Chapter LXIV · —Alexander’s interview with the Indian gymnosophists
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He captured ten of the gymnosophists who had been principally concerned in persuading Sabbas[393] to revolt, and had done much harm otherwise to the Macedonians. These men are thought to be great adepts in the art of returning brief and pithy answers, and Alexander proposed for their solution some hard questions, declaring that he would put to death first the one who did not answer correctly and then the others in order.[394]
He demanded of the first “Which he took to be the more numerous, the living or the dead?” He answered, “The living, for the dead are not.”
The second was asked, “Which breeds the largest animals, the sea or the land?” He answered, “The land, for the sea is only a part of it.”
The third was asked, “Which is the cleverest of beasts?” He answered, “That with which man is not yet acquainted.”
The fourth was asked, “For what reason he induced Sabbas to revolt?” He answered, “Because I wished him to live with honour or die with honour.”
The fifth was asked, “Which he thought existed first, the day or the night?” He answered, “The day was first by one day.” As the king appeared surprised at this solution, he added, “Impossible questions require impossible answers.”
Alexander then turning to the sixth asked him “How a man could best make himself beloved?” He answered, “If a man being possessed of great power did not make himself to be feared.”
Of the remaining three, one being asked “How a man could become a god?” replied, “By doing that which is impossible for a man to do.”
The next being asked, “Which of the two was stronger, life or death?” he replied, “Life, because it bears so many evils.”
The last being asked, “How long it was honourable for a man to live?” answered, “As long as he does not think it better to die than to live.”
Upon this Alexander, turning to the judge, requested him to give his decision. He said they had answered each one worse than the other. “Since such is your judgment,” Alexander then said, “you shall be yourself the first to be put to death.” “Not so,” said he, “O king, unless you are false to your word, for you said that he who gave the worst answer should be the first to die.”