Alexander

When Dareius sent to him a letter and friends,[*](This was during the siege of Tyre, according to Arrian (Anab. ii. 25. 1).) begging him to accept ten thousand talents as ransom for the captives, to hold all the territory this side of the Euphrates, to take one of his daughters in marriage, and on these terms to be his ally and friend, Alexander imparted the matter to his companions. If I were Alexander, said Parmenio, I would accept these terms. And so indeed would I, said Alexander, were I Parmenio. But to Dareius he wrote: Come to me, and thou shalt receive every courtesy; but otherwise I shall march at once against thee. [*](This was but the conclusion of an arrogant letter. Cf. Arrian, Anab. ii. 25, 3.)

Soon, however, he repented him of this answer, when the wife of Dareius died in childbirth, and it was evident that he was distressed at this loss of opportunity to show great kindness. Accordingly, he gave the woman a sumptuous burial. One of the eunuchs of the bed-chamber who had been captured with the women, Teireos by name, ran away from the camp, made his way on horseback to Dareius, and told him of the death of his wife.

Then the king, beating upon his head and bursting into lamentation, said: Alas for the evil genius of the Persians, if the sister and wife of their king must not only become a captive in her life, but also in her death be deprived of royal burial. Nay, O King, answered the chamberlain, as regards her burial, and her receiving every fitting honour, thou hast no charge to make against the evil genius of the Persians.