Alexander
the Great Tells History
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AN
OFFER I COULD REFUSE
It became clear that Darius
knew what to expect, for he made me three
offers that I refused.
Going
once…
The first one was an offer
that was too good to be true, depending
on whom you asked. In fact, my guess is
that Darius never thought that I would refuse
it because it would have been considered
to be a generous one by Greeks back home.
Even my father would have
probably accepted this offer, for he was
seeking to conquer Asia “from Cilicia
to Sinope.” Darius was now offering
this, and then some.
What did he offer?
If I had agreed to a treaty
of friendship with Persia, Darius would
grant me “the territories and cities
of Asia west of the Halys River.”
Not bad really. He would also pay me a reasonable
ransom in exchange for the royal family,
ten thousand talents. To put matters into
perspective, Bucephalus cost my father thirteen
talents.
Suffice to say this was
no offer fit for a King of my aspirations.
So I had to answer with courage and audacity.
But I could not publicize
the contents of his letter for my supporters
back home would have accepted it and asked
me to wrap up my mission and return home.
So I did what I had to do: I destroyed his
offer and forged a substitute, injecting
a tone of arrogance and omitting any reference
to territorial concessions.
I wanted more, so much
more. I refused and wrote back:
“King
Alexander to Darius: When you write to
me next, remember to entitle me King
of Asia; neither write to me any more
as your equal, but as Lord of all your
territories. If you act otherwise, I
shall look upon it as an indignity of
the highest consequence; and if you dispute
my right to the possession of your realms,
stay and try the event of another battle;
but hope not any more to secure yourself
by flight, for wherever you fly, thither
I will surely pursue you."
Suffice to say that I refused
his offer. I would have paid him ten thousand
talents to see the look on his face.
Darius eventually made
me another offer. By now, I could only feel
his increased fear.
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