It's said that Alexander slept with Homer's 'Iliad' under his pillow. He considered the great heroes in these masterful epics to be peers, brothers, kin.. and believed himself to be of their lineage. He seemed to view their courage, competence, their feats of greatness, as a friendly challenge - and took up this challenge, with every ounce of his being. The great men of past eras who strove for glory and honor are often misunderstood, in our age, as being predominantly fueled by selfish motives. A broader picture view might suggest the polar opposite - such men rarely 'enjoyed' the decadent and hedonistic luxury and ease of life experienced by their opposite type, but instead chose lives of sporting hardship, struggle, and the active overcoming of obstacles.. in exchange for leaving a lasting imprint on the fabric of reality, serving to energize and inspire and provide a living example to all who might come after.