al, and
the king's horses won the prize at the Olympic games. Philip was so
prosperous that he declared he must sacrifice to the gods, or they would
be jealous, and cast him down in the midst of his happiness. That same
night the wonder of the world, the temple of Diana at Ephesus, was burnt
down by a madman named Erostratus, who thought the deed would make him
for ever famous. It was built up again more splendidly than ever, and
the image was saved.

[Picture: Diana of Ephesus] The chief physician at Philip's court was
Aristotle, a Macedonian of Stagyra, who had studied under Plato, and was
one of the greatest and best of philosophers; and Philip wrote to him at
once that he rejoiced not only in having a son, but in his having been
born when he could have Aristotle for a tutor. For seven years, however,
the boy was under the care of a noble lady named Lanika, whom he loved
all his life, and then was placed with a master, who taught him to repeat
the _Iliad_ and _Odyssey_ from end to end. He delighted in them so much
that he always carried a copy about with him, and constantly dreamt of
equalling his great forefather Achilles.

When he was about thirteen, a magnificent black horse called Bucephalus,
or Bull-head, because it had a white mark like a bull's face on its
forehead, was brought to Philip; but it was so strong and restive that
nobody could manage it, and Philip was sending it away, when Alexander
begged leave to try to tame it. First he turned its head to the sun,
having perceived that its antics were caused by fear of its own shadow;
then stroking and caressing it as he held the reins, he gently dropped
his fluttering mantle and leaped on its back, sitting firm through all
its leaps and bounds, but using neither whip nor spur nor angry voice,
till at last the creature was brought to perfect obedience. This gentle
courage and firmness so delighted Philip that he embraced the boy with
tears of joy, and gave him the horse, which, as long as it lived, loved
and served him like no one else. Philip also said that such a boy might
be treated as a man, and therefore put him under Aristotle three years
earlier than it was usual to begin philosophy; and again he was an apt
and loving scholar, learning great wisdom in dealing with men and things,
and, in truth, learning everything but how to control his temper.

At the battle of Chaeronea, Alexander was old enough to command the
division which fought against th