I found this really moving. Drypetis has been through so much trauma in her short life. Her world practically fell apart because of Alexander when she was only a little girl. Even though she still has her Persian staff, she knows the power brokers in her world are all 'barbarians' who don't speak her language and much of the army resents Alexander for Persianisation. And then to be expected to marry the closest friend of the man who destroyed her father—that's a lot for a teenage girl.
Of course, Hephaistion, being the diplomat, would be a better husband than Alexander. At least he wasn't polygamous (yet), and of Alexander's men, he was the most on board with adopting Persian culture and learning the Persian language. I shudder to think of some of the wives of Alexander's other men, who resented the Persians and being forced to marry Persian women. I liked the way you contrasted Drypetis's perception of Alexander ("coldly kind" and short) with Hephaistion (tall, better looking, warmer and more gentle.) Yes, I imagine Alexander was likely pretty brief in his encounters with Stateira—there to get the job done, but not much more. It was really touching how Hephaistion wanted to write to her in his own hand, rather than through a scribe. And when he shoos her hairdresser and does her hair himself! It's the little things. :)
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copper_dust Fri 23 Sep 2022 11:41AM UTC
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