Book Club | August 2023: Alexander the Great, part 2

Wordcloud statue of Alexander

Alexander saw that the campaign against the Gandaridae would not be easy, but he was not discouraged. He had confidence in the fighting qualities of his Macedonians, as well as in the oracles which he had received, and expected that he would be victorious. He remembered that the Pythia had called him “unconquerable,” and Ammon had given him the rule of the whole world.
17.93.4, tr. Oldfather

For August we conclude our reading of Diodorus Siculus’ account of Alexander the Great.

We will read Diodorus’ Library of History Book 17 part 2: Chapters 64–118.

Here are links to free online editions of Diodorus Siculus Book 17:

Translation by C.H. Oldfather, Online at Perseus
or at LacusCurtius

Translation by G. Booth at archive.org (the start of Chapter 64 is numbered Chapter VII in this edition)

Translation by Bradford Welles at archive.org

We will start and continue discussion in the Forum, and meet via Zoom on Tuesday August 29 at 11 a.m. EDT. The link will be posted in the Forum on the day.

Happy readings!

Optional extras

For those interested in comparing different accounts of Alexander:

Plutarch: Life of Alexander, for example at LacusCurtius

Arrian: The Anabasis of Alexander, for example translated by E.J. Chinnock, on Project Gutenberg