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

WAS THERE A CONSPIRACY? 447had been on very intimate terms with Philotas. Polemo fledto the enemy. The others, on trial before, the Macedonians,bravely defended themselves, and were acquitted. Polemowas induced to return. It would seem that this acquittal ofAmyntas by the same judges who condemned Philotas runsin Alexander's favor. Shortly after, Amyntas was killed inaction. The other brothers remained in honorable service,and were entirely trusted by the king. Demetrius was alsodischarged from his post as confidential body-guard, on suspicionof being accessory to the fact ; and Ptolemy, son ofLagus, was put in his place. Hephsestion and Clitus weremade commanders of the Companion cavalry, hitherto underPhilotas, which was divided into two regiments for this purpose.The king deemed it wise not to intrust his cavalryd' elite to a single man — even Hephaistion. It was subsequentlyreorganized. A separate squadron was formed of thesympathizers with Parmenio, and this squadron later greatlydistinguished itself.The murder of Parmenio, the brutality to Batls at Gaza,the treatment of Bessus and the murder of Clitus to be hereaftermentioned, are indeed black pages in the life of Alexander,though it may be more fair to characterize all thesethings as rather unhappy than guilty incidents. It must beremembered that Alexander dared run no risk, either personallyor for the army, and that it was his peers and not his kingwho had found Philotas guilty, who pronounced judgmentand conducted the execution. Some historians have doubtedthe existence of any conspiracy whatsoever, and have ascribedto Alexander's blood-thirstiness the whole disastrous dramabut a number of supposed conspirators either resorted toflight or self-destruction, which fact, so far as it goes, affordsground for believing the conspiracy to have been real, andnot wanting in importance.