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 224 ALEXANDER. self had seen a strange vision in his sleep, of Clitus all in mourning, sitting by Pannenio's sons who were dead. Clitus, however, stayed not to finish his devotions, but came straight to supper with the king, who had sacrificed to Castor and Pollux. And when they had drunk pretty hard, some of the company fell a singing the verses of one Pranichus, or as others say of Pierion, which were made upon those captains who had been lately worsted by the barbarians, on purpose to disgrace and turn them to ridicule. This gave offence to the older men who were there, and they upbraided both the author and the singer of the verses, though Alexander and the younger men about him were much amused to hear them, and encour- aged them to go on, till at last Clitus, who had drunk too much, and was besides of a froward and wilful tem- per, was so nettled that he could hold no longer, saying, it was not well done to expose the Macedonians so be- fore the barbarians and their enemies, since though it was their unhappiness to be overcome, yet they were much better men than those who laughed at them. And when Alexander remarked, that Clitus was pleading his own cause, giving cowardice the name of misfortune, Clitus started up ; " This cowardice, as you are pleased to term it," said he to him, " saved the life of a son of the gods, when in flight from Spithridates's sword ; and it is by the expense of Macedonian blood, and by these wounds, that you are now raised to such a height, as to be able to disown your father Philip, and call yourself the son of Amnion." " Thou base fellow," said Alexander, who was now thoroughly exasperated, " dost thou think to utter these things everywhere of me, and stir up the Macedonians to sedition, and not be punished for it ? ". " We are sufficiently punished already," answered Clitus, " if this be the recompense of our toils, and we must