ere brought to the king, and a great quantity of ivory,
and Ethiopians, and apes; and they finished their voyage, going and
returning, in three years' time.

3. Accordingly there went a great fame all around the neighboring
countries, which proclaimed the virtue and wisdom of Solomon, insomuch
that all the kings every where were desirous to see him, as not giving
credit to what was reported, on account of its being almost incredible:
they also demonstrated the regard they had for him by the presents they
made him; for they sent him vessels of gold, and silver, and purple
garments, and many sorts of spices, and horses, and chariots, and as
many mules for his carriages as they could find proper to please the
king's eyes, by their strength and beauty. This addition that he made to
those chariots and horses which he had before from those that were sent
him, augmented the number of his chariots by above four hundred, for
he had a thousand before, and augmented the number of his horses by two
thousand, for he had twenty thousand before. These horses also were so
much exercised, in order to their making a fine appearance, and running
swiftly, that no others could, upon the comparison, appear either finer
or swifter; but they were at once the most beautiful of all others, and
their swiftness was incomparable also. Their riders also were a further
ornament to them, being, in the first place, young men in the most
delightful flower of their age, and being eminent for their largeness,
and far taller than other men. They had also very long heads of hair
hanging down, and were clothed in garments of Tyrian purple. They had
also dust of gold every day sprinkled on their hair, so that their heads
sparkled with the reflection of the sun-beams from the gold. The king
himself rode upon a chariot in the midst of these men, who were still in
armor, and had their bows fitted to them. He had on a white garment, and
used to take his progress out of the city in the morning. There was
a certain place about fifty furlongs distant from Jerusalem, which is
called Etham, very pleasant it is in fine gardens, and abounding in
rivulets of water; [18] thither did he use to go out in the morning,
sitting on high [in his chariot.]

4. Now Solomon had a divine sagacity in all things, and was very
diligent and studious to have things done after an elegant manner; so
he did not neglect the care of the ways, but he laid a causeway of black
stone along the r