Alexander and the Robber
Preserved but no longer current.
The story is that the pirate Diomedes, having been captured and brought before Alexander, was asked how he dared to molest the seas. "How darest thou molest the earth?" was the reply. "Because I am the master only of a single galley I am termed a robber; but you who oppress the world with huge squadrons are called a king." Alexander was so struck by this reasoning that he made Diomedes rich, a prince, and a dispenser of justice.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Alexander and the Robber” mean?
The story is that the pirate Diomedes, having been captured and brought before Alexander, was asked how he dared to molest the seas. "How darest thou molest the earth?" was the reply. "Because I am the master only of a single galley I am termed a robber; but you who oppress the world with huge squadrons are called a king." Alexander was so struck by this reasoning that he made Diomedes rich, a prince, and a dispenser of justice.
Is “Alexander and the Robber” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.