It means that these men recognize you as their legitimate sovereign, the Great King, the King of Kings.’Īlexander in the meantime had not let go of Phraates’ hand and he sought one particular face among all those present. ‘It’s Persian protocol – a special kiss reserved only for the emperor himself. The Secretary had also given orders that all those in need of medical care should be treated by the army surgeons and physicians, who also had to take care of the hundreds of wounded crying out for help as they lay in the field.Īlexander entered and all the Persians bowed, but some of them went further, moving towards him, bending over to the point where their foreheads almost touched the ground, and then bringing their right hands to their lips to send him a kiss.

The Persian leaders – satraps, generals and relatives of the Great King – had all been gathered by Eumenes in a place far from the battlefield and quartered in the great tent of the war council. Then he turned to Phraates, ‘Come with me.’ ‘Take me to him, Hephaestion, and give orders to someone to take care of them,’ he said, pointing to Barsine and Eteocles at that moment the bearers were laying the son alongside his mother. ‘But Alexander, the men are waiting to see you, to hear your victory speech. ‘I think I saw him among the Persian notables who have been captured. But we have taken Mazaeus.’Īlexander thought to himself for a moment and then asked, ‘Is there news of Artabazos?’ ‘He fled together with Bessus, probably towards Susa or Persepolis, I’m not sure. There are thousands and thousands of bodies scattered all over the plain and others are being killed as I speak by our cavalry who gave them chase.’ At least two thousand it seems, if not more, but the Persians too have suffered heavy losses. Alexander acknowledged them with a nod and then turned again to his friend to ask, ‘How many?’

A Song Across the Sea by Shana McGuinn