Further, all the way to the house, they rode alongside, father and son, king and prince, commander and basileus, as the Macedonians called them. Out of the corner of his eye, Alexander saw the best commanders Perdikku, Parmenion and Antipater, who were watching the family idyll of father and son with pleasure, gazing with pleasure, and Hephaestion kept nearby, and his friends rode near the Olympics. Pella did not change at all during the months of their absence. Alexander, like his mother, occupied their old rooms, and tried not to notice Cleopatra, however, the prince did not dislike her. Philip had already knocked off the vanguard of the army, and Parmenion and Attal were to head it, and began to search for allies in Asia Minor, and began negotiations with Pixodar. The actor Thessalus became the messenger, and once, passing by the apartments of Philip, Erigy heard a fragment of the conversation:
“The princess of Hell will be a good wife to Arideas,” Philip said,
“Pixar will have enough of this to be sure that he will not lose his kingdom, only now he is satrap Darius, and he will bring you an oath like the Thracians,” answered Thessal.
“We will write a letter now, I will put a seal, take the money and drive the horses not sparing up to Byzantium, and there to Halicarnassus,” Philip pointed out to the courier.
Erigy rushed headlong to Alexander, he rested after the gymnasium, and read the favorite list of the Iliad, ruled by Aristotle, the book was hiking, and written on a thin linen fabric. The prince’s face was calm at that moment, he rested in body and soul, after a breakdown with his father. Hephaestion and Ptolemy sat next to him, and Nearh studied the cellars of the royal palace, and according to rumors, in one of the back streets he found marble marble for the Dionysian sacraments, and was now preparing to introduce friends to the mysteries. And then burst into the hall Erigy.
– Alexander, listen to me! Your father wants to marry Ariidea to Ada, the Carian princess! They want to get around you, surely these are Attalus’s machinations! “Erigy took my speech quickly.
– Right, Attal is plotting everything there. Alexander, Ada is said to be beautiful, and you better come up to her, “Ptolemy confirmed.
– Erigiy, and who is carrying the letter? – asked just entered Nearh,
– Just entered, and immediately to the point. Truly, I now with squires after him, and the ambassador was gone, – added Ptolemy,
– No, my loyal friend, we will prepare a letter about me, – Alexander added, – let’s give money, I have silver talent left, and the brave actor will be my ambassador, Hymen.
– Risky, can take the money, and betray, added Erigy.
Alexander put down the Iliad and began writing a letter to Pixodar with his own hand, then sealed it with his own seal.
– Skachi, Ptolemy, Alexander confirmed in a firm voice, giving the purse to the bodyguard. Ptolemy went out, and he could hear him calling for squires. Friends began to wait.
Three squires and Ptolemy himself rushed headlong out of the palace, and one of them, which did not attract attention, went to the stables and brought out four horses.First, before the palace disappeared from their eyes, they were not fast, then they went on trotting so as not to bore their horses, and asked on the way, did they see a stranger on a mule and with him servants on an ass? Ahead, there was a broken cart with beets and carrots, which the peasant was collecting, and the other was repairing the cart; the wheel of the cart leaped off the axle. Ptolemy dismounted himself, and with him one of the servants, and they approached the commoners.
“Good afternoon, reverend,” Ptolemy greeted. “Did you see strangers on a mule and a donkey?”
– Well, they were, so they drove along this road, saying among themselves that they were going to Byzantium.
“Thank you, you are a kind man,” and Eter ordered the two squires to stay and help me repair the cart.
Themselves began to drive the horses, and soon caught up with the envoy.
“Let me greet you, Thessalus,” Ptolemy greeted him politely. Are you rushing to play a new play? But then a new sponsor was found, and he wants to change words in some places, and wants to give you a talent of silver, if you wish to share his vision of the development of this play.
– Your friend seems to be a true connoisseur of theatrical art? -Posutil, clasping his teeth from fucking Thessal, because he understood what the young man was talking about, and it would be very easy to remain without a head in this production. But the actor’s ambition has taken its toll. – I understand that here, in the course of the play’s action, is the change of the groom?
“You are an experienced minister of Melpomena, you understand,” added Ptolemy, laughing. – Give the recipient my letter.
“I agree with your arguments and I cannot argue,” agreed Thessal.
“Then here is your money, and hurry to do your job, my wingless Eros,” Lagid joked, turning his horse to return to Pella.
Thessal, being an experienced pimp, but he had to deal with such questions several times, waited until Ptolemy was out of sight, changed his appearance, put on rags and glued his beard, and also went to Pella, but to Philip. Passing through a convoy of guards, he secretly notified the king and called Philip to the house of servants.
– Hello the king, I will not torment your impatience, and I will say that your dear son, too, set out to marry, but all the same Arriedeeva bride. Sorry for the insolence, but so Ada will become a real Spartan with two husbands, because her beauty eclipses the sun, and her wealth blinds her eyes, – but looking up at Philip, he saw that he first blushed with rage, but then the roar of his laughter struck even the experienced an actor.
“We’ll play the next comedy with you, Thessal, it will be called Thessal Chained.” What do you think? – and in awe, Philip raised his hands to the sky.
“I love Aeschylus, the king, but the beginning, I don’t quite like it, is too tragic.. – the actor made a mournful grimace.
– No, you do not understand, I’m talking about a comedy, I, of course, not Aristophanes, and not a new friend of the son Linkey, but such a plan, and he briefly outlined the contents of the main character, Thessal’s face changed before our eyes, and then broke into a wide smile. – Well, you understand?
– Completely. All sovereign do.
A week later, when Alexander was reading his beloved Homer after a horse dressage with friends, his father quickly entered his quarters,
– Hey, son. You I will overcame, not only read the Iliad, but you also want to become a storyteller, the king said with a tense expression on his face.
– What are you talking about, father? – the young man was surprised.
“Look, I have your letter here, passed by kind people, agents of Parmenion,” Philip replied with a grin.
Alexander immediately recognized