ALEXANDER. 249 them as their baseness and ingratitude deserved. How- ever, this would not prevail ; for though his anger was already something mollified, yet he would not admit them into his presence, nor would they stir from thence, but con- tinued two days and nights before his tent, bewailing themselves, and imploring him as their lord to have com- passion on them. But the third day he came out to them, and seeing them very humble and penitent, he wept him- self a great while, and after a gentle reproof spoke kindly to them, and dismissed those who were unservice- able with magnificent rewards, and with this recom- mendation to Antipater, that when they came home, at all public shows and in the theatres, they should sit on the best and foremost seats, crowned with chaplets of flowers. He ordered, also, that the children of those who had lost their lives in his service, should have their fathers' pay continued to them. When he came to Ecbatana in Media, and had de- spatched his most urgent affairs, he began to divert him- self again with spectacles and public entertainments, to carry on which he had a supply of three thousand actors and artists, newly arrived out of Greece. But they were soon interrupted by Hephrestion's falling sick of a fever, in which, being a young man and a soldier too, he could not confine himself to so exact a diet as was necessary ; for whilst his physician Glaucus was gone to the theatre, he ate a fowl for his dinner, and drank a large draught of wine, upon which he became very ill, and shortly after died. At this misfortune, Alexander was so beyond all reason transported, that to express his sorrow, he immedi- ately ordered the manes and tails of all his horses and mules to be cut, and threw down the battlements of the neighboring cities. The poor physician he crucified, and forbade playing on the flute, or any other musical instru- ment in the camp a great while, till directions came from
