Then a throng of the proud leaders, saddened in heart, went forth as the queen had bidden them, and found five hundred wise men of their own race who held learning in their memory, most wisdom 380 in their mind.  And again within a little space the lords of the city were summoned unto the hall.  And the queen, looking upon them all, spake unto them 385 in these words:—­’Oft have ye wrought foolish deeds, ye wretched in misfortune, and scorned the Scriptures, the lore of your fathers, but never worse than now when ye have refused the cure of your blindness, and withstood the truth and the right—­that 390 the Son of the Mighty One, the only-begotten Ruler and King of kings, was born in Bethlehem.  Though ye knew the law, the words of the prophets, yet because of your sin ye have not been willing to confess the truth.’ 395

And with one accord they answered:—­’Lo! we have learned the Hebrew law that from the ark of God our fathers knew in days of yore; but we know not in sooth wherefore, O lady, thou hast become thus angry with us.  We know not the sin 400 that we have wrought in this province, the wrong we have ever done to thee.’

Then Elene spake before the people openly, before the multitudes this woman spake aloud:—­’Go ye 405 now quickly, and seek far and near those who have the power of wisdom and the most skill of thought among you, that they may show forth to me without reserve whatsoever I ask of them.’ 410

And they went forth from the council as the mighty queen, strong in her cities, had bidden them, and earnestly pondered, sad of heart, and sought shrewdly what that sin might be that they had 415 wrought in the province against the emperor, wherewith the queen reproached them.

9.  The speech of Judas.

And there spake before the people one learned in ancient writings and wise of speech (his name was Judas):—­’I know well that she wishes to ask concerning 420 that victor-tree whereon suffered the Lord of hosts, God’s own Son, guiltless of all evil, Him whom, unspotted with any sin, our fathers in days 425 of yore hung upon the high cross through hate—­fearful was that thought!  Now is there great need that we steadfastly fortify our minds not to betray that murder, nor declare where the holy tree was hid after the stress of strife, lest thereby the wise 430 writings of old be cast aside, and the lore of our fathers forsaken.  For if this shall be known, it will not be long that the race of the Israelites and the faith of the Jews shall hold sway over the world. 435 Thus once my father’s father, prophet with the wisdom of age and far-famed in victory—­his name was Zaccheus—­gave like counsel unto my father and spake this word, which in after times he himself told to his son, as he turned