I have noticed that about your and perhaps others' posts, but I have gotten so used to the weird change I read right past it.
This is something that has been on my mind for a few weeks (aside from the IRS), what really happened at the Beas. Was the army under the Satraps Phillip and Tyriaspes (Tiridates) still split off as well as Hephaistion's (with half the archers!) when ATG got to the river? If so, his force might not have been that big, especially after getting it's collective rear kicked hard at Sangala, even though they "won".
It isn't implausible at all that the whole thing was a set up. A diminished force and and the reinforcements still not arrived yet. Yet he wanted to put the onus on his men and there by save face.
So the famous sulk may not have been a real sulk but a bit of theatre (yes, I know sukling can be by it's nature theatrical..
).The "sulk" at Opis was a "real" sulk, if the Beas was a put up job.
I don't know if I agree that the Beas was contrived...but the shortage of troops and all the wounded from Sangala may have been enough for even Alexander though he could never admit it..hence the possible subtrafuge.
*maybe someone told him about the lands that lay beyond in SE Asia or even China..
*
