CHAP. XCIV.] BANQUET AT BAKTRA-KALLISTHENES. 291 the Macedonians; who (he said) would assuredly worship Alexander after his death, and ought in justice to worship him during his life, forthwith'. This harangue was applauded, and similar sentiments were enforced, by others favourable to the plan; who proceeded to set the example of immediate compliance, and were themselves the first to tender worship. Most of the Macedonian officers sat unmoved, disgusted at the speech. But though disgusted, they said nothing. To reply to a speech doubtless well-turned and flowing, required some powers of oratory; moreover, it was well known that whoever dared to reply stood marked out for the antipathy of Alexander. The fate of Kleitus, who had arraigned the same sentiments in the banqueting hall of Marakanda, was fresh in the recollection of every one. The repugnance which many felt, but none ventured to express, at length found an organ in Kallisthenes of Olynthus. ply of Kal opposing it. and history sthenes. This philosopher, whose melancholy fate imparts Public rea peculiar interest to his name, was nephew of Ari- listhenes, stotle, and had enjoyed through his uncle an early Character acquaintance with Alexander during the boyhood of Kalliof the latter. At the recommendation of Aristotle, Kallisthenes had accompanied Alexander in his Asiatic expedition. He was a man of much literary and rhetorical talent, which he turned towards the composition of history-and to the history of recent times. Alexander, full of ardour for conquest, 1 Arrian, iv. 10, 7-9. Curtius (viii. 5, 9-13) represents the speech proposing divine honours to have been delivered, not by Anaxarchus, but by another lettered Greek, a Sicilian named Kleon. The tenor of the speech is substantially the same, as given by both authors. 2 Kallisthenes had composed three historical works-1. Hellenica was at the same time anxious that his achievements should be commemorated by poets and men of letters'; there were seasons also when he enjoyed their conversation. On both these grounds, he invited several of them to accompany the army. The more prudent among them declined, but Kallisthenes obeyed, partly in hopes of procuring the reconstitution of his native city Olynthus, as Aristotle had obtained the like favour for Stageira2. Kallisthenes had composed a narrative (not preserved) of Alexander's exploits, which certainly reached to the battle of Arbela, and may perhaps have gone down farther. The few fragments of this narrative remaining seem to betoken extreme admiration, not merely of the bravery and ability, but also of the transcendent and unbroken good fortune, of Alexander-marking him out as the chosen favourite of the Gods. This feeling was perfectly natural under the grandeur of the events. far as as we can judge from one or two specimens, Kallisthenes was full of complimentary tribute to the hero of his history. But the character of Alexander himself had undergone a material change during the six years between his first landing in Asia and his campaign in Sogdiana. All his worst Inso from the year 387-357 B.C. 2. History of the Sacred War—from 357-346 B.C. 3. Τὰ κατ ̓ ̓Αλέξανδρον. His style is said by Cicero to have been rhetorical; but the Alexandrine critics included him in their Canon of Historians. See Didot, Fragm. Hist. Alex. Magn. p. 6-9. See the observation ascribed to him, expressing envy towards Achilles for having been immortalised by Homer (Arrian, i. 12, 2). It is said that Ephorus, Xenokrates, and Menedemus, all declined the invitation of Alexander (Plutarch, De Stoicorum Repugnantiis, p. 1043). Respecting Menedemus, the fact can hardly be so; he must have been then too young to be invited. CHAP. XCIV.] DEMAND OF ALEXANDER TO BE WORSHIPED. 293 qualities had been developed by unparalleled success and by Asiatic example. He required larger doses of flattery, and had now come to thirst, not merely for the reputation of divine paternity, but for the actual manifestations of worship as towards a God. To the literary Greeks who accompanied Alexander, this change in his temper must have been especially palpable and full of serious consequence; since it was chiefly manifested, not at periods of active military duty, but at his hours of leisure, when he recreated himself by their conversation and discourses. Several of these Greeks-Anaxarchus, Kleon, the poet Agis of Argos-accommodated themselves to the change, and wound up their flatteries to the pitch required. Kallisthenes could not do so. He was a man of sedate character, of simple, severe, and almost unsocial habits-to whose sobriety the long Macedonian potations were distasteful. Aristotle said of him, that he was a great and powerful speaker, but that he had no judgment; according to other reports, he was a vain and arrogant man, who boasted that Alexander's reputation and immortality were dependent on the composition and tone of his history'. Of personal vanity,-a 1 Arrian, iv. 10, 2; Plutarch, Alex. 53, 54. It is remarkable that Timæus denounced Kallisthenes as having in his historical work flattered Alexander to excess (Polybius, xii. 12). Kallisthenes seems to have recognised various special interpositions of the Gods, to aid Alexander's successes-see Fragments 25 and 36 of the Fragmenta Callisthenis in the edition of Didot. In reading the censure which Arrian passes on the arrogant pretensions of Kallisthenes, we ought at the same time to read the pretensions raised by Arrian on his own behalf as an historian (i. 12, 7-9)— καὶ ἐπὶ τῷδε οὐκ ἀπαξιῶ ἐμαυτὸν τῶν πρώτων ἐν τῇ φωνῇ τῇ Ἑλλάδι, εἴπερ καὶ ̓Αλέξανδρος τῶν ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις, &c. I doubt much whether Kallisthenes pitched his self-estimation so high. In this chapter, Arrian The reply of Kallisthenes is heard by the guests -the pro worship is dropped, common quality among literary Greeks,-Kallisthenes probably had his full share. But there is no ground for believing that his character had altered. Whatever his vanity may have been, it had given no offence to Alexander during the earlier years, nor would it have given offence now, had not Alexander himself become a different man. On occasion of the demonstration led up by Anaxarchus at the banquet, Kallisthenes had been favourably invited by Hephæstion to join in the worship intended to be proposed towards Alexander; and position for Hephæstion afterwards alleged, that he had promised to comply'. But his actual conduct affords reasonable ground for believing that he made no such promise: for he not only thought it his duty to refuse the act of worship, but also to state publicly his reasons for disapproving it; the more so, as he perceived that most of the Macedonians present felt like himself. He contended that the distinction between Gods and men was one which could not be confounded without impiety and wrong. Alexander had amply earned,-as a man, a general, and a king, -the highest honours compatible with humanity; recounts, that Alexander envied Achilles for having been fortunate enough Εσσεται οὗτος ἀνὴρ, ὃς ἐμεῦ κεχρήσετ ̓ ἀοιδῶ, 1 Plutarch, Alex. 55. CHAP. XCIV.] FRANKNESS OF KALLISTHENES 295 but to exalt him into a God would be both an injury to him, and an offence to the Gods. Anaxarchus (he said) was the last person from whom such a proposition ought to come, because he was one of those whose only title to Alexander's society was founded upon his capacity to give instructive and wholesome counsel'. and dis Alexander nes. Kallisthenes here spoke out, what numbers of Coldness his hearers felt. The speech was not only approved, favour of but so warmly applauded by the Macedonians pre- towards sent, especially the older officers,-that Alexander Kallisthethought it prudent to forbid all farther discussion upon this delicate subject. Presently the Persians present, according to Asiatic custom, approached him and performed their prostration; after which Alexander pledged, in successive goblets of wine, those Greeks and Macedonians with whom he had held previous concert. To each of them the goblet was handed, and each, after drinking to answer the pledge, approached the King, made his prostration, and then received a salute. Lastly, Alexander sent the pledge to Kallisthenes, who, after drinking like the rest, approached him, for the purpose of receiving the salute, but without any prostration. Of this omission Alexander was expressly informed by one of the Companions; upon which he declined to admit Kallisthenes to a salute. The latter retired, observing, "Then I shall go away, worse off than others as far as the salute goes. 2 " Kallisthenes was imprudent, and even blameable, Honourable in making this last observation, which without any 1 Arrian, iv. 11. ἐπὶ σοφίᾳ τε καὶ παιδεύσει ̓Αλεξάνδρῳ συνόντα, 2 Arrian, iv. 12, 7. φιλήματι ἔλαττον ἔχων ἄπειμι. and courage of Kallisthenes. |