John Trapp on Esther 1:6

Verſe 6. Where were white, greene and blew hangings] Rich and royal tapeſtry, ſet forth with variety of colours, pleaſant to the eye.

Faſtened with cords of fine linnen] More precious then ſilk.

And pillars of marble] To bear up the hangings, that the gueſts might the better behold them, and be defended by them from winde, duſt, and heat.

The beds] Whereon they ſate at meat (which was the manner of all thoſe Eaſterne parts) their bodies ſo compoſed, as that the upper part thereof being ſomewhat bent and bowed, the reſt lay along.

Were of gold and ſilver] The bedſteds were. See Amos 6.4. & 2.8. Jer. 23.41.

Ʋpon a pavement of red and blue and white and black marble] Or, porphyry or cryſtal. Haec ſunt quae nos faciunt invitos mori. All very coſtly and ſtately: And theſe are thoſe things that make us deſirous to live longer here, as Charles the fifth told the Duke of Venice; who had ſhewed him his fair Palace richly furniſhed. But what ſaid Nugas the Scythian Prince to certaine Embaſſadours who brought him brave and rich preſents? Will theſe ſave a man from ſickneſſe? Will they ſtave off death? Do not theſe outward gawdes and gayeties carry away the heart from the love and care of better things?Val Max. Chriſtian. Solomon ſaith as much in his ſacred Retractations: and Charles the fifth (who beſides other Territories and Dominions, had twenty eight Kingdomes) voluntarily gave over the Empire as a burden; and curſing his honours in his old age,Mornay. his trophees, riches, royalties, ſaid to them all, Abite hinc, abite longè, Be gone all of you; get you hence. Abi perdita beſtia quae me perdidiſti, as Cornelius Agrippa ſaid on his death-bed,Delrio, Diſq. Mag. to. 3. l. 6. to his familiar Devil, Be packing thou wretched beaſt, that haſt undone me for ever.