"
On hearing this Aristotle acutely remarked, that Kallisthenes had
great ability and power of speech, but no common sense. He, like a
true philosopher, refused to kneel and do homage to Alexander, and
alone had the spirit to express in public what all the oldest and best
Macedonians privately felt. By his refusal he relieved the Greeks and
Alexander from a great disgrace, but ruined himself, because he seemed
to use force rather than persuasion to attain his object. We are told
by Charon of Mitylene that once when at table, Alexander, after
drinking, passed the cup to one of his friends; and that he after
receiving it, rose, stood by the hearth, and after drinking knelt
before Alexander: after which he kissed him and resumed his seat. All
the guests did this in turn until the cup came to Kallisthenes. The
king, who was conversing to Hephaestion, did not take any notice of
what he did, and after drinking he also came forward to kiss him, when
Demetrius, who was surnamed Pheidon, said, "My king, do not kiss him,
for he alone has not done homage to you." Upon this Alexander avoided
kissing Kallisthenes, who said in a loud voice, "Then I will go away
with the loss of a kiss."
LV. The breach thus formed was widened by Hephaestion, who declared
that Kallisthenes had agreed with him to kneel before Alexander, and
then had broken his compact; and this story was believed by Alexander.
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