The Romance of Alexander and Roxana; Being One of the Alexandrian Romances, Alexander the Prince, Alexander the King & Alexander and Roxana  (English, Paperback, Kirkman Marshall Monroe)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER IT In The Enemy's Country Upon Alexander's return to his ship he gave orders to disembark, and this being quickly accomplished he set out with his retinue to rejoin the army, although it was near the hour of midnight. Beside the King rode Hephestion, the companion and friend of his youth, whom he loved above all others; and near at hand his secretary, Eumenes, who filled the office not from choice but by selection as he had in Philip's time. For this great souled man possessed military qualities of the highest order, but because of his modesty and the jealous crowding of those who made up the entourage of Alexander the fact was long in being recognized. Of all those trusted by the young monarch none, however, showed such unselfish devotion as this prince of men in the hour of peril, giving all he had and finally his life to the kingly house he served. Directly behind the King rode the pages, the sons of princes and nobles, anxious to learn the art of war under the Monarch's immediate eye. Crowding close upon Alexander, and as if jealous of younger and more useful men, rode Lysimachus, the King's early tutor, now well along in years and not of robust health. But, notwithstanding this, and rather perhaps becauseof it, Alexander would not deny him any wish, and so had responded to the old man's prayer to be permitted to accompany the expedition that he might behold ere he died the triumphs he had ever claimed were destined to mark the career of his beloved pupil. Behind those who surrounded Alexander followed a squadron of Companion Cavalry, clad in armour, as was the King and those about him; for they were now in the enemy's country, and feeling all the elation of the warlike venture committed themselves unreservedly to its hardships. As the cavalcade mounted the h...