Alexander and Bucephalus

Bucephalus was one of the most massive and un-tamable horses in ancient Macedonia. Philonicus, a horse dealer, offered Bucephalus to King Philip II for a high sum of 13 talents. King Philip was annoyed and not interested in buying the horse because he thought that it could not be tamed, but twelve year old Alexander the Great decided to try taming the wild Bucephalus. Alexander made a deal with his father for the horse. The deal was that Alexander would pay for the horse if he failed to tame it, but his father would have to pay for the horse if he tamed it. Young Alexander had been observing the horse before he made the deal and noticed that Bucephalus was frightened by the movement of his shadow on the ground. Young Alexander tamed the horse by riding it towards the sun, so it could not see its shadow. King Philip II was impressed and said "O my son, look thee out a kingdom equal to and worthy of thyself, for Macedonia is too little for thee". As Alexander grew up, Bucephalus grew up with him. Alexander fought most of his battle while riding Bucephalus, and Alexander treat him like a hero. Bucephalus would only let Alexander ride him as they rode from Greece to as far as India. Bucephalus and Alexander had a great friendship, but it sadly ended at the Battle of Hydaspes. Alexander was battling against Porus, an Indian king, who had 200 war elephants that did a lot of damage. Alexander won the battle, but he lost his best friend Bucephalus. Greek historian Arrian says "Bucephalus, which died there, not from having been wounded by any one, but from the effects of toil and old age; for he was about thirty years old, and quite worn out with toil. This Bucephalus had shared many hardships and incurred many dangers with Alexander during many years". Alexander wanted to honor Bucephalus by naming a city after him. Alexander founded the city of Bucephala and it was located on the banks of the Hydaspes river, where Bucephalus was buried. Bucephalus is referenced in art and literature because of the legendary life he had with his best friend and the only man who could ever tame him. It's funny how a horse that was scared of his own shadow carried the world's greatest conqueror on his back and into great battles.