Darab the Second, from his effeminacy and his vices, fell an easy prey to the arms of Secunder Ronmee, (Alex ander the Great.) On his accession, he sent a messenger to the Macedonian prince to demand the tribute of golden eggs; to which Secunder replied, that the bird that laid, the eggs had flown to the other world. Another ambas sador was immediately dispatched with the charge to de liver to Secunder a bat and ball, and a bag of very small seed, intimating by the former, an amusement suited to the years of the Macedonian monarch, and by the latter, the numbers of the Persian armies. Secunder took the bat in his hand, and said, ‘, With this bat will I strike the ball of your master's dominions ; and this fowl (which he had sent for, and which immediately ate up the seed) will soon show you what a morsel his numerous army will prove to mine." He then desired the messenger to tell his master what he had seen and heard, and also sent him a wild melon, as an emblem of the bitter lot which await ed him. Sccunder soon after marched into Persia, and in the first great battle, Darab, according to eastern writers, lost both his crown and his life. It is said that he was slain by two of his own captains, who expected from Sccunder the reward of their treason. But the soul of the conqueror was melted into tears at the sight of his fallen enemy, and kissing his check, assured him that he never wished to see his royal head in the dust. Darab, opening his eyes, begged of Secunder not to place a stranger on the throne of Persia, and to marry his daugh ter Roushunuk. The remains of the Persian king were deposited in the sepulchral vault with the most extraor dinary hanours; and on the same day his murderers suf fered the punishment of their treachery, Secunder Roomec soon after became sole monarch of Persia, and married Roushunuk, the daughter of Darab.
In this short abstract of the history of the Kainian dy nasty, it is difficult to trace an exact resemblance to the history of the same period as given by the Greeks. Eas tern and western writers indeed differ so materially in their narratives of the same reigns, that it is sometimes impossible to ascertain where the truth Les. In the Per sian histories there is evidently much fable ; but at the same time the principal hisiorical facts are preserved. While Grecian authors. though entitled to superior credit, often throw a veil of doubt over their records by their vain exaggerations, especially in what respects the honour of their own country and achievements.
The following is a table of the names of the Kaianian monarchs, according to Persian and Grecian historians, from which it is evident that the Persimis sometimes blend the reigns of two or more kings in one ; but it may be re marked, that, though they have omitted the names of se veral kings, they have never interpolated one, unless Ho mai may be considered as such. This queen, however, may be regarded as the Parysatis of the Greeks, who was the daughter of Artaxerxes, and the wife and sister of Darius Nothus ; and is represented as possessing great influence and authority in the government.
The history of Seconder Roomee, as given by the Per sians, agrees in most of the leading facts with that given of Alexander the Great by the Greeks ; but upon these they have raised a superstructure of the most extravagant fable ; and have filled many volumes with an account of his extraordinary adventures. But we shall give shortly what the Persians themselves consider as authentic history. Seconder, having firmly established his authority in Persia, extended his conquests towards India. Some of its princes submitted without a struggle, while others were compelled by force to receive the laws of the conqueror ; and even the emperor of China offered to become his tributary. That monarch had come in disguise to the Persian camp. but being discovered, was brought before Seconder, who demanded from him the motive for such a visit. The emperor answered, that it was his desire to see the Gre cian troops, and his solicitude to obtain the friendship of such a conqueror. With this answer Seconder was so pleased, that a treaty was instantly concluded, by which the emperor agreed to pay an annual tribute. The Chi nese monarch then retired to his capital to prepare for the reception of his powerful ally. In a few days, however, he returned with an immense army, the sight of which made Seconder immediately prepare against treachery, by arraying his troops in order of battle ; and when the em peror and his nobles approached, Seconder demanded why he lud broken faith and collected such a force. " I wish ed," was the reply, " to show the numbers of my army," that you might be satisfied I made peace from other mo tives than an inability to make war. It was from consult ing the heavenly bodies that I have been led to submit. The heavens aid you, and I war not with them." Seconder was gratified, and observed that it would ill become him to exact tribute from so great, so wise, and so pious a prince ; he would therefore be satisfied with his friend ship.
On the return of Seconder from his conquests in the east, he was one day seized with a bleeding at the nose, when one of his officers, unlacing his coat of mail, spread it on the ground for a seat, and held a golden shield over his head to defend him from the sun. When Seconder saw himself in this situation, he remembered the predic tion of the astrologers, who foretold, that when his death approached, he should place his throne on a spot, where the ground was of iron, and the sky of gold, and exclaim ed, " I no longer belong to the living ! Alas ! that the work of my youth should be finished ; that the plant of the spring should be cut down like the ripened tree of autumn!" He died at the city of Zour, or, as some say, at Babylon, in the thirty-sixth year of his age.