And at last he sat down and wrote certain letters.  In the first he deceitfully imitated my handwriting, and sealed it with my seal.  It was written in my name to the king of Persia, saying, “From Ahikar, scribe and treasurer to Esar-haddon, king of Assyria, greeting!  As soon as thou hast received this letter, set forth with thine host, and come to the plain of the south, on the 25th day of this month, and I will guide thee to Nineveh, and thou shalt take the city and possess the kingdom without any strife or battle.”  This letter he left lying in my chamber in the palace.

The other was written to me in the king’s name, and sealed with his seal, “To Ahikar from Esarhaddon, greeting!  As soon as thou receivest this letter, assemble the army, and go to the plain of the south, on the 25th day of this month; and when thou shalt see me, range the troops as if for battle, and come quickly towards me:  for I have the ambassadors of the king of Egypt with me, and I desire that they should see the might of my army.”  This letter Nadan sent to me, and I began to make preparations as it commanded me.  Thereafter Nadan took the first letter, feigning to have found it in my chamber, and brought it to king Esarhaddon.  And when the king had read it, he was very angry and said, “O ye gods! what have I done to Ahikar that he should seek to betray me thus?” Nadan said, “Perhaps, my lord, it is a forgery; be not too soon disturbed; let us wait till the day appointed, and then go to the plain of the south; if Ahikar is not there, we shall know that the letter is not his; but if he is there, and armed men with him, I fear that he must indeed be conspiring against thee.”  And the king consented.

On the twenty-fifth day of the month, therefore, the king and Nadan set forth and rode out to the plain of the south.  And I, as I had been commanded, was there with the great army which I had gathered; and so soon as I saw the king and his train approaching, I drew up the soldiers in battle array and marched quickly towards him, and the soldiers waved their weapons and shouted, and there was a great noise.  Then the king was very sorely troubled, for he was sure that I had rebelled against him.  But Nadan said, “Go back, my lord king, to the palace; I will capture that evil old man and bring him before you.”  And the king departed with his servants.

But Nadan rode up to me and said, “All that you have done is right, and well performed; the king is greatly pleased with you, and desires that you will send away the soldiers to their homes and come before him alone to receive your reward.”  So we rode into the city, and he brought me into the palace, where the king was seated on his throne, and all his servants about him; and I perceived that the king was in displeasure, but I knew not why.  Then he put into my hand the letter which was written in my name to the king of Persia, and said, “Read that letter.”  And when I had read it, my knees knocked against each other, and I was speechless; I sought for a word of wisdom, but I found none.  Nadan cried aloud, “O wicked and foolish old man, come forth from the presence of the king; stretch out thy hands for the cords and thy feet for the fetters!” And they bound me.