Alexander on the worthlessness of Brahmin austerity. 85

are in helle, pay duelle in the ȝow, wreches, þat swilke *Leaf 35
bk.
a mysbileue haldes; whare-fore after þis lyfe, ȝe mon suffere Woe to the
Greeks.
paynes wit-owtten nomer.' When Alexander hadd redd þis Alexander
is angry at
4 lettre, he was wonder wrathe, be-cause of iniury of his goddȝ. this letter,
and
Neuer-þe-less, be-lyfe he gart write anoþer agayne of this replies to Dindimus.

¹ 'Kyng of kynges, and lorde of lordeȝ, Alexander þe son of

8 godd Amon and of þe quene Olympias, to Dindimus, kyng If it be as
Dindimus
of þe Bragmayns, gretyng. If all be fun trew amanges says, then
truly the
ȝow þat þou hase sent wretyn in thy lettres, pan allanly ȝe Brahmins
only are
are gude men in þis werlde; for as þou says ȝe do nan ill. good.
Yet the
12 Bot wit þou wele² for cerayne, þat þis maner of lyffyng Brahmins
do this
commeȝ noȝte of vertu bot of custom. All thyngeȝ þat we do, through
custom,
ȝe saye es synn. And all þe crafteȝ, þat ere amangeȝ vs on þe eschewing
all civiliza-
16 customs þat man-kynde hedir-towarde hase hadd & vsed. tion, and
envy of
Owther ȝe schew bi ȝour wordeȝ, þat ȝe are goddeȝ, or ells till the gods.
Their spar-
goddes ȝe hafe envy. And þare-fore ȝe say, as ȝe say, I may noȝt ingness and
virtues
write to ȝow all þe order of ȝour lyffyng. Bot als mekill þare-offe come from
their
20 als I may vnderstande at this tyme, I sall write vn-to ȝow. poverty
and the
Ȝee