Miriam blurted the words out before she could stop. “Yes,
I swear by the holy name of the God of Israel, that it will not be by force but by human cunning and divine favor. Alexander
of Macedon shall wear the Iron Crown of Thebes!”
A murmur of approval broke out from the king’s companions. Timeon look puzzled. Niarchos came forward. Alexander grasped him
by the shoulder and kissed him on each cheek.
“Do that again,” he whispered, “and I’ll have your bloody head.” And with one arm around Niarchos and the other around Miriam,
Alexander staggered back to his cushions. He wiped his flushed, sweat-soaked face with a wet rag and clapped his hands.
“The night is still young.”
Servants came in bringing more bowls of food and fresh jugs of wine. Alexander deliberately turned his back on Miriam and
began to tease Hephaestion. Only when he was sure his guests were diverted did he turn back.
“You know what you’ve done, Miriam?”
“I know what you would have done,” she hissed. “You showed all Greece that a Macedonian could not solve aproblem. And, in the presence of the envoys, you almost killed one of your generals. Alexander, when you drink, keep your
hands away from your weapons.”
“I thought Niarchos was going to pee himself,” Alexander grinned.
“So would anyone,” Miriam countered.
“Do you know how to remove the Crown?” Alexander taunted.
“No!” Miriam hissed. “But if my lord . . .”
“My lord king.”
Miriam looked around. A captain of the guard had entered the tent—one hand on the hilt of his sword, the other covered in
blood.
“My lord king you’d best come now.”
“What is it?” Alexander slurred.
“Three guards have been killed.”
All drunkenness seemed to disappear. The king sprang to his feet, snapping his fingers for the others to join him. A cart
stood outside the royal tent. Three corpses, foot soldiers, sprawled there splattered with blood. Alexander took a pitch torch
from one of the escorts and moved closer. The side of each man’s head looked as if it had been smashed in by some war ax or
club.
“The men were out on picket duty,” the captain explained. “To the south on country roads. I went to check that all was well
but couldn’t find them. I thought they had gone drinking or even slipped back into the camp; I found one of the shields, then
the corpses, as well as this!”
Alexander took the small scroll and handed it to Miriam.
“Doomed,” she read out aloud. “Oh, lost and damned! This is my last and only word to you. For ever!”
“I received the same.” She handed it back. “Earlier this evening; it’s a quotation . . .”
“I know,” Alexander broke in, “from Sophocles.” Alexanderstrode away from his companions, now gathering round the cart; he gestured at Miriam and the captain to follow.
“There’s something else isn’t there, man?”
The captain nodded, his face pale and sweaty under the great Corinthian helmet.
“When I crouched down to examine one of the corpses, I heard a whistling. I looked up. In the moonlight I glimpsed a figure
on top of small hill. In one hand he carried a club.”
“And when he walked,” Miriam intervened, “he had a limp?”
The captain nodded. “I hurried toward him, but by the time I reached the top, he’d disappeared into the night. The men are
now saying that we have been visited and punished by the shade of Oedipus.”
Alexander sobered up. It was as if he hadn’t touched a drop of wine; there was a thin, mean twist to his lips, his eyes were
hard and unblinking.
“I conquered Thebes,” he declared. “And now they are going to argue that Oedipus has conquered me. Perdiccas,” he shouted,
“I want officers to check all the pickets and sentries. Send out cavalry patrols at first light! Scour the countryside for
any Thebans. Miriam come with me.”
They walked out of earshot of the rest.
“I’m begging you, Miriam.” Alexander
I swear by the holy name of the God of Israel, that it will not be by force but by human cunning and divine favor. Alexander
of Macedon shall wear the Iron Crown of Thebes!”
A murmur of approval broke out from the king’s companions. Timeon look puzzled. Niarchos came forward. Alexander grasped him
by the shoulder and kissed him on each cheek.
“Do that again,” he whispered, “and I’ll have your bloody head.” And with one arm around Niarchos and the other around Miriam,
Alexander staggered back to his cushions. He wiped his flushed, sweat-soaked face with a wet rag and clapped his hands.
“The night is still young.”
Servants came in bringing more bowls of food and fresh jugs of wine. Alexander deliberately turned his back on Miriam and
began to tease Hephaestion. Only when he was sure his guests were diverted did he turn back.
“You know what you’ve done, Miriam?”
“I know what you would have done,” she hissed. “You showed all Greece that a Macedonian could not solve aproblem. And, in the presence of the envoys, you almost killed one of your generals. Alexander, when you drink, keep your
hands away from your weapons.”
“I thought Niarchos was going to pee himself,” Alexander grinned.
“So would anyone,” Miriam countered.
“Do you know how to remove the Crown?” Alexander taunted.
“No!” Miriam hissed. “But if my lord . . .”
“My lord king.”
Miriam looked around. A captain of the guard had entered the tent—one hand on the hilt of his sword, the other covered in
blood.
“My lord king you’d best come now.”
“What is it?” Alexander slurred.
“Three guards have been killed.”
All drunkenness seemed to disappear. The king sprang to his feet, snapping his fingers for the others to join him. A cart
stood outside the royal tent. Three corpses, foot soldiers, sprawled there splattered with blood. Alexander took a pitch torch
from one of the escorts and moved closer. The side of each man’s head looked as if it had been smashed in by some war ax or
club.
“The men were out on picket duty,” the captain explained. “To the south on country roads. I went to check that all was well
but couldn’t find them. I thought they had gone drinking or even slipped back into the camp; I found one of the shields, then
the corpses, as well as this!”
Alexander took the small scroll and handed it to Miriam.
“Doomed,” she read out aloud. “Oh, lost and damned! This is my last and only word to you. For ever!”
“I received the same.” She handed it back. “Earlier this evening; it’s a quotation . . .”
“I know,” Alexander broke in, “from Sophocles.” Alexanderstrode away from his companions, now gathering round the cart; he gestured at Miriam and the captain to follow.
“There’s something else isn’t there, man?”
The captain nodded, his face pale and sweaty under the great Corinthian helmet.
“When I crouched down to examine one of the corpses, I heard a whistling. I looked up. In the moonlight I glimpsed a figure
on top of small hill. In one hand he carried a club.”
“And when he walked,” Miriam intervened, “he had a limp?”
The captain nodded. “I hurried toward him, but by the time I reached the top, he’d disappeared into the night. The men are
now saying that we have been visited and punished by the shade of Oedipus.”
Alexander sobered up. It was as if he hadn’t touched a drop of wine; there was a thin, mean twist to his lips, his eyes were
hard and unblinking.
“I conquered Thebes,” he declared. “And now they are going to argue that Oedipus has conquered me. Perdiccas,” he shouted,
“I want officers to check all the pickets and sentries. Send out cavalry patrols at first light! Scour the countryside for
any Thebans. Miriam come with me.”
They walked out of earshot of the rest.
“I’m begging you, Miriam.” Alexander
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