0"T' LAERT> "! - USP

ANCIENT TIMES.
Hippokratic author.* SOKRATES and PLATO had amongst
their pupils several doctors and students of medicine as
may be gathered from the frequent use of similes drawn
from medical science ; and ARISTOTLE the founder of comparative
anatomy and the advanced explorer in all departments
of the investigations of Nature wrote f "most
naturalists seek in medicine the end and object of their
studies and of the doctors those who practise their art in a
scientific spirit begin the study of medicine by working at
natural science."
IN ALEXANDRIA.
THE youthful ALEXANDER of Macedon had subdued in a
rapid series of conquests a great part of Europe, Africa,
and Asia. The Thracian and Illyrian races as far as the
Danube, Greece, Phoenicia, Palestine, Egypt, Persia and
the whole of Asia Minor were subject to the sway of
his sceptre; even many Indian states recognized his
sovereignty; and from Italy and the Celtic tribes came
embassies to seek his protection and alliance. Already
must his heart, swollen with ambition, have conceived the
daring project of a world-monarchy embracing all the
regions of the earth as far as they were then known. But
his sudden death put an abrupt termination to all these
hopes. He died at the age of thirty-three in the vigour* of
youth and in possession of a power such as no mortal had
exercised before him. The tragedy of his death is of even
greater significance than his unexampled victories and
successes. His empire fell to pieces as quickly as it had
been built up. Aspiring generals shared in the heritage
and made themselves masters of single provinces. But
only his political creations were demolished. Whatever in
the way of civilization and knowledge had been advanced
by means of him or under his sway remained firm and
bore rich fruit.
* HIPPOKRATES op. cit. T. ix, 232. f ARISTOTLE: De Sensu, C. 1.