THE FIRST BOOK 217 



proved ' ; said Alexander laughing, ' See the subtleties of 

 Aristotle, to take a matter both ways, pro et contra] etc. 



But note again how well he could use the same art 

 which he reprehended, to serve his own humour, when 

 bearing a secret grudge to Callisthenes because he was 

 against the new ceremony of his adoration, feasting one 

 night where the same Callisthenes was at the table, it was 

 moved by some after supper, for entertainment sake, that 

 Callisthenes who was an eloquent man might speak of some 

 theme or purpose at his own choice; which Callisthenes 

 did ; choosing the praise of the Macedonian nation for his 

 discourse, and performing the same with so good manner 

 as the hearers were much ravished ; whereupon Alexander, 

 nothing pleased, said, ' It was easy to be eloquent upon so 

 good a subject ' : but saith he, ' Turn your style, and let us 

 hear what you can say against us ' : which Callisthenes 

 presently undertook, and did with that sting and life, that 

 Alexander interrupted him, and said, ' The goodness of 

 the cause made him eloquent before, and despite made 

 him eloquent then again.' 



Consider further, for tropes of rhetoric, that excellent 

 use of a metaphor or translation, wherewith he taxed 

 Antipater, who was an imperious and tyrannous governor : 

 for when one of Antipater's friends commended him to 

 Alexander for his moderation, that he did not degenerate, 

 as his other lieutenants did, into the Persian pride, in use 

 of purple, but kept the ancient habit of Macedon, of 

 black ; ' True, (saith Alexander,) but Antipater is all 

 purple within/ Or that other, when Parmenio came to 

 him in the plain of Arbella, and shewed him the innumer- 

 able multitude of his enemies, specially as they appeared 

 by the infinite number of lights, as it had been a new 

 firmament of stars, and thereupon advised him to assail 

 them by night : whereupon he answered, c That he would 

 not steal the victory.' 



For matter of policy, weigh that significant distinction, 

 so much in all ages embraced, that he made between his 

 two friends Hephaestion and Craterus, when he said, c That 

 the one loved Alexander, and the other loved the king ' ; 



