Murder in Babylon

[susan]

I've not been on the forum for the past few weeks, so this topic may be covered already - but I've just seen Graham Phillips' book Murder in Babylon, which purports to be fact - and I was astonished to find how full of fiction it is. As the author can't really tamper with Arrian, Plutarch etc, he bases his case on a source, the Historia, that's unknown to me, and conveniently doesn't give any publisher details. I strongly suspect that this 'source' will not be made available for others to see.
To get a feel of this book, look at :
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/yvan.cartw ... r_Main.htm
and
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/yvan.cartw ... nder_3.htm
It may be worth buying this book to see how easily authors can apparently just make sources up to suit their case - if Curtius, Justin or the others did the same then we're all wasting our time trying to piece together what happened. But, people will read it and not realise that the Historia as he quotes is not a recognised source, and so there will be more legends building up about Alexander that bear little relation to the truth.
Susan

[jan]

Thanks, Susan, for the links and the first look at this book. I read the first chapter of the book and am intrigued by the deck of cards. Alexander is the Ace of Spades card, and Antipater looks strangely like pictures of Phillip to me. ? Jan

[Taphoi]

I fear he's using Leo the Archpriest. This is a tenth century derivative from Pseudo-Callisthenes (i.e. the Alexander Romance). It's a source for medieval versions of the Romance in western Europe. It is not exactly legitimate historical practice to use a late derivative manuscript, when early and authentic versions of the Romance survive. Obviously, much pure fiction had crept into the narrative by the tenth century and Pseudo-Callisthenes is generally regarded as semi-legendary even in its original form. Let the reader beware. Best wishes, Andrew

[calesstheness]

A Theory was tendered by CDC (Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia) a year ago, for the possibility of the death of Alexander from a Disease. URL Link below...
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol9no12/ ... gurePlease look into it, have fun, and enjoy...C..

[calesstheness]

It's plain and simple, people lie and warp the truth to suit what they want to see and hear.
Worse, they sway, mislead, and misinform the others too, at will and knowingly..The hardest task for a seeker or student to do is to sift among this mass of information the truth, the grain from the chaff, the meat from the shell... Oftentimes the truth is elusive, as the lines and distinctions are blurred by age and indifference...
The older the issues gets, if worthwhile pondering, the more pondered and murkier it gets, by the mass of distractive misinformation a seeker is confronted with...Thankfully, we have people who seeks out the truth and try to cast some light on old, dark issues like Alexander. And by their work and dedications, the likes of Chugg's, Lendering's, et al... has truly given some of us a gift of truth and illumination which otherwise we would have spent the rest of our lives perhaps mired in the murky contributions of dimwit others, like this "vegas whodunit author" you referred to.....Sometimes methinks perhaps, only one true truth truly exists? And that is the one of Khayyam?..."Oh threats of Hell and Hopes of Paradise!
One thing at least is certain - This Life flies;
One thing is certain and the rest is Lies;
The Flower that once is blown for ever dies..."
cheers....C..

[xxx]

Susan, I have read this account of Alexander's death - perhaps the Historia he refers to is Aelian's? I'm going to have to look it up...

[susan]

Actually, it wasn't as much the details of Alexander's death as the other quotations from the Historia - e.g. Roxanne's (his spelling) visits to the Hindu Temple of Skanda in search of rare drugs & medicine. Now, I've been looking at connections between Alexander & Skanda, and I've not come across a written record in the West before - certainly not an ancient source; but I met Graham Phillips while he was writing his book and told him of my interest and contacts in this area. I was surprised to read that this connection with Skanda is a fairly important theme in his book, allowing Roxana access to Indian medicines and drugs, yet he didn't mention it when we spoke.

I've just seen Marcus' review on Amazon, and he obviously comes to a similar conclusion about the book's likely historical accuracy.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 51-6234228



Susan

[xxx]

Well it wasn't Aelian I read that account of Alexander's death in, but I did love Marcus' review. Now, shall we include it in the Fiction section in the book reviews?

[susan]

I may have done Graham Phillips a dis-service - he has told me that he will send me details of his Historia source soon. Once I receive it, I'll publish details here.Susan

[marcus]

Actually, Andrew, I don't think he *is* using Leo. I've got 2 different versions of the Romance, and one of them is, if I recall correctly, Leo's ... but there ain't nuffink in either that corresponds to any of the blatant rubbish in Phillips' book.I've posted a review on Amazon (UK) and in it I've invited Phillips to reveal a bit more about the Historia - not that I'd really expect him to reply to that, of course; but we can hope ...All the bestMarcus

[marcus]

Thanks, Tre. I didn't even point out the worst of it, either!:-)Marcus

[Taphoi]

Hi Marcus. Perhaps I should have said that his website says he's using Leo. He has linked his "Historia" source to a page on another site showing a manuscript of Leo. We need to be a bit careful - the manuscript tradition on Leo may be complex and translations of tenth century Latin can be variable. He could be using a true medieval version of the Romance loosely derived from Leo, of which there are many. Whichever is true, it is probably not a good basis for an historical account of Alexander's death. Let's see what Susan finds out. Best wishes, Andrew

[marcus]

Hi Andrew,I don't know whether this helps, but according to Phillips there were 20-odd people at the feast, all of which he is able to name (not allowing for the fact that there might be others who aren't named). He includes Barsine (Artabazus' daughter) and Stateira. I accept that there are/might be a number of different mss of Leo (and other versions of the Romance) but certainly I don't have a single source that actually lists the two women as being present. In fact, if I recall correctly, I know of no source that names any other than Iollus and Marsyas as being present (and Iollus only with regard to the story that Antipater was responsible for the poisoning - which of course Phillips discounts completely.I don't know whether this is any help in tracking down the source - let's see what Susan comes up with.All the bestMarcus

[susan]

The Historia was apparently translated by John Selby Watson sometime in the 19th century & published by Bohn, according to the reference in Graham Phillips' book. I can't find any trace of this translation online.
However, I did find this:
http://www.real-crime.co.uk/Murder1/DOC ... elbyWatson, John Selby
John Selby Watson was the headmaster of London grammar school who married Anne Armstrong in 1845. He had studied classics and had been ordained in 1839. He had taken a curacy in Somerset before moving to the post in London in 1844. The school was quite successful but maybe because of changing times by 1870, the number of pupils had fallen and the governors were forced to give the 66 year old master notice. On 8th October 1871 he called his servant, Ellen Pyne, to him and said that his wife had 'gone out of town. He added that she was to call for a doctor if she found anything wrong with him the following morning. The servant thought this was a bit strange but he was getting on a bit. She later found him unconscious and immediately sent for the doctor. Watson had tried to commit suicide by taking prussic acid. He had left two notes, one, addressed to the servant, contained her wages and the other, addressed to the doctor, In it he said that he had killed his wife in a fit of rage to which she provoked him. It might have been better for him had he not given instructions to the servant to call the doctor as he was revived. Anne Watson's body was found upstairs in a locked bedroom. He had battered her to death with the butt of his pistol which was found on Watson's dressing table. He was brought to trial at the Old Bailey in January 1872. His defence was one of insanity but this was not accepted and he was found guilty of murder. He did however receive a recommendation to mercy. He was reprieved and sent to Parkhurst where he died , aged 80, on 6th July 1884.
I don't know if it is the same person or not - I think that it is.
Susan

[amyntoros]

Ys, that's the guy - and I know the following might sound a little ridiculous given the contents of Phillips' book, but I wonder if he is talking about Justin? I have a volume of Justin, Cornelius Nepos, & Eutropius, translated by the Rev. John Selby Watson and published in 1872 by Bell and Daldy under the umbrella publishing house of Bohn. And as we all know, Justin's works are an epitome of Trogus whose books were known as the *Historia* Philippica.Of course, half of the stuff in Murder in Babylon is not in Justin, but my suspicious and cynical mind suggests that this is what Phillips is talking about. John Selby Watson was a well known translator - if he had translated some "secret" history, then the whole academic world would know about it.