Personal relationships of Alexander the Great the shrines of the two heroes Achilles and Patroclus; Alexander honoring Achilles, and Hephaestion honoring Patroclus. Alexander and Hephaestion were possible lovers,and their tutor,Aristotle, described their relationship as "one soul abiding two bodies," After Hephaestion's death, Alexander mourned him greatly and did not eat for days. Alexander held an elaborate funeral for Hephaestion at Babylon, and sent a note to the shrine of Ammon, which had previously acknowledged Alexander as a god, asking them to grant Hephaestion divine honours. The priests declined, but did offer him the status of divine hero. Alexander died soon after receiving this letter; Mary Renault
The Nature of Alexander independent command he undertook. The hardcover edition is illustrated. The Nature of Alexander The Nature of Alexander (1975) is the only nonfiction work by novelist Mary Renault (1905–1983). The book is a biography of King Alexander the Great, (356-323 BCE/BC), ruler of Macedon, Egypt and Persia. Renault wrote several historical novels in which Alexander appears: "The Mask of Apollo" (1966), "Fire from Heaven" (1969), "The Persian Boy" (1972) and "Funeral Games" (1981). She felt these were not enough to tell the whole story of Alexander, and so she completed her nonfiction biography. The book makes no attempt to be impartial