A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s5.5

v2.c19.s5.5

¹ An argument in favour of his having been a Buddhist, would be furnished by Plutarch's remarkable statement that, after the death of Menander, several Indian cities quarrelled about the possession of his ashes, which were eventually divided, whereupon each city erected a memorial over its own share. According to the legend, exactly the same thing happened at the death of Buddha (*Garbe*, l.c., pp. 102, 112 f., *Schrader*, l.c., p. xvi). Of course, it is possible that Menander was merely a sympathiser with the Buddhists, and presented the Order with great donations It is significant, though, that coins of Menander show the Buddhist wheel (S *Lévi* in RHR 23; 1891, p. 43 f.).