3-042-288 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Alexander Fights with a Lion and Kills Clitus; Livre des fais d'Alexandre le grant, about 1470-1475. Additional Info: In front of the remains of a drunken banquet, the young king Alexander stabs the general Clitus. Alexander had belittled the achievements of his own father, King Philip of Macedonia. This enraged Clitus, one of the old generals of the Macedonian army, who spoke out against the young king. Alexander then killed him. Outside on the right, another scene unfolds. Using a spiked club, Alexander slays a lion. Although the text describes his weapon as a hunting spear, the club shown here suggests a parallel between Alexander and Herakles, who fought the Nemean lion with his club.