Joseph and Aseneth

Historical English source page 69

xxiii] PLOTS AGAINST JOSEPH 65 beauty.i Then Pharaoh's son sent messengers, and called Simeon and Levi to him ; and, when they came and stood before him, Pharaoh's firstborn son saith to them : " I for my part know that ye are to-day mighty men above all men upon the earth, and with these right hands of yours the city of the Sicimites was overthrown, and with your two swords 30,000 warriors were cut down. And I to-day will take you to myself as companions and give you much gold and silver and serving- men and handmaids and houses and great inherit- ances, fand contend ye on my side and do me kindness ; ^ for that I received great despite from your brother Joseph, since he himself took Asenath to wife, and this woman was betrothed to me from of old. And now come with me, and I will fight against Joseph to slay him with my sword, and I will take Asenath to wife, and ye shall be to me as brethren and faithful friends. But, if ye shall ^not hearken to my words, I will slay you with my sword." * And, when he had said these things, he drew out his sword and showed it to them.* And Simeon was a bold and daring man, and he thought to lay his right hand upon the hilt of his 1 Syr. ins. ''saying, 'Wherefore is it thus?'" ; Arm. "and said, ' It shall not be thus' " ; Lat. " and was distressed, and he knew not what to do." " Syr. " only I require you to dojjne thing for me in love " ; similarly Lat. Arm. ; Slav. om. " and with . . . sword." * Syr. " hesitate and hinder and reject this thing, lo ! this my lance-point shall be drawn against you " ; similarly Lat. Arm. ; Lat. om. fF. to p. 66, 1. 10 ; Slav, (for "ye shall be . . . for evil ") " I will do for you whatever you wish." * Syr. Arm. have here an insertion ; see Appx. E