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

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"<br />

292 NOTES TO p. 27, 1. 751*<br />

[I]n ipsis denique temporibus princeps Capadocie adduxit vnum<br />

eqnum indomitum, magnum corpore et pulcriim nimis, ligatnmque ex<br />

omni parte catlienis ferreis. Comedebat enim ille equus Bucifallus<br />

homines, propter aspectus horribilitatem, sine a signo quod thaurinum<br />

caput quod maius habebat vstura, seu quod in fronte eius quedam mine<br />

corniculorum procedeb<strong>an</strong>t. Cum igitur vidisset Philippus rex ipsius<br />

equi pulcritudinem, dixit ministris suis : Conficite c<strong>an</strong>cellos ferreos vt<br />

latrones qui mori debent ex lege trucidentur ab eo.<br />

Qnaliter reaelatnm fait Fhilippo quod ille post eum regnare<br />

debebat qui dictum eqnum Bucifallum eqnitabit, et de Alex<strong>an</strong>dre<br />

sedente in cnrm et de verbis babitis enm rege Arridomm.<br />

[I]n ipsis denique diebus responsum habuit rex Philippus per<br />

Bomnium quod post mortem suam ille regnare deberet qui hunc ferocem<br />

equum equitaret. <strong>Alex<strong>an</strong>der</strong> itaque cum esset <strong>an</strong>norum duodecim<br />

factus fortis, audax, sapiens et discretus. Didicerat enim plene omnium<br />

liberalium artium disciplinas Aristotilis et castoriem. Quadam vero die<br />

cum pertr<strong>an</strong>siret per locum vbi stabat ille equus indomitus, vt videret<br />

inter c<strong>an</strong>cellos ferreos, et <strong>an</strong>te eum m<strong>an</strong>us et alia membra hominum<br />

dispersa iacentia, miratus est valde ; misit ilico m<strong>an</strong>um suam per<br />

c<strong>an</strong>cellos. Equus autem extendens collum suum cepit lambere m<strong>an</strong>um<br />

illius, et prostrauit se in terram pedibus complicatis, erigensque caput<br />

cepit fortiter aspicere Alex<strong>an</strong>drum. Intelligens autem <strong>Alex<strong>an</strong>der</strong> voluntatem<br />

equi aperuit c<strong>an</strong>cellos, et ingressus cepit dorsum equi snauiter<br />

m<strong>an</strong>u t<strong>an</strong>gere. Statimque incepit ille m<strong>an</strong>suescere nimis. Et sicut<br />

videtur c<strong>an</strong>is coram domino suo, eic equus coram Alex<strong>an</strong>dre parebat.<br />

Denique <strong>Alex<strong>an</strong>der</strong> ascendit ilium et equit<strong>an</strong>s cepit exire. Cumque ergo<br />

*<br />

vidisset eum Philippus, dixit ei : Fili <strong>Alex<strong>an</strong>der</strong>, omnia respoiisa<br />

deorum impleta sunt in te, quia post mortem meam regna mea tuo<br />

imperio gubernabuntur.' Cui <strong>Alex<strong>an</strong>der</strong> ait :<br />

' Pater, si fieri potest,<br />

dirige nie vt in curru sedeam regali.' Respondit ei Philippus: ' G'at<strong>an</strong>ter<br />

hec facio. Tolle tibi centum equites et septuaginta milia<br />

solidorum aureorum, et vade poteiiti militia circumfulsus.' Et factum<br />

est. Exiens igitur <strong>Alex<strong>an</strong>der</strong> vna cum Ephesio philosbpho amico et<br />

duodecim pueris quos elegerat et ingo suo docuerat, detulitque orn<strong>an</strong>ienta<br />

preciosa et solidos. Precepitque militibus suis vt equis curam<br />

imponerent diligentem. Ueniente itaque Alexaudro in Peloponensem,<br />

occurrit ei Nicolaus, rex eiusdem prouincie, cum exercitu suo, vt<br />

'<br />

pugnam cum eo committeret. Et appropinqu<strong>an</strong>s dixit ei : Quis es tu,<br />

'<br />

die mihi.' Cui <strong>Alex<strong>an</strong>der</strong> respondit : Ego sum <strong>Alex<strong>an</strong>der</strong> Philippi<br />

'<br />

Macedonis.' Nicolaus rex ait : Quem me speras esse <strong>Alex<strong>an</strong>der</strong><br />

'<br />

respondit: *Th es rex Arridorum. Non tamen eleuetur cor tuum in<br />

euperbia, quia regalem honorem tibi attribui. Solentque alta petere<br />

pr<strong>of</strong>undum, Paruitas vero vsque ad sidera eublimari.'<br />

Compare also Alex. A. 1110—1201.<br />

751*, " Bears a br<strong>an</strong>d on his shoulders like a bull's head, <strong>an</strong>d out<br />

<strong>of</strong> his top there stick up as it were tines <strong>of</strong> horns." Thus the English<br />

version adopts both reasons for the name <strong>of</strong> Bucephalus (i. e. Bull-head),

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