Alexander Revisited:
The Final Cut

Aristander:
Blood makes the world rise. Blood makes the rain fall. Blood makes the earth grow. And in blood, all men are born and die. Blood is the food of the gods below.

Alexander:
Come, Bucephalus. Today, we ride to our destiny.

Phalanx leader:
Company, regroup! Regroup!
Phalanx, turn right! Phalanx, attention!

Alexander:
Neoptolemus. I remember you the day you took siege tower at Tyre. You were a giant. And today, how will you fight?
Dexippos, by Athena. How far was it you threw your man wrestling at the last Olympic Games? Will you match it with your spear?
And Timander, son of Menander, a great soldier to my father. I still mourn your brother, Addaios, who died so bravely at Halicarnassus. What an honoured family you descent from, Timander. You fight for them today.
You’ve all honoured your country and your ancestors. And now we come to this most distant place in Asia, where across from us, Darius has at last gathered a vast army.
But ask yourselves, who is this great king who pays assassins in gold coins to murder my father, our king, in a most despicable and cowardly manner? Who is this great king, Darius, who enslaves his own men to fight? Who is this king but a king of air? These men do not fight for their homes. They fight because this king tells them they must. And when they fight, they will melt away like the air because they know no loyalty to a king of slaves.
But we are not here today as slaves. We are here today, as Macedonian freemen!
And though outnumbered, I say to you who know the price of tyranny, who’ve carried the Persian yoke (for) too long, you have a strength born of your hearts and all their arms, theirs numbers, their chariots and all their fine horses will mean nothing in the hands of slaves.
Some of you, perhaps myself, will not live to see the sun set over these mountains today. For I will be in the very thick of battle with you. But remember this: The greatest honor a man can ever achieve is to live with great courage and to die with his countrymen in battle for his home.
I say to you what every warrior has known since the beginning of time: Conquer your fear, and I promise you, you will conquer death.
And someday I vow to you, your sons and your grandsons will look into your eyes. And when they ask you why you fought so bravely at Gaugamela, you will answer with all the strength of your great, great hearts: I was here this day at Gaugamela for the freedom… and glory of Greece!
Zeus be with us!
Cassander, four colums, go!

Darius:
Where does he go?

Bessus:
I don’t know, Your Majesty.

Darius:
Envelope him, Bessus.