Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

442
THE HISTORY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT.
dost say, "Why did he transgress the command-
"ment of his God and bring death upon us, his
"children, so that we cannot dwell in the Garden
"of Delight without labour and death?" To thee
[I say], "Why dost thou transgress and dost take
"unto thyself other women to wife? Did not God
"command thee to dwell with one wife?" Blessed
is the man who doth content himself with his wife,
and who worketh not impurity with [the wife of]
his neighbour! For he who keepeth himself pure
with his wife shall become the heir of the land
of the living, and he that hath kept his body in
the state of virginity from his youth up shall in-
crease twofold; for his petition shall be granted
unto him by his God, even as it is said, "The
"prayers of the pure shall be accepted."'
And thou, O woman, why dost thou curse the
making of our mother Eve by God Almighty in
olden time? Prithee dost thou remember thine
own deeds, and how thou dost make thyself to
be trusted [p. 263] by thy husband, and also by
God Almighty through the words of thy false
Address
women.
toSwearIng? But thou art not faithful, and by thy
going out of the right path hast become an abo-
mination even like unto thine own uncleanness
whereby God cursed thy mother Eve for her
transgression of His command, saying, "To every
"woman shall be a week of blood."^ Now thy
mother Eve never heard, as thou dost hear this
' Compare Proverbs xv. 29. ' Leviticus xv. ig.