Eumenes- the Royal Diaries
Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 6:38 pm
Hello,
I don't know exactly what happened, - I tried to post the following and it came up 3X to my surprise on the forum. And then when I tried to delete the redundant 2 copies of the post I noticed that the forum's clock was ticking from the year I was born(1970) - (I am not an old timer- yet) and no sign of my post regarding Eumenes.
So it is with great trepidation that I post the following again- fingers crossed and Jeronimo!!!!!
Dean wrote
I don't know exactly what happened, - I tried to post the following and it came up 3X to my surprise on the forum. And then when I tried to delete the redundant 2 copies of the post I noticed that the forum's clock was ticking from the year I was born(1970) - (I am not an old timer- yet) and no sign of my post regarding Eumenes.
So it is with great trepidation that I post the following again- fingers crossed and Jeronimo!!!!!
Dean wrote
Hello,
Aristotle had prescribed moderation in all things, and if I am not mistaken(which I could well be) said that excesses was a thing associated with the barbarians so this is my reason for thinking that Alexander wouldn't have wanted his excessive drinking on the front page of the daily express if you know what I mean. (That is not to say he didn't organize drinking comp's.)This type of argument risks being anachronistic -- judging the Diarist according to our standards rather than his.
Either way, these writings certainly are not in line with the kind Alexander would want sending to Greece courtesy of his propaganda department, nor with his image of "superhuman conqueror".
On the other hand, maybe my view of "heavy drinking" and "drinking parties" needs an update?
Yes- I can take on board that some of the most notorious things happened at drinking parties surely- but do you mean that Eumenes purpose was to simply write up what Alexander did and all things related to what happened to Alexander?
What practical purpose would have such a record served for Eumenes at the time?
My original view of the diary was more of log where details would have been kept regarding lengths of marches, Alexander's orders etc.etc certainly not the gossip at the drinking parties or whether Alexander drank himself silly or not.
In Plutarch there is a mention of the diaries just after Alexander's meeting with Queen Ada which suggests that they were not destroyed in Eumenes tent in India, if they did survive through to Plutarch's time.
Best regards,
Dean
