Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

EPISTLE OF PORUS TO ALEXANDER. I 1
"destruction [I will not do so], for thou art a wretch-
"ed slave, and thou hast no desire for war. And
"because it was granted unto thee to conquer
"Darius, dost thou imagine that thou wilt vanquish
"the whole world ? Behold, thou hast exalted thy-
"self very much beyond thy power, and thine imagi-
"nation hath carried thee away, and thy mind hath
"flattered thee, and thou lovest that which hath been
"given unto thee, and thou sittest down in the
"midst^ of thy work. And now restrain thyself,
"and say not within thyself that all kings are alike,
"and turn back [to thine own country] that [thy]
"kingdom may be given unto thee, and act not
"the part of an enemy against thyself For it
"was only at the time when his own friends with
"counsels of destruction slew Darius, the king of
"Persia, and by reason of his inability to fight
"successfully against thee and thy gracious acts
"[towards him] that he bitterly cursed [his] life; and
"so now thou hast sent [messengers] unto us to make
"us afraid, and to strike terror into us. I know well
"what folly is thine, and that it is the feebleness Porus taunts
"of thy counsel which hath induced thee to march
"against us. And I will remember thy letter until
"I come unto thee, when I will make thee to taste
"bitterness, even as thou hast tasted the sweets of
"the world. But I should disgrace myself if I were
"to come out against thee, and it would be no
"profit for me to slay thee, because thou art only
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