Alexander sat at his desk, reading through all the papers that he had assembled once he had learned of the assassination plot against him. He was dressed in formal attire for this occasion. He even had on his military cuirass, and had placed his helmet atop the desk. His greaves lay alongside the desk as if going to battle. In a sense, he felt as though he was about to engage in battle. This was the most distasteful and hurtful event that he had encountered, far worse than any physical battle against an enemy. Here was his lifelong friend from childhood being accused of treason against him. He reshuffled the papers. They dated back to Egypt when a previous plot had been exposed to him with Philotas implicated then. Once again, he was facing the fact that Philotas could be conspiring against him.
He had to interrogate Philotas before he could ever ask his companions and army for a judgement for or against the once second most powerful commander in the army. Alexander had entrusted Philotas with the most important duties in his campaign, second only to his father Parmenio. Alexander contemplated why it would be now that he had to deal with this ugly situation of a traitor within his midst, right next to him at all times. Had he been so blind not to see that Philotas was secretly envious, secretly humiliating him? Alexander had been beside himself when he first learned of this act of omission which Philotas had committed. He was seething inside to think that after all that he had done for Philotas, that all that he had entrusted to him, that all that he had given to him, that he would dare betray him to an enemy who wanted to kill him.
Most galling of all was the fact that Philotas had known of the conspiracy, and did nothing to warn or alert Alexander to the danger around him. Did Philotas secretly want Alexander dead?
Alexander was a muscular man, a powerful man. He ran his hands through his long golden silky hair, frowning at the accumulation of guilt surrounding Philotas. He must first give Philotas the news that he had become aware of this treasonous act, listen to his explanations, and then take it to Craterus and Hephaestion. He realized that he needed more than one opinion. Perhaps between the two of them, Craterus and Hephaestion could help him to make the correct decision about Philotas’s betrayal.
While Alexander reread the accounts of the drama that unfolded, he thought back to when he first met Philotas as a child. He remembered the young boy who was so tall and gangly at the stables where they had met.
Scene two.
Alexander was three years old and loved to play at the stables where he could feed the horses who were stationed there. He liked to feed a special horse grain from his hand, feeling the rough tongue lick the palm of his hand. Parmenio had brought Philotas to the stables that day, so he approached Alexander to meet his oldest son.
“Hey Philip, let me introduce Philotas to Alexander,” he cried out, noting that the general was in a stall nearby.
Philip raised his head, nodded at Parmenio, and walked out of the stall to look down at a tall and gangly Philotas who was only four years old. “Why, hello there, Philotas…So your papa finally decided to bring you to the stables. He is set upon training you for the military, I can tell.” as he reached out to touch the young boy. Philotas hung back, a bit shy with the tall, dark haired man who was peering down at him.
“Papa says you are the greatest general ever!” Philotas said stammering a bit.
Philip laughed at that…”Does he now? And I say that about him too…We are quite a pair, my little fellow.”
“Alexander…Come here. I want you to meet Philotas and Pamenio.” Philip shouted loudly.
Alexander looked at the horse in front of him, studied the grains in his hand, and said quietly to the horse, “ I have to go now. My father is calling me. I have to see what he wants..” He patted the horse gently on the nose since the horse was still licking his other palm. “I’ll be back soon, I promise.” He said softly, and then scampered away to slow down to see General Pamenio and a tall, gangly boy looking at him.
Philotas was dressed smartly. He was only a year older but had an air of superiority that made him seem older. His hair was curled tightly around his face so that he looked as though he were groomed to attend a special event. He stood proudly next to his father while he watched Alexander walk towards them. He was well aware that Alexander was the darling of the court, that he was the pride of Macedonia, but he did not want to appear as though he were impressed with that. He wanted to be recognized for his own qualities so that he did not appear to defer to Alexander. Alexander noticed that Philotas seemed indifferent and a bit nonchalant when Parmenio finally said, “ Oh, here is Alexander. Philotas, one day you and he will be commanding the army. Just as King Philip and I do now. This is Prince Alexander of Macedon. He is your future ruler.”
At that, Philotas looked steadily at Alexander, and said, “I am happy to meet you, Prince Alexander.”
Alexander stood at attention, realizing that he was not nearly as impressive in his appearance as Philotas, and said quietly, “ Hello Philotas. Welcome to my home.”
He reached out to the boy to say, “Come with me. I will show you the horses that are stabled here.”
Philotas grabbed his hand, squeezed it tightly, and turned to his father to say, “ I am going with Alexander. He is going to show me around.”
Parmenio looked at Philip to say, “ I believe that they will become great friends, Philip. They will lead our armies long after we are gone.”
Philip laughed aloud. “That will be a long time but yes, I am hoping that Philotas will become as great a commander as you are now, my dear friend. I hope that he and Alexander will always be together. We shall see to it, won’t we?”
“I am always at your side, my king,” responded Parmenio. “I hope that Aelxander and Philotas will have a long friendship such as we have had.”
Scene 3.
Philotas looked down at Alexander, saying in a bit of disdain,” So you are going to become the Kind of Macedon? You are younger than I am. I am taller than you are, and I am wondering whether you will be able to command me. Don’t you think that you are a bit small to do that?”
Alexander looked at him steadily. “Philotas, we have just met. I may be small, but I am going to become the bravest, boldest ruler that Macedon ever had. You had better remember that.”
Philotas replied back to him, “ We will be together always, Alexander. I will be at your side all the time. I know who your father is. My father talks about him all the time. He even talks about you. I promise to be there for you, but I will have to wait until you are fit to rule me. Right now, I don’t believe that you can.”
Alexander thought to himself, so that is what he thinks of me. I am glad that he is honest and direct with me.
Aloud he said, “ Philotas, just because I am younger and smaller now, I will be like my father one day. You will see.”
“In what way, Alexander?, replied Philotas. “ A soldier or a king?”
“ I am probably as good as you are right now, and maybe even better, but we will have to find that out, won’t we?” Alexander answered. I am son of Zeus you know. Hercules and Achilles are my ancestors…don’t you know that yet? Hasn’t my mother made that known to everyone?”
At that Philotas laughed aloud,” Oh, so that is what makes you important to yourself. You really listen to your mother, don’t you? She has told your all those old stories of your family. I know those stories better than you think, Alexander. If it is true, then you will really have to prove it to me. I expect you to be the biggest and the best then. Do you really think that you can live up to Zeus? Or Achilles? Or Hercules? Come on, little guy! You are really little right now and seem to be on some kind of journey…The gods will guide us, and we will obey the gods, but just because you are born from them means nothing if you cannot live up to them.”
“You are right, Philotas. I have to be better than them. But remember this also. As long as you are in my army, you will have to live up to me then too. Don’t forget that either.” Alexander responded petulantly.
“Oh, so that is it. I will have to live up to YOU. That makes me want to do it. I will see about that somehow. We will have to train together then, starting today…If that is all right with you and your father,” Philotas replied.
Alexander thought. “I will ask Philip myself that you be able to train with me. I want to be sure that you are as good as your father has been.”
Philotas said, “ Maybe we can be friends. I don’t know. Your father and mine are friends. We will have to learn to be friends together, Alexander. But don’t remind me of your connection to Achilles and Hercules all the time. We think that your mother puts too much credit to it. I don’t like it myself. It maks me nervous to think that any of us has to be like one of the gods.”
Alexander said, “ That is the real difference between us then. Philotas, I am proud and happy to be one of the gods. I revere the gods. I shall become one of them. My mother is right about me. I will do her honor. You shall see.” With that, he said, “ Let us go back to your father now, Philotas. We have talked enough for today. We will have to see how well we work together to know if our time together is that of friends.”
Tone of voices would be in children's style of speech...some editing must be done, but this is what I was given when writing this material from my solar plexus...just an aside here.
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