PLUTARCH –The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander

PLUTARCH –The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander

356-323 BC

Aristoxenus in his Memoirs tells us that a most agreeable odour exhaled from his skin, and that his breath and body all over was so fragrant as to perfume the clothes which he wore next to him; the cause of which might probably be the hot and adjust temperament of his body. For sweet smells, Theophrastus conceives, are produced by the concoction of moist humours by heat, which is the reason that those part of the world which are driest and most burnt up afford spices of the best kind and in the greatest quantity; for the heat of the sun exhaust all the superfluous moisture which lies in the surface of bodies, ready to generate putrefaction.
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 542

While he was yet very young, he entertained the ambassadors from the King of Persia, in the absence of his father, and entering much into conversation with them, gained so much upon them by his affability, and the questions he asked them, which were far from being childish or trifling (for he inquired of them the length of the ways, the nature of the road into inner Asia, the character of their king, how he carried himself to his enemies, and what forces he was able to bring into the field),  that they were struck with admiration of him, and looked upon the ability so much famed of Philip to be nothing in comparison with the forwardness and high purpose that appeared thus early in his son.
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 542

Philonicus the Thessalian brought the horse Bucephalus to Philip, offering to sell him for thirteen talents; but when they went into the field to try him, they found him so very vicious and unmanageable, that he reared up when they endeavoured to mount him, and would not so much as endure the voice of any of Philip’s attendance. Upon which, as they were leading him away as wholly useless and untractable, Alexander, who stood by, said, “What an excellent horse do they lose for want of address and boldness to manage him!” Philip at first took no notice of what he said; but when he heard him repeat the same things several time, and saw he was much vexed to see the horse sent away, “Do you reproach, “ he said to him,” those who are older than yourself, as if you knew more and were better able to manage him that they? “I could manage this horse,” replied he,” Better than others do.” “And if you do not,” said Philip, “what will you forfeit for you rashness?” “I will pay,” answered Alexander, “the whole price of the horse.”

At this the whole company fell a-laughing; and as soon as the wager was settled amongst them he immediately ran to the horse, and taking hold of the bridle, turned him directly towards the sun,  having it seems, observed that he was disturbed at and afraid of the motion of  his own shadow; then letting him go forward a little, still keeping the reins in his hands, and stroking him gently when he found him begin to grow eager and fiery, he let fall his upper garment softly, and with one nimble leap securely mounted him, and when he was seated, by little and little drew in the bridle and curbed him without either striking or spurring him. Presently, when he found him free from all rebelliousness, and only impatient for the course, he let him go at full speed , inciting him now with a commanding voice, and urging him also with his heel. Philip and his friends looked on at first in silence and anxiety for the result, till seeing him turn at the end of his career, and come back rejoicing and triumphing for what he had performed, they all burst out into acclamations of applause; and his father shedding tears, it is said, for joy, kissed him as he came down from his horse, and in his transport said, “O my son, look thee out a kingdom equal to and worthy of thyself, for Macedonia is too little for thee.

Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 542

Alexander to Aristotle, greeting. You have not done well to publish your books of oral doctrine; for what is there now that we excel others in, if those things which we have been particularly instructed in be laid open to all? For my part, I assure you, I had rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent, than in the extent of my power and dominion. Farewell.
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 543

Onesicritus informs us that he constantly laid Homer’s Iliad according to the copy corrected by Aristotle, called the casket copy, with his dagger under his pillow, declaring that he esteemed it a perfect portable treasure of all military virtue and knowledge. When he was in the upper Asia, being destitute of other books, he ordered Harpalus to send him some; who furnished him with Philistus’s History, a great many of the plays of Euripides, Sophocles, and Aeschylus, and some dithyrambic odes, composed by Telestes and Philoxenus.
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 544

For a while he loved and cherished Aristotle no less, as he was wont to say himself, that if he had been his father, giving this reason for it, that as he had received life from the one, so the other had taught him to live well. But afterwards, upon some mistrust of him, yet not so great as to make him do him any hurt, his familiarity and friendly kindness to him abated so much of s former force and affectionateness, as to make it evident h was alienated from him.
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 544

  

However, his violent thirst after and passion for learning, which were once implanted, still grew up with him,
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 544

While Philip went on his expedition against the Byzantines, he left Alexander, then sixteen years old, his lieutenant in Macedonia, committing the charge of his seal to him; who, not to sit idle, reduced the rebellious Maedi, and having taken their chief town by storm, drove out the barbarous inhabitants, and planting a colony of several nations in their room, called the place after his own name, Alexandropolis.
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 544

But Philip, as soon as he was made acquainted with this transaction, went to his son’s apartment, taking with him, Philotas, the son of Parmenio, one of Alexander’s intimate friends and companions, and there reproved him severely, and reproached him bitterly, that he should be so degenerate, and unworthy of the power he was to leave him, as to desire the alliance of a mean Carian, who was at best but the slave of a barbarous prince. Nor did this satisfy his resentment, for he wrote to the Corinthians to send Thessalus to him in chains, and banished Harpalus, Nearchus, Erigyius, and Ptolemy, his son’s friends and favourites, whom Alexander afterwards recalled and raised to great honour and preferment.

Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 545

Alexander was but twenty years old when his father was murdered, and succeeded to a kingdom, beset on all sides with great dangers and rancorous enemies.
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 545

Among the other calamities that befell the city, it happened that some Thracian solider, having broken into the house of a matron of high character and repute, named Timoclea, their captain, after he had used violence with her, to satisfy his avarice as well as lust, asked her if she knew of any money concealed; to which she readily answered she did, and bade him follow her into a garden, where she showed him a well, into which, she told him, upon the taking of the city, she had thrown what she had of most value. The greedy Thracian presently stooping down to view the place where he thought the treasure lay, she came behind him and pushed him into the well, and then flung great stones in upon him, till she had killed him.
After which, when the soldiers led her away bound to Alexander, her very mien and gait showed her to be a woman of dignity, and of a mind no less elevated, not betraying the least sign of fear or astonishment. And when the king asked her who she was, “I am,” she said, “the sister of Theagenes, who fought the battle of Chaeronea with your father Philip, and fell there in command for the liberty of Greece.” Alexander was so surprised, both at what she had done and what she said, that he could not choose but give her and her children their freedom to go wither they pleased.
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 545

Certain it is, too, that in the aftertime he often repented of his severity to the Thebans, and his remorse had such influence on his temper as to make him ever after less rigorous to all others.
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 546

…many public ministers and philosophers came from all parts to visit him and congratulated him on his election, but contrary to his expectation, Diogenes of Sinope, who then was living at Corinth, thought so little of him, that instead of coming to compliment him, he never so much as stirred out of the suburb called the cranium, where Alexander found him lying alone in the sun. When he saw so much company near him, he raised himself a little, and vouchsafed to look upon Alexander, and when he kindly asked him whether he wanted anything, “Yes,” said he, “I would have you stand from between me and the sun.” Alexander was so struck at this answer, and surprised at the greatness of the man, who had taken so little notice of him, that as he went away he told his followers, who were laughing at the moroseness of the philosopher, that if he were not Alexander, he would choose to be Diogenes.
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 546

And Alexander, being easily known by his buckler, and a large plume of white feathers on each side of his helmet, was attacked on all sides, yet escaped wounding, though his cuirass was pierced by a javelin in one of the joinings.
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 547

All the plate and purple garments, and other things of the same kind that he took from the Persians, expect a very small quantity which he reserved for himself, he sent as a present to his mother.
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 548

But Alexander, esteeming it more kingly to govern himself than to conquer his enemies, sought no intimacy with any one of them, nor indeed with any other woman before marriage, except Barsine, Memnon’s widow, who was taken prisoner at Damascus. She had been instructed in the Grecian learning, as of a gentle temper, and by her father, Artabazus, royally descended. These good qualities, added to the solicitation and encouragement of Parmenio, as Aristobulus tells us, made him the more willing to attach himself to so agreeable and illustrious a woman.
Of the rest of the female captives, though remarkably handsome and well proportioned, he took no further noticed that to say jestingly
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 550

When Philoxenus, his lieutenant on the seacoast, wrote to him to know if he would buy two young boys of great beauty, whom one Theodorus, a Tarentine, had to sell, he was so offended that he often expostulated with his friends what baseness Philoxenus had ever observed in him that he should presume to make him such a reproachful offer. And he immediately wrote him a very sharp letter, telling him Theodorus and his merchandise might go with his good-will to destruction. Nor was he less severe to Hagnon, who sent him word he would buy a Corinthian youth named Crobylus, as a present for him.
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 550

And hearing that Damon and Timotheus, two of Parmenio’s Macedonian soldiers, had abused the wives of some strangers who were in his pay, he wrote to Parmenio, charging him strictly, if he found them guilty, to put them to death, as wild beasts that were only made for the mischief of mankind. In the same letter he added, that he had not so much as seen or desired to see the wife of Darius, no, nor suffered anybody to speak of her beauty before him.
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 550

For Leonidas, it seems, standing by him one day while he was sacrificing, and seeing him take both his hands full of incense to throw into the fire, told him it became him to be more sparing in his offerings, and not to be so profuse till he was master of the countries which those sweet gums and spices come from. So Alexander now wrote to him, saying, “We have sent you abundance of myrrh and frankincense, that for the future you may not be stingy to the gods.”
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 552

Among the sayings of one Psammon, a philosopher, whom he heard in Egypt, he heard in Egypt, he most approved of this, that all men are governed by God, because in everything, that which is chief and commands is divine. But what he pronounced himself upon this subject was even more like a philosopher, for he said, God was the common father of us all, but more particularly of the best of us.

Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 554

However, afterwards being wounded with an arrow, and feeling much pain, he turned to those about him, and told them, “This, my friends, is real flowing blood, not ichor – such as immortal gods are wont to shed.”
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 554

It came to pass that in the month of Boedromion, about the beginning of the feast of Mysteries at Athens, there was an eclipse of the moon, the eleventh night, after which the two armies being now in view of one another, Darius kept his men in arms, and by torchlight took a general view of them. But Alexander, while his soldiers slept, spent the night before

his tent with his diviner, Aristander, performing certain mysterious  ceremonies, and sacrifices to the god Fear.

Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 556

To this he gave the celebrated answer, "I will not steal a victory," which though some at the time thought a boyish and inconsiderate speech, as if he played with danger, others, however, regarded as an evidence that he confided in his present condition, and acted on a true judgment of the future, not wishing to leave Darius, in case he worsted, the pretext of

trying his fortune again, which he might suppose himself to have, if he could impute his overthrow to the disadvantage of the night, as he did before to the mountains, the narrow passages, and the sea.

Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 556

After they were gone from him with this answer, he laid himself down in his tenet and slept the rest of the night more soundly than was usual with him, to the astonishment of the commander, who came to him early in the morning, and were fain themselves to give order that the soldiers should breakfast. But at last, time not giving them leave to wait any longer, Parmenio went to his bedside, and called him twice or thrice by his name til he waked
him, and then asked him how it was possible, when he was to fight the most important battle of all, he could sleep as soundly as if he were already victorious. "And are we not so, indeed," replied Alexander, smiling, "since we are at last relieved from the trouble of wandering in pursuit of Darius through a wide and wasted country, hoping in vain that he would fight us?"

Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 556

Darius now seeing all was lost, that those who were placed in front to defend him were broken and beat upon him, that he could not turn or disengage his chariot without great difficulty, the wheels being clogged and entangled among the dead bodies, which lay in such heaps as not only stopped, but almost covered the horses, and made them rear and grow so unruly that the frightened charioteer could govern them no longer, in this
extremity was glad to quit his chariot, and his arms, and mounting, it is said, upon a mare that had been taken from her foal, betook himself to flight.

Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 557

...and in Ecbatana was much surprised at the sight of the place where fire issues in a continuous stream, like  a spring of water, out of a cleft in the earth, and the stream of naphtha, which, not far from this spot flows out so abundantly as to form a sort of lake. This naphtha, in other respects resembling bitumen, is so subject to take fire, that before it touches the flame it will kindle at the very light that surrounds it and often inflame the intermediate air also. The barbarians, to show the power
and nature of it, sprinkled the street that led to the king's lodgings with little drops of it, and when it was almost night, stood at the further end with torches, which being applied to the moistened places, the first at once taking fire, instantly, as quick as a man could think of it, it caught from one end to another, in such a manner that the whole street was one continued flame.

Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 557

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 til 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."

Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 559

From hence he marched into Parthia, where not having much to do, he first put on the barbaric dress, perhaps with the view of making the work of civilising them the easier, as nothing gains more upon men than a conformity to their fashions and customs.

Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 562

But Clitus for all this would not give over, desiring Alexander to speak out if he had anything more to say, or else why did he invite men who were freeborn and accustomed to speak their minds openly without restraint to sup with him. He had better live and converse with barbarians and slaves who would not scruple to bow the knee to his Persian girdle and his white tunic.
Which words so provoked Alexander that, not able to suppress his anger any longer, he threw one of the apples that lay upon the table ant him, and hit him, and then looked about for his sword. But Aristophanes, one of the lifeguard, had hid that out of the way, and others came ab out him and besought him, but in vain;

Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 565

Clitus still refusing to yield, was with much trouble force by his friends out of the room. But he came in again immediately at another door, very irreverently and confidently singing the verses out of Euripides’s Andromache, In Greece, Alas! How ill things ordered are!

Upon this, at last, Alexander, snatching a spear from one of the soldiers, met Clitus as he was coming forward and was putting by the curtain that hung before the door, and ran him through the body. He fell at once with a cry and a groan.
Upon which the king’s anger immediately vanishing, he came perfectly to himself, and when he saw his friends about him all in a profound silence, he pulled the speak out of the body, and would have thrust it into his own throat, if the guards had not held his hands, and by main force carried him away into his chamber, where all that night and the next day he wept bitterly, till being quite spent with lamenting and exclaiming, he lay, as it were, speechless, only fetching deep sighs. His friends apprehending some harm from his silence, broke into the room, but he took no notice of a what any of them said, till Aristander putting him in mind of the vision he had seen concerning Clitus, and the prodigy that followed, as if all had come to pass by an unavoidable fatality, he then seemed to moderate his grief.

Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 565

…as he was breaking up the ground near the river Oxus, to set up the royal pavilion, discovered a spring of a fat oily liquor, which, after the top was taken off, ran pure, clear oil, without any difference either of taste or smell, having exactly the same smoothness and brightness, and that too, in a country where no olives grew. The water, indeed, of the river Oxus, is said to be the smoothest of the feeling of all waters, and to leave a gloss on the skins of those who bathe themselves in it.
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 568

The first being asked which he thought the most numerous, the dead or the living, answered, “The living, because those who are dead are not at all.”
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 571

Of the second, he desired to know whether the earth or the sea produced the largest beasts; who told him, “The earth, for the sea is but a part of it.”
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 571

His question to the third was, “Which is the cunningest of beasts?” “That,” said he, “which men have not yet found out.” Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 571

He bade the fourth tell him what argument he used to Sabbas to persuade him to revolt. “No other,” said he, “than that he should either live or die nobly,”
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 571

Of the fifth he ask, which was the eldest, night or day. The philosopher replied, “Day was eldest, by one day at least.” But perceiving Alexander not well satisfied with that account, he added that he ought to not wonder if strange questions had a strange answers made to them.

Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 571

Then he went on and inquired of the next what a man should do to be exceedingly beloved, “He must be very powerful,” said he, “without making himself too much feared.”
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 571

The answer of the seventh to his question, how a man might become a god, was, “By doing that which is impossible for men to do.”
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 571

The eighth told him,” Life is stronger that death, because it supports so many miseries.”
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 571

And that last being asked how long he thought I decent for a man to lives, said, “Till death appeared more desirable than life.”
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 571

But Clitus for all this would not give over, desiring Alexander to speak out if he had anything more to say, or else why did he invite men who were freeborn and accustomed to speak their minds openly without restraint to sup with him. He had better live and converse with barbarians and slaves who would not scruple to bow the knee to his Persian girdle and his white tunic.
Which words so provoked Alexander that, not able to suppress his anger any longer, he threw one of the apples that lay upon the table ant him, and hit him, and then looked about for his sword. But Aristophanes, one of the lifeguard, had hid that out of the way, and others came ab out him and besought him, but in vain;

Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 565

Clitus still refusing to yield, was with much trouble force by his friends out of the room. But he came in again immediately at another door, very irreverently and confidently singing the verses out of Euripides’s Andromache, In Greece, Alas! How ill things ordered are!

Upon this, at last, Alexander, snatching a spear from one of the soldiers, met Clitus as he was coming forward and was putting by the curtain that hung before the door, and ran him through the body. He fell at once with a cry and a groan.
Upon which the king’s anger immediately vanishing, he came perfectly to himself, and when he saw his friends about him all in a profound silence, he pulled the speak out of the body, and would have thrust it into his own throat, if the guards had not held his hands, and by main force carried him away into his chamber, where all that night and the next day he wept bitterly, till being quite spent with lamenting and exclaiming, he lay, as it were, speechless, only fetching deep sighs. His friends apprehending some harm from his silence, broke into the room, but he took no notice of a what any of them said, till Aristander putting him in mind of the vision he had seen concerning Clitus, and the prodigy that followed, as if all had come to pass by an unavoidable fatality, he then seemed to moderate his grief.

Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 565

…as he was breaking up the ground near the river Oxus, to set up the royal pavilion, discovered a spring of a fat oily liquor, which, after the top was taken off, ran pure, clear oil, without any difference either of taste or smell, having exactly the same smoothness and brightness, and that too, in a country where no olives grew. The water, indeed, of the river Oxus, is said to be the smoothest of the feeling of all waters, and to leave a gloss on the skins of those who bathe themselves in it.
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 568

The first being asked which he thought the most numerous, the dead or the living, answered, “The living, because those who are dead are not at all.”
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 571

Of the second, he desired to know whether the earth or the sea produced the largest beasts; who told him, “The earth, for the sea is but a part of it.”
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 571

His question to the third was, “Which is the cunningest of beasts?” “That,” said he, “which men have not yet found out.” Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 571

He bade the fourth tell him what argument he used to Sabbas to persuade him to revolt. “No other,” said he, “than that he should either live or die nobly,”
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 571

Of the fifth he ask, which was the eldest, night or day. The philosopher replied, “Day was eldest, by one day at least.” But perceiving Alexander not well satisfied with that account, he added that he ought to not wonder if strange questions had a strange answers made to them.

Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 571

Then he went on and inquired of the next what a man should do to be exceedingly beloved, “He must be very powerful,” said he, “without making himself too much feared.”
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 571

The answer of the seventh to his question, how a man might become a god, was, “By doing that which is impossible for men to do.”
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 571

The eighth told him,” Life is stronger that death, because it supports so many miseries.”
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 571

And that last being asked how long he thought I decent for a man to lives, said, “Till death appeared more desirable than life.”
Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 571

Taxiles, however, persuaded Calanus to wait upon Alexander. His proper name was Cale, which in the Indian tongue is a form of salutation, to those he met with anywhere, the Greeks called him Calanus. He is said to have shown Alexander an instructive emblem of government, which was this. He threw a dry shriveled hide upon the ground, and trod upon the edges of it. The skin when it was pressed in one place still rose up in another, wheresoever he trod round about it, till he set his foot in the middle, which made all the parts lie even and quiet. The meaning of this similitude being that he ought to reside most in the middle of his empire, and not spend too much time on the borders of it.
 Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 572

With his recommendation to Antipater, that when they came home, at all public shows and in the theatres, they should sit on the best and foremost seats, crowned with the chaplets of flowers. He ordered, also, that the children of those who had lost their lives in his service should have their father’s pay continued to them. 

 Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 574

But they were soon interrupted by Hephaestion’s falling sick of a fever, in which, being a young man and a soldier, too, he could not confine himself to so exact a diet as was necessary; for whilst his physician, Glaucus, was gone to the theatre, he ate a fowl for his dinner, and drank a large draught of wine, upon which he became very ill, and shortly after died.
 Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Alexander, Great Books, Volume 14, pg. 574