When Alexander defeated the Aspasians (A mountain tribe)

 When Alexander defeated the Aspasians (A mountain tribe)

When the enemy on the high ground saw the Macedonians coming, they came down into the plain because they had much larger numbers and thought the Macedonians were too few to threaten them. But Alexander defeated them easily. Ptolemy attacked another group that was holding a hill. He led his men carefully up the easiest side, leaving the enemy a way to escape instead of surrounding them completely. The fight was hard because the ground was rough and the Indian warriors were stronger than many other local tribes, but the Macedonians still drove them off. Leonnatus also defeated the enemy facing his division. Many prisoners were taken, along with a huge number of oxen, and Alexander chose the best animals to send back to Macedonia for farming.

After this, Alexander marched toward the land of the Assacenians, because he heard that they were preparing to fight him with cavalry, infantry, and even elephants. Craterus rejoined him with heavier troops and siege engines in case they were needed. On the way, Alexander passed through the land of the Guraeans and crossed the difficult river Guraeus. When the local people saw him coming, they did not dare face him in open battle. Instead, they scattered to their cities, planning to defend themselves from behind the walls.

Poetic Stanzas

The foe upon the heights looked down,
And came in pride into the plain.
They trusted numbers, mocked the few,
But soon they learned what skill can do.

Alexander struck and won with speed,
And broke the strength on which they leaned.
Ptolemy climbed where hills stood steep,
Where rough ground made the struggle deep.

The Indians fought with greater force,
More stubborn than the neighbouring hordes.
Yet still the Macedonians pressed,
And drove them from the mountain crest.

Leonnatus too won his fight,
And scattered all who faced his might.
Many captives now were bound,
And countless oxen gathered round.

The finest beasts the king then chose,
To send where Macedonian farmers rose.
From war he thought also of plough and field,
Of what a distant land might yield.

Then toward Assacenian lands he came,
Where men prepared for war and fame.
With horse and foot and elephants strong,
They waited for the coming throng.

Craterus brought the heavy line,
And engines built for siege in time.
Through Guraean lands the army passed,
Across a dangerous river cast.

The stream ran deep, the stones were round,
And many stumbled on the ground.
But when the people saw him near,
They would not meet his ranks in war.

Instead they fled to guarded walls,
To fight from towers and city halls.