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."

6. And when the princes and rulers looked one upon another, he began
to speak about truth; and he said, "I have already demonstrated how
powerful women are; but both these women themselves, and the king
himself, are weaker than truth; for although the earth be large, and the
heaven high, and the course of the sun swift, yet are all these moved
according to the will of God, who is true and righteous, for which cause
we also ought to esteem truth to be the strongest of all things, and
that what is unrighteous is of no force against it. Moreover, all things
else that have any strength are mortal and short-lived, but truth is
a thing that is immortal and eternal. It affords us not indeed such a
beauty as will wither away by time, nor such riches as may be taken away
by fortune, but righteous rules and laws. It distinguishes them from
injustice, and puts what is unrighteous to rebuke." [5]

7. So when Zorobabel had left off his discourse about truth, and the
multitude had cried out aloud that he had spoken the most wisely, and
that it was truth alone that had immutable strength, and such as never
would wax old, the king commanded that he should ask for somewhat over
and above what he had promised, for that he would give it him because
of his wisdom, and that prudence wherein he exceeded the rest; "and thou
shalt sit with me," said the king, "and shalt be called my cousin." When
he had said this, Zorobabel put him in mind of the vow he had made in
case he should ever have the kingdom. Now this vow was, "to rebuild
Jerusalem, and to build therein the temple of God; as also to restore
the vessels which Nebuchadnezzar had pillaged, and carried to Babylon.
And this," said he, "is that request which thou now permittest me to
make, on account that I have been judged to be wise and understanding."

8. So the king was pleased with what he had said, and arose and kissed
him; and wrote to the toparchs and governors, and enjoined them to
conduct Zorobabel and those that were going with him to build the
temple. He also sent letters to those rulers that were in Syria and
Phoenicia to cut down and carry cedar trees from Lebanon to Jerusalem,
and to assist him in bu