Bucephalas

Bucephalus, the Conqueror's Horse

Alexander and Bucephalus

One morning, a very long time ago, a certain horse dealer brought to the Great King Philip of Macedonia a wild horse, offering it for sale at a very steep price. The stallion was beautiful but high spirited, and tossed its head and could barely be controled by its handlers. Its name was Bucephalus, which means "head like an ox". It was so named because it had huge eyes set well on the side of his head, like those of an ox, and on his forehead a white mark in the shape of an ox head.

King Philip told the Master of his cavalry to ride the horse. The Master leapt upon Bucephalus' back, but immediately the horse reared and flung himself about and threw the Master to the ground. King Philip then asked his best race rider to try the horse. He, too, was thrown to the ground. Philip turned to the horse dealer and berated him for offering such an uncontrollable horse to him.

The King's young son, Alexander, watched all of this. While his father was distracted with the horse trader, Alexander walked up to the wild horse. He spoke to him softly. He took the reins from the handlers and turned Bucephalus so that he faced into the sun.

King Philip turned to see what was happening. To his astonishment, he saw his son leap onto the back of the wild horse and ride off to the East at a gallop! The King sent his Cavalry Master on his fastest horse after them, but they shortly returned and the Master sadly told King Philip that his best horse could not keep up with them. The Great King had no choice but to wait.

After nearly an hour, Alexander and Bucephalus returned to the cavalry grounds. The horse was sweating, but his head was held proudly as he pranced, and he yielded to the reins of Alexander. They stopped in front of the Great King Philip.

"But you have tamed this wild beast!" said his father. "How did you manage this, my son?"

"Father, I noticed that while the other men attempted to ride him he was facing away from the sun and could see his own shadow with the outline of a rider on his back. He was shying at this shadow! So, I turned him and rode him into the sun so that his shadow was behind him and he could not see it. While I rode him, I caressed him and spoke softly to him, and when I finally turned him back and he could see his shadow again, he had grown to trust me and was no longer afraid."

Philip was amazed at how intelligent and courageous his son had been. As a reward, he purchased the beautiful horse and gave it to his son.

In time, Alexander became a Great King himself, greater than even his father, conquering many lands, and always he rode his mighty war horse Bucephalus into battle. This wonderful stallion carried him as far as India to the Hydaspes river, where he died. There Alexander built the city of Bucephala, a memorial to his beloved horse.

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