Was Alexander's compulsion to conquer caused by the ubiquitous small phallus complex or was something more sinister behind his relentless drive?

-- Anonymous, November 23, 2003

Answers

There is no 'right' answer to this. All we can do from this distance is make more or less informed guesses.

In Alexander's case, we know he was the son of a highly ambitious and successful father and an equally shrewd and determined mother. Not only does this make it very likely he would inherit these personality traits from them, but his early training was all designed to enhance these traits. He was not only the focus of his parents' expectations, but as the heir to a throne he was also the focus for the ambitions of all Macendonia.

With so much pressure to excel, a son has two obvious options: fight shy of his parents' expectations or let himself be driven by them. As it happens, Alexander not only rose to meet these impossibly high expectations, which is common enough, but he was talented enough to fullfill them, which was utterly astounding.

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2003

Probably Alex felt an an aching emptiness inside himself, he probably felt a momentary relief from this gnawing emptiness in the clamour of the battlefield and in lusting after wealth, women and boys.

-- Anonymous, November 23, 2003