Alexander’s legacy has long been a matter of debate. Cleitarchus, a fourth-century (BCE) historian from Alexandria, portrays the king as a cruel, paranoid alcoholic. Eratosthenes of Cyrene, a third century BCE scholar at the library of Alexandria, suggests that Alexander’s conquests opened the eyes of the Greeks to other civilizations, a view that stands in contrast with Plutarch’s assertion that the Macedonian king civilized Persians, Sogdians and others.1 In Pseudo-Callisthenes’ version of the legend of Alexander, on the other hand, nowhere does the hero articulate what is behind his all-consuming desire to master the world. This lack of vision and directness is particularly noticeable at the conclusion of Book II and more persistent in Book III. Could it be as the character of Ptolemy wistfully concludes in Oliver Stone’s film Alexander, “Alexander was blessed and cursed with an eternal unsatisfied longing, a pothos, even he could not fathom? Perpetually racing the gods, Alexander’s destiny remained exactly where it served him best, just out of reach?” • Consider the qualities, actions, and exploits of the Macedonian commander in PseudoCallisthenes’ Alexander Romance and determine whether Alexander deserves to be idolized as a charismatic leader. In responding to this question, you may consider the following: a. whether Alexander’s lack of vision ought to be attributed to Providence alone b. whether Pseudo-Callisthenes would have agreed with Stone’s statement above that almost justifies Alexander’s lack of vision, citing Providence and c. why the legend of Alexander continues to inspire and fascinate today EVALUATION CRITERIA: I will consider the following criteria in evaluating your paper: a. The clarity of your argument in the introduction and throughout the paper b. The effectiveness and depth of your thesis overall—its introduction, development, analysis, and argumentation c. Your engagement with the literature at hand d. The relevance of your evidence to claims you make e. Your facility with language, especially in relation of your claims f. Your facility with grammar and the conventions of critical writing WRITING MECHANICS: ➢ Your paper should be 5-7 pages in length, typed, double-spaced, and neatly presented. The font should be Times New Roman, size 12. ➢ Consult the MLA style for writing academic papers
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