INDO-GREEK TREATY, 256 b.c.

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that he should be attended with all honours to the last scene.Distributing the costly gifts of his master as he advanced, 3 2 3 B -c.wearing a garland of flowers, and singing his native Indian hymns, the Brahman mounted a funeral pile, and serenelyperished in the flames.

The Greek ambassador observed with admiration the ab- Indian sence of slavery in India , the chastity of the women, and the ^oo^ccourage of the men. In valour they excelled all other Asiatics;they required no locks to their doors; above all, no Indian was ever known to tell a lie. Sober and industrious, goodfarmers and skilful artisans, they scarcely ever had recourseto a lawsuit, and lived peaceably under their native chiefs.

The kingly government is portrayed almost as described inManu, with its hereditary castes of councillors and soldiers.Megasthenes mentions that India was divided into 118 king- Pettydoms; some of which, such as that of the Prasii under 0Chandra Gupta , exercised suzerain powers. The villagesystem is well described, each little rural unit seeming to theGreek an independent republic. Megasthenes remarked theexemption of the husbandmen (Vaisyas) from war and publicservices; and enumerates the dyes, fibres, fabrics, and pro-ducts (animal, vegetable, and mineral) of India . Husbandrydepended on the periodical rains; and forecasts of theweather, with a view to ‘ make adequate provision against acoming deficiency,’ formed a special duty of the Brahmans.

But mark the judicious proviso : ‘ The philosopher who errs inhis predictions observes silence for the rest of his life.’

Before the year 300 b.c., two powerful monarchies had thus Indo-begun to act upon the Brahmanism of Northern India , from treatythe east and from the west. On the east, in the Gangetic 256 b.c.valley, Chandra Gupta (316-292 b.c.) firmly consolidated thedynasty which during the next century produced Asoka (264-223 b.c. ), established Buddhism throughout India , andspread its doctrines from Afghanistan to China , and fromCentral Asia to Ceylon . On the west, the heritage ofSeleukos (312-280 b.c.) diffused Greek influences, and sentforth Graeco-Bactrian expeditions to the Punjab. AntiochosTheos (grandson of Seleukos Nikator) and Asoka (grandsonof Chandra Gupta ), who ruled these probably conterminousmonarchies, made a treaty with each other, 256 b.c. In thenext century, Eukratides, King of Bactria , conquered as far asAlexander’s royal city of Patala, the modern Haidarabad inthe Sind delta ; and sent expeditions into Cutch and Gujarat ,