The prose life of Alexander

Letters of Darius and Alexander. 43

often wings, or other instruments of flying, for to be lifted up to thee sterness, let not to thine hurt be raised too high in pride for thee victories that thou has gotten. We have well heard tell that thou has done gently, and showed great humanity to our mother, our wife and our children, and therefore I let thee well with that, as long as thou does well to them, thou shall find me none enemy to thee. And if thou do ill to them thou shall have thee enemy of me, and therefore spare them not, but do to them as thee [liste]. For sometime thou shall see and feel the sentence of our ire light upon the high pride.' When Alexander had read this letter he wrote him another again whereof the tenor] was this.

Alexander the son of Phillippe and queen Olympias to Darius king of Persia we write. Pride and vainglory has our gods always hated; and takes vengence of deadly men that takes upon them the name of immortality. But thou, as I well see, ceases not that hitherto for to blaspheme in all that thou may. But of that that thou blames me for the benignities that I showed thy mother, thy wife, and thy children; thou art moved on a [lewd] fantasy. For I let thee well [?] I did it not for to be thanked of thee, nor for to have thy benevolence therefore. But it come of a gentleness of our own heart, founded in virtue. Of the victories also which the foresight of god has sent us, here we nothing enprided. For we know well that our gods always helps us, which thou each a day despises and sets at naught. And this shall be the last letter that I shall write unto thee. Beware if thou will, for I say the [secretly?], I come to thee anon.' This letter gave Alexander to the messengers of Darius and many great gifts therewith. Seyme, he sent another letter to his princes and lords under our subjection in Capadoce, in [laodice?], or elsewhere [duelland?], greeting, and good grace. We charge thou and commands thou straightly that each of thou ordain us in all the haste that thee may [nete-hydes barked], and send them to Alexander, that we and our Knights may [gere?]

44

Letter of Alexander. Another defeat. Porus' letter.

make us of them clothing, and shoes; and with camels that have at Alexander [gerre] carry them to thee water of Euphrates.' In the meantime a prince of Darius, Nostande by name, wrote to Darius on his way.

To Darius the worshipful great god has servant Nostande loyal service. Me ought not to send such things to our royal majesty, but great need [gers] me do it. Therefore be it known unto our high lordship, that the great prince of ours, and I, have fought with king Alexander, and him is fallen thee victory, and slain he has their two worthy princes, and I killed other folk, and I fled grievously wounded. And many worthy knights of ours have forsaken our lordship and joined him to Alexander oste, the which he has worshipfully, and has given great lordships of ours. And when Darius had read this letter, he sent in haste till Nostand and commanded him for to ordain a great Oste; and manfully withstand the folk of Macedonia. He also sent a letter to Porus king of Ynde, praying to him to help him against Alexander, and Porus wrote again in this manner.

Porus, king of Ynde, unto Darius, king of Persia, greeting. For thou has prayed for us to come to thee in helping of thee against thine enemies, we let thee [wete], that we are ready and always have been, for to come to help you. But at this time we are [leted] to come to thou, because of great sickness that we are stood in, Nevertheless, [secretly?], it is right [heuy] unto us, and grievous, unto us to hear of thee great injury that is done unto thou. And therefore we let thou [wete], that within short time, we shall come for to help thou with ten legions of knights.' But when Rodogorious, Darius mother, heard tell that Darius her son ordained him for to fight again with king Alexander she was right sorry and wrote a letter unto him that contained this sentence.

To king Darius, her most beloved son, Rodogorius, his mother sends greetings and joy. I have understood that he has assembled our men, and much other folk also, for to fight

Darius' mother. Alexander's vision. 45

[eftsones] with Alexander. But I let thee [wete] it will avail thee nothing. For though he had gathered together all the men in the world dueling, with thee were unable to withstand him. For the foresight of god maintains him, and upholds him. And therefore dear son, it is my counsel, our highness of heart thee left, and fell somewhat from our glory, and be favorable to the greatness of Alexander. For better it is to forego that at he may not hold, and have in [this?] than that thee may hold, that for to covet all and be excluded and forego all.' When Darius read this letter, he was greatly troubled and wept bitterly, come unto his mind, his mother, his wife, and his children.

In the meantime king Alexander removed his army, and drew near the city of Susis, in the which Darius was [?] the same time, so that he might see all the high hills that were around the city. Then Alexander commanded all his men, that each of them should cut down a branch of a tree, and bare them forth with them and drive before them all manner of beast that they might find in the way. And when the Persians saw them from the high hills they [wounded?] them greatly. And Alexander came with his army to the city of Susis and [luged] him near beside the city. And then he called his princes and his other lords and said unto them, 'Let us,' quoth he, 'send a messenger to king Darius and bid him over and come fight with us or else submit him to us'. The next night after, Godd Amon appeared unto Alexander in his sleep bringing him the figure of Mercury and a mantle, and another manner of garment of Macedonia, and said unto him. 'Alexander, son,' quoth he, 'evermore when thou has need, shall I help thee. And therefore let thou send not to Darius that messenger that thou spoke of. For I will that thou thyself clothe thee with my figure and go thither thyself, if all it be perilous for to do, dread thee nothing, for I shall be thy help, so that thou shall have no manner of disease.

On the morning when Alexander rose from sleep, he was greatly comforted by his dream and called to him his princes and told them his whole dream, and they assented all, that he should go to Darius in his proper person. And anon he called unto him all of the princes, the which [hight] Emulus. This

46 Alexander goes to Darius,

prince was a brave man, & a hardy & [very] true to Alexander. And then Alexander bade him leap on a horse, and bring with him another horse & follow him. And he did so. And when they came together to the water of Graunte, that in the language of Persia es called Struma, they found it frozen over, and Alexander anon [chaunged] he wait, & left the foresaid prince with two horses at the waterside and himself, with the horse that he sat upon, went over the water upon the ice, toward the cite of Susis. And his prince besought him that he would suffer him went with him, not peradventure any disease fell him by the way. And Alexander answered & said, 'Abide me here,' quoth he, 'For he shall be my helper, when in dreams I saw appear unto me.' This [icy?] water I spake of before, all the winter seasons each night was frozen all over; but timely in the morning as soon as the warm sun hit upon it, then it dissolved again, & ran very swiftly; the [breadth?] of that water is the space of a furlong. When Alexander came to the gat of the city the Persians, when they saw him, had great wonder of his figure, and [wondered if?] if had been a god, and anon they asked him what he was. And he answered, and said he was a messenger sent from king Alexander to their lord Darius, and [be-lyfe] they brought him to him. Darius, when Alexander come before him, said unto him, 'Here art though,' quoth he. 'I am,' quoth Alexander, 'sent unto thee from king Alexander to [wiete] wherto thou tarries to come to him to give him battle. [Otherwise?] come & fight manfully with thine enemies or else submit thee to him & pay him tribute.

And Darius heard him and said, "Art thou then the Alexander who with such madness shaped they speech, for I see thou holdest thyself not from words as a messenger doth, but art bold as a king. Yet know that by thy words I am not frightened at all. Come dine with me this day.' And with these words, he reached ot his hand to him and took him by his right, and led him into the palace. And Alexander, musing, began to say: 'A right good token hath this barbarian wrought me when he clasped my right hand and drew me into

(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 drinkingvessels. 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