This Antigenes was a very distinguished
soldier. When Philip, was besieging Perinthus, Antigenes, who was then
very young, was struck in the eye with a dart, and would not allow his
friends to pull it out, nor leave the fight, before he had driven back
the enemy into the city. He now was terribly cast down at his
disgrace, and made no secret of his intention of making away with
himself. The king, fearing that he would carry out his threat,
pardoned him, and permitted him to keep the money.
LXXI. Alexander was much pleased with the appearance of the three
thousand youths whom he had left to be trained in the Greek manner,
who had now grown into strong and handsome men, and showed great skill
and activity in the performance of military exercises; but the
Macedonians were very discontented, and feared that their king would
now have less need for them. When Alexander sent those of them who
were sick or maimed back to the sea coast, they said that it was
disgraceful treatment that he should send these poor men home to their
country and their parents in disgrace, and in worse case than when
they set out, after he had had all the benefit of their services. They
bade him send them all home, and regard them all as unserviceable,
since he had such a fine troop of young gallants at his disposal to go
and conquer the world with. Alexander was much vexed at this. He
savagely reproached the soldiers, dismissed all his guards, and
replaced them with Persians, whom he appointed as his body-guards and
chamberlains.
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