4
If he tells them to make war on one another, they do it. If he sends them out against his enemies, they go, even if they have to break down mountains, walls, or towers.
5
They may kill or be killed, but they never disobey the emperor's orders. If they are victorious, they bring him all their loot and everything else they have taken in battle.
6
Farmers do not go out to war, but even they bring to the emperor a part of everything that they harvest, and they compel one another to pay taxes to the emperor.
7
Although the emperor is only one man, if he orders people to kill, they kill; if he orders them to set prisoners free, they do it;
8
if he orders them to attack, they do; if he orders destruction, they destroy; if he orders them to build, they build;
9
if he orders crops to be destroyed or fields to be planted, it is done.
10
Everybody, soldier or civilian, obeys the emperor. And when he sits down to eat or drink and then falls asleep,
11
his servants stand guard around him, without being able to go and take care of their own affairs, for they never disobey him.
12
Gentlemen," he concluded, "since people obey the emperor like this, certainly nothing in the world is stronger than he is."
13
The bodyguard who had written about women and the truth - it was Zerubbabel - spoke last.
14
"Gentlemen," he began, "the emperor is certainly powerful, men are numerous, and wine is strong, but who rules and controls them all? It is women!