158 HISTORY OF GREECE. him from the enemy, hoping to ajiproach and attack them at daybreak. But his progress was so retarded, that day broke, and the two armies first came in sight, when he was still on the descending slope of the ground, more than three miles distant. On seeing the enemy, he halted, and called together his princi- pal officers, to consult whether he should not prosecute his march and commence the attack forthwith.^ Though most of them pronounced for the affirmative, yet Parmenio contended that this course would be rash ; that the ground before them, with all its difficulties, natural or artificial, was unknown, and that the enemy's position, which they now saw for the first time, ought to be care- fully reconnoitred. Adopting this latter view, Alexander halt- ed for the day ; yet still retaining his battle order, and forming a new entrenched camp, to which the baggage and the prisoners were now brought forward from the preceding day's encamp- ment.2 He himself spent the day, with an escort of cavalry and light troops, in reconnoitring both the intermediate ground and the enemy, who did not interrupt him, in spite of their immense superiority in cavalry. Parmenio, with Polysperchon and others, advised him to attack the enemy in the night ; which promised eorae advantages, since Persian armies were notoriously un- manageable by night,3 and since their camp had no defence. But on the other hand, the plan involved so many disadvantages and perils, that Alexander rejected it; declaring — with an em- phasis intentionally enhanced, since he spoke in the hearing of ' Arrian, iii. 9, 5-7.
- Arrian, iii. 9, 2-8. It is not expressly mentioned by Arrian that the
baggage, etc. was brought forward from the first camp to the second. But we see that such must have been the fact, from what happened during the battle. Alexander's baggage, which was plundered by a body of Persian cavalry, cannot have been so far in the rear of the army as the distance of the first camp would require. This coincides also with Curtius, iv. 13, 35 The words eyvu uTcaXeiTreiv (Arrian, iii. 9, 2), indicate the contemplation of a purpose which was not accomplished — <l>c u/j. v/^epa TTfwo/xiiai roic no'AE/iiocc (iii. 9, 3). Instead of "coming into conflict" with the enemy at break of day — Alexander only arrived within sight of them at break of day ; he then halted the whole day and night within sigh; of their position ; and naturally brought up his baggage, having no motive to leave it so fai in the rear. ' Xencph. Anabas. iii. 4, 35.
