II. BEGINNING OF HIS REIGN

B.C. 336

Philip is reconciled to Olympias and Alexander.–Olympias and Alexander returned.–The great wedding.–Preparations for the wedding.–Costly presents.–Celebration of the wedding.–Games and spectacles.–Statues of the gods.–Military procession.–Appearance of Philip.–The scene changed.–Assassination of Philip.–Alexander proclaimed king.–Alexander’s speech.–Demosthenes’ Philippics.–The Greeks suspected of the murder.–The Persians also.–Alexander’s new position.–His designs.–Murderers of Philip punished.–Alexander’s first acts.–Parmenio.–Cities of Southern Greece.–Map of Macedon and Greece.–Athens and Corinth.–Thebes.–Sparta.–Conquests of Philip.–Alexander marches southward.–Pass of Thermopylæ.–The Amphictyonic Council.–March through Thessaly.–Alexander’s traits of character.–The Thessalians join Alexander.–He sits in the Amphictyonic Council.–Thermopylæ.–Leonidas and his Spartans.–Death of Leonidas.–Spartan valor.–Alexander made commander-in-chief.–He returns to Macedon.

ALEXANDER was suddenly called upon to succeed his father on the Macedonian throne, in the most unexpected manner, and in the midst of scenes of the greatest excitement and agitation. The circumstances were these:

Philip had felt very desirous, before setting out upon his great expedition into Asia, to become reconciled to Alexander and Olympias. He wished for Alexander’s co-operation in his plans; and then, besides, it would be dangerous to go away from his own dominions with such a son left behind, in a state of resentment and hostility.

So Philip sent kind and conciliatory messages to Olympias and Alexander, who had gone, it will be recollected, to Epirus, where her friends resided. The brother of Olympias was King of Epirus. He had been at first incensed at the indignity which had been put upon his sister by Philip’s treatment of her; but Philip now tried to appease his anger, also, by friendly negotiations and messages. At last he arranged a marriage between this King of Epirus and one of his own daughters, and this completed the reconciliation. Olympias and Alexander returned to Macedon, and great preparations were made for a very splendid wedding.

Philip wished to make this wedding not merely the means of confirming his reconciliation with his former wife and son, and establishing friendly relations with the King of Epirus: he also prized it as an occasion for paying marked and honorable attention to the princes and great generals