Fact or Fiction

Horses were whinnying and neighing softly as I approached the stalls. I could hear a commotion inside...the smell of the hay, the aroma of fresh droppings filled the barn. I approached carefully as I heard loud sounds of men's voices cut through the dry stillness that accompanied the soft whinnying of the horses. I sensed a serious problem as I listened tentatively, walking softly so I could not be heard.

"What do you think you were doing? shouted Alexander to his stricken follower, Abulites. I entrusted you with this duty. What were you thinking?"

Abulites shrank deeper into the ground as he crouched below the towering commander.

He pulled his knees up to his chest, trying to appear pentinent and sorrowful.

Uh, Uh, he tried to say, but he was interrupted before he could finish.

"Then, eat these!" Alexander sneered, leering down at the fallen man. Alexander stooped to look at the man. He studied him closely, then hurled a handful of coins at his head. The coins clinked as they rolled across the ground.

Abulites pulled himself tighter, hearing the sounds of horses moving towards him. He covered his head with his arms. Alexander stood up, turned his back, and swiftly strode away.

The horses had watched quietly, but now bore down upon the man. They whinnied and neighed. A horse reared up into the air and then hit Abulites on his shoulder. He rolled over in desperation. Another horse followed the lead, and struck him on the back. Then another, and another.

The horses beat down their hooves upon the defenseless man. He lay on the ground, helpless to defend himself. He moaned over and over to himself. The horses reared up and bore down on him, hooves striking him on the head, on his back. He moaned softly, crying to himself. A horse bit him on the shoulder. He cried out. Whinnying loudly, the horses beat him to death.

The coins lay silent on the ground.

I watched, being careful not to let anyone see me. I crept way. I made no sound.


(I have seen Alexander in my recollections do as I described to the distraught man..I did not see the horses nor am I aware of the truth of whether the horses did or did not kill Abulites. But I am citing the line from Weigall's book on p. 308 that describes this scene. "He lost his temper with one young Persian nobleman named Oxathres or Osyartes, the son of Abulites, viceroy of Susiana, who was on his trial for maladministration, and seizing a pike from a soldier, ran him through with his own hand; and he ordered Abulites to be thrown to his horses, to be kicked and bitten to death by them." Because of a personal experience with a horse in Morenci, Mi, at my freind's home, I have not ever truly believed this; however, it could be true.)