Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

SPEECHES OF ALEXANDER. 47
write to his provinces, and to tiie men of his
kingdom :
"Behold, now, let us acknowledge the Lord my Alexander's
"God, the Creator of me and of you,' Whom in;'^;'^^^^"
"times past I knew not (for devils had blinded my °^ ^'^ ''"k-
"eyes that I might not see the light) to be God,
"our Creator and our God; and if ye know Him
"not it is meet that ye should know Him, and
"should serve Him, either willingly or unwillingly,
"for He hath given you into my hands, and He
"hath made me king over you. [He sheweth]
"mercy to men and stablisheth cities, and punish-
"eth mighty kings who have not acknowledged
"God Almighty, and the might of His power. O
"fear ye God Almighty, my God and your God, Exhortation
"for it is [p. 25] He Who hath created you, it isQ^^^""" '''
"He Who feedeth you, it is He Who keepeth you
"alone, ^
it is He Who maketh you to die, it is He
"Who maketh you rich, it is He Who maketh you
sepi abui: see Archaeologia, vol. LII, p. 490. Among
the Arabs various opinions as to the meaning of the name
exist; some say that Alexanderwas called "Two-horned" because
of his expeditions to the East and the West; and others be-
cause he had two curls of hair, like horns, on his forehead.
Others again have supposed that the title has nothing to do
with Alexander and say that it belongs, by right, to a very
ancient king of Yaman. See Mas'iidi (ed. B. de Meynard),
tom. ii. p. 248; Sale, Koran, p. 224; Noldeke, Gcschiclite
der Perscr, p. 169; Abulpharagius, Hist. Dynast., p. 62.
' Read (DiMifl tOd.mdil'^ •
^ Read H^ (b^miiaf- s