Page:History of India Vol 9.djvu/104

fell in love with other men. But not being able honourably to leave those of their original choice, they made away with their husbands by poison. The means to do this were more readily found, owing to the many and various poisonous elements produced in the country, some of which caused death if merely rubbed on the food or mixed with the drink. Owing to the prevalence of this villainy, and because of many such murders, and inasmuch as punishing those whose guilt was proved had failed to deter others from the crime, a law was made to the effect that widows, unless they were pregnant or had children, should be burnt with their dead husbands; and that whosoever should refuse to obey this law, should remain a widow always and should be debarred for ever from sacrificial rites and other privileges because of her impiety. With the establishment of this law the wickedness of the wives was turned into quite the reverse; for, on account of the enormity of the disgrace, every woman chose rather to die with her husband, and as a consequence they not only looked after the well-being of their husbands, as a matter of common concern, but even rivalled one another as if to attain the greatest glory.

Such was the case on this occasion; for although according to law only one wife was to be burnt, both entered into a contest at the death of Keteus as to which should gain the privilege of dying with their husband. When the generals undertook to decide the matter, the younger wife said that the other was with child and could not therefore take advantage of the