They bade him sacrifice to the gods on a grand scale and with all speed, but he was then called away by Medius, the Thessalian, one of his Friends, to take part in a comus.1 There he drank much unmixed wine in commemoration of the death of Heracles, and finally, filling a huge beaker, downed it at a gulp. [2] Instantly he shrieked aloud as if smitten by a violent blow and was conducted by his Friends, who led him by the hand back to his apartments.2 His chamberlains put him to bed and attended him closely, [3] but the pain increased and the physicians were summoned. No one was able to do anything helpful and Alexander continued in great discomfort and acute suffering. When he, at length, despaired of life, he took off his ring and handed it to Perdiccas.3 [4] His Friends asked: "To whom do you leave the kingdom?" and he replied: "To the strongest."4 He added, and these were his last words, that all of his leading Friends would stage a vast contest in honour of his funeral.5 [5] This was how he died after a reign of twelve years and seven months.6 He accomplished greater deeds than any, not only of the kings who had lived before him but also of those who were to come later down to our time.
Since some historians disagree about the death of Alexander, and state that this occurred in consequence of a draught of poison, it seems necessary for us to mention their account also.7