On a day there came to the tomb of Alexander wise men from all lands, and one said, “Alexander made his treasure of gold, and the gold endures, but not Alexander.” The second said, “Yesterday the whole world did not satisfy him, to-day four ells are enough.” The third said, “Yesterday he ruled the people, to-day the people rules him.” The fourth said, “Yesterday he could save a multitude from death, to-day he cannot save his own life.” The fifth said, “Yesterday he led his army from the city, to-day they led him to his burial.” The sixth said, “Yesterday he pressed down the earth, to-day it weighs him down.” The seventh said, “Yesterday all men feared him, to-day they hold him in small honour.” The last said, “Yesterday he had friends and enemies, to-day all men are alike to him.”
Then they went away, and Alexander was alone, sitting in his chair, of state, watching his city.
WHO SHALL ME GIVEN TEARES TO COMPLAIN
THE DEATH OF GENTILLESSE AND OF FRANCHISE.
THE END
AFTER-WORDS
The story which has just been told may be looked on as the result of ten centuries of Eastern and Western imagination. The career of the historical Alexander is perhaps one of the most important things, in its way, that have happened on our earth, and could not fail to give rise to a plenteous crop of legend and of marvels. Even in his lifetime the Greek orators allowed their language to run riot in the telling of his deeds, which required no exaggeration to stand out before the world.
Greek Text of Pseud-Callisthenes.