The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c20.278

v3.c20.278

‘Alā-ud-dīn remained for some time sunk in thought, and at length, raising his head, acknowledged the justice of the rebuke and declared that he had abandoned his impious design. Against the second project ‘Alā-ul-Mulk had no moral objections to urge, but he observed that a great part of India remained yet unconquered, that the land was a constant prey to marauding Mughuls, that there was no Aristotle to govern the realm in the king’s absence and that there were no officers to whom the government of conquered kingdoms could be entrusted. Waxing bolder he exhorted ‘Alā-ud-dīn to avoid excess in wine, and to devote less of his time to the chase and more to public business. The king professed himself grateful for this candid advice and generously rewarded his honest counsellor, but he could not forgo the petty vanity of describing himself on his coins as ‘the Second Alexander.’