Alexander : a history of the origin and growth of the art of war from ...

410 ALEXANDERS INTEMPERANCE.destruction of Athens and its sacred temples by the Persians.Parmenio strongly advised against the act for many excellentreasons. Not unlikely the burning of the palace may haveoccurred at the same time as the feast spoken of by Diodorus,Curtius and Plutarch. Such periods of revelry always andnaturally succeeded the hard work ofcampaigns.It is not agreed how much plundering and pillagingthere was.Alexander's successfulAs in all such cases the desolation was nodoubt extensive and cruel beyond our modern conception,though it is said that the king gave orders to spare womenand theirjewels.It is no doubt true that Alexander was be^nnino: tomore markedly that intemperance which was hisshowinheritance,personal and national. The Macedonians were always harddrinkers; his father— probably all his ancestors were such.This is not adduced to excuse or palliate the vice ; it barelyexplains it.From this time on, the habit became more pronounced,and was more than once followed by lamentableconsequences. But this must be borne in mind. Alexanderat work was always Alexander. It was only when off duty,so to speak, and these periods were rare indeed, thattemptationproved too strong.this monarch was a drunkard, interm, is worse than absurd.To insinuate, as has been done, thatthe usual acceptation of theIt is puerile.With reference to the pillage of Persepolis, it must beremembered that in Alexander's era war was not so near tobeing a mathematical calculation as it is to-day, when regimentsand squadrons are mere masses of given value, butthat the soldiers were assumed to need an occasional tasteblood. Unless there was a certain ferocity to the soldier ofthat age, he lacked in part the qualities most essential inbattle.Ylrtus to-day means a very different thing from thevirtus of Alexander's phalangites, who were wont not infre-of