Ah, Alexander the Great! The Macedonian marvel who, at the tender age of 20, embarked upon his storied conquest of the known world. Often described as history's preeminent overachiever, Alexander possessed a singular ambition, seemingly fuelled by the unquenchable desire to unify disparate cultures under his rule. But, as we know, diplomacy wasn’t all it was cracked up to be in Ancient Times. So, what if Alexander had access to a tool that could cut through the babble of Babel, a Google Translate of sorts? I can almost hear the hum of the server rooms as they warm up to the challenge!
Breaking Down Barriers, One "Hello" at a Time
Picture this: a weary Alexander, having spent another evening attempting to interpret missives sent by councillors and emissaries across his vast empire, is approached by one of his engineers, a bespectacled, toga-wearing techie, with an intriguing contraption. It’s a rectangular slab, akin to a prophecy tablet, but with the ability to transmute language as swiftly as Hermes delivers messages. And with that, Google Translate enters the historical stage, potion of Babel-fish!
In this alternate reality, diplomacy becomes a literal touch away. No longer confined to the skills of translators, those careful curators of context and nuance, who may or may not be inclined to favour a little poetic licence, we witness negotiations taking a turn for the straightforward. And, as we all know, if there's one thing that should definitely be straightforward, it's a treaty between factions glaring at one another from across a feast table laden with too many goblets of wine.
Kicking Misunderstandings to the Kerb(andian)
Consider the encounters with the Persians. Suddenly, no panicked pictograms of chariots mired in the exact details of trade negotiations. It’s all
