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1. Alexanders Education
Would you refuse to tutor the son of a King?
Isocrates, who had studied with great philosophers such as Socrates and
Gorgias puts his name forward. But is rejected.
Speusippus, who succeeded Plato at the Platonic Academy, puts his name
forward. And is willing to quit his position at the Academy to teach
Alexander. But he is rejected too.
Philip rejects many other teachers. Because he wants the best teacher for
his son. And he has heard that the best teacher in the entire kingdom is
Aristotle. But Aristotle does not put his name forward.
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Philip than uses the stick: Aristotle would be exiled if he did not teach young
Alexander. And yet Aristotle stubbornly rejects the offer.
So finally Aristotle is asked: what are his demands? What would it take for
him to accept the position of a tutor to young Alexander?
This is unheard of. Not focusing your entire attention in teaching the next
king? Giving other kids equal status as to the prince? But no matter what is
done to persuade Aristotle, he does not budge from his demands. Let him
teach Alexander with other students, or not at all.
Everyone knows the greatness Alexander achieved. But not many know the
greatness his fellow classmates achieved.
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route.
Moral: when in doubt, go to the the folks who have expertise in that
particular problem, no matter how lowly they are thought of.
Even Alexanders brave men are not spared. They start dying of dehydration
in the 60 day march.
On one very hot tiring day, some soldiers find a little bit of water in a ravine in
the desert. They fill it up in a helmet and take it to Alexander. But before
drinking the water, the thirsty Alexander asks them: is it enough for all the
soldiers?
Moral: Do what is in the best interest of other people. Sacrifice for them
and they will follow you.
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Alexander, along with his armies, reaches the city of Gordium in Phyria.
There he is shown the chariot of the ancient founder of the city, its pole
lashed to the yoke by means of an intricate knot. The knot doesnt have any
loose ends.
The Oracle has prophesied that he who unravels the knot will go on
conquering entire Asia. Many have tried, and all have failed to unravel the
Gordian knot.
At first, Alexander attempts to untie the knot like everyone else by trying to
find a loose end. But while others before him gave up when they could not
find the loose end after hours of attempt, Alexander has different ideas.
When it becomes apparent that there is no loose end, Alexander draws his
sword and slices the knot in half.
Shortly afterwards Asia is united for the first time under his rule.
Moral: Sometimes its better not to get too tied up in a problem. Leap
for a bold solution!
5. Alexander vs Darius
The year is 331 b.c. Alexander is still to become Alexander the great.
Alexander has to fight a war against the king of Persia Darius.
The war is very unbalanced and tilted in the favour of the Persian king
Darius. Alexanders army is outnumbered 20:1 in the battle against Darius.
Furthermore, the Persian army is better equipped too. They have chariots
and fancy weaponry.
Alexander realizes that it would be very hard to win against the Persian
army. There is no way that Alexander could take on the might of Darius
forces. So Alexander gives just one simple order to his soldiers:
KILL DARIUS.
Every soldier in Alexanders force has one clear mission, one clear target:
Darius. They go after that one target in full force when the war begins.
Their focus takes the Persian wing that protects Darius by surprise and
Darius soon realizes what Alexander is up to. He flees to save his life.
Seeing their commander and king run away, the other generals and soldiers
flee too. And Alexander, with poor equipment and outnumbered soldiers,
wins against the mighty Persians.
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