the antiquities of the jews-1-第124章

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so　uneasy；　they　advised　him　to　cast　the　memory　of　his　wife；　and
his　love　for　her；　out　of　his　mind；　but　to　send　abroad　over　all
the　habitable　earth；　and　to　search　out　for　comely　virgins；　and　to
take　her　whom　he　should　best　like　for　his　wife；　because　his
passion　for　his　former　wife　would　be　quenched　by　the　introduction
of　another；　and　the　kindness　he　had　for　Vashti　would　be　withdrawn
from　her；　and　be　placed　on　her　that　was　with　him。　Accordingly；　he
was　persuaded　to　follow　this　advice；　and　gave　order　to　certain
persons　to　choose　out　of　the　virgins　that　were　in　his　kingdom
those　that　were　esteemed　the　most　comely。　So　when　a　great　number
of　these　virgins　were　gathered　together；　there　was　found　a　damsel
in　Babylon；　whose　parents　were　both　dead；　and　she　was　brought　up
with　her　uncle　Mordecai；　for　that　was　her　uncle's　name。　This
uncle　was　of　the　tribe　of　Benjamin；　and　was　one　of　the　principal
persons　among　the　Jews。　Now　it　proved　that　this　damsel；　whose
name　was　Esther；　was　the　most　beautiful　of　all　the　rest；　and　that
the　grace　of　her　countenance　drew　the　eyes　of　the　spectators
principally　upon　her。　So　she　was　committed　to　one　of　the　eunuchs
to　take　the　care　of　her；　and　she　was　very　exactly　provided　with
sweet　odors；　in　great　plenty；　and　with　costly　ointments；　such　as
her　body　required　to　be　anointed　withal；　and　this　was　used　for
six　months　by　the　virgins；　who　were　in　number　four　hundred。　And
when　the　eunuch　thought　the　virgins　had　been　sufficiently
purified；　in　the　fore…mentioned　time；　and　were　now　fit　to　go　to
the　king's　bed；　he　sent　one　to　be　with　the　king　ever　day。　So　when
he　had　accompanied　with　her；　he　sent　her　back　to　the　eunuch；　and
when　Esther　had　come　to　him；　he　was　pleased　with　her；　and　fell　in
love　with　the　damsel；　and　married　her；　and　made　her　his　lawful
wife；　and　kept　a　wedding　feast　for　her　on　the　twelfth　month　of
the　seventh　year　of　his　reign；　which　was　called　Adar。　He　also
sent　angari；　as　they　are　called；　or　messengers；　unto　every
nation；　and　gave　orders　that　they　should　keep　a　feast　for　his
marriage；　while　he　himself　treated　the　Persians　and　the　Medes；
and　the　principal　men　of　the　nations；　for　a　whole　month；　on
account　of　this　his　marriage。　Accordingly；　Esther　came　to　his
royal　palace；　and　he　set　a　diadem　on　her　head。　And　thus　was
Esther　married；　without　making　known　to　the　king　what　nation　she
was　derived　from。　Her　uncle　also　removed　from　Babylon　to　Shushan；
and　dwelt　there；　being　every　day　about　the　palace；　and　inquiring
how　the　damsel　did；　for　he　loved　her　as　though　she　had　been　his
own　daughter。

3。　Now　the　king　had　made　a　law；　（17）　that　none　of　his　own　people
should　approach　him　unless　he　were　called；　when　he　sat　upon　his
throne　and　men；　with　axes　in　their　hands；　stood　round　about　his
throne；　in　order　to　punish　such　as　approached　to　him　without
being　called。　However；　the　king　sat　with　a　golden　scepter　in　his
hand；　which　he　held　out　when　he　had　a　mind　to　save　any　one　of
those　that　approached　to　him　without　being　called；　and　he　who
touched　it　was　free　from　danger。　But　of　this　matter　we　have
discoursed　sufficiently。

4。　Some　time　after　this　＇two　eunuchs＇；　Bigthan　and　Teresh；
plotted　against　the　king；　and　Barnabazus；　the　servant　of　one　of
the　eunuchs；　being　by　birth　a　Jew；　was　acquainted　with　their
conspiracy；　and　discovered　it　to　the　queen's　uncle；　and　Mordecai；
by　the　means　of　Esther；　made　the　conspirators　known　to　the　king。
This　troubled　the　king；　but　he　discovered　the　truth；　and　hanged
the　eunuchs　upon　a　cross；　while　at　that　time　he　gave　no　reward　＇：
to　Mordecai；　who　had　been　the　occasion　of　his　preservation。　He
only　bid　the　scribes　to　set　down　his　name　in　the　records；　and　bid
him　stay　in　the　palace；　as　an　intimate　friend　of　the　king。

5。　Now　there　was　one　Haman；　the　son　of　Amedatha；　by　birth　an
Amalekite；　that　used　to　go　in　to　the　king；　and　the　foreigners　and
Persians　worshipped　him；　as　Artaxerxes　had　commanded　that　such
honor　should　be　paid　to　him；　but　Mordecai　was　so　wise；　and　so
observant　of　his　own　country's　laws；　that　he　would　not　worship
the　man　（18）　When　Haman　observed　this；　he　inquired　whence　he
came；　and　when　he　understood　that　he　was　a　Jew；　he　had
indignation　at　him；　and　said　within　himself；　that　whereas　the
Persians；　who　were　free　men；　worshipped　him；　this　man；　who　was　no
better　than　a　slave；　does　not　vouchsafe　to　do　so。　And　when　he
desired　to　punish　Mordecai；　he　thought　it　too　small　a　thing　to
request　of　the　king　that　he　alone　might　be　punished；　he　rather
determined　to　abolish　the　whole　nation；　for　he　was　naturally　an
enemy　to　the　Jews；　because　the　nation　of　the　Amalekites；　of　which
he　was；　had　been　destroyed　by　them。　Accordingly　he　came　to　the
king；　and　accused　them；　saying；　〃There　is　a　certain　wicked
nation；　and　it　is　dispersed　over　all　the　habitable　earth　the　was
under　his　dominion；　a　nation　separate　from　others；　unsociable；
neither　admitting　the　same　sort　of　Divine　worship　that　others　do；
nor　using　laws　like　to　the　laws　of　others；　at　enmity　with　thy
people；　and　with　all　men；　both　in　their　manners　and　practices。
Now；　if　thou　wilt　be　a　benefactor　to　thy　subjects；　thou　wilt　give
order　to　destroy　them　utterly；　and　not　leave　the　least　remains　of
them；　nor　preserve　any　of　them；　either　for　slaves　or　for
captives。〃　：But　that　the　king　might　not　be　damnified　by　the　loss
of　the　tributes　which　the　Jews　paid　him；　Haman　promised　to　give
him　out　of　his　own　estate　forty　thousand　talents　whensoever　he
pleased；　and　he　said　he　would　pay　this　money　very　willingly；　that
the　kingdom　might。　be　freed　from　such　a　misfortune。

6。　When　Haman　had　made　this　petition；　the　king　both　forgave　him
the　money；　and　granted　him　the　men；　to　do　what　he　would　with
them。　So　Haman；　having　gained　what　he　desired；　sent　out
immediately　a　decree；　as　from　the　king；　to　all　nations；　the
contents　whereof　were　these：　〃Artaxerxes；　the　great　king；　to　the
rulers　of　the　hundred　twenty　and　seven　provinces；　from　India　to
Ethiopia；　sends　this　writing。　Whereas　I　have　governed　many
nations；　and　obtained　the　dominions　　of　all　the　habitable　earth；
according　to　my　desire；　and　have　not　been　obliged　to　do　any　thing
that　is　insolent　or　cruel　to　my　subjects　by　such　my　power；　but
have　showed　myself　mild　and　gentle；　by　taking　care　of　their　peace
and　good　order；　and　have　sought　how　they　might　enjoy　those
blessings　for　all　time　to　come。　And　whereas　I　have　been　kindly
informed　by　Haman；　who；　on　account　of　his　prudence　and　justice；
is　the　first　in　my　esteem；　and　in　dignity；　and　only　second　to
myself；　for　his　fidelity　and　constant　good…will　to　me；　that　there
is　an　ill…natured　nation　intermixed　with　all　mankind；　that　is
averse　to　our　laws；　and　not　subject　to　kings；　and　of　a　different
conduct　of　life　from　others；　that　hateth　monarchy；　and　of　a
disposition　that　is　pernicious　to　our　affairs；　I　give　order　that
all　these　men；　of　whom　Haman　our　second　father　hath　informed　us；
be　destroyed；　with　their　wives　and　children；　and　that　none　of
them　be　spared；　and　that　none　prefer　pity　to　them　before
obedience　to　this　decree。　And　this　I　will　to　be　executed　on　the
fourteenth　day　of　the　twelfth　month　of　this　present　year；　that　so
when　all　that　have　enmity　to　us　are　destroyed；　and　this　in　one
day；　we　may　be　allowed　to　lead　the　rest　of　our　lives　in　peace
hereafter。〃　Now　when　this　decree　was　brought　to　the　cities；　and
to　the　country；　all　were　ready　for　the　destruction　and　entire
abolishment　of　the　Jews；　against　the　day　before　mentioned；　and
they　were　very　hasty　about　it　at　Shushan；　in　particular。
Accordingly；　the　king　and　Haman　spent　their　time　in　feasting
together　with　good　cheer　and　wine；　but　the　city　was　in　disorder。

7。　Now　when　Mordecai　was　informed　of　what　was　done；　he　rent　his
clothes；　and　put　on　sackcloth；　and　sprinkled　ashes　upon　his　head；
and　went　about　the　city；　crying　out；　that　〃a　nation　that　had　been
injurious　to　no　man　was　to　be　destroyed。〃　And　he　went　on　saying
thus　as　far　as　to　the　king's　palace；　and　there　he　stood；　for　it
was　not　lawful　for　him　to　go　into　it　in　that　habit。　The　same
thing　was　done　by　all　the　Jews　that　were　in　the　several　cities
wherein　this　decree　was　published；　with　lamentation　and　mourning；
on　account　of　the　calamities　denounced　against　them。　But　as　soon
as　certain　persons　had　told　the　queen　that　Mordecai　stood　before
the　court　in　a　mourning　habit；　she　was　disturbed　at　this　report；
and　sent　out　such　as　should　change　his　garments；　but　when　he
could　not　be　induced　to　put　off　his　sackcloth；　because　the　sad
occasion　that　forced　him　to　put　it　on　was　not　yet　ceased；　she
called　the　eunuch　Acratheus；　for　he　was　then　present；　and　sent
him　to　Mordecai；　in　order　to　know　of　him　what　sad　accident　had
befallen　him；　for　which　he　was　in　mourning；　and　would　not　put　off
the　habit　he　had　put　on　at　her　desire。　Then　did　Mordecai　inform
the　eunuch　of　the　occasion　of　his　mourning；　and　of　the　decree
which　was　sent　by　the　king　into　all　the　country；　and　of　the
promise　of　money　whereby　Haman　brought　the　destruction　of　their
nation。　He　also　gave　him　a　copy　of　what　was　proclaimed　at
Shushan；　to　be　carried　to　Esther；　and　he　charged　her　to　petition
the　king　about　this　matter；　and　not　to　think　it　a　dishonorable
thing　in　her　to　put　on　a　humble　habit；　for　the　safety　of　her
nation；　wherein　she　might　deprecate　the　ruin　of　the　Jews；　who
were　in　danger　of　it；　for　that　Haman；　whose　dignity　was　only
inferior　to　that　of　the　king；　had　accused　the　Jews；　and　had
irritated　the　king　against　them。　When　she　was　informed　of　this；
she　sent　to　Mordecai　again；　and　told　him　that　she　was　not　called
by　the　king；　and　that　he　who　goes　in　to　him　without　being　called；
is　to　be　slain；　unless　when　he　is　willing　to　save　any　one；　he
holds　out　his　golden　scepter　to　him；　but　that　to　whomsoever　he
does　so；　although　he　go　in　without　being　called；　that　person　is
so　far　from　being　slain；　that　he　obtains　pardon；　and　is　entirely
preserved。　Now　when　the　eunuch　carried　this　message　from　Esther
to　Mordecai；　he　bade　him　also　tell　her　that　she　must　not　only
provide　for　her　own　preservation；　but　for　the　common　preservation
of　her　nation；　for　that　if　she　now　neglected　this　opportunity；
there　would　certainly　arise　help　to　them　from　God　some　other　way；
but　she　and　her　father's　house　would　be　destroyed　by　those　whom
she　now　despised。　But　Esther　sent　the　very　same　eunuch　back　to
Mordecai　＇to　desire　him＇　to　go　to　Shushan；　and　to　gather　the　Jews
that　were　there　together　to　a　congregation；　and　to　fast　and
abstain　from　all　sorts　of　food；　on　her　account；　and　＇to　let　him
know　that＇　she　with　her　maidens　would　do　the　same：　and　then　she
promised　that　she　would　go　to　the　king；　though　it　were　against
the　law；　and　that　if　she　must　die　for　it；　she　would　not　refuse
it。

8。　Accordingly；　Mordecai　did　as　Esther　had　enjoined　him；　and　made
the　people　fast；　and　he　besought　God；　together　with　them；　not　to
overlook　his　nation；　particularly　at　this　time；　when　it　was　going
to　be　destroyed；　but　that；　as　he　had　often　before　provided　for
them；　and　forgiven；　when　they　had　sinned；　so　he　would　now　deliver
them　from　that　destruction　which　was　denounced　against　them；　for
although　it　was　not　all　the　nation　that　had　offended；　yet　must
they　so　ingloriously　be　slain；　and　that　he　was　himself　the
occasion　of　t