CHAPTER VIII. TELLS HOW DARIUS THE EMPEROR SENT PRESENTS TO ALEXANDER, AND WHAT WAS THE PRESENT SENT BACK TO HIM.
But it fell that some of them of Tyre had fled into the court of Darius, and they complained to him of their city destroyed, and “all this,” said they, “we suffered because we obeyed the great king, the Emperor Darius.” Then began the Emperor to question them concerning this Alexander, what manner of man he was, what was his stature and his strength, whether he were brave or no. And they, willing to bring shame on the name of their enemy, shewed Darius a painting of him on parchment. But when Darius looked on it he burst into laughter, and all men smiled, and he said: “Well for ye, ye men of Tyre, if ye were beaten by such a man as this, for never saw I such a warrior,” for they had painted him a little shrivelled creature, more like an ape than a man, with long arms, and one leg longer than the other, blinking and stupid, the most miserable object that had ever been seen. And Darius drove the men of Tyre from his presence, and asked his wise men concerning Alexander, who and what manner of man he was; and they told him how he was the king’s son of Macedon, and how they had chosen him as fit to be the husband of Roxana, and how he had rejected him because of his small stature.
Then Darius bade search for his portrait and bring it before him that he might look on him; but when they sought it they found it not among the other likenesses, for it is to be said that Roxana the Queen had borne it with her and treasured it up with her chief treasures. So he thought within himself that he would prove the heart and wit of the Greek, and he commanded, and they brought him presents for Alexander, and first was a ball covered with gold; “for,” said he, “he must have something to play with;” then he added a hat, “and,” said he, “this is better than a crown;” and last they brought him a head-covering made of twigs and osiers; “this is better for such an one as thou, O Alexander, than a bright steel helm.” And Darius fell back upon his throne, laughing, and ordered messengers to take them to Alexander, bearing with them a letter under his broad seal.
So Darius called for his scribes, and they came before him, and he ordered them to write a letter to Alexander, and this was the form of the letter he wrote:
“DARIUS, the Emperor, king of kings, lord of lords, predecessor of princes, equal to the Sun, the lord of the earth, to Alexander, our subject and our servant.
“For it is reported to us that thou, through the vanity and vainglory of thy heart, hast got together warriors to lay waste parts of our kingdom, and hast now with thee a number of wretches, thieves and vagabonds, and by their means dost think to wield at thy will the power of Persia:
“Now, therefore, be warned in time, for thou art weak before me, even if thou hadst gathered against my empire all the men in the world outside it, for my people are so many that they are like to the stars of heaven in number. Submit in time; the Persians are famed to be unbeaten.
“It is told me that thou, a dwarf and weakling, dost covet the rule of all the lands under the wide heavens, and that, like a storm of wind-blown snow, driven hither and thither, thou passest over all lands with a train of ruffians behind thee. I have not yet armed my men against thee; beware, when my hand shall be raised, thy life is done. Turn again, boy, to thy mother’s care; take these toys I send thee. Know that the riches of Persia are so great, that a heap of its gold would shut out the light of the sun, and blame thyself for all the evils that shall fall on thee if thou disobey.