Aelian - Varia Historia
Book 6.1
When Philip won the battle of Chaeronea he was buoyed up by his achievement, as were all the Macedonians. The Greeks were very frightened of him, and their cities surrendered individually; this was the decision of Thebes, Magara, Corinth, the Achaeans, Elis, Euboea, and the whole of Acte. But Philip did not respect the agreements he had made with them, and enslaved them all unjustly and illegally.
Book 7.8
When Hephaestion died Alexander threw armour on to his pyre, and melted down with the corpse gold, silver, and clothing much prized by the Persians. He cut off his own hair, a gesture in the Homeric manner, in imitation of the poet’s Achilles. But Alexander was more violent and hotheaded than Achilles: he destroyed the acropolis at Ecbatana and knocked down its walls. As far as his hair is concerned, I think he acted in accordance with Greek custom; but when he pulled down the walls, that was a barbaric expression of grief by Alexander. He changed his dress and allowed himself to be completely controlled by anger, love, and tears.
Note that Hephaestion died at Ecbatana. A story circulates that these ceremonies, while planned for Hephaestion, were carried out for Alexander on his death, because mourning for the young man was not yet completed when death overtook Alexander.
Book 7.12
Children have to be deceived with knucklebones, men with oaths. Some attribute this saying to Lysander, others to Philip of Macedon. Whoever it belongs to, it is wrong in my opinion. Perhaps it is not surprising if my views differ from Lysander’s. He was a tyrant, and as to my views, it is obvious why the remark does not appeal to me.
Book 8.6
They say that among the ancient Thracians no one was literate. Indeed, all the barbarians inhabiting Europe thought it shameful to write. But, as tradition has it, those living in Asia were more inclined to do so. For this reason some people dare to maintain that even Orpheus was uncultured because he was a Thracian, and that the myths about him are idle falsehoods. This is stated by Androtion (FGrH 324 F 54 a). if he is a reliable guide to the illiteracy and lack of culture among the Thracians.
Book 8.7
When Alexander captured Darius he celebrated his own marriage and that of his friends. The number of people marrying was ninety, and the bridal chambers equal in number. The hall for the reception and banquet had a hundred couches. Each couch had silver feet, except his own, which had gold; they were all decorated with purple or embroidered cloth, of a weave much prized among the barbarians. He took his personal guests from foreign states to the banquet and had them seated facing him. In the courtyard there was a feast for the other forces, the infantry, marines, and cavalry. Ambassadors and Greeks resident locally were at the feast. Dinner was regulated by trumpet calls; the signal for assembly was given when it was time to go in to dinner, and the signal for retreat when he gave instructions to leave. For five days in succession he celebrated the weddings. A great many artists and actors, of both tragedy and comedy, arrived; there were also outstanding Indian conjurers, and they were thought to be superior to the entertainers from elsewhere.
Book 8.12
Strange, is it not, but true. When Demosthenes lost his voice in Macedonia, Aeschines son of Atrometus, of the deme Cothocidae, was well regarded by the Macedonians and displayed far more confidence than the other members of the delegation. The reason for this was his friendship with Philip, the gifts he received from him, Philip’s kind and patient willingness to listen to him; Philip’s glance was sympathetic and displayed his good will. All these facts led Aeschines to speak freely and fluently.
Demosthenes in Macedonia was not the only person to have this experience, despite his great eloquence; it happened also to Theophrastus of Eresus. He failed in a speech before the Areopagus, and made the excuse that he was struck dumb by the prestige of the assembly. A tart and prompt reply was made by Demochares, who said “The jury were Athenians, Theophrastus, not the Twelve Gods.”
Book 8.15
Philip had defeated the Athenians at Chaeronea. Encouraged by his success he nevertheless kept control of his faculties and did not become arrogant. So he thought it necessary to be reminded by one of his slaves early in the morning that he was a human being, and he assigned this task to the slave. He would not go out himself, they say, or let any petitioner in to see him, until the slave had called out this daily message to him three times. The slave said “Philip, you are a human being.”
Book 9.3
Note that Alexander spoiled his friends by allowing them excessive luxury, if it is true that Hagnon had gold nails in his boots, and Cleitus when about to transact business walked on purple cloth to receive petitioners. Perdiccas and Craterus were keen on exercise, and were equipped with tents of leather a stade in length, and with these they took over a substantial area in the camp in order to perform their exercises.A great deal of sand, useful for gymnastics, was transported for them by pack animals. Leonnatus and Menelaus, who enjoyed hunting, had nets a hundred stades long.
Alexander’s own tent could accommodate a hundred beds. Fifty gold pillars divided it and supported the roof, which was gilded and expensively embroidered. Inside it stood in line first of all five hundred Persians, called the apple bearers, wearing cloaks of purple and quince yellow, then came a thousand archers dressed in flame color and scarlet. In front of these were the five hundred Macedonians with silver shields. In the middle of the tent was a golden throne, on which Alexander sat to transact business, surrounded on all sides by bodyguards. An enclosure wall around the tent was manned by a thousand Macedonians and ten thousand Persians. No one dared approach him without good reason, as he aroused great fear; his pride and good fortune had raised him to the position of a tyrant.
Book 9.30
Anaxarchus was on campaign with Alexander when winter began. Knowing that Alexander would be pitching camp in a spot that had no timber, he disposed of all his equipment and loaded his pack animals with wood. When they got to the camp and there was a shortage of wood, Alexander’s couches were burned in order to provide him with heat. But when someone reported that Anaxarchus had a fire, he called on him and stayed in Anaxarchus’ tent. Learning of the latter’s foresight he was very complimentary about it, and in return for the use of the fire he gave him twice as much equipment and clothing as he had thrown away.
Book 9.36
A cithara player was performing before Antigonus, who frequently gave him orders to tune first the lowest string, then the middle one. The man was annoyed and said: “Sire, I hope you are not overtaken by such an evil fate that you become more expert on these matters than I am.”*
Book 9.37
Anaxarchus, known as “the fortunate man,” laughed at Alexander for declaring himself a god. One day when Alexander was ill and the doctor ordered that some broth be prepared for him, Anaxarchus laughed and said: “The hopes of our god depend on a cup of broth.”
Book 9.38
Alexander arrived at Troy. As he looked around attentively, one of the Trojans came up to him and showed him the lyre belonging to Alexander.* “I should have preferred to see that of Achilles,” he said. This was excellent from Alexander because he was keen to see something that had belonged to a good soldier, an object with which he had sung the deeds of famous men. What did Paris’ lyre accompany except songs of adultery, the kind that attract and charm women?
Book 10.4
Alexander, son of Philip, wearing full armour, completed three successive marches of four hundred stades. He then attacked the enemy before resting his army and defeated the opposing forces.
Book 10.22
Note that Dioxippus, in the presence of Alexander and the Macedonians, took a club and fought a duel against the Macedonian hoplite Corragus. He broke the man’s pike, seized hold of him in full armour, and stood on his neck as he lay on the ground. Then he pulled out the knife he carried in his belt and killed the man. But he was hated by Alexander, and despairing because of this hatred, he lost heart and died.
Book 11.9
Phocion too was poor. When Alexander sent him a hundred talents he asked: “Why does he give them to me?” When they said that Alexander considered him the only good and noble Athenian he remarked: “Then let him leave me in that condition.”
Book 12.7
Note that Alexander laid a wreath on Achilles’ tomb and Hephaestion on Patroclus’, hinting that he was the object of Alexander’s love, as Patroclus was of Achilles.
Book 12.14
They say that among the Greeks Alcibiades was the most charming and handsome, among the Romans Scipio. It is also said that Demetrius Poliorcetes claimed to be handsome. Alexander, the son of Philip is reported to have possessed a natural beauty: his hair was wavy and fair. They say there was something slightly alarming about Alexander’s appearance. When Homer wishes to praise the handsome he compares them to trees (Iliad 18.56,437): “he grew like a sapling.”
Book 12.16
Note that Alexander hated Perdiccas because he was bellicose, Lysimachus because he was a good general, and Seleucus because he was brave. Antigonus’ ambition annoyed him. He disliked Antipater for his leadership and Ptolemy for his cleverness.
Book 12.26
The greatest drinkers on record, they say, were Xenagoras of Rhodes, who was called Amphora, the boxer Heraclides, and Proteas son of Lanice and childhood companion of king Alexander. Alexander himself is said to have drunk more than any other man.
Book 12.34
Many instances of love among the ancients have been recorded for us, among them the following prominent cases. Pausanias was in love with his wife, Apelles with Alexander’s mistress – she was called Pancaste and came from Larisa. She is said to have been the first woman Alexander slept with.
Book 12.37
When Alexander was pursuing Bessus, he became short of food, and both he and his men ate camels and pack animals. As their stock of wood gave out they ate the meat raw. They were helped by having plenty of silphium to tenderize the meat.
Book 12.39
Perdiccas the Macedonian who accompanied Alexander on his expedition was apparently so courageous that he once went alone into a cave where a lioness had her lair. He did not catch the lioness, but he emerged carrying her cubs. Perdiccas won admiration for this feat.
Not only Greeks, but barbarians as well, are convinced that the lioness is an animal of great bravery and very difficult to contend with. They say that the Assyrian Semiramis had her spirits raised, not if she killed a lion or leopard or another animal of that kind, but if she captured a lioness.
Book 12.43
I hear that Darius the son of Hystaspes carried the quiver for Cyrus. The last Darius, who was defeated by Alexander was a slave. Archelaus the king of Macedon was the son of the slave Simiche. Menelaus the grandfather of Philip was classified as illegitimate; his son Amyntas was believed to be a servant of Aeropus and a slave. Perseus, who was defeated by the Roman Paulus, was born in Argos, the son of an undistinguished man. Eumenes is thought to have been the child of a poor father who played music at funerals. Antigonus the son of Philip, who had one eye and consequently was known as Cyclops, was a peasant. Polysperchon was a bandit. Themistocles, who defeated the barbarians at sea and was the only man to understand the messages of the gods in oracles, was the son of a Thracian slave woman, and his mother was called Habrotonon. Phocion nicknamed the Good was the child of a man who made pestles, while they say that Demetrius of Phalerum (fr.2b W.) was born a slave in the household of Timotheus and Conon. Although Hyperbolus, Cleophon, and Demades became champions of the Athenian democracy, no one could easily say who their fathers were. Furthermore, Callicratidas, Gylippus, and Lysander were called “inferiors” at Sparta, this being the term for the slaves of rich men sent by the father of a family to share in exercise at the gymnasium. It was Lycurgus who made this concession and granted citizenship at Sparta to those who adhered to the rules for the education of children. Epaminondas was also the son of an undistinguished father. Cleon, the tyrant of Sicyon was a pirate.