he would send all the
vessels of God that were in Babylon to the temple at Jerusalem. Now it
so fell out, that about this time Zorobabel, who had been made governor
of the Jews that had been in captivity, came to Darius, from Jerusalem;
for there had been an old friendship between him and the king. He was
also, with two others, thought worthy to be guard of the king's body;
and obtained that honor which he hoped for.

2. Now, in the first year of the king's reign, Darius feasted those
that were about him, and those born in his house, with the rulers of
the Medes, and princes of the Persians, and the toparchs of India and
Ethiopia, and the generals of the armies of his hundred and twenty-seven
provinces. But when they had eaten and drunk to satiety, and abundantly,
they every one departed to go to bed at their own houses, and Darius the
king went to bed; but after he had rested a little part of the night, he
awaked, and not being able to sleep any more, he fell into conversation
with the three guards of his body, and promised, that to him who should
make an oration about points that he should inquire of, such as should
be most agreeable to truth, and to the dictates of wisdom, he would
grant it as a reward of his victory, to put on a purple garment, and
to drink in cups of gold, and to sleep upon gold, and to have a chariot
with bridles of gold, and a head tire of fine linen, and a chain of gold
about his neck, and to sit next to himself, on account of his wisdom;
"and," says he, "he shall be called my cousin." Now when he had promised
to give them these gifts, he asked the first of them, "Whether wine was
not the strongest?"--the second, "Whether kings were not such?"--and
the third, "Whether women were not such? or whether truth was not the
strongest of all?" When he had proposed that they should make their
inquiries about these problems, he went to rest; but in the morning he
sent for his great men, his princes, and toparchs of Persia and Media,
and set himself down in the place where he used to give audience, and
bid each of the guards of his body to declare what they thought proper
concerning the proposed questions, in the hearing of them all.

3. Accordingly, the first of them began to speak of the strength of
wine, and demonstrated it thus: "When," said he, "I am to give my
opinion of wine, O you men, I find that it exceeds every thing, by the
following indications: It deceives the mind of those that drink it, an