“I pray the gods to restore my empire. But if that is not to be, I pray that no one but Alexander sit on the throne of Asia.”
— Darius III
These words are attributed to Darius by the historian Arrian. The Persian king spoke them after losing his family, his army, and his empire. Even in defeat he acknowledged Alexander's greatness. It is a rare moment of dignity from a man who lost absolutely everything.
I lost an empire. The largest in the world. I had two million subjects. Three battles and it was over. At Issus I fled the field. My mother, wife, and children fell captive to Alexander. He treated them better than I deserved. I offered him half the empire. He refused. At Gaugamela I fled again. In the end my own people killed me. Bessus, my satrap. If you lose everything, look at who remains beside you. That is the truth about you.