CHAPTER 125

 

A letter from Tiberius Gracchus to his Mother Cornelia,

146 BC Rome

 

As for Carthage the ghost of Cato may finally rest: The city, which was as old as Roma, is now utterly destroyed […] When Alexander conquered Persia, he chose to leave the city of Babylon intact and to make it’s people his subjects; for his clemency, he was exalted by gods and men. We have followed an older example, that of the merciless Greeks who sacked the city of Troy and left only ruins behind […] I pray the gods will favor what we have done to Carthage, and will grant a righteous destiny to the Roman people, who have done this fearful thing for the glory of Jupiter (1)

 

-o-o-o-

 

Hephaistion couldn’t believe a week had passed so fast; in a way it looked like a lifetime since the battle of Gaugamela to their arrival at Babylon, but, on the other hand, it was as if just a day before they had lay their eyes on the Ishtar gate. Alexander had told him they would only spend 5 weeks there but the General couldn’t begin to imagine how was that the King planned to take his men out of the city after 5 glorious weeks living like Kings and indulging themselves in the most extravagant pleasures a man could imagine, this thanks to extremely generous bonus that King Alexander had given them all.

 

It would be truly a test of their discipline, because from Generals to ranking soldiers, every single one of the Macedonians were having the time of their lives, everything was there for them to take. He even had heard from Nikandros that “Babylon’s professional courtesans were reinforced by countless enthusiastic amateurs, including the daughters and wives of many leading citizens”(2) At first Hephaistion thought his brother was exaggerating, but later he learned that Babylonian women were allowed to attend to men’s dinner parties and parents and husbands permitted their children and wives to have sex with strangers, as long as they were paid for (3)

 

For what he had seen Babylon was something peculiar even within the Persian Empire, and he truly had a hard time understanding this, it was as if he let a 16 years old Achilles to have sex with whoever crossed in front of his house, but as long as he were paid it was fine…He felt sick just thinking about it, and to make things worst his brother Nikandros had several examples of this peculiar practice. 

 

Even Hephaistion’s brother, Lysanias, had an intense encounter with a very skilful courtesan 2 nights ago, celebrating his seventeenth birthday in the wildest way a boy of that age could have imagined. 

 

- Phai it was…Awesome! –said the overexcited teenager that morning—Iolaos was the one who found this place, one of the older boys of the Agema recommended it, and you have no idea, there were the most beautiful women I have ever see. 

 

- I’m happy that you had a good time Lys, but don’t waste your money and what you got of the spoils on women –said Hephaistion, lying on the couch he shared with his brother in the extraordinary garden of the palace.

 

- You say that because you haven’t gone there –said Lysanias smiling, sitting with his legs crossed in meditation position.

 

Oh crap! He is like a little Nick –thought the General, watching his brother with attention. He had changed a lot since he joined the army at Gordium almost 4 years ago, now Lysanias was losing the resemblance he had with Hephaistion, they still were alike, but not as much as before. In a way, one could say that finally Lysanias was becoming his own person, not only in his physical appearance but also in his behavior.  

 

- You should go –his younger brother continued— I bet they would fuck you for free –the father side of Hephaistion wanted to exclaim “what kind of language is this?” But that was a stupid question taking into consideration that his baby brother had been exposed to his men for far too long.

 

- I don’t think so –said the General, returning his attention to the legendary hanging gardens of King Nebuchadnezzar II. He heard that the King had ordered the construction of these gardens because his wife, Queen Amytis of Media, was homesick, missing the trees and plants of her land.

 

It was an incredible place, built up in tiers, reminding Hephaistion of a theatre, there were vaults on the ascending terraces and the earth had been leveled off and planted with every different kind of plants. “The artificial terraces were so thickly planted with trees that they seemed [to the Macedonians] to be a forest suspended in the air”(4) It was such a peaceful, beautiful and fresh place that the General used to spend every free moment here.

 

He closed his eyes for a moment and smiled, remembering Alexander’s words when he found out that his beloved liked the garden so much.

 

- If one King constructed this place to please a woman maybe I should plant trees from Greece so you won’t miss our home –had said the King.

 

- I am not homesick Alex, and certainly I’m not a woman to be spoiled like that –had been his answer but inside, he felt really flattered knowing his King still thought about him, even if he was so busy reorganizing the administration of the satrapy.

 

- Phai? Can I ask you something? –asked Lysanias a little afraid, taking him out of his thoughts.

 

- What is it? –asked Hephaistion absently, cocking his head, his eyes on the nearest tree.

 

- Do…d-do you still hate me? –the question made the General turned to see him, this was the last thing he expected. Where did that come from?

 

For a moment he was tempted to say “No! I never hated you” but even he knew that was a lie, and he didn’t want to lie to him. The truth was that he had despised Lysanias after he knew that his own brother had slept with Alexander, they knew so little about each other at that time, he didn’t understand Lysanias, and Lysanias just hated the General because he was jealous. Had resented his younger brother for a long time but…

 

- Not anymore –said Hephaistion at last, sitting in front of the teenager—But I must confess that I was truly angry with you Lys.

 

- I know, I-I was a fool…and, and… –said his brother stammering, and the General embraced him. 

 

- Don’t apologize, Lys. I’m the one who should be asking for your forgiveness –Hephaistion whispered against his hair, remembering what had his grandfather said to him once:

 

Don't forget that he is your brother, Phai, no matter what he did

 

- I’m sorry.

 

Lysanias embraced him so hard that the General felt his ribcage cracking, it had taken him too long to realize that Berenike had been right, Lysanias was still too young to be treated like an adult and now, that their father and grandfather were dead, it was him who had to take care of his younger brother. Of course they had an older brother, and Nikandros cared about him, Lysanias and Berenike, he had never doubted that, but his older brother was so self-centered and careless that someone else had to take the “father-roll” there. 

 

He could hear his brother crying on his shoulder. He had been too harsh on him, but he was grateful that all their problems had ended like this, now he had a better relationship with his baby brother.

 

XXX

 

That day was proving to be one of the longest days in Alexander’s life. He had been working since dawn, and so far he had ordered the restoration of Marduk’s temple and the ziggurat, for the Babylonian’s utterly delight, he received Amyntas son of Andromenes with: reinforcement from Macedonia, another group of young boys to serve as pages, and several letter’s from Antipater giving an extremely long and detail report of his campaign against King Agis III of Sparta.

 

It was almost afternoon by the time Alexander had organized the Macedonian garrison, that was going to stay and guard the city in his absence, appointing Apollodorus of Amphipolis in command, and entrusted Asclepiodorus son of Philo with the collection of tribute. 

 

By now, he was really bored, struggling to read Antipater’s letters and his account of the disastrous campaign of the Macedonian General Zopyrion against the Scythians, who lived at the north of the kingdom. Alexander had never cared about the Scythians, he had heard many things about them, but, so far, he hadn’t paid the much attention and he never imagined that one day he would have to fight them.

 

Of course the Regent had made a supreme effort to rest importance to this defeat and enhanced the fact that he had won against Sparta. Sparta! The mighty Sparta that had scared the Persians for so many years; and Antipater gave an extremely detail account of how King Agis III had besieged Megalopolis until the Regent had arrived with the all mighty Macedonian army.

 

If one was to believe Antipater, then the battle of Megalopolis had been even greater than the battle of Gaugamela; the Regent had at his disposal an army of 40,000 strong, where had he found 40, 000 men after all his complains about the lack of men in fighting age? Only the Gods knew, but the point was that Antipater fought against just half this number. At the end of the day 5,300 Spartans died and even King Agis III lost his life fighting bravely on the battlefield.

 

Alexander yawned, not that he didn’t care about what happened at his kingdom, even if, sitting at the Babylonian throne, Macedonia seem like a very tiny place so far far way, it was just that for him, after all that he had been through, this was a battle of mice. That was the problem with Antipater, Parmelio and even his own father, they couldn’t see beyond their noses, their entire world was Macedonia and Greece; but for him there were no boundaries.

 

He bet that Antipater could never imagine what was to fight against an army of 100, 000 men…

 

Sparta! –he thought with contempt—What is Sparta compared to this? 

 

At the end he gave up, he would finish the letters that night, besides, he had an unfinished business to attend. The King left the letters on his desk and stood up, for Eumenes utterly confusion. The royal secretary had been working all morning at his side, and still had a list of pending things that require the King’s personal attention.

 

- We’ll finish this later –said Alexander, as an explanation.

 

- B-but sire –Eumes couldn’t believe it, finish later?— We still have much to do, there is the…

 

- I said later, Eumenes –said the King and his secretary just pursed his lips until they looked like a thin line, but said nothing. Sadly but he was used to this, it was impossible to sit Alexander down to work on administrative issues, he should be grateful, and scarifying to all the Gods at Olympus, that he had stayed this long working.

 

- Of course, sire –said Eumenes and the King left the sumptuous study.

 

- Ennychus! –Alexander called one of his new pages, and the boy of 13 years old, too excited to be there and too eager to please his King, came running.

 

- Yes, sire.

 

- Have you seen my son? –Ennychus took a moment to think.

 

- No sire, I haven’t seen him but I heard he was with the satrap –said the boy, trying to look taller than he really was.

 

The King frowned.

 

- The satrap? Which satrap? –he put the boy in troubles, he had arrived just a day before and didn’t know the names of the important personalities there.

 

- I-I don’t know for sure, sire –said Ennychus blushing and Alexander smiled at him, resting importance to the matter.

 

- Where is Achilles and the nameless satrap?

 

- Oh! On the east garden –said the page, smiling nervously— Do you want me to look for the Prince, sire?

 

- No, I’ll go.

 

As things turned out, Achilles was with Mazaeus, the servants of the satrap of Babylon had a baby Cheetah of 2 months old there with a collar of jewels and a golden leash. When they saw Alexander, the servants prostrated themselves, and the satrap bowed his head. 

 

- Dad! Dad! –Achilles ran at him, extremely excited, pointing at the Cheetah—Do you see him? The satrap said he is for me –he explained jumping. 

 

- I heard the young Prince likes animals, your majesty –said Mazaeus through his interpreter. He had brought him to speak with Achilles when he noticed, for his utterly astonishment, that the boy spoke a fluent Persian.

 

Of course he heard –thought the King. His Prince had the idea that the palace was some kind of animal shelter, and had rescued an alarming number of stray animals in the last week. They had now: 3 cats, 2 dogs, one bird with a broken wing, a rabbit, a goose that some Babylonian was planning to eat until Achilles saw him; he even found a lizard and Alexander was sure that if he could, he would also have a crocodile. 

 

The King saw the feline then he saw Achilles’ happy expression and started to wonder what was Hephaistion going to say about this.

 

- Isn’t that animal dangerous? –he asked thinking that his beloved was going to interrogate him later. The only big cat to which the King was familiar was a lion, and they were pretty dangerous.

 

The interpreter translated and the satrap shook his head emphatically.

 

- Cheetahs can be tamed, Great King –said Mazaeus—They aren’t as aggressive as other felines. In Egypt they trained them to hunt, some Great Kings had them as pets and they are always associated with royalty, especially in India. You can be sure that I would never endanger our Prince’s life –he bowed again.

 

- Can I keep him? –asked Achilles, with big crystalline eyes and such a pleading voice that Alexander found himself unable to say no.

 

He sighed. Mazaeus was really clever; he knew Alexander loved his son as very few times the satrap had seen a King showing affection to his children, not even Darius was like this with Prince Cyrus Ochus, even more knowing the boy was his adopted son; so he had decided that, to keep the new Great King’s favor he should be nice with the little Prince.

 

- Fine, but…

 

But he couldn’t say more, the Prince ran to where the Cheetah was and carried him with difficulty, the “kitty” was heavy, but he embraced him as if he were a big teddy bear. The feline didn’t look happy, with his legs stretched to the front, eyes half closed and ears flattened sideways; for a moment the King thought he was going to attack the boy, but he did nothing.

 

Well, when he grows up he is going to cause sensation going to hunt the Lion with his Cheetah instead with a faithful hound –thought Alexander smiling.

 

XXX

 

- Aki, we need to talk –said the King as soon as they left Mazeus and were on the hallway.

 

It was impossible to convince Achilles to leave the Cheetah behind, so the feline was walking at their side with his leash, stopping every now and then.

 

- About what? –asked the Prince, his eyes on the Cheetah.

 

- About your mother –that made Achilles turned—Your father told me you want to meet her –the boy moved his head up and down.

 

- Yes, can’t I? –he asked.

 

The King sighed.

 

- You can, but not now –he said, remaining calm, and being “nice” to the boy—I can’t let you travel alone to Epirus, it would be dangerous, besides…

 

- Besides, what? –Alexander saw those uneven eyes so like his own but so different at the same time. Achilles was a very loved boy, Hephaistion was a great father, and his Prince’s childhood as a very happy one; sometimes he wondered how would have been his own childhood if he had had a father like his beloved.

 

He thought for a moment if he should tell the boy about the political complications of sending him to Macedonia. A part of him told him that Achilles was too young to understand another part told him that the Prince was an extremely intelligent boy. He thought about himself, what would have he wanted if he were Achilles? And the answer was very simple: the truth.

 

- Aki, you can’t go to Epirus and Macedonia because of my mother –said the King slowly—My mother is the Queen and she wants to control the kingdom while I’m away.

 

- But Antipater is the Regent, right? –Alexander smiled, the boy paid attention.

 

- Yes, but she is trying to control Antipater –the King stopped and kneeled in front of the boy—If I sent you, as my son and heir to Macedonia, what do you think is going to happen?

 

- She would try to control me –said Achilles—Because one day I’m going to be King and if I listen to her then she won’t lose her status.

 

- Yes, Aki –said Alexander—And your mother is probably working with her. So, I can’t send you alone to Epirus, and I can’t go with you –he made a pause—You would have to wait and, when you are older, I promise that you would meet your mother.

 

The Prince fell silent for a long moment and then he nodded. He understood this and now he was extremely curious. For the King amusement and surprise he started to ask him all kind of questions about Macedonia, his mother, Antipater and why would Cleopatra want to be Olympias’ allied. Once again, Alexander saw that Achilles understood things much better than many grown up men and soon he was talking to him as if he were older.

 

XXX

 

Berenike knew she had to talk to Kleitos and she had wasted a lot of time already delaying this moment, finding every possible pretext for not going to talk to him: from a headache to having to take care of her children, or simply saying to herself that she was too tired. But, that evening, when Leonnatos went to train with Amyntas and knowing that Sophia would be staying with Thais until night, she went to look for the hipparch with Netikerty behind her. 

 

She walked through the crowded streets thinking that maybe she should have brought with her a servant with a torch. There was still light and she wasn’t planning to stay long with Kleitos but one never knew. Also Leonnatos had told her never to go out alone without an escort or at least one of the bodyguards that their host had put at their disposal, but the last thing Berenike wanted was to have several curious eyes around her. And it didn’t matter if they were servants, servants loved gossip so no, she and Netikerty should take care of themselves alone.

 

Babylon was such a huge city that they got lost several times, yes they should have brought at least a guide with them, but it was too late now. And almost an hour later they found the house where Kleitos was staying.

 

- What happened? –asked Berenike when she saw her slave walking back after talking with the steward of the house.

 

- The man said the hipparch is not at home, ma’am –said Netikerty—Apparently he went to a brothel.

 

Berenike twisted her lips thinking. Her inner coward said she should go back to her house, after all she had tried to talk to him but didn’t found him…but the part of her that wanted to end with this said that, if she was already here, she should looked for him.

 

- Did he say to which brothel he went? –Netikerty opened her eyes very surprise, surely her mistress was kidding…right? But one look at her gray eyes told her she was very serious.

 

The Egyptian sighed.

 

- I’ll go to ask.

 

After getting lost for another half and hour they arrived to the place the steward had mentioned. It was dark already but every street was well illuminated for Berenike’s relief. Even from outside they could hear rude laughs and happy drunk voices from within the building that housed one of the most popular brothels in Babylon, famous through all the Empire, if one wanted to believe what the propaganda said. 

 

- Ma’am, are you sure about this? This is no place for a lady like you –said Netikerty, worried and scared. She had a bad feeling. 

 

Berenike thought for a moment. She had done so many things that “a lady like her” shouldn’t do that, what was another one?

 

- I have no choice, Nety –she said sighing—I have to talk to him.

 

- But we could wait, why now?

 

- Because I have waited long enough. Please, just go there and ask for him –Netikerty opened her eyes looking like an owl. She had never been inside a brothel and didn’t like the idea; she was a decent girl.

 

- You don’t have to look for him in every room –said Berenike reading her mind—Just…send him a message.

 

- All right –the Egyptian took a deep breath and went to the brothel’s door, as if her mistress had asked her to jump into a pool with crocodiles. The Egyptian sighed, what would her mother say if she were still alive?

 

For a girl like Netikerty, around the same age of her mistress, 23 years old, who had never been in such place, the sight she found inside the luxurious house was truly shocking. The reception room was spacious but so full with furniture, cushions, soft and colorful fabrics hanging from the ceiling, painting and statues, that it looked very small. She saw a very beautiful, and half naked, woman running and laughing with a Macedonian behind her.

 

The Egyptian blushed savagely, keeping her eyes on the floor, until she found the owner of the place. A middle age Babylonian with scarce hair, a nose that look like a small ball, and a big smile. He looked immensely happy knowing that, by the end of the month, he would be rich beyond all his expectations. 

 

- E-e-e-excuse me, sir –said Netikerty in Greek and the man turned to look at her, making his numerous jewels tinkle.

 

- Who are you? –he frowned, caressing his beard. His Greek was worst than Xsayarsa, which was to say a lot, but she could understand him—No, no, no, don’t tell me, you came looking to work here, didn’t you? Well, it’s your lucky day, I need more girls but you look a little skinny –the man pursed his lips—Take off your cloths and we’ll see.

 

Netikerty looked horrified and went pale. She was very young when Amyntor had bought her at the slave market and she had been treated with respect, never in her entire life she had heard such proposal. She knew she was blessed, her mistress was a kind woman that had never beat her and always treated her like a friend, and was exactly for this that Netikerty was ready to do anything for Berenike.  

 

- No sir, I-I am sorry –she stammered again— I-I’m looking for a man. 

 

- You have to be more specific –said the man impatiently.

 

Right –Netikerty took a deep breath.

 

- I have an urgent message for the hipparch Kleitos son of Dropides…They called him Melas Kleitos, sir –said the Egyptian and the man thought for a moment pulling his black beard.

 

He knew who was Kleitos, he was one of his best customers, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to bother him with a slave girl. 

 

- Who is looking for him?

 

Good question –thought Netikerty. She knew that, if Kleitos knew Berenike was looking for him, he would come immediately, but she couldn’t mention her mistress name in a place like this. Oh, the gossip!

 

- I want to speak to him, sir –she said determined—The person who sent me is very important and very impatience.

 

- I’m not letting you in without a name, girl –said the man angry.  

 

What now? –thought the Egyptian.

 

- My master, General Hephaistion son of Amyntor is looking for him... and is urgent –Netikerty lied with such ease that it scared her.

 

The man raised his eyebrows. Of course he knew that name, in a business like this one always had to know the names of the people who mattered in the city and he had done his homework. All Babylon knew who was Hephaistion, and also that he was the new sovereign’s favorite.

 

- Of course, of course…I’ll take you to him myself –said the man in a sweet voice that took the Egyptian by surprised. He looked like a completely different person.

 

The man took her through the hallways of the house, and Netikerty blushed savagely hearing all the moans, panting, sighs, groans, shouts and screams…she had heard her mistress making love with her husband, and sometimes master Nikandros or other slaves around the camp, but never something like this. It was like walking in the middle of an orgy.    

 

And she was so concentrated looking at the floor that never noticed when Perdikkas saw her; the taxiarch was on his way out with a very tipsy Meleager, who kept laughing without reason, after spending the entire afternoon there. The Egyptian caught his attention immediately, after all, what was Berenike’s slave doing in a place like this? But soon his eyes were drawn to a very tall and beautiful Ethiopian that walked at their side smiling. 

 

Finally, they found Kleitos, on the hallway with a beautiful Babylonian girl of long black hair, around the age of Netikerty, completely naked against the wall, her face blushed and moaning softly. 

 

What now? –thought the extremely nervous Egyptian.

 

- Em…excuse me…sir… —said a very embarrassed Netikerty.

 

Kleitos turned to look at her, he was naked from the waist up, his powerful abdomen of undulating muscles glittering with sweat completely expose to her. Now the Egyptian had a very good idea of why her mistress had fallen for him, he had a great body. The hipparch didn’t recognize her and saw the slave a little irritated.

 

- What? –he asked rudely, almost barking, and making her jumped.

 

Netikerty turned to look at the owner, still standing at her side. It was clear that he wasn’t planning to go, what was she going to do now? Certainly not to mention that she was sent not by the beautiful General but by his sister. 

 

- I…have an urgent message for you…sir –she said, trying not to look at the Babylonian’s big breasts—From… —the man was still there, she would have to keep lying—From General Hephaistion, sir.

 

Now she had Kleitos complete attention.

 

- What?! –what on earth could Hephaistion possibly want with him? Netikerty saw her feet, founding them fascinating.

 

- He-he wants to see you at once, sir –said the Egyptian—It’s urgent.

 

Kleitos snorted. He had only spoken to Hephaistion on duty, rarely on a more personal level, and if the General was looking for him at that hour then something really bad must had happened.

 

- Tell him I’ll go to the palace as soon as I can –he said at last.

 

- But sir –Netikerty interrupted him when he was about to kiss the Babylonian—He is…em…he is waiting for you outside.

 

Kleitos turned so quickly to see her that he scared the slave, again.

 

- Outside? Here?

 

Netikerty tried her best to stop shaking and just nodded. She had never said so many lies before and was very nervous. The hipparch hit his head against the wall.

 

Hephaistion wouldn’t have come here if it wasn’t important –he thought.

 

- Fine, take me to him.

 

XXX

 

(1) Steven Saylor. Roma: The Novel of Ancient Rome, p 405

(2) Peter Green. Alexander of Macedon, p 303

(3) Quintus Curtius

(4) Robin Lane Fox. Alexander the Great, p 255