Some writers say that Antipater was advised by Aristotle to poison
Alexander, and inform us that one Hagnothemis declared that he had
been told as much by Antipater; and that the poison was as cold as
ice, and was gathered like dew, from a certain rock near the city of
Nonakris, and preserved in the hoof of an ass: for no other vessel
could contain it, because it is so exceedingly cold and piercing. Most
historians, however, think that the whole story of Alexander's being
poisoned was a fiction; and this view is strongly supported by the
fact, that as Alexander's generals began to fight one another
immediately after his death, his body lay for many days unheeded, in
hot and close rooms, and yet showed no signs of decay, but remained
sweet and fresh. Roxana, who was pregnant, was regarded with great
respect by the Macedonians, and being jealous of Statira, she sent her
a forged letter, purporting to come from Alexander and asking her to
come to him. When Statira came, Roxana killed both her and her sister,
cast their bodies down a well, and filled up the well with earth. Her
accomplice in this crime was Perdikkas, who on the death of Alexander
at once became a very powerful man. He sheltered his authority under
the name of Arrhidaeus, who became the nominal, while Perdikkas was the
virtual king of Macedonia. This Arrhidaeus was the son of Philip by a
low and disreputable woman named Philinna, and was half-witted in
consequence of some bodily disorder with which he was afflicted.
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