40
"Your Majesty, how long will you test us, as though we were fools, giving an order a third time to destroy the Jews and again reversing your decisions?
38
Equip the elephants yet again for the destruction of the Jews tomorrow."
39
But the king's officials, who were reclining at the table with him, were taken aback by his unstable mind and began to protest as follows:
40
"Your Majesty, how long will you test us, as though we were fools, giving an order a third time to destroy the Jews and again reversing your decisions?
41
As a result, the city is in an uproar because of its expectation. It is already swarming with mobs and is very much at risk of being plundered."
42
At that point the king, a Phalaris in every way, was filled with madness and gave no thought at all to the change of heart that had come about in him concerning the punishment of the Jews. He firmly swore an irrevocable pledge that he would send these people to the grave without delay, mangled by the knees and feet of the beasts.