Our Young Folks, Plutarch (1884)

"Our Young Folks, Plutarch" by Rosalie Kaufman, 1884.

ALEXANDER

"The loss on the Persian side was very heavy, whiletheir conqueror had no more than sixty horse andthirty foot-soldiers killed.Among these were twenty-five of Alexander's personalfriends, and to do honor to their memory he erected abrass statue to each. The Grecians got a share of thespoils, particularly the Athenians, to whom he sentthree hundred bucklers. Upon the rest he ordered thisinscription to be placed: "Alexander, the son ofPhilip, and the Grecians, except the Lacedæmonians, wonthese from the barbarians who inhabit Asia..."

"Alexander was so elated with this victory that he didnot rest until he had freed all the Greek cities inAsia Minor from the Persian yoke..."

"Alexander made a long speech to the Greeks, whoanswered with loud shouts and begged him to lead themon. Then, raising his right hand towards heaven, heexclaimed, "If I be really the son of Jupiter, defendand strengthen the Greeks, ye gods!..."

"Alexander seated on the throne of Darius was agratifying spectacle to the Greeks, but from that timethe warrior's glory grew dim, for no sooner was hemaster of the greatest empire in the world than hebegan to indulge his passions, and gave himself up toall sorts of dissipation..."

"Once a party of barbarians fell upon some Macedonianswho had Bucephalus in charge, and captured him.Alexander was so provoked at this that he sent aherald to tell them that if they did not immediatelyreturn the horse he would kill every man, woman, andchild in their country. Bucephalus was brought back,and the barbarians surrendered their cities, but theywere treated with great kindness."

"...Thecompany drank freely, and became quite lively as themeal proceeded; but towards its close one Pranicusbegan to sing a song that had been written in ridiculeof the Macedonian officers, who had recently beenbeaten by the barbarians..."

"Seventy Greek towns were founded by Alexander as hemarched along, and he was so elated by success that heresolved to go as far as the river Ganges; but his armyrefused to march farther, and he was forced to return..."

DEMETRIUS

"Demetrius was the only son of Antigonus, one of thegenerals who played an important part in public affairsafter the death of Alexander of Macedon, in whose armyhe had served... His surname was Poliorcetes, a Greek wordmeaning "besieger of cities," because in conductingsieges he proved himself a perfect genius..."

"Demetrius went to Athens with a fleet of three hundredships and a large army, and not only drove Cassanderout of Athens, but restored liberty by the terror ofhis arms to the whole of Greece..."

"His remains were sent in a golden urn to Greece, where they were received by his son, Antigonus, who conveyed them to the city of Demetrius..."

PYRRHUS

"Certainly not," said Cineas, "for it is clear that somuch power will enable you to recover Macedonia and todeclare yourself sovereign of all Greece..."

"And yet you tremble at the very nameof Pyrrhus, who all his life has been paying his courtto one of the guards of that same Alexander. He iswandering about Italy not to help the Greeks here, butto avoid his enemies at home..."

FLAMININUS

"...Now, this behavior formed such a contrast to that of the Macedonians, who on entering Thessaly had compelled the people to take shelter in the mountains, burnt their houses, and carried off all they could lay hands on, that several Greek tribes threw open their gates to the Romans, while others actually sent for Flamininus and put themselves under his protection."

[Rosalie Kaufman, Our young folks, Plutarch, London 1884]

Sources: Heritage-History