Seeing that she could not attain her object by entreaties or tears,
Zuleika finally used force, when she judged that the favorable chance
had come. She did not have long to wait. When the Nile overflowed its
banks, and, according to the annual custom of the Egyptians, all
repaired to the river, men and women, people and princes, accompanied
by music, Zuleika remained at home under pretense of being sick. This
was her long-looked-for opportunity, she thought. She rose up and
ascended to the hall of state, and arrayed herself in princely
garments. She placed precious stones upon her head, onyx stones set in
silver and gold, she beautified her face and her body with all sorts of
things for the purifying of women, she perfumed the hall and the whole
house with cassia and frankincense, spread myrrh and aloes all over,
and afterward sat herself down at the entrance to the hall, in the
vestibule leading to the house, through which Joseph had to pass to his
work.
And, behold, Joseph came from the field, and he was on the point of
entering the house to do his master's work, but when he reached the
place where Zuleika sat, and saw all she had done, he turned back. His
mistress, perceiving it, called out to him, "What aileth thee, Joseph?
Go to thy work, I will make room for thee, that thou mayest pass by to
thy seat." Joseph did as she bade him, he entered the house, took his
seat, and set about his master's work as usual. Then Zuleika stood
before him suddenly in all her beauty of person and magnificence of
raiment, and repeated the desire of her heart.[120] It was the first
and the last time that Joseph's steadfastness deserted him, but only
for an instant. When he was on the point of complying with the wish of
his mistress, the image of his mother Rachel appeared before him, and
that of his aunt Leah, and the image of his father Jacob. The last
addressed him thus: "In time to come the names of thy brethren will be
graven upon the breastplate of the high priest. Dost thou desire to
have thy name appear with theirs? Or wilt thou forfeit this honor
through sinful conduct? For know, he that keepeth company with harlots
wasteth his substance." This vision of the dead, and especially the
image of his father, brought Joseph to his senses, and his illicit
passion departed from him.[121]
Astonished at the swift change in his countenance, Zuleika said, "My
friend and true-love, why art thou so affrighted that thou art near to
swooning?