He said that they had answered each one worse than the
other. "Then," said Alexander, "you shall yourself be put to death for
having given such a verdict." "Not so," said he, "O king, unless you
mean to belie your own words, for you said at the beginning that you
would put to death him who gave the worst answer."
LXV. Alexander now gave them presents and dismissed them unhurt. He
also sent Onesikritus to the most renowned of them, who lived a life
of serene contemplation, desiring that they would come to him. This
Onesikritus was a philosopher of the school of Diogenes the cynic. One
of the Indians, named Kalanus, is said to have received him very
rudely, and to have proudly bidden him to take off his clothes and
speak to him naked, as otherwise he would not hold any conversation
with him, even if he came from Zeus himself. Dandamis, another of the
Gymnosophists, was of a milder mood, and when he had been told of
Sokrates, Pythagoras, and Diogenes, said that they appeared to him to
have been wise men, but to have lived in too great bondage to the
laws. Other writers say that Dandamis said nothing more than "For what
purpose has Alexander come all the way hither?" However, Taxiles
persuaded Kalanus to visit Alexander. His real name was Sphines: but
as in the Indian tongue he saluted all he met with the word 'Kale,'
the Greeks named him Kalanus. This man is said to have shown to
Alexander a figure representing his empire, in the following manner.
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