Lucian's Dialogues Author:Lucian Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: DIALOGUE 9. . DIOGENES JIND ALEXANDER. Diog. What is this, Alexander, are you dead too like all of us ? Alx. You see if so, Diogenes; anil it is not stran... more »ge, that I, being a mortal, should tlie. Diog. Did Ammon lie then, saying you yas his own son; or were you really Philip's son? Alx. Doubtless Philip's; for were I Ara- moti's I had not died. Diog. They also reported similar falsehoods about Olympias, stating, that a drr.gon cohabited with her, and was seen in her bed; and then that you was thus begotten; and that Philip was deceived to think himself your father. Alx. I too heard these things as well as you; but now I see that neither my Mother, nor the prophets of Jupiter said any thing to be credited. Diog. But their lie was not useless to you, Alexander, in your enterprises; for many feared you, thinking you to be a God. But tell rne; to whom have you left so great a kingdom ? The author, in this dialogue, admirably ridicules :he practice which prevailed among the ancient kings, ot" pretending to derive their descent from the Gods—of usurping the titles, and airog.iting to ]u;insclves the worship of.the Supreme Being. Alx. I know not, Diogenes, for I commanded nothing respecting it, before my death, than this only; that, when dying, [ gave my ring to Perdiccas. But why do you laugh Diogenes ? Diog. At what else do I laugh, than because I remember what the Greeks did, when upon your entrance into the sovereignty, they flattered you, and chose you their Prince, and commander against the Barbarians. And some even ranked you among the twelve Gods; built temples, and sacrificed to you as the son of a Dragon. But tell me, where have the Macedonians buried you ? Alx. As yet I lie in Babylon, this being the third day since my death. But Ptolemy, my a...« less