Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

XVI
INTRODUCTION.
and both figures and plate are to be buried in the
grave of some one who has died young or who
has been slain by violence. He must then recite
a long incantation to the infernal gods, and if all
these things be done in a proper manner the lover
will obtain the woman's affection.^
Passing on to later times, we have a tradition
Aristotle's that Aristotle gave to Alexander a number of waxen
gures. figures nailed down in a box, which was fastened
by a chain, and which he ordered him never to
let go out of his own hand, or at least out of that
of one of his confidential servants. The box was
to go wherever Alexander went, and Aristotle
taught him to recite certain formulae over it
whenever he took it up or put it down. The
figures in the box were intended to represent the
various kinds of armed forces that Alexander was
likely to find opposed to him. Some of the models
held in their hands leaden swords which were
curved backwards, and some had spears in their
hands pointed head downwards, and some had
bows with cut strings; all these were laid face
downwards in the box. Viewed by what we
' I owe the information in this paragraph to my colleague
Mr. F. G. Kenyon, of the Department of MSS; British Museum.
The Greek texts are published from two papyri in the Bi-
bliothcque Nationale; see Wessely, Gricchische Zauberpapyriis,
Wien, iS88, 1. 296 flf., and lines 1S77— ^1908 (p. 67). For
lists of magical words used for purposes of incantation see
Kenyon, Greek Papyri in the British Museum, London 1S93,
PP- 255—267.