Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

BY ABU-SHAKER. 393
he had said unto him. So Alexander buried
Darius with meet pomp and honour, and he con-
firmed the soldiers of his army each in his rank
and grade. [The writer of this chronicle] saith:
And it came to pass that when Alexander had
become king over Persia he found the Persians
to be wise and understanding in every thing,
and he sent unto Aristotle, saying, "I find the
"Persian governors to be men of understanding, Alexander's
"and suitable for the work of the kingdom :
^')|^^[_^^j^
"shall I slay them? Give me thy advice in this ^ti "= an-
"matter." Then Aristotle wrote unto him, saying,
"If thou killest them, thou wilt not be able [to
"change] either the water of their land, or the
"wind of their country; therefore, rule them
"graciously, and conquer them with love, and
"they will be subject unto thee;"' and Alexander
did so.
Then Alexander made war upon Babylon, and
he entered it and became king over it; but after- Alexander
,-. ,.^ .1 '^in Babylon.
wards certam of its chief men conspired against
him; and he sent to Aristotle to take counsel from
him concerning them. Then Aristotle meditated
in his mind, and went out into his garden, and
laying hold upon the large trees he pulled them
forth from the earth, and he planted in their place
litrie trees. And he said to Alexander's messenger,
"[Go and] inform Alexander of what thou hast
"seen, and tell him of everything which hath taken
' Compare Mas'udi, torn. ii. p. 134.
'°