Rawlinson, H. G. Intercourse between India and the western world from the earliest times to the fall of Rome

(Cambridge :  University Press,  1916.)

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82                Greek and Semi-Greek

of contemporary writers were not reaUsed, and
Menander, as far as we know, never entered the
ancient capital of Asoka. " The fiercely-fighting
Greeks," we are told, " did not stay long in
Madhyadesa : a cruel strife had broken out in
their own country." Menander returned, and died
soon after in the field. According to a Siamese
version of the Milinda Panha he was looked upon
at the time of his death as an Arhat, a Buddhist
saint of high degree. And so, says Plutarch,
his subject states strove for his ashes, which they
finally divided among them, and placed beneath
great ddgabas in their own land, just as was done
in the case of Gautama Buddha himself^. His
coins are found in great quantities all over North¬
western India, and as far south as Hamirpur
in the Jamna district. Over two centuries after
Menander's death, the author of the Periplus
found them stiU current at the port of Broach 2.
The war which recalled Menander was probably
a Saka invasion. The Saka tribes, pushed steadily
southwards by the advance of the Yueh-chi, and

1   MevavSpou 8e Tivos eTrteiKcSs ^acrtXevoravTOS koI aTroOavovro^
eTTi o-TparoTTihov, rrjv pikv dXX-qv Krj^etav e-rroLrjaavTO Kara to koivov
at TToXcts- TTCpi 8e Twv X€Lx[/dvo}v avTOv KaraardvTe'i ets aycova, /xoAts
o-vvi^Tjo-av, ware vup.dfx^voi fiepo? Icrov t^s recjbpas airiXOelv Kai
yeviaOai /Avij/xcia Trapa Tracrt rov di/Spo's.     Dc Rep.  Ger.  21.

For Gautama's funeral, see Mahdparinibbdna Sutta in
S.B.E. XI. 131.

2   § 47. M.€)^pi vvv iv BapuyaCo-ts TraXatat Trpo^wpoBcrt Spaxf^at...
iTTLO-r][xa twv p-er' 'AXe^avSpov /3e/3ao-tAei>KOTWv 'AttoXXoBotov /cat
MevavSpov.
  Page 82