Everyone has someone they look up
to, whether it is an actor, a sportsperson, a saint, a religious figure in
general, an author, a hero from history etc. However, how often do we hear of
great men admiring other great men? One such example is of course Alexander the
Great who admired many people from history, heroes, soldiers, authors and
philosophers. One great example is his admiration for Homer and his work.
Plutarch shows this admiration through a story, where the Iliad maintains a
significant importance for the Macedonian King. Plutarch writes:
‘One day a casket was brought to
him [Alexander] which was regarded by those who were in charge of Darius’
baggage and treasure as the most valuable item of all, and so Alexander asked
his friends what he should keep in it as his own most precious possession. Many
different suggestions were put forward, and finally Alexander said that he
intended to keep his copy of the Iliad there. This anecdote is supported by
many reliable historians, and if the tradition which has been handed down by
the Alexandrians on the authority of Heracleides is true, then certainly the
poems of Homer were by no means an irrelevant or an unprofitable possession to
accompany him on his campaigns.’[1]
[1]
Plutarch, The Age of Alexander, trans.
Ian Scott-Kilvert and Timothy E. Duff, (London, Penguin Books, 2011), p.308.
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