Alexander

• Plutarch; ALexander wants glory and likes the Iliad: “passionate desire for fame implanted in him… linked to a study of the Iliad“
• Plutarch; Alexander likes to drink and gets angry: “fond of drinking and also prone to outbursts of choleric rage“
• Diodorus; Alexander’s first move after Philip’s death: “punish his father’s murderers”
• Plutarch; Greece in a bad state after Philip’s death: “beset by jealousies an feuds and externals dangers” “eager to throw off the Macedonian yoke” “turmoil and confusion“
• Diodorus; Alexander is a good king: “he proved to be a far better ruler than anyone had expected“ “only the name of the king had changed”
• Diodorus; Alexander deals with the army: “accustomed them to respond readily to his command“ “frequent manoeuvres“
• Arrian; Alexander asks Greece to be in charge: “for command of the campaign against Persia” “granted even greater honours than his father“
• Plutarch; Alexandr visits Diogenes: “You may say what you like, but if i were not Alexander i would be Diogenes“
• Plutarch; Alexander goes to the oracle at Delphi; “he went up himself and tried to drag her by force to the shrine“ “you are invincible my son!”
• Plutarch; Alexander doesnt attack Thebes immediately: “demanded the surrender of Phoenix and Prothytes and proclaimed amnesty for those who went over to his side”
• Plutarch; Alexander destroys Thebes: “the city was taken, plundered and razed to the ground“
• Arrian; Alexander camps outside Thebes to allow them to come to peace: “he encamped in order to give the Thebans further time to repent“
• Arrian; Perdicas attacks, forcing Alexander to follow: “did not wait for the signal from Alexander“ “fearing that unsupported they might be intercepted“
• Arrian; Thebes is massacred: “slain as they were supplicating the protection of the gods“ “not even the women and children being. spared”
• Plutarch; Alexander goes to Persia with only: “my hopes!”
• Diodorus; Alexander claims Persia: “hurled his spear from his ship and it struck the earth. Then he leapt ashore… and declared that he accepted Asia as a spear-won gift from the gods”
• Plutarch; Alexander has little resources: “thirty days”
• Plutarch; Alexander at Troy: “sacrificed to Athene and poured libations to the heroes of the Greek army”
• Arrian; Alexander at Troy and shield: “made a gift of his armour to the temple, and took in exchange from the armour hung on the temple”
• Plutarch; Gordium knot: “ruler of the world“ “Alexander did not know what to do“ “unfastened it quite easily by removing the pin“
• Arrian; Gordium knot: “lord of Asia“ “lightning and thunder“
• Rufus; Gordium knot: “mastery of Asia“ “wrested unsuccessfully“ “evading the prophecy or indeed fulfilling it“
• Arrian; Memnon advises scorched earth tactic: “to prevent Alexander, by lack of supplies, from remaining in the country“
• Plutarch; Alexander launches into the battle of Granicus: “plunged into the stream… an act of a desperate madman rather than of a prudent commander“
• Plutarch; Cleitus saves Alexander at Granicus: “struck first and ran him through with a spear“
• Plutarch; Alexander sends spoils to Athens: “Alexander, son of Philip, and the Greeks except the Spartans won these spoils of war from the barbarians who dwell in Asia“
• Arrian; Alexander‘s strength at the battle of Granicus: “they began to break just at the point where Alexander in person was bearing the brunt of things“
• Arrian; Alexander talks to his men after the battle: “tell. his story and exaggerate as much as he pleased“ “Deep concern”
• Arrian; Alexander sends back spoils to Athens: “Alexander son of Philip and the greeks except the Lacedaemonians dedicate these spoils taken from the Persians who dwell in Asia“
• Arrian; Alexander expects to take Hallicarnasus easily: “expected the place to be betrayed into his hands“
• Arrian; Alexander punishes those setting fire to Halicarnassus but save everyone else: “instructions to kill every man they could catch in the act of setting fire to buildings“ “any of the townspeople found indoors were, on the contrary, to be rescued from the conflagration“
• Arrian; envoys from Athens: “it would be dangerous to relax his severity towards anyone of Greek nationality who had consented to fight for Asia against his own country“
• He has to punish his mother for her treatment of Cleopatra Eurydice (roasting her and her infant son alive). 

  Alexander then also dealt with rebellion sin Athens, Thessaly, Thrace and especially Thebes.
• The pan-Hellenic army is meant to have consisted of a minimum of 30,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry + 120 warships. Plutarch suggests a force of 43,000 infantry + 120 warships, also that he gave a lot of money and resources to his men leaving himself with only his “My hopes!”
• Arrian: Athens send envoys to Alexander asking for prisoners from Granicus to be freed, they had been fighting for the Persians. Alexander refuses. “it would be dangerous to relax his severity towards anyone of Greek nationality who had consented to fight for Asia against his own country.”
• Story of an attempted poisoning on Alexander (Arrian & Plutarch), with Parmenion giving info (false or not)
• Darius wanted to defeat the Madeconinas on the plains of Cilicia and then use his fleet to invade the Aegean to cut off Alexander’s retreat. 

  Alexander has turned around to attack the Persians, forcing the battle on a coastal plain between Pillars of Yunus and Issus. This was hilly and not suited for Darius’ cavalry.
• Arrian; Alexander’s speech at Issus: “a victorious army and an enemy already once vanquished“ “you have Alexander they- Darius”
• Darius is advised not to move from the plains, however “he was afraid the enemy might run away before he could come to grips with them” and moved. “The ground prevented him from using his cavalry” while Alexander has “ideal terrain” (Plutarch)
• Plutarch; Alexander a good general at Issus: “his own generalship which did the most to win”