In the twilight of his extraordinary life, Alexander the Great—the legendary conqueror who had subdued vast empires and seemed invincible—lay on his deathbed, preparing to impart a final, profound lesson to humanity. As he summoned his most trusted generals, his requests were as unusual as they were deeply philosophical.
The Unconventional Last Wishes
Gathering his remaining strength, Alexander shared three seemingly strange requests for his funeral procession:
- His coffin should be carried by the city’s most renowned doctors
- His entire wealth should be scattered along the path to his burial ground
- His hands should be left loose, hanging outside the coffin
Naturally, his commanders were bewildered. One brave general mustered the courage to ask, “Great Alexander, what are you saying?”
The Deep Meaning Behind the Wishes
Alexander’s response revealed a wisdom that transcended his military conquests:
On Mortality
“I want the doctors to carry my coffin to demonstrate that even the most skilled medical professionals cannot triumph over death. Let the world understand that when one’s time comes, no power can prevent the inevitable.”
On Wealth
“I desire my treasures—gold, precious stones, and riches—to be spread along the funeral route. This will show that the material wealth we accumulate on earth belongs not to us, but to the earth itself. We are merely temporary custodians.”
On Human Transience
“I wish my hands to dangle freely outside the coffin to illustrate a fundamental truth: we arrive in this world empty-handed and depart just as we came—without possessing anything.”
A Timeless Legacy
In these final moments, Alexander the Great transformed from a military strategist to a philosopher, offering a universal message about human existence. His last wishes were not about the grandeur of his conquests, but about the humbling reality of life’s impermanence.
His narrative reminds us that true wealth lies not in material possessions, but in understanding our place in the grand tapestry of existence. No matter how powerful we become, we are ultimately subject to the same natural laws that govern all life.
The writer is Former Fellow, IIAS, Shimla
