The Conspiracies Involved in the Philotas Affair

The following summary of the story should help to illustrate this discrepancy. Dymnos, a <i>philoi</i> of no particular importance,13 tries to persuade his lover Nicomachus to join a plot to kill Alexander for unknown reasons. Nichomachus, being both young and terrified informs his brother Cebalinus of both the plot and the other conspirators Dymnos has named (all of the names inconsequential except that of Demetrius the bodyguard.) Cebalinus cannot seek Alexander directly for fear of suspicion so instead informs Philotas who fails to pass on the warning on two occasions. Cebalinus now suspects Philotas is not loyal and so seeks another (the royal page Metron according to Curtius14) to inform Alexander. Following the 'bathroom incident,' Alexander, furious that the plot has been concealed for two days has Cebalinus arrested. Cebalinus is then forced to inform Alexander of Philotas being aware of the plot. Another long and convoluted sequence follows involving Alexander forgiving Philotas then arranging a secret 'anti-Philotas' meeting, which culminates in the decision to send a force of 300 soldiers to arrest Philotas in the dead of night. …