Though thou wert king of the stars as well as king of the earth, thou shalt not have her for thy wife." Darius smiled, not scornfully, an honest smile of amusement, as he stared at the wrathful figure of the northern man before him.
"I am the king of kings," he answered.

"I will marry this princess of Judah to-morrow, and thee I will crucify upon the highest turret of Shushan, because thou speakest lies when thou sayest I shall not marry her." "Fool! tempt not thy God! Threaten not him who is stronger than thou, lest he slay thee with his hands where thou sittest." Zoroaster's voice sounded low and distinct as the knell of relentless fate, and his hand went out towards the king's throat.
Until this moment, Darius had sat in his indifferent attitude, smiling carelessly, though never taking his eye from his adversary.

Brave as the bravest, he scorned to move until he was attacked, and he would have despised the thought of calling to his guards.

But when Zoroaster's hand went out to seize him, he was ready.

With a spring like a tiger, he flew at the strong man's throat, and sought to drag him down, striving to fasten his grip about the collar of his cuirass, but Zoroaster slipped his hand quickly under his adversary's, his sleeve went back and his long white arm ran like a fetter of steel about the king's neck, while his other hand gripped him by the middle; so they held each other like wrestlers, one arm above the shoulder and one below, and strove with all their might.
The king was short, but in his thick-set broad shoulders and knotted arms there lurked the strength of a bull and the quickness of a tiger.
Zoroaster had the advantage, for his right arm was round Darius's neck, but while one might count a score, neither moved a hairbreadth, and the blue veins stood out like cords on the tall man's arm.