150 HISTORY OF GKEECE. the prisoners, but had found means to escape from his guards when the fleet touched at Kos-^ In the early spring, after receiving reinforcements of Greeks and Thracians, Alexander marched into Phenicia. It was there that he regulated the affairs of Phenicia, Syria, and Greece, prior tc his intended expedition into the interior against Darius. He punished the inhabitants of Samaria, who had revolted and burnt alive the Macedonian prefect Andromachus.- In addition to all the business transacted, Alexander made costly pi'esents to the Tyrian Herakles, and offered splendid sacrifices to other gods. Choice festivals with tragedy were also celebrated, analogous to the Dionysia at Athens, with the best actors and chorists con- tending for the prize. The princes of Cyprus vied with each other in doing honor to the son of Zeus Ammon ; each under- taking the duty of chorSgus, getting up at his own cost a drama with distinguished chorus and actors, and striving to obtain the prize from pre-appointed judges — as was practised among the ten tribes at Athens.* In the midst of these religious and festive exhibitions, Alexan- der was collecting magazines for his march into the interior.* He had already sent forward a detachment to Thapsacus, the usual ford of the Euphrates, to throw bridges over the river. The Persian Mazaeus was on guard on the other side, with a small force of 3000 men, 2000 of them Greeks ; not sufficient to hin- der the bridges from being built, but only to hinder them from being carried completely over to the left bank. After eleven days of march from Phenicia, Alexander and his whole army reached Thapsakus. Mazseus, on the other side, as soon as he saw ihe main ai'my arrive, withdrew his small force without de- lay, and retreated to the Tigris ; so that the two bridges were completed, and Alexander crossed forthwith.* Once over the Euphrates, Alexander had the option of march- ing down the left bank of that river to Babylon, the chief city of 1 Arrian, iii. 2, 8, 9. ' Curtius, iv. 8, 10. " Plutarcli, Alexand. 29 ; Arrian /. c. •* Arrian, iii. 6, 12.
- Arrian, iii. 7,1-6; Curtius, iv 9,12 — " undecimis castris pcrvenit ad
Eupliraten."
