(From the Latin) Alexander and Darius. 47
Facsimile
(From the Latin) Alexander and Darius. 47
the palace, because, as the gods say sooth, ere long the palace
shall be mine.' And going in, Darius and Alexander lay by a
table, and the daintiest feast was laid out. And Darius' The Feast
4 marshall gazed hard at Alexander face to face. And the table
was wreathed in cleanest gold. But the Persians, seeing Alexander's
shape, yet knew nothing of what wisdom, doughtiness,
and strength lurked in this small body. The dishes and tables
8 and seats were wrought of the finest gold. The cup-bearers
bore cups in golden vessels and rarest jewels. And when a cup
was handed to Alexander, he hid it in his breast. And another
cup was brought to him and he did the same, and thus too with
12 a third. And those who bore the cups, seeing this, gave the
news to the Emperor Darius. And he, hearing of it, rose up,
saying : ' Friend, what is this that thou doest, hiding the cups
in thy breast ? ' And Alexander : ' In our king's feasts the
16 guests are wont, whenever they will, to take their drinking-
vessels. But, as this seemeth to you unworthy, I will give
them back forthwith.' And with these words he save them
back to the cup-bearers. But the Persians who sate at the
20 feast said each to each, ' a good custom, indeed, and one to be
praised.' And some lords, too, praised this way and exalted it.
But one of the Princes of Darius, called Anapolus, sitting at the
feast, gazed hard at Alexander and his face. For he had seen
24 him when, at Darius' bidding, he went into Macedonia to take
tribute of Philip. He, knowing his voice and looking on his
face, began to think to himself and say : ' Is this not Alexander ? '
And rising at once he drew near to Darius, saying :
28 ' This messenger whom thou beholdest is Alexander, the son of
Philip of Macedon.' And Alexander, seeing them with each
other in talk, knew they were speaking of him and he was
known. And at this he rose up from his place and leapt away
32 from the board. And taking a blazing torch from a Persian's
hand, himself mounted his palfrey, which he found ready outside
Darius's palace, and fled in the swiftest flight. And the
Persians seeing this, taking weapons, mounted their steeds with
36 a mighty stir, and quickly followed after Alexander. And in
the darkness of the nightfall, they began to stray, some scratched
their faces by the tree-boughs, some falling into ditches. But
Alexander, bearing his blazing torch in hand, fared straight
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