The wars of Alexander: an alliterative romance translated chiefly from the Historia Alexandri Magni de preliis. Re-edited from ms. Ashmole 44, in the Bodleian library, Oxford, and ms. D.4.12, in the library of Trinity college, Dublin: by the Rev. Walter W. Skeat.

                                
                                  Þat [MS. þat o; but o is expuncted.]  houre þat Olympadas · was of hire son liȝter.
                                  Line 572 
                                
                                  Than lendis him vp þe leue kyng · his lady to vysite,
                                
                                  Quod þe man to his make · "I am in many thoȝtis,
                                
                                  Þat þis frute sall haue na fostring · ne be fed nouþire;
                                
                                  I ges it be noȝt of my gett · bot of god fourmed;
                                  Line 576 
                                
                                  Be many cause at I ken · I kan noȝt supose
                                
                                  It be consayued of my kynde · ne come of my-selfe.
                                
                                  I saȝe so, in þe same tyme · he seuyrd fra þi wambe,
                                
                                  Þe erd & all þe elementis · so egirly schontid. [MS. schoutis; altered to schoutid.] 
                                  Line 580 
                                
                                  And queþer ȝit, for any quat · a quyle latt him kepe,
                                
                                  And norisch him as namely · as he myne awyn warre,
                                
                                  Ȝit will þare make of him mynde · & myn it here-eftire
                                
                                  Hathils, swilke a haly son · I hade in my tyme.
                                  Line 584 
                                
                                  Anoþer barne," quod þe berne · "I of my blode haue,
                                
                                  Ane of my sede, I supose · & sibbire of þe twa,
                                
                                  Þat I wan on myne oþire wyfe · þat I wedd first.
                                  Line 587 
                                
                                  Lat him as ayre, quen I am erþed · enherit my landis,
                                
                                  And stall we him in stede of þis · to stiȝtill my rewme,
                                
                                  For he is borne of my blode · & a-bore nerre,
                                
                                  And fede we þis othire, þat [Added in the margin.]  folke · quen we ere fay worthid,
                                
                                  May sitt & carpe, slike a knaue · þaire last kyng hade."
                                
                                  Þai did all as he demed · & his domes plesed,
                                  Line 593 
                                
                                  Cherest þai þis ȝonge child · & chosely him kepid;
                                
                                  Þai ware as besy him a-boute · birdis & ladis,
                                
                                  As he had bene þar hiȝe god · for sa þai hopid all,
                                  Line 596 
                                
                                  Þis barne, quen he borne was · as me þe boke tellis,
                                
                                  Miȝt wele a-prefe [MS. a pere, altered to a prefe.]  for his a-port · to any prince oute.
                                
                                  Bot of þe lyfe þat he liȝt off · he like was to nane,
                                
                                  Nouþer of fetour ne of face · to fadire ne to modyre; [folio 11a] 
                                
                                  Þe fax on his faire hede · was ferly to schawe,
                                  Line 601 
                                
                                  Large lyons lockis · þat lange ere & scharpe;
                                
                                  With grete glesenand eȝen · grymly he lokis,
                                
                                  Þat ware as blyckenand briȝt · as blesand sternes,

                                  Line 604

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Title: The wars of Alexander: an alliterative romance translated chiefly from the Historia Alexandri Magni de preliis. Re-edited from ms. Ashmole 44, in the Bodleian library, Oxford, and ms. D.4.12, in the library of Trinity college, Dublin: by the Rev. Walter W. Skeat.
Canvas: Page 19
Publication: London,: Pub. for the Early English text society, by N. Trübner & co.,; 1886.
Subject terms: Alexander, -- the Great, -- 356-323 B.C. -- Romances.

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Collection: Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse
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Full citation: "The wars of Alexander: an alliterative romance translated chiefly from the Historia Alexandri Magni de preliis. Re-edited from ms. Ashmole 44, in the Bodleian library, Oxford, and ms. D.4.12, in the library of Trinity college, Dublin: by the Rev. Walter W. Skeat." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/apa1967.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 24, 2025.

The wars of Alexander: an alliterative romance translated chiefly from the Historia Alexandri Magni de preliis. Re-edited from ms. Ashmole 44, in the Bodleian library, Oxford, and ms. D.4.12, in the library of Trinity college, Dublin: by the Rev. Walter W. Skeat.

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