Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

A CHRISTIAN ROMANCE. 545
"and become like the dust which the winds scatter
"over the face of the earth. And, moreover, some
"men die in the river and the crocodiles devour
"their bodies; and some perish by fire and their
"flesh and bones are burnt up, and not a handful
"[of their dust] can be found, and even that [little]
"the winds scatter abroad; and some, again, die
"in the desert and before they can be buried wild
"beasts eat up their flesh, and gnaw to pieces and
"devour their bones; and similarly each man hathne has
"a different manner of death. And, finally, in the th"''*^rM^.'
"matter of those who are buried, their bones decay ''"''°°'
"and become dust after a time, and they are dug
"up eventually and men make them into potter's
"vessels and build [p. 346] habitations with them.
"And as for what thou sayest, namely, that Ezekiel
"the prophet raised up bones which had been dead
"for forty-five years and they became new again,
"how could it possibly be?"
CHAPTER XXXI.
And Alexander the king answered and said unto Aiexander-s
Komsat, "Why wilt thou be so senseless as not"'"''"
"to believe? Thou makest me to forget my pain
"and anguish, and thou bringest back thine own
"mind again into mad folly. Why wilt thou be
"so slow of heart in [understanding] the sign?
"Thou art of the depraved seed of the family of
"Midian and of the seed of Agar; but listen, and
"I will explain it unto thee. With God Almighty
"everything is possible, and there is nothing which
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