Words of Wisdom

It is the mark of an educated mind to entertain a thought without accepting it. Aristotle

He spent his life being his own man. Many who knew him would disagree with that. They would say he was a follower, a man who always bowed to higher command and bent over backwards to please the King. They would add that he followed his commands without question; his loyalty was never in question.

Still others would say that he said too much to the King, that he had too much influence over him. But they would add that he did it under cover of night or in private for no one else to hear and be able to respond.

What then was this matter of man that could cause such different conclusions? Was he quiet and submissive or did he give greater counsel to the King than was needed or approved of?

Hephaestion himself never gave it much thought, if any. He had been taught at a very young age to believe in himself and to trust his own judgment. He carried those traits throughout his life and answered first and foremost to himself and then to the King. Or perhaps, more to Alexander. He had decided long ago that he couldn't be the man Alexander needed at his side if he couldn't first be his friend. A friend whom he could trust, depend on and who would be completely honest with him.

There were times that it hadn't been easy to be so truthful. There had been a few instances when his opinions hadn't been as welcome as others. But he never backed down in saying what was on his mind, whether the King, or Alexander, agreed. But he had learned early on that there was a right way and a wrong way to go about making his feeling known. He had to be careful not to step on the fragile ego of his friend. He couldn't be angry when he tried to get a point across because Alexander only heard the anger instead of the words he was saying. They were times he could sugarcoat his words and others that needed a firmer line. It was all part of his duties and his friendship with the one who was making history with every mile he conquered.

He was revered, admired, despised and hated, sometimes by the same person at different times in his life. Many were jealous of his position in Alexander's world but none would have been able to fill his boots if they had tried to walk in his footsteps.

But above all, he was loved. Loved as a brother, lover, friend and companion by the most powerful man in the world. But Hephaestion didn't love the most powerful man or King, he loved just a man. He loved Alexander. And even in his dying breath, he worried how Alexander would cope in a world without him there to help.

And as he lie in his finale stage of life he heard the words that had been branded in his brain with pain turned around in a new way. He didn't hear "You are nothing without me." and instead heard Alexander whisper to him "I am nothing without you. You saved me from myself."

So he spent his life, being true to himself, watching Alexander and keeping his voice when needed, voicing it when he felt the time was right and following the dream. He didn't agree with everything that Alexander did but then he was wise enough to know that he was in the presence of greatness and history in the making.

And the educated man was enjoying the ride of a lifetime.