course of it, an
incident occurred which strikingly illustrates the boldness and
originality of Alexander's character. The name of his physician was
Philip. Philip had been preparing a particular medicine for him,
which, it seems, required some days to make ready. Just before it was
presented, Alexander received a letter from Parmenio, informing him
that he had good reason to believe that Philip had been bribed by the
Persians to murder him, during his sickness, by administering poison
in the name of medicine. He wrote, he said, to put him on his guard
against any medicine which Philip might offer him.

Alexander put the letter under his pillow, and communicated its
contents to no one. At length, when the medicine was ready, Philip
brought it in. Alexander took the cup containing it with one hand, and
with the other he handed Philip the communication which he had
received from Parmenio, saying, "Read that letter." As soon as Philip
had finished reading it, and was ready to look up, Alexander drank off
the draught in full, and laid down the cup with an air of perfect
confidence that he had nothing to fear.

Some persons think that Alexander watched the countenance of his
physician while he was reading the letter, and that he was led to take
the medicine by his confidence in his power to determine the guilt or
the innocence of a person thus accused by his looks. Others suppose
that the act was an expression of his implicit faith in the integrity
and fidelity of his servant, and that he intended it as testimony,
given in a very pointed and decisive, and, at the same time, delicate
manner, that he was not suspicious of his friends, or easily led to
distrust their faithfulness. Philip was, at any rate, extremely
gratified at the procedure, and Alexander recovered.

Alexander had now traversed the whole extent of Asia Minor, and had
subdued the entire country to his sway. He was now advancing to
another district, that of Syria and Palestine, which lies on the
eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. To enter this new territory,
he had to pass over a narrow plain which lay between the mountains and
the sea, at a place called Issus. Here he was met by the main body of
the Persian army, and the great battle of Issus was fought. This
battle will be the subject of the next chapter.

CHAPTER VI.

DEFEAT OF DARIUS.

B.C. 333

Darius's opinion of Alexander.--He prepares to meet him.--Greek
mercenaries.--Counsel of Cha