Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

356 THE HISTORY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
writer of the present chronicle, have read his
Ai-Makin's history in the works of many writers, and I have
""^ °
also read a multitude of statements [thereon], and
behold, I have chosen from the various accounts
of him such things as are useful, and [I declare]
that he reigned over the kingdom of Macedonia
after his father, and that the days of his reign
were seventeen years/
And it came to pass that when Darius, who had
Alexander from of old been the king of Persia, and of Babylon,
wngrthe and of Nineveh, and of the other countries round
rhir.
°' °'" about, heard that Alexander had become king
over Greece, he acted insolently towards him
because of his youth, and treated him with con-
tempt. And he wrote a letter unto him [p. 208],
being filled with wrath, because he had ascended
the throne as king without his authority, and he
addressed him in the letter with an abundance of
haughty words and ordered him forthwith to enter
into vassalage to him and to submit to pay a
yearly tribute unto him. And it came to pass
that when Alexander heard these words he was
gready grieved, and he gathered together the
Alexander govcmors of hls kingdom and took counsel with
J fight dL them concerning the letter; and when he had
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read to them the letter of Darius, they all, with
one consent, decided to do batde with him. And
Aristode his teacher, moreover, shewed him that
this plan was right, and he took part in the
' See above, p. 351.