A medallion dating to the third century AD, showing Alexander the Great gazing heavenward and bearing a shield decorated with signs of the zodiac. The shoulder-strap of his cuirass (a fused breastplate-and-backplate) is decorated with a figure of the goddess Athene; on his chest, there is a scene from the Gigantomachy (the war between the gods of Olympus and the Giants, in which Heracles aided the gods). The back of the medallion shows Alexander with Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, in her chariot, with the gods Roma and Mars beside her.
Part 1 of 2
WHEN Porus, who exhibited great talent in the battle, performing deeds not only of a general, but of a valiant soldier, observed the slaughter of his cavalry and that most of his infantry had perished, he did not depart, as Darius the Persian king did, setting an example of flight to his men. But at last, having received a wound on the right shoulder, he turned his elephant round and began to retire.
Alexander, having seen him valiant in battle, was very desirous of saving his life. Accordingly, he sent to him first Taxîles the Indian, who, riding up as near as seemed safe, bade him listen to Alexander’s message. But when he saw his old foe Taxîles, Porus wheeled and prepared to strike him with a javelin, and would probably have killed him, if he had not quickly driven his horse beyond reach. But not even on this account was Alexander angry, but kept sending others in succession, and last of all Meroës the Indian, an old friend of Porus.
As soon as the latter heard the message of Meroës, and being overcome by thirst from his wound, he dismounted from his elephant.
Précis
In 326 BC, Alexander the Great’s push into northern India brought him up against Porus, a Punjabi king. Porus distinguished himself for generalship and courage, but was eventually forced to retire by a wounded shoulder. Eager to provide his vanquished enemy with medical assistance, Alexander sent messengers to Porus, but only Meroes was able to gain his trust. (57 / 60 words)
Part Two
The ‘Porus Medallion’ (BM reg. no. 1926,0402.1), a silver coin minted in Babylon in about 324-321 BC, shortly after the Battle of the Hydaspes. It is kept today in the British Museum. The coin shows a figure mounted on an elephant, and challenged by a horseman: presumably, the figure on the elephant is Porus, and the challenger is Alexander riding Bucephalus. The mighty stallion died after the battle, and his master founded the city of Alexandria Bucephalus in his memory, roughly where the city of Jhelum stands today. On the taming of Bucephalus, see ‘Macedonia Is Too Small for Thee’. Soon after Alexander died in 323 BC, Porus was killed by Eudamus, one of Alexander’s generals, in a struggle for power.
AFTER he had drunk water and felt refreshed, he ordered Meroës to lead him without delay to Alexander.
And Alexander rode in front of the line with a few of the Companions to meet him, and stopping his horse, admired the handsome figure and the stature of Porus, which reached somewhat about 5 cubits.* He was also surprised that he did not seem to be cowed in spirit, but advanced to meet him as one brave man would meet another brave man. Then, indeed, Alexander was the first to speak, bidding him say what treatment he would like to receive.
The report goes that Porus replied: ‘Treat me, O Alexander, in a kingly way!’ Alexander, pleased, said: ‘For my own sake, O Porus, I do that, but for thine, do thou demand what is pleasing unto thee.’
But Porus said all things were included in that, whereupon Alexander, being still more pleased, not only granted him the rule over his own Indians, but also added another country of larger extent than the former to what he had before. Thus he treated the brave man in a kingly way, and from that time found him faithful in all things.
* Flora Annie Steel (1847-1929), whose abridgement is the basis of this extract, states that five cubits was a length equivalent to 6ft 6in. Modern dictionaries typically put a cubit at 18in, which would make the Indian king almost a foot taller than this. The word cubit derives from the Latin for ‘elbow’ and represented the distance from a man’s elbow to the tip of his fingers.
Précis
Alexander was much taken by Porus’s imposing stature and noble bearing. He asked Porus to name his terms of surrender, and the Indian replied that he wished to be treated as befitted a king. That went without saying, said Alexander; but it was Porus’s only demand. Much impressed, Alexander not only restored Porus’s kingdom but granted him another, even larger. (60 / 60 words)
