The Story of Alexander

by Robert Steele

And now the people of the city began to come out in procession, clothed in their richest robes. First came the bishop with the priests of the temple, dressed in royal magnificence. He wore under all a long robe covered with birds and beasts embroidered in blue and purple, and on that a robe with gold skirts, with many shining stones sprinkled all over, and set stiff with sapphires and other gems, and powdered with pearls of the purest hue. Over this he cast on a cope of chestnut colour with rich ribands of gold, and round the hem a border of violet flowers, embroidered with satyrs and fauns and the wild beasts of the forest. And on his head he wore a great mitre forged out of pure gold, bordered with pearls, and covered with such precious stones that no man might look upon it, for it struck out shimmering shafts of light like the beams of the bright sun. And with the bishop came the doctors of law, the judges of the city, and they were all dressed in tunics of scarlet silk brought from Tartary, and were loaded with their golden chains of office; and after them the clergy, all clothed in their brightest dress. Such a sight had never been seen before, nor will it be seen again.

After the bishop and his attendants the whole city came in order, Mayor, merchants, masters and men, widows and wives, all came with their companies, and each of them dressed in white linen pure as the driven snow. Then a company of children came forth with bells and banners and blazing torches; some bore censers with silver chains and burning spices within, whose smoke rose to the clouds, two bore a cushion of brown velvet embroidered with pearls to be held before the bishop for his book to rest on, others bore candlesticks of gold and of silver, and the relics of the temple, the richest of the world. And all the procession went on till they came to a little place outside the town whence they could see the temple, and there they abode the coming of the king.

And now they heard the tramp of feet and the distant sound of arms and horses, for all men kept silence in fear and doubt and half-hope, and they knew not how soon they might be ridden down and slain or made slaves, or whether they should indeed be saved as the bishop had told them. Then they saw Alexander riding up with a host of dukes and princes and earls, and at the same time the king caught sight of their array, and when Alexander saw this multitude of men in milk-white clothes he thought it a marvel, and he turned and saw the crowd of priests in maniples and stoles, and the doctors of the law and the prelates in their robes; and amidst them all, the chief amongst them, the bishop, dressed in his array of gold and purple and fine linen; and the king’s eyes fixed on him and looking up he beheld on his mitre a plate of fine gold, and on it was graven the great name of The Maker of Men. Then the king commanded his knights to approach no nearer on pain of their lives, but all, great and small, to remain behind, and he spurred on his horse till he came up to the spot where the bishop was standing, and then jumping down he fell on his knees before the bishop on the cold earth, and beating his breast worshipped the Holy Name that he saw written on his head.

Then all the people bowed themselves down before Alexander as he stood up, and meekly kneeling they cried with a keen voice: “Long may he live, long may he live.” Then the fairest lady of them all came out and cried: “Lo, Alexander, the noblest lord under heaven, long may he live, the mighty emperor, the wielder of all the world, the mightiest on the earth.” And all the people of the city answered her with one voice: “Long may he live, long may he live.” Then stepped out a man and he cried out: “Lo, he that overcometh all men, who shall be overcome never; The greatest, the most glorious, that ever was made by God.” And all the people cried out at once: “Long may he live, long may he live.”

Now there were with Alexander many of the rulers of the land of Syria who had yielded up their lands to him, and when they saw him bow down, as they thought, to the bishop of the Jews, they held it a great wonder. Then Parmeon, one of Alexander’s princes, went up to him, and asked him why he bowed down to the bishop of Jews, when all other men bowed before him instead. And Alexander answered him: “Nay, I neither hailed him nor bowed down to him, but to the King of Heaven alone, the Father of gods and of men. For many days ago, when I was in Macedon, one appeared to me in such a dress and shape as this man now wears. And I mused in my mind how I might win Asia, and he bade me fear not, but that all the land should be mine, and when I saw this man, verily he seemed the same god who had spoken to me. Now have I good hope, by the help of this God whose Name is written yonder, to conquer Darius and to destroy the empire of the Persians.”

And now the bishop had greeted Alexander full lowly, and all men had done him homage, and they prayed the king to enter into the town, and Alexander marvelled to see how fair a city it was, and the people of the land received him with reverence and joy as he were the leader of them all, or as one come down from the gods. Then went they through the town, and the bishop brought them to the temple that the great knight and king, Dan Solomon, had built, and the wise men of the temple came forth, and Alexander heard of their lore. Then came one of the oldest of them all and spoke words to the bishop, and he arose and bowed down before Alexander and said: “O king, verily there are words concerning thee and thy deeds in the books of our holy place,” and he ordered the temple guardians, and they brought out a huge roll, a broad book full of dark sayings of the times to be, and there was the saying of a mighty seer, one Daniel by name, and Alexander read how that the men out of Greece should utterly destroy the people of Persia.

Thereupon was Alexander merry of heart, for he deemed that the time had come, and that he should indeed beat down Persia, and he ordered his men to fetch great gifts, and to each man he gave chains of gold, and jewels of pearls and of rubies, and to the bishop he gave store of bezants, great round heavy golden coins, such as bishops love, and he showed him a heap of golden talents, but the bishop feared to take such riches. Then said the king: “O Bishop, ask what thou wilt in this world, anything mayest thou ask that I may give, and I will grant it thee ere I go hence.” And the bishop bowed him down to the ground and said: “O King Alexander, this thing of all others I deeply desire, durst I name it, that thou wouldst grant us the use of our law, as our fathers before us have obeyed it, and if it may be, grant us that we pay no tribute for seven years, in memory of the joy of thy coming, then shall all men pray for thee and serve thee, and, if I may but add one thing, grant to those of Media and of Babylon that they may freely obey our law.”

“That grant I thee,” said the king, “ask now for thyself, and be served.” “Nay, lord, no more, if I may have your love and your lordship while my life lasts,” said the bishop, and he and all men meekly thanked Alexander. And Alexander appointed a lord to dwell in the town, hear what men said, and be his viceroy, and the bishop blessed him, and he departed into the cities near at hand, and all of them came out to welcome him and to acknowledge him their lord.