Alexander would now march against Athens, and destroy her as he had destroyed Thebes. But the king only sent to demand that eight of the orators who had done their best to incite the people to rebel against him, should be sent to him as hostages.
Demosthenes would have been among the eight, and he urged the Athenians not to 'hand over their sheep-dogs to the wolf.' But Phocion said that it would be wise to do as Alexander asked.
At length the assembly sent Damocles to the king to plead the cause of his comrades, for he was, after Demosthenes, the greatest orator in Athens.
Alexander listened to Damocles and was persuaded to leave the orators in their own city, for he believed that the fate of Thebes would make Athens afraid to rebel.
Of the loyalty of the Greek troops the king was sure, for were they not going to avenge the invasion of Greece by Xerxes?
The king did not mean to return to Macedon to reign, rather did he dream of a throne in one of the great cities which he was going to conquer. So before he marched away, he divided his royal domain and his wealth among his friends.
Perdiccas, one of his friends, was dismayed at the generosity of the king, and asked him what he was keeping for himself.
'Hope,' answered Alexander. Then Perdiccas refused to accept his share of the king's gifts, saying, 'We who go forth to fight with you need share only in your hope.'
Antipater, one of his father's generals, Alexander left in Macedon to look after his kingdom.
At length in the spring of 334 B.C., after saying good-bye to his mother, whom he dearly loved, the king marched with an enormous force to the Hellespont and crossed it. The great expedition had really begun.
