Alexander The Epileptic

[jasonxx]

Just Finished watching the Liz Taylor Cleopatra Movie. basically for the references of Alexander and the choes of him through the movie.

Particulally the Scenes with the Sarcophgus in the back ground. I found a lot of the stuff historically round and about. The Library burning etc. But there was one scene way off the Mark. We know Caesar suffered epileptic fits. Cleopatra made reference that Alexander also suffered Epilectic fits. Im pretty sure thats not right?

The one thing that makes me think is the way Caesar thought he could be boss. Yet the senate soon put pay to that. Caesar became too big for his boots and the mob did for him. I really think that it was the same for Alexander with his new world order. The Greco Macedonian mob did for him too.

I also reflected on Alexanders empire in comparison to the Roman empire. No Roman General or Caesar made an Empire as big. The Roman Empire was bigger but it was never based on one mans life time as Alexanders. The only man in history to build a bigger Empire than Alexander was Ghenghis Khan.

kenny

[marcus]

Cleopatra made reference that Alexander also suffered Epilectic fits. Im pretty sure thats not right?

You're quite right, Kenny - Alexander didn't suffer from epilepsy.

It is, however, one of the myths that is trotted out every once in a while - the typical, "who can we say suffered from x or y in history? I know, let's say Alexander the Great".

I hadn't remembered that it's mentioned in Cleopatra, though - perhaps that's why the myth grew up in the first place?

ATB

[val]

It is hard to say where the idea of Alexander’s supposed epilepsy came from, though it is possible that it dates back before contemporary times.

To begin with, epilepsy is a kind of chronic neurological condition, a nervous disorder, typically associated with the occurrence of involuntary and uncontrolled seizures. However, we must remember that epilepsy has different causes and degrees of severity as well as occurrence of its manifestations.

In modern times, the illness diagnosis is made based on the person’s own clinical and family history or analysis such as electroencephalograms. In order to be diagnosed with epilepsy seizures need to be recurrent or have happened, at least, more than once, as it is known that there are many paroxysms that resemble epileptic seizures but are caused by other circumstances which may lead to a misdiagnosis. In ancient times, however, such distinction was not always possible.
It is also good to remember that, with the exception of Indian physicians or the works of Hippocrates, epilepsy was associated with divine powers in the form of a curse or a prophetic vision.

In time, this lead to two opposite vision of the sickness; the most usual is the one that associated epilepsy with demonic possessions or divine curse. These conceptions usually lead to the ostracism of the ones that suffered the condition.

On the other hand, it eventually leaded to the awkward association of genius and epilepsy.
Curiously enough, it seems that our very familiar Aristotle was the one that firstly made such association. Apparently, Alexander’s tutor compiled a list of ¨great epileptics¨, a list that, supposedly, included: Plato, Heracles, Socrates, Ajax, , Empedocles, Maracus of Syracuse, and the Sibyls. It has been argued; however, that actually this list may have been misread and that it actually was a list of melancholic and that only Heracles was associated with epilepsy. Whatever the truth, it’s strange to notice that his very own pupil did not make it in the list.
These associations of genius or leadership with epilepsy have since take a long history which may have lead to many misconceptions and, in consequence, adding famous names to the list which suffered paroxysms for other reason such as alcohol withdrawal. (Curiously, this may have been the explanation for the attacks of people such as Richard Burton or Edgar Allan Poe, who is also frequently cited as epileptic).

So, how did Al entered the list? It is possible that he may have entered trough both traditions or even by misreading some symptoms during his convalescence.
Since great leaders had been associated with epilepsy then it is not unlikely that someone must have made the reasoning that: if epilepsy means greatness and Alexander was great then Alexander had epilepsy. After all, the same has apparently been done with Hannibal, who is also cited as epileptic by Cleopatra in the film, despite that there is no single evidence that he suffered from it.
On the other hand, this association may have been reinforce by the belief that epilepsy was some sort of divine vengeance and wasn’t Alexander’s murder of Cleitus associated to Dionysus anger?
Also, paroxysms, which we usually associated with epilepsy, have several meanings and manifestations, such abrupt changes of emotions, like abrupt rage (to which Alexander seems was not unfamiliar); or periodic attacks of a disease such as Epilepsy but also Malaria or Asthma.
Some attacks of pain, like the one mentioned in Alexander’s banquet when he fell sick or collapsing when receiving treatment may have been misidentified as epileptic seizures.
Finally, Alexander’s dreams that were usually associated with prophecies by his personal seer may have help in the making of the myth.

Well, sorry for the long post.
All the best,
Valeria.

[amyntoros]

The website Famous People with Epilepsy: Epilepsy.com (which also mentions Aristotle) uses Dr. Jerome Engel as an authoritative source on epilepsy. His textbook indicates that Alexander was an epileptic, but apparently he was misinformed. This is refuted in an article called "Alexander of Macedon, the greatest warrior of all times: did he have seizures?" The article is from Epilepsy & Behavior, Volume 5, Issue 5 , October 2004, Pages 765-767, written by John R. Hughes, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago.

The eminent American epileptologist, Dr. William Lennox, claimed that he did have such attacks, after quoting Plutarch: “He lost speech and falling into a swoon had scarcely any sense of pulse left; but in no time his health and strength returned.” Dr. Lennox was such an excellent source that textbooks on epileptology, like the well-known Seizures and Epilepsy by Engel, have included Alexander among the many notable individuals who have had seizures.

Unfortunately (for Dr. Lennox), the passage from Plutarch is about the effects of the powerful medicine that Alexander's doctor gave him after he became sick from bathing in the River Cydnus!

Hughes goes on in his article to analyze several other historical references and ends by saying that Alexander's name should be removed from the list of famous individuals who have had such attacks.

I'm afraid, however, that this myth is so firmly entrenched in the public consciousness that a rebuttal in a medical publication isn't going to change anything.

Best regards,

[Paralus]

I'm afraid, however, that this myth is so firmly entrenched in the public consciousness that a rebuttal in a medical publication isn't going to change anything.

Well, and what is so surprising about that? Several serious rebuttals in history publications have singularly failed to change many a perception in the public mind about Alexander.