Page:The Malavikagnimitra, Tawney (2nd edition, 1891).djvu/19

 "We are told in the drama that, intending to perform the horse- sacrifice, he let loose a horse, which, as it was wandering along the right bank of the Indus, was carried off by a squadron of Yavana cavalry, but rescued by its guard under Vasumitra.

"We cannot of course be certain whether this was the real cause of the quarrel or not, but so much is clear, that Pushpamitra came into collision with the Greeks on the bank of the Indus. As he ascended the throne in 178 B.C., this struggle must have taken place in the reign of Eukratides. According to the account in the drama, it took place under the rule of his son Agnimitra, whose general he was, but this is contrary both to Brahmanical and Buddhist accounts, and the truth probably is, that during the latter years of his reign he associated his son with himself as partner in the empire. Much more important is another event of his life, of which we possess an account. From it, it is evident that he w«s stirred up by the Brahmans to persecute the Buddhists; in other words, that a great change took place in the views of the mightiest Indian prince of the time, and produced its natural results. The incident to which I allude is narrated in the following way. Pushpamitra summoned a council of his ministers and asked them what was the best course for him to adopt in order to obtain undying glory. They reminded him of the example of his predecessor Asoka, who made the 84 thousand proclamations of the law, and whose fame would last as long as the law of Bhagavat prevailed. The King answered that he preferred some other