Archive for November 21st, 2008
Iskandar’s young and fresh army on the move
Cyrus was bewildered when two thousands of new Macedonian recruits arrived from Greece to join his army. What happened? H-2 Alexander had sent messengers to Greece before he was selected to lead the “adventure” and then his death was kept secret for some time before news of his untimely death reached Greece. In between these two events Greece was in limbo; a few knew of Alexander death but were never believed; in fact they were treated as traitors sent by Persia to spread calumnies and weaken the morale of the Greeks.
Those truth speakers were quickly put to death by the sword and the women stoned to death. As a national reaction, all these youths who longed to join Alexander during his first incursion into the Old World were recruited and shipped by Persian connections, the real spies. The Persian Empire needed these fresh Macedonian recruits because the Persians were satisfied with their conditions and didn’t seek loots at such a high risk into the unknown. Within two years, as new Macedonians arrived regularly and in groups every three months, Cyrus “Alexander” enjoyed a large and young and efficient army of over 75,000 soldiers. This is the kind of number that encourages qualitative reflections into gaining self-autonomy from central government.
The young fresh army was mostly constituted with Macedonians and Afghanistanis who had the looting spirit as chief motivator. The Unicorn Cyrus “Alexander” was replaced by the more common name of Al Iskandar, or Iskandar for short. That new name was agreeable to the new army and to Cyrus. This tendency that the army was motivated by loot suited well Iskandar, other wise how could he lead this army to unknown lands?
In order to secure self-autonomy from the Son God Incarnate Iskandar resorted to three main schemes: first, he delayed as long as he could recognition of receipt of Imperial messengers. Most of these messengers had a way of disappearing mysteriously on their way back. Second, Iskandar sent regular reports of achievement and occasionally a portion of the treasures that he might or might not have gotten hold of. Iskandar messengers were selected from units far away from headquarter to minimize chances of the messengers learning of the rumors being circulated. Thirdly, Iskandar never rejected a petition from the Persian soldiers to return definitely home; that included the soldiers from the western provinces: it was necessary to eliminate potential spies and the faint hearted soldiers who didn’t join for the loot but because of an Imperial order. In fact, Iskandar made it laudable and excellent traditional behavior to visit families or start a family. Forth, Iskandar decided to keep advancing as far as he could from the Persian borders so that communication become very difficult and confrontation with an Imperial army more remote.
The major problem was that Iskandar and his army was not to expect support or assistance from central government, especially the crucial financial aspect in the organization. Consequently, Iskandar was to focus on loots regardless of casualties since he could always recruit fresh souls with money.
Years later, it was rumored that Al Iskandar was worshipped and his face and Two-Horned hat sculpted on mountains in scales befitting the grandeur of a God. Eleven centuries later, it is rumored that the Moslems destroyed these pagan figures because Alexander was never mentioned in the Old Testament as a legitimate prophet. (A plausible story since Taliban detonated two majestic and mountain sized Buda. The “prophet” Abraham for example, who is recognized as the father of the three monotheist religions, is a very lucky man; he could get away with everything; he abandoned his Egyptian wife Hagar and his son Ishmael to die of thirst in the Arabian Desert. Many CEO’s are very lucky men; their golden parachutes open on ridiculously lavish bonuses even when their companies go bankrupt).
Cyrus “Iskandar” shining star
Three weeks later, Artax sent an Imperial messenger to Cyrus “Alexander” ordering him to resume the project. Cyrus was to lead “The Adventure Caravan” and Seleucus, the right hand of the late H-2 Alexander was to lead the advance guard regiment. Cyrus had the honor of selecting two of the Imperial guards divisions as rear guard of “The Caravan”.
First, Artax had to secure exclusive rights of the title of Son of God Incarnate; thus, Artax summoned the High Priest of Egypt to his Capital Persepolis. The Son of God Incarnate snatched the crown from the High Priest hands and crowned himself Son of God. With a modest sized army, light in baggage but loaded with treasures and money Artax exited his Capital on a long journey. Artax was to catch up with Cyrus; His travel this time around turned out not to be that straightforward or luxurious.
In the meantime, the fame of H-2 Alexander (better known as Al Iskandar in Afghanistan) preceded Cyrus “Alexander” in Afghanistan. In order to have a glorious passage in that dangerous Estate of the Empire and avoid any useless engagements, Cyrus had to dye his hair blonde, shave clean his beard and order a Two-Horned helmet fabricated especially for this passage. This transformation was to be temporary but it took exigencies of its own for the remaining life of Cyrus. “Al Iskandar” was welcomed as a living God and he loved every minute of it. What amazed the Afghan people is how quickly Al Iskandar learned to understand their language and even pronounce adequately their difficult vocal words.
A very normal accident
The Imperial caravan has been four months on the road without any significant obstacles. In fact, it was a road strewn with flowers and roses that the Persian little people hurried to have a glimpse of a God Incarnate. The instructions forbade Alex to engage in any battle; his job was to negotiate and transmit the kind of troubles and the danger level; for example red, orange or yellow; red meant that Cyrus had to advance two divisions to link up with the retreating regiment; Cyrus was to dispatch a messenger for Artax to dispatch a division to fill up the space/time gap in Cyrus camp.
On a bright spring morning, Alex was having his regular morning fast paced walking exercises when he tripped and fell. His three body guards dusted him off and casually lifted him off the ground. Alex’ broken right hip condition was worsened by these inconsiderate rough guards. The previous Two–Horned King was screaming in pain and could not breathe to ingurgitate any Babylonian beer. The Macedonian physician resorted to the very old fashion technique to calm down Alex’ humiliating screaming; the brave physician clubbed gently Alex head. Alex went into sleep. In fact, Alex suffered a serious concussion in the head and the two combined injuries lead to the real Alexander untimely death. All the fantastic stories about Alexander’ death are the legendary Greek style for recording “historical” events in hyperbolic and imaginative mythical Homeric epics.
Alex corps was burned and his ashes kept in a gold urn. According to Alex wishes his ashes were buried in Babylon in the garden of the Imperial Palace. The caravan momentarily halted its victorious advances and the Imperial Monarch, not reluctantly, returned with his consorts and concubines. The funeral was conducted as secretly as feasible and in the privacy of the Imperial Palace in Babylon but with great pomp as befitting a worthy King and adversary. It happened that Roxanne, one of the Monarch’s wives, died in the return journey and Babylon observed the ritual of one week of mourning.
Artax mourned Alexander for two weeks in an isolated tent and forbade any contacts with him. Alexander could no longer be his catalyst to changing the world and Artax went through a period of deep depression. Artax emerged from his seclusion a changed man with a definite purpose.
Artax’ secret project taking flesh
The whole Persian Empire, from the confines of Africa to Afghanistan and Kazakhstan got words of a most serious and grandiose project perpetrated in the Capital. The whole preparation was conducted in absolute secrecy! The Imperial palanquins were being refurbished, the Imperial tents were dusted off and repainted and the Imperial guards re-clothed and re-armed. The whole Persian Capital was feverish and excited with the grand scale remodeling and re-painting of monuments and carriages.
These preparations were undertaken six months after Alex’ reversal to Babylonian beer and one year after Alex near death imprisonment. During the last four months Artax and Alex had frequent meetings under the patronage of Scheherazade as a cover up gimmick since pleasure associations were excluded from formal requisites. Alex was to subscribe to Artax secret project of moving forward eastward to the most exotic lands. Most importantly, Artax assimilated the goals and urges of the hot headed Alexander. Instead of resuming his plan to launch a counter offensive on Greece he decided to explore the confines of his Empire that his predecessors declined to do.
Alex was to lead the whole caravan with a regiment of one thousand men of war and Artax was to lead the slow moving and substantial reserve. Cyrus “Alexander” was to lead the fresh three divisions at a day distance from the leading regiment of Alex. Alex had thus earned the honor of discovering first hand the magic, the beautiful, the amazing, the scariest and the deadliest of surprises. Alex had reservations as to the loyalty of Cyrus when the tough gets going and the God Incarnate revised his orders: when in war, Alex will lead the three divisions and Cyrus “Alexander” would be the Chief military counselor to the God Incarnate, if and when rescue missions and support are needed.
In the meantime, a second higher education center for research was to be established in Asfahan City; this center would be at the cross roads of the famous learning centers in Afghanistan, India, and Central Asia Estates. Alex had the authority to hire the most learned scientists and philosophers in Greece, Albania, and Romania. Basically, Alex relied on Athens and its environs for his vast recruiting endeavors. On purpose Alex reduced to the bare minimum messengers to Macedonia: Alex didn’t miss his mothers or her frequent letters of lamentations and remonstrance. Olympia was devastated and highly frustrated that her beloved Alexander put a brake on his beliefs on a Divine Star leading his steps.
Alex expressed a desire to visit the World City of Babylon, the most famous City in the Old World for three millennia. Alex has heard of the suspended gardens wonder and the gigantesque Victor Arch and the fortified inner City of Nabukodnosor, one of the late founders of the Babylonian Empire before Persia entered the City. The Son God Incarnate gave in to the puppet eyes of Alex on condition that his visit is a private matter and not as a guest of the Persian Monarch. Thus, Alex will live in moderate size palaces and traveling in ordinary attires.
Alex was overjoyed and Babylon exceeded all his expectations in grandeur, richness and variety of nationals and languages. Almost all caravans wanted to schedule a stop in Babylon and do profitable commerce. Babylon was the nerve center for gathering intelligence and negotiating deals (political as well as business) and enjoying a most liberal climate and fun exotic places for late night orgies. Alex forgot his stature and re-converted to an adolescent seeking freedom of attachments and responsibilities. Within three days and nights Alex was sick and feverish; he kept pleading to be buried in Babylon. The Imperial guards were ordered to dispatch Alex in shackles. The return to Persepolis was most humiliating and degrading to a sobered proud soul. Alex was confined into a much smaller apartment and put on diet of goat milk, yogurt and fruits. It was a hellish life without booz and beautiful girls, especially the abstinence of alcoholic beverages.
Adonis Diaries 