Appendix: Summary of the Syriac Alexander Romance

Book I

1.Nectanebo, the last king of Egypt, protected his kingdom through sorcery.

2.A spy told Nectanebo that the enemy would attack Egypt, but he laughed because he thought that he would be able to protect his kingdom by sorcery as he always had.

3.Through his sorcery, Nectanebo saw that Egypt had been betrayed by its gods. He left his kingdom and fled. He came to Pella of the Macedonians. There he dressed like an Egyptian prophet and astrologer. The people asked him questions and he became renowned. Hephaestus sent an oracle to the Egyptians announcing that a young man would come and subjugate all the enemies of Egypt in their service. The Egyptians carved this oracle under the brass tablet on the stone pedestal upon which the statue of King Nectanebo stood.

4.Queen Olympias asked Nectanebo what her future held. Nectanebo fell in love with her. He told her that Ammon, the god of Libya (who had ram's horns on his head), would sleep with her.

5.Nectanebo used his magic to send Olympias a dream in which she slept with the god Ammon.

6.Olympias asked Nectanebo to make it possible for her to sleep with the god in reality. He said that the god would appear various times, firstly in the form of a serpent, secondly with ram's horns, thirdly in the form of the hero Hercules, fourthly in the form of Dionysus, and finally in Nectanebo's form.

7.Nectanebo slept with Olympias in all these forms.

8.Nectanebo sent Philip a dream in which he learned that Olympias was pregnant by the god Ammon.

9.Philip returned from war. He told Olympias what he had dreamed.

10.Philip accused Olympias of being unfaithful. Using his sorcery, Nectanebo changed his own form and assumed that of a huge serpent. The serpent kissed Olympias and Philip saw it.

11.A hen laid an egg from which sprang a small serpent. The serpent crawled around the egg, and then went back into it and died immediately. The chief of the Chaldeans interpreted this prodigy to Philip as follows: ‘the child that is to be born will be a son. He will traverse the whole world and subjugate all men with his power. But when he returns to his own place, he will die.’

12.Nectanebo calculated the stars of heaven at the time of Olympias's delivery (over Aquarius and Pisces of Egypt). The child's birth was accompanied by the sudden noise of thunder and lightning.

13.Philip named the child Alexander, in remembrance of a son he had had with a former wife. His hair resembled the mane of a lion, and his eyes were different colours, one light and the other dark. His tutor was Lekranikos the Pellaean. There were other tutors too: Āpos the Lemnian taught him letters, Philip was his tutor in geometry, Ārespīmōn in the art of speaking, Aristotle the Milesian in philosophy, and his instructor in war was Ardippos the Dmaṭsḳian. The princes of the Cappadocians brought an offering to Philip: the horse Bucephalus (‘Bull-head’), which devoured men.

14.When Alexander was 12, he went to war with Philip and he practised horsemanship. Alexander killed Nectanebo by pushing him into a pit. He then realised that he was Nectanebo's son.

15.Philip sent his servants to Polias the diviner at Delphi to ask who would be king after him. The answer was that the future king would make the mighty steed Bucephalus run through Pella.

16.Alexander managed to ride the ‘man-eating’ horse. Philip realised that the Delphi oracle referred to Alexander.

17.When he became king, Alexander was asked by Aristotle what he would give him. Alexander replied that he would make Aristotle a ruler. The other tutors asked Alexander the same question. Letters were exchanged between Aristotle and Philip regarding Alexander's education, because his parents had sent him some funds but Alexander gave them to his friends as gifts.

18.When Alexander was 15, he returned home from school. He went to Pisa to enter the horse and chariot races. There was a quarrel between Alexander and Nicolaus, the King of Ārēṭā, who considered Alexander to be ‘small in stature’.

19.Alexander won the race.

20.He went back to Pella and discovered that his mother was divorced. Philip was going to marry Cleopatra. Alexander was angry with Philip.

21.Philip wanted to stab Alexander with a knife but he stumbled and fell.

22.Alexander reconciled his father and mother.

23.A certain city called Methone had rebelled against Philip. He sent Alexander to kill all the inhabitants through warfare. Instead, Alexander persuaded them with words to return to Philip's service. They obeyed. When Alexander returned, he saw Darius's ambassadors demanding the customary tribute from Philip. Alexander answered: ‘When Philip had no children, his hens used to lay golden eggs, but since I was born, they have been barren and no longer lay eggs.’ The ambassadors hired a skilful painter to paint Alexander. They took the picture and returned to their own land. Philip sent Alexander to subdue the Armenians.

24.A man called Theosidos tried to kill Philip because he (Theosidos) was in love with Olympias. Alexander came back after victory against the Armenians and saw Theosidos and Olympias together. He took the man to Philip, who was still alive. Philip killed Theosidos and then died himself.

25.Alexander announced that he would march against the Persians.

26.Alexander's army numbered 270,000 men in all.

27.They embarked on triremes and other large ships, and advanced over the sea from Dithoas and Thrace.

28.Alexander and his army came to Rome. The Romans welcomed him with many gifts, including 600 talents of gold and the golden crown of Zeus. They asked Alexander to take vengeance upon Carthage on their behalf. Alexander accepted the challenge.

29.Alexander set out from Italy and came by sea to Africa. He fought against the Carthaginians.

30.Alexander went to Libya and offered sacrifices there to the god Ammon. In a dream Ammon affirmed that Alexander was his son. The god showed Alexander a place where he should build a city.

31.In the dream, Alexander killed a stag. Around the spot where the stag died, there were 15 (or 12) towns. Alexander remembered his dream.

32.He entered the temple of Zeus and Hera. He read a legend there and realised that the first god was Serapis. He also saw a golden cup that was made for Serapis. He decided to build a city where the first god dwelled, just as Ammon had shown him in his dream. He called this city Alexandria.

33.Aristotle warned Alexander not to build such a great city because even if Alexander stored up all the food in his lands, it would not suffice for the nourishment of all the people in it.

34.Alexander went to Memphis and saw the statue of Nectanebo and the oracle in which it was said that Nectanebo's son would rule the world.

35.He went with his troops to Syria. There was a battle against the Tyrians. Alexander defeated them and built the city of Tripolis.

36.Darius's ambassadors showed him Alexander's painting. Roxana fell in love with Alexander. She carried the picture to her bedchamber. Then Darius sent Alexander some symbolic gifts (a whip, a ball, a box full of gold and a letter).

37.Alexander's troops were terrified. He commanded that the ambassadors be crucified but then he released them to show the superiority of Greeks over the barbarians. The motif of the sesame seeds.

38.Alexander wrote a letter to Darius in which he interpreted the gifts as his own victory over Darius. He also sent a bushel of mustard seeds as a response to the gift of sesame seeds.

39.Darius sent a letter to his satraps ordering them to fight Alexander. The satraps replied that the king should come with a strong force to help them. Darius replied.

40.Darius heard that Alexander had reached the river Estalraglos and wrote a letter to him.

41.Alexander responded. He received a message that his mother was sick, and decided to visit her. On the way, he went to Arabia and fought against one of Darius's generals. The motif of sesame and mustard seeds repeated.

42.Alexander went to Phrygia and offered sacrifices to Hector and Achilles. He gave a speech about Homer.

43.He returned to Macedonia and visited his mother. Then he went to Abdera and set fire to the city.

44.Alexander reached a city of cannibals. He ordered the horses to be killed in order to protect his troops.

45.Then he went to Locri, where he obtained food and horses. He marched towards Aḳranṭīs and went to the temple of Apollo. There he heard an oracle.

46.He began to march towards Thebes. He fought against Theban warriors and killed them all. A singer tried to enchant Alexander and his troops. Alexander expelled from the country all Thebans who remained alive.

47.These Thebans went to Delphi to ask the oracle about their city. The oracle told them that when three athletes held a contest with one another, their city would be rebuilt. Alexander went to Corinth to the Olympic Games. A Theban won the games and Alexander promised to rebuild Thebes.

Book II

1.Alexander set out from Corinth and came to Plataeae, an Athenian city. The Athenians were displeased that Alexander changed the ruler of that city because he had removed a priestess. Alexander wrote a letter to the Athenians.

2.Letters were exchanged between Alexander and the Athenians.

3.The assembly of the Athenians took place.

4.Demosthenes made a speech.

5.The Athenians sent Alexander a golden crown of victory but not the ten orators. Alexander wrote them a letter demanding the ten orators.

6.Alexander came to the border of Persia and camped by the River Tigris. He went on an embassy to Darius. The Persian king thought that Alexander was the god Mithras who had come to assist the Persians. Alexander presented himself as an ambassador.

7.At the banquet, Alexander hid the golden wine cups in his bosom. When the Persians saw this, they asked him why he had done it. Alexander said that whenever he held a feast, he would give all the golden cups to his guests. Darius gave him the cups. Meanwhile, Alexander was recognised by Darius's ambassadors, who had been to Macedonia. Alexander escaped. A picture of Xerxes in Darius's court fell to the ground.

8.Alexander filled his troops with courage to fight against Darius.

9.A battle was fought between the Persians and Macedonians on the banks of the River Strangas. Darius fled and many Persian soldiers drowned in the river or were slaughtered by the Macedonians. Darius wrote a letter to Alexander offering him Persian treasures. Alexander ordered the palace of Xerxes to be burned, but then relented.

10.Alexander saw the graves of the Persians, including the golden coffin of King Cyrus. He liberated Greek prisoners.

11.Darius wrote a letter to Porus, the King of the Indians to ask him for help against Alexander.

12.Two of Darius's generals, Bāgīz and Ānābdaeh, assassinated him because they thought that they might be rewarded by Alexander with gifts. A dialogue took place between the dying king and Alexander. Darius spoke his last words to Alexander.

13.Alexander buried Darius with honour. Thus, the Persians were filled with love for him. Alexander wrote a proclamation to the Persians. He also ordered Darius's assassins to be impaled on stakes.

14.Alexander wrote letters to Darius's mother and wife. They sent answers to him. He also wrote a letter to Rawshanak, Darius's daughter, and then he took her as his wife.

Book III

1.A war took place against Porus, King of the Indians.

2.Porus wrote a letter to Alexander, who replied.

3.Alexander and his troops were terrified of Porus's army, which had elephants. They fought for 20 days.

4.Alexander fought Porus alone and killed him.

5.The Brahmans, ‘the naked sages’, wrote a letter to Alexander.

6.Alexander asked them some questions and they answered. Then they asked Alexander about immortality.

7.Alexander wrote a letter to Aristotle on the wonders of India and China.

8.Alexander wished to go to the country of Samrāyē (Semiramis) and see Queen Kundāḳa (Candace). Thus he wrote her a letter. Candace sent him gifts with a letter.

9.A Greek painter painted Alexander's portrait for Queen Candace without his knowledge. One of Candace's sons, named Ḳandāros (Candaules), went to the country of the Amazons with his wife. His wife was captured; he escaped and went to Alexander's camp. Alexander presented himself as Antigonus.

10.Alexander helped Candaules to rescue his wife and went with him to Queen Candace, disguised as his own ambassador.

11.The description of Candace's land. The queen received Alexander and prepared a splendid feast for him.

12.Alexander saw Queen Candace as his own mother, Olympias. The description of Candace's palace. Candace told Alexander that she knew he was Alexander himself and not his ambassador.

13.Candace's other son, whose father-in-law was Porus, wanted to take revenge on Alexander by killing his ambassador. Alexander, still in disguise, promised that he would deliver Alexander into his hands if he did not kill him. The son accepted.

14.Alexander saw an angel (Sesonchosis, the ruler of the world).

15.Alexander went to the country of the Amazons, where the people had one breast like a man's and one like a woman's.

16.Letters were exchanged between Alexander and the Amazons.

17.When Alexander was near the country of the Amazons, Zeus sent a great rain upon them. Then a fierce and powerful heat came upon them. Then came lightning and thunder and mighty sounds from heaven. The Amazons said that this was all happening because of Alexander's presence in the land. They gave 60 mighty elephants to Alexander to abandon that land. He received a letter from Aristotle telling Alexander to sacrifice to the gods who honoured him. He decided to return to Babylon. Near that city, he wrote a letter to his mother to tell her about his journey to the country of the Amazons.

18.The letter to his mother contained the marvels that Alexander had come across throughout his journey.

19.There was a sign of Alexander's death: a certain woman gave birth to a child who from his waist upwards had the form of a man, and from his waist downwards the form of a number of animals – a lion, a leopard, a wolf and a wild dog, all with separate heads.

20.Olympias's letter contained an accusation against Antipater, who then tried to poison Alexander. Alexander drank the poison and felt great pain. He ordered a will to be written.

21.The Macedonians carried Alexander on his bed. They passed before him in their armour. They wept when they saw that Alexander was sick. Alexander gave a speech.

22.Alexander was carried to his palace. Alexander commanded that the will be brought and read before him.

23.When Alexander had given the commands (in his will), he died. Ptolemy made him a tomb in Alexandria, as he had been ordered to do.

24.In summary, Alexander waged numerous battles and great wars. He lived 32 years and seven months. He subdued 22 barbarian kings and 13 Greek kings. He built 13 cities, including Samarqand, Balkh and Merv. Alexander died in Babylon after being poisoned. He reigned as king for 12 years and seven months.

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