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Alexander the Great was on of the few men of history who deserved the
adjective "great." His biographer describes him as by nature fervently
passionate and impulsive. He was strong in his loves and his loyalties; and although hatred was foreign to his magnanimous nature, he was often swept by
storms of anger. Yet by a magnificent display of will power he held the reins
upon his passions. But to this long chapter of noble self-control there is one
sad and tragic exception. At a banquet given for Dionysius a song was sung
comparing Alexander with Castor and Pollux, to his advantage. Then someone
disparaged the old Macedonian officers who had fought under Alexander's
father, Philip. This aroused one of Alexander's generals, Clitus, who commanded the famous Hetairoi. Clitus reminded Alexander how he had saved his
life in one of the recent battles, and said Alexander had bought his fame with
the blood of the Macedonian officers. He told Alexander to associate with his
lickspittle Persians, who bowed the knee to him and told him only what he
wanted to hear. Alexander, stung by this remark of Clitus, reached for his
sword, which a discreet officer had hidden away. Then in his anger, falling.
. . as men always do at such a time . . . into his native idiom, the Macedonian, he ordered the trumpeter to sound the call, and when he delayed,
Alexander hit him with his fist. Before he could inflict hurt upon Clitus, the
friends of that half intoxicated officer hurried him out of the banqueting
hall. But he soon entered by another door, where he stood under the curtains
quoting lines from a Greek poet to the disparagement of Alexander's conquests.
"Quick as a flash, Alexander snatched a spear from the hand of the guard and
hurled it at the figure by a raised curtain. The deed was done. The friend
of his childhood, his life companion and rescuer, lay gasping out his life."
The passion of remorse followed quickly upon the fury of his anger. Alexander
himself drew out the fatal spear, and but for his officers he would have
fallen upon it himself. All through the night, and for several days, he lay
writhing in his remorse, piteously calling Clitus by name and chiding himself
as the murderer of his friend. Alexander the Great conquered the world, but
he could not conquer himself. In his conquests he stormed and took almost
every great city of the ancient world. Yet he was not able to subdue that
more important city, to conquer which is the greatest of all achievements. . .
the city and citadel of his own spirit. pp. 20,21
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