EXECUTION OF CALLISTHENES AND HERMOLAUS.
Aristobulus says that the youths asserted it was Callisthenes who
instigated them to make the daring attempt; and Ptolemy says the
same.[565] Most writers, however, do not agree with this, but
represent that Alexander readily believed the worst about Callisthenes,
from the hatred which he already felt towards him, and because
Hermolaüs was known to be exceedingly intimate with him. Some authors
have also recorded the following particulars:—that Hermolaüs was
brought before the Macedonians, to whom he confessed that he had
conspired against the king’s life, because it was no longer possible
for a free man to bear his insolent tyranny. He then recounted all
his acts of despotism, the illegal execution of Philotas, the still
more illegal one of his father Parmenio and of the others who were put
to death at that time, the murder of Clitus in a fit of drunkenness,
his assumption of the Median garb, the introduction of the ceremony
of prostration, which had been planned and not yet relinquished, and
the drinking-bouts and lethargic sleep arising from them, to which
he was addicting himself.[566] He said that, being no longer able
to bear these things, he wished to free both himself and the other
Macedonians. These same authors say that Hermolaüs himself and those
who had been arrested with him were stoned to death by those who were
present. Aristobulus says that Callisthenes was carried about with
the army bound with fetters, and afterwards died a natural death; but
Ptolemy, son of Lagus, says that he was stretched upon the rack and
then hanged.[567] Thus not even did these authors, whose narratives
are very trustworthy, and who at the time were in intimate association
with Alexander, give accounts consistent with each other of events
so well known, and the circumstances of which could not have escaped
their notice. Other writers have given many various details of these
same proceedings which are inconsistent with each other; but I think I
have written quite sufficient on this subject. Though these events took
place shortly after the death of Clitus,[568] I have described them
among those which happened to Alexander in reference to that General,
because, for the purposes of narrative, I consider them very intimately
connected with each other.