Meanwhile, Philip was consolidating his position. He marched westward from Pella and entered Epirus with a massive force for a second time. In a bloodless victory, he deposed and sent into exile a terrified Arybbas, his wife's regent uncle. Arybbas went to Athens, where his presence served to remind the disputatious Athenians of their continued powerlessness against the King of Macedon. Olympias's twenty-year-old brother, Alexander of Epirus, was placed on the Molossian royal throne, securing for Philip not only the homeland of his wife, but another invasion route for his army into southwestern Greece.
The next year found Philip again in Thrace to rid himself of Cersobleptes, the troublesome puppet king of fragmented Thrace. While Athens continued to immobilize itself with self-defeating political trials, Philip undertook the final subjugation of Macedon's eastern neighbor. During a campaign that lasted nearly a year, the king led his army as far north as the mouth of the Danube and managed, in a series of bitterly cruel battles, to dethrone Cersobleptes. At the end of a man-killing winter campaign, he concluded an alliance with Cothelas, a churlish Getai barbarian king. He also took another concubine, Meda, the king's daughter.
Before leaving a nearly secured Thrace, he led his even stronger army south to attack and eliminate the few remaining Athenian naval bases along the northern Aegean Thracian coast. Macedon's eastern border now extended to the Chersonese, a more than disquieting threat to Athens' vital grain route through the Propontus.
Athens finally acted. An Athenian naval force carried a delegation, led by Demosthenes, to Byzantium and Perinthus. There, they were successful in getting the two former Macedonian allies to split from Philip and join what was fast becoming an Athenian-led blocking action of the encroaching Macedonians.
Philip took up the challenge and immediately besieged both breakaway former allies. The fledgling Macedonian navy was even successful against the food lifeline of Athens itself, the 230-ship corn fleet. While the Athenian naval commander, Chares, was temporarily diverted with Athenian defense of threatened Perinthus, Philip ordered his small navy to attack and take the slow-moving commercial armada. The ships' cargoes, including nearly a year's supply of Athenian corn were seized. These ships eventually produced 700 talents of plunder, hard currency that the Macedonians needed badly.
However, Philip began to suffer a series of besieging failures and military reverses. They were caused by the lightning-swift movement of Athens's three-hundred ship strong navy. The Athenians were successful for the first time in forcing the King of Macedon to retreat. Secure temporarily in Thrace, Philip clearly had the greatest land army in Greece. But he had foolishly confronted the Athenians in an ocean-dominated environment where their vital interests were at stake. Athens's navy had won the day.
The fragile peace that Philip had wanted had failed. War was at hand. It would be an all-out war this time, not the half peace, half war that had characterized the troubled relations between the two powers for the last seven years. The intimidating diplomatic dance that Philip had used so successfully against his indecisive adversary would not work again. In the collective Athenian mind, the King of Macedon had gone too far. Philip knew that a major military defeat in the opening months of this war could mean his end. As he held a war council with his generals, these ominous thoughts dominated the words and actions of the king and his senior staff. As it had always been in Greece, right or wrong, dominion or subjugation, national life or death would be decided in the uncompromising carnage that was all-out war.
Artaxerxes Ochus's Greek spies had kept him informed of these actions. He could not have been more pleased. Only one power would survive the Greek’s foolish war. He knew that the survivor would be greatly weakened by the struggle. He would bide his time, consolidate his ever-increasing power, and secretly influence events. Since his crushing retaking of Egypt, Phoenicia, and Cyprus, he felt that he needed only two more years before he could build his army and navy into a force that could not be resisted. By then, it wouldn't matter who won the latest Greek squabble.
Ochus was still furious about the escape of Philip's agent in Assos. He vowed to make Aristotle pay for the intelligence that he had provided the Macedonian monarch before he was discovered. Aristotle might be safe in Mieza for another year teaching Philip's son, but when he took Greece, there would be no safe haven for the cunning pedagogue. His anger mounted as he waited for his Grand Vizier. Ochus rarely waited for anyone. His chief minister would be berated for the affront. Finally, Bagoas was admitted into the Peacock throne room. He fell prostrate on the floor before the Great King and only rose after Ochus had finished a series of life-threatening invectives.
"There is a reason for my tardiness, my Great King,” struggling to regain his composure.
"It doesn't matter why you were late. If it happens again, your head will join your shriveled balls in a container that I'll hang from Susa's main gate. What have you done to bring Hermias here? It was blind luck that allowed you to discover his spying for Philip. Your ineptitude is appalling."
"His loyalty to you was undermined by the philosopher Aristotle, Great King. But now all his academic companions have fled to Macedonia or Greece. Yet, I have a plan to get Hermias to Susa. It needs only your approval."
"Your plans will be the ruin of my empire. Let me hear it anyway!"
"Persia's latest hero is Mentor, the Rhodian mercenary commander," Bagoas began. "You have wisely given him control of the Troad as reward for retaking Egypt. As you know, Mentor is a close friend of Hermias since spending time in his court. Mentor is also the brotherin-law of Artabazus and brother of Memnon, both once your loyal subjects. They still reside at Philip's court."
"Get on with it, eunuch!" Ochus shouted. "I know all of this."
"I urge you to get Mentor to go to Assos and ask Hermias to arrange for the return of Artabazus and Memnon to Persia, with your pardon and royal blessing. Mentor must get Hermias to come to an area that we control to complete the pardon arrangements. It is there that we will seize him and bring him to you. Of course, this depends on Mentor making a believable case to Hermias. You will need to prepare an official document granting pardon to Artabazus and Memnon so the deception is plausible."
"It pains me to say it, but it's a good plan. Send for Mentor. I'll issue the two pardons and start Mentor on his mission. If I can get Hermias here, we will learn everything that he and Aristotle have told Philip about our army's dispositions. My bones tell me that Philip will prevail in this Greek war. I'll be ready for him if he is foolish enough to cross the Bosporus."
"Mentor will come to you tomorrow, Great King. It pleases me that you have confidence in me."
"Don't assume that! I merely said that your plan sounds feasible, not that I have confidence in you. Wait until this operation bears fruit before you stop worrying."
"Before I leave, Great King, may I ask what came out of the Athenian delegation that just left?"
"Much was discussed that is of no immediate concern to you. You need only know that they sought informal alliance with us against Philip's aggressive moves in eastern Thrace. I granted their request and our diplomats will soon make my opposition formal. When you leave, send for my royal treasurer. As always, the Athenians demanded Persian gold to seal our agreement."
Bagoas quickly considered what Ochus had said; he gave an obsequious nod, and began backing away from his monarch. Giving the required exit proskynesis, he rose from the tiled floor and left. He then called upon the king's royal treasurer and directed him to go to Ochus. The treasurer was commanded by the king to send over 10,000 gold darics to an Athenian depository. The cache was to be used to bribe as many Greek leaders as possible, encouraging them to mount a unified opposition against Philip.
Ochus selected only one leader who would receive an enormous 3,00-daric bribe. He was Demosthenes, Philip's perennial nemesis. The lawyer's efforts against Philip were an essential part of the Persian monarch's plans. He had learned early in his reign that Greeks could espouse patriotic nationa
l causes, make impassioned speeches in the ecclesia, and rail against Persian imperialism, and yet still take bribes from him. The taking of the bribes was not unethical to them, unless actions motivating the bribes betrayed Athens or if the subterfuge were not kept secret.
But Ochus was a master at keeping secrets. After the Athenians had been used to defeat Philip, he would turn his ever-growing army on them. Matters would have gone far beyond bribes by then. Events were unfolding on a Persian schedule. Great King Artaxerxes Ochus was pleased.
Over the next months, Bagoas's plan worked to perfection. Hermias accepted ingenuously Mentor's offer and was seized at the conference site. He was tortured there for a day, put in chains, and transported to Susa to experience the Great King's personal wrath. He lasted for ten days, during which Ochus demanded repeatedly that he tell him what information that he and Aristotle had given to Philip. Finally, the philosopher-tyrant of Assos and Atarneus could no longer bear the enervating pain and begged to be crucified.
Ochus granted his last wish. Given a chance to speak just before Ochus ended his life, Hermias mumbled a bloody message to those he had come to love. He asked that his philosopher companions be told that he had done nothing during torture that could be considered weakness, nor had he ever betrayed philosophy. The secrets he provided Philip went with him into the tractless desert dust east of Susa.
CHAPTER 23
"Your body's filled out since I last saw you," King Philip said to his son. "It's muscular and taut, like mine when I was your age. Has Aristotle also exercised your brain at Mieza?" The king had brought his son to Pella to discuss urgent matters and inform him of the outbreak of war with Athens. He had seen Alexander only four times in the last two years, and he was pleased with the boy's appearance and demeanor. His son’s restless, almost driven, energy still showed, but the prince appeared to have it more under control than before he became Aristotle's student. The fifteen-year-old even embraced his father when he arrived, giving his full, black beard a violent tug as they parted.
"He has, father," the prince said confidently. "I've received a unmatched education with Aristotle. He is a good man and the best teacher I've ever had. Your judgment in selecting him was excellent."
Philip didn't know that his judgment about the pedagogue was ever in question, but he let the comment pass. It was probably just some foolishness that his mother had put into the boy's mind. He changed the conversation as he led his son to two couches and the reason that he had brought him home. "We're at war with Athens again, Alexander. This one will be decisive. I had wanted, and still harbor, some hope to dominate them and win leadership of a united Hellas without outright war. But my options diminish daily. This war will produce only one victor. Events will be guided by the gods, but I intend to still be here when the battles have been fought."
The prince studied his father as he spoke. The king's ravaged body showed the effect of too many wounds incurred in too many battles. It was legendary how Philip put himself in the front line, with disregard for his personal safety. Showing too, were the effects of a lifetime of drinking. Philip's once handsome, square face was ashen and sallow. His long and powerful nose had grown a red bulb at its end. Deep, dark bags hung beneath his seeing and unseeing eye. Prominent blood vessels showed above a slightly graying beard, ruining the skin that had once been as clear as the prince's unblemished face. Contemptuously, with the smug arrogance that only teenagers can evoke, Alexander told himself that his face would never wear such an appalling alcoholic mask.
Then, with an alacrity that he had learned from debating issues with Aristotle, he reacted to what his father had just said. "Is the crux of the confrontation still their navy versus our superior land forces?"
Philip was surprised that his son had analyzed so incisively the only military fact that mattered in the impending war. He had long known that he must avoid direct confrontation with Athens's 300-ship navy. He had nearly forgotten that crucial fact when he had been forced to retreat into Thrace before the combined might of Athens' powerful Propontus armada. Yet his son was woefully naive when it came to Greek political, social and religious machinations. Much of Philip's recent success was the result of him skillfully and cunningly manipulating one Greek polis against the other. There was still some chance that the stratagem might work again. Maybe an event would present itself, as it often had, allowing him to exploit the situation without a cataclysmic land battle.
"That's true militarily, Alexander. But there's more to being king than just fighting battles. A monarch must learn to use intelligence sources to exploit his adversary's weaknesses. Religious bickering is often worth thousands of hoplites and cavalry. Such was the case with tiny Phocis years ago. When you return to Mieza, ask Aristotle to give you private tutoring in these matters."
"I thought I was ending my Mieza education.”
"Not yet, son. We're only at the initial posturing stage of this war. Both sides are still consolidating their defensive positions. Athens seeks allies, even support, from Ochus. I must harden our defenses along our outlying frontiers as the difficult sieges of Byzantium and Perinthus continue. You have at least another half year under Aristotle, perhaps a year."
The disappointment on Alexander's face was conspicuous. He longed to join his father and assume a leadership role in the army. As much as he was learning from his tutor, the life that Philip lived was the only thing that mattered to the young prince. "You need me now! I've learned enough about fetuses and philosophy. Let me take a force into Illyria to calm the barbarians."
"I've decided, Alexander. You'll return to Mieza after three days here. Visit Olympias, if you like, but your main concern in Pella must be to begin training with the cavalry. I’ve assigned an officer to work with you on tactics. He'll take you on exercises for the next two days, and then return with you to Mieza. He'll train you and those royal pages that you designate at least two days a week. It will take him a year to make you worthy to ride with the best cavalry in the world."
Alexander, still pouting with disappointment about returning to school, brightened. He saw the direction that his father intended for him. Don't anger him. He can take away your cavalry training just as quickly as he gave it. "I'll become your best cavalry officer! I can already outride every other page. Aristotle allows us to hunt on Mount Bermion, so I've kept my killing skills sharp."
"Killing animals is for pleasure, Alexander. You've not killed your first man yet. We'll see how you like it when human blood and brains cover your cuirass."
"I'll be ready. Our enemies will fall before us."
The king rose from his couch, signaling the end of the conversation, and walked his son to the door. Other matters intruded into his thoughts. This interlude with fiery Alexander, as humorous as it had been, must end. He knew that the boy would go directly to his mother and tell her of his good fortune. The news would placate Olympias for a time and, for that, he was pleased. His queen had not seen him since he returned from Thrace. He didn't know if that was good or bad. Just yesterday he learned that she had visited with his newest concubine, Meda.
He decided to visit her before he led his newly reinforced army into eastern Thrace, back to the still unsuccessful siege of Athens's newest allies along the Propontus.
Before leaving Pella, Philip received a series of intelligence briefings. Attalus and the other agents made up the best spy network in Greece, unless, of course, one counted the clandestine priest operation of his wife. Hers was an operation that reached into every canton of Macedonia, Thessaly, and Epirus.
Attalus informed his monarch that Ochus had just offered an incredible bribe to his Greek supporters. Attalus's sources told him that Demosthenes alone had received secretly over 3,000 gold Persian darics. It seemed that a fund of stupendous proportions was currently being distributed to anyone who would oppose Philip and his actions. This was alarming news. For the source of practically all Philip's gold, the Macedonian mines surrounding Mount Pangaeus, was being depleted. The easy
gold and silver had all been taken. Although Philip used the booty from seized ships and sacked cities to partially defray the immense cost of making war, these sources were not sufficient to support current operations. There was even less prospect of additional income that was needed in the coming pivotal conflict with Athens. His soldiers could only be given so much conquered land; a year-round army had to be paid. It was with this depressing news that Philip decided to stop off at Philippi on his way back to the continuing siege of Byzantium and Perinthus. Time was becoming one of his enemies. If Athens's navy and Ochus's bribing power were successful in achieving a Macedonian stalemate, he would ultimately lose because he was fast going broke. Ochus could then buy his unpaid and disaffected army and use it against him.
Attalus also told Philip of the capture, torture, and death of Hermias at the hands of Ochus. A valuable source of Macedonian intelligence about the Troad had been lost. The king and Attalus both knew that it had to be replaced. Philip commanded Attalus to leave immediately for the Troad and make secret overtures to Artabazus. The aging satrap was now back in Phrygia, after having spent over ten years with Philip. The old man was in an intriguing and potentially untenable position. He was a long and grateful friend of the Macedonian king, but now a forgiven and repatriated subject of Ochus. Philip and his generals knew that, without knowledge of the area immediately south of the Bosporus and into the Troad, a Persian invasion would be impossible. Even if the Athenians were defeated.
These ominous developments dominated Philip's thoughts as he departed Pella and made his way into eastern Thrace.
When Philip arrived at the dual siege sites along the Propontus, he met his commanders and urged them to renew attacks on the isolated but still strong fortresses. Finally, as the months approached a year, he knew that he had to take charge of events instead of waiting for them to come to him. A messenger was sent to Mieza, ordering Alexander to end his education. The Mieza school was closed and Aristotle was told to await the king's return in Pella. The royal pages would be needed in vital military roles as Philip accelerated events. Prince Alexander was made regent in the king's absence and master of the royal seal. As a safeguard against what Philip knew might be headstrong actions of his son, Antipater was sent back to Pella to serve as Alexander's advisor. Philip then led the non-sieging elements of the army northward, crossing the Danube to encounter a little known and primitive people, the Scyths. It would not take long before he heard of his son's first action as regent.
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