thereafter, alexander marched east to the hydaspes, where porus, ruler of the kingdom between the hydaspes (jhelum) and the akesines (chenab) refused to submit to him. the two armies fought the historic battle of the hydaspes river on the riverbank outside the town of nikaia (near the modern city of jhelum). porus's army fought bravely but was no match for alexander's. when the defiant raja (though wounded and having lost his sons) was brought before alexander, a legendary conversation took place in which alexander inquired of porus, "how should i treat you?", the brave porus shot back, "the way a king treats another king." alexander was struck by his spirit. he not only returned the conquered kingdom to porus but added the land lying between the akesines (chenab) and the hydraotis (ravi), whose ruler had fled. alexander's army crossed the hydraotis and marched east to the hesidros (beas), but there his troops refused to march further east, and alexander turned back, following the jhelum and the indus to the arabian sea, and sailing to babylon.