Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

BY JOSEPH BEN-GORION. 417
and the cup-bearer' brought the cup to Alexander
to drink from it, he took it and threw it in his Alexander
apparel and did not drink at all.^ Then Darius d^jus.
said unto him, "Why doest thou this?" and he said
unto him, "This is the custom at drinking of every
"one who cometh to the table of my master Alexan-
"der." And it came to pass that when a certain
man who had been among the ambassadors from
Darius to Alexander heard Alexander's speech, he Alexander
recognized him thereby, and he said secretly unto""
him that was opposite, "This man himself is
"Alexander." Now the drinking-cup was [made]
of gold. Then^ [seeing that he was recognized]
Alexander rushed forth to the gates of the city
by night, and slew those who guarded them, and
so escaped; and when Darius knew this he sent
soldiers after him to take him, but they found his escape.
him not, for he was ahead of them, and the night
was dark. And Alexander went on until he ar-
rived at the [p. 246] frozen river whereon he set
out to ride, but as he came towards the opposite
bank, the ice meked before he could come forth
from the river, and being mounted on his horse,
he swam, and crossed the river, and saved him-
self/ and the water kept back Darius' men from
' Read ^fiih, -
^ See Pseudo-Callisthenes, Bk. ii. chap. 15.
3 Read fll?!?"!! :
t In the Greek text the horse is drowned; see Pseudo-
Callisthenes, Bk. ii. chap. 15.
GCG