Citation with stable link: Philip A. Harland, 'Persian wisdom: Aelian on the Magians’ predictions about the savage Artaxerxes III (late second century),' Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World, last modified March 27, 2024, https://philipharland.com/Blog/?p=19360.
Ancient author: Aelian (late second century CE), Various Historical Items / Varia Historia 2.17; 4.8 (link to Greek text) and On Characteristics of Animals 10.28 and fragments 35 and 37 (link).
Comments: In these passages, Aelian deals with legends about the character and actions of the Persian king Ochos, or Artaxerxes III. Besides the negative characterization of the king as savage towards his own subjects and impious towards the Egyptians, there is also the story about the wise Magian diviners successfully predicting how terrible his reign would be.
In particular, Artaxerxes III is said to have killed the bull Apis, sacred to Egyptians, and to have mockingly honoured the ass (Onos). For a similar tale of impious offense, see also Tacitus’ tale about Moses and the Israelites (link).
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[Magians predict the savage behaviour of Ochos / Artaxerxes III]
(Various Historical Items 2.17) The wise among the Magians in Persia know the custom of divination as well as all the other subjects which it is right for them to know. They actually predicted the savage treatment which Ochos [Artaxerxes III, reigning 358-338 BCE] meted out to his subjects and the bloodthirstiness of his character by means of certain secret symbols. For when, on the death of his father Artaxerxes [II, i.e. 358 BCE], Ochos succeeded to the throne of Persia, the Magians instructed one of the eunuchs who were standing by to be careful to notice what food Ochos tried first from the table that was set before him. The eunuch standing at his side and watching for this, Ochos stretched out his hands and with the right took up one of the knives that were set before him, while with the left hand he drew towards him the largest loaf on the table, and then putting some meat on it, cut it up and ate ravenously. The Magians, when they heard this, made the following two predictions about his reign: there would be good crops and many murders.
(Various Historical Items 4.8) The Egyptians called Ochos, in their native tongue “Onos” (“Ass”), mocking his stupidity by comparing him to the animal which showed the same weakness. In revenge for this, Ochos seized Apis [the sacred bull] by force and sacrificed it to Onos.
(On the Characteristics of Animals 10.28) The Bousiritians, the Egyptian Abydos and the city of the Lykos hate the sound of the trumpet since it has a resemblance to the braying of an ass. Besides that, all who are devoted to the worship of Sarapis hate the ass. Ochos the Persian knew this, as is shown by the fact that he put Apis [sacred bull] to death and deified the ass because he wanted to hurt the feelings of the Egyptians as deeply as he could. But in the end, the sacred bull was avenged, when Ochos met with a fate which he thoroughly deserved and which was not less terrible than that suffered by Cambyses, who had been the first to commit this impious act.
(On the Characteristics of Animals, fragment 35) Ochos sacrificed the he-goat at Mende, which was sacred to Pan, and, misguided man that he was, had an elaborate meal of its flesh served up to him, and ate his fill of it.
(On the Characteristics of Animals, fragment 37) Ochos, having put Apis to death, desired to hand it over to the cooks to be cut up and served to him for dinner.
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Source of translation: W.S. Fox and R. E. K. Pemberton, Passages in Greek and Latin Literature Relating to Zoroaster and Zoroastrianism, K.R. Cama Oriental Institute Publication (Bombay: D.B. Taraporevala Sons & Co., 1929), public domain, adapted by Harland.