Читать книгу The Story of Alexander онлайн

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“True is thy word,” said the king, “and soon shalt thou prove its truth it may be; look well to thyself lest thy speech come home to thee.”

Then Alexander burst into rage, and with bitter words ordered him to return to his following if he wished safety, and Nicholas the king, flaming with bitter wasp-like anger, took up a handful of mud and threw it in the face of Alexander, and swore by the heart of his father that he would put him to death with his own hands if he fled not. But the noble Alexander controlled his rage at the foul insult, and keeping his face by a mighty effort, though his hands were gripping each other through, said, “As thou hast wronged me causelessly, Nicholas, I swear by my father and by my god that thou shalt see me ere long for this cause, and that I shall take thy land from thee, or thou my life from me.” So a day was set for them to meet in fight, and they parted on either side.

Now were men on both parts getting them ready for the fight. Alexander hurried home into Macedon and assembled a mighty host of knights and archers, men proved and skilled in arms. And when the host was assembled, with his princes and captains, he sought the presence of Philip and took his leave, and mounting Bucephalus his brave white horse, he led, first of all, his army out of the broad gates of the town. So on the appointed day the field is covered with the array of either host, and now men lift up the banners and shake them out to the wind, and the clarions sound out till the whole field rings with the music, and the woods and the hills answer them again. Then each noble prepares for battle, his helm on his head he strides to his horse, and jumps on his steel-clad saddle, he hangs round his throat his bright shimmering shield, and handles his lance. Then is the stamping of steeds, the stripping of banners, the clouds of dust rise in the air, and suddenly the crowds meet with a shock in the middle of the plain. Now the steeds rear up against each other, and the spears break through the blazoned shields and through the helmet bars, while the cypress lance shafts splinter into fragments, and down fall knights and dukes from their steeds.