28

The return; second campaign against Persia

say sothe, Alexander has few knights, but they are strange, that has slain my knights that ware so many, so that [vnnethe] might I escape out of their hands. Alexander, if all he had the victories of his enemies, he bore him never the highere therefore, and emprided him not thereof. But both Persians and Macedonians that were slain, he [gert] bring to burial. And then he come with his Oste into [Cecitl], where many cities submit them unto him, and of that room, "there went with him [xvij. M.] fighting men. And from [thethyn] he come to Ysaury, the whilke, without any again standing, was [zolden] unto him. And Alexander went upon the Mount Taurus, and found there a city men called Persepolis, and there betook with him a certain of men of arms, and went so through Asye, and won many Cities. And so he come into Phrygia, and went into the temple of the son, and there he made sacrifice to the son. From [tbetbyn], he come to a river, that is called Stamandra, and there he said to his men. 'Blessed must be,' quoth he, 'that has gotten the commendations and the praisings of the good doctor Homer,' and one of his men answered & said, "My lord king,' quoth he, 'Methinks I may [sauely] write my praisings & longings of thee, than Homer did of them that destroyed the city of Tyrene. For thou has done in thy time most worshipful things, than ever did they.' And Alexander answered & said, '[Me ware leuer,'] quoth he, 'be a wyse manes disciple than for to have the longings of Achilles.' After tbis he removed with his Oste into Macedonia, & found his mother Olympias well cured of her sickness and sojourned there with her a while. And then he ordained him for to [wende] again into Persia, And cast him for to lodge at a City, that men called Abandryan. The men of the City, when they heard tell of his coming, they [sperede] the gates of the City, and watched the city one each aside. And when Alexander saw that, be went & assailed the City. And the burgess of the City, when they saw that the city was not strange enough of the selfe, for to again stand the assault of their enemies, they cried to Alexander & said, 'King Alexander,' quoth they, 'we [spered]

28

Alexan-
der's hu-
mility and
courtesy to
his fallen
foes.

His further
march.

Alexander
sacrifices
to the Sun
in Phrygia.

* Leaf lo
bk.

Alexander
answers a
flatterer,he
had rather
be a wise
man's dis-
ciple than
have the
praises of
Achilles.

Alexander

marches

again

towards

Persia.

The citi-
zens of
Abandria
shut their
gates
against
him. But

The return; second campaign against Persia.

say sothe, Alexander base few knyglitis, bot f)ay ere strange,
}?at base slaen) my knygbtis pat ware so many, so ]?at^
vnnetbe^ raygbte I escbappe owte of ]?aire bande^.' Alexanc/er,
if atte'^ be bade f)e victorye of bis enemys, be bare bym neuer 4
j^e biere ]?ar«-fore, ne empridede bym no5te Ipare-of. Bot
batbe P^rcyenej & tbe Macedoyns ])at ware slaen), be gert
brynge to beryetl. And fail) be come wit bis Oste in-to Cecitl,
wbare many Citej submyt J?am) vfD-titt bym, and of tbat rewme, 8
"pare went wit bym) : xvij. M. fegbtynge men). And fra
tbetbyn) be come tilt Ysaury, Ipe wbilke, wit-owtten) any agayne
standynge, was 5olden vntitt bym. And Alexander went vp
apoiD Ipe Mounte T&urus, and fande "pare a citee )?at men) callede 12
Persypolis, and tbare be tuk wit bym a certane of men) of
Armes, and went so tburgb Asye, and wan) many Cite^. And
so be come i^i-to Frigy, and went in-to pe temple of pe son),
and tbare be made sacrafyce to pe son). Fra tbetbyn), be come 16
to a reuere, pat es called? Stamandra, and J?are be said' titt bis
men. 'Blyste mote je be',* quop be, 'pat base getyn) pe
comendacions & pe praysynge^ of pe gude doctc^tr Homerws',
and ane of bis men) ansuerde & said", ' Mi lorde kyng ', quop 20
be, ' Me thynke I may sanely writte ma praysynge^, & lonynge^
of tbe, J?an) Homeius did of ]:'am) pat distruyede pe Citee of
Trayane. For pou. base done in J?! tyme ma wircbipfutt
tbynge3, J?an) euer did? J?ay.' And Alexander [ansuerd,] & said", 24
' Me ware leuer,' quop be, ' be a wyse manes disciple J?an for
to bafe pe lonynge^ of Acbille5.' After tbis be remouede w^t
bis Oste into Macedoyne, & fande bis Modir Olympias wele
couerd' of bir sekenes, and suggottrnede J>are wit ber a wbile. 28
And than) be ordeyned bym) for to wende agayne into Persy,
And keste bym for to logge at a Citee, pat men) calle^
AbandryafD. Tbe men) of pe Citee, wben) ))ay berde telle of bis
commynge, pa-j sperede pe 3ates of pe Citee, and wacbede pe citee 32
one ilke a syde. And wben) Alexander saw J)at, be went &
assaillede pe Citee. And pe burge^ of pe Citee, wben) paj sawe
pat pe citee was no^te strange ynogbe of pe selfe, for to
agaynstande pe assawte of f)aire enemys, J)ay criede tilt 36
Alexander & saide : 'Kyng Alexanc^er,' quop fay, 'we spered?

^ ' Jiat ' almost blotted out by stain in MS.

^ ' alle ' almost blotted out by same stain as above.