Onésicrite

Onésicrite is a historian and a philosopher Cynique of fine fifth century BC Disciple of Diogène and contemporary of the conquests of Alexandre Large the, he is the author of the Alexandropédie (the education of Alexandre) where he speaks in praise of a civilizing king.

Biography

Born with Égine or Astypalée, it is one of some Greeks (not Macedonians), with Eumène de Cardia, Néarque and Médéios of Larissa, to have obtained honorary high positions, even if it door does not seem he the title of Companion ( hétère ).

At the same time courtier, navigator, historian and philosopher, it is already rather old when it takes share, initially as interprets, with the forwarding of Alexandre. It is especially known to have been the first pilot of the fleet of Néarque charged to open a sea route between the Indus and the Euphrate in 325 av. J. - C. With Suse, it receives from Alexandre in reward of his merits a gold crown, just like Héphaistion, Léonnatos or Néarque.

The Alexandropédie

The seven books of the Education of Alexandre were composed after death of Alexandre and undoubtedly published in the years 320 - 310. Onésicrite tells the events of the years 334 with 323; but it is not satisfied to expose the exploits of the Conqueror, it is also interested to describe manners and the geography of the regions conquered while delivering a share of myth and the marvellous one.

One must with the Alexandropédie of important testimonys on the tour in India, in particular about the Gymnosophiste S. Strabon tells indeed that Onésicrite required of a Brahmane to teach his ascetic doctrines to him. He describes also the people of Mousicanos and Cathaïe (current Penjab) whose habits prove to be of nature eugenists.

Onésicrite is via Clitarque at the origin of the myth of the meeting between Alexandre and the queen of the Amazones. Clitarque would have indeed consulted Alexandropédie in the last phase of the drafting of sound Histoire of Alexandre , consolidating a mythical and panegyrical version of the conquest. Strabon sees in him “the whimsical one as a chief of Alexandre”. Diogène Laërce compares it with Xénophon, while considering it lower. For as much the historical share of the Alexandropédie would not be to be devaluated.

Random links: