29. But once I saw him with Apame, his concubine, the daughter of the famous Bartacus. While she was sitting at the emperor's right,
30. she took his crown off his head, put it on her own, and then slapped his face with her left-hand.
31. All the emperor did was look at her with his mouth open. Whenever she smiles at him, he smiles back; and when she gets angry with him, he flatters her and teases her until she is in a good mood again.
32. Gentlemen, if women can do all that, surely there can be nothing stronger in the world.”
33. The emperor and his officials just looked at one another.Then Zerubbabel began to speak about truth.
34. “Yes, gentlemen,” he said, “women are very strong. But think how big the earth is, how high the sky is; think how fast the sun moves, as it rapidly circles the whole sky in a single day.