54
Alexander comes to Darius.
his death
enters
Susa with-
out resist-
ance.
The con-
spirators
hide them-
selves.
Alexander
goes to the
room
where
Darius lies
dying.
Alexander
has pity
on Darius
and pro-
mises him
all he once
had if he
will but
live.
Alexander
says he
would
rather give
his own
Empire to
Darius
than be-
hold him
dead.
* Leaf 21.
Darius em-
braces
Alexander.
Darius'
speech to
Alexander
on the
worthless-
ness and
unstead-
fastness of
12
went ou«r f)e wat^r of Graunt, and att his Oste vfii hym, and
come to J)e cetee of Susis. And alsone als \>q p^rcj'enes saw
hyw, Thay OpenedT Jje 5ates of f)e citee, &• rescheyued' hym) wtt
grete wirchipe. And when) )?e prynce5 t^^^ slewe Darius wiste 4
))at AXexaiider was comen) in)-to J>e citee J^ay went & helde fain)
in hidils ay titt J:)ay my^te gete knaweynge of Alexanc^er witt,
as towchand" }?at that ]^ay hadd" done to Dariws. Alexander f)an)
went in-to J?e kynges Palace, and as he went pare-in he 8
merueyled hym g^etly of J»e biggyng ]?are-off. For Cirus \>e
kyng of Perse gert bigg it ryally. And the pament Ipareoffe
was made of stanes of dyuerse colours, & ])e walles att enueround
-wit fyne golde & pr^cyows stanes & sternes lyke to ]>e firmament,
and pelers of golde J^at bare vp )?e werke. When) Alexander
saw att this curiows werke, he meruailed" hym gretly. And
than) he went to J>e chambre j^are Dariws laye halfe dede.
And alsone als he saw hym) he hadd" grete rewthe & compassiofD i6
of hym, and he tuke off his awenn) mantitt & couerd" [hym] pare-
wit, & went and graped" his wondes and wepid' for hym rijt
tenderly, & said' un-til hym. * Kise vp, sir Dariws,' quop he, ' &
be of gude comforthe. And als frely as eu^r J?ou reioysede thyn) 20
Empire, so mot J>ou ^itt do, And be als myghty, & als gloryouse
als euer \)ou was. I swere the here by oure my^ty goddes & by
fe faythe in my body, pat here I resigne vn-to the att thyn)
empyre, desyrand" souerayjigly for to hafe pe lyfe of the, as Ipe 24
son) of ^ pe Fader, For sekerly it es ynfittand* & unsemly titt ane
6m-perour for to be reioysede of an oper emiperours mescheffe &
disesse, when) fortune base forsaken) hym. Tette me, szV, what
pay are pat base thus faren) wit the, and I sewre pe als I am 28
trew mafD I satt venge the to pe uttereste.' And * whefD
Alexander had said? this & mekitt mare, Sare wepand' Dariws
putt furthe his hande, and layde his arme abowte Alexander
nekke, and kyssed his breste, his nekke, & his hande, & saide 32
thir worde^, thare that here folowes. ^ < A, dere son) Alexander/
quop he, *als thi heghe witt knawes wele, att this werlde es
corupt and sett in malice. For pe souerayne forluke of godd"
att thynge5 knawande fra pe begynnyng, and hafand' felyng 36
of pe wirkywge^ for to come, made man) in that wyse, at pe
* f>e is written in above the line in the
MS.
^ Four lines miniature with ornamented
red capital A.
EN