knowing the great importance of any success gained in this quarter.  The Companions rushed on with loud cries, pressing with all their weight, and thrusting their spears into the faces of their antagonists—­the phalanx, bristling with its thick array of lances, bore them down.  Alexander found himself sufficiently near Darius to hurl a spear at him, which transfixed his charioteer.  The cry arose that the king had fallen, and the ranks at once grew unsteady.  The more timid instantly began to break and fly; the contagion of fear spread; and Darius was in a little while almost denuded of protection on one side.  Seeing this, and regarding the battle as lost, since his line was broken, his centre and left wing defeated, while only his right wing remained firm, the Persian monarch yielded to his alarm, and hastily quitting the field, made his way to Arbela.  The centre and left fled with him.  The right, which was under the command of the Syrian satrap, Mazseus, made a firmer stand.  On this side the chariots had done some damage, and the horse was more than a match for the Thessalian cavalry.  Parmenio found himself in difficulties about the time when the Persian king fled.  His messengers detained a part of the phalanx, which was about to engage in the pursuit, and even recalled Alexander, who was hastening upon the track of Darius.  The careful prince turned back, but before he could make his way through the crowd of fugitives to the side of his lieutenant, victory had declared in favor of the Macedonians in this part of the field also.  Mazseus and his troops, learning that the king was fled, regarded further resistance as useless, and quitted the field.  The Persian army hurriedly recrossed the Zab, pursued by the remorseless conquerors, who slew the unresisting fugitives till they were weary of slaughter.  Arrian says that 300,000 fell, while a still larger number were taken prisoners.  Other writers make the loss considerably less.  All, however, agree that the army was completely routed and dispersed, that it made no attempt to rally, and gave no further trouble to the conqueror.

The conduct of Darius in this—­the crisis of his fate—­cannot be approved; but it admits of palliation, and does not compel us to withdraw from him that respectful compassion which we commonly accord to great misfortunes.  After Issus, it was his duty to make at least one more effort against the invader.  To this object he addressed himself with earnestness and diligence.  The number and quality of the troops collected at Arbela attests at once the zeal and success of his endeavors.  His choice and careful preparation of the field of battle are commendable; in his disposition of his forces there is nothing with which to find fault.  Every arm of the service had full room to act; all were brought into play; if Alexander conquered, it was because he was a consummate general, while at the same time he commanded the best troops in the world.  Arbela was not, like Issus, won by mere