ndia,
by which they rendered the glory of his great expedition incomplete,
to the anger of Dionysius,[406] who desired to avenge the fate of his
favourite city. Moreover, of the Thebans who survived the ruin of
their city, no one ever asked any favour of Alexander without its
being granted. This was the manner in which Alexander dealt with
Thebes.

XIV. The Greeks after this assembled at Corinth and agreed to invade
Persia with Alexander for their leader. Many of their chief statesmen
and philosophers paid him visits of congratulation, and he hoped that
Diogenes of Sinope, who was at that time living at Corinth, would do
so. As he, however, paid no attention whatever to Alexander and
remained quietly in the suburb called Kraneium, Alexander himself went
to visit him. He found him lying at full length, basking in the sun.
At the approach of so many people, he sat up, and looked at Alexander.
Alexander greeted him, and enquired whether he could do anything for
him. "Yes," answered Diogenes, "you can stand a little on one side,
and not keep the sun off me." This answer is said to have so greatly
surprised Alexander, and to have filled him with such a feeling of
admiration for the greatness of mind of a man who could treat him with
such insolent superiority, that when he went away, while all around
were jeering and scoffing he said, "Say what you will; if I were not
Alexander, I would be Diogenes."

Desiring to consult the oracle of Apollo concerning his campaign, he
now proceeded to Delphi. It chanced that he arrived there on one of
the days which are called unfortunate, on which no oracular responses
can be obtained. In spite of this he at once sent for the chief
priestess, and as she refused to officiate and urged that she was
forbidden to do so by the law, he entered the temple by force and
dragged her to the prophetic tripod. She, yielding to his persistence,
said, "You are irresistible, my son." Alexander, at once, on hearing
this, declared that he did not wish for any further prophecy, but that
he had obtained from her the response which he wished for. While he
was preparing for his expedition, among many other portents, the
statue of Orpheus at Loibethra, which is made of cypress-wood, was
observed to be covered with sweat. All were alarmed at this omen, but
Aristander bade them take courage, as it portended that Alexander
should perform many famous acts, which would cause poets much trouble
to record.

XV. The