied him before the battle of Issus. So confident were they that victory would be theirs that never crossed the minds of the men and women there that they could actually lose the war. Sure, they had heard about the defeats at the river Granicus and at the battle of Issus, but those places were so far from Babylon, Susa, Persepolis, and to the most important cities of the Empire that the noblemen didn’t give them much importance. 

 

The men and women gathered around the Great King were more worried about what was happening to Darius that day than about the war. At first, as usual, his audience applauded every time Darius did an especial move, but, as the training went on and the fight become more savage, the applauses were replace by puzzle expressions of pure incomprehension.

 

- What’s happening with his majesty? –asked one of the three surviving daughters of the late Great King Artaxerxes Ochus, while a servant fanned her and with a colorful feather fan. 

 

- I don’t know daughter –answer her mother, a woman around the age of the Great King’s mother, 65 years old. She and her daughters had been among Darius' followers since the first days of his reign and it had been thanks to people like them, the family of a late Great King, and other members of the royal house of the Achaemenid dynasty, that now Darius was who he was, the supreme ruler of the Empire.     

 

I have a better idea of what’s happening to him –thought Oxyathres, Darius’ brother. He had heard mother and sister conversation, and he knew what was wrong with his older brother.

 

For a moment his eyes surveyed the faces there, recognizing many of the Great King’s satraps like Barsaente the satrap of Arachotia, Satibarzanes the satrap of Aria and of couse, Bessus, the satrap of Bactria. He didn’t like Bessus, and he liked even less the fact that he was by far the most powerful of the satraps. Oxyathres knew they had to be very careful with him but they couldn’t dispose from him and his help, Bessus not only commanded the Sogdians and Bactrians, he also brought with him the Indian tribes that lived at the Bactrian border, a powerful force, specially the Bactrian cavalry.

 

The Bactrian riders and horses were heavily armored, extremely difficult to kill and fierce warriors on their attack. Their horses crashed everything and everyone under their hoofs and once they moved it were impossible to stop them, like an impenetrable wall. 

 

Something had to be done with Bessus, but first things first and they had to deal with the invader, the satrap would have to wait.

 

As soon as the duel was over, the Great King took a towel, that a servant was handing him, and left, ignoring the applauses behind him. Oxyathres went behind him, he couldn’t enter in the royal chamber without permission, and had to wait until the Great King gave his authorization. Every Persian had in mind that, anyone who approached the Great King without permission was signing his death sentence.

 

- Any news from Mazaeus? –asked Darius, taking the cup of water that the cupbearer was handing him.

 

- None since 2 days ago, your majesty, when he informed the Great King that he was following your orders, burning corps for fodder on his way –his brother explained. 

 

The Great King nodded, pacing around, while his servants followed him with clean clothes. The two brothers were very much alike, after all they weren’t only full brothers, but also sons of a marriage between brother and sister, but Darius had a striking appearance "the tallest and handsomest man of his time"(1)

 

- Do you know what I heard? –asked Darius suddenly.

 

- No, Great King –Oxyathres was taken by surprise but he imagined that this question had something to do with the Great King’s terrible mood. 

 

- That bloody barbarian, who calls himself King, is spreading the rumor, among the coastal cities, that I’m a usurper to my own throne –exclaimed the Great King angry. Oxyathres had heard that too, but didn’t mention a word to his brother because he didn’t wanted to suffer his wrath. He remained silent— A usurper! –Darius threw the cup against the wall scaring the servants—He says I seized the throne in contravention of Persian law, what does he know about Persian law? He is nothing more than an illiterate savage and he claims to know my people better than I, he says that I’m governing against the will of the Persians and the proof, according to him, is that Persians have defected to him and now fight by his side –he spat saliva and anger at each word.

 

- He doesn’t know what he says, your majesty –his brother shared his indignation and agreed with Darius in several things, but, he differed in something. Oxyathres didn’t consider Alexander a mad man, and he understood perfectly well why he did each of the things he did. None of the Macedonian King’s movement was left to chance, but he was no fool and knew better than contradict the Great King when he was this furious.

 

- Of course not! –the Great King stopped abruptly—First he insults me by letter, and now he spreads these –he waved his hands, looking for the right words—… Rumors...Tell me, Oxyathres, what does this savage know about the inscriptions at Behistun and Naqs-i Rustam about the traditional justifications for royal authority, WHAT DOES HE KNOW? –Darius started to pace again—He calls me a coward, I’M NOT A COWARD –he was so angry that his face was starting to look purple— I have proved myself as a worthy King, I proved my courage during one of Artaxerxes Ochus' wars against the Cadusians; do you remember?

 

- I remember Great King, you were the only one around Artaxerxes Ochus “who dared to answer the challenge thrown down by a Cadusian of Herculean strength”(2) –answered his brother nodding, he remembered that day, his brother had fought an outstanding duel and won a great victory that served him to gain the favor of the late Great King who awarded with the command of the two Armenias.

 

If there was something the Persians admired in a King was courage, and his older brother had behave in such a gallant way that he became a very popular man in the court, which served him later to become the Great King.

 

Darius closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

 

- The Macedonian is going to pay for all the humiliation that he and his lover have caused me –he said slowly, with a cold voice full with hatred. 

 

- The Gods are with your majesty –said Oxyathres, sure of his words—You have a great army at your command, the biggest ever assembled in centuries, even the Magi have called the barbarian a ravening lion sent for Persia’s destruction, they called him a demon.

 

Darius nodded and sat down, not looking at his brother.

 

- Yes, yes…that’s true, the Gods are with me –he whispered as if this was a prayer.

 

How did things come to this? –thought the Great King, closing his eyes—I remember when I first hear about King Philip’s murder –that made him smile—The Macedonian accuses me of usurping the Persian throne because Bagoas assassinated Artaxerxes Ochus, he called that motherless eunuch “my friend”—he thought with contempt— Amusing, I could accuse the barbarian of being a usurper too, after all he also became King after a murder…

 

Darius saw how his servants rushed to clean the mess he had done when he threw the cup.

 

At that time nobody knew who was this Alexander, he was just a boy with dreams too big for his small head. First, I heard that he landed his troops on Asia Minor, nobody took him seriously and not a single one of my satraps thought in the possibility of stopping him. Then, he defeated a Persian army at the Granicus river…maybe for him it was a spectacular victory but, for us, it was just a minor defeat, I could assemble several armies with ease and Alexander had money problems –the Great King sighed.   

 

Why didn’t I assemble an army and fought him before? Tradition I guess, no royal army have been mobilized into Asia Minor since the times of Xerxes. But, when the Macedonian took Sardis and advanced to Halicarnassus…then, I started to worry, and it was when I wrote to this character Alejandro of Lyncestis. He was so eager to be King that didn’t doubt in taking my offer of helping him to seize the Macedonian throne in ex change of the invader’s life –Darius closed his eyes— And the fool was discovered, I should have never trusted a Macedonian.

 

- Memnon –said the Great King under his breath.

 

The Rhodian was a great commander; the best…if he hadn’t died the Macedonian menace would have been destroyed years ago. I needed a commander, a new strategos for my army and then, I offered the post to that treacherous snake of Hephaistion –Darius felt his blood burning in rage with the sole thought of what had happened with the beautiful warrior— Hephaistion is a curse. Since he came to my camp everything turned into a nightmare. The battle of Issus, Melkar’s plan…Melkar…But this is going to change, soon, very soon, no-one can beat an army like mine –he smiled, pleased with the vast number of souls under his commander. Almost 100 hundred men who would live or die because of him.

 

- Oxyathres –said the Great King after a long pause—Leave me, and send Bagoas, I need to relax.

 

His brother bowed and left him, calling the servants to see that his brother’s wishes were fulfilled.

  

XXX

 

That night, Alexander was carefully examining the maps on his desk. The Euphrates Valley had been devastated by the Persian troops, but going north “the harvested grain would be easily obtainable from the unwalled towns and villages”(3) he would take the east route, he decided, tapping the map with his index finger. He had gave Darius months, years to prepare for this battle, and clearly the Great King had taken measures to assure that, when the time came and the Macedonian conqueror decided to march on Babylon, he wouldn’t find an easy path.

 

One of the King’s pages came in with a tray with wine and bread. He left the food on the desk, carefully, in order not to damage maps or spill the wine, and stood there, waiting for an opportunity to speak, not daring to interrupt his King’s thoughts.

 

- What is it? –asked Alexander, his eyes still on the maps.

 

- Sire, my apologies for interrupting you but the Prince wants to see you –said the boy, and the King smiled, feeling a little guilty. After that embarrassing episode when Achilles found him and Hephaistion in bed, the boy always asked for permission before coming in.

 

- Let him in, Nisos –said Alexander and his page nodded.

 

The King leaned his back against the chair and rubbed his eyes. How long had he been there, locked inside his study? It must be dark already and he had invited his officers to have dinner with him, he would have to get ready soon and leave his maps for later. When he opened his eyes again he found Achilles standing at his side, his hands of the armchair, watching him with curiosity.

 

- Dad, do you feel sick? –Alexander smiled, and leaned closer to him.

 

- No son, I’m fine, just tired –the King explained, watching the dirty and torn chiton of his Prince and his bruised knees. He didn’t ask what had happened because it was obvious that he had been training with Kleitos—How are you? How was your day? 

 

- Busy –Achilles answered watching his hands—Kleitos is teaching me to wrestle.

 

Alexander smiled.

 

- Leon is better at that, I bet he could give Kleitos a good kick –the boy saw him with round big eyes.

 

- Nobody can defeat Kleitos –the King laughed.

 

- Not even me? Or your father?

 

- Mm…daddy can –Achilles decided, nodding vigorously.

 

- And what about me?

 

- I have never see you fight –it was an honest answer and the King nodded.

 

- You have a point…—Alexander saw the boy for a moment. It was August, just in a couple of months he would be 6 years old, but he looked older thanks to his height—Tell me Aki, you know how to ride, don’t you?

 

The boy nodded again.

 

- Daddy taught me –he answered.

 

That pleased the King. Every Macedonian boy learned to ride at the same time they learned to walk and the Crown Prince should be the best horseman in the kingdom if he wanted to set an example and lead the best cavalry in the world.

 

- When the army moves again, you are going to ride at my side –said Alexander and Achilles’ eyes shone in excitement.

 

- Really? –he asked jumping.

 

- Really, I trust that you are taking good care of Pegasus –the boy moved his head up and down still jumping.

 

- Yes, yes, yes…

 

- Good boy –the King pat his back fondly—Now, go to your room, I have a dinner with my officers.

 

- Can I go with you? –every time the Prince heard of a banquet he wanted to attend, and every time he was told he couldn’t, but hope is the last thing that dies.

 

- Not now, maybe other day –Achilles was crestfallen—But I promise to go to your room after the dinner.

 

- And, would you tell me a bedtime story?

 

- Yes, you have my word –the boy was very happy with that answer and left the King, running to the door.

 

Alexander smiled. It amazed him to realize how much he loved that boy, and suddenly that made him think in Barsine and his son. It had been so long since the last time he thought about them, he had given orders of leaving Barsine and Herakles at Pergamum, and had issued orders that they should be treated respectfully. He had no desire to have the Persian near him, and as he had told Hephaistion once, he didn’t want to raise Herakles as his son but he would see that both of them and Barsine’s sons by Memnon had the same life style they were used to have. 

 

He leaned his back against the chair. He had made a mistake sleeping with her, not only he had acted without thinking, he had a son with her, a son, a potential threat to Achilles in the future, when he died and his Crown Prince became King.

 

I won’t let that happen –he thought, his eyes on the door where Achilles had disappeared moments before. This was the second reason of why he had left his son at Pergamum, this was his men, the rank soldiers and his officers would get use to just one heir, and by now, 2 years after that day when he announced that Achilles was his Crown Prince, there wasn’t a single men in the whole army that didn’t think in the boy that way—And the army is the one that proclaims a King…Pella is something enterely different, people there doesn’t know him, but they would accept better a full Macedonian Prince that one who is half Persian –the King sighed—How complicated…and now that Amyntor is dead only my mother would see for Achilles rights at the Pella.   

 

Alexander closed his eyes. It was in moments like this that he missed Hephaistion with all his forces. It had been 2 weeks since he left to the Euphrates, 2 long weeks; he had given his beloved a month for the construction of the bridges, and, so far he had received good news, the bridges would be over soon and he would be able to take his army one step closer to Babylon. 

 

XXX

 

(1) Pierre Briant. From Cyrus to Alexander: A History of the Persian Empire, p 777

(2) Pierre Briant. From Cyrus to Alexander: A History of the Persian Empire, p 771

(3) Donald W. Engels. Alexander the Great and the Logistics of the Macedonian Army, p 68