out of sight. The crowd waited anxiously and roared with delight when he re-appeared and galloped back into the show ring and brought the animal to a halt. Alexander jumped down and pressed his face against the horse’s neck.
“I shall call you Bucephalus,” he said stroking the beast’s nose.
Philip came limping into the ring now. He grabbed Alexander and lifted him onto his shoulders.
“Aha! My boy,” he roared with delight “Find yourself another kingdom! This one isn’t big enough for you.”
Natalie clapped.
“That is a beautiful story.”
“Yes and not far from the truth. Unlike some of the other propaganda we’ve heard like the one about the Gordian knot.”
“The Gordian knot,” Hutchinson said “I don’t think I’ve heard this one.”
“I know it,” said George.
Dennis smiled.
“Perhaps you would like to tell everyone about it,” Hutchinson said to George, only too happy to include others into the tale.
“No. Mr Dennis tells the story better than I.”
“You tell it,” Natalie said, reaching out and touching the journalist on the arm. Dennis made no reaction but Hutchinson saw an intimacy there between them, certainly from his beautiful archaeologist. Hutchinson also saw a reaction from George.
“Ah! Was that jealously,” he asked himself. George Roussos had always had a natural, instinctive, protectiveness over her.
“Very well if you insist,” Dennis said. Suddenly he was holding her hand and Hutchinson had to hide an embarrassed smile.
’Now there could be no doubt’
’Natalie desires him,” he was thinking, ’But what about him? I can’t tell….But wait….What was that look about? Does he fancy her back….I can’t tell but what man wouldn’t. She is beautiful. She is out of my league and George’s and anyone on the team for that matter. But what about him….Ah well no matter they’re both single. I just hope it doesn’t distract her from her job or I may have to intervene’
“Gordium,” Dennis began “Was an ancient city in Northern Turkey. There was an old farm cart here that centuries ago it was said that Gordius the father of Midas arrived in….”
“King Midas who everything he touched turned to gold?” Hutchinson asked, caught up now like a child at bedtime story telling.
“The very same. Anyway the cart was fixed to the yoke by a large knot known as a Turk’s head. It was said that whoever could undo this knot would be the ruler of all Asia. Alexander must have heard of this story before he came here but what now? His men urged him to try but at first he just studied it, checking from all angles. Surely he had to have a go or be accused of avoiding the issue, the opportunity…..But what if he failed?”
Dennis paused like great storytellers do, to keep their audience guessing. Finally Natalie asked.
“What did he do?”
“Well….” Dennis continued the story “Surrounded by his men and followers and even Arrian the famous biographer said “And I quote, I speak on this without confidence” Alexander stood for a minute studying the knot of cornel bark. Then….Some say….he pulled out the pin and thus undid the knot that way….Others though….Say he drew his sword and raising it two handed above his head and yelling “It doesn’t matter how it’s done!” brought the sword slashing down and cut the knot exposing the ends within.”
Once again they lulled into a silence. Then Hutchinson said.
“Which of the two stories do you believe are true?”
“Knowing Alexander and the times I would say that most definitely he used the sword.”
“I believe that too.”
“You know the story George. It would have been more like Alexander wouldn’t it.”
“I think so.”
“What sort of a man was he?” Natalie asked.
Dennis had prepared himself for this question but now it came he wasn’t sure where to start. Then he said.
“Young. Ambitious. Zealous. A great warrior, leader, King, a man who loved his men. He spoke coarsely, as a common soldier, unlike the Persian King. Alexander ate with his friends, lived with them, loved them. Twenty when he inherited his father’s kingdom, not quite thirty three when he died. Almost certainly an alcoholic at the end of his life. A borderline megalomaniac believing himself to be the son of the Gods. Sometimes superstitious. Always confident. Short tempered, no doubt fuelled by alcohol, often leading to treason trials, deaths of his associates, murder, revenge. Like the time when he and his father’s friend ’Cleitus the black’ got into an argument. Alexander drinking heavily as usual, Cleitus loose with his tongue. Cleitus never afraid to speak his mind. Accusations began to fly. Cleitus reminding Alexander that