mazones, and of the repayre of Queene Thalestris for vse of
his body, at what tyme (as Curtius sayth) he fell from vertue to
vice: we purpose in thys, to declare the great contynencie and
mercy that hee vsed to Sisigambis, the wife of the Persian
prince Darius, and briefly to touch the time of his abused life,
which in this maner doth begin. Alexander the great hauing
vanquished Darius and his infinite army, and retiringe wyth hys
hoast from the pursute and slaughter of the Persians, entred
into their campe to recreate himselfe. And beinge with his
familiers in the mids of his banket, they sodaynly heard a
pitifull cry, with straung howlinge and cryinge out, which did
very mutch aston them. The Wyfe and Mother of Darius, with the
other noble women newly taken Prisoners, were the occasion of
that present noyse, by lamentinge of Darius, whom they beleeued
to be slayne, and which opinion they conceyued through one of
the Eunuches, which standinge before Their tent doore, saw a
Souldier beare a peece of Darius Diademe. For which cause
Alexander, pityinge their misery, sent a noble man called
Leonatus to signifie vnto them that they were deceyued, for that
Darius was liuing. Repayring towards the Tent where the women
were with certayne armed men, he sent word before, that he was
comminge to them with message from the kinge. But when sutche as
stoode at the tent doore saw armed men, they thought they had
bene sent to murder the Ladies: for which cause they ran in to
them, cryinge that their last houre was come, for the souldiers
were at hande to kille them. When Leonatus was entred the
Pauilion, the Mother and wife of Darius fell downe at hys feete,
intreatinge him that before they were slayne, he would suffer
them to bury Darius, accordinge to the order and maner of his
Countrey, after the performance of which obsequies, they were
content (they sayd) willingly to suffer death. Leonatus assured
them, that both Darius was aliue, and that there was no harme
ment towardes them, but should remayne in the same state they
were in before. When Sisigambis heard those wordes, she suffered
her selfe to bee lifted vp from the grounde, and to receyue some
comforte. The next day, Alexander with great diligence buried
the bodies of sutch of his owne men as coulde be founde, and
willed the same to be done to the noble men of the Persians
geuinge licence to Darius mother to Bury so many as she liste,
after the custome of her Countrey. She