Alexander's character
Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2024 11:51 am
Alexander’s character
Arrian 7.28
He was very handsome in person, and much devoted to exertion, very active in mind, very heroic in courage, very tenacious of honour, exceedingly fond of incurring danger, and strictly observant of his duty to the gods. In regard to the pleasures of the body, he had perfect self-control; and of those of the mind, praise was the only one of which he was insatiable. He was very clever in recognising what was necessary to be done, even when it was still a matter unnoticed by others; and very successful in conjecturing from the observation of facts what was likely to occur. In marshalling, arming, and ruling an army, he was exceedingly skilful; and very renowned for rousing the courage of his soldiers, filling them with hopes of success, and dispelling their fear in the midst of danger by his own freedom from fear. Therefore even what he had to do in secret he did with the greatest boldness. He was also very clever in getting the start of his enemies, and snatching from them their advantages by secretly forestalling them, before any one even feared what was about to happen. He was likewise very steadfast in keeping the agreements and settlements which he made, as well as very secure from being entrapped by deceivers. Finally, he was very sparing in the expenditure of money for the gratification of his own pleasures; but he was exceedingly bountiful in spending it for the benefit of his associates.
Arrian 7.29
That Alexander should have committed errors in his conduct from quickness of temper or from wrath, and that he should have been induced to comport himself like the Persian monarchs to an immoderate degree, I do not think remarkable if we fairly consider both his youth and his uninterrupted career of good fortune; likewise that kings have no associates in pleasure who aim at their best interests, but that they will always have associates urging them to do wrong. However, I am certain that Alexander was the only one of the ancient kings who, from nobility of character, repented of the errors which he had committed.
Plutarch – Life 4.1
I have read in the Memoirs of Aristoxenus that an agreeable odour emanated from his skin and that his breath and whole physique had a fragrance that pervaded his clothes. [5] This was possibly the result of his temperament, which was hot and fiery,…... [7] In Alexander’s case it would seem that it was the heat of his temperament that made him fond of drink and quick-tempered.
Plutarch - Life 4.8
But while he was still a boy his self-restraint showed itself in the fact that, although he was impetuous and violent in other matters, the pleasures of the body had little hold upon him, and he indulged in them with great moderation, while his ambition kept his spirit serious and lofty in advance of his years. 9 For it was neither every kind of fame nor fame from every source that he courted.
Plutarch - Alexander 7.1
Philip saw that his son's nature was unyielding and that he resisted compulsion, but was easily led by reasoning into the path of duty, he himself tried to persuade rather than to command him.
Plutarch, Alexander 8.2
Alexander was by nature fond of learning and reading. He regarded the Iliad as a guide-book to military excellence, and called it such; and, according to Onesicritus’ history, he took with him Aristotle’s revised version – the so called “casket copy” – which always lay under his pillow along with his dagger.
Plutarch, Alexander 22.1–6
Philoxenus, governor of the coastal areas, informed Alexander by letter that a certain Theodorus of Tarentum was with him, and that the man had two exceedingly good-looking boys to sell. He asked Alexander if he wanted to buy the boys. This angered the king, who time and again cried out to his friends asking them what moral failing Philoxenus had ever seen in him to make him waste his time procuring such vile creatures. [2] In a letter to Philoxenus he roundly berated him and ordered him to tell Theodorus to go to hell along with his wares. [3] Alexander also came down heavily on Hagnon who, with youthful exuberance, had told him in a letter that he wanted to purchase Crobylus, famed in Corinth for his good looks, and bring him to the king. [4] When he was apprised that the Macedonians Damon and Timotheus, who were serving under Parmenion, had debauched the women of some mercenaries, the king sent written orders to Parmenion that, if the men were found guilty, he should punish them with execution as being wild animals born to destroy human beings. [5] In this letter he also has this to say about himself (and I quote): “In my case it would be found that, so far from looking upon the wife of Darius or wishing to look upon her, I have not even permitted people to talk of her beauty.” [6] And he would state that his awareness of his mortality arose most from sleeping and the sexual act, as if to say that tiredness and pleasure derived from the same weakness in nature.
Aelian, Varia Historia 12.14
They say that Alexander, son of Philip, enjoyed natural good looks, with curly, fair hair, but they add that there was something in his appearance that aroused fear.
Itinerary of Alexander* 6
He himself was of sharp expression and had a somewhat aquiline nose; his forehead was almost all bare, though quite thickly fringed from exercise because of the speed at which he would ride; he let this be the deciding factor here, and as a result he had made his hair curl upwards and lie back and away from his face. He used to say that this was more becoming for a soldier than if his hair were to hang downwards. He was a young man medium in stature, somewhat shrivelled in his limbs – though they were not such as to make him any the slower when his blood was up, a fact which aided him in action even if it did not benefit his appearance. Knotted indeed as his body was, with a good number of protruding muscles, it was with remarkable coordination of the sinews that his strength was exerted. Tireless in running at any goal he chose, he was vehement in attacking his threatened victim; excessive in the convulsive effort of hurling a spear, he was still skilled in aiming at his target. Hot-blooded in his onrush where boldness was called for, resolute in taking on a confident adversary, he was certain of his intention when at a distance from the enemy, and full of violence at close quarters; on horseback he lacked foresight, and was quite wild – on foot, fearless and unrelenting in combat. He seemed to be everywhere to give orders in difficult situations, yet he laid an even heavier burden on his men by the incentive of the personal example he set them; for he thought it shameful to be outdone by anyone in some valiant piece of work, as he energetically demanded of his body the due contribution of its youthful strength. He himself looked somewhat rough with his pointed beard; the rest of his face was clean-shaven. As for the care which anyone would quite rightly take of himself, he would wish this for himself, certainly either in his role as general or merely as a soldier. Now that I have given you a portrait of Alexander, it is for you to look to yourself, for flattery has not been my intention, and I refuse to seem pleasing to your ears when all your men may make judgment of you with their eyes.
* The Itinerarium Alexandri is a work of anonymous authorship, written about AD 340 in the time of (and dedicated to) the emperor Constantius II
Athenaeus 10.435a
In his Letters Hieronymus says that Theophrastus claims Alexander had little appetite for sexual activity. And Olympias, at any rate, had the Thessalian hetaira Callixena, who was very beautiful, go to bed with him (and Philip was her accomplice in this); for they wanted to make sure that he was not effeminate. Olympias often begged him to have sex with Callixena.
Arrian 7.28
He was very handsome in person, and much devoted to exertion, very active in mind, very heroic in courage, very tenacious of honour, exceedingly fond of incurring danger, and strictly observant of his duty to the gods. In regard to the pleasures of the body, he had perfect self-control; and of those of the mind, praise was the only one of which he was insatiable. He was very clever in recognising what was necessary to be done, even when it was still a matter unnoticed by others; and very successful in conjecturing from the observation of facts what was likely to occur. In marshalling, arming, and ruling an army, he was exceedingly skilful; and very renowned for rousing the courage of his soldiers, filling them with hopes of success, and dispelling their fear in the midst of danger by his own freedom from fear. Therefore even what he had to do in secret he did with the greatest boldness. He was also very clever in getting the start of his enemies, and snatching from them their advantages by secretly forestalling them, before any one even feared what was about to happen. He was likewise very steadfast in keeping the agreements and settlements which he made, as well as very secure from being entrapped by deceivers. Finally, he was very sparing in the expenditure of money for the gratification of his own pleasures; but he was exceedingly bountiful in spending it for the benefit of his associates.
Arrian 7.29
That Alexander should have committed errors in his conduct from quickness of temper or from wrath, and that he should have been induced to comport himself like the Persian monarchs to an immoderate degree, I do not think remarkable if we fairly consider both his youth and his uninterrupted career of good fortune; likewise that kings have no associates in pleasure who aim at their best interests, but that they will always have associates urging them to do wrong. However, I am certain that Alexander was the only one of the ancient kings who, from nobility of character, repented of the errors which he had committed.
Plutarch – Life 4.1
I have read in the Memoirs of Aristoxenus that an agreeable odour emanated from his skin and that his breath and whole physique had a fragrance that pervaded his clothes. [5] This was possibly the result of his temperament, which was hot and fiery,…... [7] In Alexander’s case it would seem that it was the heat of his temperament that made him fond of drink and quick-tempered.
Plutarch - Life 4.8
But while he was still a boy his self-restraint showed itself in the fact that, although he was impetuous and violent in other matters, the pleasures of the body had little hold upon him, and he indulged in them with great moderation, while his ambition kept his spirit serious and lofty in advance of his years. 9 For it was neither every kind of fame nor fame from every source that he courted.
Plutarch - Alexander 7.1
Philip saw that his son's nature was unyielding and that he resisted compulsion, but was easily led by reasoning into the path of duty, he himself tried to persuade rather than to command him.
Plutarch, Alexander 8.2
Alexander was by nature fond of learning and reading. He regarded the Iliad as a guide-book to military excellence, and called it such; and, according to Onesicritus’ history, he took with him Aristotle’s revised version – the so called “casket copy” – which always lay under his pillow along with his dagger.
Plutarch, Alexander 22.1–6
Philoxenus, governor of the coastal areas, informed Alexander by letter that a certain Theodorus of Tarentum was with him, and that the man had two exceedingly good-looking boys to sell. He asked Alexander if he wanted to buy the boys. This angered the king, who time and again cried out to his friends asking them what moral failing Philoxenus had ever seen in him to make him waste his time procuring such vile creatures. [2] In a letter to Philoxenus he roundly berated him and ordered him to tell Theodorus to go to hell along with his wares. [3] Alexander also came down heavily on Hagnon who, with youthful exuberance, had told him in a letter that he wanted to purchase Crobylus, famed in Corinth for his good looks, and bring him to the king. [4] When he was apprised that the Macedonians Damon and Timotheus, who were serving under Parmenion, had debauched the women of some mercenaries, the king sent written orders to Parmenion that, if the men were found guilty, he should punish them with execution as being wild animals born to destroy human beings. [5] In this letter he also has this to say about himself (and I quote): “In my case it would be found that, so far from looking upon the wife of Darius or wishing to look upon her, I have not even permitted people to talk of her beauty.” [6] And he would state that his awareness of his mortality arose most from sleeping and the sexual act, as if to say that tiredness and pleasure derived from the same weakness in nature.
Aelian, Varia Historia 12.14
They say that Alexander, son of Philip, enjoyed natural good looks, with curly, fair hair, but they add that there was something in his appearance that aroused fear.
Itinerary of Alexander* 6
He himself was of sharp expression and had a somewhat aquiline nose; his forehead was almost all bare, though quite thickly fringed from exercise because of the speed at which he would ride; he let this be the deciding factor here, and as a result he had made his hair curl upwards and lie back and away from his face. He used to say that this was more becoming for a soldier than if his hair were to hang downwards. He was a young man medium in stature, somewhat shrivelled in his limbs – though they were not such as to make him any the slower when his blood was up, a fact which aided him in action even if it did not benefit his appearance. Knotted indeed as his body was, with a good number of protruding muscles, it was with remarkable coordination of the sinews that his strength was exerted. Tireless in running at any goal he chose, he was vehement in attacking his threatened victim; excessive in the convulsive effort of hurling a spear, he was still skilled in aiming at his target. Hot-blooded in his onrush where boldness was called for, resolute in taking on a confident adversary, he was certain of his intention when at a distance from the enemy, and full of violence at close quarters; on horseback he lacked foresight, and was quite wild – on foot, fearless and unrelenting in combat. He seemed to be everywhere to give orders in difficult situations, yet he laid an even heavier burden on his men by the incentive of the personal example he set them; for he thought it shameful to be outdone by anyone in some valiant piece of work, as he energetically demanded of his body the due contribution of its youthful strength. He himself looked somewhat rough with his pointed beard; the rest of his face was clean-shaven. As for the care which anyone would quite rightly take of himself, he would wish this for himself, certainly either in his role as general or merely as a soldier. Now that I have given you a portrait of Alexander, it is for you to look to yourself, for flattery has not been my intention, and I refuse to seem pleasing to your ears when all your men may make judgment of you with their eyes.
* The Itinerarium Alexandri is a work of anonymous authorship, written about AD 340 in the time of (and dedicated to) the emperor Constantius II
Athenaeus 10.435a
In his Letters Hieronymus says that Theophrastus claims Alexander had little appetite for sexual activity. And Olympias, at any rate, had the Thessalian hetaira Callixena, who was very beautiful, go to bed with him (and Philip was her accomplice in this); for they wanted to make sure that he was not effeminate. Olympias often begged him to have sex with Callixena.