He demanded of the first “Which he took to be the more numerous, the living or the dead?” He answered, “The living, for the dead are not.”
The second was asked, “Which breeds the largest animals, the sea or the land?” He answered, “The land, for the sea is only a part of it.”
The third was asked, “Which is the cleverest of beasts?” He answered, “That with which man is not yet acquainted.”
The fourth was asked, “For what reason he induced Sabbas to revolt?” He answered, “Because I wished him to live with honour or die with honour.”
The fifth was asked, “Which he thought existed first, the day or the night?” He answered, “The day was first by one day.” As the king appeared surprised at this solution, he added, “Impossible questions require impossible answers.”
Alexander then turning to the sixth asked him “How a man could best make himself beloved?” He answered, “If a man being possessed of great power did not make himself to be feared.”
Of the remaining three, one being asked “How a man could become a god?” replied, “By doing that which is impossible for a man to do.”
The next being asked, “Which of the two was stronger, life or death?” he replied, “Life, because it bears so many evils.”
The last being asked, “How long it was honourable for a man to live?” answered, “As long as he does not think it better to die than to live.”