The wars of Alexander: an alliterative romance translated chiefly ...

183 DARIUS GOES TO SUSA. [Ashmole.
and many
Persians are
"
lost,
[Fol. 53.]
to tlic number of
30U,000.
Daiiua goes to
Susa, and
laments.
•' Now am I cast
down !
He writes a letter
to Alexander.
" I, Darius, salute
Alexander.
Be not too proud.
Xerxes was
pruud, and failed.
And aH at lent ware on-loft • loste Ipar fe swete. 3068
J)us many deed \)at day • as fe buke teUis,
Of pollis out of Persye • wet/iouten Jse grekis,
•
Thre hundreth M/lZe thra men \i>ti tliarned^ faire lyues,
With Je fool-s & f)e folke • fat je flode drouned. 3072
j)is senioure out of Susys • to his cite wendis,
Fallis doui on his face • flat in J)e sale,
" Wa is me !
" quod he, " "
wriche \va • is me vnhappy !
Sijis selcuthely sare & sadly he wepys, 3076
•
"I J)at was strajt to J)e sternes^ am • strekeu now to
grondf,
N'ow craton, now caitefe • now am I kast vndirc,
\)at had of the Orient all ouire • homage vmqwile.
Wist any we quat hii suld worth • fis Averd wald ho
leue,
Full sympiH in a seteqwile ' seke to J)e cloudes,
And fai at mast ere of mi3t
•
smyten aH to poudive."
308a
Wit/i^ j,(ft reufully he rase & renkw out • lie sendis,
To Alexander belyue & • all slike a pistiH. 3081:
If " I, drery kynge on ray dese • Darius of Pe-sy,
To Alexander ])at Aire • pat all has to wild,
)3e lege lord of my lyfe * to lose or to saue,
)5us send I to my soue-ayne • salute's & ioy. 3088
So wyde is Jje wisdom • fat wonne[s] in ^our saule,
\)ai wele ^e wate, of aH men • at I worthid here before,
quat on next sewes.
Of aH jje notis fat ere now • &
For-fi ^our werke ay be vvitt je wirke vnreprouedf.
•
Sire, I knawlage me a creatoiat sti uck out.