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

442 DISAFFECTION.openness. Perhaps the Eastern notions of royalty had alreadybegun to take root in his mind, by nature and characterand success so essentially imbued with the idea of one manpower. Perhaps his Macedonians were suffering from thesame ideas, and thought thispeople, which they had crushedin war, only fit to be further trodden under foot in peace ;and the fact that Alexander had begun to adopt in part thedress and ceremonial of the East, — if you like, largely fromexcessive vanity, but no doubt also for its excellent politicaleffect on his Eastern subjects, who needed to see their new lordhabited like their ancient ones, — had already given rise tomuch discussion and no little fault-finding among the simpleMacedonians, and likely enough envy among those who wishedto emidate the king's example, but could not. This faultfindinghad not been decreased by Alexander's giving Orientalsequally high places with Macedonians in the governmentof conquered provinces and near his own j)erson, — thoughthis, indeed, was altogether a political necessity, if he wouldkeep what he had won, by satisfying instead of oppressingthese peoples.The Macedonians, however, could not see whyeven the greatest among the peoples they had fairly conqueredshould now be set over them in authority.They feltthat the least of the Hellenes was better than the greatest ofthe Pei'sians ; it seemed to them as if the king were forgettingwhat he owed to them ;treating them like the Asiatics.and they feared that he would end byThe king had been often warned against an outbreak ofthis feeling, but had paid little heed to it. His mother, whoalways exercised great influence over him, had constantly protestedagainst his reckless manner of trusting men againstwhom there was cause of suspicion, but without result. Still,Alexander must have been well aware of the existence of thisdisaffection, for the expression of it was open. He had been