from them, nor did he veil to them what of Divine power He was wont to veil to their ancestors. And to every circumstance there is a cause, and to every fate there is a final limit. And of God do we ask assistance, because of what He has benevolently bestowed through His mercy, and upon Him be the trust put.

CHAPTER XLVI.

THE HISTORY OF EL-ISKANDAR (ALEXANDER THE GREAT.)

THE whole number of the years from Adam up to the time of king el-Iskandar was three thousand nine hundred and thirty years. And when el-Iskandar undertook the war against Dîrawas (Darius) the Persian, he saw in his sleep an angel descending from heaven in the form of an imâm, and clad in his robes, who said unto him: "Fear not, O hero, thou shalt conquer Persia; for I am about to deliver him (Darius) into thy hand: behold God is with thee." So he (Alexander) attacked him (Darius) and killed him. And when each nation was subdued, its imâms were brought unto him, in the hope that he might see one like unto that form; but he saw none. And when he came to Sûr (Tyre) to conquer it, there were dwelling in its neighborhood some of the Samârat (Samaritans), and these el-Iskandar summoned that he might win them over to his side; but they would not consent, for they had bound themselves by an oath to this people. And he blamed them, and directed his march towards the region of Nâbulus; and its people came out to meet him, and, when he beheld the form of the chief imâm, he hastily descended from his animal, and

prostrated himself before him. And when his attendants saw what he did, they also hastily dismounted and prostrated themselves, while all the retinue wondered why he had been bent upon their destruction; and his companions said to him: "Verily, these people have bewitched thee." But he said to them: "They have exercised no power; by God, I am not bewitched, but only seized with great emotion; for, verily, at the time of my going forth against Dîrawas there met me a man similar to this individual and like unto him in form, who said to me: 'Go forth against Dîrawas, and fear not; for, lo, thou shalt kill him,' and thus it did come to pass." And el-Iskandar was moved with love for the Samarat (Samaritans), and acted kindly toward them, and said unto them: "Verily, your God is the God of Gods and Lord of Lords." 1 And el-Iskandar conquered all the country of el-Hind (India) and Fâris (Persia) and er-Rum (Greece) and other places. Then an impulse led him to desire to see the whole earth, whereupon it was planned for him to make a journey into the land of Shades, upon she-asses which had colts, and he carried it out. And when they had tied the colts in the light, they entered upon a journey of three days into the darkness. Thereupon they took of the dust which was upon the ground, and then came out and examined it when they were in the light, and they found that the dust which they had with them was rubies and pearls, whereupon he regretted that he had not taken more of it than he had; for who would not take what someone has abandoned? 2 And he said to his companions and his wise men : "In how much time, forsooth, can I see rapidly and quickly all the regions of the world?" And his wise men and companions said unto him: "If 2 Note 96.

1 Note 95.

thou desirest to see the world in one moment and in the briefest space of time, summon the skilled carpenters and command them to construct a car with screws and apparatus, which will with rapidity ascend and descend, then take four of thy trained eagles and tie them to the four corners of the car, and hang meat to the top part of the car, so as that the eagles cannot reach it; for if the eagles crave the meat, they will ascend towards it, and the car will then be borne aloft through the air, until it be lifted up on high, and thou shalt see the buildings and what is round about them. And when thou hast the desire, the screws shall be put in rapid motion, and thou shalt have the meat changed about and hung below, and the eagles will go downwards in a desire to get at it, and will descend with the car to the earth unto the level spot which thou desirest." And el-Iskandar did so, and ascended into the air until he had seen the earth; then the eagles reversed and descended with him, until he alighted on the spot which el-Iskandar built up and called its name el-Iskandariyeh (Alexandria). Thereupon he came to the Mount of Blessing and acknowledged it to be the noblest of places, and the grandest : in praise to God-Mighty and Powerful. Then he proceeded to invest his companions with the authority over the territories, until he had gone over all the earth. And when his companions beheld his liberality to the children of Isrâîl and his compassion upon them, and that he did not rebuke them for anything, whether it was a grave affair or a trifling action, they became envious of them; and his companions said to him: "Why does this nation transgress every religious ordiance, in neglecting to comply with the established statute? Why dost thou not summon it,

and make instant demand of them concerning the establishment of idols and images?" And so he, at this time, commanded the imâm-I mean the chief imâm-and the chiefs of the children of Isrâîl that, they should set up to him in all their habitations statues and images; and then said to them: "I am about to go unto Misr, and upon my return let me find what I have commanded. Then el-Iskandar set out on his journey. And the chief imam assembled all the leaders of the children of Isrâîl, and they went up to the Mount of Blessing and fasted and prayed and offered praise, and humiliated themselves unto God-Mighty and Powerfuland He disclosed to them an excellent idea, to wit, that they should name their boys with the name of the king el-Iskandar. And they sent unto every place, ordering them to name every boy that should be born unto them with the name of the king el-Iskandar; and they did this. And when three years had passed the king el-Iskandar returned and came up from Misr, and when he came to the lands of the children of Isrâîl, he saw in them neither statue nor image, and he reprobated this, and summoned the leaders of the people and demanded of them the reason. And they replied that they established unto him images, who were endowed with rational speech and moved like paragons of obedience, and were quick to obey. Thereupon they brought forward immediately their children, of whom there had been gathered unto them a great number; and he said unto them: "What are your names?" And they said: “We are servants of the king el-Iskandar, who are named with his name." And the king and his disciples were pleased, and approved of what they had done. And when the imâm saw the satisfaction of the king in what had happened, he threw aside

his restraint and said to him: "The reason of our neglecting the setting-up of idols is fear of our Lord-Mighty and Powerful-who has prohibited us from doing this, and when He-exalted be His fame and mighty be His name--saw the purity of the purpose, He made known unto us that we should substitute our children in place of idols. And the king approved of this on their part, and said unto them, "I know that your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords." Thereupon the king bestowed upon them gifts, and spread abroad the praise of their deed.5 And unto God be praise and thanksgiving for His kindness, of Whom we ask mercy and pardon.

CHAPTER XLVII.

THE HISTORY OF ADRINUS (HADRIAN), AND HOW HE DESTROYED EL-QUDS (JERUSALEM),

AND WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM WITH AFRIM

(EPHRAIM) AND MANASHSHIH (MANASSEH).

WHEN this king, whose name was Adrînûs, came to reign after el-Iskandar, he went down to Misr and killed a multitude of the Nasara (Christians) of those who believed in the Masîh (Messiah); and when he had built a city in elHâjar, he went down and beseiged Beit elMuqaddas. Now; prior to this, there was a city there called Yûsâf 2 and in it were two brothers, Afrim and Manashshîh, who were Samaritans. And a certain Jew had gone up with some young doves, desiring to enter with them and make an offering in Beit el-Muqaddas for his sins; and he passed the night in Yûsâf, and the two brothers took the pair of young doves and slew them, and

5 Note 99- 1 Note 100. 3 Note 101.