A lesson from Alexander the Great

The great Greek king, Alexander, after conquering many lands, was returning home. On the way, he fell ill, and was bedridden for many months.

With death drawing nigh, Alexander realized that his conquests, his mighty army and his sharp sword were of no use. He called his generals to him and said, "I will depart from this world soon. But I have three wishes. Please fulfill my wishes without fail!"

"My first desire," said the great kind, "is that my coffin must be carried by my physicians alone.

"Secondly, when my coffin is being carried to my grave, the way must be strewn with the gold, silver and precious stones I have collected in my treasury.

"My third and last wish is that both my hands should be left dangling outside my coffin."

The people who had gathered there wondered at Alexander's strange wishes, but no-one dared to question him. His favourite general kissed his hands and pressed them to his heart. "O king," he said, "I give you my word that your wishes will be fulfilled, just as you have asked. But why do you make such strange requests?"

At this point, Alexander took a deep breath. Then he replied, "I would like the world to know the three lessons I have just learned. I want my physicians to carry my coffin so people will realize that no doctor can really cure anybody. They are powerless, and cannot save a person from the clutches of death. So let people not take life for granted.

"The second wish, of strewing my way to the graveyard with riches, is to tell people that I could take not even a fraction of my treasure with me. Let people realize that it is a sheer waste of time to chase wealth.

"As for my third wish to have my hands left dangling outside my coffin, I want people to know that I came into this world empty-handed, and empty-handed I now leave this world."

Words to live...or die...by. A tip of the hat to Agent 35 on the other side of the world for this one.