Amytas and Ptolemy, who were the first to reach the opposite bank, met with a strenuous resistance and were driven back into the stream by the forces of Memnon and his sons.

The battle, however, on this side was restored by Alexander himself, who gradually forced the Persians back after a long hand-to-hand fight, in which he received a slight wound, and slew with his own hand several noble Persians.
Elsewhere the resistance was less determined.

Parmenio crossed on the left with comparative ease, by his advance relieving Alexander.

The Persians found the long spears of the Macedonians and their intermixture of light-armed foot with heavy-armed cavalry irresistible.

The Macedonians seem to have received orders to strike at their adversaries' faces--a style of warfare which was as unpleasant to the Persians as it was to the soldiers of Pompey at Pharsalia.