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Lessons from our parents

Young Alexander lived in Macedonian capital city of Pella, and had great and rich chambers, servants of his own, instructors to learn to combat, and the old Leonidas who thought him the mithology, and gave him a copy of The illiad and The Odissey.

As the son of a King, he was a prince, and was raised with all luxuries money could buy.

One day his father, King Philipe, took Alexander and they went to a mountain, far from Pella. The mountain was a goldmine, and inside it, slave workers drew the gold, which later was converted in money, or commodities for aristocrats.

Philipe made his son enter deep into the mine, and look the slaves to the eyes. Eyes without life at all.

-Do you see, my son? That is how our power is made of. These slaves, and much more of them laid the foundations of our world.

-Why did you bring me to this horrible place father??

-Because you must understand, son, nothing in this world comes from nothing. All has a price, and it must be payed. Those who work inside the mountain were shepherds, or sailors, or even kings and Princes who were defeated by us in war. Some of they were born in the mine, son that is the only place they know, and probably they'll die working in the mine and drawing gold for us.

-But we might release them! Make them free of their chains.

-Do we? And if we do as you say, how would we live where we live? Get dress like we are, or eat in golden dishes as we do?

Know this, and never forget it: the blessings of one man, are the curses of another. We must keep our world exactly as it is now, and we must fight day after day, knowing that if one day we are defeated, probably we'll die or end up in a place like this. Don't forget it Alexander. That is my lesson to you.

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