so, who thought they would now be free. Demosthenes, in particular,
was so glad to be rid of his hated foe, that he ran all through the city
with a crown of flowers on his head, shaking hands with everybody he
met, and shouting his congratulations.

His joy was so great, because he and all his fellow-citizens fancied
that a mere boy like Alexander would never be able to hold his own, and
because they hoped to become again the leading people of Greece.

The Thracians, who also thought that Alexander would not be able to
carry out his father's plans, now revolted, and the young king was
obliged to begin his reign by marching against them.

Three months passed. The Greeks heard no news of Alexander or of his
army, and fancied that he had been defeated and killed. The Thebans,
thinking the right moment had come, suddenly rose up, and said that they
would never again submit to the Macedonian yoke, but would stay free.

They soon had cause to repent of this rash talk. Alexander was not dead,
but had conquered the Thracians completely. Without stopping to rest, he
now marched straight down into Boeotia, and besieged and took Thebes.
All the inhabitants were either slain or sold into slavery, the walls
torn down, and not a single building was left standing, except the house
of Pin'dar, a Greek poet, whose songs Alexander had always admired.

The other Greek cities, frightened by the terrible punishment of Thebes,
sent messengers to the young king, offering not only to obey him as
their chief, but also to supply all the men, money, and stores he
wished for the expedition to Asia. Alexander graciously accepted all
these proposals, and then marched southward as far as Corinth.

XCIV. ALEXANDER AND DIOGENES.

Everybody bowed down before Alexander, and all looked at him with awe
and respect, as he made his triumphant progress through Greece,--all
except the sage Di-og'e-nes.

This man belonged to a class of philosophers who were called "cynics,"
which means "doglike," because, as some say, they did not care for the
usual comforts of life.

It is said that Diogenes, the principal philosopher of this kind, chose
as his home a great earthenware tub near the Temple of Ce'res. He wore a
rough woolen cloak, summer and winter, as his only garment, and ate all
his food raw. His only utensil was a wooden bowl, out of which he drank.

One day, however, he saw a child drinking out of its hollow palm.
Diogenes immediately thre