Theagenes the Theban, who held the same sentiments with regard to
his country’s welfare with Epaminondas, Pelopidas, and the other
most worthy Thebans, was slain in Chaeronea, in the common disaster
of Greece, even then when he had conquered his enemies and was in
pursuit of them. For it was he that answered one who cried out aloud
to him, How far wilt thou pursue? Even (saith he) to Macedonia. When
he was dead, his sister survived him, who gave testimony that he was
nobly descended, and that he was naturally a great man and excellently
accomplished. Moreover, this woman was so fortunate as to reap a
great benefit by her prowess, so that the more public calamities
fell upon her, so much the easier she bore them. For when Alexander
took Thebes and the soldiers fell a plundering, some in one part and
some in another, it happened that a man, neither civil nor sober but
mischievous and mad, took up his quarters in Timoclea’s house. He was
a captain to a Thracian company, and the king’s namesake, but nothing
like him; for he having no regard either to the family or estate
of this woman, when he had swilled himself in wine after supper,
commanded her to come and lie with him. Neither ended he here, but
enquired for gold and silver, whether she had not some hid by her;
sometimes threatening as if he would kill her, sometimes flattering as
if he would always repute her in the place of a wife. She, taking the
occasion offered by him, said: “Would God I had died before this night
came, rather than lived to it; that though all other things had been
lost, I might have preserved my body free from abuse. But now seeing it
is thus come to pass, and Divine Providence hath thus disposed of it
that I must repute thee my guardian, lord, and husband, I will not hold
any thing from thee that is thine own. And as for myself, I see I am
at thy disposition. As for corporeal enjoyments, the world was mine, I
had silver bowls, I had gold, and some money; but when this city was
taken, I commanded my maids to pack it up altogether, and threw it,
or rather put it for security, into a well that had no water in it.
Neither do many know of it, for it hath a covering, and nature hath
provided a shady wood round about it. Take then these things, and much
good may they do thee; and they shall lie by thee, as certain tokens
and marks of the late flourishing fortune and splendor of our family.”
When the Macedonian heard these things, he stayed not for day, but
presently went to the place by Timoclea’s conduct, commanding the
garden-door to be shut, that none might perceive what they were about.
He descended in his morning vestment. But the revengeful Clotho brought
dreadful things upon him by the hand of Timoclea, who stood on the
top of the well; for as soon as she perceived by his voice that he
reached the bottom, she threw down abundance of stones upon him, and
her maids rolled in many and great ones, till they had dashed him to
pieces and buried him under them. As soon as the Macedonians came to
understand this and had taken up the corpse, there having been late
proclamation that none of the Thebans should be slain, they seized her
and carried her before the king and declared her audacious exploit;
but the king, who by the gravity of her countenance and stateliness
of her behavior did perceive in her something that savored of the
greatest worth and nobility, asked her first, What woman art thou? She
courageously and undauntedly answered: Theagenes was my brother, who
was a commander at Chaeronea, and lost his life fighting against you
in defence of the Grecian liberty, that we might not suffer any such
thing; and seeing I have suffered things unworthy of my rank, I refuse
not to die; for it is better so to do than to experience another such
a night as the last, which awaits me unless thou forbid it. All the
most tender-spirited persons that were present broke out into tears;
but Alexander was not for pitying her, as being a woman above pity. But
he admired her fortitude and eloquence, which had taken strong hold on
him, and charged his officers to have a special care and look to the
guards, lest any such abuse be offered again to any renowned family;
and dismissed Timoclea, charging them to have a special regard to her
and all that should be found to be of her family.