Greek Texts & Translations

17.74.3Alexander, for his part, was aware that the Macedonians regarded Dareius's death as the end of the campaign and were impatient to go home. He called them all to a meeting and, addressing them with effective arguments, made them willing to follow him in the part of the war which remained, ^note but he assembled the allied troops from the Greek cities ^note and praising them for their services released them from their military duty. He gave to each of the cavalry a talent and to each of the infantry ten minas. ^note Besides this he paid them their wages up to date and added more to cover the period of their march back until they should return to their homes. 17.74.4To those who would remain with him in the royal army, he gave a bonus of three talents each. He treated the soldiers with such lavishness in part because of his native generosity and in part because he had come into possession of very much money in the course of his pursuit of Dareius. 17.74.5He had received from the royal treasurers the sum of eight thousand talents. Apart from this, what was distributed to the soldiers, including clothing and goblets, came to thirteen thousand talents, ^note while what was stolen or taken as plunder was thought to be even more still.

ch. 75 17.75.1Alexander started out for Hyrcania and on the third day encamped near a city called Hecatontapylus. ^note This was a wealthy city with a profusion of everything contributing to pleasure, so he rested his army there for some days. 17.75.2Then, advancing one hundred and fifty furlongs, he encamped near a huge rock ^note; under its base there was a marvellous cave from which flowed a great river known as the Stiboeites. ^note This tumbles out with a rapid current for a distance of three furlongs, and then divides into two courses on either side of a breast-shaped "rock," beneath which there is a vast cavern. Into this the river plunges with a great roar, foaming from its clash against the rock. After flowing underground a distance of three hundred furlongs, it again breaks its way to the surface. ^note

17.75.3Alexander entered Hyrcania with his army and took possession of all the cities there as far as the so-called Caspian Sea, which some name the Hyrcanian. In this they say are spawned many large serpents and fish of all sorts quite different in colour from ours. ^note 17.75.4He passed through Hyrcania and came to the Fortunate Villages, as they are called, and truly such they are, for their land produces crops far more generously than elsewhere. 17.75.5They say that each vine produces a metretes of wine, while there are some fig trees which produce ten medimni of dried figs. ^note The grain which is overlooked at the harvest and falls to the ground germinates without being sown and brings to maturity an abundant harvest. 17.75.6There is a tree known to the natives like an oak in appearance, from the leaves of which honey drips; this some collect and take their pleasure from it abundantly. ^note 17.75.7There is a winged animal in this country which they call anthredon, smaller than the bee but very useful. It roams the mountains gathering nectar from every kind of flower. Dwelling in hollow rocks and lightning-blasted trees it forms combs of wax and fashions a liquor of surpassing sweetness, not far inferior to our honey. ^note