16.10.2013 Views

Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

ALEXANDER IN CHINA. 1 73<br />

the gate of the king of China a captain' went in And goes as<br />

and spake to the king, saying, "O king, behold sadorTo The'<br />

"there is an ambassador of the king of Greece ^hL °^<br />

"at the gate." And the king said to the captain,<br />

"Enquire diligently from him what he wisheth, and<br />

"why he hath come hither." Then the captain<br />

went out to him, and said unto him, "O am-<br />

"bassador, why hast thou come, and what dost<br />

"thou desire?" And I said unto him, "Thou art<br />

"a servant, and thy master who hath set thee in<br />

"his gate will be enraged at thy desiring to know<br />

"the secret things which appertain unto kings before<br />

"he himself knoweth them; I am sent unto the king<br />

"of China, and not unto thee." Then he went in<br />

and told these words to his master. And the<br />

king of China commanded that they should spread<br />

out costly stuffs upon a couch, and the couch was<br />

made [p. 98] of gold ornamented with jewels and<br />

inlaid with a design in gold; and he sat in his His recep-<br />

hall, and his princes'" and nobles were round<br />

about him, and when he spake they made answer^<br />

unto him and spake submissively. Then he commanded<br />

the captain to bring in <strong>Alexander</strong> the<br />

ambassador. Now when I had come in with the<br />

captain he made me to stand before the king,<br />

and the men stood up dressed in raiment of gold<br />

and silver; and I stood [there] a long time and<br />

none spake unto me. Then the captain came to<br />

' In the Syriac his name is Gundaphar.<br />

= Read flJtfnVt^T-fiJ: ' ^ Read ^WtlhP

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!