Сергей Соловьев - Son of the Star, born of the Mountain Alexander the Great

– Yes. I heard my son, let’s go to Epirus. (for some reason, the young man was not at all surprised) Everything will get better, I love you too, – she said with a smile, wrapping her shawl, presented by her son. They descended, and already the cart was harnessed, and the servant sat on the trestle, and the armed men waited for Hephaestion with a squire, and rode from different parts of the city to all his friends – Garpal, Nearh, Erygius and Ptolemy with their squires, a detachment of thirty mounted, and they hastily drove the Olympiad carriage to the gate, and there the guards, seeing Alexadra, easily released the fugitives, and they moved westward through the passes to Epir. Already it was evening, they moved all night for fear of pursuit. In a month they arrived in Epirus, home of the Olympics.

The king of Epirus himself, Alexander also, met the procession at the gates of the palace.

“Hello sister,” he said, opening fraternal embrace, kissing her and receiving a sister’s kiss in return. – I am glad to you, but not happy about the circumstances that brought you to me, but live here as you like. Olympiad, you received maintenance from three villages before the wedding, and you’ll get it now, – while the face of Alexander’s mother turned pink, the feeding was very impressive.

“But if they attack us, I want Alexander to lead the army of Epirus,” the Epirus king said.

– I agree with gratitude – the young man’s message with joy.

“Well, you will live in my palace,” Alexander Epirsky finished his speech.

The retinue and squires settled near the royal palace, in several houses that the prince bought. It was interesting in the new city, and they began to explore unfamiliar places.

In the city house of Archon Demarat, where the news of discord in the Argead dynasty came, passions raged, because the members of the Council of Corinth gathered here, and they came here so that other people’s ears would not hear too much.

In the garden of the house, a modest treat stood by the archons’ chairs, and the head of the archons listened to the complaints of other Council members.

“Listen, Demarat,” Archaea said, “Phillip promised us peace without war in Hellas, roads without robbers, seas without pirates, flourishing trade, and he sowed discord in the family, and now a feud broke out, and the Hellenic Union would collapse.” Zeus, the witness, we did a lot for him, agreed with the meal, we found money for him, so that he would pull out this whole rabble from the Peloponess in the Persian campaign, and without him the plan of the campaign would collapse like the Trojan walls.

DeMarat made a mournful face, and pretended to listen attentively. I already thought about the situation myself, but he had to squeeze out a letter to Philip from the cautious archons asking for a joining in order to kill a whole herd of hares – flatter the king of Macedonia, because de facto he was recognized as the ruler of the Peloponnese, Alexander is recognized as his successor Hellas is the same, and the fact that they share the need for war with Persia, and you need to get money from them, in order to influence Perdiccas, Parmenion and Antipater.

“Demarat, we are ready to donate money to set up this case,” said Nicostrat, one of the richest archontes of Corinth,

With these words, an indifference mask fell from the face of Prokpen Philip.

“Forgive me, my friends,” he finally spoke, as if in despair holding his head with his left hand, “But this will require at least ten talents of gold. We must convince worthy commanders of the importance of our business, and then our thoughts are pure and worthy.

“We agree, it’s cheaper than a chain of hellish wars that will plunge Corinth into the depths of Tartar.” Replied poor Nicostrat, the true patriot of Corinth.

“And we will write a letter on behalf of the Council of Corinth, as we all worry about the Argead family,” Archaea inserted with a smile.“And by the way, the Argead dynasty is from Argos, they are Danish, and they remember it. Remember, Aminta received poor Mykene people expelled by the Argoses,” added DeMarat, “and many people from noble families of Macedonia are descendants of Mycenaean refugees. But Philip was not cruel, and did not demand the restoration of Miken, as Platea and Orchomen restored, he did not take the land from the Argosts. “It was decided that the Pythian prophecy was fulfilled, a thousand years had passed, and the order of Apollo had happened, and Argos could return the lands of the Mykene to us.” Agreed with him Archaea,

“And we remember that the Macedonians are not strangers to us, but now Philip does a lot for peace in Hellas,” said Nicotrat, “And the Athenians interfere in the affairs of others all by right of kinship.” Everyone knows that the evpatrids of Athens are the descendants of the Messenians, all the Codds of the Messenians, including the famous Plato, therefore the Athenians always support the Messenans in all wars.

Demarat went for the parchment, and seized the writing accessories.

He opened the bureau, secured the sheet, and looked expectantly at Archean.

“Let’s discuss the text, I suppose,” he raised his hand with a reed for writing,

– Maybe we start with the appeal to “King Philip”,

The merchants and trapezes of Corinth, wise with life, who are the most worthy of the archon, finally wrote a letter to the king of Macedonia, and sealed it with their own seals.

“To the king of Macedonia, the brave and just Philip,

From the worthy members of the city council of Corinth, hello.

We are concerned about the discord in your family, and remembering

that now you are Hegemon of Hellas, and the leader of the troops in

the war against Persia, we offer our mediation

between you and your son, heir to the Macedonian Kingdom

Alexander in the application, and although, of course, wrong more

young and impatient Argead, but we strongly ask that you

reconciled with him, for otherwise will bury all our common intentions.

Signed by Nikostrata the Archon, Archean the Archon and Demrat

archon with seals attached.”

“Get together, my friend,” said Nikostrat and Archeus in chorus, from which

DeMarat almost jumped.

“Maybe we will find someone else?” Asked DeMarat hopefully,

“It’s better not to find you,” said Archea with a wicked grimace. “In an hour, you will have money, get ready, and we will send guards, as well as a wagon.

Demarat quickly assembled, called his two servants, and ordered them to gather on a long journey to Macedonia. Exactly an hour later, the Council’s envoys arrived with the amount agreed earlier, and Demarat set off. A month later, DeMarat arrived at Pella, and came to the palace and asked for a meeting with the king. Soon, he was invited as king’s proxen to a small hall. Demarata was led by the king’s bodyguards to the hall, where Philip thoughtfully studied a map of Greece.

– Hello, Phillip, – I came to visit you, – began the Corinthian from afar,

The king looked thoughtfully at a friend, saw that he was holding something in his hands, but did not show it, and began to smile, anticipating an interesting conversation,

“I am glad to see you Demarat,” Philip said, and called the servant, “Guilt to the guest,” he ordered, and with a gesture he gestured for Demarath to sit in the chair next to him.

“I heard that some stupid people have comprehended you, and in order not to beat friends with a friend, I give you a letter from the Council of Corinth,” DeMarat continued the conversation, holding out a tube with a letter.

Philip’s face changed from irritated to delighted for a few seconds when he read the letter from top to bottom, and then hid it, gently turning it into a tube.