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

sight.ALEXANDER AND HIS MEN. 607For her father's great influence could perhaps accomplishmore towards keeping the population quiet than his ownarms. By his union with Roxana he began in his own personthat blending of the Occident and the Orient which was hisfavorite scheme. It was also from this idea that grew hisassumption ofa part Eastern dress and habits and the publicinsistence upon his descent from the gods.But this, howeveressential for the Eastern ear, he was, it is said by many, wontto scoff at with his closest friends.The Macedonian soldier had changed too, in these six years'campaigns. From the independent but simple and well-disciplinedshepherd-soldier, he had grown to be, asit were, oneof the owners of the boundless wealth and luxury of themighty East. As such he had acquired a self-esteem, anoverweening sense of his own importance, which under anyother commander would have been fraught withgrave danger; but underlying this feeling was a still stronger sentiment,wdiich may indeed be said to have been his one impulse,— a passionate love for his godlike young king, for the chiefwho was foremost in all dangers ; superior to all in his personalgallantry, his superhuman endurance of fatigue, hunger,thirst ; who was kinsman of the common soldier while hewas easily lord of the phalangiareh ; who, from his personalbeauty to the gigantic grasp of his intellect, from his heroicdaring to his divine military genius, was distinctly the first ofsoldiers — the first of men. No wonder, indeed. And whilethese Macedonians might criticiseand bluster and browbeat,there was yet never a moment during Alexander's whole reignwhen, from the least tothe greatest, each and every man inhis army would not without thought or hesitationhave laidhis life at the feet of his beloved chief. This wonderfulsuperiority, indeed, is the reason why Alexander's lieutenantshave themselves less personal prominence ; their own individ-