Page 91 - Sarpedon’dan Keykubad’a Bir Zamanlar Antalya

Generals, was aware of this situation and declared war on them
and defeated Alketas in Psidia. This defeat was the beginning of
the relationship between Alketas and the people of Termessos.
Because, realizing that he will be killed when he is defeated,
Alketas flees to the city of Termessos to avoid this and takes
refuge in them. The people of Termessos, who did not allow
Macedonian Alexander the Great to capture their city, this time
promise to protect another Macedonian, Alketas by opening
their arms in hospitality. Angered by this, Antigonus came to
the edge of the Yenice Strait below the city of Termessos, as
in the old conflict, and camped here with his soldiers. The el-
ders of the city, who seriously think that this job poses a great
danger to their city, decide to hand over Alketas to Antigonus,
thinking that it is stupid to enter this war for the sake of a single
Macedonian. However, the youth of the city, who are superior
in war, did not share this view. Because they promised Alketas
that they would not hand him over no matter what. The young
people determined to keep their promises reject the plan of the
elders. Upon this attitude of the young people, the elders make
a plan and take action to deliver Alketas. In this plan, the young
people will be taken out of Termessos with an excuse and when
they are not in the city, they will hand over Alketas to Antigonus.
Thereupon, the council of elders sent an envoy to Antigonus,
informing them that they wanted to hand over Alketas. Realizing
that he will be captured soon, Alketas kills himself by commit-
ting suicide in order not to surrender to Antigonus. However, the
council of elders threw his dead body from the wall and hand-
ed it over to Antigonus. Antigonus, whose anger never ceased,
defiled Alketas’ corpse for three days and left the corpse there,
leaving Psidia with his army. The youth from Termessos who
returned to the city, receive the news of the death of Alketas.
The young people, very angry and upset by this incident, save
Alketas’ body and bring it back to Termessos. They perform a
special ceremony for him and they bury him with high honor in
a monumental tomb they built for him in Termessos. Since that
day, that tomb has been called the Tomb of Alketas (Çelgin 1990).

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