The Nature of Alexander

by Mary Renault

  Arrian, History of Alexander

  Quintus Curtius, History of Alexander

  Plutarch, Parallel Lives: Life of Alexander

  Diodorus Siculus, History (Book XVII for Alexander’s reign; but also XVI and XVIII for events preceding and following)

  Justin, Epitome of Trogus

  Additional biographical details or anecdotes

  Plutarch, Lives: Demosthenes; Eumenes; Phocion

  Plutarch, Moralia: On the Fortune or Virtue of Alexander; Sayings of Kings and Commanders

  Strabo, Geography (Book XV for many quotations from Nearchus)

  Athenaeus, The Diepnosophists (discursive gossip)

  L. Pearson, The Lost Histories of Alexander the Great (collected fragments, with commentary on the writers). American Philological Association, New York; also printed in Great Britain 1960

  Works relevant to Alexander’s life and times

  Demosthenes, Orations

  Aeschines, Orations

  Isocrates, Epistles and Orations

  Aristotle, especially the Politics and Ethics

  Diogenes Laertius, Lives of the Philosophers: Life of Aristotle

  Works known to Alexander, which certainly or probably influenced his thought

  Homer, Iliad R. Lattimore’s verse translation, published by University of Chicago Press, Chicago and London 1962, is preferable to E. V. Rieu’s prosy one, published by Penguin Books, Harmondsworth 1950)

  Xenophon, Anabasis; Cyropaedia

  Herodotus, History

  Euripides, Tragedies (especially, perhaps, The Bacchae, written and first performed in Macedon)

  For the legend

  E. A. Wallis Budge, The Alexander Book in Ethiopia. Oxford University Press. London 1933

  George Cary, The Mediaeval Alexander, ed. D. J. A. Ross. Cambridge University Press. London 1956

  A. M. Wolohojian (trans.), The Romance of Alexander the Great by Pseudo-Callisthenes (a recent translation from a good Armenian version). Columbia University Press. New York and London 1969

  H. W. Clarke’s quaint literal translation (1880) of the thirteenth-century Persian Sikandar Noma E Bora is unfortunately scarce.

  Index

  A | B | C | D | E

  F | G | H | I | J

  K | L | M | N | O

  P | R | S | T

  U | V | W | X | Z

  Abdalonymus, 111

  Abreas, 207, 208

  Academy (Plato’s), 39, 40, 54, 188

  Achilles, 6, 22, 24, 28-9, 44, 75, 90, 113, 118, 202, 208, 240, 241, 247, 257

  Ada (Queen of Caria), 27, 94-5, 97

  Admetus, 115

  Aegae, 5, 62, 146

  Aelian, 33

  Aeschines, 49, 67

  Agriani, 77, 80, 102, 136

  Alcibiades, 39, 232

  Alexander III, the Great: accession, 30, 63, 69; ancestry, 24, 28, 121-2; army, 25, 30, 93, 98, 101-2, 127-8, 141-2, 149, 166-7, 200-12, 233-5, 263-4; in Athens, 54; Athens’ submission, 86; attitude towards killing, 65-6, 128, 180-1; at Babylon, 139-41, 248-66; in Bactria, 168-9, 185; and Bagoas (q.v.), 154-5, 161, 185, 186, 220, 222, 223; battle tactics, 78, 101-2, 133, 134; birth, 22; birth legends, 8, 22, 24, 122, 231; books, 28, 71-3, 128, 142; and Bucephalas (q.v.), 33-4, 102, 138, 158, 198; Callisthenes’ murder, 187-8; in Caria, 94-7; Cleitus’ murder, 180-1; at Chaeronea (q.v.), 51-3; childhood, 23-4, 29, 30; daily routine, 125-9; at Damascus, 109-10; and Darius III (q.v.), 108-9, 132, 149-57; death, 4, 266; Demosthenes’ view, 68, 82; divinity, 5, 6, 7, 12, 119, 121-2, 174, 230-1; at Dodona, 57; drinking habits, 128-9, 179-80, 239-40, 262-3; early court duties, 29-30; at Ecbatana, 239-44; education, 26-7, 39-43, 44, 46; in Egypt, 118-23; at Ephesus, 94; Exile’s Decree, 231-2, 249; explorative urge, 78, 189, 254; father (Philip II, q.v.), 26, 33, 34, 45-6, 54, 55-6, 58-65; first colony, 45; friendships, 26, 44, 48-9, 58, 66, 80, 99, 113-14, 128, 141, 143, 162; funeral cortège, 5-6; at Gaugamela, 34, 132-9; at Gaza, 117; Gordian knot, 98-9; at the Granicus, 90-3; half-brother (see Arridaeus); at Halicarnassus, 96-7; and Hephaestion (q.v.), 43-4, 48, 54, 60, 90, 104, 105, 121, 126, 162, 185, 186, 193, 240-4, 251-3; Hermolaus’ plot; historians’ views; humor; at the Hydaspes; identification with Achilles (q.v.); illnesses & injuries, 99, 104, 117, 118, 171, 172, 207-9, 256, 257-66; in Illyria, 57-58; Illyrian campaigns, 47-8, 80-1; in India, 188 ft.; inheritance, 89; at the Issus, 99-107; at the Jaxartes, 171-2; legends, 7-16, 72, 182; on the Makran desert, 215-20; at Miletus, 95-6; mother (Olympias, q.v.), 23-4, 32, 48, 55, 56-7, 58, 59, 63, 64, 121, 126, 237; at Multan, 206-10; musical interests, 32-3, 38-9, 70, 90; omens. 89, 95, 96, 117, 119, 144, 202, 245, 246-7, 254-6, 258, 261; at Opis, 233-7; oracles consulted, 57, 120-21, 258; at Persepolis, 145-9, 223-4; Persian King, 172-8, 229-30; Philotas’ plot, 162-6; physical appearance & dress, 26, 27, 68-70, 92, 160; and Ptolemy (q.v.), 5-7, 30-2; purge of rivals, 73-5; quoted, 37, 46, 55-6, 70, 89, 103, 104, 109, 116, 133, 197-8, 234, 235, 253, 266; re-founding of Stagira, 46; as regent, 44-5, 46-7, 62; regents for, 10, 237; river crossings—Hydaspes, 195-6—Indus, 193, 211—Ister, 78-80—Oxus, 169-70—Tigris, 130-1; sacrifices & offerings, 27-8, 80, 87, 89, 90, 93-4, 112, 119, 122, 123, 125, 131, 134, 144, 202, 205, 213, 222, 262; at Sardis, 93-4; sexual nature, 48, 55, 70, 88, 95, 155, 184-5, 239; at Sidon, 110-12, 113, 114; Sikandar myth, 8, 9; sister (see Cleopatra); and Sisygambis (q.v.), 104-5, 106, 132, 144; in Sogdiana, 182-5, 190; the Successors, 229-30, 235; at Susa, 142-4, 224-32, 248; at Tarsus, 99; theatrical interest, 70, 71, 123; Theban campaign, 82-6; in Thessaly, 75; tomb, 6-7; Triballians defeated, 77; at Troy, 89-90; at Tyre, 112, 114-15, 123; wealth & financial arrangements, 82, 89, 93, 96, 103, 110, 123-4, 140-1, 142-4, 146, 157, 227, 228, 229, 238; weddings, 183-4, 225-7; wives—Roxane (q.v.), 183-5, 186, 190, 193, 204, 239—Barsine-Stateira (q.v.), 109-10, 226, 227

  Alexander IV, 10, 250, 268

  Alexander’s Feast (Dryden), 17

  Alexandreis, 16

  Alexandria, 6, 7, 31, 121, 126, 242, 248, 258

  Alexandros (King of Epirus), 39, 57, 61, 245

  Alexandros (of Lyncestis), 74, 82, 98, 99, 164

  Amazons, 9, 28, 239

  Ammon, 5, 8, 119, 120-1, 179, 202, 213, 231, 243, 248, 256, 258

  Amphissa, 47, 49, 54

  Amyntas, 73

  Amyntor, 243

  Anaxarchus, 174

  Andromache, 22

  Antigone, 122

  Antigonus One-Eye, 260, 261

  Antipater, 10, 45, 47, 83, 86, 88, 112, 126, 159, 232, 237, 248, 249, 250, 260, 261

  Aornus, 192

  Apelles, 69

  Aphrodite, 181, 231

  Apis, 119, 243

  Apollo, 17, 47, 115

  Apollodorus, 244-5, 247

  Arbela, 130, 138

  Aristander, 117

  Aristobulus, 13-14, 128, 129, 187, 218, 219, 222, 227, 247, 254, 256, 262

  Aristotle, 10, 11, 39-43, 46, 48, 54, 60, 64, 72, 73, 107, 108, 131, 142, 158, 159, 175, 185, 237, 260

  Aristoxenus, 70

  Arrian (Flavius Arrianus), 13-14, 16, 30-1, 34, 69, 78, 83-4, 85, 91, 93, 94, 97, 98, 100, 101, 102, 104, 115, 119-20, 121, 134, 144, 147, 148, 155, 164, 166, 174, 187, 194, 198, 201, 207, 209, 211, 212, 215, 217-18, 219, 220, 224, 226, 234, 235-6, 237, 238, 239, 241, 242-3, 245, 246, 247, 250, 258, 259, 265

  Arridaeaus, 32, 58-9, 60, 74, 76, 128, 267

  Arsames, 93

  Arses, 61, 68

  Artabazus, 29, 87, 109, 150, 151, 152, 155, 156, 159, 160, 169, 172, 173, 178, 183, 184, 226

  Artaxerxes II, 29

  Asia, 3, 5, 27, 57, 62, 71, 76, 77, 78, 84, 106, 109, 112, 125, 131, 134, 157, 215, 221, 222, 237, 249, 261, 263

  Asia Minor, 35-6, 38, 59, 74, 82, 90, 93, 98, 116, 119, 124, 134, 145, 159, 232, 253

  Assyria, 106, 130, 139, 211, 246, 248, 255

  Athenaeus, 155, 220

  Athene, 67, 90

  Athens, Athenians, 10-22, 12, 17, 20, 26, 27, 32, 35, 37-8, 39, 40, 45, 47, 49, 50, 51, 53, 54, 58, 62, 66, 67, 74, 75, 82, 83, 86, 108, 110, 112, 118, 131, 144, 147, 155, 156,
164, 174, 177, 187, 188, 222, 228, 229, 255

  Attalus, 35, 55, 56, 61, 64, 66, 74-5, 97, 165

  Attica, 50, 53, 76, 83, 86, 175

  Augustus, 7, 12

  Babylon, 3, 5, 11, 99, 101, 112, 130, 137, 139, 140, 141, 146, 147, 225, 227, 228, 244 ff., 255, 256, 259, 261, 264, 267

  Bactria (Bactriana), Bactrians, 129, 135, 150 ff., 160, 167, 168, 169, 178, 185, 210, 215, 229, 230, 258

  Bagoas (favourite of Alexander), 151, 153-5, 156, 160 ff., 172, 173, 175, 184 ff., 213, 220, 222, 223, 248, 254

  Bagoas (Grand Vizier), 61, 68, 142

  Bagoas (prince), 204-5

  Baraxis, 222

  Barsine, 109-10, 184, 226

  Barsine-Stateira (wife), 110, 226, 227, 239, 247, 248, 265, 267

  Beas, 200, 204

  Bel, 141, 246

  Benefactors, 167

  Bessus, 129, 135, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 156, 157, 161, 167, 168, 169, 170, 172, 182, 254

  Bistanes, 150, 164, 173

  Boeotia, Boeotians, 50, 51, 82, 210

  Britain, 250

  Bubaces, 150, 152

  Bucephalas, 33, 102, 130, 136, 138, 158, 182, 198

  Byzantium, 47, 77, 79

  Cadmea, 76, 83

  Caesar, Julius, 7, 11, 13, 36, 108, 127

  Caesars, 19, 140, 160

  Calanus, 194, 222, 224-5, 242

  Caligula, 12

  Callines, 235

  Callisthenes, 10, 14, 158-9, 175, 176, 177, 185, 186, 187-8, 249. See also Pseudo-Callisthenes

  Callisthenes (Valerius), 15

  Caria, 27, 59, 60, 74, 94, 97, 123, 227

  Carthaginians, 115, 245, 250

  Caspian Sea, 150, 151, 153, 200, 239

  Cassander, 6, 10-11, 16, 18, 22, 237, 248-50, 258-9, 260, 268

  Celts, 80, 245

  Chaeronea, 51, 75, 77, 82, 83, 85, 86, 89

  Chares, 125, 174, 176, 226, 227

  China, 9, 167, 189

  Cilician Gates, 99

  Cleitus (the Black), 92, 167, 178-80, 202, 216, 240

  Cleitus (Illyrian), 80-1

  Cleomenes, 243, 258

  Cleopatra (Queen of Egypt), 7, 99

  Cleopatra (sister), 23, 61

  Coenus, 196-7, 201, 204

  Companion Cavalry, 44, 49, 51, 93, 102, 135, 137, 138, 156-7, 159, 167, 193, 235

  Corinth, 54, 58, 60, 76, 81, 92, 230

  Cossaeans, 244, 245

  Craterus, 31, 91, 122, 196, 197, 204, 205, 209, 211, 212, 213, 220, 225, 226, 236, 237, 238, 239, 242, 250, 265

  Crete, 203, 228

  Croesus, 93

  Crusaders, 15, 97

  Curtius, Quintus, 12, 34, 44, 104, 115-16, 117, 132, 139, 145, 146, 147, 150, 151, 153, 154, 155, 162 ff., 169, 182, 187, 208, 222, 223, 234, 266, 267

  Cynna, 80

  Cyprus, 114, 174

  Cyropaedia (Xenophon), 71, 106

  Cyrus the Great, 9, 71-3, 92, 93, 106, 107, 127, 139, 146, 167, 211, 219, 221, 222, 223, 255

  Damascus, 104, 109, 110, 122

  Darius I, the Great, 147, 171, 172, 173, 189, 221, 248, 250

  Darius II, 8

  Darius III, 9, 16, 17, 29, 37, 68, 74, 81, 82, 87, 90, 98, 99-100, 101, 102-4, 107, 108, 109, lid, 116, 117, 120, 124, 129 ff., 142 ff., 146, 148 ff., 159, 161, 170, 183, 197, 205, 222, 223, 226, 227, 232, 239, 254, 267

  Deinocrates, 251

  Delphi, 47, 49, 51, 249

  Demades, 86

  Demaratus, 58, 92

  Demosthenes, 10, 17, 37-8, 45, 47, 49, 50, 51, 53, 67, 68, 74, 81, 82, 83, 85, 86, 194, 228, 231

  Diodorus, 4, 12, 34, 63, 64, 66, 73, 100, 114, 115, 137, 145, 147, 162, 164, 191, 252

  Dionysius (god), 23, 53, 64, 147, 178, 180-1, 189, 193, 219

  Dionysius I, of Syracuse, 25, 227

  Dodona, 56, 57, 120

  Drangiana, 162

  Dryden, John, 17

  Drypetis, 226, 247, 267

  Dymnus, 162, 163

  Ecbatana, 139, 146, 149, 157, 165, 172, 178, 233, 237, 239-44, 247

  Egypt, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 31, 94, 112, 116, 118-19, 120, 122, 123, 124, 126, 134, 150, 174, 231, 243, 250, 254, 264

  Elatia, 50, 51

  Eleusinian Mysteries, 86

  Ephesus, 94

  Epictetus, 13

  Epirus, 21-2, 39, 56, 57, 58, 61, 76, 245

  Erigyius, 168

  Ethiopians, 11, 245

  Eumenes, 237, 238, 242

  Euphrates, 5, 79, 107, 112, 116, 130, 135, 170, 189, 245, 246, 250, 253, 255, 260, 262

  Euripides, 42, 246

  Eurydice, 58, 61, 76

  Exile’s Decree, 231-2, 249

  Fuller, Gen. J. F. C., 91

  Gaugamela, 34, 131, 132, 139, 141, 144, 146, 150, 168, 196

  Gaza, 117, 246

  Glaucias, 241, 242

  Gordium, 98

  Granicus, 90-3, 100, 101, 167, 179, 205

  Grote, George, 17, 32

  Hadrian, 13

  Hagnothemis, 260, 261

  Halicarnassus, 96-7

  Hannibal, 168

  Harpalus, 123-4, 141, 149, 228, 231, 232, 246, 250

  Hecataeus, 74-5

  Hector (son of Parmenion), 122

  Hellanice, 92

  Hellespont, 5, 7, 26, 45, 61, 76, 89

  Hephaestion, 31, 43-4, 48, 54, 60, 90, 91, 104, 105, 110-11, 116-17, 118, 121, 126, 137, 161, 162, 167, 173, 175, 176, 178, 181, 185, 186, 190, 193, 194, 195, 196, 199, 203-4, 205, 206, 209, 212, 213, 217, 221, 225, 226, 233, 234, 237, 238, 239, 240-4, 247, 251-3, 257, 258, 262, 267

  Heracles, 80, 83, 94, 112, 120, 189, 192, 201, 205, 259

  Hermias, 40, 43

  Hermolaus, 185-6, 187

  Herodotus, 139, 173, 177, 239

  Hindu Rush, 168, 211

  Homer, 20, 28, 44, 52, 71, 90, 113, 118, 158, 198, 207, 244, 247, 256

  Hydaspes, 195, 198, 205

  Hyrcania, 153, 157, 158, 178

  Iliad, 28, 42, 142, 158

  Illyria, Illyrians, 22, 35, 36, 45, 47, 57, 58, 65, 77, 80-1, 84

  India, 9, 11, 14, 128, 129, 137, 161, 167, 177, 185, 189 ff., 203 ff., 207, 212, 215, 222, 224, 225, 230, 239, 244, 264

  Indus, 189-90, 193, 195, 203, 211, 212, 214, 263

  Iollas, 248, 259, 260, 262

  Isocrates, 36, 38, 39

  Issus, 100, 109, 118, 123, 130, 131, 132, 135, 137, 151

  Ister, 77, 78-9, 80, 170

  Italy, 16, 245, 250

  Jaxartes, 171, 172

  Judaea, 6, 11, 107

  Justin, 12, 76

  Kandahar, 181, 212

  Kashmir, 199-200

  Khyber, 190, 203, 211

  Kipling, Rudyard, 177, 192

  Lambarus, 77, 80, 102

  Lawrence, T. E., 236

  League of Corinth, 230

  Leonnatus, 64, 207

  Leonidas, 27, 28, 141, 145, 194

  Lyceum, 11, 12, 17, 40, 159, 175, 188, 249

  Lysander, 231

  Lysimachus, 28, 113, 196, 257

  Lysippus, 69

  Maedi, 45, 77

  Makran, 218, 219, 251

  Mallians, 205, 206, 207, 210, 220

  Marathon, 50, 83

  Mardians, 158

  Mark Antony, 7, 97, 99

  Marsden, E. W., 138-9

  Massaga, 191

  Mazaces, 118

  Mazaeus, 130, 131, 135, 137, 140 f.

  Medea (Euripides), 65

  Media, Medes, 150, 160, 222

  Medius, 258-9, 261

  Melkart, 112, 123

  Memnon, 87, 88, 90, 93, 97, 100, 109, 150, 226

  Memphis, 6, 118, 120, 122

  Mesopotamia, 108, 129, 142

  Midas, 98

  Middle Ages, 15, 41, 91

  Miletus, 95, 96, 97, 114

  Montrose, James Graham, 87

  Multan, 206, 221, 246

  Musicanus, 212

  Nabarzanes, 101 ff., 130, 137, 150 ff., 168, 170

  Nearchus, 14, 193, 194, 203, 204, 207, 209-10, 211, 214, 215, 218, 219, 221, 225, 226, 245-6, 2
47, 250, 258, 265

  Nebuchadnezzar, 139

  Nectanebo, 7, 8, 122

  Neoptolemus, 22

  Nichomachus, 40, 162, 163

  Nicias, 131

  Nile, 118, 119, 190, 203, 250

  Nysa, 192, 193

  Ochus (Artaxerxes III), 29, 38, 43, 61, 87, 100, 109, 112, 119, 145, 150, 151, 161, 227, 248

  Olympias, 7-8, 21, 22, 23-4, 26, 27, 32, 39, 44, 45, 46, 48, 55, 56, 58, 59, 61, 63, 64, 65, 76, 88, 121, 126, 181, 228, 237, 245, 249-50, 267, 268

  Olympic Games, 22, 70, 232

  Omphis, 190, 193, 194, 197, 199

  “On Horsemanship” (Xenophon), 33

  Opis, 5, 233, 237, 238, 240

  Orxines, 223

  Oxathres, 103, 139, 156, 161, 164, 170, 172, 173

  Oxus, 169-70, 175, 178, 218, 246

  Oxyartes, 182, 210

  Parallel Lives (Plutarch), 13

  Parmenion, 22, 60, 61, 75, 76, 79, 87, 91, 95, 97, 98, 99, 102, 103, 109, 116, 122, 133 ff., 140, 142, 147, 148, 157, 162, 164 ff., 178, 180

  Parysatis, 227

  Pasargadae, 146, 221, 222

  Patroclus, 44, 240, 241, 247, 251, 252, 257

  Patron, 151-2, 156

  Pausanias, 34, 35, 55, 62-3, 65, 66, 68, 76

  Peithagoras, 244, 247

  Pella, 20, 30, 38, 43, 60, 77, 89, 243, 249

  Pelopidas, 20

  Peloponnesian War, 35, 47, 131

  Perdiccas III, 19, 20-1, 73, 75

  Perdiccas (general), 6, 64, 84, 89, 91, 190, 196, 206, 208, 244, 259, 265, 266, 267

  Pericles, 37, 50, 51

  Perinthus, 46, 47

  Persepolis, 139, 144 ff., 153, 160, 221 ff., 248

  Persian War, 61

  Persis, 144

  Peucestas, 206, 207, 208, 221, 223, 230, 250, 253, 264, 266

  Pharnaces, 204-5

  Phidias, 94

  Philip II, 8, 10, 17, 19-26, 27, 29, 30, 32 ff., 44 ff., 71, 73 ff., 79, 82, 84 ff., 88-9, 97, 99, 108, 109, 121, 123, 159, 168, 177, 178, 184, 234, 238

  Philip (doctor), 99, 241

  Philostratus, 198

  Philotas, 60, 79, 81, 83, 91, 96, 110, 122-3, 144, 162-4, 165-6