Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

440 THE HISTORY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT.
everlasting mountains in the Land of Darkness'
which they were not able to penetrate. He removed
from his kingdom the evil-doers, and every worker
in magic, and every idol, and he made the kingdom
of God Almighty to be manifest in uprightness,
Alexander's whercforc God Almighty set up for him his king-
°^ °'
dom. And He gave him dominion over one
thousand' kingdoms, and he obeyed His voice
wholly for nine and twenty years with exceeding
honour,' and reverence, and Godfearingness, and
humility of spirit, and goodness; and he was
zealous in fasting and in prayer.
Elijah went up to heaven mounted on horses
of fire,* and Alexander penetrated the Land^ of
Darkness—until— he- came—to—the—Country of the
Living. Elijah was fed by the mouths of impure
ravens* with pure bread from God Almighty, and
Alexander penetrated the windless Sea of Darkness
by means of the impure wings of eagles w^hich
drew [his] ships along.^ Elijah," having smitten
the waters of the Jordan' with his rough sheepskin
cloak, passed boldly through them with his disciple
Elisha," and Alexander, having confidence in his
^ See above, p. 265.
^ A poetical way of expressing the fact that Alexander
subdued all the peoples from the east to the west.
3 Read \i'ttC ^ See 2 Kings ii. 11.
5 We should rather expect Hrfb^ !
* See I Kings xvii. 6. 7 See above, p. 278.
8 Read /bAPrt =
" Read h,M6
'' See 2 Kings ii._8.
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