170 TERPSICHORE.

with any or with all of these females; I have only to
require, that you will make your choice known to me.
It is now almost time to retire, and I can perceive
that our wine has had its effect upon you. You will
please therefore to suffer these women to go and bathe
themselves, and they shall afterwards return." The
Persians approved of what he said, and the women
retired to their proper apartments; but,in their room,
he dressed up an equal number of smooth-faced young
men, and arming each with a dagger, he introduced
them to the company. " Persians," said he, on their
entering, " we have given you a magnificent enter­
tainment, and supplied you with every thing in our
power to procure. We have also, which with us weighs
more than all the rest, presented you with our ma­
trons and our sisters, that we might not appear to you
in any respect insensible of your merits; and that you
may inform the king your master with what liberality
a Greek and prince of Macedonia has entertained you
at bed and at board." When he had thus said, Alex­
ander commanded the .Macedonians, whom he ad­
dressed as females, to sit by the side of the Persians;
but on their first attempt to touch them, the Macedo­
nians put every one of them to death.

XXI. These Persians with their retinue thus forfeit­
ed their lives ; they had been attended on this expedi­
tion with a number of carriages and servants, all of
which were seized and plundered. At no great inter­
val of time, a strict inquisition was made by the Per­
sians into this business ; but Alexander, by his discre­
tion, obviateS its effects. To Bubaris, a native of Per­
sia, and one of those who had been sent to inquire
concerning the death of his countrymen, he made very
liberal presents, and gave his sister in marriage. By
these means the assassination of the Persian officers
was overlooked and forgotten.

XXII. These Greeks were descended from Perdic-
cas: this they themselves affirm, and indeed I myself
know it, from certain circumstances which 1 shall here­
after relate. My opinion of this matter is also confirm­
ed by the determination of those who preside at the
Olympic games; for when Alexander, with an ainbi­