In333BC,AlexandertheGreatbecameseverelyill,andotherthanhisowndoctorPhilipnophysicianwouldtreathim,fearingamisdiagnosis.AsPhilipwaspreparingapotionforhim,AlexanderreceivedaletterfromgeneralParmenio,warninghimtobewareofhisdoctor,whowasbribedbyDarius,kingofPersia,andwasabouttoadministerpoison.
Whenthehourcamethatheshouldtakehismedicine,AlexanderpassedtheletterontoPhilip.Itwaswonderfultoseeonereadingtheletterandtheothermerrilydrinkingthemedicinebothatthesametime.Philipwasunderstandablyshakenatthefalseaccusation,buthestoodhisgroundandadvisedAlexandertofollowhisinstructious.Alexanderdidfollowhisinstructionsandsoonrecovered.
公元前三三三年,亞歷山大大帝病倒,情況嚴重,除了御醫菲力浦,其他醫生都害怕診斷錯誤,不願意為他治病。菲力浦給亞歷山大調製藥水時,亞歷山大收到帕馬尼奧將軍的信,說要提防菲力浦,因為菲力浦受了波斯王大流士賄賂,會對他下毒。
服藥的時間到了。亞歷山大把那封信交給菲力浦。菲力浦一邊看,亞歷山大一邊欣然喝下藥水,那情景至為動人。菲力浦被人誣告,難免震驚,但他沒有退縮,勸亞歷山大照他指示治病。亞歷山大依照他的指示,不久就痊癒了。
【附注】Tostandone'sground即「堅守立場」,例如:Despitegovernmentpressure,theunionleaderstoodhisgroundandrefusedtocalloffthestrike(工會領袖受到政府壓力,但堅守立場,拒絕取消罷工)。