Who Was Clitus the Black?

Clitus the Black (c. 375–328 BC) was a respected officer in the Macedonian army and a close friend of Alexander the Great. He was the son of Dropidas. He served as Alexander’s nurse. Clitus was renowned for saving Alexander's life during the Battle of the Granicus in 334 BC.

Clitus was a Trusted Veteran. He was part of the "Old Guard," having served under Alexander’s father, Philip II, and later commanded the elite Companion cavalry.

Why “The Black”: This nickname distinguished him from another officer, “Clitus the White.”

He was crucial to the army’s success, commanding the royal squadron of the Companion cavalry.

Alexander’s Grief and the Death of Clitus

In 328 BC, during a drunken party in Maracanda (modern-day Samarkand), a heated argument broke out between Alexander and Clitus. Clitus openly criticised Alexander for adopting Persian customs and favouring younger officers over the older Macedonian generation.

The Killing: In a fit of rage, Alexander seized a spear from a bodyguard and struck Clitus dead.

- **Immediate Regret: ** According to historians such as Plutarch, Alexander was instantly seized by remorse—so much so that he tried to kill himself with the same spear.

Mourning: Overwhelmed with grief, Alexander retreated to his tent for three days, refusing food and drink as he mourned the loss of his friend.

Ancient writers judge that Clitus bore some blame for speaking so harshly and recklessly to his king, yet Alexander was plainly at fault for allowing anger and drunkenness to overcome his judgment.

As soon as the deed was done, Alexander understood its horror. Some accounts say he tried to take his own life with the same weapon, feeling he had committed an unforgivable act. Others describe him throwing himself upon his bed, calling out not only for Clitus but also for Lanike, Clitus’s sister, who had nursed and raised him as a child. Her sons had already died fighting for Alexander; now, by his own hand, her brother had fallen as well. In that thought, his grief deepened.

For three days, he reportedly refused all food and drink, neglecting himself entirely. Only at the urging of his companions did he finally take nourishment again. Some seers suggested that the disaster had befallen him because he had failed to properly honour Dionysus. Alexander readily accepted this explanation, as it allowed the event to be seen not only as personal failure but also as a sign of divine displeasure.

Yet around him, other voices emerged—voices of flattery. The philosopher Anaxarchus argued that Alexander deserved divine honours even more than heroes such as Heracles or Dionysus, and that it was fitting to honour him while he was still alive. Thus, sorrow did not stand alone. Even in his grief, the dangerous language of godlike elevation continued to gather around him.

Although Clitus had questioned him, Alexander’s remorse was immense. The event is often cited as a moment of severe, impulsive regret that highlights the immense pressures on Alexander during that period.

A Poem by Sham Misri

The Banquet and the Spear

At feast and fire, the wine ran deep,
And flattery woke from reckless sleep.
They praised the king beyond all men,
Beyond old gods and heroes, then.

But Clitus, angered, would not bend
To words that false-tongued flatterers send.
He spoke of Philip, spoke of fame,
And said the host shared the name.

He raised the hand that once had saved
The king at Granicus was fierce and brave.
That truth, in wine and fury cast,
Turned joy to ruin, dark and fast.

The king leapt up, his reason gone,
And rage drove harder than the song.
A weapon flashed, a friend fell dead—
And silence filled the hall with dread.

So, glory’s lord, who conquered far,
Was conquered there by wrath and jar.
For one wild moment, broke apart
The strength of the empire and of the heart.

Sham Misri

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