The Greeks in Bactria and India c12.136

c12.136

There is also a curious remark in the Milinda which can only be explained if we suppose that the Alexander-questions *were* known in India. When Milinda and his Friends are discussing how many of the brethren Nāgasena shall bring with him, Sabbadinna says ‘Let him come with ten’, and sticks to his point till the king has said three times that Nāgasena shall bring as many as he likes.² This number only has meaning in reference to the ten of the Alexander-questions, and presumably comes from the Greek Questions of Menander (which no doubt, like the Questions of Ptolemy II, were not confined to ten questions); what Sabbadinna in effect says is ‘You ought to follow the Greek tradition’ and Milinda says ‘No’.