Saint Gregory of Nyssa wrote how the wise admired the king of Macedonia first for his aphorism ” My treasure are my friends ” (” τὸν θησαυρὸν ἐν τοῖς φίλοις ἔχειν ” [P.G. 46, 1037]).
The same wise speech was given to Alexander by saint Maximus the Confessor: ” Someone asked Alexander: Where did he have his treasures? And he showed his friends and answered: In them [ἐν τούτοις] ” (P.G. 91, 764).
Saint Gregory Palamas adressed two philosophers saying how, when a prisoner gave useful advice to Alexander, the Macedonian king obeyedwith pleasure (” ὑπήκουσε τῷ αἰχμαλώτῳ “). And not only this, but counted him amongst his friends (” τὸν εἰσηγησάμενον μετὰ τῶν φιλούντων ἠρίθμησε “) even though he was a prisoner and illiterate. (Ε.Π.Ε. 8, 468-9).
