Alexander

Alexander, the army will divide.

Satrapies will revolt. Without orders, there'll be war.

We beg you. Tell us who.

Our world is gone now.

I'm the last left alive.

Whether that's a blessing or a curse…

… who by Hades would know. Ha, ha.

But I've paid my price…

… in blood…

… and in broken dreams.

I say we were the greatest fighting force…

… ever known to man.

Greater even than the expedition to Troy.

But how can I say it? How can I tell you what it was like…

… to be young, to dream big dreams?

To believe when Alexander looked you in the eye, you could do anything.

Anything.

In his presence, by the light of Apollo, we were better than ourselves.

Truly…

… I've known many great men in my life, but only one colossus.

And only now, when old, do I understand…

… who this force of nature really was.

Or do I?

Did such a man as Alexander exist? Of course not.

We idolize him, make him better than he was.

Men, all men, reach and fall…

… reach and fall.

In the East, the vast Persian Empire ruled almost all the known world.

In the West, the once great Greek city-states…

… Thebes, Athens, Sparta, had fallen from pride.

For 100 years now, the Persian kings had bribed the Greeks…

… with their gold to fight as mercenaries.

It was Philip, the one-eyed, who changed all this…

… uniting tribes of illiterate sheepherders from the high and lowlands.

With his blood and guts, he built a professional army…

… that brought the devious Greeks to their knees. Heh.

He then turned his eye on Persia…

… where it was said the Great King Darius himself…

… on his throne in Babylon, feared Philip.

Philip was murdered…

… much to Persia's delight and perhaps sponsored by their gold.

And Alexander, at 20…

… became the new ruler of Macedonia.

Announcing revenge for the death of Philip…

… Alexander liberated all of the cities of Western Asia…

… south to Egypt…

… where he was declared Pharaoh of Egypt, worshipped as a god.

Finally, he provoked the rise to battle…

… in the heart of the Persian Empire, near Babylon.

It was mad.

Forty thousand of us against hundreds of thousands…

… of barbarian races unknown to us…

… gathered under Darius himself.

East and west had now come together…

… to decide the fate of the known world.

It was the day Alexander had waited for all his life.

Son of a god.

It was a myth, of course.

At least it started as a myth.

I know.

I was there.

Seen one before. Still alive.

To whom do you pray?

Phobos.

Fear?

A bad omen.

More so for Darius.

I've come to believe that fear of death drives all men, Hephaistion.

This we didn't learn as schoolboys.

– So, mighty Crateros. – Your Majesty.

Are you ready for tomorrow's dawn?

Ah. It's been too long coming.

The men are skittish as colts…

– … and the damn bulls won't shut their snouts. - Good.

Fear makes men fight better.

Post your sentries alertly but rest them well.

Don't worry, general. I'm known to sleep with my eyes open as a baby's arse.

Only because someone might steal his loot, sire.

Well, someone owes Crateros for his cheapness.

He buys neither gloves nor blankets to warm himself.

Who needs gloves when you come from Thrace?

Who needs clothes when you can fight naked?

After tomorrow, even the thrifty among you shall be kings.

The gods are with us, Your Majesty.

You'll stain the ground with Persian blood.

You're on the first row tomorrow, boy.

I've always believed, Alexander.

But this seems so much bigger than us.

Did Patroclus doubt Achilles…

… when they stood side by side at the siege of Troy?

Patroclus died first.

If you do…

If you were to fall, Hephaistion, even if Macedonia were to lose a king…

… I will avenge you…

… and follow you down to the house of death.

I would do the same.

On the eve of battle, it's hardest to be alone.

Yeah.

Then perhaps…

Perhaps this is farewell…

… my Alexander.

Fear not, Hephaistion.

We are at the beginning.

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.

Come, Bucephalus. Today we ride to our destiny.

Company, group! Regroup!

Phalanx, turn!

Phalanx, attention!

Neoptolemus.

I remember you the day you took the 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 honored family you descend from, Timander.

You fight for them today.

You've all honored 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…

… to stand with him and fight.

Yes…

… these Persians do seem to be so many.

But look again at this horde…

… and 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!

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.

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 columns, go!

Where does he go?

I don't know, Majesty.

Envelop him, Bessus.

Hephaistion, go!

Phalanx!

He makes a mistake, Pharnakes.

Yes, great king.

Be brave, men.

Steady on the left, lads!

Bend if you must, but never break.

And keep watching the cavalry on the left.

Pick up the pace!

Prepare to repel chariots!

Cassander!

Forward, men!

- – Left turn! - Infantry, clear! Out now!

Hold your positions!

Hold your positions!

Father. We must fall back to the gully, Father.

No, hold.

Where is he? We're far too thin! Get word to Alexander!

– Move! – Yes, sir.

Come, Macedonians! Ride! Ride!

Drive for the hole!

- Drive for the hole! - Drive for the hole!

Pharnakes, bring these men up.

Back and to the left! Back and to the left!

Get to home at all costs.

I cannot see!

- – Philotas! Philotas! - Father.

Go. Tell Alexander yourself.

And if he won't listen, then survive me and avenge this betrayal!

Hiya!

Pay attention, lad! Your father still watches over you!