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210 ALEXANDER. drink to you in this, which I give you full of wine." Another time, as one of the common soldiers was driving a mule laden with some of the king's treasure, the beast grew tired, and the soldier took it upon his own back, and began to march with it, till Alexander seeing the man so overcharged, asked what was the matter ; and when he was informed,.just as he was ready to lay down his burden for weariness, " Do not faint now," said he to him, " but finish the journey, and carry what you have there to your own tent for yourself." He was always more dis- pleased with those who would not accept of what he gave than with those who begged of him. And therefore he wrote to Phocion, that he would not own him for his friend any longer, if he refused his presents. He had never given any thing to Serapion, one of the youths that played at ball with him, because he did not ask of him, till one day, it coming to Serapion's turn to play, he still threw the ball to others, and when the king asked him why he did not direct it to him, " Because you do not ask for it," said he ; which answer pleased him so, that he was very liberal to him afterwards. One Proteas, a pleasant, jesting, drinking fellow, having incurred his displeasure, got his friends to intercede for him, and beg- ged his pardon himself with tears, which at last prevailed, and Alexander declared he was friends with him. " I can- not believe it," said Proteas, " unless you first give me some pledge of it." The king understood his meaning, and presently ordered five talents to be given him. How mag- nificent he was in enriching his friends, and those who attended on his person, appears by a letter which Olym- pias wrote to him, where she tells him he should reward and honor those about him in a more moderate way, " For now," said she, " you make them all ecpaal to kings, you give them power and opportunity of making many friends of their own, and in the mean time you leave