by Sarah NovakAlexander had captured a pair of
griffins and underfed them for three
days (illustration above shows
Alexander capturing griffins). Now
he yoked them together and attached
them to a chariot. Once in the
chariot, he held out two long spears
with juicy hunks of meat on their
spikes. The famished griffins flapped
their wings and lunged for the meat
suspended ahead of them, always
just out of reach. Up into the sky they
soared, carrying Alexander higher
and higher.
Alexander looked down. Far, far
beneath him was something that
looked like a blue snake curled
around a green sphere. He realized
that he was seeing the earth
encircled by the sea. But suddenly his
glimpse of the boundaries of the
world went dark — a warning to
Alexander. He aimed the griffins’
bait downward, and the chariot
plunged toward the earth. Once
safely reunited with his army,
Alexander wisely decided not to
pursue more aerial adventures!K
ing Alexander III of Macedonia, better known as
Alexander the Great, lived from 356 to 323B.C.E.His
empire was one of the largest in the ancient world. His
conquests and travels were described — and exaggerated — in
stories and legends for centuries. These tales and their Greek hero
were popular throughout the Byzantine Empire. Medieval Persian
and Turkish versions of the tales are said to have inspired
Mehmet II, the Ottoman conqueror of Constantinople in 1453
(see pages 50–53). Collections of these stories came to be called
theAlexander Romance(the word “romance” here means “a
legendary adventure tale”). Many of the Alexander tales are
fantastical, like this one.
“The griffins are hungry, O king and commander!”
This was good news to Alexander the Great.Griffinswith an
appetite were essential to his next adventure. Alexander already
ruled over much of the known world — Egypt, Greece, and
Persia, so far. But that was not enough. Alexander and his
mighty army still continued onward and eastward, seeking to
extend his empire to the ends of the earth. Along the way they
encountered strange lands full of wonders and dangers: giants,
huge wild beasts, flaming birds, men without heads. Finally,
Alexander came to a mysterious land of constant fog and
shadow. Was this what he sought — the earth’s outer boundary?
There was only one way to find out. Alexander would explore
the heights of the heavens and view the world below.
—From theAlexander Romance,tales about Alexander the GreatAlexander’s Fabulous Flight
7Griffins are mythical creatures, typically with the head, forepart,
and wings of an eagle and the body, hind legs, and tail of a lion.