[16] Alexander the Great was the son of Philip II. and Olympias, and was born at Pella B.C. 356. In his youth he was placed under the tuition of Aristotle, who acquired very great influence over his mind and character, and retained it until his pupil was spoiled by his unparalleled successes. See Aelian (_Varia Historia_, xii. 54). Such was his ability, that at the age of 16 he was entrusted with the government of Macedonia by his father, when he marched against Byzantium. At the age of 18 by his skill and courage he greatly assisted Philip in gaining the battle of Chaeronea. When Philip was murdered, Alexander ascended the throne, and after putting down rebellion at home, he advanced into Greece to secure the power which his father had acquired. See _Diod._, xvi. 85; _Arrian_, vii. 9. [17] See _Justin_, xi. 2. [18] “Arrian speaks as if this request had been addressed only to the Greeks _within_ Peloponnesus; moreover he mentions no assembly at Corinth, which is noticed, though with some confusion, by Diodorus, Justin, and Plutarch. Cities out of Peloponnesus, as well as within it, must have been included; unless we suppose that the resolution of the Amphictyonic assembly, which had been previously passed, was held to comprehend all the extra-Peloponnesian cities, which seems not probable.”—_Grote._ [19] Justin (ix. 5) says: “Soli Lacedaemonii et legem et regem contempserunt.” The king here referred to was Philip. [20] See _Justin_, xi. 3; Aeschines, _Contra Ctesiphontem_, p. 564. [21] The Triballians were a tribe inhabiting the part of Servia bordering on Bulgaria. The Illyrians inhabited the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, the districts now called North Albania, Bosnia, Dalmatia and Croatia. [22] We learn from _Thucydides_, ii. 96, that these people were called Dii. [23] The Nessus, or Nestus, is now called Mesto by the Greeks, and Karasu by the Turks. [24] Now known as the Balkan. The defiles mentioned by Arrian are probably what was afterwards called Porta Trajani. Cf. Vergil (_Georg._, ii. 488); Horace (_Carm._, i. 12, 6). [25] πεποίηντο:—Arrian often forms the pluperfect tense without the augment. διασκεδάσουσι:—The Attic future of this verb is διασκεδῶ. Cf. Aristoph. (_Birds_, 1053). [26] The Agrianes were a tribe of Eastern Paeonia who lived near the Triballians. They served in the Macedonian army chiefly as cavalry and light infantry. [27] Perhaps Neapolis and Eion, which were the harbours of Philippi and Amphipolis. [28] This officer was commander of the royal body-guard. His father was Parmenio, the most experienced of Alexander’s generals.