Anaxarchus more his enemy than before.

LIII. Kallisthenes made all the sophists and flatterers of Alexander
jealous of him because he was much sought after by the young men for
his learning, and was liked by the elder men on account of his sober,
dignified, and austere life, which confirmed the common report, that
he had come to the court of Alexander with the intention of prevailing
upon him to refound his native city, and collect together its
scattered citizens. His high moral character gained him many enemies,
but he himself gave some colour to their accusations by his conduct in
constantly refusing all invitations, and by behaving himself with
gravity and silence when in society, as if he were displeased with his
company. His manner had caused Alexander himself to say of him, "I
hate a philosopher who is not wise in his own interest." It is related
that once at a great banquet, when sitting over their wine,
Kallisthenes was asked to speak in praise of the Macedonians, and that
he at once poured forth such a fluent and splendid eulogy that all the
company rose, vehemently applauding, and threw their garlands to him.
At this Alexander remarked that, as Euripides says,

"On noble subjects, all men can speak well."

"Now," said he, "show us your ability by blaming the Macedonians, in
order that they may be made better men by having their shortcomings
pointed out." Kallisthenes hereupon began to speak in a depreciatory
strain, and told many home-truths about the Macedonians, pointing out
that Philip had become strong only because Greece was weakened by
faction, and quoting the line,

"In times of trouble, bad men rise to fame."

This speech caused the Macedonians to hate him most bitterly, and
provoked Alexander to say that Kallisthenes had made a display, not of
his own abilities, but of his dislike to the Macedonians.

LIV. This is the account which Stroebus, Kallisthenes's reader, is said
by Hermippus to have given to Aristotle about the quarrel between
Kallisthenes and Alexander; and he added that Kallisthenes was well
aware that he was out of favour with the king, and twice or thrice
when setting out to wait on him would repeat the line from the Iliad,

"Patroklus, too, hath died, a better man than thou."

On hearing this Aristotle acutely remarked, that Kallisthenes had
great ability and power of speech, but no common sense. He, like a
true philosopher, refused to kneel and do homage to Alex