Illustrated bible History - Catholic Apologetics Information

FSTIIER. 203
vc?rt his mincl, lie ordered the al~i~sls of his reign to be rrad
to Iii111.
11. TThcn thc reader cnlnc to tlic place ~vhicl~ relatcd liow
M~trdocht~i had discnvcred tl~c plot agajnst the king's lifc,
Assuerus suddenly asked what rewn1.d &lnrclochai had ret:eirfor
this important scrricc. IIo was told that the mm hacl
never rcceii~etl any reward. Tlion the Birig cnllcd for Anlnn
wllom Iic asked ~vl~-~t ouglit to be done to 60110r tbe m:~n
~rho~ri tlic 1ci11g tlcsired to honor.
12. Aman, &upposing that tl~erc? was question of himsclf,
snici that thc man whom the king desired to honor, ought to
be clothctl with the king's: :q>pnrcl, and be sct upon thc Icing's
l~r~rsc, and have tlic royal orowa put upon liis lle:ltl, nad i.1m.t
l hc first of the Icing's princes :tnrl noblev slioulcl hold his
Ilorse, and going tlvongh the strects of the city they should
proclaim before hi111 : Thus shall he be hoi~orecl whom the
lrii~g hath x mind to honor ! ''
13. Tliell thc king said to him : " Make hsste and take the
robe and the lmrse, and do ns thou hast spolren to blarilochni,
the Jew, tv110 sitte111 beforc the g:iCc of tlie palace.') Amnn
1r.w surprised md cnraged to hcnr these ~r.ords, brit he dartxl
not tlisobey the word of the Iriag. IIe went, tli~~.cfore, aiitl
clitl as he was ordered. McanwhiIa the hour came for the
quccn's bfii~quet, arid Amnil went thither in all hsste.
14. Hrhile they sat at the t:iblc the king finid agiiin to the
queen : dl 1HTl1at is thy petition, Estlier, tlldit i11:t.y X)c granted
thcc ? Altllongh thou aslr the llttlf of my kingdom, thou sh:~lt
lixre it." Esther replied : " If I have found fnror in thy
sight, 0 king, give mc my life, for ivl~idl I ask, a11ci rr~y people,
for ~vliicll I requcst. For mc are given up, I aid my
people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to pcrish."
16. The Icing, in surprise, abkecl : Who is this and of
wl:nt power lIiat Iie fihould dare to (10 these things ? " Esthcr
answered : It is ll~linn that ig our illost wiclied enemy ."
nut Aman, 11ezring what thc Queen said, was seized wiGh
terror. The king arose from the table in great wrath. Beirig