Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

BY AL-MAKIN. 369
ordered them to do this, and they hid them and
kept them laid up by them carefully.
And it came to pass after these things that
Alexander sent unto the king of India, saying,
"Submit and humble thyself to me." And the
king of India sent back a message unto him in
similar words, saying, "Do thou thyself submit
"and humble thyself to me."
And the king of India also sent letters to theporus ap-
neighbouring kings, saying, "Since Alexander hath^meV" for
"come unto me, come ye unto me and help me,''^''''
"and give me your advice, so that we may all be
"of one mind and one intention, for if we be divided
"Alexander will come and will capture our king-
"doms, and will conquer us." And the kings con-
senting made answer unto him, saying, "We will
come;" and they made ready and came to him
with all their armies. Now one of these kings
was the king of Nearer China, and another was
the king of Further China, and another was king
of Send (Scinde), and [another was] the king of
Kusan; and various other kings agreed to come.
Then the king of India sent unto Alexander,
saying, "Come, let us meet to do battle with
"each other." And Alexander said, "Yea, verily,
"even so let us do battle;" so Alexander and
his army marched and encamped above the city
of India. And Alexander ordered his men to place
wood inside the bellies of the elephants, and to
set fire to it, and when the morning had come
he commanded them to draw the elephants on
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