and particularly upon politics, improve his mind wonderfully, and furnish him with rules to govern his subjects with wisdom. In short, study, especicially 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 excellent education which Aristotle gave him.

'He had also a taste for the whole circle of arts, but in such a manner as becomes a prince; that is, he knew the value and usefulness of them. Musick, 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 he 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 pease through the eye of at 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 immediately to reason and good sense. It requires great judgment and delicacy to manage such a disposition. Philip accordingly, notwithstanding his

Plut. de Fortun. Alex. Serm. ii. p. 333.

Quintil. lib. ii. cap. 21.

* Μάρτυρα ἔλαβον καὶ θεατὴν, τὸν ἄρισα κρῖναι τὸ κατορθέμενον, καὶ μάλιτα ἀμείψασθαι δυνάμενον.

+ We may suppose it was some instrument in the shape of a peedie,

double authority of king and father, believed it necessary to employ persuasion rather than constraint with respect to his son, and endeavoured to make himself beloved rather than feared by him.

An accident made him entertain a very advantageous 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 view the perfections of this horse; but upon trial he appeared so very fierce, and reared so when any one came near him, that no one dared 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 his 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 cool

Some think he was called so, because his head was like that of an ox.

ed, 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, he said to him, "My son, seek a kingdom more worthy of thee, for Macedon is below thy merit."

We are told a great many surprising particulars of this Bucephalus; 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 wounded in every part of his body, 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 effusion 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 overjoyed

n Aul. Gel. 1. v. c. 2.

Et domini jam superstitis securus, quasi cum scnsús humani solatio, animam expiravit. Av L. GELL.

A. M.

3668.

in some measure to die after the service he had done 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 himself in a most signal manner at the battle of Chæronea.

SECT. II. Alexander, after the death of Philip, ascends the throne at twenty years of age. He 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 Corinth, generalissimo of the Greeks against Persia. He returns to Macedon, and makes preparations for carrying his arms into Asia.

DARIUS and Alexander began to reign the same Ant. J. C. 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 his death.

336.

Upon his accession to the throne, he saw himself surrounded on every side with extreme dangers. The barbarous nations against whom Philip had

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

fought during his whole reign, and from whom he had made several conquests, which he had 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 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 had subdued 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 in his resolution of subduing it by force; to recover by gentle methods the Barbarians who had taken arms, and to soothe *, 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 and support his affairs by boldness and magnanimity; firmly persuaded, that should he relax in any point at first, all his neighbours 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

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