Page:Ancient India as described by Megasthenês and Arrian.djvu/143

 124 lies on a pallet of leaves, and where he has nigh at hand the fountain of peace, whereof he drinks, sacking, as it were, the pure breast of a mother." King Alexander, accordingly, when he heard of all this, was desirous of learning the doctrines of the sect, and so he sent for this Dandamis, as heing their teacher and president Onesikrates was therefore despatched to fetch him, and when he found the great sage he said, The .son of the mighty god Zeus, king Alexander, who is the sovereign lord of all men, asks you to go to him, and if you comply, he will reward you with great and splendid gifts,, but if you refuse will cut off your head." Dandamis, with a complacent smile, heard him to the end, hut did not so much as lift up his head from his couch of leaves, and while still retaining his recumbent attitude returned this scornful answer: — ** God, the supreme king, is never the author of insolent wrong, but is the creator of light, of peace, of life, of water, of the body of man, and of souls, and these he receives when death sets them free, being in no way subject to evil desire. He alone is the god of my homage, who abhors slaughter and instigates no wars. But Alexander is not God, since he must taste of death ; and how can such as he be the world's master, who has not yet reached the further shore of the river Tiberoboas, and has not yet seated himself on a throne of universal dominion ? Moreover, Alexander has Digitized by Google
 * Hail to thee, thou teacher of the Bragmanes.