Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/544

 518 HISTORY OF GREECE. opposition might have had some chances of success, since they had been in favor with the deceased king, and were therefore in possession of many important posts. But the deed of Pausanias took them unprepared, and for the moment paralyzed them; while, before they could recover or take concert, one of the ac- complices of the assassin ran to put Alexander in motion without delay. A decisive initiatory movement from him and his friends, at this critical juncture, determined waverers and forestalled op- position. We need not wonder therefore that Alexander, when king, testified extraordinary gratitude and esteem for his Lynkes- tian namesake; not simply exempting him from the punishment of death inflicted on the other accomplices, but also promoting him to great honors and important military commands. Neither Alexander and Olympias on the one side, nor Attalus and Kleo- ] i;itra on the other, were personally s xfe, except by acquiring the succession. It was one of the earliest proceedings of Alexander to send over a special officer to Asia, for the purpose of bringing home Attalus prisoner, or of putting him to death ; the last of which was done, seemingly through the cooperation of Parmenio (who was in joint command with Attalus) and his son Philotas. 1 The unfortunate Kleopatra and her child were both put to deatL shortly afterwards. 2 Other persons also were slain, of whom } shall speak farther in describing the reign of Alexander. We could have wished to learn from some person actually prer sent, the immediate effect produced upon the great miscellaneous crowd in the theatre, when the sudden murder of Philip first be- came known. Among the Greeks present, there were douht- 1 Quintus Curtius, vii. 1,3; Diodorus, xvii. 2, 5. Compare Justin, xi. K According to Pausanias, Olympias caused Kleopatra and her infant boy lo perish by a horrible death ; being roasted or baked on a brazen vessel surrounded by fire. According to Justin, Olympias first slew the daughter of Kleopatra on her mother's bosom, and then caused Kleopatra herself to be hanged; while Alexander put to death Caranus, the infant son of Kk-o- patra. Plutarch says nothing about this ; but states that the cruel treat- ment of Kleopatra was inflicted by order of Olympias during the absence of Alexander, and that he was much displeased at it. The main fact, that Klcopatra and her infant child were despatched by violence, seems not opeo to reasonable doubt ; though we cannot verify the details.
 * Justin, ix. 7 ; xi. 2. Pausanias, viii. 7, 5; Plutarch, Alex. c. 10.