Question

Read the excerpt from Alexander the Great’s speech at Opis.


He [Philip] brought under your control those same barbarians who used to raid you and take your people and property, so you were now their masters, not their slaves and subjects. He enlarged Macedonia by annexing most of Thrace, and took possession of the key positions on the seaboard, so opening the country to trade and removing any threat to the exploitation of your mines.

What is Alexander’s primary purpose in this excerpt?

to convince the audience of Macedonia’s military superiority
to entertain the audience with stories from Macedonia’s past
to inform the audience of the victories Philip won in the past
to persuade the audience that Philip deserves their gratitude

Answer 1

to persuade the audience that Philip deserves their gratitude

Explanation: the passage highlights Philip’s actions and the benefits they brought (security from raids, territorial expansion, trade, protection of mines), aiming to praise him and elicit gratitude rather than merely reporting facts or entertaining.