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Alexander's Lovers
Alexander’s Lovers is the eagerly awaited second
book by the author of The Lost Tomb of Alexander the Great (see
www.alexanderstomb.com). It will surely prove no less fascinating a
read for those with an interest in the King. It presents an exploration of
Alexander’s character through the mirror of the lives of the people with whom he
pursued romantic relationships, including his friend Hephaistion, his queen
Roxane, his mistress Barsine and Bagoas the Eunuch.
Did you know that Alexander got the idea of adopting Persian dress from a book
he read in his youth? Had you realised that Alexander’s pursuit of divine
honours was merely an aspect of his emulation of Achilles? Would you be
interested to discover that Bagoas the Eunuch undertook a diplomatic mission in Bactria or that Hephaistion’s diplomacy kept Athens from joining the Spartan
rebellion of King Agis? Are you aware that Aetion’s famous painting of
Alexander’s marriage depicted Hephaistion and Bagoas as well as Roxane and that
it was really a depiction of the King’s various passions? Had you heard that
Alexander first met his mistress Barsine when they were both children in Macedon
and that she was the great-granddaughter of a Great King? Can you name the girl
betrothed to Alexander’s son? Would it surprise you to learn that Alexander’s
mourning and funeral arrangements for Hephaistion were conducted according to
precepts dictated by Homer and Euripides? If you are intrigued by any of these
questions and would like to get to know Alexander on a more personal level than
is feasible from the conventional histories, then you need to read Alexander’s
Lovers. |
