Chapter 1

Kai en taiV hmeraiV tou Assouhrou, outoV einai o AssouhrhV, o basileuwn apo thV IndiaV ewV thV AiqiopiaV, epi ekaton eikosiepta eparciwn×

en ekeinaiV taiV hmeraiV, ote o basileuV AssouhrhV ekaqhsen epi ton qronon thV basileiaV autou, en SousoiV th basileuoush,

en tw tritw etei thV basileiaV autou, ekame sumposion eiV pantaV touV arcontaV autou kai touV doulouV autou× kai hto enwpion autou h dunamiV thV PersiaV kai thV MhdiaV, oi eugeneiV kai oi arconteV twn eparciwn,

ote edeiknue ta plouth thV endoxou basileiaV autou, kai thn lamprothta thV exocou megaleiothtoV autou, hmeraV pollaV, ekaton ogdohkonta hmeraV.

Kai afou eplhrwqhsan ai hmerai autai, ekamen o basileuV sumposion eiV panta ton laon ton eureqenta en SousoiV th basileuoush, apo megalou ewV mikrou, epta hmeraV, en th aulh tou khpou tou basilikou palatiou×

opou hsan parapetasmata leuka, prasina kai kuana, kremamena dia scoiniwn bussinwn kai porfurwn dia krikwn argurwn eiV stulouV ek marmarou× klinai crusai kai argurai hsan epi liqostrwton ek porfuritou kai kuanou kai leukou kai melanoV marmarou.

Ekernwn de eiV skeuh crusa, hllassonto de ta skeuh diadocikwV, kai hto oinoV basilikoV en afqonia, kata thn megaloprepeian tou basilewV.

H de posiV hto kekanonismenh× oudeiV ebiaze× dioti o basileuV prosetaxen outwV eiV pantaV touV oikonomouV tou palatiou autou, na kamnwsi kata thn eucaristhsin ekastou.

Kai Astin eti h basilissa ekamen eiV taV gunaikaV sumposion en tw oikw tw basilikw tou basilewV Assouhrou.

En th ebdomh de hmera, ote h kardia tou basilewV hto euqumoV ek tou oinou, prosetaxe ton Meouman, ton Bhzaqa, ton Arbwna, ton Bhgqa kai Abagqa, ton Zeqar kai ton CarkaV, touV epta eunoucouV touV uphretountaV enwpion tou basilewV Assouhrou,

na ferwsi thn Astin thn basilissan enwpion tou basilewV, meta tou basilikou diadhmatoV, dia na deixh to kalloV authV eiV touV laouV kai eiV touV arcontaV× dioti hto wraia thn oyin.

H basilissa omwV Astin hrnhqh na elqh kata thn prostaghn tou basilewV, thn dia twn eunoucwn. Oqen o basileuV equmwqh sfodra, kai h orgh autou exhfqh en eautw.

Tote eipen o basileuV proV touV sofouV, touV gnwrizontaV touV kairouV× dioti toiauth hto h sunhqeia tou basilewV proV pantaV touV gnwrizontaV ton nomon kai thn krisin×

plhsion de autou hto o Karsena, o Seqar, o Admaqa, o QarseiV, o MereV, o Marsena kai o Memoukan, oi epta arconteV thV PersiaV kai thV MhdiaV, oitineV eblepon to proswpon tou basilewV kai eicon thn proedrian en tw basileiw×

Ti armozei na kamwmen proV thn basilissan Astin kata ton nomon, dioti den exetelese thn dia twn eunoucwn prostaghn tou basilewV Assouhrou;

Kai apekriqh o Memoukan enwpion tou basilewV kai twn arcontwn, H basilissa Astin den hmarthse monon eiV ton basilea, alla kai eiV pantaV touV arcontaV kai eiV pantaV touV laouV touV en pasaiV taiV eparciaiV tou basilewV Assouhrou×

dioti h praxiV thV basilisshV qelei diadoqh eiV pasaV taV gunaikaV, wste qelousi katafronei touV andraV autwn emprosqen twn ofqalmwn autwn, otan diafhmisqh oti o basileuV AssouhrhV prosetaxe thn basilissan Astin na ferqh enwpion autou, kai den hlqe×

kai thn shmeron ai despoinai thV PersiaV kai thV MhdiaV, osai hkousan peri thV praxewV thV basilisshV, qelousi lalhsei outw proV pantaV touV arcontaV tou basilewV× enteuqen megalh perifronhsiV kai orgh×

ean loipon hnai areston eiV ton basilea, aV exelqh par' autou basilikh diatagh, kai aV grafh metaxu twn nomwn twn Perswn kai twn Mhdwn, dia na hnai ametaqetoV, na mh elqh pleon h Astin enwpion tou basilewV Assouhrou× kai aV dwsh o basileuV thn basilikhn authV axian eiV allhn kalhteran authV×

kai otan to prostagma tou basilewV, to opoion qelei kamei, dhmosieuqh dia pantoV tou basileiou autou, dioti einai mega, pasai ai gunaikeV qelousin apodidei timhn eiV touV andraV autwn, apo megalou ewV mikrou.

Kai o logoV hresen eiV ton basilea kai eiV touV arcontaV× kai ekamen o basileuV kata ton logon tou Memoukan×

kai esteile grammata eiV pasaV taV eparciaV tou basilewV, eiV ekasthn eparcian kata to grafein authV, kai proV ekaston laon kata thn glwssan autou, na hnai paV anhr kurioV en th oikia autou, kai na lalh kata thn glwssan tou laou autou.