The World Reeking of Alexander's Corpse

This moderated forum is for discussion of Alexander the Great. Inappropriate posts will be deleted without warning. Examples of inappropriate posts are:
* The Greek/Macedonian debate
* Blatant requests for pre-written assignments by lazy students - we don't mind the subtle ones ;-)
* Foul or inappropriate language

Moderator: pothos moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
Vergina Sun
Pezhetairos (foot soldier)
Posts: 131
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2007 3:24 pm
Location: USA

The World Reeking of Alexander's Corpse

Post by Vergina Sun »

Hello everyone,

Recently I picked up a book called "Alexander the Conqueror" by Laura Foreman (It's a lovely book if you're looking for Alexander in images). She started out by using this quote, "Alexander dead? Impossible! The world would reek of his corpse!" which she attributed to a local orator in Athens. Does anyone have more information on this quote (who said it, what the context was, etc.) because it is the first time I have ever heard of it. I think it's an interesting quote, and would like to learn more about it, if possible. Thanks in advance!
User avatar
amyntoros
Somatophylax
Posts: 2188
Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2003 2:51 pm
Location: New York City

Re: The World Reeking of Alexander's Corpse

Post by amyntoros »

Vergina Sun wrote:Hello everyone,

Recently I picked up a book called "Alexander the Conqueror" by Laura Foreman (It's a lovely book if you're looking for Alexander in images). She started out by using this quote, "Alexander dead? Impossible! The world would reek of his corpse!" which she attributed to a local orator in Athens. Does anyone have more information on this quote (who said it, what the context was, etc.) because it is the first time I have ever heard of it. I think it's an interesting quote, and would like to learn more about it, if possible. Thanks in advance!
Here it is: :)
Plutarch's Lives; Phocion 22 The first person that brought the news of Alexander's death was Asclepiades the son of Hipparchus. Demades desired the people to give no credit to it: " For," said he, " if Alexander were dead, the whole world would smell the carcass." And Phocion, seeing the Athenians elated, and inclined to raise new commotions, endeavoured to keep them quiet. Many of the orators, however, ascended the rostrum, and assured the people that the tidings of Asclepiades were true. " Well then," said Phocion, " if Alexander is dead to-day, he will be so to-morrow, and the day following; so that we may deliberate on that event at our leisure, and take our measures with safety."
Best regards,
Amyntoros

Pothos Lunch Room Monitor
User avatar
Vergina Sun
Pezhetairos (foot soldier)
Posts: 131
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2007 3:24 pm
Location: USA

Post by Vergina Sun »

Oh, thank you very much Amyntoros! :D
karen
Hetairos (companion)
Posts: 451
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2002 7:03 am

Post by karen »

This is why I call Amyntoros "the Quote Goddess!"

Cheers to all from Athens,
Karen
User avatar
amyntoros
Somatophylax
Posts: 2188
Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2003 2:51 pm
Location: New York City

Post by amyntoros »

karen wrote:This is why I call Amyntoros "the Quote Goddess!"
Well thank you, but I must give credit also to Marcus. We worked together transcribing sources and making searchable electronic files of everything we could find on Alexander, but because he teaches during the day (and also because of the different time zones) I am often the first to find the quotes. However, without Marcus I'd still be sitting on the floor with a huge pile of books exclaiming "Now exactly where did I see that reference?"
Cheers to all from Athens,
You've arrived in Athens and you're on the computer already? Well, I do hope you're writing on a laptop whilst sitting in a nice little tavern gazing upon the Acropolis! :)

Best regards,
Last edited by amyntoros on Mon Jun 16, 2008 10:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Amyntoros

Pothos Lunch Room Monitor
User avatar
marcus
Somatophylax
Posts: 4785
Joined: Fri Aug 16, 2002 7:27 am
Location: Nottingham, England

Post by marcus »

amyntoros wrote:Well thank you, but I must give credit also to Marcus. We worked together transcribing sources and making searchable electronic files of everything we could find on Alexander, but because he teaches during the day (and also because of the different time zones) I am often the first to find the quotes. However, without Marcus I'd still be sitting on the floor with a huge pile of books and exclaiming "Now exactly where did I see that reference?"
Amyntoros is too kind. (Not that I'm complaining about the puff, of course! :D ) She did much more of the leg-work of transcription than I did.

ATB
Marcus
Sine doctrina vita est quasi mortis imago
At Amazon US
At Amazon UK
User avatar
Paralus
Chiliarch
Posts: 2875
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2005 8:13 am
Location: Sydney, Australia
Contact:

Post by Paralus »

Karen's sitting in the roof bar at the Attalos more likely.

Have they updated the computers on the first floor? If you've a card reader you should be able to post photos....
Paralus
Ἐπὶ τοὺς πατέρας, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί, τοὺς μετὰ Φιλίππου καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τὰ ὅλα κατειργασμένους;
Wicked men, you sin against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander.

Academia.edu
karen
Hetairos (companion)
Posts: 451
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2002 7:03 am

Post by karen »

One better, Paralus... I have a camera that connects straight to computer via a USB port. YES I WILL send pics and post them on the travelblog also (http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/ka ... /tpod.html

I knew I was going to be writing more than I'd be able to on hotel machines so I brought my laptop and, as it turns out, the wireless service at the Attalos does get to your room, at least some of the time. Does it get to the roof bar? I'll find out tonight, I think. I'm going to phone Efstathios a bit later.... maybe send him a PM right now too.

Warmly... I mean REALLY warmly (it's 32 C in Athens right now)
Karen
User avatar
Paralus
Chiliarch
Posts: 2875
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2005 8:13 am
Location: Sydney, Australia
Contact:

Post by Paralus »

karen wrote: Does it get to the roof bar? I'll find out tonight, I think. I'm going to phone Efstathios a bit later.... maybe send him a PM right now too.
Don't know about the wireless service but I certainly did...with monotonous regularity.

Sophia will sort out with a view of the Acropolis to boot.

Have a Mythos (or red) with Stathi for me will you? He's a good bloke that one. Smokes too much...
Paralus
Ἐπὶ τοὺς πατέρας, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί, τοὺς μετὰ Φιλίππου καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τὰ ὅλα κατειργασμένους;
Wicked men, you sin against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander.

Academia.edu
karen
Hetairos (companion)
Posts: 451
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2002 7:03 am

Post by karen »

Hey Paralus: this one's for you.

Image

The tall, dark and handsome guy is Efstathios.

Notice the pack of cigs... not mine.

There actually isn't wireless on the roof (I was faking it) as it's on the Internet floor and fades out the further away you go. Fortunately it works nicely in the breakfast room which is where I am now.

Onward to Chaeroneia...
User avatar
Paralus
Chiliarch
Posts: 2875
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2005 8:13 am
Location: Sydney, Australia
Contact:

Post by Paralus »

karen wrote:...I was faking it...
Not going there.

Hey Stathi you handsome bugger! I should be having a red in that photo.

Karen: Listen close for I will say this only once....

I am soooo JEALOUS!

Much time (too much) did I spend there. Nothing like a Macedonian red with a view.

Enjoy it to the hilt...

All of this is doing my "grumpy", minimalist image no end of harm. Who'd have thought it??

By the way, how'd you post a photo so large on the bloody site?
Paralus
Ἐπὶ τοὺς πατέρας, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί, τοὺς μετὰ Φιλίππου καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τὰ ὅλα κατειργασμένους;
Wicked men, you sin against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander.

Academia.edu
Post Reply