noon
The elder of them bowed , greeting me with the title of `` Lord , '' and I bowed back to him . Then he handed me certain rolls tied up with silk and sealed , which he said I was to deliver as the King had commanded to the King 's Satrap in Egypt , and to the Prince Peroa . Also he gave me other letters addressed to the King 's servants on the road and written on tablets of clay in a writing I could not read , with all of which I touched my forehead in the Eastern fashion . After this he told me that by noon all would be ready for my journey which I should make with the rank of the King 's Envoy , duly provisioned and escorted by his servants , with liberty to use the royal horses from post to post . Then he ordered the slaves to bring in the gifts which the King sent to me , and these were many , including even suits of flexible armour that would turn any sword-thrust or arrow . I thanked him , saying that I would be ready to start by noon , and asked whether the King wished to see me before I rode . He replied that he had so wished , but that as he was suffering in his head from the effects of the sun , he could not .