What I’m about to say isn't meant to stop you returning home. As far as I care, you,can go wherever you wish. But I want you to know how you have behaved towards me, and,how I have treated you.,I’ll begin, as is right, with my father,
for a chance to attack Macedonia, were so,humbled – myself playing my small part in the war - that they no longer take tribute,from Macedonia, but instead depend on us for their protection!,My father went to the Peloponnese and put
their house in order. Then he was declared,supreme commander of all the Greeks for the campaign against the Persians – an honour,not just for himself, but for all Macedonians.,This is what my father Philip did for you.
and their wealth became yours.,All the riches of Egypt and Cyrene, which
Many of your children will be cousins of my,own.,I’ve paid off your debts, without asking how you got them, even though you’re paid,well enough and pillage every city we take.,Many of you wear golden crowns – badges
of courage and honour given you by me.,Any one of us who was killed, who met a glorious end, we buried with full honours. Many now,stand immortalised by bronze statues in Macedonia.
Their families are honoured, and pay no taxes.,Under my command, not one man has been killed fleeing the enemy.,And now I wanted to send back some of you
who’ve been wounded or crippled, or have,grown old, to be welcomed back home as heroes.,But since you all wish to go, then all of
Who took Carmenia, while my fleet sailed the,Persian Gulf…,When you get home, you tell them that when
you made it back to Susa, you abandoned him,and went home, leaving him under the protection of the foreigners you’d conquered.,Perhaps this report of yours will seem glorious
in the eyes of men, and worthy in the eyes,of the gods.,Be gone!,
Philip.
When he found you, you were mere peasants,wearing hides, tending a few sheep on the,mountain slopes, and you could barely defend them from your neighbours.,Under him, you began living in cities, with good laws and customs. And he turned you from,slaves into rulers over those very barbarians
who used to plunder your land.,He conquered most of Thrace, taking the bestharbours so there was trade and prosperity,,and put the mines to steady work.
The Thessalians - they used to terrify you!
Well, we rule them now!,The Athenians and Thebans, always lookingfor a chance to attack Macedonia, were so,humbled – myself playing my small part in the war - that they no longer take tribute,from Macedonia, but instead depend on us for their protection!,My father went to the Peloponnese and put
their house in order. Then he was declared,supreme commander of all the Greeks for the campaign against the Persians – an honour,not just for himself, but for all Macedonians.,This is what my father Philip did for you.
Great enough on its own – but small compared,to what you’ve gained from me!,I crossed the Hellespont, even though back then the Persians still commanded the sea.,
I defeated the satraps of the Great King Darius,
and made you rulers of Ionia, Aeolis, Phrygia,and Lydia, and took Miletus by siege.,The rest of the land surrendered willingly,and their wealth became yours.,All the riches of Egypt and Cyrene, which
I won without a fight, are yours now. Syria,,Palestine, Mesopotamia, Babylonia, all belong to you! The wealth of Lydia, the treasures,of Persia, the jewels of India and the outer sea! You are now satraps. You are generals,,and captains. What have I held back for myself, apart from this purple cloak and diadem?,Nothing. No man can point to my riches - only the things I hold in trust for you all.,And what would I do with them anyway?
I eat what you eat. I get no more rest than you.,Many times I spent the night on watch so that you could sleep soundly.,Who among you believes he's worked harder for me than I have for him?!,Come on! If you’ve got scars, strip and
show them to me! I’ll show you mine. There,isn’t one part of my body – the front,at least – that doesn't bear a wound. My,body's covered in scars from every weapon you can think of – swords, arrows, stones,,clubs.,All for the sake of your lives, your glory and your wealth.,And yet here I still am, leading you, as conqueror of land and sea, rivers, mountains and the,plains.,We’ve celebrated our weddings together.
of courage and honour given you by me.,Any one of us who was killed, who met a glorious end, we buried with full honours. Many now,stand immortalised by bronze statues in Macedonia.
Their families are honoured, and pay no taxes.,Under my command, not one man has been killed fleeing the enemy.,And now I wanted to send back some of you
who’ve been wounded or crippled, or have,grown old, to be welcomed back home as heroes.,But since you all wish to go, then all of
you – go!,Go home and tell them that your king,
Alexander, conqueror of the Persians, Medes, Bactrians,,and Scythians;,who now rules over the Parthians, Chorasmians
and Hyrcanians as far as the Caspian Sea;,who’s marched over the mountains of the Hindu Kush, crossed the Oxus and Tanais rivers,,even the Indus – the first to cross it since Dionysus himself. I would have crossed the,Hyphasis too if you hadn't cowered in fear…,… who sailed into the Great Sea from themouth of the Indus, crossed the desert of,Gedrosia, where no one had ever led an army.
you made it back to Susa, you abandoned him,and went home, leaving him under the protection of the foreigners you’d conquered.,Perhaps this report of yours will seem glorious
in the eyes of men, and worthy in the eyes,of the gods.,Be gone!,