Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/231

 CAVAGE CONDUCT OF ALLJTANDER. 195 bited to them Alexander's written orders, to which Ih*? soldiers yielded, not without murmurs of reluitonce and indignation. Most of them dispersed, yet a few remained, entreating permis- sion to bury Parmenio's body. Even this was long refused by Kleander, from dread of the king's displeasure. At last, how- ever, thinking it prudent to comply in part, he cut off the head, delivering to them the trunk alone for burial. The head was sent to Alexander.^ Among the many tragical deeds recounted throughout the course of this history, there is none more revolting than the fate of these two generals. Alexander, violent in all his impulses, displayed on this occasion a personal rancor worthy of his fero- cious mother Olympias, exasperated rather than softened by the magnitude of past services.^ When we see the greatest officers of the Macedonian army directing in person, and under the eye of Alexander, the laceration and burning of the nalied body of their colleague Philotas, and assassinating with tlieir own hands the veteran Parmenio, — we feel how much we have passed out of the region of Greek civic feeling into that of the more savage Illyrian warrior, partially orientalized. It is not surprising to read, that Antipater, viceroy of Macedonia, who had shared with Parmenio the favor and confidence of Philip as well as of Alex- ander, should tremble when informed of such proceedings, and cast about for-a refuge against the like possibilities to himself. Many other officers were alike alarmed and disgusted with the transactions.^ Hence Alexander, opening and examining the that the pages denied the privity of any one else — maintaining the project to have been altogether their own. To their great honor, the pages per- sisted in this deposition, even under extreme tortures — though tlicy knew that a deposition against Kallisthenes was desired from them. My belief is, that Diodorus, Plutarch, Curtius, and Justin, are correct in stating that Philotas was tortured. Ptolemy and Arisfbbulus have thouglit themselves warranted in omitting this fact, which they probably had little satisfaction in reflecting upon. If Philotas was not tortured, there couhJ have been no evidence at all against Parmenio — for the only eviilcnt-a against the latter was the extorted confession of Philotas. 1 Curtius, vii. 2, 32, 3.3. with that of Cyrus the younger towards the conspirator Orontes, as described In XenophoD, Anabas. i. 6. ^ Plutarch, Alexand. 49.
 * Contrast the conduct of Alexander towards Philotas and Parmenio,