Alexander the Great was born, history tells us, the son of King Philip II of Macedon. Legend has it, however, that the boy’s real father was a King of Egypt, Nectanebus, among whose accomplishments was the art of summoning immense armies out of thin air. In 356 BC, the planets informed him that his enemies would triumph over him, however efficient his aerial forces, so he packed his bags and made off, heavily disguised, to Macedon, where he set up as an astrologer and ingratiated himself at court. While the king was away, Nectanebus, with the aid of wax dolls and other magical means, transported himself into the queen’s bedroom disguised as the god Ammon, to whose blandishments Olympias naturally felt bound to accede. She became pregnant.