hosoever thou art, and whencesoever thou comest--for
I know that thou shalt come--I am Cyrus, who won the empire for the
Persians. I pray thee, do not grudge me this little earth that
covereth my body." These words made a deep impression upon Alexander,
and caused him to meditate upon the uncertainty and changefulness of
human affairs. About this time, Kalanus, who had for some days been
suffering from some internal disorder, begged that a funeral pile
might be erected for him. He rode up to it on horseback, said a
prayer, poured a libation for himself and cut off a lock of his own
hair, as is usual at a sacrifice, and then, mounting the pile, shook
hands with those Macedonians who were present, bidding them be of good
cheer that day, and drink deep at the king's table. He added, that he
himself should shortly see the king at Babylon. Having spoken thus he
lay down and covered himself over. He did not move when the fire
reached him, but remained in the same posture until he was consumed,
thus sacrificing himself to the gods after the manner of the Indian
philosophers. Many years afterwards another Indian, a friend of Caesar,
did the like in the city of Athens; and at the present day his
sepulchre is shown under the name of "the Indian's tomb."

LXX. After Alexander left the funeral pyre, he invited many of his
friends and chief officers to dinner, and offered a prize to the man
who could drink most unmixed wine. Promachus, who won it, drank as
much as four choes.[431] He was presented with a golden crown worth a
talent, and lived only three days afterwards. Of the others, Chares,
the historian, tells us that forty-one died of an extreme cold that
came upon them in their drunkenness.

Alexander now celebrated the marriage of many of his companions at
Susa. He himself married Statira, the daughter of Darius, and bestowed
the noblest of the Persian ladies upon the bravest of his men. He gave
a splendid banquet on the occasion of his marriage, inviting to it not
only all the newly married couples, but all those Macedonians who were
already married to Persian wives. It is said that nine thousand guests
were present at this feast, and that each of them was presented with a
golden cup to drink his wine in. Alexander entertained them in all
other respects with the greatest magnificence, and even paid all the
debts of his guests, so that the whole expense amounted to nine
thousand eight hundred and seventy talents. On this occa