Surrounded by his eunuchs, his priests, and his
courtiers, he envied Leonidas, and would have emulated Themistocles.
He was passionately devoted to the ancient literature of his country,
and had the good taste, rare at that time, to prefer Demosthenes and
Lysias to Chrysostom and Gregory, and the choruses of the Grecian
theatre to the hymns of the Greek church. The sustained energy and
noble simplicity of the character of Iskander, seemed to recall to the
young prince the classic heroes over whom he was so often musing, while
the enthusiasm and fancy of Nicaeus, and all that apparent weakness of
will, and those quick vicissitudes of emotion, to which men of a fine
susceptibility are subject, equally engaged the sympathy of the more
vigorous and constant and experienced mind of his companion.
To Nicaeus, Iskander had, for the first time in his life, confided much
of his secret heart; and the young Prince fired at the inspiring tale.
Often they consulted over the fortunes of their country, and, excited
by their mutual invention, at length even dared to hope that they might
effect its deliverance, when Iskander was summoned to the army.
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