THE KING'S MIRROR 243 



one recall that falsehood had ever been found on his 

 lips. These having been chosen to act as judges in be- 

 half of all present, the Christians and the Jews held a 

 court; and these two decided all the disputes, as they 

 were chosen to do, and it was found as before that in 

 no wise did they deviate from justice.* 



I have cited these instances that you might appre- 

 ciate the [humility and rightmindedness of both the 

 emperor and the queen; for though they were lords of 

 the entire world, they regarded it as proper to sit in 

 obedience to chosen judges who were much inferior to 

 themselves in both power and wealth and every other 

 respectjLikewise you are to appreciate what great honor 7 

 these men gained through their wisdom and upright- ^ 

 ness; for though they were both heathen, they were ) 

 superior to all others as to insight into the holy faith / 

 and the world's welfare.lA.nd now you will appreciate 

 what I told you earlier in our conversation, namely, 

 that much depends on the example that a man leaves 

 after him. Joseph lived before the birth of our Lord 

 Jesus Christ; he was sold for money into Egypt as an 

 alien thrall; but his faithfulness and humility pleased 

 God so highly that he was made ruler next to the king 

 of all those who were native to the land and had wealth 

 and kinsmen there, whether they were rich or poor. It 

 is many hundred winters since Joseph died, but his 

 glory still lives and is daily recalled among all thought- 

 ful people throughout the world. Queen Vashti died 



* The author's source for his account of the council where Craton and Zenophi- 

 lus served as judges is the legend of Pope Silvester, probably the Old Norse 

 version of the legend, Silvesters Saga, published by linger in Heilagra Manna 

 Sogur, II, 245-286. 



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