HEPHAESTION

hephaestion, a macedonian general, celebrated as the friend of alexander the great, who, comparing himself with achilles, called hephaestion his patroclus. in the later campaigns in bactria and india, he was entrusted with the task of founding cities and colonies, and built the fleet intended to sail down the indus. he was rewarded with a golden crown and the hand of drypetis, the sister of alexander's wife stateira (324). in the same year he died suddenly at ecbatana. a general mourning was ordered throughout asia; at babylon a funeral pile was erected at enormous cost, and temples were built in his honour (see alexander the great).