It is told of Antipater, an officer in Alexander’s army and a
favorite in his court, that one day Philip of Macedon, placed in
a position which required special vigilance, made his appearance
at a late hour in the morning, with the apology: “I have slept
rather late this morning, but then I knew that Antipater was
awake.” And at another time, when some person exprest surprize
that Antipater did not clothe himself in a purple robe, the
badge of nobility and greatness, as the other commanders and
ministers of state were accustomed to do, Alexander replied:
“Those men wear purple on the outside, but Antipater is purple
within.”
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