Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

430
THE HISTORY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
him, and asked that he might be punished, and
Alexander wished to slay him. Now when the
man heard of this [p. 254] he sent his servant to
Alexander with many gifts and rich stuffs, and he
gave him a deadly drug, and ordered him to take
an opportunity of administering the poison which
he had with him to Alexander. And it came to
pass that when the servant' had come to Alexan-
der he brought in to him that which he had with
him, and he made a gift of great value to the
chief cup-bearer of Alexander. Now it was the
good will and pleasure of God Almighty that the
chief of the cup-bearers of Alexander was angry
with him because he had treated him with con-
tumely; and the servant of the prefect of Mace-
donia coming at that time found him in the state
of mind which he wished him to be in; and he
made a compact with him, and he took the drug
from him, and mixed it with the wine and gave
Alexander's it to Alexander to drink when he was drunk,
o^ympias. " ^^d he drank it. And it came to pass that, when
he knew that he must die of the poison, Alexan-
der wrote a letter and sent it to his mother in-
forming her of it and consoling her about himself,
and he spake unto her, saying, "Know thou, O
"lady, that we in this world are like unto to-day
"which passeth away and followeth in the track
"of yesterday, and that to-morrow [will follow] in
"the track of [to-day]. And our path is to follow
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