A Gift Worthy Of Parmenio??

[smittyzback]

Plutarch states that'Alexander became exceptionally generous as his wealth increased. He (ATG) 'presented Parmenio with the house of Bagoas at Susa, in which it is said clothes were found to the value of a thousand talents.'Does't seem very appropriate to me! The most powerfull man militarily bar ATG receiving an excentrically furnished apartment with wardrobes full of Soho designer labeled garments, as opposed to cities and provinces. I think Parmenio should have realized at this stage, something wasn't quite right.
I wonder what Parmenio thought of this Gift!

[karen]

Hi all:The house in question would not have been that of Bagoas the dancing boy, but Bagoas the Vizier, the poisoner/king-maker who had been *technically* the second-most powerful man in Persia but perhaps in truth *the* most powerful, until Dareios III gave him a dose of his own medicine, so to speak.Thus his house would have been no apartment, but a mansion suitable for the second-ranked. Since that's what Parmenion was also, the gift was actually exactly appropriate.The clothes just got thrown into the deal because they were there. I imagine Parmenion sold them off, which is why we know their value (or a purported value, anyway).Love & peace,
Karen

[susan]

The giving of expensive robes was a great honour in the Persian empire - so it was a mark of high esteem from Alexander to Parmenio ; this is why the details were reported. Whether they would have fitted was another matter; also they were probably not to Parmenio's taste.Until Parmenio's death, I think there were no instances of Alexander as being other than polite to him, even if he did overrule some of his advice. The rewriting of history came later.Susan

[Sandra]

Hm... Just remembered funny case. When I was reading this passeg from plutarch, my little sister asked me if Parmenio will do "second hand'clothes business now...