general thought the king somewhat too lavish
in his gifts, whereupon Alexander made answer, "I consider not what
Parmenio ought to receive, but what Alexander ought to give."
_Alexander and Perdiccas_. When Alexander started for Asia he divided
his possessions among his friends. Perdiccas asked what he had
left for himself. "Hope," said Alexander. "If hope is enough for
Alexander," replied the friend, "it is enough for Perdiccas also;" and
declined to accept anything.
_Alexander and Raphael_. Alexander encountered Raphael in a cave
in the mountain of Kaf, and being asked what he was in search of,
replied, "The water of immortality." Whereupon Raphael gave him a
stone, and told him when he found another of the same weight he would
gain his wish. "And how long," said Alexander, "have I to live?" The
angel replied, "Till the heaven above thee and the earth beneath thee
are of iron." Alexander now went forth and found a stone almost of the
weight required, and in order to complete the balance, added a little
earth; falling from his horse at Ghur he was laid in his armor on the
ground, and his shield was set up over him to ward off the sun. Then
understood he that he would gain immortality when, like the stone, he
was buried in the earth, and that his hour was come, for the earth
beneath him was iron, and his iron buckler was his vault of heaven
above. So he died.
_Alexander and the Robber_. When Dion'ides, a pirate, was brought
before Alexander, he exclaimed, "Vile brigand! How dare you infest
the seas with your misdeeds?" "And you," replied the pirate, "by what
right do you ravage the world? Because I have only one ship, I
am called a brigand, but you who have a whole fleet are termed a
conqueror." Alexander admired the man's boldness, and commanded him to
be set at liberty.
_Alexander's Beard_, a smooth chin, or a very small beard. It is said
that Alexander the Great had scarcely any beard at all.
Disgraced yet with Alexander's bearde.
G. Gascoigne, _The Steele Glas_ (died 1577).
_Alexander's Runner_, Ladas.
ALEXAN'DRA, daughter of Oronthea, queen of the Am'azons, and one of
the ten wives of Elba'nio. It is from this person that the land of the
Amazons was called Alexandra.--Ariosto, _Orlando Furioso_ (1516).
ALEX'IS, the wanton shepherd in _The Faithful Shepherdess_, a pastoral
drama by John Fletcher (1610).
ALFA'DER, the father of all the Asen _(deities)_ of Scandinavia,
creator and governor of
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