Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

426 THE HISTORY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
Alexander's [Thc writcr of this history] saith :—Then Alexander,
veis.^' "'wishing to journey to the ends of the world and to
the ends of the earth, and to see what there was
therein, left the naked sages, and he hath narrated
many things concerning the creatures [which were
there], each of which was different in appear-
ance and in nature from his fellow.' And he
journeyed on until he passed beyond the places
wherein men dwelt, and he came to a desert land'
and to a spot wherein dwelt no man and where
there was nothing but wild beasts; and here, and
in every other place wherein he journeyed, he saw
many wonderful things, animals,^ and trees, and
plants, and the description [of them] which he
left behind is written in his book. And Alexander
did not cease to travel round about through the
Alexander in earth Until he arrived at Babylon* and saw the
wonderful things [there] ; and
he strengthened his
sovereignty, and nations submitted unto him, and
he vanquished kings, and carried spoil' from them,
and the treasure-houses of the earth were uncovered
before him.
And it came to pass that the chief of his host, who
He is poi-was called Eltakis,* took counsel to kill Alexander,
dies. and he made a compact with the cup-bearer who
gave him his wine, and he administered unto him
' See Breithauptj p. 132— 149.
^ See Breithaupt, p. 149, 3 Read YiTril^ •"
* See Joseph ben-Gorion, Bk. ii. chap. xxii.
s Read "iVV-ao- -.
^ The Hebrew has On^BS^tSiN, Antipater.