The Four Monarchies. 273
And thus unwifely in a mading^ fume,
The wealth of many Kingdomes did " confume,
But marvell 'tis that without mutiny,
The Souldiers fhould let pafs this injury;
Nor wonder lefs to Readers may it bring,
Here to obferve the rafhnefs of the King.
Now with his Army doth he poft away [^45]
Falfe Bejfus to find out in Ba6iria :
But much * diftreft for water in their march,
The drought and heat their bodies fore did " parch.
At length they came to th' river Oxus brink.
Where fo ^ immoderatel} thefe thirfty drink.
Which ^ more mortality to them did bring,
Then all their^ warrs againft the Perjian King.
Here AIexander\ almoft at a fland.
To pafs the River \.o^ the other land.
For boats here's none, nor near it any wood,
To make them Rafts to waft them o're the flood:
But he that was refolved in his mind.
Would without means fome tranfportation find.
Then from the ' Carriages the hides he takes.
And fluffing them with fl;raw, he bundles makes.
On thefe together ti'd, in fix dayes fpace.
They all pafs over to the other place.
y one raging. 2 Cities doth. '^ haft. ^ fore.
c much doth. d moft. « This. / did their.
g How to paffe over, and gaine.
h Would bj fome means a. ' So from his.
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