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I've just posted an extract from Dionysius of Halikarnassos about the death of Batis, the governor of Gaza city which withstood a siege by Alexander for a couple of months. Alexander ordered Batis to be dragged to death by his heels behind a chariot for his refusal to submit to Alexander. This is supposed to be an emulation of Achilles' treatment of Hector's corpse, but that is just a gloss.

The dishonourable treatment of Batis seems to have been the result of frustration and anger, culminating in derision at Batis's unheroic physical presence. The anger may have been exacerbated by orders, presumably from Batis himself, for his army to try to kill Alexander, thinking the Macedonian army would then collapse. Alexander was wounded in the shoulder and, what I hadn't realised, a Gazan officer, under the guise of surrendering, tried to assassinate Alexander, who killed him with his sword. This, presumably, would have seemed rather despicable to Alexander.

I hadn't seen the Dionysius version of the story before, which it seems came originally from Hegesias of Magnesia. (Dionysius of Halicarnassus, On Literary Composition, Chap 18.)

Marcus! Welome back!

BTW, I wasn't sure from the original Alexander sources website whether it was Dionysius quoting Hegesias, or the other way round.

Alexias wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 6:58 pm Marcus! Welome back!

Thank you. It's been a very long time - a long story, with which I won't bore you.

I hope to be around more often, now, although how often remains to be seen.

Good to see you all, too!

Alexias wrote: ↑Tue Feb 20, 2024 8:50 am BTW, I wasn't sure from the original Alexander sources website whether it was Dionysius quoting Hegesias, or the other way round.

And it does seem as if Dionysius was not a fan!

marcus wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 2:32 pm I hadn't seen the Dionysius version of the story before, which it seems came originally from Hegesias of Magnesia. (Dionysius of Halicarnassus, On Literary Composition, Chap 18.)

Marcus, welcome back from me, too. Good to see you

Hegesias of Magnesia (a rhetorician founder of 'asianism', a flowery literary current) lived in III century B.C., Dionysius of Halikarnassos (who supported 'atticism' an opposite literary current) in I cent. B.C. Therefore Dionysius quoted Hegesias.

hiphys wrote: ↑Fri Feb 23, 2024 6:30 am Hegesias of Magnesia (a rhetorician founder of 'asianism', a flowery literary current) lived in III century B.C., Dionysius of Halikarnassos (who supported 'atticism' an opposite literary current) in I cent. B.C. Therefore Dionysius quoted Hegesias.

Thanks, hiphys. I should have worked it out for myself!

It's quite a nice little section of Dionysius, as he's quoting Hegesias to exemplify why he was such a poor wordsmith (compared with Homer). Those Ancient Greeks could be remarkably catty!

chris_taylor wrote: ↑Fri Feb 23, 2024 12:45 am Marcus, welcome back from me, too. Good to see you

Thank you, Chris. I'm going to try very hard not to absent myself for so long again!