53

The slaying of Darius. 58

letter comes to thou, thee haste thou to us in all that thee may. For [wite ze wele] for certain, that right as he don to us, so he purpose him in time coming for to do to thou.'

In the meantime, certain men of Darius went from him & come to Alexander, and told him, that Darius purposed him for to fight with him [eftsones], and had sent to Porus, king of India, for to come in great haste, for to help him. When Alexander heard this, [be-lyfe] he removed his Army toward Darius, thinking in his heart that he would on no ways take upon him the. name of Emperor before he had won Darius and his [empire?] in war. And when Darius heard of the coming of Alexander, he dreaded him greatly & the persians also. But there was two princes of Darius, of the which the [tane highte] Bisso & the tother Ariobarsantes, these two when they heard of the coming of Alexander, conspired together for to slay their lord Darius supposing for to have a great [recognition?] of Alexander, and a great reward for their deed. And other of them were sworn to other. And then they went to the king's palace, and unto his chamber with drawn swords in their hands, and found Darius by him[self]. And when Darius saw that, he [trowed] well that they would slay him, And said unto them: 'Dear friends, hither towards have I called thou my servants, but now I call thou my lords. What ails thou at me that thee will slay me? Has Alexander cherished the madeconians more than I have done thou? Have I not sorrow & disease enough of enemies without? But if thee conspire against me for to slay me without guilt, I say forsooth, & thee slay me thus privily, And Alexander may [gete] thou, he will take more cruel vengeance on thou, then on any thieves. For [sothely] it is [neither comforting nor pleasing?] to an Emperor to find another emperor murdered [by] his own men. But they were nothing stirred to pity, nor tenderness, nor mercy, through his words, But went to him and with great cruelty smote him, & [altogether?] mangled him, and went fast their way, & left him for dead.

And when Alexander heard tell that Darius was slain he

The slaying of Darius. 58

\ettve comjTiej to 50W, ^e haste 50W titt vs in aft )?at 56 may.

For wite 5e wele for certayne, that rijte als he done tilt

vs, so he p2*rpose hym in tyme commynge for to do to ^owe.'

4 *In the men tyme, certane mefD of Dari-ws went fra hym

& come titt Alexander, & talde hym, J:)at Daiiws pwrposede Alexander

hym for to feghte wit hym eftesones, and had sent titt Vovus, thff^^^^

kyng: of Inde, for to come in grete haste, for to helpe hym. through
■^ * . ^ . treachery

8 WhefD AXeyiander herd f)is, be-lyfe he remowed" his Oste to marches

ward" Dariws, thynkand in his herte \>ai he wolde on na wyse Darius

take apon) hym ]?e name of Emp^roi^r be-fore he hadd* wonfD

Darii(s and his rewme one werre. And when Dariws herde

13 of )?e commyng of AX^yiander , he dredd" hym gretly & J)e

p^rcyenes also. Bot J? are was two prynce^ of Dariws, of \>e Two nobles
whilke }?e tane highte Bisso & )?e id^er Ariobarsantes, thir conspire to
twa when) f»air '^ herd" of J^e comyng of Alexawc^er, co^ispyred' fjf^^j;"^

16 to-gedir for to slaa J?aire lord' Dari^ts, supposyng for titt hafe may have
a grete thanke of Alexa9^c?er, and a gret reward' for fiaire dede. Alexander.
And ayther of J>am) ware sworne titt o^per. And than) thay
went to J?e kynges palace, and come intitt his chamber wit

20 draweii) swerdes in J^aire hande^, and fand Dariws bi hym
ane. And when) Dariws saw that, he trowed' wele \>ai fay
wolde sla hyin), And said vn-to ]?am) : ' Dere frende5, hedir Darius see-
to warde^ hafe I called 50W my s^ruawnd^^, bot now I call 50W Jj"|g ^^

24 my lordes. "What ayles 50W at me ]>ai 56 witt sla me ? Haes ^lercy, and

ior©u©AJ.s

Kle^ander cheriste )?e macedoynes mare pan) I hafe done 50W ? the future
Hafe I no^te sorow & disese ynoghe of enemyse wit-owtten) ? of^ex^°^
Bot if 56 co?ispire agaynes me for to sla me wit owttefD gilt, ander. But

28 I say for sothe, & 56 sla me * thus preuelye, And AXeyiander him.
may gete 50W, he witt take mare cruett vengeance one 30W, then) * Leaf 20
on any theues. For sothely it es na comforthe ne lykyng titt
ane Emperoi^r to fynd an ofer Emp^rowr mwrthered'wit his awen)

32 men).' Bot fay were na-thynge stirrede to petee, ne tendernesse,
ne mercy, thurgh his worde^, Bot went titt hym and wit grete
cruelnesse smate hym, & al-to magle hym, and went faste f aire
waye, & lefte hym for dede.

36 ^ And when) Alexawc?er herd' tett fat Darii^s was slayne he hearing of

^ Five lines space with a capital I. take here, aa the two spellings x&ry /aire

^ MS. />air for /ay, just as on leaf 34, and /air on leaves 34, 54.
1.23. Cf. Icelandic /et>. There is no mis- ' Four lines with red capital A.