Hahahah what an excellent 'drinking story' lol.

I am writing one of my own (of no relation to this one!) and hope to post it up soon. Its even more interesting to consider Hephaistion drunk because of the Athenian culture.

Any chance you could explain to me the origins behind that custom?

Anyway, great story... great flourish, nice bit of comedy.

Excellente

xox

"We shall not be much disturbed..." Oh...but we were already, Heph, weren't we?

Did he really write The Letter in the royal "we?"

As always, Moon, a marvelously juicy vignette, combining just enough extrapolation of real events to make the historical figures oh-so-charmingly human.

I have only once (before I switched from wine to Scotch as DOC) been this ill from drinking and this revived every hideous moment! :D Well done.

omfg LOL 'Phai is kinda horny when He's drunk. I LOVE it.

this story was such fun to reaD! really i was laughing all through the very end! I just added it to my faveS lol!

Hephaestion's endearing when he's not quite in his right mind (big grin). "Profundity" indeed! No wonder logic goes loopy on him and he ends up with the frightening thought that Olympias is his mother too! And it's very fortunate that Crateros and Philip both become mellower with wine!

Alexander is so likeable, too, better able to hold his wine, a little sulky and exasperated but ultimately very caring toward Hephaestion, who at this moment is not quite his usual discrete, sharp-minded self, and is struggling just to sit down in a chair properly. And I love the little details, his possessiveness as shown by that panther-like spring, and the fact that he can't stay irritated at Hephaestion, that without really trying, Hephaestion can make him laugh.

And as I said before, I love the description of the moment itself, when Alexander said "He too is Alexander" and Hephaestion's initial reaction. As usual you've managed to cast AtG history in the most outrageously hilarious light, yet keep the tenderness, the heart of the characters - they are not mere cariacatures to be laughed at, and you make us fond(er) of them even while you highlight their foibles.

I'd gladly take on more exams for more stories from you!

I love how you describe Hephaistion's drunkness state! Very interesting how "wine" make people did unpredictable things and once thing already did, you cannot take it back**grin**

This is an absolutly adorable story! Its a very good idea: a drunk Hephaestionreaction to Alexanders famous sentence: "He is Alexander too!"

And the scene after Mieza, is so funny too! I liked it very much!

Dear moon71,

Wonderful seeing a new story from you - and this one is so hilarious! :D

Your Drunken Hephaestion is quite endearing - but I hope he doesn't indulge in unwatered wine to often! It seems to get him into embarrassing situations - and the after effects are not good for his head.

I know about this bold letter to Olympias - and I like your version about how it was written a lot. The party is also hilarious, poor Hephaestion being lured by an unkind Craterus to drink his wine undiluted. His detractor must know what will happen - but Alexander spirits him away before he can embarrass himself too much before the Companions. Then the wine gives him the courage to give Queen Olympias a well needed reproach and piece of his mind instead. The love making afterwards seems kind of violent - but I suppose it could have happened this way...

All the dialogs are fast flowing, with much humor. A most enjoyable story.

All the best wishes,

/NorthernLight

Yay! Moon...I am so thrilled that you're back. It's really been far too long for my liking since I've read your wonderful stories.

Once again, this story was just fantastic. You really outdo yourself time and time again. You have such a way with words that I truly envy you.

I really enjoyed this story. I definitely think that my favorite Hephaestion is DRUNK Hephaestion. Yes it is. I really do love our dear boy completely drunk and out of his mind. Though I most definitely feel sorry for him now that he has to recover from his drunken misadventures and deal with the consequences of his letter.

Aww...and I must say that I really do love resigned Alexander.

Do write more soon!

Love,

Becky Greenleaf

A delightfully humourous reminder that the Wine God has two faces. We who have awakened to a spinning ceiling vowing never to "do this again" can readily identify with poor Hephaestion's "morning after". Of course now you have to give us a sequel from Olympia's POV when she receives said letter. Luckily for Hephaestion, she could not, like Pentheus' mum, tear him to bits physically, but I imagine her reply to Alexander singed the papyrus.

LOL! Hephaistion must have been darn pleased with himself. If he was capable of holding the stylus and writing, then somewhere in his subconscious, he wasn't all that drunk :P

Now his only hope would be that his handwriting is illegible, which is a thin hope indeed.

Lovely humorous piece. Loved the companions who probably even in real life would have loved to grab hold of a piece of Hephaistion's ass.

Very, very cute story! You do humor so beautifully, M, AND manage to combine historical tidbits in a coherent and well-constructed plot. This is the most interesting and novel reaction on Hephaistion's part after the "He too is Alexander" episode I have ever come across! One speaks the truth when drunk, so, for all his reticence when sober, Hephaistion must have just felt on top of the world when he became Alexander too. Drunk Hephaistion is totally endearing (I see that a lot in stories - I hope to Zeus the real Hephaistion was not a grouchy ogre when drunk!) and slightly jealous and exasperated but very loving Alexander is wonderful too. It's also nice to see that the Companions and Friends take the "He too is Alexander" thing so well, without undue jealousy. After all, A and H were very young still - just about 23! And finally, Hephaistion finding the courage from his cups to tell "Mom" off is a great touch.

Poor Hephaistion, he's probably wishing he was dead just about the time he realized what he'd done intoxicated. I liked this story, your Hephaisiton is so cute, you just can't be angry with him, even Alexander couldn't be angry with him for very long. I liked the way you described Alexander leaping like a panther from his couch when Hephaistion is so obviously in his cups and unaware he's in danger of being taken advanttage of. I can just see Alexander doing this, stalking over to Hephaistion's side to stake out his territory or man, in that case. Alexander was said not to be much interested in material things, and was generous to a fault with his friends, etc., but I think Hephaistion was one person whom he probably really did think of as "his" and I very much doubt he would have been willing to share him too often. Like Peritas and Boukephalus, Hephaistion had a special place in Alexander's life; how many people do you think he let ride Boukephalus, aside from Hephaistion, (probably, we'll never really know.)

I liked the way you managed to include Hephaistion's "alleged" letter to Olympias. Have you read Elizabeth Carney's new book on Olympias yet? I just got my copy today. She covers said letter briefly. Great little story. I hope Hephaistion got over his hangover.

Hi Moon 71,

Once again you outdo yourself. What a delightful story. Our sweet Hephaestion. You made me want to take care of him.

Funny and heartwarming. I loved it!

I love it. It was light and very humourous. Drunken Heph and resigned Alexander were a joy to behold. And at least the wine gave Heph the added courage to tell off Olympias, something he may have wanted to do for a very long time. Very enjoyable.