amination of the tent of the conquered Darius, when he expressed his surprise that such effeminacy should occupy the attention of a king. It would have been fortunate for Alexander had he always remained thus uncorrupted by Persian luxury. The unparalleled success, however, which attended his arms, so intoxicated his mind, that he frequently committed acts, which, in others, would have been deemed evidences of insanity.

Alexander subsequently indulged in repeated acts of intoxication, under the influence of which, he so far forgot himself, as in his sober moments, to excite in him bitter regret. It was during one of these fits of inebriation that Alexander attempted to burn the ancient palace of Xerxes. His friends were enjoying the royal feast, at which they drank to intoxication. Courtezans were present at the sparkling board, and one of the most celebrated urged the conqueror to end the carousal by burning the palace of Persepolis; Alexander madly complied with her wish; and with the drunkard's garland on his head, and a lighted torch in his hand, proceeded to execute his purpose. The king, however, repented of his folly; for, before it was too late, he commanded the fire to be extinguished. Soon after this event, Alexander, under the excitement of wine, killed his friend Clitus. Having supped with the king, and when both were "warmed with drinking, "* Clitus uttered some remarks which were displeasing to Alexander; recrimination followed; and although the friends of Clitus had dragged him away, he soon returned to the scene of disagreement. Alexander, irritated by his boldness of speech, snatched a spear from one of the guards, and ran it through the body of Clitus, who immediately expired. The rage of Alexander now quickly settled into the deepest sorrow, insomuch that, but for his attendants, he would have destroyed himself; and for several days he remained in a state of the most lamentable depression.

The triumphant career of this monarch in India was marked by scenes of gross dissipation. His entrance into Carmenia indeed appears to have resembled a bacchanalian procession. Alexander and his generals were placed upon. a lofty platform, elevated upon a magnificent carriage, which was drawn by eight horses. They were followed by carriages, wherein were placed others of his associates and friends, crowned with garlands, and noisy with wine.

*Plutarch Life of Alexander.

The entire army appears to have been in a similar plight. Plutarch remarks that, "in the whole company there was not to be seen a buckler, a helmet, or a spear; but instead of them, cups, flagons, and goblets; these the soldiers. dipped in huge vessels of wine, and drank to each other some as they marched along, and others seated at tables, which were placed at proper distances on the way. The whole country resounded with flutes, clarionets, and songs; and with the dances and riotous frolics of the women. This disorderly and dissolute march was closed with a very immodest figure, and with all the licentious ribaldry of the bacchanals, as if Bacchus himself had been there to carry on the debauch."

After their arrival at the capital of that country, Alexander prolonged this scene of dissipation by making feasts. and public entertainments. At one of these, when in a state of inebriation, he had to submit to an insult which must have considerably annoyed him and convinced him of the folly of such degrading proceedings. A favourite chorus dancer having won the prize of dancing, felt so elated as to move across the theatre in his ceremonial dress, and seat himself beside Alexander. The Macedonians applauded this audacious act and obliged the unwil ling king, by means of the customary salutations, to express similar approbation.

Shortly afterward Alexander visited Persia, and near the tomb of Cyrus encouraged a scene of drunkenness more degrading, if possible, than any of the preceding. Calanus, an Indian philosopher, labouring under physical indisposition, ordered the erection of a funeral pile, and having requested the king and his friends to pass the day in gayety and drinking, threw himself upon the fire, and fell a sacrifice to this idolatrous practice of his nation. At the conclusion of the ceremony, Alexander made a feast, and held out inducements to excess by promises of reward. Promachus obtained the principal prize, having drunk four congii of pure unmixed wine, being equal to fourteen quarts, British measure. This wretch, however, survived his victory only three days. Athenæus and Ælian inform us, that thirty of these bacchanalians died on the spot, and soon afterward six more of them expired in their tents. Plutarch also attests this circumstance on the authority of Chares, stating that forty-one of them. lost their lives from intoxication, and the coldness of the weather.

The intemperance of Alexander soon put a stop to his victorious career. Previously to his death, his mind had been much depressed by superstitious forebodings. Plutarch relates that Medias called upon him one day, and persuaded him to engage in a carousal which was then about to take place. "There," remarks that writer, "Alexander drank all that night and the next day, till at last he found a fever coming upon him." Other authors relate that Alexander drank out of the cup of Hercules, containing about two congii, to the health of Proteas. The latter, according to the custom of the country, ordered a bowl of similar size to be filled with wine, which he immediately drank off. Alexander, resolutely adhering to the convivial laws at that time so strictly observed, again pledged Proteas in the same vessel. The effect of this indulgence was so powerful on his previously debilitated frame, that as Athenæus relates, he let the cup drop from his hand, fell back on his pillow, and never afterward recovered. Aristobulus states, that during the violence of the fever which afterward ensued, Alexander being tormented with thirst, swallowed a draught of wine which hastened his end.* Thus died Alexander the Great, a man naturally possessed of many good qualities; in war almost unparalleled; and in private life generous and humane. "Here," says Seneca, "is this hero invincible by all the toils of prodigious marches, by all the dangers of sieges and combats, by the most violent extremes of heat and cold, here he lies conquered by his intemperance, and struck to the earth by the fatal cup of Hercules."

The Thracians, a people who resided in a large tract of country to the north of the Archipelago, and adjoining Scythia, were also notorious for their intemperance. They were universally characterized as hard drinkers. Horace says,

Again,

"Natis in usum lætitiæ scyphis

Pugnare, Thracum est: tollite barbarum
Morem, verecundumque Bacchum

Sanguineis prohibete rixis."+

"Non ego sanius

Bacchabor Edonis."+

The Scythians, during the earlier part of their history, were distinguished for their sobriety and bodily strength

They do not at that period seem to have made feasts, ex cept upon rare occasions. Plutarch alludes to this in his banquet of the seven wise men, where he says, the Scythians had neither wines nor instrumental performers, nor public games. By their valour they obtained the principal possession of Asia, which they retained for the period of twenty-eight years. Of this advantage however they were deprived, by their subsequent licentious conduct. The primitive habits which formed their principal safeguard, rapidly disappeared before a taste which they acquired for intoxicating liquors. The extent of their intemperance may be conceived from the conduct of Cleomenes, prince of Sparta, during a visit which he made to the Scythians. The Spartans assert "that communicating with the Scythians he became a drinker of wine; and that this made him mad." "From which incident," says Herodotus, whoever are desirous to drink intemperately, are said to exclaim Episcythison, Let us drink like Scythians.'"* After retaining possession of Asia for twenty-eight years, Cyaxares, king of Media and Persia, invited the Scythians to a feast, where the greater part of them became intoxicated, and in that state were destroyed. Cyaxares thus obtained possession of Asia.

6

The drinking propensities of the Thracians and Scythi ans were such, that according to Athenæus, yvvaîkés Te Kaι πάντες αὐτοὶ τῶν ἱματίων (ἄκρατον) καταχεόμενοι, καλὸν καὶ εὐδαιμον ἐπιτήδειμα Exiтndeveiv vevoμikari, the women, and all the men, thought it a most happy life to fill themselves with unmixed wine, and to pour it upon their garments. On this account by the Thracian way of drinking, Opaxia is, was understood axparonnoia, drinking wine not mixed with water. It appears also that the Grecians, and particularly the Lacedæmonians, sometimes used axparéorepovπive to drink wine with little or no water, which practice they termed novica, "to act like a Scythian," because the Scythians were much addicted to drunkenness, and drank wine without admixture with water.§ In the history of the Thracians may be found one of those revolting acts of treachery, which, among barbarous nations, were not unfrequently committed at feasts. In the time of Tiberius, the kingdom of Thrace was divided into two parts, over one of which reigned the late king's

++

Herod. b. vi. sect. 84; also Athenæus, b x. c. 7.

Athenæus, lib. x. sub finem cap. 9.

Pollux, lib. vi. cap. 3.

Potter's Archæologia Græca, vol. ii. p. 360.

brother, Rhescuporis; the other part was governed by his son Cotys. Rhescuporis a man of ungovernable passions, conceived a violent hatred against his nephew; and burned with the desire of gaining possession of his more fertile dominion. On the first favourable opportunity he broke out into open and daring aggression. Tiberius interfering, Cotys disbanded his army, and in his usual conciliatory spirit, displayed every wish to promote a friendly re-union. Rhescuporis however met him in the spirit of treachery. Tacitus informs us, that the latter proposed a banquet at which they might ratify preliminary measures. The parties met, and protracted their festivities until a late hour of the night. Amid the joys of wine and in the moment of revelry, Rhescuporis treacherously attacked his unsuspecting and innocent nephew, who urged in vain the laws of hospitality. He was loaded with chains, and subsequently put to death. The treacherous uncle ultimately became the victim of his cruel and dishonourable practices.

An instance of intemperance and its effects may be found in the history of the Gauls. Under their chief Brennus, the Gauls overrun the Roman Empire, and finally took possession of its capital; setting fire to various parts of it, and destroying great numbers of its inhabitants. A brave band, however, still retained possession of the capitol. Provisions being scarce the Gauls divided themselves into foraging parties. A large and select division proceeded to Ardea, where Camillus, the Roman hero lived in retirement. Camillus conceived the design of surprising them, and for that purpose assembled a band of brave associates. The victorious career of the Gauls had inspired them with confidence, and they were thus emboldened to ramble about in a disorderly manner. Having loaded themselves with provisions, they encamped on the plains, and drank so freely of wine, as to neglect the usual precaution of guarding the camp. Camillus being informed by his spies of their disordered state, came upon them suddenly in the night. The greater part of them were drunken and asleep; the others were too much surprised to resist, and most of them were put to death. The few who escaped were easily found the next morning, and suffered the fate of their unfortunate companions.

The Germans, in all ages, have been noted for their excessive indulgence in strong drink. The works of ancient authors afford ample proofs of their habits in former