29

Alexander denounces the oracle of Apollo.

not the gates of [the] city to that entent for to withstand the dread of Darius, king of Persia, the which as it was told to us, is proposed for to send his men hither, for to destroy us & our city.' And then Alexander said unto them again. "If thee will, 'quoth he, 'that we destroy thou not, open your gates, and when I have made an end with Darius, then shall I come again, & speak with thou.' And then the Citizens opened the gates. From [thethyn] then went to Comnoliche. And from [thethyn] to Bihoy, and so to Caldiple. Soon they come to a great river, where Alexander Oste had great [defaute] of victuals, and then his knights mourned greatly and said, 'Our horses,' quoth they, 'fails us [ay] mare & mare.' Alexander answered, & said, 'A A, my doubty knights,' quoth he, 'that [zitt heder-towards] has in wars suffered many perils and much disease, are [ze] now in despair of [zour hele] for the failing of your horses. Shall we not get horses now, and we live and have [qwert], and if we die we shall have no need of horse, [and?] they may do us no profit. Haste we us therefore in all that we may to the place where we shall get horses without number, and victuals also, both for ourselfes & for our horses.' When he had all said, they went forth and come to a place that is called Luctus, that is to say weeping, where they found victuals enough, and [mete] enough for their horse. From [thethyn] they removed & come to a place that [hatt] Trigangantes, and there they [luged] them. And Alexander went into a temple of Apollo; whereas he [aghteled] to have made Sacrifice, and have had answer of that god of certain things that he would have asked. But a woman that [hizte zacora], who was preste of that temple, told Alexander that then was not the time of answer. On the Morn, Alexander come to the temple & made his sacrifice. And Apollo said to Alexander, 'Hercules,' quoth he. And Alexander answered, & said, 'Now that thou calls me Hercules,' quoth he: 'I see well that all thine answers are false.' From [thethyn] Alexander went to a city that is called Thebea, and said unto the folk of the cite: 'Sends me forth,' quoth he, "four hundred knights, well armed, for to wend with

Alexander denounces the oracle of Apollo.

not the gates of [the] city to that entent for to withstand the dread of Darius, kyng of Perse, the [whilke] as it was told to us, is proposed for to send his men hedir, for to destroy us & our city.' And then Alexander said unto them again. "If [ze] will,' quoth he, 'that we destroy thou not, open your gates, and when I have made an end with Darius, then shall I come again, & speak with thou.' And then the Citizens opened the gates. From [thethyn] then went to Comnoliche. And from [thethyn] to Bihoy, and so to Caldiple. [Syne] they come to a great river, where Alexander Oste had great [defaute] of victuals, and then his knights mourned greatly and said, 'Our horses,' quoth they, 'fails us [ay] mare & mare.' Alexander answered, & said, 'A A, my doubty knights,' quoth he, 'that [zitt heder-towards] has in wars suffered many perils and much disease, are [ze] now in despair of [zour hele] for the failing of your horses. Shall we not get horses now, and we live and have [qwert], and if we die we shall have no need of horse, [and?] they may do us no profit. Haste we us therefore in all that we may to the place where we shall get horses without number, and victuals also, both for ourselfes & for our horses.' When he had all said, they went forth and come to a place that is called Luctus, that is to say weeping, where they found victuals enough, and [mete] enough for their horse. From [thethyn] they removed & come to a place that [hatt] Trigangantes, and there they [luged] them. And Alexander went into a temple of Apollo; whereas he [aghteled] to have made Sacrifice, and have had answer of that god of certain things that he would have asked. But a woman that [hizte zacora], who was preste of that temple, told Alexander that then was not the time of answer. On the Morn, Alexander come to the temple & made his sacrifice. And Apollo said to Alexander, 'Hercules,' quoth he. And Alexander answered, & said, 'Now that thou calls me Hercules,' quoth he: 'I see well that all thine answers are false.' From [thethyn] Alexander went to a city that is called Thebea, and said unto the folk of the cite: 'Sends me forth,' quoth he, "four hundred knights, well armed, for to wend with