1854.] Gradus ad Aornon. 329 



lying beside him and his hand grasping a spear were amazed at the 

 sight and falling to the earth long held silence. But when Alexander 

 signed to them to rise and commanded them to take confidence, 

 Akouphis thus begun : 



O king, the Nusaioi entreat you for respect of Dionusos leave 

 them free and their own masters. For Dionusos, when having con- 

 quered the Indian race he returned to the Hellenic Sea, from the 

 worn out of his army (these had he and the Bacchoi) founded this 

 city in memorial of his wandering and of his victory to after genera- 

 tions ; even as thou thyself hast founded Alexandria in the Kauka- 

 sian mountain and another Alexandria in the soil of Egypt and many 

 others hast thou already founded and shalt found from time to time 

 even as thou hast shown greater exploits than Dionusos. Dionusos 

 a suredly called this city Nusa, after his Nurse Nusa, and the 

 country Nusaia, and that mountain which is near the city, Dionusos 

 named Meron, because according to fable he grew in the thigh of 

 Jupiter. Thence have we dwelt in Nusa the free, and we are free and 

 are a commonwealth. And of our origin from Dionusos, be this 

 to the testimony, " the ivy which springs in no other Indian soil 

 grows with us." 



Alexander believes their tale, gives freedom to the city and takes 

 three hundred of their horsemen into service. 



" And the desire seized Alexander to see the place, of which the 

 Nusaioi boasted such memorials of Dionusos. To visit Mount 

 Meros with his bands of horse and foot companions, and to see on 

 all sides the ivy and the laurel and wood of all kinds, and to see the 

 shade and that the wild beasts in it were of every country, and the 

 Macedonians beholding with joy the ivy, beheld after a long interval 

 (for there is no ivy in India, not even there where are vineyards) 

 they quickly made crowns of it, and wearing garlands sang aloud, 

 and invoked Dionusos and the surnames of that god. Alexander 

 also burnt incense to Dionusos and banquetted together with the 

 companions." 



I have preferred giving the extracts continuously for the benefit 

 of those who may not have means of reference to the histories. I 

 may have occasion to quote separate passages in illustration of my 

 argument. 



