Read The Golden Hope: A Story of the Time of King Alexander the Great Page 1




  Produced by Al Haines

  [Transcriber's note: In this text file, "[oe]" represents theoe-ligature character]

  THE GOLDEN HOPE

  _A STORY OF THE TIME OF KING ALEXANDER THE GREAT_

  BY

  ROBERT H. FULLER

  NEW YORK

  GROSSET & DUNLAP

  PUBLISHERS

  Copyright, 1905,

  By THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.

  Set up and electrotyped. Published March, 1905. Reprinted May, 1906.

  Norwood Press

  J. S. Cushing & Co.--Berwick & Smith Co.

  Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.

  "_For what was all his war in Asia after the death of Philippus, buttempests, extreme heats, wonderful deep rivers, marvellous highmountains, monstrous beasts for greatness to behold, wild savagefashions of life, change and alteration of governors upon everyoccasion, yea treasons and rebellions of some? At the beginning of hisvoyage, Greece did yet lay their heads together, for the remembrance ofthe wars that Philippus made upon them: the towns gathered together:Macedonia inclined to some change and alteration: divers people far andnear lay in wait to see what their neighbours would do: the gold andsilver of Persia flowing in the orators' purses, and governors of thepeople did raise up Peloponnese: Philippus' treasure and coffers wereempty, and the debts were great. In despite of all these troubles, andin the middest of his poverty, a young man, but newly come to man'sestate, durst in his mind think of the conquest of Asia, yea of theempire of the whole world, with thirty thousand footmen and fivethousand horse, ... howbeit he was furnished with magnanimity, withtemperance, with wisdom, and valour: being more holpen in this martialenterprise, with that he had learned of his tutor Aristotle, than withthat which his father Philippus had left him.... In Alexander'sactions they see, that his valiantness is gentle, his gentlenessvaliant: his liberality, husbandry, his choler soon down, his lovestemperate, his pastimes not idle, and his travels gracious. What is hethat hath mingled feasting with wars, and military expeditions withsports? Who hath intermingled in the middest of his besieging oftowns: and in the middest of skirmishes and fights, sports, banquets,and wedding songs? Who was ever more enemy to those that did wrong,nor more gracious to the afflicted? Who was ever more cruel to thosethat fought, or more just unto suppliants?_"

  --NORTH'S _Plutarch_.

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER

  I. THREE FRIENDS MEET II. WARNING FROM THE GODS III. ARISTON LAYS A PLOT IV. THE VOICE OF DEMOSTHENES V. THE BANQUET VI. SYPHAX EARNS HIS REWARD VII. THE RESPONSE OF THE ORACLE VIII. THE THUNDERBOLT FALLS IX. THE DOOM OF THEBES X. CHARES BARTERS HIS SWORD XI. THAIS XII. MENA READS A LETTER XIII. THE UNQUENCHABLE FIRE XIV. ACROSS THE HELLESPONT XV. THAIS AND ARTEMISIA XVI. IN THE CAMP OF THE MERCENARIES XVII. THE TRAGEDY OF THE MARSH XVIII. GREEK AND BARBARIAN XIX. THE ROUT OF THE SATRAPS XX. MENA MAKES A DISCOVERY XXI. PHRADATES TRIUMPHS XXII. THE VISION OF DANIEL, THE VICEROY XXIII. IN THE WHIRLWIND'S TRACK XXIV. THE GORDIAN KNOT XXV. BESSUS COMES TO BABYLON XXVI. THE GREAT KING IS ANGRY XXVII. NATHAN KEEPS HIS WORD XXVIII. BETWEEN EARTH AND SKY XXIX. THE SLUICE GATE XXX. LEONIDAS UNDERTAKES A MISSION XXXI. ALEXANDER IS SURPRISED XXXII. THE WORLD AT STAKE XXXIII. THE CHESTNUT MARE XXXIV. IN THE PAVILION OF THE QUEENS XXXV. PHRADATES MAKES A WAGER XXXVI. TYRE ACCEPTS THE CHALLENGE XXXVII. THE JEST OF KING AZEMILCUS XXXVIII. MENA REVEALS A SECRET XXXIX. JOEL BRINGS BAD NEWS XL. THE GAP OF DEATH XLI. PRINCE HUR'S COUNTERPLOT XLII. A TRAITOR IN PURPLE XLIII. THI KING TAKES HIS REVENGE XLIV. THE REVOLT OF THE ISRAELITES XLV. MOLOCH CLAIMS HIS SACRIFICE XLVI. THE PASSING OF A GOD XLVII. SYPHAX SQUARES HIS ACCOUNT XLVIII. THAIS GIVES A FEAST XLIX. CHARES FINDS REST L. PROMISES FULFILLED LI. AMID FRAGMENTS OF EMPIRE

  THE GOLDEN HOPE