Chapter 6

Dear Master Aristotle,

Do you still remember how you used to worry about Alexander ending up hurting himself some day, because he often took an action before giving a thought? I am regretting to say that your fear became true. It was an extremely hot day. We were traveling through the mountains, to the further east where Darius waited for us. After climbing up a rocky path, the road wound down into a small forest in the valley.

The temperature was high, but the air was dry when we started our caravan, however, as soon as the thick vegetation enveloped us, and we slowed down, the air became stagnated and heavy lingering around us with high humidity. The white rays of the intense sun pierced through among the thick green leaves, which beamed curtains of intense lights through the snaking narrow path.

Tiny particles flickered in gold and silver in the rays as if they were eternally trapped within. Everything was still, and even the heat seemed to be confined in the woods. The lack of breezes made everybody feel hotter and sweaty. We marched in silence, as the heat was becoming almost unbearable, and it threatened to suffocate our lungs.

Alexander broke the silence with a big grin on his face asking us if we could guess what he craved for the most. His eyes were shining with mischief. How young and innocent he looked! It almost felt as if I were transported back into the age of Mieza. I do not know how he does it, but he still shows his innocence once in a while even after all these years. Maybe it is because he has never stopped dreaming.

Nearchus responded to Alexander without losing a beat commenting that he would love to have a naked woman's wet body against his. The remark created a stream of banter from other officers, which lightened up the heavy atmosphere tremendously. I admire Nearchus' carefree nature, and I sometimes wish I could act like him.

Alexander then looked at me, and said that he craved for the cool stream in Edessa. Everybody agreed in unison remembering the refreshing clear water we used to play in on the hot summer afternoons. I could not help blushing, because Alexander meant more than just splashing water from the way he was looking at me. I knew exactly where his mind was going, to our happy hiding place. We exchanged a nod and a smile that only the two of us could understand.

When the border of the woods came closer, we heard inviting sounds of water as if the gods had granted Alexander's wish. Both the beasts' and the humans' footsteps quickened involuntarily in excitement. As the tree lines ended, the body of rapidly flowing water appeared in front of us. Numbers of small waterfalls cascaded down the stream, which created strands of white strings and refreshing sounds of hollow echoes.

I could not believe my eyes. It actually looked exactly like the stream in Edessa. The image of Alexander and me playing in the crystal clear water flashed in my mind. Those carefree days I desperately longed for from time to time… The only difference was that the temperature of the water here was a lot colder. The rapid flow of the stream from the snow-capped mountains in high elevation did not give the time for the water to warm up. Despite the hot temperature in the atmosphere, the water stayed ice cold.

Before I could even say a word, I saw Alexander jump off Bucephalus and run to the water shouting for me to follow while stripping and yelling happily. "No! Alexander!" I screamed in panic, but it was too late. He had already jumped into the stream splashing the beads of water around him.

His happiness was quickly replaced with unwelcome surprise; I saw his body freeze in the middle of it. He started to shiver so violently that I could almost hear his teeth chatter. I jumped in right after him without thinking. The water was so cold that it felt as if thousands of tiny blades cut through the skin numbing the nerves in my whole body. It tightened my chest, and gripped my heart threatening to stop its beat.

It is strange how a person's mind works. At that moment, facing death, all I thought was that I did understand Alexander. His impulsive act was not the result of recklessness; rather it was the result of the passion and love to experience life at its full blast. As I did jump in after Alexander for my love, Alexander did it for his love of life.

When I almost got to Alexander, his body fell in the stream. I dove under and grabbed his wrist just in the nick of time before the rapid current washed him away. I struggled to pull him up. The power of the water kept him pulling under with greater force than I could pull him up. I held onto him for dear life, but it was only a matter of the time before I lost my battle.

When I thought that was it, a strong arm wrapped around my torso, and I was pulled up to the surface. The other hand released the weight of Alexander's body from my grip. I saw Nearchus and Ptolemy's worried faces before the darkness took over my world.

When my consciousness came back, and I opened my eyes, I was lying in front of a fire being wrapped with a heavy blanket. "Alexander!" I sprung to sit up, but had to lie back again as the world spun around me. "Easy Hephaistion, Alexander is right by you." Ptolemy gently patted my shoulder to calm me down. He does not say much, but he is one of the few who understands and supports my relationship with Alexander.

Alexander lay by me also wrapped in a heavy blanket; he was so pale and still that he looked almost dead. Ptolemy's expression did not ease my fear either. He mumbled that Alexander was alive, but he was suffering from a high fever. Pushing his mind and body to the limit finally caught up with him; his body could not take the induced shock.

Alexander's fever did not subside for the next five days, and he lived in the hazy world of where consciousness and unconsciousness meet. When he finally came around, he was so weak that he hardly could sit up on the bed; there was no strength left in his body.

None of the treatment had worked. I think all the doctors were afraid of administering the real treatment, wanting to stay on the safe side. A desperate measure was needed, but nobody wished to take a chance of being blamed to be responsible for the king's death when it did not work. It was frustrating, but we could not do anything.

I was so scared that Alexander might die. I do not know what I would do if he had gone. I cannot think of a world without him. Yet, I did not show my fear to anybody, even to Ptolemy, as I knew very well that once there was a doubt about Alexander's power, nothing would hold his army together. His army got more powerful by the day, but it was not strong and organized enough to survive without a leader. And I could not let his dream fall apart just yet.

We officers gathered all the physicians and told them to try anything even if it carried some risks. I told them that we could not let Alexander die due to illness. If we did, he would curse us from Hades. It was then, Dr. Philip of Cara stepped up, and told us that he could try this one medicine. He explained that it was so strong that the smallest miscalculation could cause death. I told him to go ahead and administer it; I knew that Alexander would have taken the risk.

When Dr. Philip informed us that he had completed the prescription and was ready to administer it to Alexander, a messenger from Parmenion arrived with a letter from him. After quietly reading it, Alexander handed it to me. My heart jumped, and started to beat madly. It said that Dr. Philip was connected with Darius, and he was looking for an opportunity to assassinate Alexander. 'Alexander, I beg you. Please keep him away from you as far as possible.' That was how Parmenion's letter concluded.

When I looked up at Alexander's face, it was surprisingly calm. He whispered your quote out loud; 'The high-minded man must care more for the truth than for what people think.' And he told me that he trusted Philip, because the truth was that Philip was a man of dignity.

I brought the letter from Parmenion with me when I went to get Philip, and handed it to him without a word. As I watched him read, his face turned pale and his clenched hands around the paper trembled. I told him that Alexander still trusted him, and he was ready to take his remedy. The doctor silently nodded and picked up one of the three cups he laid on the table.

We came back to Alexander's tent, and Philip offered his medicine to Alexander. I saw Alexander raise the cup as if in salute, and slowly brought it to his lips. I tried to read the doctor's expression, so I could stop Alexander if I sensed any danger, but I could not read anything. He had concealed all the emotion behind his professional mask. Now, all I could do was to pray to the gods.

To our relief, the medicine did not kill Alexander, and he started to recover after Dr. Philip's ministration. Now, there is no way of knowing if the conspiracy against Alexander by Philip was real, and if one of the cups prepared on the table was meant to kill Alexander. The only thing that is certain is that Dr. Philip was a man of dignity as Alexander had judged. Recklessness might have put Alexander in danger, but at the same time, his boldness was the reason that might have saved him.

And I know that Dr. Philip would never betray Alexander in future, as he now knows that Alexander trusted him despite the accusation against him. Can you imagine how grateful you would feel when you know that you have unconditional trust from a mighty king like Alexander? I believe that Alexander has mastered the art of gaining people's love and loyalty by giving his own. 'He who confers a benefit on anyone loves him better that he is beloved.' But, at the same time, I am afraid that this incident might have further widened the gap between Alexander and Parmenion. Only time will tell.

Your Humble Student,

Hephaistion

Note: Italics are Aristotle's quotes.