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ELEPHANTS, HISTORICAL 157
beneath the enormous mass of the elephant as it fell to the ground.*
The
administration of stimulants to war elephants in order to render them
more ferocious has not always redounded to the advantage of those using
this treatment. The example cited in the Third Book of Maccabees is a
good illustration of this. In 210 B. C. the Egyptian monarch, Ptolemy
Philopater, after suppressing an insurrection of the Jews of
Alexandria, designed to have a number of his prisoners trampled to
death by elephants in the Hippodrome for the delectation of the
Alexandrian populace. To ensure effective results he directed that the
elephants should be dosed from the previous day with a mixture of
frankincense and wine. The keepers carefully carried out these
instructions and the elephants developed a due degree of ferocity, but
unfortunately they were no respecters of persons, and instead of
venting their fury upon the unhappy Jews, they trampled down the
Egyptian guards.
Another
case of devotion, this time on the part of a loyal servitor to save the
life of his master, is related by Ta vernier. On one occasion when Shah
Jehan and one of his sons were riding on an elephant, the animal
suddenly developed an insane fury, so that the mahout completely lost
control over its actions. Quickly realizing that should the elephant
continue its mad rush through the woodland they were traversing his
sovereign and the prince would inevitably be dashed to pieces against
the trees, the faithful servant determined to sacrifice his life in
their defence, only begging that his three children should be cared for
after his death. He then jumped down to the ground, whereupon the
elephant seized him with its trunk, cast him down and trampled out his
life beneath its ponderous feet. This act of violence satisfied the
creature's rage, and it immediately became quiet and
*I Maccabees, VI, 43-46; see also Josephus Ant. of the Jews, XII, IX, 4.
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