“O thou circumcised dog!” he continued, to Sanballat, “I gave thee six to one, did I not?”
“Yes,” said the Jew, quietly.
“Well, give me now the fixing of the amount.”
“With reserve, if the amount be trifling, have thy will,” answered Sanballat.
“Write, then, five in place of twenty.”
“Hast thou so much?”
“By the mother of the gods, I will show you receipts.”
“Nay, the word of so brave a Roman must pass. Only make the sum even—six make it, and I will write.”
“Write it so.”
And forthwith they exchanged writings.