The scene depicted on the enamel refers to the anecdote when Alexander the Great had fallen sick and his physicians would not venture to treat him for fear of the consequences if they failed. Only Alexander's friend Philip firmly administered medicine. It happened that Alexander just had a letter from his general Parmenio warning him that Philip had been bribed by his ennemy, King Darius of Persia, to kill him. As a gesture of trust in his friend, Alexander handed him the letter to read at the very moment he took the medicine. Nevertheless, aids were in attendance, as shown on the enamel. This story is related by Plutarch (33:19) and Valerius Maximus (3:8).