When I draw sketches, I sketch very lightly. Some few are in crayon and some are firm and bold, but many are lightly penciled onto the sketch book. I will attempt to photograph some so that it gives a clue as to what I saw as I tried to copy it as best as I could remember.
For some reason, I had the pleasure of seeing Alexander's variety of military uniforms parade in front of me. One time I saw everything from the helmet, to the cuirass ( chest covering) to the greaves (thigh coverings), and believe me, nothing has impacted me more than the importance of the right uniform when riding in a battle.
Yes, I have seen many battles in which I have fought, have seen bodies strewn all over the ground, stepping across them while on horseback, swinging to and fro my weapon (a sword) to slice men's arms. I had an experience where I was surrounded and boxed in by my bodyguards at one battle. (Halicarnassus) Everywhere I turned I was being protected by my men around me. It was all I could do to move myself that way.
I had to wear a very well made helmet, made especially for me. The story of the battle of Gaugemela is a very important one as it was a return battle between Alexander and King Darius. By all rights, King Darius had been right to believe that he would win the battles since he actually had a larger force of men than I had had. However, he had not had them as loyal, as well trained, and as disciplined as I and my father had had.
King Darius actually sat in a chariot, and is an impassive leader of his military; whereas, I am astride my faithful horse Bucephalus, and am in control and lead the charge. (This is always so important to me since Washington also always led his men in battle. Needless to say, the two time periods are totally different but similar in many ways.)
At any rate, I have a very special helmet which is handmade and has reliefs of scenes from history molded into it. This helmet is gleaming in its finish, having a mirror like quality to it so that it shone brightly in the sun, blinding anyone who would dare to look at it. The cuirass is just as well made, again with reliefs and paints at the top, and all metal coming down over the groin to protect me from the enemies swords. As I understand it, the silversmiths who made these helmets and cuirasses pounded them into shape. I know that it is a special honor for a man to be able to create the armor that I wore as he took great care with it and gave it is his own special attention. The reliefs are for luck in battle as well as reminding the soldiers of former battle victories.
The greaves which cover the shin bones are as well made as the helmet and cuirass for the legs are nearly always straddling a horse and are an easy target for the enemy to attack.
The weight of the total mass is something to consider as the horse must carry both the rider and his added weight and maneuver carefully to avoid being struck down as well. Many horses suffer in battle worse than men or as badly as men, so there is often some kind of protection for the horse as well, but very little. The Macedonians did not attempt to do more than place light coverings on the horses backs.
Alexander is not a large man, but an average man in size. I am very muscular, and I am very powerful and strong, as I never shirk any work that my soldiers and I must do. So when I am wearing the armor that I must, I am strong enough to sit astride my horse which is racing fast and strike down opponents with my weapons as easily as I can. I have learned to be deft, to have my horse turn on a dime, and swiftly turn to avoid a horse coming towards us, to jump over horses that are lying on the ground, and to maneuver across a battle field to find my target, Darius. When I am in the throes of a battle, I act, I do not even think. I have become nearly automatic in my responses, and I charge ahead. My men follow me.
When I think about this, I remember as a child, sitting in my backyard, thinking that boys have all the fun. I loved adventure and excitement. For a short time, I was a strong tomboy...I grew out of it.
When I relive these experiences, I get the same exhiliaration and excitement that I had had at that time...I loved it...so there is no doubt that the military life then is the life that appealed to men of all ages, young and old...it is a charge.
The aftermath is that the dead must be looked after and tended to, and I had a scene when Alexander was at the battle of Charonea, where he defeated the Sacred Band when I learned how hard and cold I had been. I was not in the person of Alexander at this event. I had been watching a movie about American soldiers in the Battle of Iwo Jima. When the actor entered a cave, I suddenly was back in time, to the battle of Charonea, and I heard Alexander say "Kill them all." His voice is cold and hard. He is only 18. Then I immersed within him and I am bending over dead soldiers, reaching in every uniform, checking to see that they are dead, and searching for anything that could be salvaged...I came out of the memory and back to the movie...
Alexander is an old man at 18. He is at least 35.
No comments:
Post a Comment