
THE STORY OF ALEXANDER
AN OPEN LETTER
CHAPTER I. HOW ANECTANABUS WAS KING OF EGYPT, AND WHY HE FLED INTO THE LAND OF MACEDON.
CHAPTER II. OF OLYMPIAS AND ANECTANABUS, OF THE MAGIC HE WROUGHT, AND OF THE BIRTH OF ALEXANDER.
CHAPTER III. HOW ALEXANDER TAMED THE HORSE BUCEPHALUS, AND HOW HE DID HIS FIRST DEED OF ARMS.
CHAPTER IV. TELLS OF THE EMBASSY OF DARIUS, OF THE DEATH OF PHILIP, AND THE CROWNING OF ALEXANDER.
CHAPTER V. HOW ALEXANDER GATHERED AN ARMY TOGETHER: HOW HE BUILT ALEXANDRIA AND LAID SIEGE TO THE CITY OF TYRE.
CHAPTER VI. TELLS OF THE FORAY OF KADESH, AND OF ITS ENDING, AND OF THE TAKING OF THE CITY OF TYRE.
CHAPTER VII. HOW ALEXANDER CAME TO JERUSALEM, HOW THE BISHOP MET HIM, AND WHAT THERE BEFELL HIM.
CHAPTER VIII. TELLS HOW DARIUS THE EMPEROR SENT PRESENTS TO ALEXANDER, AND WHAT WAS THE PRESENT SENT BACK TO HIM.
An intimate letter frames this timeless tale, inviting listeners to slip into a medieval hall where a storyteller spins a fresh version of the ancient legend. The narrator promises a blend of adventure and wonder, stripping away dense dates and scholarly footnotes to focus on the human heart of the story. With lively illustrations imagined in the mind’s eye, the retelling feels both historic and whimsical, perfect for curious young ears.
The narrative begins with the mysterious king Anectanabus, whose flight from Egypt sets the stage for a world of magic and prophecy. We meet a boy named Alexander, who masters the wild horse Bucephalus and proves his courage in his first act of arms. These early exploits hint at the greatness to come, while the surrounding characters—squires, ladies, and even talking animals— add charm and color to his rise.
Rendered in a warm, conversational tone, the tale captures the excitement of ancient battles and the intrigue of distant courts without revealing later conquests. Listeners will feel the crackle of the hearth and the awe of a crowd gathered around a storyteller, making history feel alive and approachable.
Language
en
Duration
~5 hours (306K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2021-04-04
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1860–1944
A self-taught scholar with a journalist’s eye, this British medievalist helped bring important scientific and literary texts out of the archives and into print. He is especially remembered for his long-running work editing previously unpublished writings of Roger Bacon.
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