CHAPTER XXXVII
THE JEST OF KING AZEMILCUS
Tyre was delirious with joy over the success of the attack on thetowers, for the city was convinced that now, at last, the Macedonianswould depart. Feasts were given in the great houses, processions woundthrough the streets, and sacrifices of thanksgiving were offered in allthe temples. In order to strike terror into the hearts of the enemy,twenty Macedonian prisoners were put to death upon the walls withlingering tortures, and their mangled bodies were cast into the sea.Hourly the Tyrians expected to see the besieging army evacuate Old Tyreand march away.
Their rage knew no bounds when a boat bearing two heralds put out fromthe shore and entered the Sidonian Harbor. The young men whom itcontained, Galas and Cleanor, pages of Alexander and members ofdistinguished Macedonian families, were greeted with jeers by thepeople. They were escorted by a strong guard to the royal palace,where King Azemilcus and the council awaited them.
They bore themselves calmly and proudly under the insults of the moband the hostile scrutiny of the council. They met without fear thegaze of the Tyrian king, who sat upon his throne in the chamber ofstate. The light fell upon the old man's cunning and wrinkled face andtouched the heads of the councillors, some silvery white and othersshowing hardly a trace of gray. Their eyes, in which cruelty lurkedlike a coiled snake, were fixed upon the heralds. The king opened histhin lips.
"Speak!" he said softly.
"Alexander, lord of Asia, sends his greeting to King Azemilcus and thepeople of Tyre," Galas began in a clear voice. "He calls upon you tosurrender your city into his hands."
A murmur rose like a growl from the council. King Azemilcus strokedhis chin gently with his jewelled fingers, as if to hide the smile thatplayed about his mouth.
"If ye do not this," Galas continued, raising his head, "Alexander,lord of Asia, bids me say that for thy walls, they shall become as thewalls of Thebes, thy city shall be given to plunder, and the sea-gullshall build his nest in thy harbors. If ye would find mercy for yourwives and your children, for yourselves and your possessions, ye mustseek it now."
He ceased and stood awaiting their answer. There was dead silence inthe chamber. Azemilcus continued to stroke his chin, glancing at theyouths and then at his advisers with an amused expression in his eyes.
"You may retire," he said at last, "while we consider what reply weshall send."
The youths were conducted to an anteroom, while the lean king laidbefore the council the jest that he had been revolving in his mind. Itwas received with approbation, and the reply to Alexander was writtenupon parchment in two copies, one for each of the heralds. When allwas in readiness the council rose.
"Come with us," Azemilcus said to the heralds. "We desire to show youour city before we send you back to Alexander."
Talking pleasantly, he led the way through the citadel to the top ofthe wall, pointing out the temples and the various objects of interestas they went. The boys looked down with wonder from the dizzy heightupon the sea, crawling and lapping far below them. They examined theengines of war and the piles of ammunition that had been assembled uponthe landward side of the defences. Upon the mainland they could seetheir comrades and the gangs of laborers at work upon the mole.
They scarcely noticed that soldiers and citizens were gathering aboutthem, occupying every point of vantage and pressing forward with nodsand winks as if to a spectacle where a humorous surprise was in store.
"And now," Azemilcus said, smiling pleasantly upon the two heralds,"you shall hear our answer to the king."
He beckoned to a scribe, who stepped forward and read from a parchmentso that all might hear.
"King Azemilcus and the people of Tyre greet Alexander the Pretender,"read the scribe. "If he be lord of Asia, Tyre is his. Let him comeand take it."
The two boys looked blankly at the king, and a great shout of laughterwent up from the multitude upon the wall. At another sign fromAzemilcus, two soldiers roughly seized each of the heralds.
"What does this mean?" Galas demanded indignantly.
"Be not angry," Azemilcus replied, still with his soft smile. "We havewasted so much time in sight-seeing that no doubt Alexander is growingimpatient. We will send you back to him more quickly than you came, sothat his anger may be turned from us."
Amid shouts of delight from the crowd, the heralds were bound hand andfoot with cords. Their knees were drawn up to their chests and lashedthere so as to make their bodies as compact as possible. Finally acopy of the reply to Alexander was attached to their right hands.
"King of Tyre!" Galas said, when the soldiers had done their work, "youhave broken the faith of nations. For our death, if for nothing else,shall your city fall and become an evil memory among men. Even yourGods shall withdraw from you. Farewell!"
Neither of the lads had uttered a cry as the rawhide thongs, drawn tootightly, cut into their flesh. Galas turned his head as well as hecould and spoke to his younger companion.
"Cleanor, we have been friends," he said. "Now we are about to die.Be brave for the honor of Macedon! I go with you."
"Do not fear, Galas; I promise," the other replied, and no more wordspassed between them.
The soldiers were busily preparing two of the immense ballistae.Inserting levers in holes in the ends of the rollers, they turned thewooden cylinders backward, slowly winding up the rope that was attachedto the casting arm and drawing it back into a horizontal position. Thetough rope strained and the framework of beams creaked as the greatarms were forced into place.
When the wide spoons of wrought iron were ready, the boys were liftedand placed in them. The spectators, irritated because the victims didnot beg for mercy, howled threats and insults at them. This abusebrought no response, and fearful lest the courage of the lads mightcreate a bad impression, Azemilcus ended the sport by ordering theballistae to be discharged.
Throwing their weight suddenly upon the cords that drew the triggers,the soldiers released the arms of the machines, which sprang upward andcrashed against the cross-beams. The bodies of the heralds, hurledwith frightful velocity into the air, shot outward and upward. Galasfell upon the end of the mole. Cleanor was dashed to pieces on thejagged rocks beside him.
A savage outcry rang from the wall across to the Macedonian camp.Soldiers ran forward and took up the two bodies, bearing them tenderlyto the shore.
"Alexander has his answer!" Azemilcus said, with a chuckle. "Let us goto dinner."