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Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

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

He goes in. And I cricd out to one of the men who watched<br />

in the sanctuary when the tree spoke at the time<br />

of sunset, and I said to him, "Tell me [what it<br />

"said], and lie not unto me, for I swear by God<br />

"Almighty,' that if thou deceivest me I will cut<br />

"off thy head." Now he wished to hide what it<br />

said from me, but I took hold of his hand and<br />

I led him away by himself, and I sware unto<br />

him [that I would kill him]. And he drew nigh<br />

to me and called unto one of my servants, and<br />

spake unto him, "The tree saith that he is like<br />

"unto a king [p. 92] whom one shall slay;" and I<br />

said, "God Almighty knoweth." And I went to<br />

the tree a second time at midday, and, behold,<br />

the tree spake in the Greek language that I might<br />

understand [its] words, and it said unto me, "Behold,<br />

His death "thou shalt die in the land of Babylon," which<br />

foretold.<br />

i t<br />

words I<br />

•<br />

l<br />

heard together with my servants.<br />

t^<br />

Then<br />

was I struck with wonder^ at its words, and I<br />

was pained and grieved with an exceedingly great<br />

grief, and my heart beat wildly, and the shadow<br />

of slumber forsook my eyes during the whole<br />

night. Now when my friends and servants saw my<br />

sorrow and that I was troubled because of this thine,<br />

they said unto me, "O king, if thou couldst but<br />

"sleep only a very little thou wouldst be better."<br />

And in the morning I commanded my servants<br />

' The Greek has, "by Zeus, and by Amnion, and by<br />

Athene, and by all the gods who give victory".<br />

" The scribe originally wrote fl'Ji'JhCVl'Ji '

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