Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

34
THE HISTORY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT.
its likeness, and put it on; and it was he who
The origin worshipped Sat, and who estabhshed priests to
°sm. ""^^""burn incense at stated seasons in regular order,
and it was he who spread abroad the Magian
creed, and [who taught men] to marry their mothers,
and sisters, and daughters.' And all other kings
feared the king of Persia, and they were terrified
at his majesty, and paid him tribute.
And it came to pass about this time that ambas-
The ambas-sadors of Darfus the king of Persia came to Philip, and
sadors of , - . ^
Darius de- whcu they had come and were standmg in Philip's
ZtT presence, fr^m they demanded that the ^ribute [due to]
Philip.
tjigij. j^jjjg should be paid according to custom.
Now Alexander's chamber was [situated] above the
road, and he could see who passed by and who
came. And when he saw that ambassadors had
come [for tribute], [p. 17] he commanded that they
should be brought into his presence, and they came,
and he questioned them concerning [the reason of]
their coming. And they said unto him, "We are
"ambassadors of Darius, the king of Persia, and
"we have come to carry back the tribute [due]
Alexander "from all klngs to him according to custom." And
questions . . .
*".
them. Alexander said unto them, "Get ye back to your
Koran, pp. 196, 246. Some ancient ruins near Hillah bear
the name "Birs Nimrud" to this day.
' See Noldeke, Geschichte der Pa-ser unci Araber, pp. 2876",
450, 451; Mas'iidi (ed. B. de Meynard), torn, i, p. di,; Budge,
Book of Governors, ii, pp. 606, 607. The Magians were fire-
worshippers, and their name is derived from the word jx,
"fire".