'Travels in Assyria, Media, and Persia, including a journey from Bagdad by Mount Zagros, to Hamadan, the ancient Ecbatana, researches in Ispahan and the ruins of Persepolis, and journey from thence by Shiraz and Shapoor to the sea-shore. Description of Bussorah, Bushire, Bahrein, Ormuz, and Muscat, narrative of an expedition against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, with illustrations of the voyage of Nearchus, and passage by the Arabian Sea to Bombay.' [‎165] (196/582)

THE SITE OF THE ANCIENT ECBATANA.
165
detailed more fully by Arrian, whose account is worth transcribing
at length : Plutarch says, that a supply of three thousand actors
had been newly despatched from Greece, to divert the King, by
shows and entertainments, when he had finished his most urgent
affairs at Ecbatana, and that it was during their exhibition that
Hephsestion was taken ill. Plutarch also confirms the account
given of the immoderate grief of the King, who ordered the manes
and tails of all his mules and horses to be cut, and thrown down
the battlements of the neighbouring cities. And iElian expressly
says, that he cast down the walls of Ecbatana to the ground.
The description of Hephaestion's death and Alexander's sorrow
at Ecbatana, as given by Arrian, will be found below. #
* ' When Alexander arrived at Ecbatana, he offered sacrifice to the gods for good saccess,
according to his custom ; he also exhibited gymnastic and musical sports, and made a royal en
tertainment for his friends. About this time Hephmstion was taken violently ill, and it was
on the seventh day of his sickness when the boys exercised themselves at wrestling. But
when the king received news of his declining state, he left off his sports, and hastened towards
him with all speed; but before he could reach the place, he was dead. Sundry authors have
given an account of Alexander's grief upon this occasion, very different from each other; but
in this they all agree, that he was seized with immoderate sorrow ; but after what manner he
testified it to the world, is a matter of great dispute among them, some giving their opinion
one way, some another, according as they are inclined by passion or prejudice, e.ther for
Alexander or Hephtestion. They who have wrote the most extravagant accounts seem to have
imagined, that whatever the king said or did, to show his excessive concern for the death of
one whom he so dearly loved, ought to redound to his praise. Others are rather mclined to
condemn such immoderate grief, as unbecoming any monarch, and much more Alexander.
Some tell us, that he lay almost a whole day, lamenting over the dead body of his friend, an
refused to depart from him, till he was forced away by his friends. Others lengthen out the
time of his lamenting over him to a whole day and night. Others again affirm that he
ordered Glaucus, bis physician, to be crucified, because of the potion which he had indis
creetly administered to him ; while others tell us, that when Glaucus saw that Hepheestion
would not refrain from drinking an unreasonable quantity of wine, he refused to take any
further care of him. That Alexander should lie prostrate upon the dead body of so dear
friend, and tear his hair, and show other signs of grief, 1 neither deem improbable nor mde
cent, they being done after the example of Achilles, whom he imitated from h.s youth So
authors tell us, that he caused the body of Heph.estion to be put into a chano , and that he
would be charioteer himself; but this is not credible. Others say, he caused he temple ot
iEscnlapius in Ecbatana to be demolished, which was a barbarous action not at all suited
the character of Alexander, and, indeed, much rather resembling that of Xerxes, a known
despiser and reviler of the gods, who is reported to have thrown fetters, out of revenge, into