The Persian Boy“It takes skill to depict, as Miss Renault has done, this half-man, half Courtesan who is so deeply in love with the warrior.”–The Atlantic Monthly The Persian Boy traces the last years of Alexander’s life through the eyes of his lover, Bagoas. Abducted and gelded as a boy, Bagoas was sold as a courtesan to King Darius of Persia, but found freedom with Alexander after the Macedon army conquered his homeland. Their relationship sustains Alexander as he weathers assassination plots, the demands of two foreign wives, a sometimes-mutinous army, and his own ferocious temper. After Alexander’s mysterious death, we are left wondering if this Persian boy understood the great warrior and his ambitions better than anyone. |
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Al'skander Alexander Alexander's arms army Artabazos asked Babylon Bagoas Baktrians battle beautiful Bessos blood Boubakes breath brought camp chariot clothes Darius dead Doriskos Ekbatana Eumenes eunuch eyes face father felt friends gave Gedrosia gold gone Greek guard hair hand harem head hear heard Hephaistion Hephaistion's honor horse Indian Kalanos Kallisthenes Kassandros keep killed King King's kissed Kleitos knew Kyros laughed learned lived looked lord Macedon Macedonians Marakanda Medes Nabarzanes never night Omphis once Oxathres Oxyartes Palace Parmenion Perdikkas Persepolis Persian Persian boy Peukestas Philotas Poros Ptolemy quiet remembered rest ride river rode round Roxane royal satraps Scythians seemed seen sent sleep smile Sogdian soldiers someone soon spoke squires stood supper Susa talk tell tent things thought told took troops turned voice waited wanted watched wine women word wound