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The Indians lost on this occasion twenty thousand foot, and three thousand horse, not to mention the chariots, which were all broke to pieces; and the elephants, that were either killed or taken. Porus's two sons fell in this battle, with Spitacus, governor of the province, all the colonels of horse and foot, and those who guided the elephants and chariots. As for Alexander, he lost but fourscore of the six thousand soldiers who were at the first charge, ten bowmen of the horse, twenty of his horse-guards, and two hundred common soldiers.

Porus, after having performed all the duty both of a soldier and a general in the battle, and fought with incredible bravery, seeing all his horse defeated, and the greatest part of his foot, did not behave like the great Darius, who, in a like disaster, was the first that fled on the contrary, he continued in the field as long as one battalion or squadron stood their ground; but, at last, having received a wound in the shoulder, he retired upon his elephant, and was easily distinguished from the rest by the greatness of his stature and his unparalleled bravery. Alexander finding who he was by those glorious marks, and being desirous of saving this king, he sent Taxiles after him, because he was of the same nation. The latter advancing as near to him as he might, without running any danger of being wounded, called out to him to stop in order to hear the message he had brought him from Alexander. Porus turning back, and seeing it was Taxiles, his old enemy-"How!" says he, "is it Taxiles that calls; that traitor to his country and kingdom!" Immediately after which, he would have transfixed him with his dart, had he not instantly retired. Notwithstanding this,

Alexander was still desirous of saving so brave a prince, and thereupon despatched other officers, among whom was Meroes, one of his intimate friends, who besought him, in the strongest terms, to wait upon a conqueror altogether worthy of him. After much entreaty, Porus consented, and accordingly set forward. Alexander, who had been told of his coming, advanced forwards, in order to receive him, with some of his train. Being come pretty near, Alexander stopped, purposely to take a view of his stature and noble mien, he being about five cubits in height. Porus did not seem dcjected at his misfortune; but came up with a resolute countenance, like a valiant warrior, whose courage in defending his dominions ought to acquire him the esteem of the brave prince who had taken him prisoner. Alexander spoke first; and, with an august and gracious air, asked him how he desired to be treated? Like a king," replied Porus, "But," continued Alexander, "do you ask nothing more?""No," replied Porus, "all things are included in that single word." Alexander, struck with his greatness of soul, the magnanimity of which seemed heightened by distress, did not only restore him his kingdom, but annexed other provinces to it, and treated him with the highest testimony of honour, esteem, and friendship. Porus was faithful to him till his death.—It is hard to say, whether the victor or the vanquished best deserved praise on this occasion.

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Alexander built a city on the spot where the battle had been fought; and another in that place where he had crossed the river. He called the one Nicæa, from his victory; and the other Bucephalia, in honour of his horse, who died there; not of his wounds, but of old age. After having

paid the last duties to such of his soldiers as had lost their lives in battle, he solemnized games, and offered up sacrifices of thanks in the place where he had passed the Hydaspes.

Alexander having now conquered Porus, advanced into India, which having never been a warlike nation, he subdued with the rapidity rather of a traveller than a conqueror. Numberless petty states submitted to him, sensible that his stay would be but short, and his conquests evanescent.

Alexander passing near a city where several Brachmans, or Indian priests, dwelt, was very desirous to converse with them, and, if possible, to prevail with some of them to follow him. Being informed that these philosophers never made visits, but that those who had an inclination to see them must go to their houses, he concluded, that it would be beneath his dignity to go to them, and not just to force these sages to any thing contrary to their laws and usages. Onesicritus, the philosopher, who had been a disciple of Diogenes, the Cynic, was deputed to them. He met not far from the city fifteen Bramins, who, from morning till evening, stood always naked, in the same posture in which they at first had placed themselves, and afterwards returned to the city at night. The chief of the band was Mandanis. He addressed himself first to Calanus, an Indian, reputed the wisest man of his country, who, though he professed the practice of the most severe philosophy, had, however, been persuaded in his extreme old age, to attend upon the court, and him he told the occasion of his coming. The latter gazing upon Onesicritus's clothes and shoes, could not forbear laughing: after which he told him, that anciently the earth had been covered with

barley and wheat, as it was at that time with dust, that besides water, the rivers used to flow with milk, honey, oil, and wine: that man's guilt had occasioned a change of this happy condition; and that Jupiter, to punish their ingratitude, had sentenced them to a long, painful labour that their repentance afterwards moving him to compassion, he had restored them their former abundance; however, that, by the course of things, they seemed to be returning to their ancient confusion. This relation shews evidently, that these philosophers had some notion of the felicity of the first man, and of the evil to which he had been sentenced for his sins.

Onesicritus was very urgent with both of them to quit their austere way of life, and follow the fortune of Alexander, saying, that they would find in him a generous master and benefactor, who would heap upon them honour and riches of all kinds. Then Mandanis, assuming a haughty, philosophical tone, answered, that he did not want Alexander, and was the son of Jupiter as well as himself: that he was exempted from want, desire, or fear: that so long an he should live the earth would furnish him with all things necessary for his subsistence, and that death would rid him of a troublesome companion, (meaning his body,) and set him at full liberty. Calanus appeared more tractable, and notwithstanding the opposition, and even the prohibition of his superior, who reproached him for his abject spirit in stooping so low as to serve another master besides God, he followed Onesicritus, and went to Alexander's court, who received him with great demonstrations of joy. As it was Alexander's chief ambition to imitate Bacchus and Hercules in their

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expeditions into the East, he resolved, like them, to penetrate as long as he could meet new nations to conquer; however his soldiers, satiated with spoil, and fatigued with repeated encounters, at last began to open their eyes at the wildness of his ambition. Some bewailed their calamities in such terms as raised compassion, others insolently cried out, that they would march no further. The chief object of the king's wishes was to invade the territories of Agramenes, a prince who lived beyond the great river Ganges; and who was able to bring into the field two hundred thousand foot, two thousand elephants, twenty thousand horse, and two thousand armed chariots. The soldiers however refused to wander over those great deserts that lay beyond the Ganges, and more terrible to them than the greatest army the East could muster. He addressed them in the most persuasivé terms not to leave their general behind; he threatened them, that he would take his Scythian and Persian soldiers, and with them alone he would make conquests worthy of his name and of his glory. But still the Macedonian soldiers persisted sullen and inflexible, and only at last complied, after many persuasive orations, to follow him towards the South, to discover the nearest ocean, and to take the course of the river Indus as their infallible guide.

For this expedition he embarked in a fleet consisting of eight hundred vessels, as well gallies as boats, to carry the troops and provisions; after five days' sailing the fleet arrived where the Hydaspes and the Acesines mix their streams; there the ships were very much shattered, because these rivers unite with pro