Читать книгу The Story of Alexander онлайн

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The tale tells that as he entered Macedon he found the town at feast, and his father at his high table; but another woman sat in the seat of the queen, for Philip had put away Olympias, as the seers had told her years before. So Alexander bowed him down meekly in seeming, and said, “Father, I pray thee receive the fruits of my first victory ere I go hence to the wedding.” “And whose wedding dost thou go to?” said the king. “To my mother’s,” said he, “for I will marry her to some noble king, and I will make him the greatest king on earth, for it likes me not to stay here while she is in disgrace, and I know not for what.” Then Philip grew white with wrath, but one Lysias, a knight at the table, said, “O king, heed not his talk, for this fair queen shall bring thee a son greater than him.” Turning to him, Alexander with his truncheon struck him a blow so that he fell dead to the ground, and men said that in truth he had deserved it; but Philip started up at the deed, and snatching a blade rushed on Alexander, aiming a fierce blow at him, for the gods had blinded his eyes so that he knew not wisdom from folly, or right-doing from wrong. But as he came on, his feet failed him, and ere he reached Alexander the king staggered, stumbled, and fell to the ground, though no man saw cause for it. Then Alexander laughed out loud, and said, “Does the Governor of Greece fear one youth? What ails thee to fall?” and he struck over the tables of the feast, and dragging the bride out of the hall by her hair he brought her to his mother, for his heart was full of wrath at the wrong done to her, while Philip was carried away stricken with sore sickness. Thus was his mother avenged, and the marriage feast disturbed.