Alexander The Great and his alleged lover Hephaeston, fought Darius III of Persia, and crushed his forces, with Darius fleeing awaying. When Alexander and Hephaeston went to the tent of Darius III's mother, Sisygambis, she fell prostrate before Hephaeston, who she mistakened for Alexander. Alexander corrects hers, calling her Mother, and forgives her mistake. He treats her and her family retinue with respect, and in an unprecendented way, he adopts her as his Mother, as Darius fled and abandoned her. Sisygambis in turn gives Darius' daughter, her granddaughter Statiera to Alexander in Susa, and eventually another granddaughter to Hephaeston. Thus, Alexander and Hephaeston are brothers-in-law, and Adoptive Mother Sisygambis, mother of Darius III and thus by adoptive 'king-brother' to Darius too. The lyric "Cursed by the love that I recieved, From my brother's daughter, Like Hephaestion, who died. Alexander's lover." can be explained by the marriage relation getting in way of their male-on-male relationship, and Darius' daughter (thus his brother's daughter) is the wife of Alexander. Would this not fit the narrative in those lines much better?
I cannot put into words the amount of love and appreciation I have for this. Thankyou sooo much for writing all this. I'd been trying since so long to find an explanation which would resonate with my interpretation and answer all my doubts regarding the song and I learnt so so much more from this than I expected. Ngl this is the best explanation I've come across so far. Forever grateful my frnd, thankyou once again.
Alexander The Great and his alleged lover Hephaeston, fought Darius III of Persia, and crushed his forces, with Darius fleeing awaying. When Alexander and Hephaeston went to the tent of Darius III's mother, Sisygambis, she fell prostrate before Hephaeston, who she mistakened for Alexander. Alexander corrects hers, calling her Mother, and forgives her mistake. He treats her and her family retinue with respect, and in an unprecendented way, he adopts her as his Mother, as Darius fled and abandoned her. Sisygambis in turn gives Darius' daughter, her granddaughter Statiera to Alexander in Susa, and eventually another granddaughter to Hephaeston. Thus, Alexander and Hephaeston are brothers-in-law, and Adoptive Mother Sisygambis, mother of Darius III and thus by adoptive 'king-brother' to Darius too. The lyric "Cursed by the love that I recieved, From my brother's daughter, Like Hephaestion, who died. Alexander's lover." can be explained by the marriage relation getting in way of their male-on-male relationship, and Darius' daughter (thus his brother's daughter) is the wife of Alexander. Would this not fit the narrative in those lines much better?
Holy shit. This makes the song resonate with me on a whole new level. Thanks for writing this.
I am truly grateful for you to have written and shared this interpretation. Thank you so much!
I cannot put into words the amount of love and appreciation I have for this. Thankyou sooo much for writing all this. I'd been trying since so long to find an explanation which would resonate with my interpretation and answer all my doubts regarding the song and I learnt so so much more from this than I expected. Ngl this is the best explanation I've come across so far. Forever grateful my frnd, thankyou once again.