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Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

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44 THE HISTORY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT.<br />

"belongeth unto you, and he that is first among you<br />

"shall not be the last. Commit to me your sub-<br />

"jection and your excellence, and I will myself freely<br />

"give my order thereto and my counsel; and be-<br />

"hold I will tell you that which shall befall you.<br />

"And now rejoice ye, and have confidence from<br />

"the depth of your hearts, and again I will entreat<br />

"God Almighty, Who hath set me over you, and<br />

"Who hath knitted your hearts unto me, to give<br />

"me the Sfift of attaining' unto this ,<br />

' and not to<br />

"turn my strength into feebleness; and I tell you<br />

"that pain and sorrow shall be added unto me,<br />

"and death shall bring me low, before I will ever<br />

"become a servant unto others. And when I shall<br />

"have ended my reign in my kingdom wherein<br />

"I have begun to rule, I shall never have swerv-<br />

"ed from your decrees, [p. 23] neither shall your<br />

"land have been plundered by others, nor shall<br />

"your sons and daughters have been oppressed.<br />

"And further will I speak to you if ye will listen<br />

"unto what I say unto you. It is not meet that ye<br />

"should hold in honour the world, and ye should not<br />

"place your trust therein; and love not earnestly<br />

"that which is fleeting therein, for it will [soon]<br />

"become as if it had never been, and how often doth<br />

"it bring into disgrace those who are honoured, and<br />

"pay honour unto those who are lightly esteemed.<br />

"We all are the children of Adam, and from him we<br />

"have been created;" he hath made us love [the<br />

' Read nif : ' Read i'd.mC^ •

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