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

XLVIII.THE MAN AND SOLDIER.Alexander possessed uncommon qualities of body, head and heart. Hisbearing was that of a king, but he was kindly and considerate. He read much,and enjoyed the society of men of brains. He was abstinent of pleasuresexcept drinking — the national vice. Intemperance with Alexander was occasional,not habitual. His bodily strength and activity were matched only byhis extraordinary courage. He courted danger, but its excitement neverclouded his intellect. He was naturally excitable and superstitious. The latterquality he kept well under control ;the former sometimes ran into violence,and overcame his better nature. His two vices may be characterized as hastytemper and vanity. To these, joined with overdrinking, may be ascribed allAlexander's ill deeds. But as man and monarch, there are few with so muchto their credit and less to their charge. He was not a Greek, but had a strongHellenistic flavor. His life's idea was to conquer and then Hellenize Asia.He did the one ; the other he could not do. As a soldier, Alexander was thefirst who conducted war in what Napoleon calls a methodical manner ; as acaptain and conqueror, he will always stand at the head of his peers. To himIS due the credit of giving the world, on a large scale, the first lessons in theart of war.His campaigns form a text-book almost complete in its scope.Alexander was possessed of uncommon beauty. Plutarchsays that Lysippus made the best portrait of him, " theinclination of the head a little on one side towards the leftshoulder, and his melting eye, having been expressed by thisartist with great exactness." His likeness was less fortunatelycaught by Apelles, who made him too dark. He wasfair in complexion and ruddy, of sweet odor and agreeablein person. Above the average height, though not tall, hispresence was commanding, his bearing kingly. Fond ofstudy,he read much history, poetry and general literature.His favorite book was the Iliad, a copy of which, annotated