Well, upon invading his native land with all this
pomp and circumstance after a long absence,
Alexander was a man of mark and note, affecting
as he did to have occasional fits of madness and
causing his mouth to fill with foam. This he easily
managed by chewing the root of soapwort, the plant
that dyers use; but to his fellow-countrymen even
the foam seemed supernatural and awe-inspiring.
Then, too, they had long ago prepared and fitted
up a serpent’s head of linen, which had something



 

of a human look, was all painted up, and appeared very
lifelike. It would open and close its mouth by
means of horsehairs, and a forked black tongue like
a snake’s, also controlled by horsehairs, would dart
out. Besides, the serpent from Pella was ready in
advance and was being cared for at home, destined
in due time to manifest himself to them and to take
a part in their show—in fact, to be cast for the
leading role.