A Difference in Perspectives By: Marc Antonucci In a smoke filled room, the air musty and the smell of roasted meat and burning cigars lingering through the air. There was two figures sitting in the dim lit room, both older men with long scraggly beards. A stale silence travels between the men, as they find themselves alone with only each other as company. It was a warm night and the two men began to talk. “Where is he?” the first man asks. “I'm not sure” the second man responds in a low and heavy persian accent. “We shall start without him then” said the first man and the second quickly agreed. “We are both men of great strength and power would you agree?” “Very much so” responded the second man. “I Cyrus the Great, father of the Iranian nation” “and you founder of Confucianism, molder of China the wise Confucius”. For a long time the men conversed of ancient times and tales. They talked on the great empires of the ancient world, as well as the great minds who occupied them. Soon the real reason they had met came into conversation.
“Yes, Cyrus I can see you are a very intelligent man. Conquering vast amounts of land, and tolerant to those under your control” said Confucius. “And you Confucius, an orderly wise man, a great thinker, one of a kind” responded Cyrus, But at that moment Cyrus was interrupted by a loud interjection. “Don't start without me now!” Shouted a towering, strong figure. “I can't believe you guys weren't going to wait up for me”. “Alexander, you are late” said Confucius. “You say late, I say who cares?” replied
Alexander with smirk running across his face. “Now why is he here?” Cyrus interrupted in a condescending tone, as his glare was laid to Alexander's presence. “Why am I here!”
Alexander exclaimed, as he moved quickly towards the seat of Cyrus. Cyrus stood to meet the man while saying “Don't be aggressive Alexander, we all know you're a little jealous that you will never be a real Persian!”. At that moment Confucius exclaimed “Alexander! Cyrus!
Have some honor, we were all invited here for a reason”. “Calm yourselves, we are all men of wisdom and we shall act as such”. “Poser” whispered Cyrus under his breath towards
Alexander.

Confucius then stood and began to speak “Both of you are great men, each leaving their legacy to shape the world which has formed today”. “Yet each of you are lacking traits that made the other successful”. “Alexander you used fear and power as well as your extreme military intellect, to build an empire so vast it spread culture around the entire world, that still lasts till today”. “Cyrus, you used your tolerance and administration to keep your people safe and happy, also you used diplomacy and wit not solely fighting to solve your proble­­­”. “And what about you, oh wise Confucius” Alexander interrupted still pouting from Cyrus’s remark. “
Confucius injected order and identity into many great dynasties such as the Han,Tang and
Song, using his confucian teachings” replied Cyrus eagerly. “Thank you, Cyrus” said
Confucius. “As I said you both had different methods, and went to different extents to keep your people safe, but now is a time for us to learn from eachothers strengths, and to acknowledge each of our weaknesses” explained Confucius. “Lets start with Cyrus” Alexander said with that teethy smirk returning to his face. “Very well” said Confucius. “We will begin with you Cyrus”. “Cyrus the Great, the first of the Achaemenid emperors” “King of Babylon and King of the Land” said Alexander in a mocking tone. “Yes, Cyrus you are credited to be a great man”
“Thought to have created the first postal system, also installing a new system of government consisting of regional rulers called satraps” said Confucius. He continued “But most of all known for the tolerance given to those conquered, tolerance that was unprecedented at the time”. “We've all heard the stories” Alexander said. “So what he freed some jews from