The Story of Alexander

by Robert Steele

Now when the horse was brought to Philip the king of Macedonia he was fain of him, for he was of noble form, and it seemed as if he would be the best horse in the world, so he thanked the prince greatly, and made men build a stable for the horse of iron bars, strong and good. Therein was he put, and men doomed to death were brought to that place and thrown to him, and he tore them to pieces, and fed on them. And no man willingly went near the stable in which he was.

It fell on a day when Alexander was come to youth, that he chanced to stand at a window of the palace while this wild horse was being led by in iron chains, and the prince wondered at the sight, for it seemed to him that this was the noblest of horses, and he could not tell why he was kept in chains. But when he had come down to the courtyard the grooms had gone, so he followed them searching for the horse’s stable, and at the last he came upon the iron house, and looking into it he wondered at the horrible things he saw there. Then one of the grooms came up to him and told him how the horse fed on man’s flesh, and how that should be till he was tamed and ridden by a great king’s son. Hearing this Alexander went up to the bars and called the horse, and the wild animal came up to them, and laid out his neck. Then the prince put his hand through the bars and Bucephalus licked it, and folded his feet and fell to the ground, looking up into Alexander’s face.

Thus was the horse tamed, and Alexander lifted up the gate-bolts and entered the stable boldly, and stroked Bucephalus on his back with his hand, while the horse turned his head round and watched him fondly. Then he got a bridle and saddle, and girt him round and loosed his chains, and leaping on his back rode him off, while the good white horse obeyed the rein as if he had been ridden ten years. Now, while Alexander was riding him round the courtyard, men had run to king Philip and had told him how the prince had gone into the cage of the fierce man-eating horse, and the king came down to see what should hap, and found Alexander master of the horse. Then Philip the fierce remembered the saying of the gods, and he greeted him with words of praise, and said, “Son, of a truth thou shalt reign in my stead when I am gone, and the land shall wax great. Ask now a gift of me, and I will give it.” “Then,” said Alexander, “make me a knight, and a chief with men-at-arms to follow me.”

Great was the joy of Philip that his son’s first wish was to be a leader of men in war, and that he had done this great thing, so he granted it with good will. “I give thee, O son,” said he, “one hundred of my best horses, and sixty thousand gold pieces from my coffers, and the best of my chieftains and proved princes to be thy men, and free of my house shalt thou be, to abide there in peace, or to go from it to seek adventure in war. Thou hast done a man’s deed, and man shalt thou be called.” Then the prince gave him lowly thanks, and sped off to gather together a little band of twelve chieftains, picked and proved leaders of men, whom he had chosen to lead his men, and when this was done each got together tried men to follow them till the number of the band was made up.

Now when Alexander had got together his band, he made ready to go out in search of his first adventure, and in few days he rode out into the world in knightly array into a land unknown, nor did he stay until he came into the land of Peloponnesus. Now the king of this land was called Nicholas, and when tidings were brought him that a band of strange knights had come into his land, he ordered that a host should be gathered together, and he with a few knights rode out far before his following, and came to the men of Alexander and began to question them in his wrath and anger, “Oh, ye knights, who is your leader, and why come you here in my land?” Then the courteous knight Alexander came to the front: “Sir knight,” said he, “Philip the fierce, king of Macedon, is my father, and I am his heir Alexander.” And the king stood up in his stirrups, and sternly looking at him, said, “Whom think you that I am?” “Sir,” said Alexander, “you are as now king of this folk, nor do I grudge your honour, but beware of pride, for wise men tell that the highest thing falls soonest, and that which is least of all is ofttimes brought to the stars.”

“True is thy word,” said the king, “and soon shalt thou prove its truth it may be; look well to thyself lest thy speech come home to thee.”

Then Alexander burst into rage, and with bitter words ordered him to return to his following if he wished safety, and Nicholas the king, flaming with bitter wasp-like anger, took up a handful of mud and threw it in the face of Alexander, and swore by the heart of his father that he would put him to death with his own hands if he fled not. But the noble Alexander controlled his rage at the foul insult, and keeping his face by a mighty effort, though his hands were gripping each other through, said, “As thou hast wronged me causelessly, Nicholas, I swear by my father and by my god that thou shalt see me ere long for this cause, and that I shall take thy land from thee, or thou my life from me.” So a day was set for them to meet in fight, and they parted on either side.

Now were men on both parts getting them ready for the fight. Alexander hurried home into Macedon and assembled a mighty host of knights and archers, men proved and skilled in arms. And when the host was assembled, with his princes and captains, he sought the presence of Philip and took his leave, and mounting Bucephalus his brave white horse, he led, first of all, his army out of the broad gates of the town. So on the appointed day the field is covered with the array of either host, and now men lift up the banners and shake them out to the wind, and the clarions sound out till the whole field rings with the music, and the woods and the hills answer them again. Then each noble prepares for battle, his helm on his head he strides to his horse, and jumps on his steel-clad saddle, he hangs round his throat his bright shimmering shield, and handles his lance. Then is the stamping of steeds, the stripping of banners, the clouds of dust rise in the air, and suddenly the crowds meet with a shock in the middle of the plain. Now the steeds rear up against each other, and the spears break through the blazoned shields and through the helmet bars, while the cypress lance shafts splinter into fragments, and down fall knights and dukes from their steeds.

Well and nobly did the young Alexander fight his first battle. Sir Nicholas took him a spear, and rushed on the young knight to get him a name, and to keep his oath that he had sworn. Then Alexander took another lance from his squire, for the first one was strained in the fight by this time and might betray him, and they met one another in the field, and men stayed to see this fight. So sore were their strokes that the long lances split, even from point to handgrip, so that there was not an ell long piece in either man’s hand. Then each threw the fragment away, and out flashed their swords from the sheaths, and they hacked and hewed at each other through mail-coat and helmet. But mail and helm were good and gave not way, till Alexander grew mad with rage, and with one full stroke he struck off the head of King Nicholas clear through the neck and helm, and he fell down to the earth. So it was that Alexander got him great worship by this victory, for all the men of that country and their lords came to him, and falling on their knees put them in his mercy, and acknowledged him as ruler of the land. Thus he defeated his enemy, and revenged the insult of King Nicholas, and returned home with fame and good to his father.