CHAPTER X. (JANUARY-AUGUST, 332 B. C.) THE SIEGE AND DESTRUCTION OF TYRUS, BY ALEXANDER OF MACEDON; AND THE HEROIC DEFENCE BY AZELMIC AND THE NATION. THIS great National event in the History of an Ancient People, was commenced by Alexander in person, attended and assisted by the renowned Generals and favourites-Hephæstion, Antigonus, Seleucus, Lysimachus, Cassander, Ptolemeus, "Old Clytus," and Parmenio,—all of whom, except the first and two last named, subsequently became the successors to, and sharers of, their Master's army and ill-gotten dominions. Upon the occupation of the mainland suburbs (the Tyrians and strangers having fled to the Island), all the then known engines of warfare (both of defence and offence) were constructed and arranged upon the shore, -the army encamped on elevated ground, so as to be seen from the Capital,-the Cavalry and Phalanx daily practised their complex evolutions,-all this display was for the purpose of intimidating the besieged,—but it failed in its intended object. Orders were then given to commence an attack, not so much upon the walls, as upon the People, by throwing into the City darts and missiles: but, high Towers for the bowmen,-Balistæ for discharging heavy stones,-Catapultæ for casting forth the deadly javelin,―were erected with no effect; for the clouds of lightning-arrows, and the heavy thunderbolts of war burst forth in vain; and the distant walls remained unscathed, and the Tyrians unharmed. Alexander must now have found the error in dismissing his Navy after the Passage of the Granicus: had he retained it, he would have been enabled, upon a victory over the Tyrian fleet, to have surrounded the walls, and so prevent supplies from entering the Metropolis; but which were now daily received by the besieged, without the power of prevention on the part of the Macedonian. In this dilemma Alexander proposed to Azelmic and his Council, terms of capitulation similar to those accepted by the Sidonians; but with the original proposition of offering a sacrifice in the temple of Hercules-Apollo. The "sacrifice" would have been the entire People! The Tyrians, however, feeling safe within their walls, received the proffered negotiation with scorn and contempt; and in regard to the last proposition, they still resolved not to admit Alexander, or even his peace-offering. The Macedonian now felt for the first time, that his hitherto untarnished glory might be dimmed, his future pathway might be clouded,-for to abandon the Siege would instantly destroy his reputation for invincibility. Even his Generals were at a loss for means to conceal their mortification, or of resources of invention, whereby the reduction of the Capital could be accomplished. They, however, suggested to Alexander, that his already brilliant fame would not be clouded, by passing on to other victories obtainable upon the land; for it was not originally intended in his present advance, to attack a strongly-fortified Island, surrounded by the broad waters of the Mediterranean, and with high walls based upon the very waves of that Sea; and then the distance of the Isle from the mainland, placed the besieged out of the reach of either fear or danger; and especially in the absence of his fleet. These and similar arguments were of no avail; for every suggestion of a present, or of a future difficulty, only increased Alexander's resolution to conquer. - The Prince in his early youth had Nature for his guide,—and that great Monitress then led him to accomplish his first victory: for the untameable horse, Bucephalus, the Mazeppa-charger of Macedonia,— was not subdued from merely having the Lord of Wit or Wisdom by his side, but because he exercised the high gift for which he had been so justly named.* He, therefore, did turn the head of the proud animal "towards the East;" and in paying this supposed tribute to Apollo, he compelled the fiery steed to gaze upon the dazzling Sun!-and while thus partially blinded Viz., the word Alexander, in the original formation, signified Lord of Wit, i. e. Wisdom, in ancient days. by the brilliant rays, the dauntless rider mounted him, and the noble animal, feeling for the first time the weight of man, the lash and the deep-wounding spur, -forth he bounded like an earthly Pegasus,-clouds of sand and dust rising from beneath his earth-spurning, and indignant hoofs, concealed from the royal Father's sight the form of his princely Son, and the now maddened steed:-yet on he flew, like a Sirocco blast before the hurricane-his eyes still towards, and in, the dazzling Sunlight:-but, ere Apollo had reached the zenith, the horse and rider returned to the royal presence, the latter triumphant, and the former for the first time subdued, and gazing upon his shadow! Thus by Nature, and her laws, did he tame the fiery spirit! It was a similar thought that led him to conceive the means for subduing the apparently unconquerable spirit of the proud Tyrian, safe within his untouched Island-Citadel,—as that which led him upon the plain of Macedon, to master the white steed Bucephalus-who now stood prancing upon the moonlit shore of ancient Tyrus, with his Princely Master upon his gracefullycurved back as upon a throne of ivory :-from this regal seat, while the noble steed gazed upon the phosphoric sparkles of the radiant sea, as the waves cast them at his feet,-the pupil of Aristotle contemplated the apparently hopeless Siege of the commercial emporium of the World! That contemplation placed before him the fact, that Nature was to be subdued before the successful appliances of Art could be brought to bear and support his resolution. It forced VOL. I. upon 2 A upon him the conclusion that he had not only to war against Island walls, and Patriot hearts within,—but against another kingdom over which the trident monarch-Neptune-reigned, guarding with safety and with honour the renowned "Queen of the Sea,”—that he must drive back that victorious ally before he could even hope to capture her coronet of freedom! He remembered, too, that both the Babylonian and the Persian had retired, leaving their victories imperfect by not subduing the Island; this was an additional reason why he resolved to conquer, that his military glory should, in the estimation of posterity, be beyond any predecessor. While many of the principal Officers held a midnight council of war, the towers and engines standing tenantless and unmanned, from their inutility,-Alexander, upon his snowy steed, pacing the wave-washed shore, and ruminating upon his new conception,-Hephaestion and Parmenio upon their war-chargers, and as the attendants for the night, gazing upon the movements of their chief with that military anxiety which the warrior only knows or can feel,-and the soldiers of Macedonia murmuring within the camp at inactivity; -while this picture was presented of the invaders, the inhabitants of the metropolis had almost ceased to think that war and danger were near, and from their walls, as the Moon arose, they expressed every joy to their Goddess,-Astarte,-for the safety that she now witnessed and smiled upon. Alexander arousing himself from his visioned victory,-but more from the de |
