Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

474 THE HISTORY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT.
"come, lest he make his neighbour as timid as
"himself."
Alexander So Alexander rose up to make war with a large
tee^count^ army, and he placed his confidence in his God.
of the Liv- js^^^ YiQ arrived after one year in the Country of
Darkness, and he looked hither and thither, and
found nothing which he could do, for there were
no winds for the ships and rafts whereby he could
sail and pass away from the place. And he looked
and saw that there were in the Country of Darkness
great birds which were very much larger than
[p. 288] eagles, and he gave them the flesh of
The birds in animals, and they took it and carried it away
ofDarkness. into the darkucss which was above the water, and
they passed away to the Country of the Living,
and when they had eaten it they returned. And
Alexander fed them again and again, and thus
they became familiar with men; now hitherto they
had not been accustomed to men. And these
birds were as gentle as doves and were without
guile, even as a lamb that uttereth no cry before
him that sheareth him; and they would eat meat,
and honey, and sugar out of a man's hand. Now
their appearance was exceedingly formidable, and
their bodies and wings were of great size. Then
Alexander chose certain strongf men from amono-
Certain sol- hIs soldiers and commanded them to mount on
ried to the the backs of the eagles, and in [his] wisdom he
th°eL'ivi^go°nP^^P^''^'^
meat which was hung upon hooks before
the backs of their eyes, just where they were unable [to reach]
to eat it; and seeing the meat they [flew after