32

Alexander writes to the Athenians.

art welcome. Thou shall conquer all the world.' On the morn Scrassageras went to the same temple, and also as the priest saw him, she said unto him : ' Scrassageras quoth she, ' what thou within a short while thou shall be deprived of the lordship that thou now has?' And when he heard this he was right wrathe with her, & said, 'thou art not worthy,' quoth he, 'for to be priest here. Alexander come to the yesterday, and thou prophesied him good; And to me thou says, that I shall lose all my lordship.' And she answered; & said, "Bee not angry to me,' quoth she: 'for all this [buse] be fulfilled,' and nothing thereof left [ne overhippede.'] A little after it fell that Alexander was greatly angered at Scraggageras, and took from. him his lordship, & Scrassageras went to the city of Athenz, and [sare wepande] he complained him to the citizens of Athenz & told them how that Alexander had deprived him of his lordship. And then the Atheneans were wonder wrathe towards Alexander, and made great boast & menace, that they should rise against him, but if he restored Scrassageras again to his lordship. Alexander removed his Oste from Platea to the city of Athens, and when he heard tell that the Atheneans were wrathe to himward, and menaced him, he wrote unto them a letter that spake on this ways.

Alexander, the son of Philippe and of queen Olympias, unto the Atheneans, greeting. From the time that our father was dead, & we were set in the Throne of his dignity, we went into the west Marches, where all the folks that duells therefore the most party [zalde] them unto us without stress. From the city of Rome to the west sea ocean, all men submit them unto us that with our own free will we have taken them to our grace. And these that would not submit them to us with fareness, we have destroyed them & their cities, and [dougen] them down to the earth. And now this other day as we went from Macedonia & passed through Asye: by the city of Thebe, the Thebeans despised us, & [lete] as they set not by us. But anon we [garte] their pride fall, and de-

32

Alexander writes to the Athenians.

and her
prophecy.

Scras-
sageras
curses the
priestess,
but it
avails him
nothing.

He falls
from his
Lordship
and flees to
Athens, and
prevails on
them to
help him.

Alexander
marches on
Athens.

The letter
of Alex-
ander to
the Athe-
nians, tell-
ing of his
deeds and
conquests.

He asks of
them but
ten philo-

arte welcomme. pou schatt conquere att J)e werlde.' One \>q
morne Scrassageras went to J?e same temple, and alsone als f>e
preste sawe hyw, scho saide vn-tilt liym : ' Scrassageras/ qwof>
scho, * what thou w^t-in a schorte while ]?ou schatt be priued" of 4
j?e lordchip Jjat \)o\x now hase 1 ' And when) he herde J?is he was
righte wrathe wit hir, & saide, * Ipou. arte no3te worthy,' quolp he,
* for to be preste here. Alexander come to J^e jisterdaye, and ]>o\x
prophicyed" hym gude ; And to me ])o\i sals, ])at I schalt lose alt 8
my lordechip)e.' And scho ansuerd", & saide, * Beej no^te angry
to me,' quo]) scho : ' for alt pis buse be fulfilled"", and nathynge
pare of lefte ne ou^rhippede.' A littitt after it felte Ipat
Alexander was gretely angrede at Scrassageras, and tuke fra 12
hym his lordchipe, & Scrassageras went to pe cite of Athenej,
and sare wepande he complenede hym to J^e cita5enes of Athene^
& talde J^afn) how pat Alexander hadd" prmed" hym of his lorde-
chipe. And ]pan) pe Atheneanes ware wonder [wrathe] towardes 16
Alexander, and made grete boste & manace, J»at f)ay schold? ryse
agaynes hym, bot if he restorede Scrassageras agayne tilt his
lordechipe. Alexander remowed" his Oste fra Platea to pe citee
of Athenes, and when) [he] herde telle pat pe Athenens ware 20
wrathe tilt hym-warde, and manacedT hym, he wrate vn-to ]?am)
a lei^^re J^at spak one this wyse.

* ^ Alexander, pe son of Philippe and of qwene Olympias, vn
to the Athenenes, gretynge. Fra J^e tyme fat cure Fadir was 24
dedde, & we were sett in J^e Trone of his diwgnytee, we went
into pe weste Marches, whare alt pe folke^ pat duelle^ thare
for pe maste party 5alde }?am) vn-titt vs wzt-owtten stresse.
Fra pe citee of Rome to pe weste see occyane, att men) sub- 28
mytte f)am) vn-titt vs pat wit oure awen fre wilt we hafe taken
J)am) '^titt oure grace. And thase pat walde no^te sttbmytt
]?am) tilt vs wit fairenes, we hafe distruyed?^ J^am) & faire
cite^, and doungen) J)ain) down) to f^e erthe. And now fis oj^er 32
daye as we went fra Macedoyne & passed thurgh Asye : bi pe
cite of Thebe, pe Thebeyens despysed? vs, & lete as psbj sett
no3te by vs. Bot onane we garte ]?air pryde fatte, and de-

' Four half lines space with minia-
ture A.

^ Here the scribe first has written 'to
grace ' and then erased it, substituting as

in text.

^ The uy in distruyed has been substi-
tuted for uu by the same scribe.