In the year 324 BC, Alexander, on the way to Babylon, came to his traditional summer retreat of Ecbatana. There, he held a massive festival in honor of Dionysus in which it is believed up to 3,000 Greek performers were brought to provide entertainment. Night after night, lavish drinking parties ensued in which Alexander and Hephaestion, (his supposed alter ego) undoubtedly participated in. It was during this time of extravagant celebration that Hephaestion became ill and contracted a high fever. Hephaestion's physician Glaucias put him on a strict diet and monitored his health. At first, this appeared to be working until on the seventh day of Hephaestion's illness, Glaucias went to the theater and Hephaestion decided to ignore the physician's advice. Hephaestion proceeded to eat a whole chicken and drank a half-gallon of chilled wine at breakfast. He died shortly thereafter. When Alexander was told of Hephaestion's illness, he rushed...