The Syrians and Phoenicians who were in his army, were persuaded that the wrath of this prince was so great, that he would certainly punish the "high priest after an exemplary manner, and destroy that city in the same manner as he had done Tyre; and, flushed with joy upon that account, they waited in expectation of glutting their eyes with the calamities of a people to whom they,bore a mortal hatred.

As soon as the Jews heard of the king's approach, they set out to meet him with all the pomp before described. Alexander was struck at the sight of the high-priest, in whose mitre and forehead a golden plate was fixed, on which the name of God was written. The moment the king perceived the highpriest, he advanced towards him with an air of the most pro, found respect; bowed his body, adored the august name above mentioned, and saluted him who wore it with a religious veneration. Then the Jews, surrounding Alexander, raised their voices to wish him every kind of prosperity. All the spectators were seized with inexpressible surprise; they could scarce believe their eyes; and did not know bow to account for a sight, so contrary to their expectation, and so vastly improbable.

Parmenio, who could not yet recover from his astonishment, asked the king how it came to pass that he, who was adored by every one, adored the high-priest. "I do not," replied Alexander, "adore the high-priest, but the God whose minister he is: whilst I was at Dius, in Macedonia (my mind wholly fixed on the great design of the Persian war,) as I was revolving the methods how to conquer Asia, this very man, dressed in the same robes, appeared to me in a dream; exhorted me to banish every fear; bade me cross the Hellespont boldly; and assured me, that God would march at the head of my army and give me victory over that of the Persians."

Alexander added, that the instant he saw this priest, he knew him, by his habit, his stature, his air, and his face, to be the same person whom he had seen at Dius; that he was firmly persuaded, it was by the command, and under the immediate conduct of Heaven, that he had undertaken this war; that he was sure he should overcome Darius hereafter, and destroy the empire of the Persians; and that this was the reason why he adored this God in the person of his priest. Alexander, after having thus answered Parmenio, embraced the high-priest, and all his brethren; then walking in the midst of them, he arrived at Jerusalem, where he offered sacrifices to God, in the temple, after the manner prescribed to him by the high priest.

Amongst the Orientals, the presages made from dreams are held sacred; traditional historians relate many instances thereof.

It is said that the father of Osman I., who laid the foundation of the Ottoman empire, was instigated thereto by the denouncements of a dream. A few weeks before the birth of Osman, he saw, in a dream, a spring of water break forth from his own house, with such abundance and rapidity as to form immediately an immense torrent, which in its impetuous course almost entirely overflowed the globe. When he arose from his sleep he addressed with terror an aged Scheykh, an interpreter of dreams: "Take confidence," said the old man: "thy family has the blessing of God; thou shalt soon have a son, whom thou shalt behold the founder of a monarchy which shall embrace all the countries of the world."

The same annals ascribe equally to a dream the civil and military virtues of this first of the Othoman monarchs: he was persuaded, they say, one night, that he heard a voice which warned him "to be faithful to the duties of the throne, and to all the laws of the prophet;" hence, in 1304, immediately after the conquest of Nice, he shared the plunder with his soldiers, and distributed among them the territories of that city, under the title of timar, or military fiefs.

In 1365, a vision also caused the seat of the empire to be established at Adrianople, by Mourad I. This prince declared that he was commanded by a celestial spirit, who pointed out to him in a dream the place where he should erect his palace.

Some years afterwards, Mohammed II. carried on a war against Ouzounn Hassan, and marched himself into Persia, at the head of a powerful army. He dreamed that Ouzounn Hassan, in the habit of a wrestler, appeared on an immense plain, challenging all the heroes of his time to enter the lists with him; that, inflamed with uncommon ardour, he had instantly thrown off his clothes and assumed those of a wrestler; that he engaged his antagonist, and that the victory was disputed with the most furious intrepidity; that fortune appeared at first to declare against him; that, yielding to the first effort of his antagonist, he had bent his knee to the earth; but that, exerting his whole strength, he instantly recovered, and by a skilful and vigorous blow threw his rival on the ground; that he then opened his side, and cast part of his entrails on the plain; and that Ouzounn Hassan, covered with dust and infamy, and weltering in bis blood, vanished from his sight, filling the air with cries and lamentations. When he awoke, Mohammed II. mentioned this vision to his courtiers, ministers, and principal officers: they considered it as prophetic of the most signal fortunes. The report was circulated through the camp, and had a powerful influence on the soldiers: they marched with confidence against the enemy, and every event of the war testified the favourable opinion which had been entertained of this mysterious dream. In the second year of the reign of Osman II., a dream is said to have had a wonderful effect upon the destinies of the empire. He dreamed that he was clad in armour, seated on his throne and reading the Courann, when Mohammed appeared, and with an angry aspect dashed the book from his hand, despoiled him of his' armour, smote him on the face, and threw him to the ground, from whence he was unable to rise, to embrace the knees of the prophet. To relieve his perplexity, Osman went incognito the same day to consult a celebrated Scheykh, who was respected as a saint, and considered as the most skilful of all interpreters of dreams. This sage told him in general terms that his vision was a celestial warning to repent of his prevarications, and to become, during his future life, attentive to the duties of the throne, and to the precepts and practice of religion. Osman now no longer hesitated to consider his vision as a heavenly oracle: he determined to depart, hastened the preparations for a pilgrimage, and rejected, with unshaken firmness, all the remonstrances of the divan. Mankind are acquainted with the melancholy fate of this young monarch, and with the destructive consequences of his death, which, during many years, distressed and desolated the empire.