His achievements became known to the ends of the world. Everyone calls him the Great. Today, some 2,350 years after his death, he is remembered as one of the greatest kings and generals to set foot on earth. Alexander, before becoming the Great, became king at 20. He succeeded his father Philip II and began to envision that he would rule not only the kingdom of Macedonia but the whole world – a plan originally devised by his father! Here is his story and the quotes that passed in history.
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Alexander the Great: The quotes of the Macedonian king
Here are the rephrased quotes of Alexander the Great:
Nothing is impossible for those who are willing to try.
Just as there are not two suns in the sky, there cannot be two rulers on earth.
Despite the infinite number of worlds, I have not conquered any. Only if I had kings as rivals.
What cannot be untangled is severed (Referring to the Gordian Knot).
Alexander, son of Philip, and all the Greeks except the Lacedaemonians have won this from the barbarians of Asia (Inscription on the trophy of 300 shields sent by Alexander the Great to the Parthenon after the Battle of Granicus, 334 BC).
Neaniske, or how he changed his name (Upon seeing one of his namesakes, Alexander, fighting cowardly).
Oh, Achilles, you were fortunate to have Homer as your herald (“He came to Ilion and saw the tomb of Achilles”).
Oh, harsh mother, you demand a steep price for nine months of gestation (Because Olympias, his mother, created political and other disputes).
A chef who is afraid of many sheep (“Tell whose name Darius is myriad in order”).
My father will anticipate everything and will not allow me to perform great and brilliant deeds with you (“Alexander” from Plutarch’s Parallel Lives).
Alexander asked where these treasures were, and he showed off his friends’ “thoughts”.
Do not steal victory (On the eve of the Battle of Gaugamela, when Parmenion suggested that they attack at night).
Hephaestion is a friend of Alexander, while Krateros is a friend of the king (Hephaestion philalexander, while Krateros philoregileus – “Alexander” from Plutarch’s Parallel Lives).
On the inability of other courtiers to tame Bucephalus.
If I were not Alexander, I would wish to be Diogenes.
Those who are in pain and danger do good and great works.
With will, with myths, and with the art of deception (Asked how he managed to conquer the world in such a short time).
We owe our lives to our parents and our well-being to our teachers.
To the strongest (To Kratisto – His suggestion of who will be his successor and his last words).
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The last words of Alexander the Great that are not proven to have been said
The first he asked that his coffin be carried on his shoulders by the best doctors of the time.
With the second, the treasures he had acquired would be scattered to his burial.
By the third, he asked that his hands be kept out of the coffin, in everyone’s view, and swaying in the air.
The explanation that Alexander allegedly gave for his last three wishes was that he wanted the eminent doctors to lift his coffin, to show that even they do not have, in the face of death, the power to heal.
He asked for the ground to be covered by his treasures so that everyone would understand that the goods we acquire here remain. Regarding the third wish, the explanation given is that he wanted his hands to float in the air so that everyone could see that we come with our hands empty, and with our hands empty we leave, when the most precious treasure that is time is finished for us.
The last three wishes and their explanation may sound important and exciting, but they are not found in any ancient or modern medieval source. Is this an invention of our time? At this point, it is of great value to note that they appeared shortly before 2010 on foreign websites and somewhere then began to spread on social networks. They appeared in Greece two or three years later, around 2010.
Did you know that Alexander the Great…
… Is it presumed that he was poisoned and died? Of course, the most likely cause is that his death resulted from marshy fever or typhus. The body of the great king was already exhausted after what he and his army experienced in Asia. In the years that followed, civil wars broke out in Macedonia and eventually, the kingdom was dissolved and divided into the hands of his successors.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Some of Alexander the Great's most famous quotes include: 'Nothing is impossible for those who are willing to try,' 'Just as there are not two suns in the sky, there cannot be two rulers on earth,' and 'If I were not Alexander, I would wish to be Diogenes.' These quotes reflect his ambition, philosophy, and leadership style that defined his reign as one of history's greatest military commanders.
Alexander the Great became king at the age of 20, after succeeding his father Philip II. Before becoming king, he studied under the famous philosopher Aristotle at his school in Naoussa starting at age 16, which heavily influenced his intellectual development and worldview.
Alexander the Great invaded the Achaemenid Persian Empire in 334 BC. This invasion marked the beginning of a series of campaigns that lasted 10 years and extended his conquests as far as India, establishing him as one of history's greatest military strategists.
Regarding the Gordian Knot, Alexander the Great said: 'What cannot be untangled is severed.' This famous quote reflects his pragmatic approach to solving problems and has become a metaphor for cutting through complexity with decisive action.
Aristotle was a renowned Greek philosopher who taught Alexander the Great at his school in Naoussa when Alexander was 16 years old. Aristotle's teachings profoundly influenced Alexander's intellectual development and his approach to conquering and ruling his vast empire.
Alexander the Great's last recorded words were 'To the strongest' (Kratisto), which he said when asked about who would be his successor. However, historians note that some of the most famous last words attributed to him have not been definitively proven to have been actually spoken by the king.
Alexander the Great's military campaigns lasted 10 years, beginning with his invasion of the Persian Empire in 334 BC. During this period, he conquered vast territories from Macedonia through Asia Minor, Persia, Egypt, and into India, becoming one of history's most successful military commanders.
