1   [Those events happened in the days of Artaxerxes, the Artaxerxes who ruled from India to Ethiopia, a hundred and twenty-seven provinces. 2   At this time he sat on his royal throne in the city of Susa. 3   Then in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for the King's Friends and persons of various races, the Persian and Median nobles and the leading provincial governors. 4   And afterwards, after displaying to them the wealth of his empire and the splendour of his rich festivities for a hundred and eighty days, 5   when these days of feasting were over, the king gave a banquet for all the people of various races present in the city of Susa; it was held in the court of the king's palace and lasted six days. 6   The court was decorated with white curtains of linen and cotton stretched on cords of purple, and these were attached to blocks of gold and silver resting on stone and marble columns. There were couches of gold and silver set on a pavement of malachite, marble, and mother-of-pearl. There were mats of transparent weave elaborately embroidered with roses arranged in a circle. 7   The cups were of gold and silver, and there was displayed a miniature cup made of carbuncle worth thirty thousand talents. The wine was abundant and sweet, from the king's own cellar. 8   The drinking was not according to a fixed rule, but the

A Jewess becomes queen king had laid it down that all the stewards of his palace should respect his will and that of the guests. 9   In addition, Queen Astin gave a banquet for the women in the same palace where King Artaxerxes was.

10   On the seventh day, when he was in high good humour, the king ordered Haman, Mazan, Tharra, Borazes, Zatholtha, Abataza, and Tharaba, the seven eunuchs who were in attendance on the king's person, 11   to bring the queen before him, so that he might place the royal diadem on her head and let her display her beauty to the officers and people of various races; for she was indeed a beautiful woman. 12   But Queen Astin refused to obey him and come with the eunuchs. This offended the king and made him angry.

13   Then the king said to his courtiers, ‘You hear what Astin said. 14   Give your ruling and judgement in the matter.’ Then the nobles of Persia and Media who were closest to the king—Harkesaeus, Sarsathaeus, and Malesear, who sat next him in the chief seats— 15   approached him and declared what should be done according to the law to Queen Astin for disobeying the order which the king sent her by the eunuchs. 16   Then Muchaeus said to the king and the nobles: ‘Queen Astin has done wrong, and not to the king alone, but to all his nobles and officers as well.’ 17   (For he had repeated to them what the queen had said and how she had defied the king.) 18   ‘And just as she defied King Artaxerxes, so now the nobles of Persia and Media will find that all their ladies are bold enough to treat their husbands with contempt, when they hear what she said to the king. 19   If it please your majesty, let a royal decree go out from you, and let it be inscribed among the laws of the Medes and Persians, that Astin shall not again appear before the king; this is the only course. And let the king give her place as queen to another woman who is more worthy of it than she. 20   Let whatever law the king makes be proclaimed throughout his empire, and then all women will give due honour to their husbands, rich and poor alike.’ 21   The advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Muchaeus had proposed. 22   Letters were sent to all the provinces of the empire, to each province in its own language, in order that every man might be respected in his own house.

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