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

A TRIAL BY HIS PEERS. 445To be so tried was probably Pbilotas' right, and appears to bea species of trial by his peers. But possibly the Companionsinclined towards Alexander's behest in their action.They may have feared the king. They may have recognizedthat without discipline the whole army might be lost, — anddiscipline often means hardship, sometimes injustice to the individual.On the trial there was much testimony as to theconspiracy ; according to many accounts, Alexander behavedwithout haste or prejudice ; according to Plutarch, Curtius,Diodorus and Justin, Philotas was tortured to compel him toreveal who were his associates. Torture was a usual jarocedure,and need not be laid to Alexander's charge. It isalleged by some, one cannot but hope without truth, thatAlexander witnessed this torture from behind a screen, andtaunted the sufferer with cowardice. Brave though he was,Philotas succumbed under the ordeal, as many great soulshave done, and perhaps untruly, and because he was torturedbeyond endurance and the idea was thensuggested tohim, — implicated his father, and described a plot long subsisting,if not to assassinate the king, at least to take advantageof any accident to him to seize the reins of power. Theconfession was read to the army, which by a loud shout, immediateand unanimous, voted death to Philotas and Parmenio.Hereupon and at once, Philotas and all his confessedaccomplices present with the army were put to death by theCompanions with their javelins. Alexander sent an urgentmessenger, Polydamus, to the generals commanding at Ecbatana,Cleander, Sitalces and Menidas, ordering that Parmeniosuffer the same fate. Polydamus rode eight hundredand sixty miles in eleven days on camels, and reached Ecbatanalong before the news of the trial.Parmenio had written to his sons ": Care first for yourselves,then for your dear ones, thus we shall reach the end