[2,0] ΠΕΡΙ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΑΣ. Λέγεταί ποτε Ἀλέξανδρον τῷ πατρὶ Φιλίππῳ μειράκιον ὄντα διαλεχθῆναι περὶ Ὁμήρου μάλα ἀνδρείως καὶ μεγαλοφρόνως· οἱ δὲ αὐτοὶ λόγοι οὗτοι σχεδόν τι καὶ περὶ βασιλείας ἦσαν. ἐτύγχανε μὲν γὰρ ὁ Ἀλέξανδρος στρατευόμενος ἤδη μετὰ τοῦ πατρός, καίτοι τοῦ Φιλίππου κωλύοντος· ὁ δὲ οὐχ οἷός τ´ ἦν κατέχειν αὑτὸν, ὥσπερ οἱ γενναῖοι σκύλακες οὐχ ὑπομένουσιν ἀπολείπεσθαι τῶν ἐπὶ θήραν ἐξιόντων, ἀλλὰ ξυνέπονται πολλάκις ἀπορρήξαντες τὰ δεσμά. (2) ἐνίοτε μὲν οὖν ταράττουσιν ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ διὰ τὴν νεότητα καὶ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν φθεγγόμενοι πρὸ τοῦ καιροῦ καὶ τὸ θηρίον ἀνιστάντες· ἐνίοτέ γε μὴν εἷλον αὐτοὶ προπηδήσαντες. τοιαῦτα ἐκεῖνος ἔπασχε τὸ πρῶτον, ὥστε καὶ τῆς ἐν Χαιρωνείᾳ μάχης τε καὶ νίκης φασὶν αὐτὸν αἴτιον γενέσθαι, τοῦ πατρὸς ὀκνοῦντος τὸν κίνδυνον. τότε δ´ οὖν ἀπὸ στρατείας ἥκοντες ἐν Δίῳ τῆς Πιερίας ἔθυον ταῖς Μούσαις, καὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα τῶν Ὀλυμπίων ἐτίθεσαν, ὅν φασιν ἀρχαῖον εἶναι παρ´ αὐτοῖς. (3) ἤρετο οὖν αὐτὸν ὁ Φίλιππος ἐν τῇ συνουσίᾳ, Διὰ τί ποτε, ὦ παῖ, σφόδρα οὕτως ἐκπέπληξαι τὸν Ὅμηρον ὥστε διατρίβεις περὶ μόνον τῶν ποιητῶν. ἐχρῆν μέντοι μηδὲ τῶν ἄλλων ἀμελῶς ἔχειν. σοφοὶ γὰρ οἱ ἄνδρες. καὶ ὁ Ἀλέξανδρος ἔφη, Ὅτι δοκεῖ μοι, ὦ πάτερ, οὐ πᾶσα ποίησις βασιλεῖ πρέπειν, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ στολή. (4) τὰ μὲν οὖν ἄλλα ποιήματα ἔγωγε ἡγοῦμαι τὰ μὲν συμποτικὰ αὐτῶν, τὰ δὲ ἐρωτικά, τὰ δὲ ἐγκώμια ἀθλητῶν τε καὶ ἵππων νικώντων, τὰ δ´ ἐπὶ τοῖς τεθνεῶσι θρήνους, τὰ δὲ γέλωτος ἕνεκεν ἢ λοιδορίας πεποιημένα, ὥσπερ τὰ τῶν κωμῳδοδιδασκάλων καὶ τὰ τοῦ Παρίου ποιητοῦ·

[2,0] THE SECOND DISCOURSE ON KINGSHIP. IT is said that Alexander, while still a lad, was once conversing with Philip his father about Homer in a very manly and lofty strain, their conversation being in effect a discussion of kingship as well. For Alexander was already to be found with his father on his campaigns, although Philip tried to discourage him in this. Alexander, however, could not hold himself in, for it was with the lad as with young dogs of fine breed that cannot brook being left behind when their masters go hunting, but follow along, often breaking their tethers to do so. It is true that sometimes, because of their youth and enthusiasm, they spoil the sport by barking and starting the game too soon, but sometimes too they bring down the game themselves by bounding ahead. This, in fact, happened to Alexander at the very beginning, so that they say he brought about the battle and victory of Chaeronea when his father shrank from taking the risk. Now it was on this occasion, when they were at Dium in Pieria on their way home from the campaign and were sacrificing to the Muses and celebrating the Olympic festival, which is said to be an ancient institution in that country, that Philip in the course of their conversation put this question to Alexander : " Why, my son, have you become so infatuated with Homer that you devote yourself to him alone of all the poets ? You really ought not to neglect the others, for the men are wise." And Alexander replied : " My reason, father, is that not all poetry, any more than every style of dress, is appropriate to a king, as it seems to me. Now consider the poems of other men; some I consider to be suitable indeed for the banquet, or for love, or for the eulogy of victorious athletes or horses, or as dirges for the dead, and some as designed to excite laughter or ridicule, like the works of the comic writers and those of the Parian poet.