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Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

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EPISTLES OF ALEXANDER AND ROXANA. IO3<br />

"[upon thee], and Who hath taken away the king-<br />

"dom of Persia from us that He may grant unto<br />

"thee a victorious rule over thine enemies, and<br />

"that He may exak thee over all kings, and that<br />

"He may bless thy kingdom. As for us, we are<br />

"under thy royal power and dominion, and accord-<br />

"ing as thou wilt do unto us even so will we do<br />

"unto thee; we do not choose death rather than<br />

"life, for God Almighty hath added honour unto<br />

"us by thee. And moreover, thou hast thus be-<br />

"haved by reason of thy faith. And we forgive<br />

"thy fore-fathers, for we have never seen any man<br />

"behave better or more honourably than thyself<br />

"towards us. And now, having the power, do as<br />

"thou pleasest. Thou art unto us as Darius, and<br />

"we will magnify thee exceedingly, and in thee<br />

"will we shew ourselves glad. And behold, we have<br />

"sent our messengers unto all the Persians [bidding<br />

"them] to submit unto thee, and they will consent<br />

"to do this thino- because thou art their lord and<br />

"their crown, and we ourselves will work upon<br />

"them to do so. Peace be upon thee."<br />

And Roxana, the daughter of Darius, wrote a<br />

letter to <strong>Alexander</strong> in which she spake thus:<br />

"Roxana crieth 'Peace to thee,' and she proclaim- Roxana's<br />

"eth thy goodness, and she placeth the crown<br />

"[of Persia] upon thy head because thou hast thy-<br />

"self chosen her, and hast magnified her, and hast<br />

"loved her, and hast received her from her father<br />

"before his death that thou mightest marry her.<br />

"And behold, thou hast acted nobly, even as the

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