ALEXANDER The GREAT, the most renowned hero in ancient history, was son of Philip king of Macedon. His father was one of the ablest generals and most pro found politicians of the age in which he lived ; and by his unwearied and successful exertions in destroying the liberties of Greece, lie laid the foundation of the Ma cedonian power, and of his son's future greatness. The Greeks having successfully repelled all the attempts of Persian invasion, had long been meditating a descent on the rich provinces of Asia, and had been prevented from carryiug their design into execution, only by the dis sensions and mutual distrust which prevailed among the different states. When this contentious spirit was re pressed by the total subjection of all the states of Greece to the,Macedonian power, Philip did not lose sight of the great object which had so long engaged the atten tion of the Greeks ; and was unanimously elected gen eralissimo of the combined fora ces of Greece, to carry in to effect the project of invading Persia. He had made the necessary preparations for this extensive undertak ing, when he was murdered by Pausanias, a young man of honourable connxions, who had been grossly injured by one of Philip's principal officers, and whose wrongs the king had been too slow to redress. In this way, the sceptre of Macedon came into the hands of Alexander when he was only twenty years of age ; and he is not al together free from suspicions of having been accessory to his father's death. It is certain, that a misunderstand ing had for a considerable time prevailed between Alex ander and his father, on account of Philip's having di vorced Olympias, Alexander's mother,. and taken another wife, whose offspring Alexander had reason to fear might be preferred to him in the succession to the throne. Though Alexander had given early promise of splendid talents, and of great military capacity, yet the states of Greece, which had reluctantly submitted to Philip, encouraged hy Alexahller's youth, and proinptc d by Demosthenes, the jut eterate eitem) of Loos' , began to hope that a lac otirable opportonity would now be aeorded them lor throw tug off toe Macedonian yoke. Accordingly, whilst Alt a:t ih t n as engaged in reducing. to subjection some of the barbaruu., tU ow north oh' Macedon, a report of his death, inteistriously propa gated by the enemies of the Macesitslian power, threw all Greece into commotion ; and the The bans rose in open rebellion. Alexander, on receiving intelligence of this revolt, acted NY it h his usual decision ; told it is doubt ful whether his merit as a general and politician he more conspicuous on any occasion, than in reducing so quickly to subjection the turbulent states of Greece. Ile im
mediately deserted his conquests in the north, and marched into Greet e with a rapidity which astonished and overawed the disaffected. The 'l'hebans, however, had gone too far to retreat, and therefore they prepared to oppose hint with all their fences. After a short but desperate resistance, Thebes was taken by storm ; all its buildings, except the house of Pindar, which the coo queror ordered to be spared, were levelled to the ground, and thirty thousand of the inhabitants sold for skives. This severity, which was exercised as a measure of policy, to deter the Grecian states from making any fat ther attempt to recover their independence, had the de sired effect ; but it is said to have cost Alexander man; bitter reflections ulterwards. As soon as Greece was settled in tranquillity, a general assembly of the states was held at Corinth, in which Alexander was solemnly re cognised as generalissimo against the Persians ; and all Greece, with the exception of the Lactda.monian.., agreed to concur in the enterprise.
Every thing being thus settled to Alexander's satitts faction, he immediately set about carrying into execu tion the design of invading Persia. And co appals ntl, inadequate were the means for accomplishing this great object, that, had not the Persian empire been doomed to destiuction, they never could have been successful ; for the whole force engaged in this great enterprise amounted only, according to Arrian, to 30,000 foot and 500 horse : and, what is still more extraordinary, Alex ander is said to have had only 70 talents to defray the expense of the expedition. But these things did not deter the hero : On the contrary, front the romantic. turn of his character, he gloried in attempting things hich to others might appear impossible ; and that en terprise was always the most eagerly prosecuted, which was attended with the greatest difficulties. This impe tuous and romantic spirit w as the chief cause of that ra pid and splendid success with which his arms were crowned. Foi though, generally speaking, prudence and wise precaution bid fairest to costive success, ? et it has often been found, that those daring attempts which baf fle the calculations of prudence and political sagacity, have succeeded, where more sober and ratimed mea sures would have utterly failed. And this may be easily accounted for on the known principles of human nature ; for the mind has a natural tendency to rise in proportion to the magnitude of the object at which it aims ; whilst those who are attacked in an unusual manner, being unprepared to meet such unexpected exigencies, are thrown into confusion, and not unfrequently subjugated, before they recover from their consternation.