*837.J 



Persian Poets. 



279 



deeds of arms and character for wisdom had been noised over the 

 whole habitable world. The idle tale of his being the son of a dragon 

 or of Jupiter is not worth while alluding to. 



Mr. Richardson in his learned dissertation on the languages, 

 literature and manners of Eastern nations (p. xiv) asserts that the 

 Persian version of the history of Alexander corresponds with that 

 of Greece and Rome, in nothing but the catastrophe, the death of 

 Dai "ius. Although it must be confessed that there does exist a great 

 difference in the shading and filling up of the minor details of the 

 two portraits, still there appears to me a striking resemblance in the 

 outline and more prominent features. For instance, both Persian and 

 Grecian writers agree in the mystery attending his birth—that auspi- 

 cious omens attended it — that he was educated at the court of Philip 

 with or by Aristotle— also in the age at which he was crowned, viz. two 

 harans or decades— Alexander's imagining himself a prophet is pro- 

 bably a Mahomedan version of his aspiring to divine honours — in. 

 his expedition to Egypt — the Persian conquest — the circumstances 

 attending the death of Darius — Alexander's espousal of the daugh- 

 ter of Darius, Roxana, or, according to the Persians, Roshana — his 

 two expeditions to India— the visit paid him by the Amazonian queen 

 Thalestris, as related by Q. Curtius (the Noshdbah of the Persians), 

 and the duration of his reign. The Persians fix the exact site of the 

 place of his death at Zour, the Greeks at Babylon j both cities, how- 

 ever, are in Assyria. 



According to D'Herbelot, Abulfaraz fixes the duration of Alex- 

 ander's reign at 12 years ; the author of the Tdrikhi-Jehdn-drd 

 at 14 years. This first nearly agrees with the calculation of Petavius, 

 according to whom, Alexander 



Was born • • • «356 A. C Archon Elpines. 



Philip died 336 A. C . . . .Archon Pythodorus* 



11th year of Alexander 326 A. C .. ..Archon Anticles. 



Alexander died July 29.... 324 A. C... Archon Hegesias. 

 He was the last of the 2d or Kaianian dynasty of Persia* 



