men in the country, he sat down the lowest of
them all, because he was little regarded, as a child in age still; and
this by those who placed every one according to their dignity. Now when
all those that sat with him had laid the bones Of the several parts on
a heap before Hyrcanus, [for they had themselves taken away the flesh
belonging to them,] till the table where he sat was filled full with
them, Trypho, who was the king's jester, and was appointed for jokes and
laughter at festivals, was now asked by the guests that sat at the table
[to expose him to laughter]. So he stood by the king, and said,
"Dost thou not see, my lord, the bones that lie by Hyrcanus? by this
similitude thou mayst conjecture that his father made all Syria as bare
as he hath made these bones." And the king laughing at what Trypho said,
and asking of Hyrcanus, How he came to have so many bones before him? he
replied, "Very rightfully, my lord; for they are dogs that eat the flesh
and the bones together, as these thy guests have done, [looking in the
mean time at those guests,] for there is nothing before them; but they
are men that eat the flesh, and cast away the hones, as I, who am also
a man, have now done." Upon which the king admired at his answer, which
was so wisely made; and bid them all make an acclamation, as a mark of
their approbation of his jest, which was truly a facetious one. On the
next day Hyrcanus went to every one of the king's friends, and of the
men powerful at court, and saluted them; but still inquired of the
servants what present they would make the king on his son's birthday;
and when some said that they would give twelve talents, and that others
of greater dignity would every one give according to the quantity of
their riches, he pretended to every one of them to be grieved that he
was not able to bring so large a present; for that he had no more than
five talents. And when the servants heard what he said, they told
their masters; and they rejoiced in the prospect that Joseph would be
disapproved, and would make the king angry, by the smallness of his
present. When the day came, the others, even those that brought the
most, offered the king not above twenty talents; but Hyrcanus gave to
every one of the hundred boys and hundred maidens that he had bought a
talent apiece, for them to carry, and introduced them, the boys to
the king, and the maidens to Cleopatra; every body wondering at the
unexpected richness of the prese