23
A man takes his sword, and goes out to travel and rob and steal and to sail the sea and rivers;
24
he faces lions, and he walks in darkness, and when he steals and robs and plunders, he brings it back to the woman he loves.
25
A man loves his wife more than his father or his mother.
26
Many men have lost their minds because of women, and have become slaves because of them.
27
Many have perished, or stumbled, or sinned, because of women.
28
And now do you not believe me? "Is not the king great in his power? Do not all lands fear to touch him?
29
Yet I have seen him with Apame, the king's concubine, the daughter of the illustrious Bartacus; she would sit at the king's right hand
30
and take the crown from the king's head and put it on her own, and slap the king with her left hand.
31
At this the king would gaze at her with mouth agape. If she smiles at him, he laughs; if she loses her temper with him, he flatters her, that she may be reconciled to him.
32
Gentlemen, why are not women strong, since they do such things?"
33
Then the king and the nobles looked at one another; and he began to speak about truth: