After this he went to the temple, and offered sacrifice according to the high priest's direction. They showed him the prophecy of Daniel, that a Grecian should come and destroy the Persians; whereby he was mightily confirmed in his persuasion that he himself was the man. Lastly, he bestowed on the Jews whatever favors they desired and departed.
THE OVERTHROW OF THE PERSIAN EMPIRE.
Its fate was decided in the battle of Arbela, fought between Alexander and Darius. In this battle Darius is said to have lost 300,000 men. Two other battles had been previously fought between Alexander and the Persian monarch, in both of which the former was successful. Darius soon afterwards being betrayed by one of his own
satraps, was cruelly murdered.
Alexander had taken up his father's project of conquering Persia, and was in like manner appointed by the Grecian states commander in chief of their forces. He took with him only 35,000 men, and with this small force he not only conquered Persia, but Syria, Egypt and India, and remained universal monarch of the eastern world. Alexander meditated the design of proceeding to the eastern ocean.
His army refusing to second his wishes, he was obliged to return, after having penetrated to the Ganges. Stung with mortification at the limits assigned to his conquests, which he vainly believed would be commensurate with the globe, he abandoned himself to every excess of luxury. While he tarried at Babylon on his return home, he suddenly died, in a fit of debauch, in the 33d year of his age, and 13th of his reign. [Jos. Ant. 1. 11 c. viii.]
THE HISTORY OF XERXES.
He was the son of Darius by Atossa, the daughter of
Cyrus, who reigned twelve years king of Persia. Xerxes
having ascended the throne, employed the first year of
