XVI.  Meanwhile the generals of Darius had collected a large army, and posted it at the passage of the river Granikus, so that it was necessary for Alexander to fight a battle in order to effect so much as an entrance into Asia.  Most of the Greek generals were alarmed at the depth and uneven bed of the river, and at the rugged and broken ground on the farther bank, which they would have to mount in the face of the enemy.  Some also raised a religious scruple, averring that the Macedonian kings never made war during the month Daisius.  Alexander said that this could be easily remedied, and ordered that the second month in the Macedonian calendar should henceforth be called Artemisium.  When Parmenio besought him not to risk a battle, as the season was far advanced, he said that the Hellespont would blush for shame if he crossed it, and then feared to cross the Granikus, and at once plunged into the stream with thirteen squadrons of cavalry.  It seemed the act of a desperate madman rather than of a general to ride thus through a rapid river, under a storm of missiles, towards a steep bank where every position of advantage was occupied by armed men.  He, however, gained the farther shore, and made good his footing there, although with great difficulty on account of the slippery mud.  As soon as he had crossed, and driven away those who had opposed his passage, he was charged by a mass of the enemy, and forced to fight, pell-mell, man to man, before he could put those who had followed him over into battle array.  The enemy came on with a shout, and rode straight up to the horses of the Macedonians, thrusting at them with spears, and using swords when their spears were broken.  Many of them pressed round Alexander himself, who was made a conspicuous figure by his shield and the long white plume which hung down on each side of his helmet.  He was struck by a javelin in the joint of his corslet, but received no hurt.  Rhoesakes and Spithridates, two of the Persian generals, now attacked him at once.  He avoided the charge of the latter, but broke his spear against the breastplate of Rhoesakes, and was forced to betake him to his sword.  No sooner had they closed together than Spithridates rode up beside him, and, standing up in his stirrups, dealt him such a blow with a battle-axe, as cut off one side of his plume, and pierced his helmet just so far as to reach his hair with the edge of the axe.  While Spithridates was preparing for another blow, he was run through by black Kleitus with a lance, and at the same moment Alexander with his sword laid Rhoesakes dead at his feet.  During this fierce and perilous cavalry battle, the Macedonian phalanx[407] crossed the river, and engaged the enemy’s infantry force, none of which offered much resistance except a body of mercenary Greeks in the pay of Persia.  These troops retired to a small rising ground, and begged for quarter.  Alexander, however, furiously attacked them by riding up to them by himself, in front of his men.