§17.23.1ἔνιοι δὲ λέγουσι τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον στρατηγικῶς ἐπινοῆσαι τὴν τοῦ στόλου κατάλυσιν· προσδοκίμου γὰρ ὄντος τοῦ Δαρείου καὶ μελλούσης μεγάλης παρατάξεως συντελεῖσθαι νομίσαι τοὺς Μακεδόνας ἐκθυμότερον ἀγωνιεῖσθαι παραιρεθείσης τῆς κατὰ τὴν φυγὴν ἐλπίδος.
But some say that Alexander planned the disbanding of the fleet with strategic intent; for, as Darius was expected and a great battle was about to take place, he thought that the Macedonians would fight more fiercely if their hope of flight were taken away.
§17.23.2τὸ δʼ αὐτὸ πρᾶξαι κατὰ τὴν ἐπὶ Γρανικῷ μάχην· κατὰ νώτου γὰρ λαβεῖν τὸν ποταμόν, ὅπως μηδεὶς ἐπιβάληται φεύγειν προδήλου τῆς ἀπωλείας οὔσης τῶν διωκομένων ἐν τῷ τοῦ ποταμοῦ ῥείθρῳ.
And they say that he did the same thing in the battle at the Granicus; for he placed the river at his back, so that no one should attempt to flee, since the destruction of those pursued in the current of the river was obvious.
καὶ γὰρ κατὰ τοὺς ὕστερον χρόνους Ἀγαθοκλέα τὸν Συρακοσίων βασιλέα μιμησάμενον τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρου στρατηγίαν ἀνέλπιστον καὶ μεγάλην νίκην περιποιήσασθαι· §17.23.3διαβάντα γὰρ αὐτὸν εἰς Λιβύην μετʼ ὀλίγης δυνάμεως καὶ τὰς ναῦς ἐμπρήσαντα παρελέσθαι μὲν τῶν στρατιωτῶν τὰς ἐκ τοῦ φεύγειν ἐλπίδας, συναναγκάσαι δὲ γενναίως ἀγωνίσασθαι καὶ διὰ τοῦτο Καρχηδονίων ἀντιταχθέντων πολλαῖς μυριάσι νικῆσαι.
Indeed, in later times Agathocles, the king of the Syracusans, by imitating Alexander's strategy, secured an unexpected and great victory; for having crossed over to Libya with a small force and having burned his ships, he took away from his soldiers their hopes of flight, and compelled them to fight bravely, and because of this, although the Carthaginians opposed him with many tens of thousands, he won the victory.
§17.23.4μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἅλωσιν τῆς Μιλήτου τὸ πλῆθος τῶν Περσῶν καὶ τῶν μισθοφόρων, ἔτι δʼ οἱ πρακτικώτατοι τῶν ἡγεμόνων συνέδραμον εἰς τὴν Ἁλικαρνασσόν.
After the capture of Miletus, the multitude of the Persians and the mercenaries, and also the most active of the commanders, gathered at Halicarnassus.
αὕτη δὲ ἡ πόλις μεγίστη τῶν κατὰ τὴν Καρίαν ἦν, βασίλεια μὲν ἐσχηκυῖα τὰ Καρῶν, ἀκροπόλεσι δὲ καλῶς κεκοσμημένη.
This city was the largest of those in Caria, having contained the royal palace of the Carians, and being beautifully adorned with acropolises.
§17.23.5κατὰ δὲ τὸν αὐτὸν καιρὸν Μέμνων μὲν τήν τε γυναῖκα καὶ τὰ τέκνα πρὸς Δαρεῖον ἔπεμψε καὶ τούτῳ παραθέμενος ἅμα μὲν ὑπέλαβε τῆς ἀσφαλείας αὐτῶν καλῶς πεπρονοῆσθαι, ἅμα δὲ τὸν βασιλέα καλοὺς ὁμήρους ἔχοντα προθυμότερον ἐμπιστεύσειν αὐτῷ τὴν τῶν ὅλων ἡγεμονίαν· ὅπερ καὶ συνέβη γενέσθαι.
At the same time, Memnon sent his wife and children to Darius, and by placing them in his care, on the one hand he believed that their safety had been well provided for, and on the other hand that the king, having excellent hostages, would more readily entrust him with the supreme command of the whole war; which indeed came to pass.
§17.23.6εὐθὺς γὰρ ὁ Δαρεῖος ἔπεμψεν ἐπιστολὰς πρὸς τοὺς κατὰ θάλατταν οἰκοῦντας, προστάττων ἅπαντας ὑπακούειν τῷ Μέμνονι.
For straightway Darius sent letters to those dwelling by the sea, commanding everyone to obey Memnon.
διόπερ οὗτος παραλαβὼν τὴν τῶν ὅλων ἡγεμονίαν παρεσκευάζετο πάντα τὰ χρήσιμα πρὸς πολιορκίαν ἐν τῇ πόλει τῶν Ἁλικαρνασσέων.
Therefore, having received the supreme command of the whole war, he prepared everything useful for a siege in the city of the Halicarnassians.