Dionysian Frenzy in Macedonia (Part 1 of 2)

A couple of miles to the east of the citadel stood a woody hill, by the River Loudias. Near the hilltop Dorgina’s girls gathered around bonfires as a group of ten to twelve, circling here and there. Wine flew freely. Fruits, cheese, bread, and biscuits filled their stomachs. More or less drunk, every girl sang, danced, laughed, giggled, or chattered in merry. Some competed in wine drinking. Already dead drunk, some scantly-clad girls, lying down here and there, slept like peaceful infants. Others enjoyed themselves in this easy and carefree party.
Some clothed themselves with the skins of animals, girdled themselves with a grape vine, and crowned themselves with ivy. Others got dressed like young men, putting on false beard. Yet others disguised themselves like a satyr, or an old sage. Though the girls did hardly worship Dionysus, the Dionysian spirit prevailed over the party.
The flickering flames cast giant wavering shadows of some dancing girls on the curtains of the black woods and the star-studded night sky. The girls danced in ecstasy.
Dressed like a woman, Captain Pausanias gazed at a couple of young women nearby who, carried away, caressed each other like passionate lovers. After kissing with ardor, both girls embraced each other, stark-naked, lying down on their chitons. Smirking with a hint of amusement, Dorgina and Olympias looked at each other while the captain kept watching the Lesbian couple with a curious gaze.
“Captain,” whispered Olympias, “let’s leave them over there alone.”
“Where are we going?” asked the captain.
“We’ve got to talk.”
Dorgina picked up one piece of the burning wood and stepped into the woods. Olympias and the captain followed. Soon Dorgina made another bonfire in a clearing. Three of them sat around.
“Captain, you look like a real woman,” chuckled Olympias.
Rubbing his clean-shaven chin, the captain smiled wanly. “I feel very strange.”
“You acted perfectly all right, Captain. You even fooled those two girls. They still believe, you’re a woman who’s recently joined us.”
“Anyway, what’s so important?”
“Captain, do you remember your oath?”
“Yes, of course, I do.”
“This is strictly confidential. If you leak this to anybody else, you must die.”
Captain Pausanias sat up stiff, and looked into the piercing eyes of this shrewd, captivating woman. “I know.” Then he swallowed hard.
“Captain, you’re going to become our new king.”
“New king of what?”
“King of Macedonia, of course.”
Dumbfounded, the captain studied both women alternately, then started laughing. Looking at each other, both women frowned, but waited patiently till the captain got serious.
“What a joke! You clothed me like a woman, then brought me up here, and after all that, you tell me this. I think, you two have a peculiar sense of humor.”
“Captain,” said Olympias with a dead serious look, “this is not a joke at all.” Then she glared into his inquisitive eyes. “Do you think, Dorgina and I took all the troubles in coming up here—only to tell you this as a joke?”
“No, I hope not, but who on earth could believe this? It’s just impossible.”
“Captain, you must believe it!”
Studying both women carefully again, the captain faced Olympias, with his smile completely faded out. “Your husband, King Philip, is at his pinnacle. He is the almighty king of the biggest country in this world. Besides, your son, Crown Prince Alexander, is next in line. Tell me, who on earth put me on the throne.”
“We do,” said Olympias firmly.
The captain gawked at the queen. “I hope, you are not out of your mind.”
Olympias shook her head.
“What do you mean by we?”
“Of course, you, and Dorgina—and myself.”
Dumbstricken, the captain watched the most foolish woman, for the first time, in this otherwise intelligent person.
“Are you dreaming or what?”
“Watch your mouth, Captain!” warned Dorgina.
“I’m sorry, Queen. I didn’t mean to insult you, but how could I reasonably believe in this scheme? I’m a warrior by profession. What you told me is totally infeasible by any military tactics.”
“Why not?”
“Well … even a ten-year-old boy could understand my reasoning. Probably, I can reach the throne physically, but within a minute or so, my head will be detached from my torso. So will yours.”
“Captain, you are wrong.”
“How so?”
“Listen, Captain Pausanias! You are entitled for the new king of Macedonia.”
“What makes you think so?”
Around 513 B.C. the army of the Persian empire crossed the Hellespont Straits and entered Europe to conquer the nomads of the Wallachian in the south of the present-day Russian plains. The Persians overcame the nomads. They then set up Persian rule over the Thracian tribes and Greek coastal settlements of the eastern Balkans. Persian emissaries visited the court of the Macedonian king, Amyntas I, who became a Persian subject.

From around 510 to 479 B.C. the Argead kingdom became a vassal principality under Persian suzerainty, but not under direct administration.

Alexander I, son of Amyntas I, took over the throne. Though he didn’t rebel against the Persians openly for independence, the new king determined to undermine the Persian rule, and helped Athenians by providing material for their fleet and later secretly informed Greeks of the Persian intention to invade Greece. The Greeks stood up against Persia. When the Greeks made the final victory at Plataia, Alexander inflicted a heavy blow on the retreating Persians.
The retreat of the Persians gave Alexander I the chance to extend his domain. Indeed, he had quadrupled the area of his kingdom, and become the first Macedonian king to strike coins in his own name.
To administer his reign effectively, Alexander I developed further the old institution of the Companions—hetairoi—and extended it to include the yeomanry. From the Companions themselves and the larger landowners, the king formed the Companion Cavalry—hetairike hippos. Above all, he created the pezetairoi or Foot Companions, who served as infantry. He extended the supportive class from the aristocracy to the ordinary citizens. This became the foundation for the Macedonian system of government. Those supporters obtained and held land from the king in return for the obligation of military service.
By distributing land in the new territories, Alexander I integrated most of these new regions permanently into his kingdom. By granting lands, he increased the prestige of the kingship and the loyalty of the Macedonians to himself and his family.
“Alexander I is the king who has set up the foundation of Macedonia,” said Olympias. “Then he was assassinated.”
“Who did it?”
“One of the disgruntled aristocrats who didn’t like his policy to give so much land to ordinary people. This person apparently teamed up with Athens. At the time, there was rivalry between Athens and Macedonia. For Athens, Macedonia is the nearest and best source of ship-building material, which is so essential for Athens.”
“The Athenians wanted to control Macedonia, didn’t they?”
“That’s right. After the assassination, his eldest son, Perdikkas II took over. The assassin was executed, but the Athenian faction remained, and they supported Philip.”
“Your husband?”
“No, he’s another Philip—a younger brother of Perdikkas II. Anyway, they supported his claim to the throne. But the assembly didn’t recognize his claim. Later, Athens and Macedonia made up and struck a treaty.”
Perdikkas II died in 413 B.C. His son Archelaos became a new king. He built forts throughout the country, constructed roads, strengthened the army with weapons, horses and other equipment. He moved the capital from Aigai to Pella—a location with access to the sea through the channel of the Loudias river. Well-educated and cultured, Archelaos invited Euripides, and even asked Socrates to visit Pella, though he declined the invitation.
“Since Archelaos took a pro-Athenian policy,” said Olympias, “his reign enjoyed the freedom from Athenian interference. He focused the domestic problems, befriending the vassal princes of Upper Macedonia, and also fixed the problem with Thessaly. Then he was assassinated.”
“Again?”
“Yes. This time, an assassin turned out a disgruntled aristocrat who hated the king’s pro-Athenian policy. He believed, the Athenian culture would spoil the valor of the Macedonian warriors.”
Then followed a period of four decades, during which the Macedonian state all but went down. The break in the direct line of succession provoked a series of pretenders whose ambitions and intrigues plagued the kingdom.
“Do you know, Captain, you are a direct descendent from Perdikkas II?”
“Yes, of course. I’m proud of that.”
“I thought, you didn’t know that.”
“I know all that, but that was a long time ago.”
“No, not definitely a long time ago. It’s a recent past. Only sixty years ago. Before King Amyntas III, all the kings and regents were from direct descendants from Perdikkas II—the eldest son of Alexander I. Then, all of a sudden, a different branch of the royal family grabbed the throne. Amyntas III was a descendent from the youngest son of Alexander I. Captain, do you know that?”
“Yes, I do. I was told, the assembly chose Amyntas III, instead of my ancestor.”
“Don’t you think it’s unreasonable?”
“Yes, it’s unreasonable, but the assembly made such a decision unanimously.”
“Do you know, Captain, that particular decision was made as a result of court intrigues and conspiracies?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Without those treacherous intrigues, you would be a king now, instead of a bodyguard.”
“But how do you know all that?”
“It’s a recorded history, Captain. In Pella, no such record exists. But in Athens, there is. You can read it if you like.”
“Oh, is there? Maybe, I should.”
“And remember, you’re from western Macedonia—the area my husband had taken from Epirus, my home country. You see? We’re from the same country originally.”
Utterly unprepared for such an unexpected turn of story, the captain gawked at Olympias, who watched him carefully as if to detect even the slightest response to her tale.
“So, what do you want me to do?”
“Why don’t you right the wrong? Like I said, you are entitled to the throne. You have the right to sit there, in place of my husband.”
“But how could I possibly claim that? I don’t think anybody would listen to such a claim.”

“Captain, do you know, some Persian agents in town are secretly talking about conspiracies with several generals and officials?”
“Persian agents in town? You mean, spies?”

“Yes.”
“In Pella?”
“Of course.”
“Have you seen those spies?”
“Yes, so many.” Olympias smirked as if to assert it like common sense.
“I don’t believe that.” Stunned, the captain gazed into her impudent eyes. “What conspiracy are they talking about, anyway?”
“Assassination,” said Olympias positively.
“Assa … ssi … nation? … of the king?” His Adam's apple bobbed up and down in a quick succession. Shivering, he now turned pale.
“Captain, listen carefully. I won’t repeat this twice. The Persian agents approached your fellow bodyguards.”
“My colleagues?”
“Yes, you know those men quite well.”
“Leonnatos? Perdikkas? Or—”
“Doesn’t matter. I just don’t want to tell you who the Persians approached, but they are also scheming now. As you know, Captain, all the bodyguards around King Philip share the royal blood to a certain extent. In other words, every bodyguard can take the throne.”
The Persian agents befriended several grandsons of King Aeropos II (who reigned during the 390s B.C.) and descendants of Menelaos—the second youngest son of Alexander I. The Persians wanted to kill both Philip and his son—the future Alexander the Great—before they advanced into Asia.
General Attalus also negotiated with Athens and corresponded with Demosthenes behind the scene. He wanted to overthrow Alexander so that his grandson could easily sit in the throne.
“Besides, there are quite a few discontented Macedonians.”
“Who are they?”
“Lots. There is considerable opposition within Macedonia to my husband’s policies. Some officials advised Alex not to pursue my husband’s forceful policy in Greece. Others oppose constant military training and operations. Yet others detest my husband’s bottomless ambition and overbearing demands. So, it’s natural even in Macedonia some want my husband to die. Besides, everybody knows that the King is the wrong person whose ancestors grabbed the throne through a conspiracy. He is the pretender.”
“But, he is your husband.”
“Yes, officially, but I don’t consider him to be my husband.”
“Why is that?”
“Because he tries to erase the Molossian blood from the Argead Dynasty. He wants to hand over the throne to a baby boy his new wife will give birth to. I suspect, General Attalus will soon or later try to kill Alexander and myself.”
“That’s outrageous!”
“You see, King Philip behaves strangely lately. He has now seven wives. There’s no good reason to have so many wives. His whimsical desire only invites many troubles. It all started when General Attalus began to talk him into this madness.”
“Then, why don’t you get rid of the general?”
“He’s just a small fish after all. The thing is, the rightful man isn’t sitting in the throne.”
“The rightful man?”
“Yes—it’s you, Captain. You must take an initiative before those Persian agents or anybody else attacks the pretender. You have the right to sit in the throne, and you must exterminate the pretender to get the credit.”
Rubbing his chin, Captain Pausanias brooded over what she’d told.

Like any other mother, Olympias loved her son, Alexander, and did so more profoundly because he had become a sole savior for the alienated mother at the court.

“Alex, you must remember, luxury spoils the valor of a brave warrior.”
“Mother, are you saying, I’m indulged in luxury?”
“No, I’m not.”
“But you sound like preaching.”
“Listen, Alex. You’re going to be a king.”
“Well, I’m the king’s son. Are you saying I’m not qualified for the position? Or am I an illegitimate son?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Alex. You’re my legitimate son.”
“Anyhow, why are you telling me that?”
“Because I want you to be a great king. I want you to remember this. In the golden days of Sparta, the men had to endure the hardship and privation of life. It’s natural for the warriors to become so ready to die in the wars, since they would feel free from much harder labor and miserable living.”
“But they are not so brave now.”
“No, not any more.”
When the Spartans surrendered at Sphacteria, anyone could hardly believe it. Never before had anyone heard that Spartans had not fought to the last man. Even their common soldiers often killed themselves rather than survived defeat. When the Athenians heard the news of the Spartan disaster at Leuctra in 371 B.C., they could hardly believe it.
Under the Lycurgean constitution Sparta, for at least two centuries, remained always stronger. Sparta persuaded all the Peloponnesus except Argos and Achaea to accept its leadership in a Peloponnesian League that for almost two hundred years (560-380 B.C.) kept the peace in Pelops’ isle. All Greece admired Sparta’s army and government, and looked to it for aid in deposing burdensome tyrannies. Greek travelers marveled at a Spartan life—so simple and unadorned.
“So what went wrong, Mother?”
“In the end Sparta’s narrowness of spirit betrayed even its strength of soul.”
“What do you mean?”
“Sparta sacrificed anything to gain a Spartan aim. At the end, it also gave up to Persia the liberties that Athens had won for Greece at Marathon. Militarism absorbed Sparta entirely. When Sparta was in its prime, neighbors respected the Spartans. But now the neighbors love to hate Sparta because it lost everything to gain nothing after all.”
“Then how come you’re so fascinated by Sparta?”
“Sparta was once a mighty state. We shouldn’t ignore the good aspects of the Spartan way of doing things.”
“Like what?”
“The Spartan code—you have to take such a well-proven discipline to train your soldiers. I’m training my girls that way so that they will bear healthy, strong babies. Health was considered one of the cardinal virtues in Sparta, and sickness was a crime.”
“Mother, you know something?”
“What?”
“Father doesn’t like the way you’re nosing around.”
“Yes, I know.”
“Then why don’t you behave like other wives?”
“I’m different from those tamed concubines.”
“I think you’re overdoing it. And the people are talking about it. That is pretty bad.”
“Why?”
“It’s obvious. I can see two factions coming out of your scheming. Some people are flattering you; others stay away from you, badmouthing you behind your back.”
“I don’t care.”
“I do, because our country might be divided because of your meddling into men’s world. That’s the last thing I want to see.”
“Women could do more.”
“Yes, I can see that.”
“Then why are you against my idea?”
“I’m not against your idea. I’m only telling you—there must be some peaceful way to realize your idea. You’re just too aggressive. Some people really hate the way you’re doing things.”
“Listen, Alex. In your body, there’s the divine blood inherited from Achilles—through me, not your father.”
“I know. You told me so many times. My ears had enough.”
“Your father sort of disappointed me.”
“I know how you feel, Mother.”
“No, you don’t.”

“You’re just jealous. That’s all. Don’t compete with younger wives. Men like younger, more vulnerable, sweet-hearted women. You’ve been dominating Father and other wives so many years. It’s about time for you to take it easy.”

“Alex! Don’t dare to talk to me like that. You don’t know women. Don’t pretend to be a know-it-all sage. You didn’t even know how to handle Dorgina.”
“Yes, I do.”
“No. Dorgina told me, you were too afraid of having sex with her.”
“There’s a reason for that.”
“Don’t make a fib. You’re still a virgin. You don’t know anything about women.”
“No, I’m not a virgin. I know how to make love perfectly well.”
“Oh, yeah? Then, why didn’t you fxck Dorgina like a brave warrior.”
“Mother, watch your mouth!”
Avoiding her son’s reproving gaze, Olympias cleared her throat. “Listen, Alex.” She sat up straight, and looked him in the eyes. “I may be an overbearing mother. Whatever I say, I still believe in you, and you’re the only one I can count on. Your father is such an unfaithful spouse. I don’t trust him any more.”
“Mother, please make up with Father.”
“He doesn’t love me any more. I can sense it.”
“Yes, he does.”
“How do you know?”
“I’m his son as well. I can read his mind.”
“Alex, I’ve been with him more than you have. Though I appreciate your help, I see the end of my relationship with your father.”
Alexander took a deep sigh as he realized that his mother still maintained her iron-and-blood, overbearing attitude.

Since the file grew too big, I had to divide it into two parts. . . . sorry about that. Please hit the link below.

To Part 2