"Friend" of Demosthenes at Alexander's court

[amyntoros]

This is from Aeschines' speech "Against Ctesiphon" in 330 BC. Ctesiphon had proposed honoring Demosthenes with a gold crown six year's earlier and although this speech is supposed to be a (delayed?) response, it is really an attack on Demosthenes. The following extract though, has mention of Alexander"For, as the people of the Paralus say, and those who have been ambassadors to Alexander - and the story is sufficiently credible - there is one Aristion, a man of Plataean status, son of Aristobulus the apothecary, known perhaps to some of you. This young man, distinguished for extraordinary beauty of person, once lived a long time in Demosthene's house (what he used to do there or what was done to him, is a scandal that is in dispute, and the story is one that would be quite improper for me to repeat). Now I am told that this Aristion, his origin and personal history being unknown to the king, is worming himself into favour with Alexander and getting access to him. Through him Demosthenes has sent a letter to Alexander, and has secured a certain degree of immunity for himself, and reconciliation; and he has carried his flattery to great lengths."Ah, Alexander, ever the sucker for a pretty face!Seriously though, I personally doubt that Demosthenes ever sent such a letter, but I'm curious about Aristion. If Alexander really didn't know anything about his origins and personal history, the cat was out of the bag after *this* speech. Might he then have been suspected of being a spy? This was the year of the death of Philotas and Parmenion - not a good time to be having secrets from Alexander! Does anyone know anything further about Aristion? I can't find mention of him anywhere in the histories, but he obviously wasn't that important - just interesting.Linda Ann

[susan]

No, I've not come across the reference before - thanks, it is interesting.Susan

[amyntoros]

Hello Susan. Well I wasn't holding out for other mentions of Aristion, but there was always hope! As it stands, if I had aspirations to write, I think he would be a good subject for a first-person short story on Alexander (not enough for a novel). Aristion was beautiful, had a relationship with Demosthenes, and was at Alexander's court during a very volatile period of history. He could have eventually represented himself to Alexander as a friend to Demosthenes - or he could have been a spy. Perhaps he had fallen under Alexander's spell and aspired to be part of the inner circle. Did he eventually leave the court? Was he "found out" and exiled or even executed? Lots of possibilities here for someone interested in writing Alexander fiction using a real protagonist.Linda Ann