Plutarch, De fortuna Romanorum
Frank Cole Babbitt, Ed.

But what need is there to dwell on these matters, which offer nothing certain or definite because of the confusion of the events of Roman history and the destruction of contemporary chronicles, as Livy¹ has recorded? Certainly the [p. 377] later events, plainer and clearer as they are, exhibit Fortune's benignity ; and to Fortune I ascribe also the death of Alexander, a man who by great good luck and brilliant successes, the result of his invincible daring and lofty aspirations, was sweeping swiftly through the world like a shooting star from East to West, and was already allowing the lustre of his arms to gleam upon Italy, since the destruction of Alexander the Molossian² near Pandosia at the hands of the Bruttians and Lucanians served him as pretext for the campaign. But truly that love of glory which led him against all mankind embraced both an emulous desire for sovereignty and a wish to rival and to pass beyond the limits of Dionysus's and Heracles'³ expeditions. He learned that Rome's power and courage was arrayed for the protection of Italy like a firm-set battle-line ; for some account of their illustrious name and fame was often transmitted to him, as of athletes thoroughly practised in countless wars.

Not without spilling of blood could this matter, I deem, have been settled,⁴

had the great aspirations of these two unconquered peoples with their invincible arms clashed with each other. For in numbers at this time the Romans were no fewer than an hundred and thirty thousand men⁵; and every one of them was warlike and intrepid,⁶

Knowing on horseback
How to do battle with men, and even, if need be, dismounted.⁷