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[49]
Now when this man had held his peace, the third of them, who was
Zorobabel, began to instruct them about women, and about truth, who said
thus: "Wine is strong, as is the king also, whom all men obey, but
women are superior to them in power; for it was a woman that brought the
king into the world; and for those that plant the vines and make the wine,
they are women who bear them, and bring them up: nor indeed is there any
thing which we do not receive from them; for these women weave garments
for us, and our household affairs are by their means taken care of, and
preserved in safety; nor can we live separate from women. And when we have
gotten a great deal of gold and silver, and any other thing that is of
great value, and deserving regard, and see a beautiful woman, we leave
all these things, and with open mouth fix our eyes upon her countenance,
and are willing to forsake what we have, that we may enjoy her beauty,
and procure it to ourselves. We also leave father, and mother, and the
earth that nourishes us, and frequently forget our dearest friends, for
the sake of women; nay, we are so hardy as to lay down our lives for them.
But what will chiefly make you take notice of the strength of women is
this that follows: Do not we take pains, and endure a great deal of trouble,
and that both by land and sea, and when we have procured somewhat as the
fruit of our labors, do not we bring them to the women, as to our mistresses,
and bestow them upon them? Nay, I once saw the king, who is lord of so
many people, smitten on the face by Apame, the daughter of Rabsases Themasius,
his concubine, and his diadem taken away from him, and put upon her own
head, while he bore it patiently; and when she smiled he smiled, and when
she was angry he was sad; and according to the change of her passions,
he flattered his wife, and drew her to reconciliation by the great humiliation
of himself to her, if at my time he saw her displeased at him."
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