The Shadow King by Harry Sidebottom

Author:Harry Sidebottom [Sidebottom, Harry]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781838778002
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Autumn to Winter 334 BC

WE CREMATED NEOPTOLEMUS THAT morning: me, Amyntas, Leonnatus, Eumaeus, and Atarrhias. We made suitable offerings to his shade, although I took his scarlet sword-belt and sash for the sake of his memory. Neoptolemus may have fought on the other side, but no one objected to our act of familial piety and affection. As the flames began to crackle, others joined us; Lyncestians who remembered him as a child at Lebaea, or the high-spirited youth in Pella. When the smoke billowed, bringing the horrible smell of burning flesh, I thought of his wife and daughter that I would never meet; anything rather than dwell on the physical reality of the pyre.

Or would I meet them? In camp the ultimate goal of our expedition was often discussed. Its stated aims were to liberate the Greeks of Asia, and to gain revenge for the Persian burning of Athens. The former was largely accomplished already, although there were cities that claimed to be Greek on the southern coast of Anatolia and on Cyprus. The latter aim might imply something altogether larger. Some considered it would not be achieved until we had torched the Persian capitals of Susa, Ecbatana, and Persepolis. Whenever one of the Companions raised it with Alexander, he just laughed, and said it was too soon to say, after all we had yet to meet the Great King on the battlefield.

Atarrhias was proved right. The garrison of Halicarnassus had withdrawn to the two seaward citadels of Salmacis and the Isle of Arconnesus. Memnon and the Persian fleet had sailed, it was guessed to the island of Cos. Alexander sent men into the city. Once the fires were extinguished, they pulled down the buildings facing the two citadels, and began to erect fortifications to seal the citadels off from the land. There was nothing we could do to prevent Memnon bringing in fresh troops and supplies by sea. The troops had suffered prosecuting the siege. Our own provisions were running short. There was little to be gained in prolonging the suffering. Alexander decided to leave Ptolemy with three thousand mercenary infantry and two hundred cavalry to contain the garrisons of the citadels, and, if he could, take any other neighbouring places that had not come over. I did not envy Alexander’s illegitimate brother. The force left with Ptolemy seemed barely adequate for the task.

Alexander’s decision about the governance of the province caused much comment in our ranks. Caria had long been ruled by a local dynasty. Before he reached Halicarnassus Alexander had been approached by an elderly lady called Ada. She had once governed Caria, before being ousted by a male relative. Ada had retained one strong fortress. This she had handed over to Alexander. The two had got on well. She sent him sweetmeats and delicacies. More importantly she had adopted him as her son and heir. Alexander referred to her as ‘Mother’. Certainly, many of the troops joked, she would be less trouble than Olympias. Now Alexander appointed her Satrap of Caria.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.