three certain and infallible, methods of learning to reign without the assistance of others. The conversation of persons of fine sense instructs a prince while it amuses him, and teaches him a thousand curious and useful things without costing him the least trouble. The lessons which able, masters give him, on the most exalted sciences, and articularly upon politics, improve his mind, wonderfully, and furnish him with rules to govern his subjects with wisdom. And lastly, study, especially that of history, crowns all the rest, and is to him a preceptor for all seasons and for all hours, who, without ever growing troublesome, acquaints him with truths which no one else would dare to tell him, and, under fictitious names, exhibits the prince to himself; teaches him to know himself as well as mankind, who are the same in all ages. Alexander owed all these advantages to the cxcellent education which Aristotle gave him.

He had also a taste for the whole circle of arts, but such as becomes a prince; that is, he knew the value and usefulness of them. Music, painting, sculpture, architecture, flourished in his reign, because they found in him both a skilful judge and a generous protector, who was able to distinguish and reward merit, wherever displayed.

But ne despised certain trifling feats of dexterity, that were of no use. Much admiration was lavished on a man, who employed himself very earnestly in throwing small peas through the eye of a needle, which he would do at a considerable distance, and without once missing. Alexander seeing him thus engaged, ordered him, as we are told, a present suitable to his employment, viz. a basket of pease.

Alexander was of a lively disposition; resolute, and very tenacious of his opinion, which never gave way to compulsion, but at the same time would submit unmediately to reason and good sense. It requires great judgment and delicacy to manage such a disposition. Philip accordingly, notwithstanding his double authority of king and father, believed it necessary to employ persuasica rather than constraint with respect to his so!, and endeavoured to make himself beloved rather than feared by him.

An accidental occurrence made him entertain a very advantage ous opinion of Alexander. There had been sent from Thessaly to Philip a war-horse, a noble, fiery, generous beast, called Bucephalus. The owner offered to sell him for thirteen talents, about 19007. sterling. The king went into the plains, attended by his courtiers, in order to make trial of this horse; but he appeared so very fierce, and reared so when any one came near him, that no

Quintil.

*Plut. de Fortun. Alex. Scrm. ii. p. 333. † Μάρτυρα ἔλαβον καὶ θιατὴν, τὸν ἄριστα κεῖναι τὸ κατορθούμενον, καὶ μάλιστα ἀμείψασθαι δυνάμενον. tib. ii. cap. 21. Ve may suppose it was some instrument in the shape of a needle. Some think he was called so, because his head was like that of an o

one dare to mount him. Philip, being angry that so furious and unmanageable a creature had been sent him, ordered him back again. Alexander, who was present, cried out, What a noble horse they are going to lose, for want of address and boldness to back him! Philip, at first, considered these words as the effect of folly and rashness, so common to young men: but as Alexander insisted still more upon what he had said, and was very much vexed to see so noble a creature just going to be sent home again, his father gave him leave to try what he could do. The young prince, overjoyed at this permission, goes up to Bucephalus, takes hold of his bridle, and turns his head to the sun; having observed that what frighted him was his own shadow, he seeing it dance about, or sink down, in proportion as he moved. He, therefore, first stroked him gently with his hand, and soothed him with his voice; then seeing his fierceness abate, and artfully taking nis opportunity, he let fall his cloak, and springing swiftly upon his back, first slackens the rein, without once striking or vexing him: and when he perceived that his fire was cooled, that he was no longer so furious and violent, and wanted only to move forward, he gave him the rein, and spurring him with great vigour, animated him with his voice to his full speed. While this was doing, Philip and his whole court trembled for fear, and did not once open their lips; but when the prince, after having run his first heat, returned with joy and pride, at his having broke a horse which was judged absolutely ungovernable, all the courtiers in general endeavoured to outvie one another in their applauses and congratulations; and, we are told, Philip shed tears of joy on this occasion, and embracing Alexander after he was alighted, and kissing his head, said to him, My son, seck a kingdom more worthy of thee, for Macedon is below thy merit.

We are told a great many surprising particulars of this Ducephalus; for whatever had any relation to Alexander, was to be of the marvellous kind. When this creature was saddled and equipped for battle, he would suffer no one to back him but his master; and it would not have been safe for any other person to go near him. Whenever Alexander wanted to mount him, he would kneel down upon his fore-feet. According to some historians, in the battle against Porus, where Alexander had plunged too imprudently amidst a body of the enemy, his horse, though covered with wounds, did however exert himself in so vigorous a manner that he saved his master's life; and notwithstanding the deep wounds he had received, and though almost spent through the great effision of blood, he brought off Alexander from among the combatants, and carried him with inexpressible vigour to a place of security; where, perceiving† the king was no longer in danger, and overjoved in some measure to die after the service he had done

* Aul. Gei. 1. v. c. 2. † Et domini jam superstitis securus, quasi cum sensûs numani solatio, animam expiravit. Aul. Gell.

him, he expired. This indeed is a very noble end for a horse. Others say, that Bucephalus, quite worn out, died at thirty years of age. Alexander bewailed his death bitterly, believing that he had lost in him a most faithful and affectionate friend; and afterwards built a city on the very spot where he was buried, near the river Hydaspes, and called it Bucephalia, in honour of him.

I have related elsewhere that Alexander, at sixteen years of age, was appointed regent of Macedonia, and invested with absolute authority during his father's absence; that he behaved with great prudence and bravery; and that afterwards he distinguished himseif in a most signal manner at the battle of Cheronea.

SECT. II.

He

Alexander, after the death of Phi'ip, ascends the throne at twenty years of age. subjects and reduces the nations contiguous to Macedon, who had revolted. He goes into Greece, to dissolve the alliance formed against him. He captures and destroys Thebes, and pardons the Athenians. He procures himself to be nominated, in the diet or assembly at 'orinth, generalissimo of the Greeks against Persia. He returns to Macedon, and makes preparations for carrying his arms into Asia.

A. M. 3668. Ant. J. C. 336.

Darius and Alexander began to reign the same year: the latter was but twenty when he succeeded to the crown. His first care was to solemnize the funeral obsequies of his father with the utmost pomp, and to revenge death.

Upon his accession to the throne, he saw himself surrounded on every side with extreme dangers. The barbarous nations against whom Philip had fought during his whole reign, and from whom he had made several conquests, which he ha united to his crown, after having dethroned their natural kings thought proper to take the advantage of this juncture, in which a new prince, who was but young, had ascended the throne, for recovering their liberty, and uniting against the common usurper. Nor was he under less apprehensions from Greece. Philip, though he had permitted the several cities and commonwealths to continue to all outward appearance their ancient form of government, had however entirely changed it in reality, and made himself absolute master of it. Though absent, he nevertheless predominated in all the assemblies; and not a single resolution was taken, but in subordination to his will. Though he ha suueu all Greece, either by the terror of his arms, or the secret machinations of policy, he had not had time sufficient to subject and accustom it to his power, but had left all things in it in great ferment and disorder, the minds of the vanquished not being yet calmed nor moulded to subjection.

The Macedonians, reflecting on this precarious situation of things, advised Alexander to relinquish Greece, and not to persist

*Plut. in Alex. p. 670. 672. Diod. 1. xvii. p. 486-489. Arrian. 1. i. de Expedit Alex. p. 2-23

m his resolution of subduing it by force; to recover by gentle methods the barbarians who had taken arms, and to sooth, as it were, those glimmerings of revolt and innovation by prudent reserve, complacency, and insinuations, in order to conciliate affection. However, Alexander would not listen to these timorous counsels, but resolved to secure a support his affairs by boldness and magnanimity; firmly persuaded, that should he relax in any point at first, all his reighbours would fall upon him; and that were he to endeavour to compromise matters, he should be obliged to give up all Philip's conquests, and thus to confine his dominions to the narrow limits of Macedon. He therefore made all possible haste to check the arms of the barbarians, by marching his troops with the greatest expedition to the banks of the Danube, which he crossed in one night. He defeated the king of the Triballi in a great battle: made the Getæ fly at his approach; subdued several barbarous nations, some by the terror of his name, and others by force of arms; and notwithstanding the arrogant answer of their ambassadors, he taught them to dread a danger still more hear them than the falling of the sky and planets.

Whilst Alexander was thus employed at a distance against the barbarians, all the cities of Greece, who were animated more particularly by Demosthenes, formed a powerful alliance against that prince. A false report which prevailed of his death, inspired the Thebans with a boldness that proved their ruin. They cut to pieces part of the Macedonian garrison in their citadel. Demosthenes, on the other side, was every day haranguing the people; and, fired with contempt for Alexander, whom he called a child, and a hair-brained boy, he assured the Athenians, with a decisive tone of voice, that they had nothing to fear from the new king of Macedon, who did not dare to stir out of his kingdom; but would think himself vastly happy, could he sit peaceably on his throne. At the same time he wrote letters upon letters to Attalus, one of Philip's lieutenants in Asia Minor, to excite him to rebel. This Attalus was uncle to Cleopatra, Philip's second wife, and was very much disposed to listen to Demosthenes's proposals. Nevertheless, as Alexander was grown very diffident of him, for which he knew there was but too much reason; he, therefore, to eradicate from his mind all the suspicions which he might entertain, and the better to screen his designs, sent all Demosthenes's letters to that prince. But Alexander saw through all his artifices, and thereupon ordered Hecatæus, one of his commanders, whom he had sent into Asia for that purpose, to have him assassinated, which was

Θεραπεύειν τὰς ἀρχὰς τῶν νεωτερισμών. † Alexander, imagining that his name only had struck these people with terror, asked their ambassadors what things they dreaded most? They replied, with a haughty tone of voice, that they were afraid of nothing but the falling of the sky and stars. Eschia. contra Ctesiph. p. 45 It is Magirus in Greek a werd which has many significations in that language.

A. M. 3669.

executed accordingly. Attalus's death restored tranquillity to the army, and entirely destroyed the seeds of discord and repellion. When Alexander had secured his kingdom from Ant. J. C 335. the barbarians, he marched with the utmost expedition towards Greece, and passed Thermopyla. He then said to those who accompanied hi.: Demosthenes called me, in his orations, a child, when I was in Illyria, and among the Triballi; he called me a young man when I was in Thessaly; and I must now show him, before the walls of Athens, that I am a man grown. He appeared so suddenly in Boeotia, that the Thebans could scarce believe their eyes. When he came before their walls he was willing to give them time to repent, and only demanded to have Phoenix and Prothutes, the two chief ringleaders of the revolt, delivered up to him; and published by sound of trumpet, a general pardon to all who should come over to him. But the Thebans, by way of insult, demanded to have Philotas and Antipater delivered to them; and invited, in the same manner, all who were solicitous for the liberty of Greece, to join with them in its defence.

Alexander, finding it impossible for him to get the better of their obstinacy by offers of peace, saw with grief that he should be forced to employ his power, and decide the affair by force of arms A great battle was thereupon fought, in which the Thebans ex erted themselves with a bravery and ardour much beyond their strength, for the enemy exceeded them vastly in numbers: but after a long and vigorous resistance, such as survived of the Macedonian garrison in the citadel, coming down from it and charging the Thebans in the rear, being thus surrounded on all sides, the greatest part of them were cut to pieces, and the city was taken and plundered.

It would be impossible for words to express the dreadful calamities which the Thebans suffered on the occasion. Some Thracians having pulled down the house of a virtuous lady of quality, Timoclea by name, carried off all her goods and treasures; and their captain having seized the lady, and satiated his brutal lust with her, afterwards inquired whether she had not concealed gold and silver. Timoclea, animated by an ardent desire of revenge, replying that she had hid some, took him with herself only into her garden, and showing him a well, told him, that the instant she saw the enemy enter the city, she herself had thrown into it the most valuable things in her possession. The officer, overjoyed at what he heard, drew near the well, and stooping down to see its depth, Timoclea, who was behind, pushing him with all her strength, threw him into the well, and afterwards killed him with great stones which she threw upon him. She was instantly seized by the Thracians, and being bound in chains, was carried before Alexander. The prince perceived immediately by her mien, that she was a woman of quality and great spirit, for she followed those brutal wretches with a haughty air, and without discovering the