Alexander's Lover [Alexander the Great + Hephaestion | mxm]

Preface

"If you wish to be beautiful and good, throw away the rag you have in your head and come to us. Yet you will not be able to do so, for you are held fast by Hephaistion's [sic] thighs."

Diogenes of Sinope / Diogenes the Cynic (412 or 404 BC - 323 BC), letter to Alexander

"As a matter of fact, Hephaestion enjoyed so much power and freedom of speech based on this friendship that when Olympias was estranged from him because of jealousy and wrote sharp criticisms and threats against him in her letters, he felt strong enough to answer her reproachfully and ended his letter as follows: 'Stop quarrelling with us and do not be angry or menacing. If you persist, we shall not be much disturbed. You know that Alexander means more to us than anything.'"

Diodorus Siculus (1st century BC), "Perseus Under Philologic," 17.114.3

"Hephaestion was by far the dearest of all the king's friends; he had been brought up with Alexander and shared all his secrets. No other person was privileges to advise the king as candidly as he did, and yet he exercised that privilege in such a way that it seemed granted by Alexander rather than claimed by Hephaestion."

Quintus Curtius Rufus (probably of the 1st century BC), "The History of Alexander"

"When Hephaestion died, Alexander cast into the Pyre his Arms, and Gold and Silver, to be burnt with the dead body ; as also a Vest of great esteem amongst the Persians. He likewise caused all the chief Souldiers to be shaved, himself acting an Homerical passion, and imitating his Achilles. But he did more eagerly and fiercely, laying waste the Castle of the City Ecbatana, and throwing down the Wall. As to the shaving of his Hair, he did in my opinion like a Greek : but in throwing down the Walls, he exprest his mourning like a Barbarian. He also changed his Vest, giving all over to grief, love and tears."

Aelian (c. 175 AD – c. 235 AD), "Varia Historia," 12.7