Did Alexander become more of a god through isolation?

[stiles]

I'm researching something very intriguing, the following quote from Alexander's teacher Aristotle:
"The man who can live alone is either an animal or a god."
I was thinking 'Alexander, Aristotle's own student may have supported the idea in this quote...' The only thing that stops me from coming to a conclusion is that I can't decide whether Alexander was isolated, but I did decide that he can be viewed as a deity; god or devil. Please give me your thoughts!

[marcus]

Thanks for this, it's an interesting thing to consider.It would be helpful to go back to the original Greek, to try to understand exactly what Aristotle meant by "living alone". If it's a case of total isolation, which I assume it is, then IMO Alexander would never have cut the mustard - one thing he absolutely required was to have people around him, approbation, support etc. and at no point that I can think of did he live aloof from his friends and soldiers. The one time when his friends thought he was becoming aloof was when he tried to introduce proskynesis, and that was a complete failure.All the bestMarcus

[Thalestris-Alexandros]

Eloquently stated, Marcus! Alexander thrived on attention, needing it constantly, needing adoration, attention, surrounded by embraces and devotion...perhaps to feed his ego, or fill a void; I perceive the latter.Alexander had an alter ego--Achilles/Herakles---and it was that energy that, in *his* mind, developed him into a diety, not through isolation, but through that psyho+metaphysical power of assuming an alter ego, adopting the proto-persona into the self to overcome obstacles and exercise extraordinary feats of fortitude.Amazon Queen

[anna]

You know, it's a beautiful saying, but i think many animals don't live alone. And definitely not for the whole life. Simply for the sake of survival. Can't say anything about gods, though ...As for Alexander - i agree with Marcus and Thalestris - he was never isolated, except for some rare moments of regret, grief and self-punishment. He couldn't exist without human relationship(and especially admiration and approvement).

[maciek]

I think he was mentally isolated because nobody understood him but physically he accompanied all the time his hetairos.Maciek M

[susa]

Oh, that's great! I think just like you! -- but couldn't find words.He's a loner because of his very peculiar way of thinking. You know how bright people are, most of them, loners... But, as a human being, he'd also want to have people around. We all need company/approbation anyway, no matter how self-centred we may be.

[maciek]

HI SUSA!!Oh You are right! Of course this problem of alienation is actual even today but king (leader of great group of people)- when not understood by his subordinated, is in especially bad situation. He could fell his faith in friends after treason of Harpalos - one of his closest friends... His situation was especially hard, because his ideas was above his (and maybe also todayGÇÖs) times. Another point which made his moral situation even harder was that he was forced to make few executions (crimes?) and some of his friends were afraid of him and some was still in opposition. Maciek M