---
title: "Life of Alexander · Ἀλέξανδρος"
author: "Plutarch"
translator: "Bernadotte Perrin"
title_ru: "Жизнеописание: Александр"
author_ru: "Плутарх"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
section: 6 of 6
url: https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-alexander/6/
cite: "Plutarch, tr. Bernadotte Perrin, Life of Alexander · Ἀλέξανδρος, section 6. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-alexander/6/"
---

# Life of Alexander · Ἀλέξανδρος

*Plutarch, tr. Bernadotte Perrin*

Russian: Жизнеописание: Александр, Плутарх

Alexander the Great: Aristotle’s pupil, Bucephalas, the Gordian knot, the conquest of Persia and the march to India.

> Greek: ed. Bernadotte Perrin, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0007.tlg047, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Bernadotte Perrin, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0007.tlg047.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## 6. Chapters 63–77

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-alexander/6/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-alexander/6/#p-N

[¶0] 63.3. Then, as he brandished his arms, the Barbarians thought that a shape of gleaming fire played in front of his person. Therefore at first they scattered and fled; but when they saw that he was accompanied by only two of his guards, they ran upon him, and some tried to wound him by thrusting their swords and spears through his armour as he defended himself, while one, standing a little further off, shot an arrow at him with such accuracy and force that it cut its way through his breastplate and fastened itself in his ribs at the breast.

> Greek: 63.3. τιναξαμένου δὲ τοῖς ὅπλοις, ἔδοξαν οἱ βάρβαροι σέλας τι καὶ φάσμα πρὸ τοῦ σώματος φέρεσθαι διὸ καὶ τὸ πρῶτον ἔφυγον καὶ διεσκεδάσθησαν· ὡς δὲ εἶδον αὐτὸν μετὰ δυεῖν ὑπασπιστῶν, ἐπιδραμόντες οἱ μὲν ἐκ χειρὸς ξίφεσι καὶ δόρασι διὰ τῶν ὅπλων συνετίτρωσκον ἀμυνόμενον, εἷς δὲ μικρὸν ἀπωτέρω στάς ἐφῆκεν ἀπὸ τόξου βέλος οὕτως εὔτονον καὶ βίαιον ὥστε τὸν θώρακα διακόψαν ἐμπαγῆναι τοῖς περὶ τὸν μασθὸν ὀστέοις.

[¶1] 63.4. Such was the force of the blow that Alexander recoiled and sank to his knees, whereupon his assailant ran at him with drawn scimitar, while Peucestas and Limnaeus defended him. Both of them were wounded, and Limnaeus was killed; but Peucestas held out, and at last Alexander killed the Barbarian. But he himself received many wounds, and at last was smitten on the neck with a cudgel, and leaned against the wall, his eyes still fixed upon his foes.

> Greek: 63.4. πρὸς δὲ τὴν πληγὴν ἐνδόντος αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ σῶμα κάμψαντος, ὁ μὲν βαλὼν ἐπέδραμε βαρβαρικὴν μάχαιραν σπασάμενος, Πευκέστας δὲ καὶ Λιμναῖος προέστησαν ὧν πληγέντων ἑκατέρων ὁ μὲν ἀπέθανε, Πευκέστας δὲ ἀντεῖχε, τὸν δὲ βάρβαρον Ἀλέξανδρος ἀπέκτεινεν. αὐτὸς δὲ τραύματα πολλὰ λαβών, τέλος δὲ πληγεὶς ὑπέρῳ κατὰ τοῦ τραχήλου, προσήρεισε τῷ τείχει τὸ σῶμα, βλέπων πρὸς τοὺς πολεμίους.

[¶2] 63.5. At this instant his Macedonians flocked about him, caught him up, already unconscious of what was going on about him, and carried him to his tent. And straightway a report that he was dead prevailed in the camp; but when with much difficulty and pains they had sawn off the shaft of the arrow, which was of wood, and had thus succeeded at last in removing the king’s breastplate, they came to the excision of the arrowhead, which was buried in one of the ribs. We are told, moreover, that it was three fingers broad and four long.

> Greek: 63.5. ἐν τούτῳ δὲ τῶν Μακεδόνων περιχυθέντων ἁρπασθεὶς ἀναίσθητος ἤδη τῶν περὶ αὐτὸν ἐπὶ σκηνῆς ἐκομίζετο. καὶ παραυτίκα μὲν ὡς τεθνεῶτος ἦν λόγος ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ χαλεπῶς δὲ καὶ πολυπόνως τὸν ὀϊστὸν ἐκπρισάντων ξύλινον ὄντα, καὶ τοῦ θώρακος οὕτω μόλις ἀπολυθέντος, περὶ τὴν ἐκκοπὴν ἐγίνοντο τῆς ἀκίδος ἐνδεδυκυίας ἑνὶ τῶν ὀστέων. λέγεται δὲ τὸ μὲν πλάτος τριῶν δακτύλων εἶναι, τὸ δὲ μῆκος τεσσάρων.

[¶3] 63.6. Its removal, therefore, threw the king into swoons and brought him to death’s door, but nevertheless he recovered. And after he was out of danger, though he was still weak and kept himself for a long time under regimen and treatment, perceiving from their tumult at his door that his Macedonians were yearning to see him, he took his cloak and went out to them. And after sacrificing to the gods he went on board ship again and dropped down the river, subduing much territory and great cities as he went.

> Greek: 63.6. διὸ ταῖς λιποθυμίαις ἔγγιστα θανάτου συνελαυνόμενος ἐξαιρουμένης αὐτῆς, ὅμως ἀνέλαβε, καὶ διαφυγὼν τὸν κίνδυνον, ἔτι δὲ ἀσθενὴς ὢν καὶ πολὺν χρόνον ἐν διαίτῃ καὶ θεραπείαις ἔχων αὑτόν, ἔξω θορυβοῦντας ὡς ᾔσθετο ποθοῦντας αὐτὸν ἰδεῖν τοὺς Μακεδόνας, λαβὼν ἱμάτιον προῆλθε, καὶ θύσας τοῖς θεοῖς αὖθις ἀνήχθη καὶ παρεκομίζετο χώραν τε πολλὴν καὶ πόλεις μεγάλας καταστρεφόμενος.

[¶4] 64.1. He captured ten of the Gymnosophists who had done most to get Sabbas to revolt, and had made the most trouble for the Macedonians. These philosophers were reputed to be clever and concise in answering questions, and Alexander therefore put difficult questions to them, declaring that he would put to death him who first made an incorrect answer, and then the rest, in an order determined in like manner; and he commanded one of them, the oldest, to be judge in the contest.

> Greek: 64.1. τῶν δὲ Γυμνοσοφιστῶν τοὺς μάλιστα τὸν Σάββαν ἀναπείσαντας ἀποστῆναι καὶ κακὰ πλεῖστα τοῖς Μακεδόσι παρασχόντας λαβὼν δέκα, δεινοὺς δοκοῦντας εἶναι περὶ τὰς ἀποκρίσεις καὶ βραχυλόγους, ἐρωτήματα προὔβαλεν αὐτοῖς ἄπορα, φήσας ἀποκτενεῖν τὸν μὴ ὀρθῶς ἀποκρινάμενον πρῶτον, εἶτα ἐφεξῆς οὕτω τοὺς ἄλλους ἕνα δὲ τὸν πρεσβύτατον ἐκέλευσε κρίνειν.

[¶5] 64.2. The first one, accordingly, being asked which, in his opinion, were more numerous, the living or the dead, said that the living were, since the dead no longer existed. The second, being asked whether the earth or the sea produced larger animals, said the earth did, since the sea was but a part of the earth. The third, being asked what animal was most cunning, said: “That which up to this time man has not discovered.”

> Greek: 64.2. ὁ μὲν οὖν πρῶτος ἐρωτηθείς πότερον οἴεται τοὺς ζῶντας εἶναι πλείονας ἢ τοὺς τεθνηκότας, ἔφη τοὺς ζῶντας οὐκέτι γὰρ εἶναι τοὺς τεθνηκότας. ὁ δὲ δεύτερος, πότερον τὴν γῆν ἢ τὴν θάλατταν μείζονα τρέφειν θηρία, τὴν γῆν ταύτης γὰρ μέρος εἶναι τὴν θάλατταν. ὁ δὲ τρίτος, ποῖόν ἐστι ζῷον πανουργότατον, ὃ μέχρι νῦν, εἶπεν, ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ἔγνωκεν.

[¶6] 64.3. The fourth, when asked why he had induced Sabbas to revolt, replied: “Because I wished him either to live nobly or to die nobly.” The fifth, being asked which, in his opinion, was older, day or night, replied: “Day, by one day”; and he added, upon the king expressing amazement, that hard questions must have hard answers.

> Greek: 64.3. ὁ δὲ τέταρτος ἀνακρινόμενος τίνι λογισμῷ τὸν Σάββαν ἀπέστησεν, ἀπεκρίνατο, καλῶς ζῆν βουλόμενος αὐτὸν ἢ καλῶς ἀποθανεῖν. ὁ δὲ πέμπτος ἐρωτηθείς πότερον οἴεται τὴν ἡμέραν ἢ τὴν νύκτα προτέραν γεγονέναι, τὴν ἡμέραν, εἶπεν, ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ καὶ προσεπεῖπεν οὗτος, θαυμάσαντος τοῦ βασιλέως, ὅτι τῶν ἀπόρων ἐρωτήσεων ἀνάγκη καὶ τὰς ἀποκρίσεις ἀπόρους εἶναι.

[¶7] 64.4. Passing on, then, to the sixth, Alexander asked how a man could be most loved; “If,” said the philosopher, “he is most powerful, and yet does not inspire fear.” Of the three remaining, he who was asked how one might become a god instead of man, replied: “By doing something which a man cannot do”; the one who was asked which was the stronger, life or death, answered: “Life, since it supports so many ills.”

> Greek: 64.4. μεταβαλὼν οὖν τὸν ἕκτον ἠρώτα πῶς ἄν τις φιληθείη μάλιστα· ἂν κράτιστος ὤν, ἔφη, μὴ φοβερὸς ᾖ. τῶν δὲ λοιπῶν τριῶν ὁ μὲν ἐρωτηθείς πῶς ἄν τις ἐξ ἀνθρώπων γένοιτο θεός, εἴ τι πράξειεν, εἶπεν, ὃ πρᾶξαι δυνατὸν ἀνθρώπῳ μὴ ἔστιν ὁ δὲ περὶ ζῳῆς καὶ θανάτου, πότερον ἰσχυρότερον, ἀπεκρίνατο τὴν ζῳήν τοσαῦτα κακὰ φέρουσαν.

[¶8] 64.5. And the last, asked how long it were well for a man to live, answered: “Until he does not regard death as better than life.” So, then, turning to the judge, Alexander bade him give his opinion. The judge declared that they had answered one worse than another. “Well, then,” said Alexander, “thou shalt die first for giving such a verdict.” “That cannot be, O King,” said the judge, “unless thou falsely saidst that thou wouldst put to death first him who answered worst.”

> Greek: 64.5. ὁ δὲ τελευταῖος, μέχρι τίνος ἀνθρώπῳ καλῶς ἔχον ζῆν, μέχρι οὗ μὴ νομίζει τὸ τεθνάναι τοῦ ζῆν ἄμεινον. οὕτω δὴ τραπόμενος πρὸς τὸν δικαστήν ἐκέλευσεν ἀποφαίνεσθαι. τοῦ δὲ ἕτερον ἑτέρου χεῖρον εἰρηκέναι φήσαντος οὐκοῦν ἔφη, σὺ πρῶτος ἀποθανῇ τοιαῦτα κρίνων οὐκ ἄν γε, εἶπεν, ὦ βασιλεῦ, εἰ μὴ σὺ ψεύδῃ φήσας πρῶτον ἀποκτενεῖν τὸν ἀποκρινάμενον κάκιστα.

[¶9] 65.1. These philosophers, then, he dismissed with gifts; but to those who were in the highest repute and lived quietly by themselves he sent Onesicritus, asking them to pay him a visit. Now, Onesicritus was a philosopher of the school of Diogenes the Cynic.

> Greek: 65.1. τούτους μὲν οὖν ἀφῆκε δωρησάμενος πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ἓν δόξῃ μάλιστα καί καθʼ αὑτοὺς ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ ζῶντας ἔπεμψεν Ὀνησίκριτον, ἀφικέσθαι δεόμενος πρὸς αὐτὸν, ὁ δὲ Ὀνησίκριτος ἦν φιλόσοφος τῶν Διογένει τῷ κυνικῷ συνεσχολακότων.

[¶10] 65.2. And he tells us that Calanus very harshly and insolently bade him strip off his tunic and listen naked to what he had to say, otherwise he would not converse with him, not even if he came from Zeus; but he says that Dandamis was gentler, and that after hearing fully about Socrates, Pythagoras, and Diogenes, he remarked that the men appeared to him to have been of good natural parts but to have passed their lives in too much awe of the laws.

> Greek: 65.2. καί φησι τὸν μὲν Καλανὸν ὑβριστικῶς πάνυ καί τραχέως κελεύειν ἀποδύντα τὸν χιτῶνα γυμνὸν ἀκροᾶσθαι τῶν λόγων ἄλλως δὲ οὐ διαλέξεσθαι πρὸς αὐτὸν, οὐδʼ εἰ παρὰ τοῦ Διὸς ἀφῖκται τὸν δὲ Δάνδαμιν πρᾳότερον εἶναι, καί διακούσαντα περὶ Σωκράτους καί Πυθαγόρου καί Διογένους εἰπεῖν ὡς εὐφυεῖς μὲν αὐτῷ γεγονέναι δοκοῦσιν οἱ ἄνδρες, λίαν δὲ τοὺς νόμους αἰσχυνόμενοι βεβιωκέναι.

[¶11] 65.3. Others, however, say that the only words uttered by Dandamis were these: “Why did Alexander make such a long journey hither?” Calanus, nevertheless, was persuaded by Taxiles to pay a visit to Alexander. His real name was Sphines, but because he greeted those whom he met with “Cale,” the Indian word of salutation, the Greeks called him Calanus. It was Calanus, as we are told, who laid before Alexander the famous illustration of government. It was this.

> Greek: 65.3. ἄλλοι δέ φασι τὸν Δάνδαμιν οὐδὲν εἰπεῖν ἀλλʼ ἢ τοσοῦτον μόνον τίνος χάριν ὁ Ἀλέξανδρος ὁδὸν τοσαύτην δεῦρʼ ἦλθε; τὸν μέντοι Καλανὸν ἔπεισεν ὁ Ταξίλης ἐλθεῖν πρὸς Ἀλέξανδρον. ἐκαλεῖτο δὲ Σφίνης ἐπεὶ δὲ κατʼ Ἰνδικὴν γλῶτταν τῷ καλὲ προσαγορεύων ἀντὶ τοῦ χαίρειν τοὺς ἐντυγχάνοντας ἠσπάζετο, Καλανὸς ὑπὸ τῶν Ἑλλήνων ὠνομάσθη. τοῦτον δὲ λέγεται καί τὸ παράδειγμα τῆς ἀρχῆς τῷ Ἀλεξάνδρῳ προθέσθαι.

[¶12] 65.4. He threw down upon the ground a dry and shrivelled hide, and set his foot upon the outer edge of it; the hide was pressed down in one place, but rose up in others. He went all round the hide and showed that this was the result wherever he pressed the edge down, and then at last he stood in the middle of it, and lo! it was all held down firm and still. The similitude was designed to show that Alexander ought to put most constraint upon the middle of his empire and not wander far away from it.

> Greek: 65.4. καταβαλὼν γὰρ ἐν μέσῳ βύρσαν τινὰ ξηρὰν καί κατεσκληκυῖαν ἐπάτησε τὸ ἄκρον ἡ δὲ εἰς ἓν πιεσθεῖσα τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐπήρθη μέρεσι. καί τοῦτο περιϊὼν ἐν κύκλῳ καί πιέζων καθʼ ἕκαστον ἐδείκνυε γιγνόμενον, ἄχρι οὗ τὸ μέσον ἐπιστὰς κατέσχε καί πάντα οὕτως ἠρέμησεν. ἐβούλετο δὲ ἡ εἰκὼν ἔνδειξις εἶναι τοῦ τὰ μέσα δεῖν μάλιστα τῆς ἀρχῆς πιέζειν καὶ μὴ μακρὰν ἀποπλανᾶσθαι τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον.

[¶13] 66.1. His descent of the rivers to the sea consumed seven months’ time. And after emerging with his fleet into the ocean, he sailed out to an island to which he himself gave the name of Scillustis, others that of Psiltucis. Here he landed and sacrificed to the gods, and studied the nature of the sea and of all the sea-coast that was accessible. Then, after praying that no man after him might pass beyond the bounds of his expedition, he turned to go back.

> Greek: 66.1. ἡ δὲ διὰ τῶν ποταμῶν πρὸς τὴν θάλατταν ὑπαγωγὴ μηνῶν ἑπτὰ χρόνον ἀνάλωσεν. ἐμβαλὼν δὲ ταῖς ναυσὶν εἰς τὸν Ὠκεανόν ἀνέπλευσε πρὸς νῆσον ἣν Σκιλλοῦστιν αὐτὸς ὠνόμασεν, ἕτεροι δὲ Ψιλτοῦκιν. ἐνταῦθα δὲ ἀποβὰς ἔθυε τοῖς θεοῖς, καὶ τὴν φύσιν ἐπεῖδε τοῦ πελάγους καὶ τῆς παραλίας ὅσον ἐφικτὸν ἦν. εἶτα ἐπευξάμενος μηδένα μετʼ αὐτὸν ἀνθρώπων ὑπερβῆναι τοὺς ὅρους τῆς στρατείας ἀνέστρεφε.

[¶14] 66.2. His fleet he ordered to go round by sea, keeping India on the right; Nearchus was appointed admiral of the fleet, Onesicritus its chief-pilot. But he himself proceeded by land through the country of the Oreites, where he was reduced to the direst straits and lost a multitude of men, so that not even the fourth part of his fighting force was brought back from India. And yet his infantry had once numbered a hundred and twenty thousand, and his cavalry fifteen thousand.

> Greek: 66.2. καὶ τὰς μὲν ναῦς ἐκέλευσε περιπλεῖν ἐν δεξιᾷ τὴν Ἰνδικὴν ἐχούσας, ἡγεμόνα μὲν Νέαρχον ἀποδείξας, ἀρχικυβερνήτην δὲ Ὀνησίκριτον αὐτὸς δὲ πεζῇ διʼ Ὠρειτῶν πορευόμενος εἰς ἐσχάτην ἀπορίαν προήχθη καὶ πλῆθος ἀνθρώπων ἀπώλεσεν, ὥστε τῆς μαχίμου δυνάμεως μηδὲ τὸ τέταρτον ἐκ τῆς Ἰνδικῆς ἀπαγαγεῖν. καίτοι δώδεκα μὲν μυριάδες ἦσαν οἱ πεζοί, τὸ δʼ ἱππικὸν εἰς μυρίους καὶ πεντακισχιλίους.

[¶15] 66.3. But grievous diseases, wretched food, parching heats, and, worst of all, famine destroyed them, since they traversed an un-tilled country of men who dragged out a miserable existence, who possessed but few sheep and those of a miserable sort, since the sea-fish which they ate made their flesh unsavoury and rank. It was with difficulty, then, that Alexander passed through this country in sixty days; but as soon as he reached Gedrosia he had all things in abundance, for the nearest satraps and princes had provided them.

> Greek: 66.3. ἀλλὰ καὶ νόσοι χαλεπαὶ καὶ δίαιται πονηραὶ καὶ καύματα ξηρὰ καὶ πλείστους ὁ λιμὸς διέφθειρεν, ἄσπορον χώραν ἐπιόντας ἀνθρώπων κακοβίων, ὀλίγα καὶ ἀγεννῆ πρόβατα κεκτημένων, ἃ τοὺς θαλαττίους ἰχθῦς εἰθισμένα προσφέρεσθαι σάρκα μοχθηρὰν εἶχε καὶ δυσώδη. μόλις οὖν ἐν ἡμέραις ἑξήκοντα ταύτην διελθὼν καὶ τῆς Γεδρωσίας ἁψάμενος εὐθὺς ἐν ἀφθόνοις ἦν πᾶσι, τῶν ἔγγιστα σατραπῶν καὶ βασιλέων παρασκευασάντων.

[¶16] 67.1. Accordingly, after refreshing his forces here, he set out and marched for seven days through Carmania in a revelling rout. He himself was conveyed slowly along by eight horses, while he feasted day and night continuously with his companions on a dais built upon a lofty and conspicuous scaffolding of oblong shape; and waggons without number followed, some with purple and embroidered canopies, others protected from the sun by boughs of trees which were kept fresh and green, conveying the rest of his friends and commanders, who were all garlanded and drinking.

> Greek: 67.1. ἀναλαβὼν οὖν ἐνταῦθα τὴν δύναμιν ἐξώρμησε κώμῳ χρώμενος ἐφʼ ἡμέρας ἑπτὰ διὰ τῆς Καρμανίας, αὐτὸν μὲν οὖν ἵπποι σχέδην ἐκόμιζον ὀκτώ, μετὰ τῶν ἑταίρων ὑπὲρ θυμέλης ἐν ὑψηλῷ καὶ περιφανεῖ πλαισίῳ πεπηγυίας εὐωχούμενον συνεχῶς ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτός· ἅμαξαι δὲ παμπληθεῖς, αἱ μὲν ἁλουργοῖς καὶ ποικίλοις περιβολαίοις, αἱ δʼ ὕλης ἀεὶ προσφάτου καὶ χλωρᾶς σκιαζόμεναι κλάδοις, εἵποντο τοὺς ἄλλους ἄγουσαι φίλους καὶ ἡγεμόνας ἐστεφανωμένους καὶ πίνοντας.

[¶17] 67.2. Not a shield was to be seen, not a helmet, not a spear, but along the whole march with cups and drinking-horns and flagons the soldiers kept dipping wine from huge casks and mixing-bowls and pledging one another, some as they marched along, others lying down; while pipes and flutes, stringed instruments and song, and revelling cries of women, filled every place with abundant music.

> Greek: 67.2. εἶδες δʼ ἂν οὐ πέλτην, οὐ κράνος, οὐ σάρισαν, ἀλλὰ φιάλαις καὶ ῥυτοῖς καὶ θηρικλείοις παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ἅπασαν οἱ στρατιῶται βαπτίζοντες ἐκ πίθων μεγάλων καὶ κρατήρων ἀλλήλοις προέπινον, οἱ μὲν ἐν τῷ προάγειν ἅμα καὶ βαδίζειν, οἱ δὲ κατακείμενοι. πολλὴ δὲ μοῦσα συρίγγων καὶ αὐλῶν ᾠδῆς τε καὶ ψαλμοῦ καὶ βακχείας γυναικῶν κατεῖχε πάντα τόπον.

[¶18] 67.3. Then, upon this disordered and straggling procession there followed also the sports of bacchanalian license, as though Bacchus himself were present and conducting the revel. Moreover, when he came to the royal palace of Gedrosia, he once more gave his army time for rest and held high festival.

> Greek: 67.3. τῷ δὲ ἀτάκτῳ καὶ πεπλανημένῳ τῆς πορείας παρείπετο καὶ παιδιὰ βακχικῆς ὕβρεως, ὡς τοῦ θεοῦ παρόντος αὐτοῦ καὶ συμπαραπέμποντος τὸν κῶμον. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἧκε τῆς Γεδρωσίας εἰς τὸ βασίλειον, αὖθις ἀνελάμβανε τὴν στρατιὰν πανηγυρίζων.

[¶19] 67.4. We are told, too, that he was once viewing some contests in singing and dancing, being well heated with wine, and that his favourite, Bagoas, won the prize for song and dance, and then, all in his festal array, passed through the theatre and took his seat by Alexander’s side; at sight of which the Macedonians clapped their hands and loudly bade the king kiss the victor, until at last he threw his arms about him and kissed him tenderly.

> Greek: 67.4. λέγεται δὲ μεθύοντα αὐτὸν θεωρεῖν ἀγῶνας χορῶν, τὸν δὲ ἐρώμενον Βαγώαν χορεύοντα νικῆσαι καὶ κεκοσμημένον διὰ τοῦ θεάτρου παρελθόντα καθίσαι παρʼ αὐτόν· ἰδόντας δὲ τοὺς Μακεδόνας κροτεῖν καὶ βοᾶν φιλῆσαι κελεύοντας, ἄχρι οὗ περιβαλὼν κατεφίλησεν.

[¶20] 68.1. Here Nearchus came up to meet him, and Alexander was so delighted to hear of his voyage that he eagerly desired to sail down the Euphrates himself with a large fleet and then, after circumnavigating Arabia and Africa, to enter the Mediterranean by way of the pillars of Heracles. And vessels of every sort were built for him at Thapsacus, and sailors and pilots were assembled from all parts.

> Greek: 68.1. ἐνταῦθα τῶν περὶ Νέαρχον ἀναβάντων πρὸς αὐτόν ἡσθεὶς καὶ διακούσας τὰ περὶ τὸν πλοῦν, ὥρμησεν αὐτὸς πλεύσας κατὰ τὸν Εὐφράτην στόλῳ μεγάλῳ, εἶτα περὶ τὴν Ἀραβίαν καὶ τὴν Λιβύην παρακομισθείς διὰ στηλῶν Ἡρακλείων ἐμβαλεῖν εἰς τὴν ἐντὸς θάλασσαν, καὶ πλοῖα παντοδαπὰ περὶ Θάψακον ἐπήγνυτο, καὶ συνήγοντο ναῦται καὶ κυβερνῆται πανταχόθεν.

[¶21] 68.2. But the increasing difficulties of his march back, his wound among the Malli, and the losses in his army, which were reported to be heavy, led men to doubt his safe return, inclined subject peoples to revolt, and bred great injustice, rapacity, and insolence in the generals and satraps whom he had appointed. In a word, restlessness and a desire for change spread everywhere.

> Greek: 68.2. ἡ δὲ ἄνω στρατεία χαλεπὴ γενομένη καὶ τὸ περὶ Μαλλοὺς τραῦμα καὶ ἡ φθορὰ πολλὴ λεχθεῖσα τῆς δυνάμεως ἀπιστίᾳ τῆς σωτηρίας αὐτοῦ τά τε ὑπήκοα πρὸς ἀποστάσεις ἐπῆρε καὶ τοῖς στρατηγοῖς καὶ σατράπαις ἀδικίαν πολλὴν καὶ πλεονεξίαν καὶ ὕβριν ἐνεποίησε καὶ ὅλως διέδραμε σάλος ἁπάντων καὶ νεωτερισμός.

[¶22] 68.3. For even against Antipater, Olympias and Cleopatra had raised a faction, and had divided his realm between them, Olympias taking Epirus, and Cleopatra Macedonia. When he heard of this, Alexander said that his mother had made the better choice; for the Macedonians would not submit to be reigned over by a woman. For these reasons he sent Nearchus back to the sea, determined to fill all the regions along the sea with wars, while he himself; marching down from Upper Asia, chastised those of his commanders who had done wrong.

> Greek: 68.3. ὅπου καὶ πρὸς Ἀντίπατρον Ὀλυμπιὰς καὶ Κλεοπάτρα στασιάσασαι διείλοντο τὴν ἀρχήν, Ὀλυμπιὰς μὲν Ἤπειρον, Κλεοπάτρα δὲ Μακεδονίαν παραλαβοῦσα. καὶ τοῦτο ἀκούσας Ἀλέξανδρος βέλτιον ἔφη βεβουλεῦσθαι τὴν μητέρα· Μακεδόνας γὰρ οὐκ ἂν ὑπομεῖναι βασιλευομένους ὑπὸ γυναικός. διὰ ταῦτα Νέαρχον μὲν αὖθις ἐπὶ θάλασσαν ἔπεμψεν, ἐμπλῆσαι πολέμων ἅπασαν ἐγνωκὼς τὴν παραλίαν, αὐτὸς δὲ καταβαίνων ἐκόλαζε τοὺς πονηροὺς τῶν στρατηγῶν.

[¶23] 68.4. One of the sons of Abuletes, Oxyartes, he slew with his own hand, running him through with a spear; and when Abuletes failed to furnish him with the necessary provisions, but brought him instead three thousand talents in coin, Alexander ordered the money to be thrown to his horses. And when they would not touch it, “Of what use to us, then,” he cried, “is the provision you have made?” and threw Abuletes into prison.

> Greek: 68.4. τῶν δὲ Ἀβουλήτου παίδων ἕνα μὲν Ὀξυάρτην αὐτὸς ἀπέκτεινε σαρίσῃ διελάσας, Ἀβουλήτου δὲ μηδὲν τῶν ἀναγκαίων παρασκευάσαντος, ἀλλʼ ἢ τρισχίλαι τάλαντα νομίσματος αὐτῷ προσαγαγόντος, ἐκέλευσε τοῖς ἵπποις τὸ ἀργύριον παραβαλεῖν. ὡς δʼ οὐκ ἐγεύοντο, φήσας, τί οὖν ὄφελος ἡμῖν τῆς σῆς παρασκευῆς; καθεῖρξε τὸν Ἀβουλίτην.

[¶24] 69.1. In Persia, to begin with, he distributed the money among the women, just as their kings were accustomed, as often as they came into Persia, to give each one of them a gold piece. And for this reason, it is said, some of their kings did not come often into Persia, and Ochus not even once, being so penurious as to expatriate himself.

> Greek: 69.1. ἐν δὲ Πέρσαις ι πρῶτον μὲν ἀπέδωκε τὸ νόμισμα ταῖς γυναιξίν, ὥσπερ εἰώθεισαν οἱ βασιλεῖς, ὁσάκις εἰς Πέρσας ἀφίκοιντο, διδόναι χρυσοῦν ἑκάστῃ, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο φασιν ἐνίους μὴ πολλάκις, Ὦχον δὲ μηδὲ ἅπαξ εἰς Πέρσας παραγενέσθαι, διὰ μικρολογίαν ἀποξενώσαντα τῆς πατρίδος ἑαυτόν.

[¶25] 69.2. In the second place, having discovered that the tomb of Cyrus had been rifled, he put to death the perpetrator of the deed, although the culprit was a prominent Macedonian native of Pella, by name Polymachus. After reading the inscription upon this tomb, he ordered it to be repeated below in Greek letters. It ran thus: “O man, whosoever thou art and whencesoever thou comest, for I know that thou wilt come, I am Cyrus, and I won for the Persians their empire. Do not, therefore, begrudge me this little earth which covers my body.”

> Greek: 69.2. ἔπειτα τὸν Κύρου τάφον εὑρὼν διορωρυγμένον ἀπέκτεινε τὸν ἀδικήσαντα, καίτοι Πελλαῖος ἦν οὐ τῶν ἀσημοτάτων ὁ πλημμελήσας, ὄνομα Πολύμαχος. τὴν δὲ ἐπιγραφὴν ἀναγνούς ἐκέλευσεν Ἑλληνικοῖς ὑποχαράξαι γράμμασιν. εἶχε δὲ οὕτως· ὦ ἄνθρωπε, ὅστις εἶ καὶ ὅθεν ἥκεις, ὅτι μὲν γὰρ ἥξεις, οἶδα, ἐγὼ Κῦρός εἰμι ὁ Πέρσαις κτησάμενος τὴν ἀρχήν, μὴ οὖν τῆς ὀλίγης μοι ταύτης γῆς φθονήσῃς ἣ τοὐμὸν σῶμα περικαλύπτει.

[¶26] 69.3. These words, then, deeply affected Alexander, who was reminded of the uncertainty and mutability of life. In Persia, too, Calanus, who had suffered for a little while from intestinal disorder, asked that a funeral pyre might be prepared for him. To this he came on horseback, and after offering prayers, sprinkling himself; and casting some of his hair upon the pyre, he ascended it, greeting the Macedonians who were present, and exhorting them to make that day one of pleasure and revelry with the king, whom, he declared, he should soon see in Babylon.

> Greek: 69.3. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἐμπαθῆ σφόδρα τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον ἐποίησεν, ἐν νῷ λαβόντα τὴν ἀδηλότητα καὶ μεταβολήν. ὁ δὲ Καλανὸς ἐνταῦθα χρόνον οὐ πολὺν ὑπὸ κοιλίας ἐνοχληθείς ᾐτήσατο πυρὰν αὑτῷ γενέσθαι, καὶ κομισθεὶς ἵππῳ πρὸς αὐτήν, ἐπευξάμενος καὶ κατασπείσας ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τῶν τριχῶν ἀπαρξάμενος, ἀναβαίνων ἐδεξιοῦτο τοὺς παρόντας τῶν Μακεδόνων, καὶ παρεκάλει τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην ἡδέως γενέσθαι καὶ μεθυσθῆναι μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως, αὐτὸν δὲ ἐκεῖνον ἔφη μετʼ ὀλίγον χρόνον ἐν Βαβυλῶνι ὄψεσθαι.

[¶27] 69.4. After thus speaking, he lay down and covered his head, nor did he move as the fire approached him, but continued to lie in the same posture as at first, and so sacrificed himself acceptably, as the wise men of his country had done from of old. The same thing was done many years afterwards by another Indian who was in the following of Caesar, at Athens; and the “Indian’s Tomb” is shown there to this day.

> Greek: 69.4. ταῦτα δʼ εἰπών κατακλιθεὶς καὶ συγκαλυψάμενος οὐκ ἐκινήθη τοῦ πυρὸς πλησιάζοντος, ἀλλʼ ἐν ᾧ κατεκλίθη σχήματι, τοῦτο διατηρῶν ἐκαλλιέρησεν ἑαυτὸν τῷ πατρίῳ νόμῳ τῶν ἐκεῖ σοφιστῶν, τοῦτο πολλοῖς ἔτεσιν ὕστερον ἄλλος Ἰνδὸς ἐν Ἀθήναις Καίσαρι συνὼν ἐποίησε· καὶ δείκνυται μέχρι νῦν τὸ μνημεῖον Ἰνδοῦ προσαγορευόμενον.

[¶28] 70.1. But Alexander, after returning from the funeral pyre and assembling many of his friends and officers for supper, proposed a contest in drinking neat wine, the victor to be crowned. Well, then, the one who drank the most, Promachus, got as far as four pitchers; he took the prize, a crown of a talent’s worth, but lived only three days afterwards. And of the rest, according to Chares, forty-one died of what they drank, a violent chill having set in after their debauch.

> Greek: 70.1. ὁ δὲ Ἀλέξανδρος ἀπὸ τῆς πυρᾶς γενόμενος, καὶ συναγαγὼν πολλοὺς Τῶν φίλων καὶ Τῶν ἡγεμόνων ἐπὶ δεῖπνον, ἀγῶνα προὔθηκε καὶ στέφανον ἀκρατοποσίας. ὁ μὲν οὖν πλεῖστον πιὼν Πρόμαχος ἄχρι χοῶν τεσσάρων προῆλθε· καὶ λαβὼν τὸ νικητήριον, στέφανον ταλαντιαῖον, ἡμέρας τρεῖς ἐπέζησε, Τῶν δὲ ἄλλων, ὡς Χάρης φησί, τετταράκοντα καὶ εἷς ἀπέθανον πιόντες, ἰσχυροῦ τῇ μέθῃ κρύους ἐπιγενομένου.

[¶29] 70.2. At Susa he brought to pass the marriage of his companions, took to wife himself the daughter of Dareius, Stateira, assigned the noblest women to his noblest men, and gave a general wedding feast for those of his Macedonians who had already contracted other marriages. At this feast, we are told, nine thousand guests reclined at supper, to each of whom a golden cup for the libations was given. All the other appointments too, were amazingly splendid, and the host paid himself the debts which his guests owed, the whole outlay amounting to nine thousand eight hundred and seventy talents.

> Greek: 70.2. τῶν δὲ ἑταίρων γάμον ἐν Σούσοις ἐπιτελῶν, καὶ λαμβάνων μὲν αὐτὸς γυναῖκα τὴν Δαρείου θυγατέρα Στάτειραν, διανέμων δὲ τὰς ἀρίστας τοῖς ἀρίστοις, κοινὸν δὲ Τῶν ἤδη προγεγαμηκότων Μακεδόνων γάμον ἄλλον ἑστιάσας, ἐν ᾧ φασιν ἐννακισχιλίων Τῶν παρακεκλημένων ἐπὶ τὸ δεῖπνον ὄντων ἑκάστῳ χρυσῆν φιάλην πρὸς τὰς σπονδὰς δοθῆναι, τά τε ἄλλα θαυμαστῶς ἐλαμπρύνατο καὶ τά χρέα τοῖς δανείσασιν ὑπὲρ Τῶν ὀφειλόντων αὐτὸς διαλύσας, τοῦ παντὸς ἀναλώματος ἐλάσσονος μυρίων ταλάντων ἑκατὸν τριάκοντα ταλάντοις γενομένου.

[¶30] 70.3. Now Antigenes, the One-eyed, had got himself enrolled as a debtor fraudulently and, on producing somebody who affirmed that he had made a loan to him at the bank, the money was paid over; then his fraud was discovered, and the king, in anger, drove him from his court and deprived him of his command. Antigenes, however, was a splendid soldier, and while he was still a young man and Philip was besieging Perinthus, though a bolt from a catapult smote him in the eye, he would not consent to have the bolt taken out nor give up fighting until he had repelled the enemy and shut them up within their walls.

> Greek: 70.3. ἐπεὶ δὲ Ἀντιγένης ὁ ἑτερόφθαλμος ὡς ὀφείλων ἀπεγράψατο ψευδῶς, καὶ παραγαγών τινα φάσκοντα δεδανεικέναι πρὸς τὴν τράπεζαν, ἀπέτισε τὸ ἀργύριον, εἶτʼ ἐφωράθη ψευδόμενος, ὀργισθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀπήλασε τῆς αὐλῆς αὐτὸν καὶ παρείλετο τὴν ἡγεμονίαν. ἦν δὲ λαμπρὸς ἐν τοῖς πολεμικοῖς ὁ Ἀντιγένης καὶ ἔτι δὲ νέος ὤν, Φιλίππου πολιορκοῦντος Πέρινθον, ἐμπεσόντος αὐτῷ καταπελτικοῦ βέλους εἷς τὸν ὀφθαλμόν, οὐ παρέσχε βουλομένοις ἐξελεῖν τὸ βέλος οὐδὲ ὑφήκατο πρὶν ὤσασθαι προσμαχόμενος καὶ κατακλεῖσαι τοὺς πολεμίους εἷς τὸ τεῖχος.

[¶31] 70.4. Accordingly, he could not endure with any complacency the disgrace that now fell upon him, but was evidently going to make away with himself from grief and despondency. So the king, fearing this, put away his wrath and ordered him to keep the money.

> Greek: 70.4. οὐ μετρίως οὖν τότε τὴν ἀτιμίαν ἔφερεν, ἀλλὰ δῆλος ἦν ἑαυτὸν ὑπὸ λύπης καὶ βαρυθυμίας διαχρησόμενος. καὶ τοῦτο δείσας ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀνῆκε τὴν ὀργὴν καὶ τὰ χρήματα ἔχειν ἐκέλευσεν αὐτόν.

[¶32] 71.1. The thirty thousand boys whom he had left behind him under instruction and training were now so vigorous in their bodies and so comely in their looks, and showed besides such admirable dexterity and agility in their exercises, that Alexander himself was delighted; his Macedonians, however, were filled with dejection and fear, thinking that their king would now pay less regard to them.

> Greek: 71.1. τῶν δὲ παίδων Τῶν τρισμυρίων, οὓς ἀσκουμένους καὶ μανθάνοντας ἀπέλιπε, τοῖς τε σώμασιν ἀνδρείων φανέντων καὶ τοῖς εἴδεσιν εὐπρεπῶν, ἔτι δὲ καὶ ταῖς μελέταις εὐχέρειαν καὶ κουφότητα θαυμαστὴν ἐπιδειξαμένων, αὐτὸς μὲν ἥσθη, τοῖς δὲ Μακεδόσι δυσθυμία παρέστη καὶ δέος, ὡς ἧττον αὐτοῖς τοῦ βασιλέως προσέξοντος.

[¶33] 71.2. Therefore when he also sent the weak and maimed among them down to the sea-board, they said it was insult and abuse, after using men up in every kind of service, now to put them away in disgrace and cast them back upon their native cities and their parents, no longer the men they were when he took them. Accordingly, they bade him send them all away and hold all his Macedonians of no account, since he had these young war-dancers, with whom he could go on and conquer the world.

> Greek: 71.2. διὸ καὶ τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς καὶ πεπηρωμένους αὐτοῦ καταπέμποντος ἐπὶ θάλατταν ὕβριν ἔφασαν εἶναι καὶ προπηλακισμόν, ἀνθρώποις ἀποχρησάμενον εἰς ἅπαντα νῦν ἀποτίθεσθαι σὺν αἰσχύνῃ καὶ προσρίπτειν ταῖς πατρίσι καὶ τοῖς γονεῦσιν, οὐ τοιούτους παραλαβόντα. πάντας οὖν ἐκέλευον ἀφιέναι καὶ πάντας ἀχρήστους νομίζειν Μακεδόνας, ἔχοντα τοὺς νέους τούτους πυρριχιστάς, σὺν οἷς ἐπιὼν κατακτήσεται τὴν οἰκουμένην.

[¶34] 71.3. At these words of theirs Alexander was displeased, and heaped much abuse upon them in his anger, and drove them away, and committed his watches to Persians, and out of these constituted his body-guards and attendants. When the Macedonians saw him escorted by these, while they themselves were excluded from him and treated with contumely, they were humbled; and when they reasoned the matter out they found that they had been almost mad with jealousy and rage.

> Greek: 71.3. πρὸς ταῦτα χαλεπῶς ὁ Ἀλέξανδρος ἔσχε, καὶ πολλὰ μὲν ἐλοιδόρησεν αὐτοὺς πρὸς ὀργήν, ἀπελάσας δὲ τὰς φυλακὰς παρέδωκε Πέρσαις καὶ κατέστησεν ἐκ τούτων δορυφόρους καὶ ῥαβδοφόρους, ὑφʼ ὧν ὁρῶντες αὐτὸν παραπεμπόμενον, αὐτοὺς δὲ ἀπειργομένους καὶ προπηλακιζομένους, ἐταπεινοῦντο καὶ διδόντες λόγον εὕρισκον αὑτοὺς ὀλίγου δεῖν μανέντας ὑπὸ ζηλοτυπίας καὶ ὀργῆς.

[¶35] 71.4. So finally, after coming to their senses, they went to his tent, without their arms and wearing their tunics only, and with loud cries and lamentations put themselves at his mercy, bidding him deal with them as base and thankless men. But Alexander would not see them, although his heart was softening. And the men would not desist, but for two days and nights persisted in standing thus before his door, weeping and calling upon their master.

> Greek: 71.4. τέλος δὲ συμφρονήσαντες ἐβάδιζον ἄνοπλοι καὶ μονοχίτωνες ἐπὶ τὴν σκηνήν, μετὰ βοῆς καὶ κλαυθμοῦ παραδιδόντες ἑαυτούς καὶ χρήσασθαι κελεύοντες ὡς κακοῖς καὶ ἀχαρίστοις. ὁ δʼ οὐ προσίετο, καίπερ ἤδη μαλασσόμενος. οἱ δʼ οὐκ ἀπέστησαν, ἀλλʼ ἡμέρας δύο καὶ νύκτας οὕτω προσεστῶτες καὶ ὀλοφυρόμενοι καὶ κοίρανον ἀνακαλοῦντες ἐκαρτέρησαν.

[¶36] 71.5. So on the third day he came forth, and when he saw their piteous and humble plight, wept for some time; then, after chiding them gently and speaking kindly to them, he dismissed those who were past service with magnificent gifts, and wrote to Antipater that at all the public contests and in the theatres they should have the foremost seats and wear garlands. He also ordained that the orphan children of those who had lost their lives in his service should receive their father’s pay.

> Greek: 71.5. τῇ δὲ τρίτῃ προελθὼν καὶ θεασάμενος οἰκτροὺς καὶ τεταπεινωμένους ἐδάκρυε πολὺν χρόνον εἶτα μεμψάμενος μέτρια καὶ προσαγορεύσας φιλανθρώπως ἀπέλυσε τοὺς ἀχρήστους δωρησάμενος μεγαλοπρεπῶς, καὶ γράψας πρὸς Ἀντίπατρον ὅπως ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἀγῶσι καὶ τοῖς θεάτροις προεδρίαν ἔχοντες ἐστεφανωμένοι καθέζοιντο. τῶν δὲ τεθνηκότων τοὺς παῖδας ὀρφανοὺς ὄντας ἐμμίσθους ἐποίησεν.

[¶37] 72.1. When he came to Ecbatana in Media and had transacted the business that was urgent, he was once more much occupied with theatres and festivals, since three thousand artists had come to him from Greece. But during this time it chanced that Hephaestion had a fever; and since, young man and soldier that he was, he could not submit to a strict regimen, as soon as Glaucus, his physician, had gone off to the theatre, he sat down to breakfast, ate a boiled fowl, drank a huge cooler of wine, fell sick, and in a little while died.

> Greek: 72.1. ὡς δὲ ἧκεν εἰς Ἐκβάτανα τῆς Μηδίας καὶ διῴκησε τὰ κατεπείγοντα, πάλιν ἦν ἐν θεάτροις καὶ πανηγύρεσιν, ἅτε δὴ τρισχιλίων αὐτῷ τεχνιτῶν ἀπὸ τῆς Ἑλλάδος ἀφιγμένων. ἔτυχε δὲ περὶ τὰς ἡμέρας ἐκείνας Ἡφαιστίων πυρέσσων· οἷα δὲ νέος καὶ στρατιωτικὸς οὐ φέρων ἀκριβῆ δίαιταν, ἅμα τῷ τὸν ἰατρὸν Γλαῦκον ἀπελθεῖν εἰς τὸ θέατρον περὶ ἄριστον γενόμενος καὶ καταφαγὼν ἀλεκτρυόνα ἑφθὸν καὶ ψυκτῆρα μέγαν ἐκπιὼν οἴνου κακῶς ἔσχε καὶ μικρὸν διαλιπὼν ἀπέθανε.

[¶38] 72.2. Alexander’s grief at this loss knew no bounds. He immediately ordered that the manes and tails of all horses and mules should be shorn in token of mourning and took away the battlements of the cities round about; he also crucified the wretched physician, and put a stop to the sound of flutes and every kind of music in the camp for a long time, until an oracular response from Ammon came bidding him honour Hephaestion as a hero and sacrifice to him.

> Greek: 72.2. τοῦτο οὐδενὶ λογισμῷ τὸ πάθος Ἀλέξανδρος ἤνεγκεν, ἀλλʼ εὐθὺς μὲν ἵππους τε κεῖραι πάντας ἐπὶ πένθει καὶ ἡμιόνους ἐκέλευσε καὶ τῶν πέριξ πόλεων ἀφεῖλε τὰς ἐπάλξεις, τὸν δὲ ἄθλιον ἰατρὸν ἀνεσταύρωσεν, αὐλοὺς δὲ κατέπαυσε καὶ μουσικὴν πᾶσαν ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ πολὺν χρόνον, ἕως ἐξ Ἄμμωνος ἦλθε μαντεία τιμᾶν Ἡφαιστίωνα καὶ θύειν ὡς ἥρωϊ παρακελεύουσα.

[¶39] 72.3. Moreover, making war a solace for his grief; he went forth to hunt and track down men, as it were, and overwhelmed the nation of the Cossaeans, slaughtering them all from the youth upwards. This was called an offering to the shade of Hephaestion. Upon a tomb and obsequies for his friend, and upon their embellishments, he purposed to expend ten thousand talents, and wished that the ingenuity and novelty of the construction should surpass the expense. He therefore longed for Stasicrates above all other artists, because in his innovations there was always promise of great magnificence, boldness, and ostentation.

> Greek: 72.3. τοῦ δὲ πένθους παρηγορίᾳ τῷ πολέμῳ χρώμενος, ὥσπερ ἐπὶ θήραν καὶ κυνηγέσιον ἀνθρώπων ἐξῆλθε καὶ τὸ Κοσσαίων ἔθνος κατεστρέφετο, πάντας ἡβηδὸν ἀποσφάττων· τοῦτο δὲ· Ἡφαιστίωνος ἐναγισμὸς ἐκαλεῖτο. τύμβον δὲ καὶ ταφὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν περὶ ταῦτα κόσμον ἀπὸ μυρίων ταλάντων ἐπιτελέσαι διανοούμενος, ὑπερβαλέσθαι δὲ τῷ φιλοτέχνῳ καὶ περιττῷ τῆς κατασκευῆς τὴν δαπάνην, ἐπόθησε μάλιστα τῶν τεχνιτῶν Στασικράτην, μεγαλουργίαν τινὰ καὶ τόλμαν καὶ κόμπον ἐν ταῖς καινοτομίαις ἐπαγγελλόμενον.

[¶40] 72.4. This man, indeed, had said to him at a former interview that of all mountains the Thracian Athos could most readily be given the form and shape of a man; if; therefore, Alexander should so order, he would make out of Mount Athos a most enduring and most conspicuous statue of the king, which in its left hand should hold a city of ten thousand inhabitants, and with its right should pour forth a river running with generous current into the sea. This project, it is true, Alexander had declined; but now he was busy devising and contriving with his artists projects far more strange and expensive than this.

> Greek: 72.4. οὗτος γὰρ αὐτῷ πρότερον ἐντυχὼν ἔφη τῶν ὀρῶν μάλιστα τὸν Θρᾴκιον Ἄθων διατύπωσιν ἀνδρείκελον δέχεσθαι καὶ διαμόρφωσιν ἂν οὖν κελεύῃ, μονιμώτατον ἀγαλμάτων αὐτῷ καὶ περιφανέστατον ἐξεργάσεσθαι τὸν Ἄθων, τῇ μὲν ἀριστερᾷ χειρὶ περιλαμβάνοντα μυρίανδρον πόλιν οἰκουμένην, τῇ δὲ δεξιᾷ σπένδοντα ποταμοῦ ῥεῦμα δαψιλὲς εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν ἀπορρέοντος, ταῦτα μὲν οὖν παρῃτήσατο, πολλῷ δὲ ἀτοπώτερα καὶ δαπανηρότερα τούτων σοφιζόμενος τότε καὶ συμμηχανώμενος τοῖς τεχνίταις διέτριβεν.

[¶41] 73.1. As he was on his way to enter Babylon, Nearchus (who had joined him again after sailing through the ocean into the Euphrates) told the king that certain Chaldaeans had met him and advised that Alexander should keep away from Babylon. Alexander paid no heed to this, but continued on his march; and when he was arrived at the walls, he saw many ravens flying about and clawing one another, and some of them fell dead at his feet.

> Greek: 73.1. εἰς δὲ Βαβυλῶνα προάγοντος αὐτοῦ Νέαρχος ἀφίκετο γὰρ αὖθις εἰσπλεύσας Εἰς τὸν Εὐφράτην διὰ τῆς μεγάλης θαλάσσης ἔφη τινὰς ἐντυχεῖν αὐτῷ Χαλδαίους, παραινοῦντας ἀπέχεσθαι Βαβυλῶνος τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον. ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἐφρόντισεν, ἀλλʼ ἐπορεύετο· καὶ πρὸς τοῖς τείχεσι γενόμενος ὁρᾷ κόρακας πολλοὺς διαφερομένους καὶ τύπτοντας ἀλλήλους, ὧν ἔνιοι κατέπεσον παρʼ αὐτόν.

[¶42] 73.2. Again, being informed that Apollodorus the commandant of Babylon had sacrificed to learn Alexander’s fate, Alexander called Pythagoras the seer. Pythagoras did not deny the fact, whereupon Alexander asked him what was the character of the sacrifice. And when the seer told that the victim’s liver had no lobe, “Ah me!” said Alexander, “a forcible omen!” and did Pythagoras no harm. He was sorry, too, that he had not obeyed Nearchus, and passed most of his time outside of Babylon, either living in his tent, or sailing about on the Euphrates.

> Greek: 73.2. ἔπειτα μηνύσεως γενομένης κατὰ Ἀπολλοδώρου τοῦ στρατηγοῦ τῆς Βαβυλῶνος ὡς εἴη περὶ αὐτοῦ τεθυμένος, ἐκάλει Πυθαγόραν τὸν μάντιν. οὐκ ἀρνουμένου δὲ τὴν πρᾶξιν ἠρώτησε τῶν ἱερῶν τὸν τρόπον, φήσαντος δὲ ὅτι τὸ ἧπαρ ἦν ἄλοβον, παπαὶ, εἶπεν, ἰσχυρὸν τὸ σημεῖον καὶ τὸν Πυθαγόραν οὐδὲν ἠδίκησεν. ἤχθετο δὲ μὴ πεισθεὶς τῷ Νεάρχῳ, καὶ τὰ πολλὰ τῆς Βαβυλῶνος ἔξω κατασκηνῶν καὶ περιπλέων τὸν Εὐφράτην διέτριβεν.

[¶43] 73.3. And he was troubled by many omens. For instance, the largest and handsomest lion in his menagerie was attacked by a tame ass and kicked to death. Again, he once took off his clothes for exercise and was playing at ball, and when it was time to dress again, the young men who were playing with him beheld a man seated on the king’s throne, in silence, wearing the royal diadem and robes.

> Greek: 73.3. ἠνώχλει δʼ αὐτὸν σημεῖα πολλά, καὶ γὰρ λέοντα τῶν τρεφομένων μέγιστον καὶ κάλλιστον ἥμερος ὄνος ἐπελθὼν καὶ λακτίσας ἀνεῖλεν. ἀποδυσαμένου δὲ πρὸς ἄλειμμα καὶ σφαῖραν αὐτοῦ παίζοντος οἱ νεανίσκοι οἱ σφαιρίζοντες, ὡς ἔδει πάλιν λαβεῖν τὰ ἱμάτια, καθορῶσιν ἄνθρωπον ἐν τῷ θρόνῳ καθεζόμενον σιωπῇ, τὸ διάδημα καὶ τὴν στολὴν τὴν βασιλικὴν περικείμενον.

[¶44] 73.4. When the man was asked who he was, he was speechless for a long time; but at last he came to his senses and said that his name was Dionysius, and that he was a native of Messenia; in consequence of some charge brought against him, he said, he had been brought thither from the sea-board, and for a long time had been in chains; but just now the god Serapis had come to him and loosed his chains and brought him to this spot, bidding him put on the robe and diadem and sit on the throne and hold his peace.

> Greek: 73.4. οὗτος ἀνακρινόμενος ὅστις εἴη, πολὺν χρόνον ἄναυδος ἦν μόλις δὲ συμφρονήσας Διονύσιος μὲν ἔφη καλεῖσθαι, Μεσσήνιος δὲ εἶναι τὸ γένος· ἐκ δέ τινος αἰτίας καὶ κατηγορίας ἐνταῦθα κομισθεὶς ἀπὸ θαλάσσης πολὺν χρόνον γεγονέναι ἐν δεσμοῖς· ἄρτι δὲ αὐτῷ τὸν Σάραπιν ἐπιστάντα τοὺς δεσμοὺς ἀνεῖναι καὶ προαγαγεῖν δεῦρο, καὶ κελεῦσαι λαβόντα τὴν στολὴν καὶ τὸ διάδημα καθίσαι καὶ σιωπᾶν.

[¶45] 74.1. On hearing of this, Alexander put the man out of the way, as the seers directed; but he began to be low-spirited, and was distrustful now of the favour of Heaven and suspicious of his friends. He was particularly afraid of Antipater and of his sons, one of whom, Iolas, was his chief cupbearer; the other, Cassander, had only recently come to Babylon, and when he saw some Barbarians doing obeisance to Alexander, since he had been reared as a Greek and had never seen such a sight as this before, he laughed boisterously.

> Greek: 74.1. ταῦτα ἀκούσας ὁ Ἀλέξανδρος τὸν μὲν ἄνθρωπον, ὥσπερ ἐκέλευον οἱ μάντεις, ἠφάνισεν αὐτὸς δὲ ἠθύμει καὶ δύσελπις ἦν πρὸς τὸ θεῖον ἤδη καὶ πρὸς τοὺς φίλους ὕποπτος, Μάλιστα δὲ Ἀντίπατρον ἐφοβεῖτο καὶ τοὺς παῖδας, ὧν Ἰόλας μὲν ἀρχιοινοχόος ἦν, ὁ δὲ Κάσανδρος ἀφῖκτο μὲν νεωστί, θεασάμενος δὲ βαρβάρους τινὰς προσκυνοῦντας, ἅτε δὴ τεθραμμένος Ἑλληνικῶς καὶ τοιοῦτο πρότερον μηδὲν ἑωρακώς, ἐγέλασε προπετέστερον.

[¶46] 74.2. But Alexander was enraged, and clutching him fiercely by the hair with both hands dashed his head against the wall. And at another time, when Cassander would have said something in opposition to those who were bringing charges against Antipater, Alexander interrupted him, saying: “What meanest thou? Would men come so long a journey if they had not been wronged and were making false charges?”

> Greek: 74.2. ὁ δὲ Ἀλέξανδρος ὠργίσθη, καὶ δραξάμενος αὐτοῦ τῶν τριχῶν σφόδρα ταῖς χερσὶν ἀμφοτέραις ἔπαισε τὴν κεφαλὴν πρὸς τὸν τοῖχον. αὖθις δὲ πρὸς τοὺς κατηγοροῦντας Ἀντιπάτρου λέγειν τι βουλόμενον τὸν Κάσανδρον ἐκκρούων, τί λέγεις; ἔφη, τοσαύτην ὁδὸν ἀνθρώπους μηδὲν ἀδικουμένους, ἀλλὰ συκοφαντοῦντας ἐλθεῖν;

[¶47] 74.3. And when Cassander declared that this very fact of their coming a long distance away from the proofs showed that they were making false charges, Alexander burst out laughing and said: “These are the famous sophisms of Aristotle’s disciples for either side of the question; but ye shall rue the day if it appear that ye have done these men even a slight wrong.”

> Greek: 74.3. φήσαντος δὲ τοῦ Κασάνδρου τοῦτο αὐτὸ σημεῖον εἶναι τοῦ συκοφαντεῖν, ὅτι μακρὰν ἥκουσι τῶν ἐλέγχων, ἀναγελάσας ὁ Ἀλέξανδρος, ταῦτα ἐκεῖνα, ἔφη, σοφίσματα τῶν Ἀριστοτέλους εἰς ἑκάτερον τὸν λόγον οἰμωξομένων, ἂν καὶ μικρὸν ἀδικοῦντες τοὺς ἀνθρώπους φανῆτε.

[¶48] 74.4. And in general, as we are told, Cassander’s spirit was deeply penetrated and imbued with a dreadful fear of Alexander, so that many years afterwards, when he was now king of Macedonia and master of Greece, as he was walking about and surveying the statues at Delphi, the sight of an image of Alexander smote him suddenly with a shuddering and trembling from which he could scarcely recover, and made his head swim.

> Greek: 74.4. τὸ δὲ ὅλον οὕτω φασὶ δεινὸν ἐνδῦναι καὶ δευσοποιὸν ἐγγενέσθαι τῇ ψυχῇ τοῦ Κασάνδρου τὸ δέος, ὥστε ὕστερον χρόνοις πολλοῖς, ἤδη Μακεδόνων βασιλεύοντα καὶ κρατοῦντα τῆς Ἑλλάδος, ἐν Δελφοῖς περιπατοῦντα καὶ θεώμενον τοὺς ἀνδριάντας, εἰκόνος Ἀλεξάνδρου φανείσης, ἄφνω πληγέντα φρῖξαι καὶ κραδανθῆναι τὸ σῶμα καὶ μόλις ἀναλαβεῖν ἑαυτόν, ἰλιγγιάσαντα πρὸς τὴν ὄψιν.

[¶49] 75.1. Alexander, then, since he had now become sensitive to indications of the divine will and perturbed and apprehensive in his mind, converted every unusual and strange occurrence, were it never so insignificant into a prodigy and portent; and sacrificers, purifiers, and diviners filled his palace.

> Greek: 75.1. ὁ δʼ οὖν Ἀλέξανδρος ὡς ἐνέδωκε τότε πρὸς τὰ θεῖα ταραχώδης γενόμενος καὶ περίφοβος τὴν διάνοιαν, οὐδὲν ἦν μικρὸν οὕτως τῶν ἀήθων καὶ ἀτόπων ὃ μὴ τέρας ἐποιεῖτο καὶ σημεῖον ἀλλὰ θυομένων καὶ καθαιρόντων καὶ μαντευόντων μεστὸν ἦν τὸ βασίλειον.

[¶50] 75.2. So, you see, while it is a dire thing to be incredulous towards indications of the divine will and to have contempt for them, superstition is likewise a dire thing, which, after the manner of water ever seeking the lower levels, filled with folly the Alexander who was now become a prey to his fears. Notwithstanding, in consequence of oracular responses regarding Hephaestion which were brought him, he laid aside his grief and betook himself once more to sacrifices and drinking-bouts.

> Greek: 75.2. οὕτως ἄρα δεινὸν μὲν ἡ ἀπιστία πρὸς τὰ θεῖα καὶ καταφρόνησις αὐτῶν, δεινὴ δὲ αὖθις ἡ δεισιδαιμονία, ἡ, δίκην ὕδατος ἀεὶ πρὸς τὸ ταπεινούμενον καταρρέοντος, ἀνεπλήρου ἀβελτερίας κατάφοβον τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον γενόμενον. οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ χρησμῶν γε τῶν περὶ Ἡφαιστίωνος ἐκ θεοῦ κομισθέντων ἀποθέμενος τὸ πένθος αὖθις ἦν ἐν θυσίαις καὶ πότοις.

[¶51] 75.3. He gave a splendid entertainment to Nearchus, and then, although he had taken his customary bath before going to bed, at the request of Medius he went to hold high revel with him; and here, after drinking all the next day, he began to have a fever. This did not come upon him after he had quaffed a “bowl of Heracles,” nor after he had been seized with a sudden pain in the back as though smitten with a spear; these particulars certain writers felt obliged to give, and so, as it were, invented in tragic fashion a moving finale for a great action.

> Greek: 75.3. ἑστιάσας δὲ λαμπρῶς τοὺς περὶ Νέαρχον, εἶτα λουσάμενος, ὥσπερ εἰώθει μέλλων καθεύδειν, Μηδίου δεηθέντος ᾤχετο κωμασόμενος πρὸς αὐτόν κἀκεῖ πιὼν ὅλην τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν ἡμέραν ἤρξατο πυρέττειν, οὔτε σκύφον Ἡρακλέους ἐκπιὼν οὔτε ἄφνω διαλγὴς γενόμενος τὸ μετάφρενον ὥσπερ λόγχῃ πεπληγώς, ἀλλὰ ταῦτά τινες ᾤοντο δεῖν γράφειν ὥσπερ δράματος μεγάλου τραγικὸν ἐξόδιον καὶ περιπαθὲς πλάσαντες.

[¶52] 75.4. But Aristobulus says that he had a raging fever, and that when he got very thirsty he drank wine, whereupon he became delirious, and died on the thirtieth day of the month Daesius.

> Greek: 75.4. Ἀριστόβουλος δέ φησιν αὐτόν πυρέττοντα μανικῶς, διψήσαντα δὲ σφόδρα πιεῖν οἶνον ἐκ τούτου δὲ φρενιτιᾶσαι, καὶ τελευτῆσαι τριακάδι Δαισίου μηνός.

[¶53] 76.1. Moreover, in the court “Journals” there are recorded the following particulars regarding his sickness. On the eighteenth of the month Daesius he slept in the bathing-room because he had a fever. On the following day, after his bath, he removed into his bed-chamber, and spent the day at dice with Medius. Then, when it was late, he took a bath, performed his sacrifices to the gods, ate a little, and had a fever through the night.

> Greek: 76.1. ἐν δὲ ταῖς ἐφημερίσιν οὕτως γέγραπται τὰ περὶ τὴν νόσον. ὀγδόῃ ἐπὶ δεκάτῃ Δαισίου μηνὸς ἐκάθευδεν ἐν τῷ λουτρῶνι διὰ τὸ πυρέξαι. τῇ δὲ ἑξῆς λουσάμενος εἰς τὸν θάλαμον μετῆλθε, καὶ διημέρευε πρὸς Μήδιον κυβεύων. εἶτʼ ὀψὲ λουσάμενος καὶ τὰ ἱερὰ τοῖς θεοῖς ἐπιθείς ἐμφαγὼν διὰ νυκτὸς ἐπύρεξε.

[¶54] 76.2. On the twentieth, after bathing again, he performed his customary sacrifice; and lying in the bathing-room he devoted himself to Nearchus, listening to his story of his voyage and of the great sea. The twenty-first he spent in the same way and was still more inflamed, and during the night he was in a grievous plight, and all the following day his fever was very high. So he had his bed removed and lay by the side of the great bath, where he conversed with his officers about the vacant posts in the army, and how they might be filled with experienced men.

> Greek: 76.2. τῇ εἰκάδι λουσάμενος πάλιν ἔθυσε τὴν εἰθισμένην θυσίαν καὶ κατακείμενος ἐν τῷ λουτρῶνι τοῖς περὶ Νέαρχον ἐσχόλαζεν, ἀκροώμενος τὰ περὶ τὸν πλοῦν καὶ τὴν μεγάλην θάλατταν. τῇ δεκάτῃ φθίνοντος ταὐτὰ ποιήσας μᾶλλον ἀνεφλέχθη, καὶ τὴν νύκτα βαρέως ἔσχε, καὶ τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν ἡμέραν ἐπύρεττε σφόδρα, καὶ μεταρθεὶς κατέκειτο παρὰ τὴν μεγάλην κολυμβήθραν, ὅτε δὴ τοῖς ἡγεμόσι διελέχθη περὶ τῶν ἐρήμων ἡγεμονίας τάξεων, ὅπως καταστήσωσι δοκιμάσαντες.

[¶55] 76.3. On the twenty-fourth his fever was violent and he had to be carried forth to perform his sacrifices; moreover, he ordered his principal officers to tarry in the court of the palace, and the commanders of divisions and companies to spend the night outside. He was carried to the palace on the other side of the river on the twenty-fifth, and got a little sleep, but his fever did not abate. And when his commanders came to his bedside, he was speechless, as he was also on the twenty-sixth;

> Greek: 76.3. ἑβδόμῃ σφόδρα πυρέττων ἔθυσεν ἐξαρθεὶς πρὸς τὰ ἱερά τῶν δὲ ἡγεμόνων ἐκέλευε τοὺς μεγίστους διατρίβειν ἐν τῇ αὐλῇ, ταξιάρχους δὲ καὶ πεντακοσιάρχους ἔξω νυκτερεύειν. εἰς δὲ τὰ πέραν βασίλεια διακομισθεὶς τῇ ἕκτῃ μικρὸν ὕπνωσεν, ὁ δὲ πυρετὸς οὐκ ἀνῆκεν. ἐπελθόντων δὲ τῶν ἡγεμόνων ἦν ἄφωνος, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τὴν πέμπτην·

[¶56] 76.4. therefore the Macedonians made up their minds that he was dead, and came with loud shouts to the doors of the palace, and threatened his companions until all opposition was broken down; and when the doors had been thrown open to them, without cloak or armour, one by one, they all filed slowly past his couch. During this day, too, Python and Seleucus were sent to the temple of Serapis to enquire whether they should bring Alexander thither; and the god gave answer that they should leave him where he was. And on the twenty-eighth, towards evening, he died.

> Greek: 76.4. διὸ καὶ τοῖς Μακεδόσιν ἔδοξε τεθνάναι, καὶ κατεβόων ἐλθόντες ἐπὶ τὰς θύρας, καὶ διηπειλοῦντο τοῖς ἑταίροις ἕως ἐβιάσαντο καὶ τῶν θυρῶν αὐτοῖς ἀνοιχθεισῶν ἐν τοῖς χιτῶσι καθʼ ἕνα πάντες παρὰ τὴν κλίνην παρεξῆλθον. ταύτης δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας οἱ περὶ Πύθωνα καὶ Σέλευκον εἰς τὸ Σεραπεῖον ἀποσταλέντες ἠρώτων εἰ κομίσωσιν ἐκεῖ τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον ὁ δὲ θεὸς κατὰ χώραν ἐᾶν ἀνεῖλε. τῇ δὲ τρίτῃ φθίνοντος πρὸς δείλην ἀπέθανε.

[¶57] 77.1. Most of this account is word for word as written in the “Journals.” And as for suspicions of poisoning, no one had any immediately, but five years afterwards, as we are told, upon information given, Olympias put many men to death, and scattered abroad the ashes of Iolas, alleging that he had administered the poison.

> Greek: 77.1. τούτων τὰ πλεῖστα κατὰ λέξιν ἐν ταῖς ἐφημερίσιν οὕτω γέγραπται. φαρμακείας δὲ ὑποψίαν παραυτίκα μὲν οὐδεὶς ἔσχεν, ἕκτῳ δὲ ἔτει φασὶ μηνύσεως γενομένης τὴν Ὀλυμπιάδα πολλοὺς μὲν ἀνελεῖν, ἐκρῖψαι δὲ τὰ λείψανα τοῦ Ἰόλα τεθνηκότος, ὡς τούτου τὸ φάρμακον ἐγχέαντος.

[¶58] 77.2. But those who affirm that Aristotle counselled Antipater to do the deed, and that it was entirely through his agency that the poison was provided, mention one Hagnothemis as their authority, who professed to have heard the story from Antigonus the king; and the poison was water, icy cold, from a certain cliff in Nonacris; this they gathered up like a delicate dew and stored it in an ass’s hoof; for no other vessel would hold the water, but would all be eaten through by it, owing to its coldness and pungency.

> Greek: 77.2. οἱ δὲ Ἀριστοτέλην φάσκοντες Ἀντιπάτρῳ σύμβουλον γεγενῆσθαι τῆς πράξεως, καὶ ὅλως διʼ ἐκείνου πορισθῆναι τὸ φάρμακον, Ἁγνόθεμίν τινα διηγεῖσθαι λέγουσιν ὡς Ἀντιγόνου τοῦ βασιλέως ἀκούσαντα τὸ δὲ φάρμακον ὕδωρ εἶναι ψυχρὸν καὶ παγετῶδες ἀπὸ πέτρας τινὸς ἐν Νωνάκριδι οὔσης, ἣν ὥσπερ δρόσον λεπτὴν ἀναλαμβάνοντες εἰς ὄνου χηλὴν ἀποτίθενται τῶν γὰρ ἄλλων οὐδὲν ἀγγεῖον στέγειν, ἀλλὰ διακόπτειν ὑπὸ ψυχρότητος καὶ δριμύτητος.

[¶59] 77.3. Most writers, however, think that the story of the poisoning is altogether a fabrication; and it is no slight evidence in their favour that during the dissensions of Alexander’s commanders, which lasted many days, his body, although it lay without special care in places that were moist and stifling, showed no sign of such a destructive influence, but remained pure and fresh.

> Greek: 77.3. οἱ δὲ πλεῖστοι τὸν λόγον ὅλως οἴονται πεπλάσθαι τὸν περὶ τῆς Φαρμακείας· καὶ τεκμήριον αὐτοῖς ἐστιν οὐ μικρόν ὅτι τῶν ἡγεμόνων στασιασάντων ἐφʼ ἡμέρας πολλὰς ἀθεράπευτον τὸ σῶμα κείμενον ἐν τόποις θερμοῖς καὶ πνιγώδεσιν οὐδὲν ἔσχε τοιαύτης φθορᾶς σημεῖον, ἀλλʼ ἔμεινε καθαρὸν καὶ πρόσφατον.

[¶60] 77.4. Now, Roxana was with child, and on this account was held in honour among the Macedonians; but she was jealous of Stateira, and therefore deceived her by a forged letter into coming where she was, and when she had got her there, slew her, together with her sister, threw their bodies into the well, and filled the with earth, Perdiccas being privy to the deed and partner in it.

> Greek: 77.4. ἡ δὲ Ῥωξάνη κύουσα μὲν ἐτύγχανε καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τιμωμένη παρὰ τοῖς Μακεδόσι· δυσζήλως δὲ ἔχουσα πρὸς τὴν Στάτειραν ἐξηπάτησεν αὐτὴν ἐπιστολῇ τινι πεπλασμένῃ παραγενέσθαι, καὶ προσαγαγοῦσα μετὰ τῆς ἀδελφῆς ἀπέκτεινε, καὶ τοὺς νεκροὺς εἰς τὸ φρέαρ κατέβαλε καὶ συνέχωσεν, εἰδότος ταῦτα Περδίκκου καὶ συμπράττοντος.

[¶61] 77.5. For it was he who was at once in the greatest authority, dragging Arrhidaeus around after him to safe-guard, as it were, the royal power. Arrhidaeus was Philip’s son by an obscure and common woman named Philinna, and was deficient in intellect owing to bodily disease. This, however, did not come upon him in the course of nature or of its own accord, indeed, it is said that as a boy he displayed an exceedingly gifted and noble disposition: but afterwards Olympias gave him drugs which injured his body and ruined his mind.

> Greek: 77.5. ἦν γὰρ ἐκεῖνος εὐθὺς ἐν δυνάμει μεγίστῃ, τὸν Ἀρριδαῖον ὥσπερ δορυφόρημα τῆς βασιλείας ἐφελκόμενος, γεγονότα μὲν ἐκ γυναικὸς ἀδόξου καὶ κοινῆς Φιλίννης, ἀτελῆ δὲ τὸ φρονεῖν ὄντα διὰ σώματος νόσον οὐ φύσει προσπεσοῦσαν οὐδὲ αὐτομάτως, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάνυ φασὶ παιδὸς ὄντος αὐτοῦ διαφαίνεσθαι χάριεν ἦθος καὶ οὐκ ἀγεννές, εἶτα μέντοι φαρμάκοις ὑπὸ Ὀλυμπιάδος κακωθέντα διαφθαρῆναι τὴν διάνοιαν.