Plutarch told the story of how Alexander, the young prince of Macedon, tamed his warhorse Bucephalus. The horse had been purchased by Alexander’s father King Philip, but his grooms could not handle him. Alexander wagered the price of the horse that he could tame him and Philip, who thought Alexander was out of his depth, accepted the bet.

Alexander, who had noticed that Bucephalus was nervous of his own shadow, turned him to face the sun. Once the horse was calm, the prince mounted and let him gallop. The court watched on anxiously, but Alexander came home safely. Macedonia, said Philip proudly, was too narrow a realm for such a prince: prophetic words, as it proved.

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