alexander-第13章

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e　natives；　and　tried　to　bring　them　also　as　near　as　he　could　to　the　Macedonian　customs；　wisely　considering　that　whilst　he　was　engaged　in　an　expedition　which　would　carry　him　far　from　thence；　it　would　be　wiser　to　depend　upon　the　good…will　which　might　arise　from　intermixture　and　association　as　a　means　of　maintaining　tranquillity；　than　upon　force　and　compulsion。　In　order　to　this；　he　chose　out　thirty　thousand　boys；　whom　he　put　under　masters　to　teach　them　the　Greek　tongue；　and　to　train　them　up　to　arms　in　the　Macedonian　discipline。　As　for　his　marriage　with　Roxana；　whose　youthfulness　and　beauty　had　charmed　him　at　a　drinking　entertainment；　where　he　first　happened　to　see　her　taking　part　in　a　dance；　it　was；　indeed　a　love　affair；　yet　it　seemed　at　the　same　time　to　be　conducive　to　the　object　he　had　in　hand。　For　it　gratified　the　conquered　people　to　see　him　choose　a　wife　from　among　themselves；　and　it　made　them　feel　the　most　lively　affection　for　him；　to　find　that　in　the　only　passion　which　he；　the　most　temperate　of　men；　was　overcome　by；　he　yet　forbore　till　he　could　obtain　her　in　a　lawful　and　honourable　way。　　　Noticing　also　that　among　his　chief　friends　and　favourites；　Hephaestion　most　approved　all　that　he　did；　and　complied　with　and　imitated　him　in　his　change　of　habits；　while　Craterus　continued　strict　in　the　observation　of　the　customs　and　fashions　of　his　own　country；　he　made　it　his　practice　to　employ　the　first　in　all　transactions　with　the　Persians；　and　the　latter　when　he　had　to　do　with　the　Greeks　or　Macedonians。　And　in　general　he　showed　more　affection　for　Hephaestion；　and　more　respect　for　Craterus；　Hephaestion；　as　he　used　to　say；　being　Alexander's；　and　Craterus　the　king's　friend。　And　so　these　two　friends　always　bore　in　secret　a　grudge　to　each　other；　and　at　times　quarrelled　openly；　so　much　so　that　once　in　India　they　drew　upon　one　another；　and　were　proceeding　in　good　earnest；　with　their　friends　on　each　side　to　second　them；　when　Alexander　rode　up　and　publicly　reproved　Hephaestion；　calling　him　fool　and　madman；　not　to　be　sensible　that　without　his　favour　he　was　nothing。　He　rebuked　Craterus　also　in　private；　severely；　and　then　causing　them　both　to　come　into　his　presence；　he　reconciled　them；　at　the　same　time　swearing　by　Ammon　and　the　rest　of　the　gods。　that　he　loved　them　two　above　all　other　men；　but　if　ever　he　perceived　them　fall　out　again　he　would　be　sure　to　put　both　of　them　to　death；　or　at　least　the　aggressor。　After　which　they　neither　ever　did　or　said　anything；　so　much　as　in　jest；　to　offend　one　another。　　　There　was　scarcely　any　one　who　had　greater　repute　among　the　Macedonians　than　Philotas；　the　son　of　Parmenio。　For　besides　that　he　was　valiant　and　able　to　endure　any　fatigue　of　war；　he　was　also　next　to　Alexander　himself　the　most　munificent；　and　the　greatest　lover　of　his　friends；　one　of　whom　asking　him　for　some　money；　he　commanded　his　steward　to　give　it　him；　and　when　he　told　him　he　had　not　wherewith；　〃Have　you　not　any　plate；　then；〃　said　he；　〃or　any　clothes　of　mine　to　sell？〃　But　he　carried　his　arrogance　and　his　pride　of　wealth　and　his　habits　of　display　and　luxury　to　a　degree　of　assumption　unbecoming　a　private　man；　and　affecting　all　the　loftiness　without　succeeding　in　showing　any　of　the　grace　or　gentleness　of　true　greatness；　by　this　mistaken　and　spurious　majesty　he　gained　so　much　envy　and　ill…will；　that　Parmenio　would　sometimes　tell　him；　〃My　son；　to　be　not　quite　so　great　would　be　better。〃　For　he　had　long　before　been　complained　of；　and　accused　to　Alexander。　Particularly　when　Darius　was　defeated　in　Cilicia；　and　an　immense　booty　was　taken　at　Damascus；　among　the　rest　of　the　prisoners　who　were　brought　into　the　camp；　there　was　one　Antigone　of　Pydna；　a　very　handsome　woman；　who　fell　to　Philotas's　share。　The　young　man　one　day　in　his　cups；　in　the　vaunting；　outspoken；　soldier's　manner；　declared　to　his　mistress；　that　all　the　great　actions　were　performed　by　him　and　his　father；　the　glory　and　benefit　of　which；　he　said；　together　with　the　title　of　king；　the　boy　Alexander　reaped　and　enjoyed　by　their　means。　She　could　not　hold；　but　discovered　what　he　had　said　to　one　of　her　acquaintance；　and　he；　as　is　usual　in　such　cases；　to　another；　till　at　last　the　story　came　to　the　ears　of　Craterus；　who　brought　the　woman　secretly　to　the　king。　When　Alexander　had　heard　what　she　had　to　say；　he　commanded　her　to　continue　her　intrigue　with　Philotas；　and　give　him　an　account　from　time　to　time　of　all　that　should　fall　from　him　to　this　purpose。　He；　thus　unwittingly　caught　in　a　snare；　to　gratify　sometimes　a　fit　of　anger；　sometimes　a　love　of　vainglory；　let　himself　utter　numerous　foolish；　indiscreet　speeches　against　the　king　in　Antigone's　hearing；　of　which；　though　Alexander　was　informed　and　convinced　by　strong　evidence；　yet　he　would　take　no　notice　of　it　at　present；　whether　it　was　that　he　confided　in　Parmenio's　affection　and　loyalty；　or　that　he　apprehended　their　authority　and　interest　in　the　army。　But　about　this　time；　one　Limnus；　a　Macedonian　of　Chalastra；　conspired　against　Alexander's　life；　and　communicated　his　design　to　a　youth　whom　he　was　fond　of；　named　Nicomachus；　inviting　him　to　be　of　the　party。　But　he　not　relishing　the　thing；　revealed　it　to　his　brother　Balinus；　who　immediately　addressed　himself　to　Philotas；　requiring　him　to　introduce　them　both　to　Alexander；　to　whom　they　had　something　of　great　moment　to　impart　which　very　nearly　concerned　him。　But　he；　for　what　reason　is　uncertain；　went　not　with　them；　professing　that　the　king　was　engaged　with　affairs　of　more　importance。　And　when　they　had　urged　him　a　second　time；　and　were　still　slighted　by　him；　they　applied　themselves　to　another；　by　whose　means　being　admitted　into　Alexander's　presence；　they　first　told　about　Limnus'　conspiracy；　and　by　the　way　let　Philotas's　negligence　appear　who　had　twice　disregarded　their　application　to　him。　Alexander　was　greatly　incensed；　and　upon　finding　that　Limnus　had　defended　himself；　and　had　been　killed　by　the　soldier　who　was　sent　to　seize　him；　he　was　still　more　discomposed；　thinking　he　had　thus　lost　the　means　of　detecting　the　plot。　As　soon　as　his　displeasure　against　Philotas　began　to　appear；　presently　all　his　old　enemies　showed　themselves；　and　said　openly；　the　king　was　too　easily　imposed　on；　to　imagine　that　one　so　inconsiderable　as　Limnus；　a　Chalastrian；　should　of　his　own　head　undertake　such　an　enterprise；　that　in　all　likelihood　he　was　but　subservient　to　the　design；　an　instrument　that　was　moved　by　some　greater　spring；　that　those　ought　to　be　more　strictly　examined　about　the　matter　whose　interest　it　was　so　much　to　conceal　it。　When　they　had　once　gained　the　king's　ear　for　insinuations　of　this　sort；　they　went　on　to　show　a　thousand　grounds　of　suspicion　against　Philotas；　till　at　last　they　prevailed　to　have　him　seized　and　put　to　the　torture；　which　was　done　in　the　presence　of　the　principal　officers；　Alexander　himself　being　placed　behind　some　tapestry　to　understand　what　passed。　Where；　when　he　heard　in　what　a　miserable　tone；　and　with　what　abject　submissions　Philotas　applied　himself　to　Hephaestion；　he　broke　out；　it　is　said；　in　this　manner：　〃Are　you　so　mean…spirited　and　effeminate；　Philotas；　and　yet　can　engage　in　so　desperate　a　design？〃　After　his　death；　he　presently　sent　into　Media；　and　put　also　Parmenio；　his　father；　to　death；　who　had　done　brave　service　under　Philip；　and　was　the　only　man　of　his　older　friends　and　counsellors　who　had　encouraged　Alexander　to　invade　Asia。　Of　three　sons　whom　he　had　had　in　the　army；　he　had　already　lost　two；　and　now　was　himself　put　to　death　with　the　third。　These　actions　rendered　Alexander　an　object　of　terror　to　many　of　his　friends；　and　chiefly　to　Antipater；　who；　to　strengthen　himself；　sent　messengers　privately　to　treat　for　an　alliance　with　the　Aetolians；　who　stood　in　fear　of　Alexander；　because　they　had　destroyed　the　town　of　the　Oeniadae；　on　being　informed　of　which；　Alexander　had　said　the　children　of　the　Oeniadae　need　not　revenge　their　father's　quarrel；　for　he　would　himself　take　care　to　punish　the　Aetolians。　　　Not　long　after　this　happened；　the　deplorable　end　of　Clitus；　which；　to　those　who　barely　hear　the　matter；　may　seem　more　inhuman　than　that　of　Philotas；　but　if　we　consider　the　story　with　its　circumstance　of　time；　and　weigh　the　cause；　we　shall　find　it　to　have　occurred　rather　through　a　sort　of　mischance　of　the　king's；　whose　anger　and　over…drinking　offered　an　occasion　to　the　evil　genius　of　Clitus。　The　king　had　a　present　of　Grecian　fruit　brought　him　from　the　sea…coast；　which　was　so　fresh　and　beautiful　that　he　was　surprised　at　it；　and　called　Clitus　to　him　to　see　it；　and　to　give　him　a　share　of　it。　Clitus　was　then　sacrificing；　but　he　immediately　left　off　and　came；　followed　by　three　sheep；　on　whom　the　drink…offering　had　been　already　poured　preparatory　to　sacrificing　them。　Alexander；　being　informed　of　this；　told　his　diviners；　Aristander　and　Cleomantis　the　Lacedaemonian；　and　asked　them　what　it　meant；　on　whose　assuring　him　it　was　an　ill　omen；　he　commanded　them　in　all　haste　to　offer　sacrifices　for　Clitus'　safety；　forasmuch　as　three　days　before　he　himself　had　seen　a　strange　vision　in　his　sleep；　of　Clitus　all　in　mourning；　sitting　by　Parmenio's　sons　who　were　dead。　Clitus；　however；　stayed　not　to　finish　his　devotions；　but　came　straight　to　supper　with　the　king；　who　had　sacrificed　to　Castor　and　Pollux。　And　when　they　had　drunk　pretty　hard；　some　of　th