Plutarch's lives for boys and girls : being selected lives freely retold . raised himself slightly. Alex-ander, in an obliging tone, spoke to the philosopher,saying, Is there anything, Diogenes, in which I canbe of service to you ? Nothing, replied the latter, except to stand a little on one side so that you maynot keep the sun off me. Alexander, we are told,was astonished to find his power and majesty so littleregarded. His courtiers ridiculed the philosopher, butthe king, who saw something great in the contemptof Diogenes for rank and riches, exclaimed, If I werenot Alexander, I would be Dio
Plutarch's lives for boys and girls : being selected lives freely retold . raised himself slightly. Alex-ander, in an obliging tone, spoke to the philosopher,saying, Is there anything, Diogenes, in which I canbe of service to you ? Nothing, replied the latter, except to stand a little on one side so that you maynot keep the sun off me. Alexander, we are told,was astonished to find his power and majesty so littleregarded. His courtiers ridiculed the philosopher, butthe king, who saw something great in the contemptof Diogenes for rank and riches, exclaimed, If I werenot Alexander, I would be Diogenes. The number of the troops which Alexander led uponhis expedition into Asia was, according to some, thirtythousand foot and five thousand horse ; according toothers, thirty-four thousand foot and four thousandhorse. He was but slenderly furnished Avdth money forthe food and pay of his men. Nevertheless, thoughhis resources were so small, he dealt generously ^vithhis friends before his army embarked. To one he gavea farm, to another a village, to another the revenue. ALEXANDER AND DIOGENES. ALEXANDER 107 of a town, to another an office of profit, and so thus disposed of nearly all the estates of the crown,and caused one of his courtiers to ask him what he hadkept for himself. Hope, said the king. In thatcase, said the courtier, we who are to share in yourlabours will also share in your hopes. He thereforerefused to take the estates allotted to him, and someothers followed his example. In this spirit Alexanderand his army crossed the Hellespont. Meanwhile the generals of King Darius had assembleda great army, which they had posted along the banksof the river Granicus. This army Alexander had todefeat if he was to enter the gates of Asia. Many ofhis officers were alarmed at the strength of the posi-tion they had to attack, for they had to cross a deepriver, the banks of which were held by a great of the Macedonian generals also objected thatit was too late in
Size: 1436px × 1741px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthorplutarch, bookauthorra, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900
