alexander-第14章

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With　an　empty　one；〃　said　Alexander；　smiling；　〃but　I　drink　to　you　in　this；　which　I　give　you　full　of　wine。〃　Another　time；　as　one　of　the　common　soldiers　was　driving　a　mule　laden　with　some　of　the　king's　treasure；　the　beast　grew　tired；　and　the　soldier　took　it　upon　his　own　back；　and　began　to　march　with　it；　till　Alexander　seeing　the　man　so　overcharged　asked　what　was　the　matter；　and　when　he　was　informed；　just　as　he　was　ready　to　lay　down　his　burden　for　weariness；　〃Do　not　faint　now；〃　said　he　to　him；　〃but　finish　the　journey；　and　carry　what　you　have　there　to　your　own　tent　for　yourself。〃　He　was　always　more　displeased　with　those　who　would　not　accept　of　what　he　gave　than　with　those　who　begged　of　him。　And　therefore　he　wrote　to　Phocion；　that　he　would　not　own　him　for　his　friend　any　longer　if　he　refused　his　presents。　He　had　never　given　anything　to　Serapion；　one　of　the　youths　that　played　at　ball　with　him；　because　he　did　not　ask　of　him；　till　one　day；　it　coming　to　Serapion's　turn　to　play；　he　still　threw　the　ball　to　others；　and　when　the　king　asked　him　why　he　did　not　direct　it　to　him；　〃Because　you　do　not　ask　for　it；〃　said　he；　which　answer　pleased　him　so　that　he　was　very　liberal　to　him　afterwards。　One　Proteas；　a　pleasant；　jesting；　drinking　fellow；　having　incurred　his　displeasure；　got　his　friends　to　intercede　for　him；　and　begged　his　pardon　himself　with　tears；　which　at　last　prevailed；　and　Alexander　declared　he　was　friends　with　him。　〃I　cannot　believe　it；〃　said　Proteas；　〃unless　you　first　give　me　some　pledge　of　it。〃　The　king　understood　his　meaning；　and　presently　ordered　five　talents　to　be　given　him。　How　magnificent　he　was　in　enriching　his　friends；　and　those　who　attended　on　his　person；　appears　by　a　letter　which　Olympias　wrote　to　him；　where　she　tells　him　he　should　reward　and　honour　those　about　him　in　a　more　moderate　way。　〃For　now；〃　said　she；　〃you　make　them　all　equal　to　kings；　you　give　them　power　and　opportunity　of　making　many　friends　of　their　own；　and　in　the　meantime　you　leave　yourself　destitute。〃　She　often　wrote　to　him　to　this　purpose；　and　he　never　communicated　her　letters　to　anybody；　unless　it　were　one　which　he　opened　when　Hephaestion　was　by；　whom　he　permitted；　as　his　custom　was；　to　read　it　along　with　him；　but　then　as　soon　as　he　had　done；　he　took　off　his　ring；　and　set　the　seal　upon　Hephaestion's　lips。　Mazaeus；　who　was　the　most　considerable　man　in　Darius's　court；　had　a　son　who　was　already　governor　of　a　province。　Alexander　bestowed　another　upon　him　that　was　better；　he；　however；　modestly　refused；　and　told　him；　instead　of　one　Darius；　he　went　the　way　to　make　many　Alexanders。　To　Parmenio　he　gave　Bagoas's　house；　in　which　he　found　a　wardrobe　of　apparel　worth　more　than　a　thousand　talents。　He　wrote　to　Antipater；　commanding　him　to　keep　a　life…guard　about　him　for　the　security　of　his　person　against　conspiracies。　To　his　mother　he　sent　many　presents；　but　would　never　suffer　her　to　meddle　with　matters　of　state　or　war；　not　indulging　her　busy　temper；　and　when　she　fell　out　with　him　on　this　account；　he　bore　her　ill…humour　very　patiently。　Nay　more；　when　he　read　a　long　letter　from　Antipater　full　of　accusations　against　her；　〃Antipater；〃　he　said；　〃does　not　know　that　one　tear　of　a　mother　effaces　a　thousand　such　letters　as　these。〃　　　But　when　he　perceived　his　favourites　grow　so　luxurious　and　extravagant　in　their　way　of　living　and　expenses　that　Hagnon；　the　Teian；　wore　silver　nails　in　his　shoes；　that　Leonnatus　employed　several　camels　only　to　bring　him　powder　out　of　Egypt　to　use　when　he　wrestled；　and　that　Philotas　had　hunting　nets　a　hundred　furlongs　in　length；　that　more　used　precious　ointment　than　plain　oil　when　they　went　to　bathe；　and　that　they　carried　about　servants　everywhere　with　them　to　rub　them　and　wait　upon　them　in　their　chambers；　he　reproved　them　in　gentle　and　reasonable　terms；　telling　them　he　wondered　that　they　who　had　been　engaged　in　so　many　single　battles　did　not　know　by　experience；　that　those　who　labour　sleep　more　sweetly　and　soundly　than　those　who　are　laboured　for；　and　could　fail　to　see　by　comparing　the　Persians'　manner　of　living　with　their　own　that　it　was　the　most　abject　and　slavish　condition　to　be　voluptuous；　but　the　most　noble　and　royal　to　undergo　pain　and　labour。　He　argued　with　them　further；　how　it　was　possible　for　any　one　who　pretended　to　be　a　soldier；　either　to　look　well　after　his　horse；　or　to　keep　his　armour　bright　and　in　good　order；　who　thought　it　much　to　let　his　hands　be　serviceable　to　what　was　nearest　to　him；　his　own　body。　〃Are　you　still　to　learn；〃　said　he；　〃that　the　end　and　perfection　of　our　victories　is　to　avoid　the　vices　and　infirmities　of　those　whom　we　subdue？　And　to　strengthen　his　precepts　by　example；　he　applied　himself　now　more　vigorously　than　ever　to　hunting　and　warlike　expeditions；　embracing　all　opportunities　of　hardship　and　danger；　insomuch　that　a　Lacedaemonian；　who　was　there　on　an　embassy　to　him　and　chanced　to　be　by　when　he　encountered　with　and　mastered　a　huge　lion；　told　him　he　had　fought　gallantly　with　the　beast；　which　of　the　two　should　be　king。　Craterus　caused　a　representation　to　be　made　of　this　adventure；　consisting　of　the　lion　and　the　dogs；　of　the　king　engaged　with　the　lion；　and　himself　coming　in　to　his　assistance；　all　expressed　in　figures　of　brass；　some　of　which　were　by　Lysippus；　and　the　rest　by　Leochares；　and　had　it　dedicated　in　the　temple　of　Apollo　at　Delphi。　Alexander　exposed　his　person　to　danger　in　this　manner；　with　the　object　both　of　inuring　himself　and　inciting　others　to　the　performance　of　brave　and　virtuous　actions。　　　But　his　followers；　who　were　grown　rich；　and　consequently　proud；　longed　to　indulge　themselves　in　pleasure　and　idleness；　and　were　weary　of　marches　and　expeditions；　and　at　last　went　on　so　far　as　to　censure　and　speak　ill　of　him。　All　which　at　first　he　bore　very　patiently；　saying　it　became　a　king　well　to　do　good　to　others；　and　be　evil　spoken　of。　Meantime；　on　the　smallest　occasions　that　called　for　a　show　of　kindness　to　his　friends；　there　was　every　indication　on　his　part　of　tenderness　and　respect。　Hearing　Peucestes　was　bitten　by　a　bear；　he　wrote　to　him　that　he　took　it　unkindly　he　should　send　others　notice　of　it　and　not　make　him　acquainted　with　it；　〃But　now；〃　said　he；　〃since　it　is　so；　let　me　know　how　you　do；　and　whether　any　of　your　companions　forsook　you　when　you　were　in　danger；　that　I　may　punish　them。〃　He　sent　Hephaestion；　who　was　absent　about　some　business；　word　how；　while　they　were　fighting　for　their　diversion　with　an　ichneumon；　Craterus　was　by　chance　run　through　both　thighs　with　Perdiccas's　javelin。　And　upon　Peucestes's　recovery　from　a　fit　of　sickness；　he　sent　a　letter　of　thanks　to　his　physician　Alexippus。　When　Craterus　was　ill；　he　saw　a　vision　in　his　sleep；　after　which　he　offered　sacrifices　for　his　health；　and　bade　him　do　so　likewise。　He　wrote　also　to　Pausanias；　the　physician；　who　was　about　to　purge　Craterus　with　hellebore；　partly　out　of　an　anxious　concern　for　him；　and　partly　to　give　him　a　caution　how　he　used　that　medicine。　He　was　so　tender　of　his　friends'　reputation　that　he　imprisoned　Ephialtes　and　Cissus；　who　brought　him　the　first　news　of　Harpalus's　flight　and　withdrawal　from　his　service；　as　if　they　had　falsely　accused　him。　When　he　sent　the　old　and　infirm　soldiers　home；　Eurylochus；　a　citizen　of　Aegae；　got　his　name　enrolled　among　the　s