by David Alkek
Phillip saw Olympias go to the basket in the shadows and return with two snakes in her hands. She danced wildly, twisting and fondling the snakes in her flailing arms. Philip was intoxicated with the ritual wine, the wild rites, and the exotic woman with the snakes. He was hopelessly entranced.
Philip couldn’t get Olympias out of his mind and returned to Pella determined that he would have that enchantress for his wife. He searched for an opportunity to visit Mollosia in Epirus, and sent a message to her brother proposing an alliance.
Molossia lay north of Greece and south of Macedon on the Ionian Sea. It would protect Philip's right flank if he were to face a combined Greek force. Its king would also welcome an alliance with his strong northern neighbor.
After the successful negotiations, the King of Epirus gave a banquet to celebrate in Philip's honor. Wine and fruit was passed around as the dancing girls entertained. The two kings toasted one another. Philip didn’t ask why the other side of his couch was unoccupied. He soon discovered the reason.
The door to the hall was opened by the senior guard, who bowed low to the woman who took two steps into the room and stopped, surveying it with piercing dark eyes. Of regal bearing, she wore a long black robe trimmed with gold ribbon. The same gold ribbon and white shells were braided into her dark hair, while ringlets were left to dangle in front of her ears.
The boisterous hall hushed to a murmur, as all eyes turned to this dark apparition. Philip was enthralled. Never had he seen a woman take control of so many men with only her presence. Her eyes found Philip's and remained there as she strode with easy grace to the raised platform and stood beside him.
The king didn’t know that Philip had met Olympias on Samothrace, or that he had introduced him to those mysterious Dionysian rites.
The king said, "This is my sister, Olympias. Olympias, may I present..."
"I have already met King Philip, the brave conqueror from Macedon." She held out her hand.
Philip took it. Memories of wild rites and dancing with snakes flooded his mind. His mouth opened, and he heard himself say, "It’s a pleasure to see you again." He helped her to his couch and joined her.
The Molossian king raised a toast to Philip. Before he could sip, Olympias said, "To you, Sire, may the gods bless all your triumphs, until you lead all in an invasion of Asia." He raised his cup in acknowledgment and met her unflinching gaze. Fire shone in those eyes. She smiled and drained her cup, then turned and motioned a slave to refill it.
Philip was enthralled. He struggled through a haze of emotions as he exchanged talk with the alluring, dark beauty. She fascinated him with talk of portents, of the will and actions of the gods, and how she could read them. "I am a descendent of Achilles on my father's side," she said, as if all who knew her were aware of that fact. “The great hero of Troy was raised to Olympus as a god, but not before he left behind my ancestor."
"And what is that curious belt around your waist? It looks like a snake. Is it a symbol of Achilles?"
"Yes, it is a snake, but has nothing to do with Achilles. It was my pet, its name Argos, like the ship of Jason, for I allowed it to wander through the palace."
"You allowed this snake to roam your brother's palace?" Philip could hardly believe it. He hated snakes. "It wasn't poisonous of course."
"It was poisonous when I befriended it, although I had its poison sacs removed at my brother's insistence. I have others in a basket in my chambers. Would you like to see them?"
"Perhaps later," Philip was anxious to visit her chamber but not to see her snakes.
She said in a low voice, "I'll send a message with my slave to you later when it's safe for you to come to my room."
He raised his cup and winked, "You must promise to keep your snakes in their basket."
She laughed and saluted with her cup, "I promise."
When the rest of the palace was asleep, Olympias' slave girl led Philip to her room. Candles flickered in the corners, while fragrant smoke floated from a bronze brazier next to a wall. Olympias wore a loose-fitting white gown, with her hair combed down around her shoulders. Philip could trace the nipples that tented the gown, and could barely make out the shadow between her legs.
He was immediately aroused. She opened her arms, and without a sound, he stepped into them, enveloping her with his own muscular limbs. They fell across the bed and sank into the soft purple satin.
Olympias placed her hand across Philip's mouth and rose from the bed. She strode to the center of the room and threw off her robe. She wore only a thin gold chain, fashioned like a snake, around her waist. Philip was completely captivated. He wanted to grab this apparition and ravage her.
She turned and walked to the censer. Grabbing a handful of herbs from an adjacent bowl, she threw it on the burning coals. A plume of smoke filled the room with its intoxicating aroma. She danced through it, chanting in a tongue that Philip did not understand. He was mesmerized by this enchantress, who continued her incantations. She came to Philip, and slowly undressed him as the smoke encircled her. She ran her hands over his broad, hairy chest and cupped them around his strong erection. He groaned.
She fell silent and slipped into the bed next to him. He folded her body into his and devoured her like a famished beast.
She had done her magic. Philip was hers.
Philip's personal and sexual life was as wild and free as his political one. He liked boys, but he liked women more, and married as many of them as he could. This was expected of Macedonian kings. When he met Olympias however, he was completely captivated by her spirit. She enchanted him. He asked the king for her hand, knowing that it would be a good alliance. She would be his first wife.
"It will be a good union,” the king told his sister. “Philip has an army that will soon dominate all Greece, and then he will invade Asia with its untold riches.”
Olympias stuck out her chin, "I will not marry him unless I am the only queen. I will not share his bed with any other wives."
"But Olympias, Macedonian kings have many wives. They are parts of alliances."
"I don't care," she stamped her foot. "Tell Philip I will marry him only if I remain his chief wife. My children with him will be his heirs, and not any from other wives. That is my answer."
The king presented her conditions to Philip, who was so taken with Olympias that he accepted. "Tell her that I will accept her as my queen and mother to my heirs." This was a princess whose will and ambition matched his own.
Philip could not get Olympias out of his mind and returned to Pella and announced the marriage and alliance with Epirus. Philip’s subjects were overjoyed and looked forward with happy anticipation to the first wedding of their king.
Olympias was equally attracted to Philip, and looked forward to sharing a bed with the man who was making Macedon a powerful kingdom. The wedding was a royal celebration in the city that Philip was building into a Greek capital. Three days of festivities culminated with the royal couple appearing on a balcony outside their wedding chamber.
They waved and smiled at the happy crowd. Macedonian generals and nobles, next to those from Epirus, raised their voices in congratulation. People filled the courtyard and beyond, dancing and singing praises to the royal pair. All prayed for a son and heir as a speedy issue.
Afterward Olympias told Philip that she had a dream during their wedding night. "I dreamed that a lightning bolt struck me as I slept and all was aflame around me. I felt the lightning strike within me. It was Zeus impregnating me."
Philip laughed," it was not a god; it was me. My lightning bolt entered you. See it's ready again." He reached for her.
She kissed him and made love, but didn’t forget the dream. She would remember and retell it.
* * *
Olympias and Philip shared a consuming love, for both were passionate, with excitable tempers and intelligent energy. Philip enjoyed drinking and partying with the men, and of course hunting and fighting. Olympias became active in the Dionysian rites that the women of Macedon and Th
race were addicted to. Her wild Molossian temperament was given free rein in the cult known for its excessive rituals. She developed a reputation for communing with the gods and possibly even sorcery. Snakes in particular fascinated her, and she avidly took to dancing with them, and even kept them in the palace.
One night, Philip came to her bed after carousing with his fellows. He pulled back the covers and saw a snake coiled around Olympias' naked waist. It was green with black spots that looked like eyes over its glistening body. To raise its head and Philip, candlelight reflected in the slited eyes. It flicked out its wet tongue, as if tasting Philip's scent. He recoiled in shock, almost dropping the sheet. A stifled scream caught in his throat.
"Hush", she said. "It is the God Apollo. Don't disturb him." She stroked its head. The snake flicked out its quivering tongue. Philip was shocked into silence. Disgusted, he left the chamber and slept with his men.
This scene and others similar to it repeated itself over the years. Even though they shared passions of love, energy, and ambition, the fires gradually cooled. Philip would wander to other beds and other wives, while Olympias’ jealousy would rage hot. Tired of competing with divine lovers, Philip turned his attention more and more to other women.
* * *
Aristotle and Phidias and heard the tales of Olympias' jealousy of Philip's other wives and sexual meanderings. They were told that she was a woman of intelligence and strong will and possessed a fiery temper, and were warned not to be taken in by her intrigues.
"The queen has asked for us to pay her a visit," Aristotle told Phidias. "She wants to meet Alexander's new tutors."
Phidias sat down in a chair, facing his mentor and friend. "I suppose, as his mother, she has an interest in who his tutors are."
"It's not that simple," Aristotle confided. "She is angry at the king replaced the other tutors that she had obtained. She means to control Alexander, and resets that he has taken him from her. She uses Alexander as leverage against the king. It's the old-fashioned power struggle with the son as pawn."
"I see," said Phidias stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Perhaps we should refuse to see her."
"We can't do that; she's the queen. But we must be circumspect. Don't say anything to deserve her anger. Remember, you are here only to be a tutor for her son. And I was the one who was invited by the king, and brought you as my assistant."
"I'll be careful what I say," said Phidias.
* * *
Olympias wanted to meet the new tutors from Athens. She resented Philip's dismissal of the other ones that she had provided for Alexander. She knew that the king was trying to undermine her influence with him. Well, maybe she could use these new men.
Aristotle had proved to be invulnerable to her. He told her that he had Philip's confidence and had total control of Alexander's education. Perhaps this man Phidias would be more pliable, she thought.
She asked him to come to her chambers. "Sit down, Master Phidias." She motioned a slave girl to pour the wine. "Would you like some fruit?" She waved to a bowl at the table next to them.
"No thank you, your Majesty."
"And how do you like Pella so for?" she smiled. "The weather is pleasant in the summer, but can be quite cold in winter." She spoke of generalities to disarm him, then asked, "and what is your opinion of young Alexander?"
Phidias was wary of the queen's jealousy and competition with the king over their son. His answer was guarded. "He is an intelligent young man, eager to learn. He has much physical energy as well, much more than other boys of his age. He will make a fine king."
"Of course he will," she said with pride. "As a mother I am concerned with his education. I'm sure you can appreciate that. I want to be informed of his progress. You will report directly to me weekly."
Phidias bowed his head, "With all respect, your Majesty, I cannot do that."
A dark shadow furrowed Olympias' brow, and the pleasantness left her voice. "I command you," her voice rose to impress her point. "I am the queen."
"Yes, you are, but I am under the authority of Aristotle and the king. If they wish for me to report to you, I will, but I cannot agree to do so on my own. I hope you understand."
"I understand, Master Phidias. I thought that we could be friends, but I see it is not to be. I trust you will be more skillful in teaching then you are in ingratiating a queen. I am sure that we will have other meetings in the time that you are here. For now, you are excused."
"Thank you, your Majesty," Phidias bowed and left. He realized that he may have made an enemy of the queen.
Chapter 16
Alexander was not yet fourteen, but a precocious boy physically and mentally, when Aristotle and Phidias arrived in Pella. He was an adolescent who was anxious to grow up and enjoy the freedom of adulthood. His new tutor would have his hands full, like trying to cap a roaring volcano.
Aristotle would take Alexander as his sole charge, while Phidias had the responsibility of tutoring his half-brothers and the sons of nobles, although he also taught Alexander history and geography. They soon became aware of the passionate temper that Alexander came by naturally from both parents. At first Aristotle had less success with Alexander, than Alexander had with Bucephalus.
The thrill of taming that royal steed had only whetted his appetite. He sought out wild horses that were brought to Pella and dared other youths to tame them with him. One day, Alexander went with four other boys, all fourteen or fifteen years of age, to the corral, having heard that some new horses were brought in from Thrace. They climbed up on the fence and looked at the animals that were running around the enclosure. "Let's each pick one." Alexander said, excited. "Whoever can tame his horse first will get a new bow."
"What new bow?" asked a boy.
"A guard in my father's palace has it from a battle. He said I could have it when I turned fifteen. I'll bet I can talk him out of it. Let's see who can tame a horse. I pick that white one with a black streak on its nose."
All the other boys picked out horses, and the rough sport was on. In the course of the contest, one youth was bitten, another was kicked and suffered broken ribs, and another was thrown and broke an arm. Alexander suffered no injuries and was the first to control his horse, and ride it around the corral.
In spite of the injuries, all the boys laughed and poked fun at one another. "Let's celebrate our victories, "Alexander said. "We can have a party tonight. The wine steward will give me the wine, and we can meet outside the gymnasium."
They all knew that they could sneak out of their houses after dinner, and Alexander was known for his wild parties. He was beginning to have a taste for wine, like his father.
And indeed, the party got rowdy. Wine can bring out aggression in some people, especially boys who like to bully. One of the youths, who was big for his age, pushed another who had bumped against him. "Watch where you're going, horse's ass."
The other boy pushed back. "Who are you calling a horse's ass? Your face looks like one, you son of a whore."
The larger boy grabbed the smaller one by the tunic and swung him into a group of boys that Alexander was standing with. Alexander picked up the fallen boy, who was a friend of his, and spoke to him. "Cleitus, he may be larger and stronger than you, but he's clumsy, already stumbling from too much wine. You can beat him. Remember what we were taught about fighting."
Cleitus straightened up and threw off his tunic. "Yeah, I remember." He ran at the other youth who also had shed his tunic. He ran headfirst into his gut, winding him. While the boy was bent over getting back his breath, Cleitus hit him under the chin with his fist, then punched him in the nose. The other youths cheered and yelled. Cleitus reached back and with all the strength behind it, delivered a round house punch to the big boy's jaw. The boy fell over unconscious.
"Victory to Cleitus," Alexander yelled. "Let's all celebrate," as he passed around another jug of wine. "Let's all go hunting tomorrow," he said to no one in particular.
"But Alexander," one youth replie
d. "We might not feel so well after tonight."
"Horseshit!" Alexander shot back. "If you're going to be a soldier, you'll have to learn how to drink hard and fight hard the next day. Anyone who has the courage will join me after the sun rises. Bring your horse and spear, for we will hunt boar."
They all knew that was a dangerous sport, for hunters could be killed by the sharp tusks in an enraged boar. They also knew that, if they wanted to remain friends with this high-tempered youth, who would probably become king, then they would join him.
* * *
Aristotle realized that he had to get the attention of this lad, who would rather hunt and tame wild horses, then read Greek literature and philosophy. He knew he would have to make learning down to earth if it was to be interesting. So he mixed his thoughts about ethics and the purpose of a good life with practical matters. He showed how mathematics and scientific laws governed objects. He compared dissected animals with men wounded in battle. He consistently taught Alexander how to live like a civilized man, by maintaining the virtues of courage, justice, knowledge, and moderation. With time and patience, he calmed the tempestuous energy of youth, and turned some of it to an appreciation of wisdom.
One morning after Aristotle had been in Pella a year or so and had succeeded in getting Alexander's attention to more serious matters of learning, Philip came to pay him a visit. They were discussing some of Plato's thoughts on government. Philip listened and nodded with approval, as his son asked probing questions of the philosopher.
Aristotle looked at Philip, obviously wondering why he would interrupt their discussion. "What can I do for you, Sire?"
"I don't mean to intrude in your lessons, but I was so impressed by my son's reasoning. He agrees with me, that even though a ruler should be educated and wise, government should not be in the hands of philosophers. You know as well as I, that they would always argue with one another and nothing would get done." All three laughed.
"The reason I came was to talk to you and Alexander. My son is becoming a man. He lives with his brothers and noble youth. You and Phidias have been doing well in taming their wild nature, and making them civilized Greeks."
"Thank you, Sire" Aristotle said. "Alexander is a bright boy. He knows the Greek books and can quote from Homer. He also has a keen interest in the study of plants and animals."