A dream and a letter
ARIUS was by
this time upon his march from Susa, very confident, not only in the number of
his men, which amounted to six hundred thousand, but likewise in a dream,
which the Persian soothsayers interpreted rather in flattery to him, than
according to the natural probability. He dreamed that he saw the Macedonian
phalanx all on fire, and Alexander waiting on him, clad in the same dress
which he himself had been used to wear when he was courier to the late king;
after which, going into the temple of Belus, he vanished out of his sight. The
dream would appear to have supernaturally signified to him the illustrious
actions the Macedonians were to perform, and that as he from a courier's place
had risen to the throne, so Alexander should come to be master of Asia, and
not long surviving his conquests, conclude his life with glory. Darius's
confidence increased the more, because Alexander spent so much time in
Cilicia, which he imputed to his cowardice. But it was sickness that detained
him there, which some say he contracted from his fatigues, others from bathing
in the river Cydnus, whose waters were exceedingly cold. However it happened,
none of his physicians would venture to give him any remedies, they thought
his case so desperate, and were so afraid of the suspicions and ill-will of
the Macedonians if they should fail in the cure; till Philip, the Acarnanian,
seeing how critical his case was, but relying on his own well-known friendship
for him, resolved to try the last efforts of his art, and rather hazard his
own credit and life, than suffer him to perish for want of physic, which he
confidently administered to him, encouraging him to take it boldly, if he
desired a speedy recovery, in order to prosecute the war. At this very time,
Parmenio wrote to Alexander from the camp, bidding him have a care of Philip,
as one who was bribed by Darius to kill him, with great sums of money, and a
promise of his daughter in marriage. When he had perused the letter, he put it
under his pillow, without showing it so much as to any of his most intimate
friends, and when Philip came in with the potion, he took it with great
cheerfulness and assurance, giving him meantime the letter to read. This was a
spectacle well worth being present at, to see Alexander take the draught, and
Philip read the letter at the same time, and then turn and look upon one
another, but with different sentiments; for Alexander's looks were cheerful
and open, to show his kindness to and confidence in his physician, while the
other was full of surprise and alarm at the accusation, appealing to the gods
to witness his innocence, sometimes lifting up his hands to heaven, and then
throwing himself down by the bedside, and beseeching Alexander to lay aside
all fear, and follow his directions without apprehension. For the medicine at
first worked so strongly as to drive, so to say, the vital forces into the
interior; he lost his speech, and falling into a swoon, had scarce any sense
or pulse left. However, in no long time, by Philip's means, his health and
strength returned, and he showed himself in public to the Macedonians, who
were in continual fear and dejection until they saw him abroad again.
Next chapter: Defeating
Darius 
Plutarch: ALEXANDER
