Mirrors....

And this morning, hundreds of years ago, King Alexander was not very happy.He was pacing up and down inside his war tent. This was the 18th day that his army had sorrounded the town of Thebes.The thebans were proving to be a tough lot and would'nt surrender.

"that's enough", he thought and called for his experienced General Marcellus.

(marcellus was a witness to Alexander's growth under Aristotle's teachings and guidance.Marcellus also knew that the great teacher Aristotle would exhort his young protege to read, recite and memorise Pindar's poems. Marcellus, over the years often heard Alexander, now his King, hum those verses) .

But this morning even Pindar's verses were'nt helping Alexander. And he was furious, very furious at the audacity of the Thebans who were not ready to surrender before the terrible might of Alexander the Great.
The moment General Marcellus entered his war tent Alexander exploded, "I want this city destroyed Marcellus, I want every house razed to the ground...do you hear me"?

Marcellus kept looking at his king without uttering a word.

This infuriated Alexander all the more, "well! just go and launch an attack on Thebes and decimate this proud city ".

Marcellus had a thoughtful yet benign smile on his face. He still did'nt utter a word.
"what is it Marcellus !" hissed Alexander.His anger thick as an ominous fog. "I order you to attack, plunder, destroy and decimate Thebes into oblivion", Alexandere thundered.

"but how can you do that my King", Marcellus said in what sounded as a whisper.
"And why not Marcellus ?" Alexander suppressed his rage.
"because in the very heart of this town stands the house of Pindar, the great poet whose verses you hum, whose poetry you grew up with O King", Marcellus' words cleared the fog in the tent.

Epilogue :
In the dark of that night, Alexander's mighty army quietly left and the Thebans never came to know why they were spared.