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ALEXANDER'S EPISTLE TO ARISTOTLE. I5I<br />

them, and they captured six thousand' of them at<br />

once, and they slew three hundred of my men.^<br />

And it came to pass that as I was going about<br />

in that region terror laid hold upon me, and we<br />

dwelt in that forest seven days, and we found<br />

nothing to eat, except the fruits which were there.<br />

And we departed from that place and marched ^hey meet<br />

until we arrived at a river, and by the side thereof monster,<br />

was a great fountain of water. And behold a<br />

huge, monstrous beast of most frightful appearance,<br />

having a body like unto that of a wild boar, came<br />

out fearlessly against us, and I commanded the<br />

horsemen in my camp who were always ready<br />

[for battle], and whom none could conquer by any<br />

means whatsoever except by the decree"* of God<br />

the most High, to go out against it, and when<br />

they went out against the monster it was not at<br />

all afraid. And when I saw this I commanded<br />

a naked woman to go up to it, so that when it<br />

went to seize her' we ourselves might come [p. 84]<br />

and slay it and deliver the woman from its clutches.it rends a<br />

Now when the monster drew nigh and saw thej^^an.''<br />

''°"<br />

woman, it rose up against her and slew her, and<br />

it began to devour her as we ourselves rose up<br />

' In the Syriac six hundred and thirty-three.<br />

^ In the Syriac one hundred and sixty-seven.<br />

3 The Greeks encamped here, and the beast came at the<br />

ninth hour of the day; see Syriac version, ed. <strong>Budge</strong>, p. 99.<br />

t Read Hh'JnA n^hUH :<br />

5 The text here is doubtful; for the Syriac see <strong>Budge</strong>,<br />

p. 177, 11. 9, 10.

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