CHAPTER XXV.

THE ACCESSION OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

His early youth-Exploits-Execution of the murderers of Philip-Alexander celebrates his father's memory-Expeditions of Alexander-Insurrections in Illyria Revolt of Thebes Proposal of peace-Story by Plutarch Return of Alexander to Macedonia-Celebration of it-His schemes for conquest in the east.

266. THE early youth of Alexander was more influenced by the spirit of Olympias than by the counsels of Philip. His boyhood displayed the qualities which ripened in the man. One of his teachers, Leonidas, trained him in the hardy habits of the soldier; and another, Lysimachus, fanned in him the ambition of a conqueror, by leading him to meditate on the deeds of Achilles, from whom he was said to have descended; the most accomplished teachers in Greece instructed him in poetry and music; while Aristotle directed his studies in medicine, history, philosophy, and politics: the most eminent of teachers thus meeting with the most illustrious of pupils. His military education, as we may readily suppose, engaged the care of his father. Philip is said by Plutarch to have wept for joy when he saw his son master the horse Bucephalus, which afterwards bore him in so many conquests, and which none, before the royal youth, had ventured to mount. During his father's absence in Thrace, he astonished and alarmed the Persian ambassadors by his spirit and sagacity, when, at the age of twelve or sixteen, he questioned them on the nature of their government, their modes of warfare, the character of their sovereign, the situation of his capital, and the state of the roads in his dominions. During the same absence of his father, he acted as the regent of the kingdom, repelled an invasion of the Illyrians from the borders; and planted a colony, to which he gave his own name, in their chief city. He accompanied his father in the Scythian war; and on one occasion saved his life. At the age of nineteen, he commanded the left wing of Philip's victorious army against the sacred band of Thebes, in the memorable battle of Charonea. Thus prepared, by native genius, by instruction, and more experience than falls to the lot of many sove

reigns in their ripest years, Alexander ascended his father's throne, at the age of twenty. His situation was one of great and various difficulties. The policy of Philip had been so secret, that his successor was left in the midst of these difficulties to judge, and to act, entirely for himself. Amyntas, the brother of his father, still lived to dispute his right to the throne and Attalus, whose niece, married to Philip, had been cruelly murdered by Olympias, was likely to support Amyntas. The states, which had been forced to submit to Philip, were eager to throw off the yoke. Persia was on the watch. Sparta, Elis, Argos, and nearly the whole of Arcadia, were preparing to renounce the Macedonian alliance. The garrisons left by Philip were drawn from Ambracia, when the old democratical government was restored. The Thebans had resolved to revive their citadel. The Athenians were receiving secret help from Persia, and negotiating with Attalus against Alexander.

267. To secure the stability of his government at home, the young king caused an inquiry to be made into the cause of his father's murder, the result of which was the execution of Heromenes and Arrabæus, sons of Aeropus, the Lyncestian, and some other persons of less note, who were believed to have been accomplices of Pausanias, and to have acted in concert with the Persian government. After these executions, Amyntas was put to death, on a charge of attempting to destroy the king.

268. Alexander, having completed the funeral honours to the memory of his father, declared, in an assembly of the people, his purpose of following out the plans which Philip had left unfinished. He then hastened into Greece, received the submission of the Thessalians, of the Thebans, and of the Athenians; and sent a trusty officer into Asia, who caused Attalus to be put to death. At Corinth, he assembled deputies from all the states of Greece, who invested him, like his father, with the supreme command in the war with Persia. Sparta, retaining her ancient firmness, refused to concur. In a few weeks, he settled his affairs in Greece, and returned to Macedonia.

269. To subdue the hostile barbarians, he proceeded, early in the following spring, to the principal defile of Mount Hamus, or the Balkan, through which the passage lay to the country of the Triballians. A height, commanding the

up

defile, was occupied by the Thracians, where they intrenched themselves behind their wagons, which they prepared to roll down on the Macedonians as they marched the steep ascent. Alexander ordered such of his troops as were able to open their ranks to make room for the wagons to pass; while such of them as were not in a condition to do this, were ordered to fall flat on the earth; closing their shields over their heads, so that the wagons might bound over them. He then attacked the enemy with his unbroken force; put the greater part to flight; killed fifteen hundred; took possession of their camp, and sent the prisoners and the women to be sold in the cities bordering on the Euxine.

270. Having thus secured his passage beyond the mountains, he marched in three days to the Danube, which he crossed, with his whole army, in the night; and in the morning surprised and dispersed a large body of the Getæ, of whose town he took possession. There he received offers of submission, or of peace, from many of the tribes bordering on the Danube. Observing the large stature and haughty air of some Celts, he asked them, "What are you most afraid of?" They proudly answered, "The falling of the sky." Alexander gave them assurances of friendship and alliance, but said to some of his attendants, "These Celts are an arrogant people." Returning towards Macedonia, through Agriania and Pæonia, which were friendly countries, he was induced, by tidings of an insurrection in Illyria, to march to Pellion, a strong fortress of the Illyrians, held by Cleitus, their king, now in alliance with Glaucias, king of the Taulantians. After many efforts of skill and bravery against a greatly superior force, well acquainted with their forests, and the winding passes between the mountains, he succeeded in slaying numbers, taking many prisoners, and driving their despairing remnant, who burned their fortress, into the recesses of the Taulantian mountains.

271. In Greece, a report was circulated that Alexander had fallen in the Illyrian war. The Thebans believing—at least hoping that the report was true, recalled their exiles, murdered two Macedonian officers, enfranchised their slaves, and laid siege to the citadel. In these measures, they were encouraged by the Athenians and other states. Tidings of this revolt reached Alexander in Illyria. In thirteen days, he was in Boeotia. While slowly approaching Thebes, he

offered peace on favourable terms, which were rejected with scorn. The attacks and insults of the Thebans provoked Perdiccas, the leader of Alexander's advanced division, to begin an assault without waiting for orders, in which he was followed by Amyntas, the commander of the next division. Seeing his officers and men beaten back by the Thebans, Alexander brought up a close phalanx, drove the Thebans within their gates, which, in their confusion, they had left open, and the Macedonians and their auxiliaries rushed in; six thousand of the Thebans were slain, and thirty thousand taken prisoners. In a council of the allies, it was decreed that the citadel should be occupied by a Macedonian garrison; that the lower city should be destroyed; that all the lands, except such as were sacred to the temples, should be divided among the allies; and that all the citizens, excepting only the priests, priestesses, and adherents of Alexander, should be sold for slaves. The work of destruction was accomplished by the ferocity of the Thracians by the resentment of the Phocians-and by the citizens of Orchomenus, Thespiæ, and Platea, who had been cruelly wronged by Thebes in the days of her power.

272. By the orders of Alexander, the house of Pindar, the poet, was spared, with such of his descendants as were found in Thebes. It is related by Plutarch, that a band of Thracians having plundered the house of Timoclea, a Theban matron, their commander insulted her, and demanded her gold and silver. She led him into a garden, and showed him a well into which she told him she had flung her richest treasures. As he was stooping to reach them, she pushed him headlong into it, and covered him with stones. The soldiers dragged her, in chains, to Alexander. Her firm carriage, and fearless aspect, struck the conqueror, who said to her," Who are you, that dare to do so bold a deed ?" "I am," she answered, "the sister of Theagenes, who fell fighting against Philip, for the freedom of Greece, at ChaThe action and the answer were both so gratifying to the king, that he set herself and her children free.

ronea.

273. The severe treatment of Thebes filled the rest of

Greece with awe of the conqueror. Sparta alone was silent. Tho other states made haste to implore Alexander's mercy. The Athenians sent envoys to congratulate him on his victories. He demanded the persons of Demosthenes

and of the other leaders of the party opposed to Macedonia, on whom he laid the blame of the revolt at Thebes. By the arts of Demades, the open friend of Macedonia, Alexander was satisfied, while the lives of the Athenians were saved.

274. The return of Alexander to Macedonia was celebrated with the utmost pomp of magnificence. The ancient capital Egea, became the theatre of solemnities, resembling those of Olympus. For nine days, the Muses were honoured with games and sacrifices at Dium, in Pieria. The principal officers of the Macedonian army, together with ambassadors from the states of Greece, were entertained at the table of the king. In the midst of these festivities, Alexander opened to his friends his schemes of conquest in the east. Parmenio and Antipater, who had won the confidence of Philip by their wisdom, entreated him to defer the expedition until he had a son who could succeed him on his throne. But the ardour of Alexander, and his confidence in his own genius, brooked no delay. His mind was filled with the prospect which fired his ambition.