chain. It confists, properly speaking, of two hills; the leffer of which is the more fharp and pointed: the higher, on which it is faid the ark refted, lies NW. of it, and rifes far above the neighbouring mountains. It feems fo high and big, that, when the air is clear, it may be feen four or five days journey off; yet travellers think the height is not extraordinary. Chardin is of opinion that he paffed a part of mount Caucafus which is higher; Poullet thinks the height of Mount Masis, or Ararat, not above twice as great as that of mount Valerian, near Paris. They therefore think that its being visible at fuch a great diftance is owing to its lonely fituation in a vast plain, and upon the most elevated part of the country, without any mountains before it to obftruct the view. Nor is the fnow with which it is always covered from the middle upwards, any argument of its height; for, in this country, ice hath been often obferved in the mornings of the middle of July. (See ARMENIA.) Certain it is, however, that this mountain hath never yet been afcended; which the Armenians pretend was owing to the interpofition of angels, in order to disappoint the curiofity of thofe who wanted to advance to such a sacred place as that whereon the ark rested: but the excefs of cold may very reasonably be fuppofed able to fruftrate all fuch attempts, without any fupernatural interpofition. The most distinct account we have of this mountain is that given by Mr Tournefort; who tells us, that this mountain is one of the most dilagreeable fights upon earth, without either houfes, convents, trees, or fhrubs; and feems as if continually wafting and mouldering away. He divides it into three regions: The lowermost, he fays, is the only one which contains any human creatures, and is occupied by a few miferable thepherds that tend fcabby flocks; and here are allo found fome partridges: the fecond is inhabited by crows and tigers; and all the rest is covered with fnow, which half the year is involved in thick clouds. On the fide of the mountain that books towards Erivan is a prodigious precipice, from whence rocks of an immenfe fize are frequently tumbling down with a hideous noife. This precipice feems quite perpendicular; and the extremities are rough and blackish, as if fmutted with fmoke. The foil of the mountain is loofe, and on the fandy parts it is impoffible to take a firm aep; fo that our traveller encountered great difficulties in his afcent and defcent of this mountain; being often obliged, in order to avoid the fand, to betake himself to places where great rocks were heaped on one another, under which he paffed through caverns, or to places full of ftones, where he was forced to leap from one ftone to another. If we may believe Struys, a Dutch writer, however, all these difficulties may he furmounted. He affures us, he went five days journey up mount Ararat, to fee a Romish hermit: that he passed through three regions of clouds; the first dark and thick, the next cold and full of fnow, and the third colder ftill: that he advanced five miles every day: and when he came to the place where the hermit had his cell, be breathed a very ferene and temperate air: that the hermit told him, he had perceived neither wind nor rain all the 35 years he had dwelt there! and that on the top of the mountain there ftill reigned a greater tranquillity, whereby the ark was preferved uncorrupted. He farther pretends, that the hermit gave him a cross made out of the wood of the ark, together with a certificate: a formal copy of which the author has given in his fham relation. (2.) ARARAT, the ancient name of Armenia. See ARMENIA. ARARAUNA, in ornithology, the name of a Brafilian bird, of the macaw kind. ARARI, a river in Brafil. ARAS. See ARAXES. ARASSI, a maritime, populous, and trading town of Italy, in the territory of Genoa; 5 miles SW. of Albinguay, and 37 E. of Ventimiglia. Lon. 7. 20. E. Lat. 44. 3. N. ARASTH, a maritime town of Fez, feated on the Lucar, where it falls into the Atlantic. ARATEIA, in antiquity, a yearly festival cele brated at Sicyon, on the birth-day of Aratus. wherein divers honours were paid by a prieft confecrated to this fervice, who for diftinction's fake wore a ribband befpangled with white and purple fpots. It was folemnized with much pomp of mufick, the choiristers of Bacchus attending. ARATHAPESCOW INDIANS, a nation in N. America, who carry on conftant wars, with the Western Dog-ribbed Indians. * ARATION. n. f. [aratio, Lat.] The act or practice of plowing. ARATO-BAFABEN, a fixed ftar of the fecond magnitude in the head of the dragon. ARATORIA. See ARALIA, N° I. * ARATORY, adj. [from aro, Lat. to plow.) That which contributes to tillage. Dia. ARATUM TERRÆ, in our ancient law books, as much land as can be yearly tilled with one plough.-Hoc manerium eft 30 aratorum. ARATURAR TERRE, ancient fervice which the tenant was to do his lord, by ploughing his land. ARATURIA. See ARALIA, N° I. (1.) ARATUS, a celebrated Greek poet, born at Soli, in Cilicia. He flourished about the 124th, or 126th Olympiad, in the reign of Ptolemy Philadelphus king of Egypt. He difcovered in his youth a remarkable poignancy of wit, and capacity for improvement; and having received his education under Dionyfius Heracleotes, a Stoic philofopher, he efpoufed the principles of that fect. Aratus was phyfician to Antigonus Gonatas, king of Macedon; who being a great encourager of learned men, fent for him to court, admitted him to his intimacy, and encouraged him in his studies. The Phenomena of Aratus, which is ftill extant gives him a title to the character of an astronomer as well as a poet, In this piece he defcribes the nature and motion of the stars, and fhows the par, ticular influences of the celeftial bodies. He wrote this poem in Greek verfe: it was tranflated into Latin by Cicero; who tells us, in his first book De oratore, that the verfes of Aratus are very no ble. There is alfo a tranflation of this poem by Germanicus Cæfar, and another into elegant verle by Feftus Avienus. A quarto edition of the Phanomena was published by Grotius, at Leyden, in 1600, in Greek and Latin, with the fragments of Cicero's of his threshing floor, wheat, oxen, and field, when he heard of David's intention of purchasing them, to build an altar, and facrifice unto the Lord, that the calamity then raging in confequence of the royal folly might ceafe. The king however, refufed his offer in these remarkable words," Nay, but I will verily buy it for the full price, for I wit not take that which is thine for the I ord, nor offer burnt offerings without coft." He according ly paid Ornan 600 thekels of gold for the field, and 50 fhekels of filver for the threshing floor, cattle, &c. See 2 Sam. xxiv. and 1 Chron. xxi. Araunah's field was afterwards the fite of the temple; aud Dr Ath fays Araunah fignifies the Ark. ARAUSIO, CIVITAS ARAUSIENSIS, OF ÅRAUSICORUM, in ancient geography, the capital of the Cavares, in Gallia Narbonenfis. It is called Colonia Secundariorum, by Pliny and Mela, becaufe the veterans of the 2d Legion were fettled in it. It was then a very important place. It had a triumphal arch, erected by Marius and Batulus, upon their victory over the Cimbri and Teutones. This arch was much damaged in 1707 and 1709. It has ftill the Remains of a fine amphitheatre and fome aqueducts. It is now called ORANGE, and is feated on an arm of the Egue, at the foot of a mountain in the department of Drome, 36 miles N. of Avignon, and 50 NW. of Montpelier. Lon. 4. 49. E. Lat. 44. 9. N. See ORANGE. Cicero's verfion, and the tranflations of Germanicus and Avienus; all which the editor has illuf trated with curious notes. He was certainly much efteemed by the ancients, fince we find fo great a number of commentators upon him. There are feveral other works also afcribed to Aratus. Suidas mentions the following: Hymns to Pang Aftrology and Aftrothesy; a compofition of Antidotes; an Exile on Theopropus; an loro on Antigonus; an Epigram on Phila, the daughter of Antipater, and wife of Antigonus; an Epicedium of Cleombrotus; a Correction of the Odyfley; and fome Epiftles, in profe. Virgil in his Georgics, has imitated or tranflated many pallages from this author; and St Paul quoted a paffage from Aratus, in his fpeech to the Athenians, Acts xvii. 28. wherein he told them, that fome of their own poets have faid, To gag was govC coper; "For we are alfo his offspring." Thefe words are the beginning of the fifth line of Aratus's Phænomena. (2.)ARATUS, a famous general of the Achæans, who at 20 years of age, commenced the great attempt to deliver Greece from its tyrants, and eftablish one general republic among the different tates. He began by expelling Nicocles the tyrant of his native country, Sicyon; which he thereby joined to the Achæan League, A. A.C. 253. Two years afterwards he took the fort Acrocorinthus, and delivered Corinth from the Macedonian yoke. Being afterwards repeatedly elected Prætor, or general of the league, he delivered Argos, and fereral other Grecian states from their tyrants. But in the midft of this fuccessful career, while the League was flouriithing throughout all Peloponnefus, it was deferted by the Lacedæmonians, whofe king Cleomenes III. joined the Ætolians and defeated Aratus; A. A. C. 235. By the advice of Aratus, the Achæans called in the affift ance of Antigonus II. king of Macedonia, who joined the League and defeated Cleomenes: but Aratus was afterwards poifoned by his ungrateful fucceffor, Philip VI. whom he had newly restored, in the 2d year of the 141ft Olympiad, and 62d of his age. He was interred at Sicyon, and received the greatest honours from his countrymen. See ARATEIA. Polybius gives us fo great a character of Aratus's Commentaries or History, that the lofs of fo valuable a work is highly to be regretted. (3.) ARATUS, the fon of ARATUS, (N° 2.) was alfo Prætor of the Achæan League, and likewife poifoned by the ungrateful tyrant of Macedonia. ARAVA, the name of, 1. a district ; 2. a fortrefs; and 3. a river in Upper Hungary. The fort is feated 72 miles NW. of Caflovia. Lon. 20. o. E. Lat. 49. 20. N. ARAUCO, the name of, 1. a fortress; 2. a river; 3. a valley; and, 4. a town in Chili. The brave natives carried on a defenfive war against the Spaniards for about a century, and at laft drove them entirely out of it, though deftitute of fire arms. They concluded a peace with them in 1650, and ftill maintain their independence. Lon. 73. 20. W. Lat. 37. 30. S. according to Walker; but others place it in 51. 20. W. Lon. and 42. 20. S. Lat. and others in 78. 6. W. Lon. and 37. 5. S. Lat. ARAUNAH, or ORNAN, the Jebufite, a public-fpirited hufbandman, under David king of If rael; who generously offered the king a free gift ARAW, or AARAW, a large town and baili wick of Bern in Switzerland, feated on the Aar, in Argow, 8 miles NE. of ARBURG, and 27 W. of Zurick. In this town the Diets of the Protef tant Swifs Cantons are held. In thefe affemblies, the deputies and their fervants, being all citizens, dine together in the fame hall. The town-house was built out-of the ruins of the old castle, which the inhabitants of Aaraw totally demolithed, when the Swifs hook off the yoke of Austria, Aaraw has an elegant church, a fine fountain and a fertile foil. Lon. 9. 10. (or according to others 18. o.) E. Lat. 47. 20. N. ARAXES, now ARAS, a river of Armenia Major, which takes its rise in a mountain called Albos, where the Euphrates alfo hath its origin. From this mountain it runs SE. acrofs Armenia and part of Perfia, in a serpentine course, difcharging itself into the Cafpian Sea, after a run of upwards of 500 miles, during which it receives fome confiderable rivers. Walker defcribes it as falling into the Kur, or Cyrus, before it arrives at the ocean. Some have imagined that it hath i's rife in mount Ararat; but Tournefort affures us that it comes no nearer that mountain than 12 miles. The Araxes is a very rapid river, and is fuppofed to be the GIHON mentioned by Mofes. Befides this extreme rapidity, it is very apt to overflow after rains; fo that the endeavours to build bridges over it have proved abortive; though fome of them appear, from the few arches re maining, to have been built of the best materials, and in the ftrongest manner. Such is the vehemence of its current after the thawing of the adjacent fnows, or fome fierce rains, that neither banks nor dykes can refift it. Nothing can exceed the noife and violence of its waves at fuch times: but in winter, when its waters are low, it is fordable in fome places ou camels. To To ARAY, va. to prepare. Chauc ARAYA, a cape of S. America, which forms the N. point of the Oronoque. It contains falt pits, from which the Dutch afed to fupply them felves freely till 1605, when their fhips were detroyed by the Spaniards, who, in 1622, built a fort upon it. (1.) ARBA, a city of the Anakims, afterwards called Hebron. ARB 383 ) wholefome food, and a way of life differing little from the Hottentots. The appearance of the inland is exceedingly pleasant. On the eaft it has a very high mountain, of the fame fubftance as the Mor lacca, of which it was once a part. At the foot of this mountain, the reft of the island is extended to the westward, and divided into beautiful and fruitful plains interfperfed with little hills, fit to bear the richest products. At the extremity that looks to the north, a delightful promontory, called Loparo, ftretches into the fea; it is erowned with little hills, which almoft quite inclofe a fine cultivated plain. Near this promontory are the two fmalt islands of S. Gregorio and Goli, very ufeful to thepherds and fishers. The coast of Arbe, that faces the Morlacca mountains, is quite steep and inacceffible; and the channel between them is extremely dangerous, being expofed to furious winds, and without a fingle port on either fide. The long and narrow island of Dolin, lying parallel to the island of Arbe, along the coaft of Barbado, forms a channel lefs dangerous, though by no means fo fecure as it is beautiful to look at. There are feveral harbours in the neighbourhood of the city of Arbe, by which the trade of the beft part of the island is facilitated. (2.) ARBA. See AMBRACIA. (3.) ARBA. See ARBE. N° H. (4.) ARBA, the father of Anak. ARBACES, a governor of Media under Sarda napalus. Seeing him fpinning among a company of his women, he ftirred up his people to revolt, and dethroned Sardanapalus; who thereupon burnt himfelf in his palace. Arbaces being crowned, began the monarchy of the Medes, which lafted 317 years under nine kings, till Aftyages was expelled by Cyrus. Arbaces reigned 22 years, and died A. M. 3206. See MEDIA. ARBAGO, a place in Weftmoreland, which produces a great quantity of iron ore. ARBALEST, See next article; alfo BALISTA, * ARBALIST. n. f. [from arcus, a bow, and balista, an engine to throw ftones.] A cross-bow. -It is reported by William Brito, that the arcubalita, or arbalift, was firft fhewed to the French by our king Richard the firft, who was thortly after flain by a quarrel thereof. Camden. (I.) ARBE, an ancient city, the capital of the Mand, (See N° II.) fituated on a rifing ground between two harbours, which form a peninfula; and containing about 1000 inhabitants, among whom are many noble, but few rich families. (H. 1.) ARBE, or ARBA, in ancient geography, an island of Illyria, in the gulph of Quarnaro, Of this ifland, which has been but flightly noticed by geographers, we have the following defcription by the Abbe Fortis. (2.) ARBE, CLIMATE, COAST, &c. or. The climate of Arbe is none of the happieft; the winter feafon is horrid, efpecially when agitated by the violent northerly winds, which fometimes tranf form the intermediate feafons into winter, and cause the fummer itself to disappear. These furious winds do great damage to the island, particularly in the winter and fpring. Two years ago, about 12,000 sheep perished in one night, by cold, in the common paftures of the mountain; where, according to the custom over all Dalmatia, they are left in the open air the whole year round. The falt fog raised by the dreadful commotion of the waves, which, often roars between the mountains of Arbe and the oppofite Alps, in the narrow channel of Morlacca, confumes all the buds of the plants and corn, if it happens to be driven upon the island by the wind; and it is followed by a fcarcity of every kind of product. This calami. ty communicates its baneful influence even to the flesh of the animals left on the paftures, that be comes ill-tafted, in confequence of the bitternefs and bad nourishment of the food. Abstracting from these irregularities, the air of Arbe is healthful; nor ought the conftant fummer fevers among the inhabitants to be attributed to its influence, as they are, more probably, derived from un (3.) ARBE, CURIOSITIES OF. Among the most remarkable curiofities of the ifland, the Arbegiani are proud of many religious reliques, and particularly of the head of S. Criftofano their protector; but the lovers of facred antiquity will find fomething much more fingular in the three heads of Shadrach, Melhech, and Abednego, which are venerated there with great devotion. Four of the principal gentlemen are keepers of the fanctuary, and to their care the precious records of the city are alfo committed. Among these records is a tranfaction of MXVIII, by which the city of Arbe promises to the Doge of Venice, Ottone Orfeolo,. a tribute of fome pounds de feta ferica, "of wrought filk," and in cafe of contravention, pounds de auro obrizo," of pure gold." In the Laft age there was a learned bishop of Arbe, named Ottavio Spaderi, who would not permit the reliques of S. Cristofano to be expofed to the public generation, on the folemnity of the faint's day, because he doubted of their authenticity. The mob rofe and was going to throw him down from the top of the hill on which the cathedral stands; nor did the tumult ceate after the day was paft.. The government sent an armed veilel to deliver the prelate from the danger he was in; and the Pope thought proper to give him a more tractable poule in Italy. (4.)AREE, HISTORY OF. In the times of the Romus, it is probable that there were no other cities in Arbe but that which bears the name of the illand, in the neighbourhood of which ancient monuments are frequently dug up. Though this fmall island is not above o miles round, wholly uncultivated, and uninhabitable in the highest part that faces the channel of Morlaçca, it has always That it was in maintailed itfelf with decorum. habited by civilized people in the time of the Romans is evident, by the infcriptions frequently difIn covered, and others that fill remain at Arbe the lower times it partook of all the calamities to which all the neighbouring countries were subjec ted, hogs, and horfes of a good breed. There is allo abundance of good falt made on the island; and the fishing of tunny and mackrel, notwithstanding it is managed in a flowly and aukward manner, makes no inconfiderable article of trade to the Arbegiani, who, like all their neighbours, find their account in felling this commodity to ftrangers rather than to the Venetians. Yet, with all thefe natural products, the island is very far from being rich, or even in a tolerably flourishing state; becaufe there is much land left uncultivated, and the peasants are lazy. ted, but always recovered itself even after diffolution. The archives of the community of Arbe contain fome ancient papers that are truly valuable, and they are kept with great jealoufy; by them it appears, that, in the 11th century, gold and filk were not rare among the inhabitants. Arbe was fubject to the kings of Hungary; after wards it became dependent on Venetian feudatories; and at laft was taken under the immediate dominion of that republic, by which a governor is appointed with the title of count and captain. (5.) ARBE, POPULATION OF. The number of people on the island does not much exceed 3000, diftributed in a few parifhes, which might be officiated by a small number of priests: yet, through a monftrous inconfiftency, that falls very heavy on the poor inhabitants, they have to maintain no less than 3 convents of friars, and as many of nuns, befides near 60 priefts! (6.) ARBE, SOIL AND PRODUCE of. The foil of Arbe is not the fame in every fituation; nay, it would be difficult to find a country where there is so great a variety in fo little space. There is a very great difference between the ground of the extremity of the mountain above the channel of Barbado, and the fides of it on the one part towards the island, and on the other facing the ridge of Morlacca. Nor is the top of the mountain it felf always of the fame ftructure; for in fome parts it is extended in a fine level plain, partly woody and partly cultivable; in other places it is quite rocky, and compofed of bare marble. The ground at the foot of the mountain, where it stretches towards the fhore, oppolite to Jablanaz, is nothing but marble; and, in the diftrict of Barbado it is gravelly, and a good foil for vines. The wine of Barbado is of excellent quality, and in great eftimation; hardly any other product is cultivated along the coaft, as the vines fucceed fo well, notwithstanding the negligent culture. Below the ruins of Colento the land bears vines, olives, mulberry, and other fruit trees, and alfo corn in the lowest parts. All the lower part of the island is compofed alternatively of hills and valleys, and of a substance for the most part very different from that of the mountain and its adjacencies. As the organization of the mountain is wholly of marble, fo that of the hills is generally arenaceous. The whetftone forms a large part, and frequently contains oftracites and lenticulares; the exterior ftratum is commonly friable. The valley, which according to appearances fhould be full of fand, are provid. ed with an excellent foil, with fuch a mixture of very minute fand as is requifite to keep it light. Springs of fresh water are by nature well diftributed over the island, and maintain a proper humidity when the fummer is not exceflively dry; fo that the dark verdure of the hills covered with wood, the luxuriance of the vines, and freshinefs of the corn ground, form a fpec. tacle extremely cheerful and agreeable.-The ifland of Arbe would have every thing requifite for the fubfiftence of its fmall population, if the land was cultivated by a people lets ftupid and lazy. It produces, however, firewood, of which many cargoes are annually fent to Venice; corn, oil, excellent wine, brandy, and filk, fince very ancient times; it alio experts hides, wool, fheep, ARBEGIANI, the inhabitants of ARBE. See N° I. II. § 3, 5, 6. (1.) ARBELA, in ancient geography, a city of Affyria, famous for the 3d and decifive battle fought near it, between Alexander the Great and Darius Codomannus. See § 2. It is feated on the Lycus, on a fine plain, 60 miles SE. of Mouful the ancient Nineveh, and is now called I&BIL. Lon. 44. 12. E. Lat. 35. 15. N. (2.) ARSELA, BATTLE OF. This battle was fought A. A. C. 331, and the event of it deter mined the fate of the Perfian empire. Arrian relates, that Darius's army confifted of a million of foot and 40,000 horse; according to Diodorus, there were 200,000 horfe and 800,000 foot; Plu tarch relates, that the horfe and foot together made up a million; and Juftin gives us exactly half Diodorus's number. The Macedonian army, according to Arrian, confifted of 40,000 foot and 7000 horfe. Upon receiving notice of the vast ftrength of the enemy, Alexander expressed nei ther furprife nor apprehenfion; but having (as Dr Gillies defcribes it in his Hift. of Anc. Greece) "commanded a halt, he encamped four days, to give his men reft and refreshment. His camp be ing fortified by a good entrenchment, he left in it the fick and infirm, together with all the baggage; and, on the evening of the 4th day, pre pared to march against the enemy with the effec tive part of his army, which was faid to confift of 40,000 infantry and 7000 horfe, unincumbered with any thing but their provifions and armour. The march was undertaken at the ad watch of the night, that the Macedonians, by joining bat tle in the morning, might enjoy the important advantage of having an entire day before them, to reap the full fruits of their expected victory. A bout half way between the hoftile camps, fome eminences intercepted the view of either army.Having afcended the rifing ground, Alexander first beheld the Barbarians, drawn up in battle array, and perhaps more skilfully marshalled than he had reafon to apprehend. Their appearance, at leaf, immediately determined him to change his tint refolation. He again commanded a halt, fummoned a council of war; and different meafures being propofed, acceded to the figle opinion of Parmenio, who advised that the foot should re main stationary until a detachment of horse had explored the field of battle, and carefully examined the difpofition of the enemy. Alexander whofe conduct was equalled by his courage, and both furpaffed by his activity, performed thofe important duties in perfon at the head of his light horfe and royal cohort. Having returned with unexampled celerity, he again aftembled his captains, a d couraged nefs to the enemy, still stretched towards the right, Darius alfo extended his left, till fearing that by continuing this movement his men fhould be drawn gradually off the plain, he commanded the Sey thian fquadrons to advance, and prevent the farther extenfion of the hoftile line. Alexander immediately detached a body of horse to oppose them. An equeftrian combat enfued, in which both parties were reinforced, and the barbarians finally repelled. The armed chariots then issued forth with impetuous violence; but their appearance was only formidable; for the precau tions taken by Alexander rendered their affault harmless. Darius next moved his main body, but with fo little order, that the horse, mixed with the infantry, advanced, and left a vacuity in the line, which his generals wanted time or vigilance to fupply. Alexander feized the decifive motent, and penetrated into the void with a wedge of fquadrons. He was followed by the nearest fections of the phalanx, who ruflied forward with lond fonts, as if they had already purfued the enemy. In this part of the field, the victory was not long doubtful; after a feeble refifance, the barbarians gave way; and the pufillanimous Darius was foremoft in the flight. The battle, however, was not yet decided. The more remote divitions of the phalanx, upon receiving intelli gence that the left wing, commanded by Parmenio, was in danger, had not immediately followed Alexander. A vacant fpace was thus left in the Macedonian line, through which fome fquadrons of Perfian and Indian horfe penetrated with celerity, and advanced to the hoftile camp. It was then that Alexander derived fignal and wellearned advantages from his judicious order of bat tle. The heavy armed troops and targeteers, which he had fkilfully pofted behind the phalanx, speedi ly faced about, advanced with a rapid ftep, and attacked the barbarian cavalry, already entangled among the baggage. The eremy, thus furprifed, were deftroyed or put to flight. Meanwhile the danger of his left wing recalled Alexander from the purfuit of Darius. In advancing against the enemy's right, he was met by the Parthian, Indian, and Perfian horfe, who maintained a tharp conflict. Sixty of the Companions fell; Hephal - tion, Cenus, and Menidas, were wounded. Having at length diffipated this cloud of cavalry, Alex inder prepared to attack the foot in that wing. But the bufinefs was already effected, chiefly by the Thetalian horfe; and nothing remained to be done, but to purfue the fugitives, and to render the victory as decifive as pofible. According to the leaft. extravagant accounts, with the lots of soo men he deftroyed 40,000 of the barbarians, who never thenceforth aflembled in fufficient num. couraged them by a fhort fpeech. Their ardour corresponded with his own; and the foldiers, confident of victory, were commanded to take reft and refreihment. Meanwhile Darius, perceiving the enemy's approach, kept his men prepared for action. Notwithstanding the great length of the plain, he was obliged to contract his front, and form in two lines, each of which was extremely deep. According to the Perfian cuftom, the king occupied the centre of the first line, furrounded by the princes of the blood and the great officers of his court, and defended by his horfe and foot guards, amounting to 15,000 chofen men. These fplendid troops, who feemed fitter for parade than battle, were flanked on either fide by the Greek mercenaries and other warlike battalions, carefully felected from the whole army. The right wing confifted of the Medes, Parthians, Hyrcanians, and Sace; the left was chiefly occupied by the Bactrians, Perfians, and Cardufians. The various nations compofing this immenfe hoft were differently armed, with fwords, fpers, clubs, and hatchets; while the horfe and foot of each divifion were promifcuoully biended, rather from the refult of accident than by the dirtion of deign. The armed chariots fronted the fra line, whofe centre was farther defended by the elephants.Chofen fquadrons of Scythian, Bearian, and Cap padocian cavalry advanced before eith r wing, prepared to bring on the action, or after it began, to attack the enemy in flank and rear. The upexpected approach of Alexander within fight of his tents prevented Darius from fortifying the wide extent of his camp; and, as he dreaded a noturnal affault from enemies who often veiled their defigns in darkness, he commanded his men to remain all night under arms. This unufual ineafure, the gloomy filerce, the long and anxious expectation, together with the fatigue of a reftiefs night, difcouraged the whole army, but infpired double terror into thofe who had witnefsed the miferable difafters on the banks of the Graicus and the Iffus. At day-break Alexander difpofed his troops in a manner fuggefted by the fuperior numbers and deep order of the enemy His main body confifted in two heavy-armed phalinxes, each amounting to above 16,000 men,Of there the greater pirt formed into cne line; behind which he placed the heavy.arned men, reinforced by his targeteers, with orders, that when the out-fpreading wings of the enemy prepared to attack the flanks and rear of the firit line, the fecond fhould immediately wheel to receive them. The cavalry and light infantry were fo difpofed on the wings, that while one part refifted the thock of the Perfians in firoat, another, by aly facing to the right or left, might take them in flank. Skilful archers and darters were pofted at proper intervals, as affording the beft defence against the armed chariots, which (as Alexander well knew) muft immediately become ufelefs whenever their conductors or horfes were wounded. Having thus arranged the feveral parts, Alexander with equal judgment led the whole in an oblique direction towards the enemy's left; a monoeuvre which enabled the Macedonians to avoid contending at once with fuperior numbers. When his advanced battalions, notwithstanding their nearVOL. II. PART I. bers to difpute his dominion in the Eaft. The invaluable provinces of Babylonia, Sufiana, and Perfis, with their refpective capitals of Babylon, Sufa and Perfepolis, formed the prize of his fkill and valour. The gold and filver found in those cities amounted to thirty millions Sterling; the jeweis and other precious fpoil, belonging to Darius, fufficed, according to Plutarch, to load 20,000 mules and sooo camels." The confequences of this victory the reader will find under the article PERCcc ARBELLA, SIA. |