Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

BY AL-MAKIN. 385
twenty stars, and among the twelve stars, and
when new moon is of good or of evil omen. And
[he wrote] other books which treat of the healing
of animals' bodies, and of stones, and of trees, and
of the stone (sapphire?) which hath healing pro-
perties; and [he wrote] the "Book of the Ladder",
wihch resembleth his other books of science.
Now when the day of Aristotle's death came,
he commanded those who ministered unto him not His death.
to teach their sciences unto any except such as
would guard them in a meet and fitting manner;
and he went to God Almighty, the Most High,
The writer of this' chronicle saith:—Alexan-
der [began to] reign when he was a young man,
and he sat in the kingdom for twelve^ years and
obtained dominion over all the countries of the
earth. Now Zurnahar saith in his reckoning that
he became king when he was forty years of age,
and that he sat in his kingdom five hundred
years,^ and that all his days were five hundred
and forty years; but whosoever will follow this
chronicle will say that Alexander reigned fifty-six*
years. And God Almighty knoweth.
• Read Hli' ' " Read TflJe^O»'f' s
J This statement is probably based upon the tradition
quoted by Mas'udi, torn. ii. p. 135^ who says that several chrono-
graphers and historians assign to the duration of the rule of
the satrapSj who were confirmed in their kingdoms by Alexander,
and of their descendants, a period of 5 17 years, z. e., from the
reign of Alexander to the conquest by Ardeshir.
Read ^(Bi^iOO^' :
ccc