32
In fact you would have been deprived of life instead of these, were it not for an affection arising from our nurture in common and your usefulness."
33
So Hermon suffered an unexpected and dangerous threat, and his eyes wavered and his face fell.
34
The king's friends one by one sullenly slipped away and dismissed the assembled people, each to his own occupation.
35
Then the Jews, upon hearing what the king had said, praised the manifest Lord God, King of kings, since this also was his aid which they had received.
36
The king, however, reconvened the party in the same manner and urged the guests to return to their celebrating.
37
After summoning Hermon he said in a threatening tone, "How many times, you poor wretch, must I give you orders about these things?
38
Equip the elephants now once more for the destruction of the Jews tomorrow!"
39
But the officials who were at table with him, wondering at his instability of mind, remonstrated as follows:
40
"O king, how long will you try us, as though we are idiots, ordering now for a third time that they be destroyed, and again revoking your decree in the matter?
41
As a result the city is in a tumult because of its expectation; it is crowded with masses of people, and also in constant danger of being plundered."
42
Upon this the king, a Phalaris in everything and filled with madness, took no account of the changes of mind which had come about within him for the protection of the Jews, and he firmly swore an irrevocable oath that he would send them to death without delay, mangled by the knees and feet of the beasts,