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ALEXANDER. 185 them know Darius was not dead, and that they need not fear any harm from Alexander, who made war upon him only for dominion ; they should themselves be provided with every thing they had been used to receive from Darius. This kind message could not but be very wel- come to the captive ladies, especially being made good by actions no less humane and generous. For he gave them leave to bury whom they pleased of the Persians, and to make use for this purpose of what garments and furniture they thought fit out of the booty. He dimin- ished nothing of their equipage, or of the attentions and respect formerly paid them, and allowed larger pensions for their maintenance than they had before. But the noblest and most royal part of their usage was, that he treated these illustrious prisoners according to their vir- tue and character, not suffering them to hear, or receive, or so much as to apprehend any thing that was unbecom- ing. So that they seemed rather lodged in some temple, or some holy virgin chambers, where they enjoyed their privacy sacred and uninterrupted, than in the camp of an enemy. Nevertheless Darius's wife was accounted the most beautiful princess then living, as her husband the tallest and handsomest man of his time, and the daughters were not unworthy of their parents. But Alexander, esteeming it more kingly to govern him- self than to conquer his enemies, sought no intimacy with any one of them, nor indeed with any other woman before marriage, except Barsine, Memnon's widow, who was taken prisoner at Damascus. She had been in- structed in the Grecian learning, was of a gentle temper, and, by her father Artabazus, royally descended, which good qualities, added to the solicitations and encourage- ment of Parmenio, as Aristobulus tells us, made him the more willing to attach himself to so agreeable and illus- trious a woman. Of the rest of the female captives,