Megasthenes

Megasthenes was a Greek historian whose works only exist today in the form of fragments: being either quoted by other historians whose works have survived, or in the form of partial documents.

Below is the 'full text' as collected and compiled by I.P. Cory in his 1873 work The Ancient Fragments now in the public domain.

The Ancient Fragments - Megasthenes=

from Abydenus

of Nebuchadnezzar

"Abydenus, in his history of the Assyrians, has preserved the following fragment of Megasthenes, who says: That Nabucodrosorus, having become more powerful than Hercules, invaded Libya and Iberia, and when he had rendered them tributary, he extended his conquests over the inhabitants of the shores upon the right of the sea. It is moreover related by the Chaldeans, that as he went up into his palace he was possessed by some god; and he cried out and said: "Oh! Babylonians, I Nabucodrosorus, fortel unto you a calamity which must shortly come to pass, which neither Belus my ancestor, nor his queen Beltis, have power to persuade the Fates to turn away. A Persian mule shall come, and by the assistance of your gods shall impose upon you the yoke of slavery: the author of which shall be a Mede, the foolish pride of Assyria. Before he should thus betray my subjects, Oh! that some sea or whirlpool might receive him, and his memory be blotted out for ever; or that he might be cast out to wander through some desert, where there are neither cities nor the trace of men, a solitary exile among rocks and caverns, where beats and birds alone abide. But for me, before he shall have conceived these mischiefs in his mind, a happier end will be provided."

"When he had thus prophesied, he expired: and was succeeded by his son Evilmaluruchus, who was slain by his kinsman Neriglisares: ...