32
AN HISTORICAL DISQUISITION
SECT, attack the Macedonians, whole Indian territoriesI. bordered on his dominions. Unfortunately, noaccount of this expedition, which feems to havebeen fplendid and fuccefsful, has reached our times.All we know of it is, that he advanced confider-ably beyond the utmoft boundary of Alexander’sprogrefs in India *’, and would probably haveproceeded much farther if he had hot been con-ftrained to flop Ihort in his carreer in order tooppofe Antigoaus, who was preparing to invadehis dominions at the head of a formidable army.Before he began his march towards the Euphrates ,he concluded a treaty with Sandracottus; in con-fequence of which, that monarch quietly retainedthe kingdom he had acquired. But the powerand poffeffions of the Macedonians feem to haveremained unimpaired during the reign of Seleucus ,•which terminated forty-two years after the deathof Alexander.
With a view of cultivating a friendly intercourfewith Sandracottus, Seleucus made choice of Me-gaffhenes, an officer, who, from his'having accom-panied Alexander in his expedition into India ,had fome knowledge of the bate of the country,and the manners of its inhabitants, and fent himas his ambaflfador to PalibothraT In this famouscapital of the Prafij, fituated on the banks of theGanges, Megafthenes refided feveral years, andwas probably the firffc European who ever beheld
See NOTE XI. * Strabo , lib. ii. p. 121, &c.
that