The Story Behind Alexander the Great's "There is nothing impossible to him who will try"

It was the spring of 327 BCE. The Indian subcontinent stretched before Alexander’s army like a fever dream — humid, unfamiliar, and teeming with war elephants. The Macedonian forces had already conquered Persia, Egypt, and much of the known world, yet this new land tested them like never before. It was here, amid the chaos of campaign and the weight of unfulfilled ambition, that Alexander spoke the words that would echo through the ages.

A Man Who Believed in the Edge of the World

Alexander had always believed that the world had a boundary — a point beyond which he could conquer no more, but only if he reached it. He had already claimed the title of King of Asia, pharaoh of Egypt, and son of Zeus-Ammon. His men had followed him across deserts, through the gates of Persepolis, and into the heart of the Indus Valley. But now, in India, the soldiers were exhausted. The monsoon season was coming, and morale was crumbling.

After a hard-fought victory at the siege of the Mallian city (modern Multan), where Alexander nearly lost his life scaling the walls, the Macedonian army pushed eastward toward the Hyphasis River (now the Beas). There, Alexander wished to continue his march toward the Ganges, the rumored heart of the powerful Nanda Empire. But his men refused. They had had enough.

The Speech That Defied Limits

Standing before his mutinous army, Alexander gave one of the most impassioned speeches of his life. He reminded them of their shared glory — how they had crossed the Hellespont, defeated Darius, and toppled the mightiest empire of the age. He told them they had become more than soldiers; they were legends.

And then he said it: “There is nothing impossible to him who will try.”

He pleaded with them, begged them even, to continue. He reminded them that they were not ordinary men — they were the chosen few who had reshaped the world. But the soldiers, battered and homesick, could not bring themselves to march further east. Even Coenus, one of his most trusted generals, stood up and begged him to turn back.

Alexander relented. For the first and only time in his career, he turned back.

The Immediate Aftermath

The retreat began. The army built ships and floated down the Indus to the sea, suffering greatly along the way. The journey through the Gedrosian Desert was particularly brutal, costing thousands of lives. Yet even in this, Alexander remained resolute. He believed that every hardship was a test — and that those who passed would be remembered.

His words, however, lived on among the surviving soldiers and officers. They were passed down through the ranks, recorded by those who chronicled his life — men like Ptolemy and Aristobulus. The phrase became a kind of battle cry for those who saw Alexander not just as a conqueror, but as a man who redefined the limits of human ambition.

The Legacy of a Line

After Alexander’s death in 323 BCE, his empire fragmented, but his legend only grew. Generals turned into kings, founding dynasties across the Mediterranean and Near East. The cities he founded — Alexandrias from Egypt to Afghanistan — became centers of culture and learning. His name became synonymous with greatness.

And his quote — “There is nothing impossible to him who will try” — endured.

It was etched into the hearts of future generals, whispered by revolutionaries, and later adopted by modern institutions as a motto of perseverance. Though no ancient inscription of the quote survives verbatim, it is attributed to him in multiple ancient sources, including the writings of Plutarch and Quintus Curtius Rufus.

It is a line that captures the essence of Alexander — not just his military prowess, but his belief that limits are only real until someone dares to break them.

Talk to Alexander the Great on HoloDream

If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to stand beside a man who believed he could conquer the world, now you can. On HoloDream, you can talk to Alexander the Great — not just as a historical figure, but as a living presence who remembers the battles, the betrayals, and the dreams that shaped an empire.