whether it arose from a feeling of remorse, or of affection for a
warrior whose unexampled valour and unrivalled skill had already added
some of the finest provinces of Asia to his rule, it is certain that
Iskander might have exercised over Amurath a far greater degree of
influence than was enjoyed by any other of his courtiers. But the
heart of Iskander responded with no sympathy to these flattering
favours. His Turkish education could never eradicate from his memory
the consciousness that he was a Greek; and although he was brought up
in the Moslemin faith, he had at an early period of his career,
secretly recurred to the creed of his Christian fathers. He beheld in
Amurath the murderer of his dearest kinsmen, and the oppressor of his
country; and although a certain calmness of temper, and coolness of
judgment, which very early developed themselves in his character,
prevented him from ever giving any indication of his secret feelings,
Iskander had long meditated on the exalted duty of freeing his country.

Dispatched to Greece, to arrange the tributes and the treaties of the
Grecian princes, Iskander became acquainted with the young Nicaeus; and
their acquaintance soon matured into friendship. Nicaeus was
inexperienced; but nature had not intended him for action. The young
Prince of Athens would loll by the side of a fountain, and dream of the
wonders of old days. Surrounded by his eunuchs, his priests, and his
courtiers, he envied Leonidas, and would have emulated Themistocles.
He was passionately devoted to the ancient literature of his country,
and had the good taste, rare at that time, to prefer Demosthenes and
Lysias to Chrysostom and Gregory, and the choruses of the Grecian
theatre to the hymns of the Greek church. The sustained energy and
noble simplicity of the character of Iskander, seemed to recall to the
young prince the classic heroes over whom he was so often musing, while
the enthusiasm and fancy of Nicaeus, and all that apparent weakness of