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Alexander
the Great
A lifelong passion
for Alexander the Great can be traced back to my early years
in Salford.
The need for
a hero to look up to was an important ingredient in my formative
years. Alexander, a handsome, strong willed character who
lead from the front; a charismatic individual who would not
ask of a man or, for that matter, order anyone to complete
a task he personally would not complete himself. |
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Although deadly to
his detractors he was fiercely loyal to his friends. No problem
was insurmountable. A quite unique personality - most if not all
men fall short of his exacting standards.
In April 1979 our
first son was born and christened Alexander. The time was right
to visit my spiritual homeland. Macedonia in those far off days
was not a tourist destination, the planning especially with a young
child would have to be spot on. All the necessary ingredients were
put in place and we were ready by September 1980. The flight was
long and tedious, arriving in Thessaloniki in the early hours followed
by a long hair-raising coach journey. All the hardships would be
rewarded on opening my hotel curtains in the morning. The view was
stunning, not a ripple on the dead, calm sea. A view no doubt Alexander
would have been accustomed to.
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Can
you see Alexander? |
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My senses made me
profoundly aware that I was 32 years old. At thes same age my
hero ruled the ancient world. I was poised to fulfil a childhood
dream and follow in his footsteps. As with Alexander fortune favoured
me in the guise of the Ministry of Culture & Science. They
had assembled an exhibition in Thessaloniki entitled "Alexander
the Great, History & Legend in Art''. This took place in the
Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki July 19th / September 29th
1980. Such timing!!. The treasures from the excavation of the
Tomb of Philip II at Vergina by Manolis Andronicus (whom I would
have the good fortune to meet only a few days later) at Vergina
were also displayed. In the course of the next 14 days I would
visit Pella, Alexander's birthplace, Edessa,Veria and Vergina,
where I spoke at length to Manolis Andronicus in a cafe adjacent
to his excavations. A wonderful afternoon would be spent at Olynthus
the scene of one of Philip's (Alexander's father) many victories.
The harsh beauty of the ancient Macedonian landscape would haunt
me forever.
ALEXANDER
AND THE GREEN MAN
It is written
in the Middle Ages that Alexander the Great consulted the
Green Man in the guise of a prophesying tree whilst campaigning
in India. The prophecy would tell that Alexander would never
return home and he would die of poison through treachery of
one of his companions, also Olympias would meet a miserable
fate!!
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The
ancient "possibly Celtic" Green Man, who resides
with me. |
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See LINKS
page for Reviews on "Alexander the Great, Son of the
Gods"
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