infinite possibilities of life

Randi 2022-04-20 09:01:39

The earliest I knew about Alexander the Great came from the simple line "Founder of the Macedonian Empire" in the junior high school history textbook. Looking at the vast territory of the empire he conquered, I couldn't help yearning. It should be a Qin Huang Han Wu style character.

Later, when I was in college, I entered the house circle, and I was fascinated by "Fate/Zero". I have to say that I like many characters, such as Saber, the cute king, and lucky E for the spearmen. In addition to the beautiful pictures and action scenes, the most The scene that shocked me was the gathering of the three kings, the conquering king Iskandar (I later learned that it was the Persian name of Alexander), the knight king Arthur, and the hero king Gilgamesh together talking about their ways to be kings. Iskandar said something very interesting, "When I am king, I hope that my army will follow my example, follow my footsteps, and find something at the end of the endless sea" (about this meaning, specifically I don’t remember)

At that time, I thought, how can Alexander be so cool, and then cooperate with the army of the king launched by his legion later, every soldier is a living person, the conqueror can even call out their names , and chatting with them a few times, I realized that his legion really loves him. Really cool.

Recently, Amway said that "Alexander the Great" is worth watching. With a good impression of the great emperor in "Fate/Zero", I patiently watched this three-hour movie that spanned Alexander's life. .

Unsurprisingly, the young Alexander was strong, brave, and wise, and his generals were almost all young men who grew up at the same time as him. How majestic he was when he defeated the Persian army, and then conquered the whole of West Asia all the way. , Daxia, India, all crawl at his feet, quite a kind of "I see, I come, I conquer" posture, if only so, Alexander is not so great, when he reigned the world, he and I Still thinking, what is real conquest, looted wealth, kidnapped beauties, or just large tracts of land and slaves coerced by force?

He gave a very interesting answer, allowing all ethnic groups to live on an equal footing. For this reason, he also married an Asian wife. Does it have a sense of sight of the Roman legion, tolerance and self-confidence in his strong cultural centripetal force can be forged A powerful empire, and the King of Conqueror is also a very romantic person. He wants to see the end of the world and what is on the other side of the endless sea. He is really a cute guy who is full of curiosity about the world.

It's a pity that his mind has gone too far. He is half a step ahead of the world and is considered a genius, and one step ahead of the world is considered a lunatic. His Macedonian men can't understand a king who married a barbarian, and can't understand why the conquered barbarians can The legion is on an equal footing with them, unable to understand why the legion, which has conquered so many countries, is full of injuries and exhaustion, can't return home and explore the endless unknown world. His subordinates challenged him, betrayed him, left him, and the legion was divided. In the end, Hephaistion, the best partner of the conqueror and his counselor (reportedly also a good friend) died of the wind and cold. die.

Such a vivid emperor really makes people like it (especially after knowing that the emperor in history is only 1.6 meters long). After reading it, I asked myself more than once, what is the purpose of human life, and enjoy the comfort brought by modern technology. The welfare of the people, and then finish their short and meaningless life? This is obviously not the life I want. When people are alive, they should experience and experience all the unknowns. People's eyes are full of high-definition movies with 60 frames per second, and people's nose can smell the fragrance in the air. Human ears can appreciate various sounds of high and low frequencies. Human memory is even more powerful. It is like an almost infinite hard drive, which stores images for decades, and can be called out and edited at any time. Everything that I have experienced, going to a strange country that I have never set foot in, and dabbling in many fields that I have never been in contact with, this is probably the greatest joy of being a human being.

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Extended Reading

Alexander quotes

  • Cleitus: How can you, so young, compare yourself to Heracles?

    Alexander: Why not? I've achieved more in my years. Traveled as far. Probably farther.

    Cleitus: Heracles did it by himself! Did you conquer Asia by yourself, Alexander? I mean, who planned the Asian invasion when you were still being spanked on your bottom by my sister? Was it not your father? Or is his blood no longer good enough?

    Alexander: You insult me, Cleitus. You mock my family, be careful.

    Cleitus: Never would your father take barbarians as friends or ask us to fight with them as equals in war. Are we not good enough any longer? I remember a time when we could talk as men, strait to the eye, none of this scraping and groveling. I remember a time when we hunted, when we wrestled on the gymnasium floor. And now you kiss them? Take a barbarian, childless wife, and dare call her Queen?

    Alexander: [deeply insulted] Go quickly, Cleitus, before you ruin your life.

    Cleitus: Doesn't your great pride fear the gods any longer? This army's your blood, boy! Without it you're nothing!

    Alexander: You no longer serve the purpose of this march! Get him from my sight!

    Cleitus: What was I serving but to save your puppy life at Gaugamela? What if I left you to die in the dust?

    Hephaistion: [holding Alexander back] Alexander... Alexander!

    Alexander: Arrest him for treason! Who's with him? I call father Zeus to witness! I call you to trial before him! And we'll see how deep this conspiracy cuts!

    Hephaistion: In the name of the gods, get him out of here!

    Cleitus: Now look at you! Great Alexander! Hiding behind his guards! Are you too great to remember whose life was saved by me? I am more man than you'll ever be!

    [Cleitus is dragged out of the room]

    Hephaistion: He's gone. He's gone, Alexander, gone! Alexander!

    [Cleitus fights his way back into the room]

    Cleitus: What a tyrant you are! Evil tyrant you've become, Alexander. You speak about plots against you? What about poor Parmenion? He served you well! Look how you repaid him! Have you no shame?

    Alexander: You ungrateful wretch! No one, not my finest enemy has spoken like you to me!

    Hephaistion: Please, Alexander...

    [Alexander stabs Cleitus]

    Hephaistion: NO!

  • Parmenion: I pray to Apollo you soon realize how far you've turned from your father's path.

    Alexander: Damn you Parmenion, by the gods and your Apollo! War was in my father's guts! It wasn't over ripe and reason like yours.

    Parmenion: He never lusted for war, Alexander, or enjoyed it so. He consulted his peers in council, among equals! The Macedonian way. He didn't make decisions based on his personal desires.

    Alexander: I've taken us further than my father ever dreamed! Old man, we're in new worlds.

    Cassander: Alexander, be reasonable! Were they ever meant to be our equal? Share our rewards? You remember what Aristotle said. An Asian? What would a wedding vow ever mean to a race that has never kept their word to a Greek?

    Alexander: [throws Cassander against the wall] Aristotle be damned!

    Hephaistion: Alexander!

    Alexander: By Zeus and all the gods, what makes you so much better than them, Cassander? Better than you really are! In you and those like you is this!

    Hephaistion: [pleading] Alexander...

    Alexander: What disturbs me most is not your lack of respect for my judgment. It's your contempt for a world far older than ours!