the antiquities of the jews-1-第125章

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they　so　ingloriously　be　slain；　and　that　he　was　himself　the
occasion　of　the　wrath　of　Haman；　〃Because；〃　said　he；　〃I　did　not
worship　him；　nor　could　I　endure　to　pay　that　honor　to　him　which　I
used　to　pay　to　thee；　O　Lord；　for　upon　that　his　anger　hath　he
contrived　this　present　mischief　against　those　that　have　not
transgressed　thy　laws。〃　The　same　supplications　did　the　multitude
put　up；　and　entreated　that　God　would　provide　for　their
deliverance；　and　free　the　Israelites　that　were　in　all　the　earth
from　this　calamity　which　was　now　coming　upon　them；　for　they　had
it　before　their　eyes；　and　expected　its　coming。　Accordingly；
Esther　made　supplication　to　God　after　the　manner　of　her　country；
by　casting　herself　down　upon　the　earth；　and　putting　on　her
mourning　garments；　and　bidding　farewell　to　meat　and　drink；　and
all　delicacies；　for　three　days'　time；　and　she　entreated　God　to
have　mercy　upon　her；　and　make　her　words　appear　persuasive　to　the
king；　and　render　her　countenance　more　beautiful　than　it　was
before；　that　both　by　her　words　and　beauty　she　might　succeed；　for
the　averting　of　the　king's　anger；　in　case　he　were　at　all
irritated　against　her；　and　for　the　consolation　of　those　of　her
own　country；　now　they　were　in　the　utmost　danger　of　perishing；　as
also　that　he　would　excite　a　hatred　in　the　king　against　the
enemies　of　the　Jews；　and　those　that　had　contrived　their　future
destruction；　if　they　proved　to　be　contemned　by　him。

9。　When　Esther　had　used　this　supplication　for　three　days；　she　put
off　those　garments；　and　changed　her　habit；　and　adorned　herself　as
became　a　queen；　and　took　two　of　her　handmaids　with　her；　the　one
of　which　supported　her；　as　she　gently　leaned　upon　her；　and　the
other　followed　after；　and　lifted　up　her　large　train　（which　swept
along　the　ground）　with　the　extremities　of　her　fingers。　And　thus
she　came　to　the　king；　having　a　blushing　redness　in　her
countenance；　with　a　pleasant　agreeableness　in　her　behavior；　yet
did　she　go　in　to　him　with　fear；　and　as　soon　as　she　was　come　over
against　him；　as　he　was　sitting　on　his　throne；　in　his　royal
apparel；　which　was　a　garment　interwoven　with　gold　and　precious
stones；　which　made　him　seem　to　her　more　terrible；　especially　when
he　looked　at　her　somewhat　severely；　and　with　a　countenance　on
fire　with　anger；　her　joints　failed　her　immediately；　out　of　the
dread　she　was　in；　and　she　fell　down　sideways　in　a　swoon：　but　the
king　changed　his　mind；　which　happened；　as　I　suppose；　by　the　will
of　God；　and　was　concerned　for　his　wife；　lest　her　fear　should
bring　some　very　ill　thing　upon　her；　and　he　leaped　from　his
throne；　and　took　her　in　his　arms；　and　recovered　her；　by　embracing
her；　and　speaking　comfortably　to　her；　and　exhorting　her　to　be　of
good　cheer；　and　not　to　suspect　any　thing　that　was　sad　on　account
of　her　coming　to　him　without　being　called；　because　that　law　was
made　for　subjects；　but　that　she；　who　was　a　queen；　as　well　as　he　a
king；　might　be　entirely　secure；　and　as　he　said　this；　he　put　the
scepter　into　her　hand；　and　laid　his　rod　upon　her　neck；　on　account
of　the　law；　and　so　freed　her　from　her　fear。　And　after　she　had
recovered　herself　by　these　encouragements；　she　said；　〃My　lord；　it
is　not　easy　for　me；　on　the　sudden；　to　say　what　hath　happened；　for
as　soon　as　I　saw　thee　to　be　great；　and　comely；　and　terrible；　my
spirit　departed　from　me；　and　I　had　no　soul　left　in　me。〃　And　while
it　was　with　difficulty；　and　in　a　low　voice；　that　she　could　say
thus　much；　the　king　was　in　a　great　agony　and　disorder；　and
encouraged　Esther　to　be　of　good　cheer；　and　to　expect　better
fortune；　since　he　was　ready；　if　occasion　should　require　it；　to
grant　her　the　half　of　his　kingdom。　Accordingly；　Esther　desired
that　he　and　his　friend　Haman　would　come　to　her　to　a　banquet；　for
she　said　she　had　prepared　a　supper　for　him。　He　consented　to　it；
and　when　they　were　there；　as　they　were　drinking；　he　bid　Esther　to
let　him　know　what　she　desired；　for　that　she　should　not　be
disappointed　though　she　should　desire　the　half　of　his　kingdom。
But　she　put　off　the　discovery　of　her　petition　till　the　next　day；
if　he　would　come　again；　together　with　Haman；　to　her　banquet。

10。　Now　when　the　king　had　promised　so　to　do；　Haman　went　away　very
glad；　because　he　alone　had　the　honor　of　supping　with　the　king　at
Esther's　banquet；　and　because　no　one　else　partook　of　the　same
honor　with　kings　but　himself；　yet　when　he　saw　Mordecai　in　the
court；　he　was　very　much　displeased；　for　he　paid　him　no　manner　of
respect　when　he　saw　him。　So　he　went　home　and　called　for　his　wife
Zeresh；　and　his　friends；　and　when　they　were　come；　he　showed　them
what　honor　he　enjoyed　not　only　from　the　king；　but　from　the　queen
also；　for　as　he　alone　had　that　day　supped　with　her；　together　with
the　king；　so　was　he　also　invited　again　for　the　next　day；　yet；〃
said　he；　〃am　I　not　pleased　to　see　Mordecai　the　Jew　in　the　court。〃
Hereupon　his　wife　Zeresh　advised　him　to　give　order　that　a　gallows
should　be　made　fifty　cubits　high；　and　that　in　the　morning　he
should　ask　it　of　the　king　that　Mordecai　might　be　hanged　thereon。
So　he　commended　her　advice；　and　gave　order　to　his　servants　to
prepare　the　gallows；　and　to　place　it　in　the　court；　for　the
punishment　of　Mordecai　thereon；　which　was　accordingly　prepared。
But　God　laughed　to　scorn　the　wicked　expectations　of　Haman；　and　as
he　knew　what　the　event　would　be；　he　was　delighted　at　it；　for　that
night　he　took　away　the　king's　sleep；　and　as　the　king　was　not
willing　to　lose　the　time　of　his　lying　awake；　but　to　spend　it　in
something　that　might　be　of　advantage　to　his　kingdom；　he　commanded
the　scribe　to　bring　him　the　chronicles　of　the　former　kings；　and
the　records　of　his　own　actions；　and　when　he　had　brought　them；　and
was　reading　them；　one　was　found　to　have　received　a　country　on
account　of　his　excellent　management　on　a　certain　occasion；　and
the　name　of　the　country　was　set　down；　another　was　found　to　have
had　a　present　made　him　on　account　of　his　fidelity：　then　the
scribe　came　to　Bigthan　and　Teresh；　the　eunuchs　that　had　made　a
conspiracy　against　the　king；　which　Mordecai　had　discovered；　and
when　the　scribe　said　no　more　but　that；　and　was　going　on　to
another　history；　the　king　stopped　him；　and　inquired　〃whether　it
was　not　added　that　Mordecai　had　a　reward　given　him？〃　and　when　he
said　there　was　no　such　addition；　he　bade　him　leave　off；　and　he
inquired　of　those　that　were　appointed　for　that　purpose；　what　hour
of　the　night　it　was；　and　when　he　was　informed　that　it　was　already
day；　he　gave　order；　that　if　they　found　any　one　of　his　friends
already　come；　and　standing　before　the　court；　they　should　tell
him。　Now　it　happened　that　Haman　was　found　there；　for　he　was　come
sooner　than　ordinary　to　petition　the　king　to　have　Mordecai　put　to
death；　and　when　the　servants　said　that　Haman　was　before　the
court；　he　bid　them　call　him　in；　and　when　he　was　come　in；　he　said；
〃Because　I　know　that　thou　art　my　only　fast　friend；　I　desire　thee
to　give　me　advice　how　I　may　honor　one　that　I　greatly　love；　and
that　after　a　manner　suitable　to　my　magnificence。〃　Now　Haman
reasoned　with　himself；　that　what　opinion　he　should　give　it　would
be　for　himself；　since　it　was　he　alone　who　was　beloved　by　the
king：　so　he　gave　that　advice　which　he　thought　of　all　other　the
best；　for　he　said；　〃If　thou　wouldst　truly　honor　a　man　whom　thou
sayest　thou　dost　love；　give　order　that　he　may　ride　on　horseback；
with　the　same　garment　on　which　thou　wearest；　and　with　a　gold
chain　about　his　neck；　and　let　one　of　thy　intimate　friends　go
before　him；　and　proclaim　through　the　whole　city；　that　whosoever
the　king　honoreth　obtaineth　this　mark　of　his　honor。〃　This　was　the
advice　which　Haman　gave；　out　of　a　supposal　that　such　a　reward
would　come　to　himself。　Hereupon　the　king　was　pleased　with　the
advice；　and　said；　〃Go　thou　therefore；　for　thou　hast　the　horse；
the　garment；　and　the　chain；　ask　for　Mordecai　the　Jew；　and　give
him　those　things；　and　go　before　his　horse　and　proclaim
accordingly；　for　thou　art；〃　said　he；　〃my　intimate　friend；　and
hast　given　me　good　advice；　be　thou　then　the　minister　of　what　thou
hast　advised　me　to。　This　shall　be　his　reward　from　us；　for
preserving　my　life。〃　When　he　heard　this　order；　which　was　entirely
unexpected；　he　was　confounded　in　his　mind；　and　knew　not　what　to
do。　However；　he　went　out　and　led　the　horse；　and　took　the　purple
garment；　and　the　golden　chain　for　the　neck；　and　finding　Mordecai
before　the　court；　clothed　in　sackcloth；　he　bid　him　put　that
garment　off；　and　put　the　purple　garment　on。　But　Mordecai；　not
knowing　the　truth　of　the　matter；　but　thinking　that　it　was　done　in
mockery；　said；　〃O　thou　wretch；　the　vilest　of　all　mankind；　dost
thou　thus　laugh　at　our　calamities？〃　But　when　he　was　satisfied
that　the　king　bestowed　this　honor　upon　him；　for　the　deliverance
he　had　procured　him　when　he　convicted　the　eunuchs　who　had
conspired　against　him；　he　put　on　that　purple　garment　which　the
king　always　wore；　and　put　the　chain　about　his　neck；　and　got　on
horseback；　and　went　round　the　city；　while　Haman　went　before　and
proclaimed；　〃This　shall　be　the　reward　which　the　king　will　bestow
on　every　one　whom　he　loves；　and　esteems　worthy　of　honor。〃　And
when　they　had　gone　round　the　city；　Mordecai　went　in　to　the　king；
but　Haman　went　home；　out　of　shame；　and　informed　his　wife　and
friends　of　what　had　happened；　and　this　with　tears；　who　said；　that
he　would　never　be　able　to　be　revenged　of　Mordecai；　for　that　God
was　with　him。

11。　Now　while　these　men　were　thus　talking　one　to　another；
Esther's　eunuchs　hastened　Haman　away　to　come　to　supper；　but　one
of　the　eunuchs；　named　Sabuchadas；　saw　the　gallows　that　was　fixed
in　Haman's　house；　and　inquired　of　one　of　his　servants　for　what
purpose　they　had　prepared　it。　So　he　knew　that　it　was　for　the
queen's　uncle；　because　Haman　was　about　to　petition　the　king　that
he　might　be　punished；　but　at　present　he　held　his　peace。　Now　when
the　king；　with　Haman；　were　at　the　banquet；　he　desired　the　queen
to　tell　him　what　gifts　she　desired　to　obtain；　and　assured　her
that　she　should　have　whatsoever　she　had　a　mind　to。　She　then
lamented　the　danger　her　people　were　in；　and　said　that　〃she　and
her　nation　were　given　up　to　be　destroyed；　and　that　she；　on　that
account；　made　this　her　petition；　that　she　would　not　have　troubled
him　if　he　had　only　given　order　that　they　should　be　sold　into
bitter　servitude；　for　such　a　misfortune　would　not　have　been
intolerable；　but　she　desired　that　they　might　be　delivered　from
such　destruction。〃　And　when　the　king　inquired　of　her　whom　was　the
author　of　this　misery　to　them；　she　then　openly　accused　Haman；　and
convicted　him；　that　he　had　been　the　wicked　instrument　of　this；
and　had　formed　this　plot　against　them。　When　the　king　was　hereupon
in　disorder；　and　was　gone　hastily　out　of　the　banquet　into　the
gardens；　Haman　began　to　intercede　with　Esther；　and　to　beseech　her
to　forgive　him；　as　to　what　he　had　offended；　for　he　perceived　that
he　was　in　a　very　bad　case。　And　as　he　had　fallen　upon　the　queen's
bed；　and　was　making　supplication　to　her；　the　king　came　in；　and
being　still　more　provoked　at　what　he　saw；　〃O　thou　wretch；〃　said
he；　〃thou　vilest　of　mankind；　dost　thou　aim　to　force　in　wife？〃　And
when　Haman　was　astonished　at　this；　and　not　able　to　speak　one　word
more；　Sabuchadas　the　eunuch　came　in　and　accused　Haman；　and　said；〃
He　found　a　gallows　at　his　house；　prepared