An Egyptian Princess — Complete eBook (2024)

An Egyptian Princess — Complete by Georg Ebers

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Table of Contents
Section	Page
Start of eBook	1
PREFACE TO THE SECOND GERMAN EDITION	1
PREFACE TO THE FOURTH GERMAN EDITION.	8
PREFACE TO THE FIFTH GERMAN EDITION.	9
PREFACE TO THE NINTH GERMAN EDITION.	10
AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.	10
CHAPTER I.	10
CHAPTER II.	22
AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.	38
CHAPTER III.	38
CHAPTER IV.	43
CHAPTER V.	56
CHAPTER VI.	62
AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.	69
CHAPTER VII.	69
CHAPTER VIII.	83
CHAPTER IX.	91
CHAPTER X.	97
AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.	102
CHAPTER XI.	102
CHAPTER XII.	112
CHAPTER XIII.	128
AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.	140
CHAPTER XIV.	140
CHAPTER XV.	154
CHAPTER XVI.	162
AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.	172
CHAPTER I.	172
CHAPTER II.	182
CHAPTER III.	192
CHAPTER IV.	202
AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.	211
CHAPTER V.	211
CHAPTER VI.	223
CHAPTER VII.	229
AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.	244
CHAPTER VIII.	244
CHAPTER IX.	258
CHAPTER X.	271
AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.	282
CHAPTER XI.	282
CHAPTER XII.	298
AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.	313
CHAPTER XIII.	313
CHAPTER XIV.	325
CHAPTER XV.	335
CHAPTER XVI.	347

PREFACE TO THE SECOND GERMAN EDITION

Autprodesse volunt ant delectare poetae,
Autsimul et jucunda et idonea dicere vitae.
Horat.De arte poetica v. 333.

It is now four years since this book first appearedbefore the public, and I feel it my duty not to leta second edition go forth into the world without afew words of accompaniment. It hardly seems necessaryto assure my readers that I have endeavored to earnfor the following pages the title of a “correctededition.” An author is the father of hisbook, and what father could see his child preparingto set out on a new and dangerous road, even if itwere not for the first time, without endeavoring tosupply him with every good that it lay in his powerto bestow, and to free him from every fault or infirmityon which the world could look unfavorably? Theassurance therefore that I have repeatedly bestowedthe greatest possible care on the correction of myEgyptian Princess seems to me superfluous, but atthe same time I think it advisable to mention brieflywhere and in what manner I have found it necessaryto make these emendations. The notes have beenrevised, altered, and enriched with all those resultsof antiquarian research (more especially in referenceto the language and monuments of ancient Egypt) whichhave come to our knowledge since the year 1864, andwhich my limited space allowed me to lay before ageneral public. On the alteration of the textit*elf I entered with caution, almost with timidity;for during four years of constant effort as academicaltutor, investigator and writer in those severe regionsof study which exclude the free exercise of imagination,the poetical side of a man’s nature may forfeitmuch to the critical; and thus, by attempting to remodelmy tale entirely, I might have incurred the dangerof removing it from the more genial sphere of literarywork to which it properly belongs. I have thereforecontented myself with a careful revision of the style,the omission of lengthy passages which might havediminished the interest of the story to general readers,the insertion of a few characteristic or explanatoryadditions, and the alteration of the proper names.These last I have written not in their Greek, butin their Latin forms, having been assured by morethan one fair reader that the names Ibykus and Cyruswould have been greeted by them as old acquaintances,whereas the “Ibykos” and “Kyros”of the first edition looked so strange and learned,as to be quite discouraging. Where however theGerman k has the same worth as the Roman c I haveadopted it in preference. With respect to theEgyptian names and those with which we have becomeacquainted through the cuneiform inscriptions, I havechosen the forms most adapted to our German modesof speech, and in the present edition have placed thosefew explanations which seemed to me indispensableto the right understanding of the text, at the footof the page, instead of among the less easily accessiblenotes at the end.

The fact that displeasure has been excited among menof letters by this attempt to clothe the hardly-earnedresults of severer studies in an imaginative formis even clearer to me now than when I first sent thisbook before the public. In some points I agreewith this judgment, but that the act is kindly received,when a scholar does not scorn to render the resultsof his investigations accessible to the largest numberof the educated class, in the form most generallyinteresting to them, is proved by the rapid sale ofthe first large edition of this work. I know atleast of no better means than those I have chosen,by which to instruct and suggest thought to an extendedcircle of readers. Those who read learned booksevince in so doing a taste for such studies; but itmay easily chance that the following pages, thoughtaken up only for amusem*nt, may excite a desire formore information, and even gain a disciple for thestudy of ancient history.

Considering our scanty knowledge of the domestic lifeof the Greeks and Persians before the Persian war—­ofEgyptian manners we know more—­even themost severe scholar could scarcely dispense with theassistance of his imagination, when attempting todescribe private life among the civilized nationsof the sixth century before Christ. He would howeverescape all danger of those anachronisms to which theauthor of such a work as I have undertaken must behopelessly liable. With attention and industry,errors of an external character may be avoided, butif I had chosen to hold myself free from all considerationof the times in which I and my readers have come intothe world, and the modes of thought at present existingamong us, and had attempted to depict nothing but thepurely ancient characteristics of the men and theirtimes, I should have become unintelligible to manyof my readers, uninteresting to all, and have entirelyfailed in my original object. My characters willtherefore look like Persians, Egyptians, &c., butin their language, even more than in their actions,the German narrator will be perceptible, not alwayssuperior to the sentimentality of his day, but a nativeof the world in the nineteenth century after the appearanceof that heavenly Master, whose teaching left so deepan impression on human thought and feeling.

The Persians and Greeks, being by descent relatedto ourselves, present fewer difficulties in this respectthan the Egyptians, whose dwelling-place on the fruitfulislands won by the Nile from the Desert, completelyisolated them from the rest of the world.

To Professor Lepsius, who suggested to me that a taleconfined entirely to Egypt and the Egyptians mightbecome wearisome, I owe many thanks; and followinghis hint, have so arranged the materials supplied byHerodotus as to introduce my reader first into a Greekcircle. Here he will feel in a measure at home,and indeed will entirely sympathize with them on oneimportant point, viz.: in their ideas on

the Beautiful and on Art. Through this Hellenicportico he reaches Egypt, from thence passes on toPersia and returns finally to the Nile. It hasbeen my desire that the three nations should attracthim equally, and I have therefore not centred theentire interest of the plot in one hero, but have endeavoredto exhibit each nation in its individual character,by means of a fitting representative. The EgyptianPrincess has given her name to the book, only becausethe weal and woe of all my other characters were decidedby her fate, and she must therefore be regarded asthe central point of the whole.

In describing Amasis I have followed the excellentdescription of Herodotus, which has been confirmedby a picture discovered on an ancient monument.Herodotus has been my guide too in the leading featuresof Cambyses’ character; indeed as he was bornonly forty or fifty years after the events related,his history forms the basis of my romance.

“Father of history” though he be, I havenot followed him blindly, but, especially in the developmentof my characters, have chosen those paths which theprinciples of psychology have enabled me to lay downfor myself, and have never omitted consulting thosehieroglyphic and cuneiform inscriptions which havebeen already deciphered. In most cases theseconfirm the statements of Herodotus.

I have caused Bartja’s murder to take placeafter the conquest of Egypt, because I cannot agreewith the usually received translation of the Behistuninscription. This reads as follows: “Onenamed Cambujiya, son of Curu, of our family, was kinghere formerly and had a brother named Bartiya, ofthe same father and the same mother as Cambujiya.Thereupon Cambujiya killed that Bartiya.”In a book intended for general readers, it would notbe well to enter into a discussion as to niceties oflanguage, but even the uninitiated will see that theword “thereupon” has no sense in thisconnection. In every other point the inscriptionagrees with Herodotus’ narrative, and I believeit possible to bring it into agreement with that ofDarius on this last as well; but reserve my proofsfor another time and place.

It has not been ascertained from whence Herodotushas taken the name Smerdis which he gives to Bartjaand Gaumata. The latter occurs again, thoughin a mutilated form, in Justin.

My reasons for making Phanes an Athenian will be foundin Note 90. Vol. I. This coercion of anauthenticated fact might have been avoided in thefirst edition, but could not now be altered withoutimportant changes in the entire text. The meansI have adopted in my endeavor to make Nitetis as youngas possible need a more serious apology; as, notwithstandingHerodotus’ account of the mildness of Amasis’rule, it is improbable that King Hophra should havebeen alive twenty years after his fall. Even thishowever is not impossible, for it can be proved thathis descendants were not persecuted by Amasis.

On a Stela in the Leyden Museum I have discoveredthat a certain Psamtik, a member of the fallen dynasty,lived till the 17th year of Amasis’ reign, anddied at the age of seventy-five.

Lastly let me be permitted to say a word or two inreference to Rhodopis. That she must have beena remarkable woman is evident from the passage inHerodotus quoted in Notes 10, and 14, Vol. I.,and from the accounts given by many other writers.Her name, “the rosy-cheeked one,” tellsus that she was beautiful, and her amiability andcharm of manner are expressly praised by Herodotus.How richly she was endowed with gifts and graces maybe gathered too from the manner in which traditionand fairy lore have endeavored to render her nameimmortal. By many she is said to have built themost beautiful of the Pyramids, the Pyramid of Mycerinusor Menkera. One tale related of her and reportedby Strabo and AElian probably gave rise to our oldestand most beautiful fairy tale, Cinderella; anotheris near akin to the Loreley legend. An eagle,according to AElian—­the wind, in Strabo’stale,—­bore away Rhodopis’ slipperswhile she was bathing in the Nile, and laid them atthe feet of the king, when seated on his throne ofjustice in the open market. The little slippersso enchanted him that he did not rest until he haddiscovered their owner and made her his queen.

The second legend tells us how a wonderfully beautifulnaked woman could be seen sitting on the summit ofone of the pyramids (ut in una ex pyramidibus); andhow she drove the wanderers in the desert mad throughher exceeding loveliness.

Moore borrowed this legend and introduces it in thefollowing verse:

“FairRhodope, as story tells—­
Thebright unearthly nymph, who dwells
’Midsunless gold and jewels hid,
Thelady of the Pyramid.”

Fabulous as these stories sound, they still provethat Rhodopis must have been no ordinary woman.Some scholars would place her on a level with thebeautiful and heroic Queen Nitokris, spoken of by JuliusAfricanus, Eusebius and others, and whose name, (signifyingthe victorious Neith) has been found on the monuments,applied to a queen of the sixth dynasty. Thisis a bold conjecture; it adds however to the importanceof our heroine; and without doubt many traditionsreferring to the one have been transferred to theother, and vice versa. Herodotus lived so shorta time after Rhodopis, and tells so many exact particularsof her private life that it is impossible she shouldhave been a mere creation of fiction. The letterof Darius, given at the end of Vol. II., is intendedto identify the Greek Rhodopis with the mythical builderof the Pyramid. I would also mention here thatshe is called Doricha by Sappho. This may havebeen her name before she received the title of the“rosy-cheeked one.”

I must apologize for the torrent of verse that appearsin the love-scenes between Sappho and Bartja; it isalso incumbent upon me to say a few words about thelove-scenes themselves, which I have altered veryslightly in the new edition, though they have beenmore severely criticised than any other portion ofthe work.

First I will confess that the lines describing thehappy love of a handsome young couple to whom I hadmyself become warmly attached, flowed from my peninvoluntarily, even against my will (I intended towrite a novel in prose) in the quiet night, by theeternal Nile, among the palms and roses. Thefirst love-scene has a story of its own to me.I wrote it in half an hour, almost unconsciously.It may be read in my book that the Persians alwaysreflected in the morning, when sober, upon the resolutionsformed the night before, while drunk. When I examinedin the sunshine what had come into existence by lamplight,I grew doubtful of its merits, and was on the pointof destroying the love-scenes altogether, when mydear friend Julius Hammer, the author of “Schauin Dich, und Schau um Dich,” too early summonedto the other world by death, stayed my hand.Their form was also approved by others, and I tellmyself that the ‘poetical’ expressionof love is very similar in all lands and ages, whilelovers’ conversations and modes of intercoursevary according to time and place. Besides, Ihave to deal with one of those by no means rare cases,where poetry can approach nearer the truth than prudent,watchful prose. Many of my honored critics havecensured these scenes; others, among whom are somewhose opinion I specially value, have lavished thekindest praise upon them. Among these gentlemenI will mention A. Stahr, C. V. Holtei, M. Hartmann,E. Hoefer, W. Wolfsohn, C. Leemans, Professor Vethof Amsterdam, etc. Yet I will not concealthe fact that some, whose opinion has great weight,have asked: “Did the ancients know anythingof love, in our sense of the word? Is not romanticlove, as we know it, a result of Christianity?”The following sentence, which stands at the head ofthe preface to my first edition, will prove that Ihad not ignored this question when I began my task.

“It has often been remarked thatin Cicero’s letters and those of Pliny theyounger there are unmistakable indications of sympathywith the more sentimental feeling of modern days.I find in them tones of deep tenderness only, suchas have arisen and will arise from sad and achinghearts in every land and every age.”

A. v. Humboldt.Cosmos ii. P. 19.

This opinion of our great scholar is one with whichI cheerfully coincide and would refer my readers tothe fact that love-stories were written before theChristian era: the Amor and Psyche of Apuleiusfor instance. Indeed love in all its forms wasfamiliar to the ancients. Where can we find amore beautiful expression of ardent passion than glowsin Sappho’s songs? or of patient faithful constancythan in Homer’s Penelope? Could there bea more beautiful picture of the union of two lovinghearts, even beyond the grave, than Xenophon has preservedfor us in his account of Panthea and Abradatas? orthe story of Sabinus the Gaul and his wife, told in

the history of Vespasian? Is there anywhere asweeter legend than that of the Halcyons, the ice-birds,who love one another so tenderly that when the malebecomes enfeebled by age, his mate carries him on heroutspread wings whithersoever he will; and the gods,desiring to reward such faithful love, cause the sunto shine more kindly, and still the winds and waveson the “Halcyon days” during which thesebirds are building their nest and brooding over theiryoung? There can surely have been no lack ofromantic love in days when a used-up man of the world,like Antony, could desire in his will that whereverhe died his body might be laid by the side of hisbeloved Cleopatra: nor of the chivalry of lovewhen Berenice’s beautiful hair was placed asa constellation in the heavens. Neither can webelieve that devotion in the cause of love could bewanting when a whole nation was ready to wage a fierceand obstinate war for the sake of one beautiful woman.The Greeks had an insult to revenge, but the Trojansfought for the possession of Helen. Even theold men of Ilium were ready “to suffer long forsuch a woman.” And finally is not the wholequestion answered in Theocritus’ unparalleledpoem, “the Sorceress?” We see the poorlove-lorn girl and her old woman-servant, Thestylis,cowering over the fire above which the bird supposedto possess the power of bringing back the faithlessDelphis is sitting in his wheel. Simoetha haslearnt many spells and charms from an Assyrian, andshe tries them all. The distant roar of the waves,the stroke rising from the fire, the dogs howlingin the street, the tortured fluttering bird, the oldwoman, the broken-hearted girl and her awful spells,all join in forming a night scene the effect of whichis heightened by the calm cold moonshine. Theold woman leaves the girl, who at once ceases to weaveher spells, allows her pent-up tears to have theirway, and looking up to Selene the moon, the lovers’silent confidante, pours out her whole story:how when she first saw the beautiful Delphis her hearthad glowed with love, she had seen nothing more ofthe train of youths who followed him, “and,”(thus sadly the poet makes her speak)

“howI gained my home
Iknew not; some strange fever wasted me.
Tendays and nights I lay upon my bed.
Otell me, mistress Moon, whence came my love!”

“Then” (she continues) when Delphis atlast crossed her threshold:

“I
Becameall cold like snow, and from my brow
Brakethe damp dewdrops: utterance I had none,
Note’en such utterance as a babe may make
Thatbabbles to its mother in its dreams;
Butall my fair frame stiffened into wax,—­
Otell me mistress Moon, whence came my love!”

Whence came her love? thence, whence it comes to usnow. The love of the creature to its Creator,of man to God, is the grand and yet gracious giftof Christianity. Christ’s command to loveour neighbor called into existence not only the conceptionof philanthropy, but of humanity itself, an idea unknownto the heathen world, where love had been at widestlimited to their native town and country. Thelove of man and wife has without doubt been purifiedand transfigured by Christianity; still it is possiblethat a Greek may have loved as tenderly and longinglyas a Christian. The more ardent glow of passionat least cannot be denied to the ancients. Anddid not their love find vent in the same expressionsas our own? Who does not know the charming roundelay:

“Drinkthe glad wine with me,
Withme spend youth’s gay hours;
Ora sighing lover be,
Orcrown thy brow with flowers.
WhenI am merry and mad,
Merryand mad be you;
WhenI am sober and sad,
Besad and sober too!”

—­written however by no poet of modern days,but by Praxilla, in the fifth century before Christ.Who would guess either that Moore’s little songwas modelled on one written even earlier than the dateof our story?

“Aso’er her loom the Lesbian maid
Inlove-sick languor hung her head.
Unknowingwhere her fingers stray’d,
Sheweeping turned away and said,’
Oh,my sweet mother, ’tis in vain,

Icannot weave as once I wove;
Sowilder’d is my heart and brain
Withthinking of that youth I love.’”

If my space allowed I could add much more on thissubject, but will permit myself only one remark inconclusion. Lovers delighted in nature then asnow; the moon was their chosen confidante, and I knowof no modern poem in which the mysterious charm ofa summer night and the magic beauty which lies onflowers, trees and fountains in those silent hourswhen the world is asleep, is more exquisitely describedthan in the following verses, also by Sappho, at thereading of which we seem forced to breathe more slowly,“kuhl bis an’s Herz hinan.”

“Planets,that around the beauteous moon
Attendantwait, cast into shade
Theirineffectual lustres, soon
Asshe, in full-orb’d majesty array’d,
Hersilver radiance pours
Uponthis world of ours.”

and:—­

“Thro’orchard plots with fragrance crown’d,
Theclear cold fountain murm’ring flows;
Andforest leaves, with rustling sound,
Inviteto soft repose.”

The foregoing remarks seemed to me due to those whoconsider a love such as that of Sappho and Bartjato have been impossible among the ancients. Unquestionablyit was much rarer then than in these days: indeedI confess to having sketched my pair of lovers insomewhat bright colors. But may I not be allowed,at least once, to claim the poet’s freedom?

How seldom I have availed myself of this freedom willbe evident from the notes included in each volume.They seemed to me necessary, partly in order to explainthe names and illustrate the circ*mstances mentionedin the text, and partly to vindicate the writer inthe eyes of the learned. I trust they may notprove discouraging to any, as the text will be foundeasily readable without reference to the explanations.

Jena, November 23, 1868.
GeorgEbers, Dr.

PREFACE TO THE FOURTH GERMAN EDITION.

Two years and a half after the appearance of the thirdedition of “An Egyptian Princess,” a fourthwas needed. I returned long since from the journeyto the Nile, for which I was preparing while correctingthe proof-sheets of the third edition, and on whichI can look back with special satisfaction. Duringmy residence in Egypt, in 1872-73, a lucky accidentenabled me to make many new discoveries; among themone treasure of incomparable value, the great hieraticmanuscript, which bears my name. Its publicationhas just been completed, and it is now in the libraryof the Leipzig University.

The Papyrus Ebers, the second in size and the bestpreserved of all the ancient Egyptian manuscriptswhich have come into our possession, was written inthe 16th century B. C., and contains on 110 pages thehermetic book upon the medicines of the ancient Egyptians,known also to the Alexandrine Greeks. The godThoth (Hermes) is called “the guide” ofphysicians, and the various writings and treatisesof which the work is composed are revelations fromhim. In this venerable scroll diagnoses are madeand remedies suggested for the internal and externaldiseases of most portions of the human body.With the drugs prescribed are numbers, according towhich they are weighed with weights and measured withhollow measures, and accompanying the prescriptionsare noted the pious axioms to be repeated by the physician,while compounding and giving them to the patient.On the second line of the first page of our manuscript,it is stated that it came from Sais. A largeportion of this work is devoted to the visual organs.On the twentieth line of the fifty-fifth page beginsthe book on the eyes, which fills eight large pages.We were formerly compelled to draw from Greek andRoman authors what we knew about the remedies usedfor diseases of the eye among the ancient Egyptians.The portion of the Papyrus Ebers just mentioned isnow the only Egyptian source from whence we can obtaininstruction concerning this important branch of ancientmedicine.

All this scarcely seems to have a place in the prefaceof a historical romance, and yet it is worthy of mentionhere; for there is something almost “providential”in the fact that it was reserved for the author of“An Egyptian Princess” to bestow the giftof this manuscript upon the scientific world.Among the characters in the novel the reader will meetan oculist from Sais, who wrote a book upon the diseasesof the visual organs. The fate of this valuablework exactly agrees with the course of the narrative.The papyrus scroll of the Sais oculist, which a shorttime ago existed only in the imagination of the authorand readers of “An Egyptian Princess,”is now an established fact. When I succeeded inbringing the manuscript home, I felt like the man whohad dreamed of a treasure, and when he went out toride found it in his path.

A reply to Monsieur Jules Soury’s criticismof “An Egyptian Princess” in the Revuedes deux Mondes, Vol. VII, January 1875, mightappropriately be introduced into this preface, butwould scarcely be possible without entering more deeplyinto the ever-disputed question, which will be answeredelsewhere, whether the historical romance is ever justifiable.Yet I cannot refrain from informing Monsieur Souryhere that “An Egyptian Princess” detainedme from no other work. I wrote it in my sick-room,before entering upon my academic career, and whilecomposing it, found not only comfort and pleasure,but an opportunity to give dead scientific materiala living interest for myself and others.

Monsieur Soury says romance is the mortal enemy ofhistory; but this sentence may have no more justicethan the one with which I think myself justified inreplying: Landscape painting is the mortal enemyof botany. The historical romance must be enjoyedlike any other work of art. No one reads it tostudy history; but many, the author hopes, may be arousedby his work to make investigations of their own, forwhich the notes point out the way. Already severalpersons of excellent mental powers have been attractedto earnest Egyptological researches by “An EgyptianPrincess.” In the presence of such experiences,although Monsieur Soury’s clever statementsappear to contain much that is true, I need not applyhis remark that “historical romances injurethe cause of science” to the present volume.

Leipzig, April 19, 1875.

Georg Ebers.

PREFACE TO THE FIFTH GERMAN EDITION.

Again a new edition of “An Egyptian Princess”has been required, and again I write a special prefacebecause the printing has progressed so rapidly asunfortunately to render it impossible for me to correctsome errors to which my attention was directed bythe kindness of the well-known botanist, ProfessorPaul Ascherson of Berlin, who has travelled throughEgypt and the Oases.

In Vol. I, page 7, I allow mimosas to grow amongother plants in Rhodopis’ garden. I havefound them in all the descriptions of the Nile valley,and afterwards often enjoyed the delicious perfumeof the golden yellow flowers in the gardens of Alexandriaand Cairo. I now learn that this very mimosa(Acacia farnesiana) originates in tropical America,and was undoubtedly unknown in ancient Egypt.The bananas, which I mentioned in Vol. I, p.64, among other Egyptian plants, were first introducedinto the Nile valley from India by the Arabs.The botanical errors occurring in the last volumeI was able to correct. Helm’s admirablework on “Cultivated Plants and Domestic Animals”had taught me to notice such things. Theophrastus,a native of Asia Minor, gives the first descriptionof a citron, and this proves that he probably saw theso-called paradise-apple, but not our citron, whichI am therefore not permitted to mention among theplants cultivated in ancient Lydia. Palms andbirches are both found in Asia Minor; but I permittedthem to grow side by side, thereby committing an offenseagainst the geographical possibility of vegetableexistence. The birch, in this locality, flourishesin the mountainous region, the palm, according toGriesbach (Vegetation of the Earth, Vol. I, p.319) only appears on the southern coast of the peninsula.The latter errors, as I previously mentioned, willbe corrected in the new edition. I shall of courseowe special thanks to any one who may call my attentionto similar mistakes.

Leipzig, March 5, 1877

Georg Ebers

PREFACE TO THE NINTH GERMAN EDITION.

I have nothing to add to the ninth edition of “AnEgyptian Princess” except that it has been thoroughlyrevised. My sincere thanks are due to Dr. AugustSteitz of Frankfort on the Main, who has travelledthrough Egypt and Asia Minor, for a series of admirablenotes, which he kindly placed at my disposal.He will find that they have not remained unused.

Leipzig, November 13, 1879.
GeorgEbers

AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.

By Georg Ebers

Volume 1.

CHAPTER I.

The Nile had overflowed its bed. The luxuriantcorn-fields and blooming gardens on its shores werelost beneath a boundless waste of waters; and onlythe gigantic temples and palaces of its cities, (protectedfrom the force of the water by dikes), and the topsof the tall palm-trees and acacias could be seen aboveits surface. The branches of the sycamores andplane-trees drooped and floated on the waves, but theboughs of the tall silver poplars strained upward,as if anxious to avoid the watery world beneath.The full-moon had risen; her soft light fell on theLibyan range of mountains vanishing on the western

horizon, and in the north the shimmer of the Mediterraneancould faintly be discerned. Blue and white lotus-flowersfloated on the clear water, bats of all kinds dartedsoftly through the still air, heavy with the scentof acacia-blossom and jasmine; the wild pigeons andother birds were at roost in the tops of the trees,while the pelicans, storks and cranes squatted in groupson the shore under the shelter of the papyrus-reedsand Nile-beans. The pelicans and storks remainedmotionless, their long bills hidden beneath theirwings, but the cranes were startled by the mere beatof an oar, stretching their necks, and peering anxiouslyinto the distance, if they heard but the song of theboatmen. The air was perfectly motionless, andthe unbroken reflection of the moon, lying like a silvershield on the surface of the water, proved that, wildlyas the Nile leaps over the cataracts, and rushes pastthe gigantic temples of Upper Egypt, yet on approachingthe sea by different arms, he can abandon his impetuouscourse, and flow along in sober tranquillity.

On this moonlight night in the year 528 B. C. a barkwas crossing the almost currentless Canopic mouthof the Nile. On the raised deck at the sternof this boat an Egyptian was sitting to guide the longpole-rudder, and the half-naked boatmen within weresinging as they rowed. In the open cabin, whichwas something like a wooden summer-house, sat two men,reclining on low cushions. They were evidentlynot Egyptians; their Greek descent could be perceivedeven by the moonlight. The elder was an unusuallytall and powerful man of more than sixty; thick greycurls, showing very little attempt at arrangement,hung down over his short, firm throat; he wore a simple,homely cloak, and kept his eyes gloomily fixed onthe water. His companion, on the contrary, a manperhaps twenty years younger, of a slender and delicatebuild, was seldom still. Sometimes he gazed intothe heavens, sometimes made a remark to the steersman,disposed his beautiful purple chlanis in fresh folds,or busied himself in the arrangement of his scentedbrown curls, or his carefully curled beard.

[The chlanis was a light summer-mantle,worn especially by the more elegant Athenians,and generally made of expensive materials. Thesimpler cloak, the himation, was worn by the DoricGreeks, and principally by the Spartans.]

The boat had left Naukratis, at that time the onlyHellenic port in Egypt, about half an hour before.

[This town, which will form the sceneof a part of our tale, lies in the northwest ofthe Nile Delta, in the Saitic Nomos or district, onthe left bank of the Canopic mouth of the river.According to Strabo and Eusebius it was foundedby Milesians, and Bunsen reckons 749 B. C. It seemsthat in the earliest times Greek ships were only allowedto enter this mouth of the Nile in case of necessity.The entire intercourse of the Egyptians with thehated strangers was, at that time, restricted tothe little island of Pharos lying opposite to thetown of Thonis.]

During their journey, the grey-haired, moody man hadnot spoken one word, and the other had left him tohis meditations. But now, as the boat nearedthe shore, the restless traveller, rising from hiscouch, called to his companion: “We arejust at our destination, Aristomachus! That pleasanthouse to the left yonder, in the garden of palms whichyou can see rising above the waters, is the dwellingof my friend Rhodopis. It was built by her husbandCharaxus, and all her friends, not excepting the kinghimself, vie with one another in adding new beautiesto it year by year. A useless effort! Letthem adorn that house with all the treasures in theworld, the woman who lives within will still remainits best ornament!”

[We are writing of the month of October,when the Nile begins to sink. The inundationscan now be accurately accounted for, especiallysince the important and laborious synoptical work ofH. Barth and S. Baker. They are occasionedby the tropical rains, and the melting of the snowson the high mountain-ranges at the Equator. Inthe beginning of June a gradual rising of the Nilewaters can be perceived; between the 15th and 20thJune, this changes to a rapid increase; in thebeginning of October the waters reach their highestelevation, a point, which, even after having beguntheir retreat, they once more attempt to attain;then, at first gradually, and afterwards with everincreasing rapidity, they continue to sink. InJanuary, February and March, the Nile is still dryingup; and in May is at its lowest point, when thevolume of its waters is only one- twentieth ofthat in October.]

The old man sat up, threw a passing glance at thebuilding, smoothed the thick grey beard which clothedhis cheeks and chin, but left the lips free,—­[TheSpartans were not in the habit of wearing a beard onthe upper lip.]—­and asked abruptly:“Why so much enthusiasm, Phanes, for this Rhodopis?How long have the Athenians been wont to extol oldwomen?” At this remark the other smiled, andanswered in a self-satisfied tone, “My knowledgeof the world, and particularly of women, is, I flattermyself, an extended one, and yet I repeat, that inall Egypt I know of no nobler creature than this grey-hairedwoman. When you have seen her and her lovelygrandchild, and heard your favorite melodies sung byher well-practised choir of slave-girls, I think youwill thank me for having brought you hither.”—­“Yet,”answered the Spartan gravely, “I should nothave accompanied you, if I had not hoped to meet Phryxus,the Delphian, here.”

“You will find him here; and besides, I cannotbut hope that the songs will cheer you, and dispelyour gloomy thoughts.” Aristomachus shookhis head in denial, and answered: “To you,sanguine Athenians, the melodies of your country maybe cheering: but not so to me; as in many a sleeplessnight of dreams, my longings will be doubled, not stilledby the songs of Alkman.”

[Alkman (Attic, Alkmaeon) flourishedin Sparta about 650 B. C. His mother was a Lydianslave in Sardes, and he came into the possession ofa*gesides, who gave him his freedom. His beautifulsongs soon procured him the rights of a Lacedaemoniancitizen. He was appointed to the head-directorshipin the entire department of music in Lacedaemonand succeeded in naturalizing the soft Lydian music.His language was the Doric-Laconian. Aftera life devoted to song, the pleasures of the tableand of love, he is said to have died of a fearfuldisease. From the frequent choruses of virgins(Parthenien) said to have been originally introducedby him, his frequent songs in praise of women,and the friendly relations in which he stood tothe Spartan women (more especially to the fair Megalostrata),he gained the name of the woman’s poet.]

“Do you think then,” replied Phanes, “thatI have no longing for my beloved Athens, for the scenesof our youthful games, for the busy life of the market?Truly, the bread of exile is not less distasteful tomy palate than to yours, but, in the society affordedby this house, it loses some of its bitterness, andwhen the dear melodies of Hellas, so perfectly sung,fall on my ear, my native land rises before me as ina vision, I see its pine and olive groves, its cold,emerald green rivers, its blue sea, the shimmer ofits towns, its snowy mountain-tops and marble temples,and a half-sweet, half-bitter tear steals down my cheekas the music ceases, and I awake to remember that Iam in Egypt, in this monotonous, hot, eccentric country,which, the gods be praised, I am soon about to quit.But, Aristomachus, would you then avoid the few Oasesin the desert, because you must afterwards returnto its sands and drought? Would you fly fromone happy hour, because days of sadness await youlater? But stop, here we are! Show a cheerfulcountenance, my friend, for it becomes us not to enterthe temple of the Charites with sad hearts.”—­[Thegoddesses of grace and beauty, better known by theirRoman name of “Graces.”]

As Phanes uttered these words, they landed at thegarden wall, washed by the Nile. The Athenianbounded lightly from the boat, the Spartan followingwith a heavier, firmer tread. Aristomachus hada wooden leg, but his step was so firm, even whencompared with that of the light-footed Phanes, thatit might have been thought to be his own limb.

The garden of Rhodopis was as full of sound, and scentand blossom as a night in fairy-land. It wasone labyrinth of acanthus shrubs, yellow mimosa, thesnowy gelder-rose, jasmine and lilac, red roses andlaburnums, overshadowed by tall palm-trees, acaciasand balsam trees. Large bats hovered softly ontheir delicate wings over the whole, and sounds ofmirth and song echoed from the river.

This garden had been laid out by an Egyptian, andthe builders of the Pyramids had already been celebratedfor ages for their skill in horticulture. Theywell understood how to mark out neat flower-beds,plant groups of trees and shrubs in regular order,water the whole by aqueducts and fountains, arrangearbors and summerhouses, and even inclose the walkswith artistically clipped hedges, and breed goldfishin stone basins.

At the garden gate Phanes stopped, looked around himcarefully and listened; then shaking his head, “Ido not understand what this can mean,” he said.“I hear no voices, there is not a single lightto be seen, the boats are all gone, and yet the flagis still flying at its gay flag-staff, there, by theobelisks on each side of the gate.”

[Obelisks bearing the name of the ownerwere sometimes to be seen near the gates of theEgyptian country-houses. Flags too were not uncommon,but these were almost exclusively to be found at thegates of the temples, where to this day the ironsockets for the flagstaff can still be seen.Neither were flags unknown to the Greeks. Itappears from some inscriptions on the staffs ofthe Pylons, that if the former were not actuallyerected for lightning-rods, it had been noticedthat they attracted the electricity.]

“Rhodopis must surely be from home; can theyhave forgotten?”—­Here a deep voicesuddenly interrupted him with the exclamation, “Ha!the commander of the body-guard!”

“A pleasant evening to you, Knakais,”exclaimed Phanes, kindly greeting the old man, whonow came up. “But how is it that this gardenis as still as an Egyptian tomb, and yet the flagof welcome is fluttering at the gate? How longhas that white ensign waved for guests in vain?”

“How long indeed?” echoed the old slaveof Rhodopis with a smile. “So long as theFates graciously spare the life of my mistress, theold flag is sure to waft as many guests hither asthe house is able to contain. Rhodopis is notat home now, but she must return shortly. Theevening being so fine, she determined on taking apleasure-trip on the Nile with her guests. Theystarted at sunset, two hours ago, and the evening mealis already prepared; they cannot remain away much longer.I pray you, Phanes, to have patience and follow meinto the house. Rhodopis would not easily forgiveme, if I allowed such valued guests to depart.You stranger,” he added, turning to the Spartan,“I entreat most heartily to remain; as friendof your friend you will be doubly welcome to my mistress.”

The two Greeks, following the servant, seated themselvesin an arbor, and Aristomachus, after gazing on thescene around him now brilliantly lighted by the moon,said, “Explain to me, Phanes, by what good fortunethis Rhodopis, formerly only a slave and courtesancan now live as a queen, and receive her guests inthis princely manner?”

[The mistresses (Hetaere) of the Greeksmust not be compared with modern women of bad reputation.The better members of this class represented theintelligence and culture of their sex in Greece, andmore especially in the Ionian provinces. Asan instance we need only recall Aspasia and herwell-attested relation to Pericles and Socrates.Our heroine Rhodopis was a celebrated woman. TheHetaera, Thargalia of Miletus, became the wife ofa Thessalian king. Ptolemy Lagi married Thais;her daughter was called Irene, and her sons Leontiskusand Lagus. Finally, statues were erected to many.]

“I have long expected this question,”answered the Athenian. “I shall be delightedto make you acquainted with the past history of thiswoman before you enter her house. So long aswe were on the Nile, I would not intrude my tale uponyou; that ancient river has a wonderful power of compellingto silence and quiet contemplation. Even my usuallyquick tongue was paralyzed like yours, when I tookmy first night-journey on the Nile.”

“I thank you for this,” replied the Spartan.“When I first saw the aged priest Epimenides,at Knossus in Crete, he was one hundred and fiftyyears old, and I remember that his age and sanctityfilled me with a strange dread; but how far older,how far more sacred, is this hoary river, the ancientstream ‘Aigyptos’! Who would wishto avoid the power of his spells? Now, however,I beg you to give me the history of Rhodopis.”

Phanes began: “When Rhodopis was a littlechild playing with her companions on the Thraciansea-shore, she was stolen by some Phoenician mariners,carried to Samos, and bought by Iadmon, one of thegeomori, or landed aristocracy of the island.The little girl grew day by day more beautiful, gracefuland clever, and was soon an object of love and admirationto all who knew her. AEsop, the fable-writer,who was at that time also in bondage to Iadmon, tookan especial pleasure in the growing amiability andtalent of the child, taught her and cared for her inthe same way as the tutors whom we keep to educateour Athenian boys.

The kind teacher found his pupil tractable and quickof comprehension, and the little slave soon practisedthe arts of music, singing and eloquence, in a morecharming and agreeable manner than the sons of hermaster Iadmon, on whose education the greatest carehad been lavished. By the time she had reachedher fourteenth year, Rhodopis was so beautiful andaccomplished, that the jealous wife of Iadmon wouldnot suffer her to remain any longer in the house,and the Samian was forced, with a heavy heart, tosell her to a certain Xanthus. The governmentof Samos at that time was still in the hands of theless opulent nobles; had Polykrates then been at thehead of affairs, Xanthus need not have despaired ofa purchaser. These tyrants fill their treasuriesas the magpies their nests! As it was, however,he went off with his precious jewel to Naukratis,and there gained a fortune by means of her wondrouscharms. These were three years of the deepesthumiliation to Rhodopis, which she still rememberswith horror.

Now it happened, just at the time when her fame wasspreading through all Greece, and strangers were comingfrom far to Naukratis for her sake alone, that thepeople of Lesbos rose up against their nobles, drovethem forth, and chose the wise Pittakus as their ruler.

[According to Herodotus the beautyof Rhodopis was so great that
every Greek knew her by name.]

The highest families of Lesbos were forced to leavethe country, and fled, some to Sicily, some to theGreek provinces of Italy, and others to Egypt.Alcaeus, the greatest poet of his day, and Charaxus,the brother of that Sappho whose odes it was our Solon’slast wish to learn by heart, came here to Naukratis,which had already long been the flourishing centreof commercial communication between Egypt and the restof the world. Charaxus saw Rhodopis, and soonloved her so passionately, that he gave an immensesum to secure her from the mercenary Xanthus, who wason the point of returning with her to his own country;Sappho wrote some biting verses, derisive of her brotherand his purchase, but Alcaeus on the other hand, approved,and gave expression to this feeling in glowing songson the charms of Rhodopis. And now Sappho’sbrother, who had till then remained undistinguishedamong the many strangers at Naukratis, became a notedman through Rhodopis. His house was soon the centreof attraction to all foreigners, by whom she was overwhelmedwith gifts. The King Hophra, hearing of her beautyand talent, sent for her to Memphis, and offered tobuy her of Charaxus, but the latter had already long,though secretly, given Rhodopis her freedom, and lovedher far too well to allow of a separation. Shetoo, loved the handsome Lesbian and refused to leavehim despite the brilliant offers made to her on allsides. At length Charaxus made this wonderfulwoman his lawful wife, and continued to live withher and her little daughter Kleis in Naukratis, untilthe Lesbian exiles were recalled to their native landby Pittakus. He then started homeward with hiswife, but fell ill on the journey, and died soon afterhis arrival at Mitylene. Sappho, who had deridedher brother for marrying one beneath him, soon becamean enthusiastic admirer of the beautiful widow andrivalled Alcaeus in passionate songs to her praise.

After the death of the poetess, Rhodopis returned,with her little daughter, to Naukratis, where shewas welcomed as a goddess. During this intervalAmasis, the present king of Egypt, had usurped thethrone of the Pharaohs, and was maintaining himselfin its possession by help of the army, to which castehe belonged.

[Amasis, of whom much will be said inour text, reigned 570-526 B. C. His name, in thehieroglyphic signs, was Aahmes or young moon butthe name by which he was commonly called was Sa-Nit“Son of Neith.” His name, andpictures of him are to be found on stones in thefortress of Cairo, on a relief in Florence, a statuein the Vatican, on sarcophagi in Stockholm andLondon, a statue in the Villa Albani and on a littletemple of red granite at Leyden. A beautifulbust of gray-wacke in our possession probably representsthe same king.]

As his predecessor Hophra had accelerated his fall,and brought the army and priesthood to open rebellionby his predilection for the Greek nation, and for

intercourse with foreigners generally, (always anabomination in the eyes of the Egyptians), men feltconfident that Amasis would return to the old ways,would rigorously exclude foreigners from the country,dismiss the Greek mercenaries, and instead of takingcounsel from the Greeks, would hearken only to thecommands of the priesthood. But in this, as youmust see yourself, the prudent Egyptians had guessedwide of the mark in their choice of a ruler; they fellfrom Scylla into Charybdis. If Hophra was calledthe Greeks’ friend, Amasis must be named ourlover. The Egyptians, especially the priests andthe army, breathe fire and flame, and would fain strangleus one and all, off hand, This feeling on the partof the soldiery does not disturb Amasis, for he knowstoo well the comparative value of their and our services;but with the priests it is another and more seriousmatter, for two reasons: first, they possessan unbounded influence over the people; and secondly.Amasis himself retains more affection than he likesto acknowledge to us, for this absurd and insipidreligion—­a religion which appears doublysacred to its adherents simply because it has existedin this eccentric land—­unchanged for thousandsof years. These priests make the king’slife burdensome to him; they persecute and injure usin every possible way; and indeed, if it had not beenfor the king’s protection, I should long agohave been a dead man. But I am wandering frommy tale! As I said before, Rhodopis was receivedat Naukratis with open arms by all, and loaded withmarks of favor by Amasis, who formed her acquaintance.Her daughter Kleis, as is the case with the littleSappho now—­was never allowed to appearin the society which assembled every evening at hermother’s house, and indeed was even more strictlybrought up than the other young girls in Naukratis.She married Glaucus, a rich Phocaean merchant of noblefamily, who had defended his native town with greatbravery against the Persians, and with him departedto the newly-founded Massalia, on the Celtic coast.There, however, the young couple both fell victimsto the climate, and died, leaving a little daughter,Sappho. Rhodopis at once undertook the long journeywestward, brought the orphan child back to live withher, spent the utmost care on her education, and nowthat she is grown up, forbids her the society of men,still feeling the stains of her own youth so keenlythat she would fain keep her granddaughter (and thisin Sappho’s case is not difficult), at a greaterdistance from contact with our sex than is renderednecessary, by the customs of Egypt. To my friendherself society is as indispensable as water to thefish or air to the bird. Her house is frequentedby all the strangers here, and whoever has once experiencedher hospitality and has the time at command will neverafter be found absent when the flag announces an eveningof reception. Every Greek of mark is to be foundhere, as it is in this house that we consult on thewisest measures for encountering the hatred of thepriests and bringing the king round to our own views.Here you can obtain not only the latest news from home,but from the rest of the world, and this house isan inviolable sanctuary for the persecuted, Rhodopispossessing a royal warrant which secures her fromevery molestation on the part of the police.

[A very active and strict police-forceexisted in Egypt, the organization of which issaid to have owed much to Amasis’ care.We also read in inscriptions and papyrus rolls,that a body of mounted police existed, the ranksof which were generally filled by foreigners inpreference to natives.]

Our own songs and our own language are to be heardhere, and here we take counsel on the best means fordelivering Greece from the ever fresh encroachmentsof her tyrants.

In a word, this house is the centre of attractionfor all Hellenic interests in Egypt, and of more importanceto us politically, than our temple, the Hellenionitself, and our hall of commerce.

In a few minutes you will see this remarkable grandmother,and, if we should be here alone, perhaps the grandchildtoo; you will then at once perceive that they oweeverything to their own rare qualities and not tothe chances of good fortune. Ah! there they come!they are going towards the house. Cannot youhear the slave-girls singing? Now they are goingin. First let them quietly be seated, then followme, and when the evening is over you shall say whetheryou repent of having come hither, and whether Rhodopisresembles more nearly a queen or a freed bond-woman.”

The houses was built in the Grecian style. Itwas a rather long, one-storied building, the outsideof which would be called extremely plain in the presentday; within, it united the Egyptian brilliancy ofcoloring with the Greek beauty of form. The principaldoor opened into the entrance-hall. To the leftof this lay a large dining-room, overlooking the Nile,and, opposite to this last was the kitchen, an apartmentonly to be found in the houses of the wealthier Greeks,the poorer families being accustomed to prepare theirfood at the hearth in the front apartment. Thehall of reception lay at the other end of the entrance-hall,and was in the form of a square, surrounded withinby a colonnade, into which various chambers opened.This was the apartment devoted to the men, in thecentre of which was the household fire, burning onan altar-shaped hearth of rich AEginetan metal-work.

It was lighted by an opening in the roof, which formedat the same time, an outlet for the smoke. Fromthis room (at the opposite end to that on which itopened into the entrance-hall), a passage, closed bya well-fastened door, led into the chamber of thewomen. This was also surrounded by a colonnadewithin, but only on three sides, and here the femaleinhabitants were accustomed to pass their time, whennot employed, spinning or weaving, in the rooms lyingnear the back or garden-door as it was termed.Between these latter and the domestic offices, whichlay on the right and left of the women’s apartment,were the sleeping-rooms; these served also as placesof security for the valuables of the house. Thewalls of the men’s apartment were painted ofa reddish-brown color, against which the outlines

of some white marble carvings, the gift of a Chiansculptor, stood out in sharp relief. The floorwas covered with rich carpets from Sardis; low cushionsof panthers’ skins lay ranged along the colonnade;around the artistically wrought hearth stood quaintEgyptian settees, and small, delicately-carved tablesof Thya wood, on which lay all kinds of musical instruments,the flute, cithara and lyre. Numerous lamps ofvarious and singular shapes, filled with Kiki oil,hung against the walls. Some represented fire-spoutingdolphins; others, strange winged monsters from whosejaws the flames issued; and these, blending theirlight with that from the hearth, illumined the apartment.

In this room a group of men were assembled, whoseappearance and dress differed one from the other.A Syrian from Tyre, in a long crimson robe, was talkinganimatedly to a man whose decided features and crisp,curly, black hair proclaimed him an Israelite.The latter had come to Egypt to buy chariots and horsesfor Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah—­theEgyptian equipages being the most sought after at thattime. Close to him stood three Greeks from AsiaMinor, the rich folds of whose garments (for theywore the costly dress of their native city Miletus),contrasted strongly with the plain and unadorned robeof Phryxus, the deputy commissioned to collect moneyfor the temple of Apollo at Delphi, with whom theywere in earnest conversation. Ten years before,the ancient temple had been consumed by fire; andat this time efforts were being made to build another,and a more beautiful one.

Two of the Milesians, disciples of Anaximander andAnaximenes, were staying then in Egypt, to study astronomyand the peculiar wisdom of the Egyptians at Heliopolis,and the third was a wealthy merchant and ship-owner,named Theopompus, who had settled at Naukratis.

[Anaximander of Miletus, born 611-546,was a celebrated geometrician, astronomer, philosopherand geographer. He was the author of a bookon natural phenomena, drew the first map of the worldon metal, and introduced into Greece a kind of clockwhich he seems to have borrowed from the Babylonians.He supposes a primary and not easily definableBeing, by which the whole world is governed, andin which, though in himself infinite and without limits,everything material and circ*mscribed has its foundation.“Chaotic matter” represents in his theorythe germ of all created things, from which water,earth, animals, nereids or fish-men, human beings&c. have had their origin.]

Rhodopis herself was engaged in a lively conversationwith two Samian Greeks: the celebrated workerin metals, sculptor and goldsmith Theodorus, and theIambic poet Ibykus of Rhegium, who had left the courtof Polykrates for a time in order to become acquaintedwith Egypt, and were bearers of presents to Amasisfrom their ruler. Close to the fire lay Philoinusof Sybaris, a corpulent man with strongly-marked featuresand a sensual expression of face; he was stretchedat full-length on a couch covered with spotted furs,and amused himself by playing with his scented curlswreathed with gold, and with the golden chains whichfell from his neck on to the long saffron-coloredrobe that clothed him down to his feet.

[Sybaris was a town in Lower Italy notoriousthroughout the ancient world for its luxury.According to Strabo it was founded by Achaeans262. About 510 it was conquered and destroyedby the Crotoniates and then rebuilt under the nameof Thurii.]

Rhodopis had a kind word for each of her guests, butat present she occupied herself exclusively with thetwo celebrated Sarnians; their talk was of art andpoetry. The fire of youth still glowed in theeyes of the Thracian woman, her tall figure was stillfull and unbent; her hair, though grey, was woundround her beautifully formed head in luxuriant waves,and laid together at the back in a golden net, anda sparkling diadem shone above her lofty forehead.

Her noble Greek features were pale, but still beautifuland without a wrinkle, notwithstanding her great age;indeed her small mouth with its full lips, her whiteteeth, her eyes so bright and yet so soft, and hernobly-formed nose and forehead would have been beautyenough for a young maiden.

Rhodopis looked younger than she really was, thoughshe made no attempt to disavow her age. Matronlydignity was visible in every movement, and the charmof her manner lay, not in a youthful endeavor to bepleasing, but in the effort of age to please others,considering their wishes, and at the same time demandingconsideration in return.

Our two friends now presenting themselves in the hall,every eye turned upon them, and as Phanes enteredleading his friend by the hand, the heartiest welcomemet him from all sides; one of the Milesians indeedexclaimed: “Now I see what it is that waswanting to our assembly. There can be no merrimentwithout Phanes.”

And Philoinus, the Sybarite, raising his deep voice,but not allowing himself for a moment to be disturbedin his repose, remarked: “Mirth is a goodthing, and if you bring that with you, be welcome tome also, Athenian.”

“To me,” said Rhodopis, turning to hernew guests, “you are heartily welcome, but notmore in your joy than if borne down by sadness.I know no greater pleasure than to remove the linesof care from a friend’s brow. Spartan,I venture to address you as a friend too, for the friendsof my friends are my own.” Aristomachusbowed in silence, but Phanes, addressing himself bothto Rhodopis and to the Sybarite, answered: “Wellthen, my friends, I can content you both. To you,Rhodopis, I must come for comfort, for soon, too soonI must leave you and your pleasant house; Philoinushowever can still enjoy my mirth, as I cannot but rejoicein the prospect of seeing my beloved Hellas once more,and of quitting, even though involuntarily, this goldenmouse-trap of a country.”

“You are going away! you have been dismissed?Whither are you going?” echoed on all sides.

“Patience, patience, my friends,” criedPhanes. “I have a long story to tell, butI will rather reserve it for the evening meal.And indeed, dear friend, my hunger is nearly as greatas my distress at being obliged to leave you.”

“Hunger is a good thing,” philosophizedthe Sybarite once more, “when a man has a goodmeal in prospect.”

“On that point you may be at ease, Philoinus,”answered Rhodopis. “I told the cook todo his utmost, for the most celebrated epicure fromthe most luxurious city in the world, no less a personthan Philoinus of Sybaris, would pass a stern judgmenton his delicate dishes. Go, Knakias, tell themto serve the supper. Are you content now, my impatientguests? As for me, since I heard Phanes’mournful news, the pleasure of the meal is gone.”The Athenian bowed, and the Sybarite returned to hisphilosophy. “Contentment is a good thingwhen every wish can be satisfied. I owe you thanks,Rhodopis, for your appreciation of my incomparablenative city. What says Anakreon?

“To-dayis ours—­what do we fear?
To-dayis ours—­we have it here.
Let’streat it kindly, that it may
Wishat least with us to stay.
Let’sbanish business, banish sorrow;
Tothe gods belongs to-morrow.”

“Eh! Ibykus, have I quoted your friendthe poet correctly, who feasts with you at Polykrates’banquets? Well, I think I may venture to say ofmy own poor self that if Anakreon can make better verses,I understand the art of living quite as well as he,though he writes so many poems upon it. Why,in all his songs there is not one word about the pleasuresof the table! Surely they are as important aslove and play! I confess that the two last areclear to me also; still, I could exist without them,though in a miserable fashion, but without food, whereshould we be?”

The Sybarite broke into a loud laugh at his own joke;but the Spartan turned away from this conversation,drew Phryxus into a corner, and quite abandoning hisusually quiet and deliberate manner, asked eagerlywhether he had at last brought him the long wishedfor answer from the Oracle. The serious featuresof the Delphian relaxed, and thrusting his hand intothe folds of his chiton,—­[An undergarmentresembling a shirt.]—­he drew out a littleroll of parchment-like sheepskin, on which a few lineswere written.

The hands of the brave, strong Spartan trembled ashe seized the roll, and his fixed gaze on its characterswas as if it would pierce the skin on which they wereinscribed.

Then, recollecting himself, he shook his head sadlyand said: “We Spartans have to learn otherarts than reading and writing; if thou canst, readthe what Pythia says.”

The Delphian glanced over the writing and replied:“Rejoice! Loxias (Apollo) promises theea happy return home; hearken to the prediction ofthe priestess.”

“If once the warrior hosts fromthe snow-topped mountains descending
Come to the fields of the streamwatering richly the plain,
Then shall the lingering boat tothe beckoning meadows convey thee
Which to the wandering foot peaceand a home will afford.
When those warriors come, from thesnow-topped mountains descending,
Then will the powerful Five grantthee what long they refused.”

To these words the Spartan listened with intense eagerness;he had them read over to him twice, then repeatedthem from memory, thanked Phryxus, and placed theroll within the folds of his garment.

The Delphian then took part in the general conversation,but Aristomachus repeated the words of the Oracleunceasingly to himself in a low voice, endeavoringto impress them on his memory, and to interpret theirobscure import.

CHAPTER II.

The doors of the supper-room now flew open. Twolovely, fair-haired boys, holding myrtle-wreaths,stood on each side of the entrance, and in the middleof the room was a large, low, brilliantly polishedtable, surrounded by inviting purple cushions.

[It was most probably usual for eachguest to have his own little table; but we readeven in Homer of large tables on which the meals wereserved up. In the time of Homer people sat attable, but the recumbent position became universalin later times.]

Rich nosegays adorned this table, and on it were placedlarge joints of roast meat, glasses and dishes ofvarious shapes filled with dates, figs, pomegranates,melons and grapes, little silver beehives containinghoney, and plates of embossed copper, on which laydelicate cheese from the island of Trinakria.In the midst was a silver table-ornament, somethingsimilar to an altar, from which arose fragrant cloudsof incense.

At the extreme end of the table stood the glitteringsilver cup in which the wine was to be mixed.

[The Greeks were not accustomed to drinkunmingled wine. Zaleukus forbade to all citizensthe pure juice of the grape under penalty of death,and Solon under very severe penalties, unless requiredas medicine. The usual mixture was composedof three-fifths water to two-fifths wine.]

This was of beautiful AEginetan workmanship, its crookedhandles representing two giants, who appeared readyto sink under the weight of the bowl which they sustained.

Like the altar, it was enwreathed with flowers, anda garland of roses or myrtle had been twined aroundthe goblet of each guest.

The entire floor was strewed with rose-leaves, andthe room lighted by many lamps which were hung againstthe smooth, white, stucco walls.

No sooner were the guests reclining on their cushions,than the fair-haired boys reappeared, wound garlandsof ivy and myrtle around the heads and shoulders ofthe revellers, and washed their feet in silver basins.The Sybarite, though already scented with all the perfumesof Arabia, would not rest until he was completelyenveloped in roses and myrtle, and continued to occupythe two boys even after the carver had removed thefirst joints from the table in order to cut them up;but as soon as the first course, tunny-fish with mustard-sauce,had been served, he forgot all subordinate matters,and became absorbed in the enjoyment of the deliciousviands.

Rhodopis, seated on a chair at the head of the table,near the wine-bowl, not only led the conversation,but gave directions to the slaves in waiting.

[The women took their meals sitting.The Greeks, like the Egyptians, had chairs withbacks and arms. The form of the solia or thronehas become familiar to us from the discoveries at Pompeiiand the representations of many gods and distinguishedpersons. It had a high, almost straight back,and supports for the arms.]

She gazed on her cheerful guests with a kind of pride,and seemed to be devoting her attention to each exclusively,now asking the Delphian how he had succeeded in hismission, then the Sybarite whether he was contentwith the performances of her cook, and then listeningeagerly to Ibykus, as he told how the Athenian, Phrynichus,had introduced the religious dramas of Thespis ofIkaria into common life, and was now representingentire histories from the past by means of choruses,recitative and answer.

Then she turned to the Spartan, remarking, that tohim alone of all her guests, instead of an apologyfor the simplicity of the meal, she felt she owedone for its luxury. The next time he came, herslave Knakias, who, as an escaped Helot, boasted thathe could cook a delicious blood-soup (here the Sybariteshuddered), should prepare him a true Lacedaemonianrepast.

When the guests had eaten sufficiently they againwashed their hands; the plates and dishes were removed,the floor cleansed, and wine and water poured intothe bowl.

[The Symposium began after the realmeal. Not till that was over
did the guests usually adorn themselveswith wreaths, wash their
hands with smegm* or Smema (a kindof soap) and begin to drink.]

At last, when Rhodopis had convinced herself thatthe right moment was come, she turned to Phanes, whowas engaged in a discussion with the Milesians, andthus addressed him:

“Noble friend, we have restrained our impatienceso long that it must surely now be your duty to tellus what evil chance is threatening to snatch you fromEgypt and from our circle. You may be able toleave us and this country with a light heart, forthe gods are wont to bless you Ionians with that preciousgift from your very birth, but we shall remember youlong and sadly. I know of no worse loss than thatof a friend tried through years, indeed some of ushave lived too long on the Nile not to have imbibeda little of the constant, unchanging Egyptian temperament.You smile, and yet I feel sure that long as you havedesired to revisit your dear Hellas, you will notbe able to leave us quite without regret. Ah,you admit this? Well, I knew I had not been deceived.But now tell us why you are obliged to leave Egypt,that we may consider whether it may not be possibleto get the king’s decree reversed, and so keepyou with us.”

Phanes smiled bitterly, and replied: “Manythanks, Rhodopis, for these flattering words, andfor the kind intention either to grieve over my departure,or if possible, to prevent it. A hundred new faceswill soon help you to forget mine, for long as youhave lived on the Nile, you are still a Greek fromthe crown of the head to the sole of the foot, andmay thank the gods that you have remained so.I am a great friend of constancy too, but quite asgreat an enemy of folly, and is there one among youwho would not call it folly to fret over what cannotbe undone? I cannot call the Egyptian constancya virtue, it is a delusion. The men who treasuretheir dead for thousands of years, and would ratherlose their last loaf than allow a single bone belongingto one of their ancestors to be taken from them, arenot constant, they are foolish. Can it possiblymake me happy to see my friends sad? Certainlynot! You must not imitate the Egyptians, who,when they lose a friend, spend months in daily-repeatedlamentations over him. On the contrary, if youwill sometimes think of the distant, I ought to say,of the departed, friend, (for as long as I live Ishall never be permitted to tread Egyptian groundagain), let it be with smiling faces; do not cry, ’Ah!why was Phanes forced to leave us?’ but rather,’Let us be merry, as Phanes used to be whenhe made one of our circle!’ In this way you mustcelebrate my departure, as Simonides enjoined whenhe sang:

“Ifwe would only be more truly wise,
Weshould not waste on death our tears and sighs,
Norstand and mourn o’er cold and lifeless clay
Morethan one day.

ForDeath, alas! we have no lack of time;
ButLife is gone, when scarcely at its prime,
Andis e’en, when not overfill’d with care
Butshort and bare!”

“If we are not to weep for the dead, how muchless ought we to grieve for absent friends! the formerhave left us for ever, but to the latter we say atparting, ‘Farewell, until we meet again’”

Here the Sybarite, who had been gradually becomingmore and more impatient, could not keep silent anylonger, and called out in the most woe begone tone:“Will you never begin your story, you maliciousfellow? I cannot drink a single drop till youleave off talking about death. I feel cold already,and I am always ill, if I only think of, nay, if Ionly hear the subject mentioned, that this life cannotlast forever.” The whole company burstinto a laugh, and Phanes began to tell his story:

“You know that at Sais I always live in thenew palace; but at Memphis, as commander of the Greekbody-guard which must accompany the king everywhere,a lodging was assigned me in the left wing of the oldpalace.

“Since Psamtik the First, Sais has always beenthe royal residence, and the other palaces have inconsequence become somewhat neglected. My dwellingwas really splendidly situated, and beautifully furnished;it would have been first-rate, if, from the firstmoment of my entrance, a fearful annoyance had notmade its appearance.

“In the day-time, when I was seldom at home,my rooms were all that could be wished, but at nightit was impossible to sleep for the tremendous noisemade by thousands of rats and mice under the old floors,and couches, and behind the hangings.

“Even in the first night an impudent mouse ranover my face.

“I was quite at a loss what to do, till an Egyptiansoldier sold me two large cats, and these, in thecourse of many weeks, procured me some rest from mytormentors.

“Now, you are probably all aware that one ofthe charming laws of this most eccentric nation, (whoseculture and wisdom, you, my Milesian friends, cannotsufficiently praise), declares the cat to be a sacredanimal. Divine honors are paid to these fortunatequadrupeds as well as to many other animals, and hewho kills a cat is punished with the same severityas the murderer of a human being.”

Till now Rhodopis had been smiling, but when she perceivedthat Phanes’ banishment had to do with his contemptfor the sacred animals, her face became more serious.She knew how many victims, how many human lives, hadalready been sacrificed to this Egyptian superstition,and how, only a short time before, the king Amasishimself had endeavored in vain to rescue an unfortunateSamian, who had killed a cat, from the vengeance ofthe enraged populace.

[The cat was probably the most sacredof all the animals worshipped by the Egyptians.Herod tells that when a house was on fire the Egyptiansnever thought of extinguishing the fire until theircats were all saved, and that when a cat died,they shaved their heads in sign of mourning.Whoever killed one of these animals, whether intentionallyor by accident, suffered the penalty, of death, withoutany chance of mercy. Diod. (I. 81.) himself witnessedthe murder of a Roman citizen who had killed acat, by the Egyptian people; and this in spiteof the authorities, who in fear of the powerfulRomans, endeavored to prevent the deed. The bodiesof the cats were carefully embalmed and buried,and their mummies are to be found in every museum.The embalmed cat, carefully wrapped in linen bandages,is oftener to be met with than any other of the manyanimals thus preserved by the Egyptians. Inspite of the great care bestowed on cats, therecan have been no lack of mice in Egypt. In onenomos or province the shrew-mouse was sacred, and asatirical, obscene papyrus in Turin shows us awar between the cats and mice; the Papyrus Eberscontains poisons for mice. We ourselves possessa shrew-mouse exquisitely wrought in bronze.]

“Everything was going well,” continuedthe officer, “when we left Memphis two yearsago.

“I confided my pair of cats to the care of oneof the Egyptian servants at the palace, feeling surethat these enemies of the rats would keep my dwellingclear for the future; indeed I began to feel a certainveneration for my deliverers from the plague of mice.

“Last year Amasis fell ill before the courtcould adjourn to Memphis, and we remained at Sais.

“At last, about six week ago, we set out forthe city of the Pyramids. I betook me to my oldquarters; not the shadow of a mouse’s tail wasto be seen there, but instead, they swarmed with anotherrace of animals not one whit dearer to me than theirpredecessors. The pair of cats had, during mytwo years’ absence, increased twelve-fold.I tried all in my power to dislodge this burdensomebrood of all ages and colors, but in vain; every nightmy sleep was disturbed by horrible choruses of four-footedanimals, and feline war-cries and songs.

“Every year, at the period of the Bubastis festival,all superfluous cats may be brought to the templeof the cat-headed goddess Pacht, where they are fedand cared for, or, as I believe, when they multiplytoo fast, quietly put out of the way. These priestsare knaves!

“Unfortunately the journey to the said temple”did not occur during the time of our stay in Memphis;however, as I really could not tolerate this armyof tormentors any longer, I determined at least toget rid of two families of healthy kittens with whichtheir mothers had just presented me. My old slaveMus, from his very name a natural enemy of cats, wastold to kill the little creatures, put them into asack, and throw them into the Nile.

“This murder was necessary, as the mewing ofthe kittens would otherwise have betrayed the contentsof the sack to the palace-warders. In the twilightpoor Muss betook himself to the Nile through the groveof Hathor, with his perilous burden. But alas!the Egyptian attendant who was in the habit of feedingmy cats, had noticed that two families of kittenswere missing, and had seen through our whole plan.

“My slave took his way composedly through thegreat avenue of Sphinxes, and by the temple of Ptah,holding the little bag concealed under his mantle.Already in the sacred grove he noticed that he wasbeing followed, but on seeing that the men behindhim stopped before the temple of Ptah and enteredinto conversation with the priests, he felt perfectlyreassured and went on.

“He had already reached the bank of the Nile,when he heard voices calling him and a number of peoplerunning towards him in haste; at the same moment astone whistled close by his head.

“Mus at once perceived the danger which wasthreatening him. Summoning all his strength herushed down to the Nile, flung the bag in, and thenwith a beating heart, but as he imagined without theslightest evidence of guilt, remained standing onthe shore. A few moments later he was surroundedby at least a hundred priests.

“Even the high-priest of Ptah, my old enemyPtahotep, had not disdained to follow the pursuersin person.

“Many of the latter, and amongst them the perfidiouspalace-servant, rushed at once into the Nile, andthere, to our confusion, found the bag with its twelvelittle corpses, hanging entirely uninjured among thePapyrus-reeds and bean-tendrils. The cotton coffinwas opened before the eyes of the high-priest, a troopof lower priests, and at least a thousand of the inhabitantsof Memphis, who had hurried to the spot, and whenthe miserable contents were disclosed, there arosesuch fearful howls of anguish, and such horrible criesof mingled lamentation and revenge, that I heard themeven in the palace.

“The furious multitude, in their wild rage,fell on my poor servant, threw him down, trampledon him and would have killed him, had not the all-powerfulhigh-priest-designing to involve me, as author of thecrime, in the same ruin—­commanded themto cease and take the wretched malefactor to prison.

“Half an hour later I was in prison too.

“My old Mus took all the guilt of the crimeon himself, until at last, by means of the bastinado,the high-priest forced him to confess that I had orderedthe killing of the kittens, and that he, as a faithfulservant, had not dared to disobey.

“The supreme court of justice, whose decisionsthe king himself has no power to reverse, is composedof priests from Memphis, Heliopolis and Thebes:you can therefore easily believe that they had no scruplein pronouncing sentence of death on poor Mus and myown unworthy Greek self. The slave was pronouncedguilty of two capital offences: first, of themurder of the sacred animals, and secondly, of a twelve-foldpollution of the Nile through dead bodies. Iwas condemned as originator of this, (as they termedit) four-and-twenty-fold crime.

[According to the Egyptian law,the man who was cognizant of a crime
was held equally culpable with theperpetrator.]

“Mus was executed on the same day. Maythe earth rest lightly on him! I shall neverthink of him again as my slave, but as a friend andbenefactor! My sentence of death was read aloudin the presence of his dead body, and I was alreadypreparing for a long journey into the nether world,when the king sent and commanded a reprieve.

[This court of justice, which may becompared with the Areopagus at Athens, and theGerusia at Sparta, (Diod. I, 75.), was composedof 30 judges taken from the priestly caste, (10from Heliopolis, 10 from Memphis, 10 from Thebes).The most eminent from among their number was chosenby them as president. All complaints and defenceshad to be presented in writing, that the judgesmight in no way be influenced by word or gesture.This tribunal was independent, even of the king’sauthority. Much information concerning the administrationof justice has been obtained from the Papyrus Abbott,known by the name of the ‘Papyrus judiciaire’.Particulars and an account of their literaturemay be found in Ebers “Durch Gosen zum Sinai,”p. 534 and following.]

“I was taken back to prison. One of myguards, an Arcadian Taxiarch, told me that all theofficers of the guard and many of the soldiers, (altogetherfour thousand men) had threatened to send in theirresignation, unless I, their commander, were pardoned.

“As it was beginning to grow dusk I was takento the king.

“He received me graciously, confirmed the Taxiarch’sstatement with his own mouth, and said how grievedhe should be to lose a commander so generally beloved.I must confess that I owe Amasis no grudge for hisconduct to me, on the contrary I pity him. Youshould have heard how he, the powerful king, complainedthat he could never act according to his own wishes,that even in his most private affairs he was crossedand compromised by the priests and their influence.

[See the parallel in the historyof 2000 years later in the reigns
of Henry III. and IV. confrontingthe Jesuit influence, finally
culminating in assassination.D.W.]

“Had it only depended on himself, he could easilyhave pardoned the transgression of a law, which I,as a foreigner, could not be expected to understand,and might (though unjustly) esteem as a foolish superstition.But for the sake of the priests he dare not leave meunpunished. The lightest penalty he could inflictmust be banishment from Egypt.

“He concluded his complaint with these words:’You little know what concessions I must maketo the priests in order to obtain your pardon.Why, our supreme court of justice is independent evenof me, its king!’

“And thus I received my dismissal, after havingtaken a solemn oath to leave Memphis that very day,and Egypt, at latest, in three weeks.

“At the palace-gate I met Psamtik, the crown-prince.He has long been my enemy, on account of some vexatiousmatters which I cannot divulge, (you know them, Rhodopis).I was going to offer him my parting salutation, buthe turned his back upon me, saying: Once moreyou have escaped punishment, Athenian; but you cannotelude my vengeance. Whithersoever you may go,I shall be able to find you!’—­’Thatremains to be proved,’ I answered, and puttingmyself and my possessions on board a boat, came toNaukratis. Here, by good fortune, I met my oldfriend Aristomachus of Sparta, who, as he was formerlyin command of the Cyprian troops, will most likelybe nominated my successor. I should rejoice toknow that such a first-rate man was going to takemy place, if I did not at the same time fear thathis eminent services will make my own poor effortsseem even more insignificant than they really were.”

But here he was interrupted by Aristomachus, who calledout: “Praise enough, friend Phanes!Spartan tongues are stiff; but if you should everstand in need of my help, I will give you an answerin deeds, which shall strike the right nail on thehead.”

Rhodopis smiled her approval, and giving her handto each, said: “Unfortunately, the onlyconclusion to be drawn from your story, my poor Phanes,is that you cannot possibly remain any longer in thiscountry. I will not blame you for your thoughtlessness,though you might have known that you were exposingyourself to great danger for a mere trifle. Thereally wise and brave man never undertakes a hazardousenterprise, unless the possible advantage and disadvantagethat may accrue to him from it can be reckoned atleast as equal. Recklessness is quite as foolish,but not so blamable as cowardice, for though bothdo the man an injury, the latter alone can dishonorhim.

“Your thoughtlessness, this time, has very nearlycost your life, a life dear to many, and which youought to save for a nobler end. We cannot attemptto keep you here; we should thereby only injure ourselveswithout benefitting you. This noble Spartan mustnow take your place as head and representative ofthe Greek nation at the Egyptian court, must endeavorto protect us against the encroachment of the priests,and to retain for us the royal favor. I takeyour hand, Aristomachus, and will not let it go tillyou have promised that you will protect, to the utmostof your power, every Greek, however humble, (as Phanesdid before you), from the insolence of the Egyptians,and will sooner resign your office than allow thesmallest wrong done to a Hellene to go unpunished.We are but a few thousands among millions of enemies,but through courage we are great, and unity must keepus strong. Hitherto the Greeks in Egypt have livedlike brothers; each has been ready to offer himselffor the good of all, and all for each, and it is justthis unity that has made us, and must keep us, powerful.

“Oh! could we but bestow this precious gifton our mother-country and her colonies! would thetribes of our native land but forget their Dorian,Ionian or AEolian descent, and, contenting themselveswith the one name of Hellenes, live as the childrenof one family, as the sheep of one flock,—­thenindeed we should be strong against the whole world,and Hellas would be recognized by all nations as theQueen of the Earth!”

[This longing desire for unity was byno means foreign to the Greeks, though we seldomhear it expressed. Aristotle, for example, saysVII. 7.: “Were the Hellenes united intoone state, they could command all the barbarousnations.”]

A fire glowed in the eyes of the grey-haired womanas she uttered these words; and the Spartan, graspingher hand impetuously and stamping on the floor withhis wooden leg, cried: “By Zeus, I willnot let a hair of their heads be hurt; but thou, Rhodopis,thou art worthy to have been born a Spartan woman.”

“Or an Athenian,” cried Phanes.

“An Ionian,” said the Milesians, and thesculptor: “A daughter of the Samian Geomori—­”

“But I am more, far more, than all these,”cried the enthusiastic woman. “I am a Hellene!”

The whole company, even to the Jew and the Syrian,were carried away by the intense feeling of the moment;the Sybarite alone remained unmoved, and, with hismouth so full as to render the words almost unintelligible,said:

“You deserve to be a Sybarite too, Rhodopis,for your roast beef is the best I have tasted sinceI left Italy, and your Anthylla wine’ relishesalmost as well as Vesuvian or Chian!”

Every one laughed, except the Spartan, who darteda look of indignation and contempt at the epicure.

In this moment a deep voice, hitherto unknown to us,shouted suddenly through the window, “A gladgreeting to you, my friends!”

“A glad greeting,” echoed the chorus ofrevellers, questioning and guessing who this latearrival might prove to be.

They had not long to wait, for even before the Sybaritehad had time carefully to test and swallow anothermouthful of wine, the speaker, Kallias, the son ofPhaenippus of Athens, was already standing by theside of Rhodopis. He was a tall thin man of oversixty, with a head of that oval form which gives theimpression of refinement and intellect. One ofthe richest among the Athenian exiles, he had twicebought the possessions of Pisistratus from the state,and twice been obliged to surrender them, on the tyrant’sreturn to power. Looking round with his clearkeen eyes on this circle of acquaintances, he exchangedfriendly greetings with all, and exclaimed:

“If you do not set a high value on my appearanceamong you this evening, I shall think that gratitudehas entirely disappeared from the earth.”

“We have been expecting you a long time,”interrupted one of the Milesians. “Youare the first man to bring us news of the Olympic games!”

“And we could wish no better bearer of suchnews than the victor of former days?” addedRhodopis. “Take your seat,” criedPhanes impatiently, “and come to the point withyour news at once, friend Kallias.”

“Immediately, fellow-countryman,” answeredthe other. “It is some time ago now sinceI left Olympia. I embarked at Cenchreae in a fifty-oaredSamian vessel, the best ship that ever was built.

“It does not surprise me that I am the firstGreek to arrive in Naukratis. We encounteredterrific storms at sea, and could not have escapedwith our lives, if the big-bellied Samian galley, withher Ibis beak and fish’s tail had not been sosplendidly timbered and manned.

“How far the other homeward-bound passengersmay have been driven out of their course, I cannottell; we found shelter in the harbor of Samos, andwere able to put to sea again after ten days.

“We ran into the mouth of the Nile this morning.I went on board my own bark at once, and was so favoredby Boreas, who at least at the end of my voyage, seemedwilling to prove that he still felt kindly towardshis old Kallias, that I caught sight of this mostfriendly of all houses a few moments since. Isaw the waving flag, the brightly lighted windows,and debated within myself whether to enter or not;but Rhodopis, your fascination proved irresistible,and besides, I was bursting with all my untold news,longing to share your feast, and to tell you, overthe viands and the wine, things that you have noteven allowed yourselves to dream of.”

Kallias settled himself comfortably on one of thecushions, and before beginning to tell his news, producedand presented to Rhodopis a magnificent gold braceletin the form of a serpent’s, which he had boughtfor a large sum at Samos, in the goldsmith’sworkshop of the very Theodorus who was now sittingwith him at table.

“This I have brought for you,"’ he said,turning to the delighted Rhodopis, “but foryou, friend Phanes, I have something still better.Guess, who won the four-horse chariot-race?”

“An Athenian?” asked Phanes, and his faceglowed with excitement; for the victory gained byone citizen at the Olympic games belonged to his wholepeople, and the Olympic olive-branch was the greatesthonor and happiness that could fall to the lot, eitherof a single Hellene, or an entire Greek tribe.

“Rightly guessed, Phanes!” cried the bringerof this joyful news, “The first prize has beencarried off by an Athenian; and not only so, yourown cousin Cimon, the son of Kypselos, the brotherof that Miltiades, who, nine Olympiads ago, earnedus the same honor, is the man who has conquered thisyear; and with the same steeds that gained him theprize at the last games.

[The second triumph won by the steedsof Cimon must have taken place, as Duneker correctlyremarks, about the year 528. The same horseswon the race for the third time at the next Olympicgames, consequently four years later. As tokenof his gratitude Cimon caused a monument to beerected in their honor in “the hollow way”near Athens. We may here remind our readersthat the Greeks made use of the Olympic games todetermine the date of each year. They tookplace every four years. The first was fixed 776B. C. Each separate year was named the 1st, 2nd,3rd or 4th of such or such an Olympiad.]

“The fame of the Alkmaeonidae is, verily, darkeningmore and more before the Philaidae. Are not youproud, Phanes? do not you feel joy at the glory ofyour family?”

In his delight Phanes had risen from his seat, andseemed suddenly to have increased in stature by awhole head.

With a look of ineffable pride and consciousness ofhis own position, he gave his hand to the messengerof victory. The latter, embracing his countryman,continued:

“Yes, we have a right to feel proud and happy,Phanes; you especially, for no sooner had the judgesunanimously awarded the prize to Cimon, than he orderedthe heralds to proclaim the tyrant Pisistratus as theowner of the splendid team, and therefore victor inthe race. Pisistratus at once caused it to beannounced that your family was free to return to Athens,and so now, Phanes, the long-wished for hour of yourreturn home is awaiting you.”

But at these words Phanes turned pale, his look ofconscious pride changed into one of indignation, andhe exclaimed:

“At this I am to rejoice, foolish Kallias? ratherbid me weep that a descendant of Ajax should be capableof laying his well-won fame thus ignominiously ata tyrant’s feet! No! I swear by Athene,by Father Zeus, and by Apollo, that I will soonerstarve in foreign lands than take one step homeward,so long as the Pisistratidae hold my country in bondage.When I leave the service of Amasis, I shall be free,

free as a bird in the air; but I would rather be theslave of a peasant in foreign lands, than hold thehighest office under Pisistratus. The sovereignpower in Athens belongs to us, its nobles; but Cimonby laying his chaplet at the feet of Pisistratus hasacknowledged the tyrants, and branded himself as theirservant. He shall hear that Phanes cares littlefor the tyrant’s clemency. I choose toremain an exile till my country is free, till hernobles and people govern themselves, and dictate theirown laws. Phanes will never do homage to theoppressor, though all the Philaidae, the Alkmaeonidae,and even the men of your own house, Kallias, the richDaduchi, should fall down at his feet!”

With flashing eyes he looked round on the assembly;Kallias too scrutinized the faces of the guests withconscious pride, as if he would say:

“See, friends, the kind of men produced by myglorious country!”

Taking the hand of Phanes again, he said to him:“The tyrants are as hateful to me as to you,my friend; but I have seen, that, so long as Pisistratuslives, the tyranny cannot be overthrown. His allies,Lygdamis of Naxos and Polykrates of Samos, are powerful;but the greatest danger for our freedom lies in hisown moderation and prudence. During my recentstay in Greece I saw with alarm that the mass of thepeople in Athens love their oppressor like a father.Notwithstanding his great power, he leaves the commonwealthin the enjoyment of Solon’s constitution.He adorns the city with the most magnificent buildings.They say that the new temple of Zeus, now being builtof glorious marble by Kallaeschrus, Antistates andPorinus (who must be known to you, Theodorus), willsurpass every building that has yet been erected bythe Hellenes. He understands how to attract poetsand artists of all kinds to Athens, he has had thepoems of Homer put into writing, and the propheciesof Musaeus collected by Onomakritus. He laysout new streets and arranges fresh festivals; tradeflourishes under his rule, and the people find themselveswell off, in spite of the many taxes laid upon them.But what are the people? a vulgar multitude who, likethe gnats, fly towards every thing brilliant, and,so long as the taper burns, will continue to flutterround it, even though they burn their wings in doingso. Let Pisistratus’ torch burn out, Phanes,and I’ll swear that the fickle crowd will flockaround the returning nobles, the new light, just asthey now do around the tyrant.

“Give me your hand once more, you true son ofAjax; for you, my friends, I have still many an interestingpiece of news untold.

“The chariot-race, as I have just related, waswon by Cimon who gave the olive-branch to Pisistratus.Four finer horses than his I never saw. Arkesilausof Cyrene, Kleosthenes of Epidamnus, Aster of Sybaris,Hekataeus of Miletus and many more had also sent splendidteams. Indeed the games this time were more thanbrilliant. All Hellas had sent deputies.Rhoda of the Ardeates, in distant Iberia, the wealthyTartessus, Sinope in the far East on the shores ofPontus, in short, every tribe that could boast ofHellenic descent was well represented. The Sybaritedeputies were of a dazzling beauty; the Spartans, homelyand simple, but handsome as Achilles, tall and strongas Hercules; the Athenians remarkable for their supplelimbs and graceful movements, and the men of Crotonawere led by Milo, strongest of mortal birth. TheSamian and Milesian deputies vied in splendor and gorgeousnessof attire with those from Corinth and Mitylene:the flower of the Greek youth was assembled there,and, in the space allotted to spectators, were seated,not only men of every age, class and nation, but manyvirgins, fair and lovely maidens, who had come toOlympia, more especially from Sparta, in order toencourage the men during the games by their acclamationsand applause. The market was set up beyond theAlphaeus, and there traders from all parts of theworld were to be seen; Greeks, Carthaginians, Lydians,Phrygians and shrewd Phoenicians from Palestine settledweighty business transactions, or offered their goodsto the public from tents and booths. But howcan I possibly describe to you the surging throngsof the populace, the echoing choruses, the smokingfestal hecatombs, the bright and variegated costumes,the sumptuousness of the equipages, the clang of thedifferent dialects and the joyful cries of friendsmeeting again after years of separation; or the splendidappearance of the envoys, the crowds of lookers-onand venders of small wares, the brilliant effect producedby the masses of spectators, who filled to overflowingthe space allotted to them, the eager suspense duringthe progress of the games, and the never ending shoutsof joy when the victory was decided; the solemn investiturewith the olive-branch, cut with a golden knife bythe Elean boy, (whose parents must both be living),from the sacred tree in the Altis planted so many centuriesago by Hercules himself; or lastly, the prolongedacclamations which, like peals of thunder, resoundedin the Stadium, when Milo of Crotona appeared, bearingon his shoulders the bronze statue of himself castby Dameas, and carried it through the Stadium intothe Altis without once tottering. The weightof the metal would have crushed a bull to the earth:but borne by Milo it seemed like a child in the armsof its Lacedaemonian nurse.

“The highest honors (after Cimon’s) wereadjudged to a pair of Spartan brothers, Lysander andMaro, the sons of Aristomachus. Maro was victorin the foot race, but Lysander presented himself,amidst the shouts of the spectators, as the opponentof Milo! Milo the invincible, victor at Pisa,and in the Pythian and Isthmian combats. Milowas taller and stouter than the Spartan, who was formedlike Apollo, and seemed from his great youth scarcelyto have passed from under the hands of the schoolmaster.

“In their naked beauty, glistening with thegolden oil, the youth and the man stood opposite toone another, like a panther and a lion preparing forthe combat. Before the onset, the young Lysanderraised his hands imploringly to the gods, crying:’For my father, my honor, and the glory of Sparta!’The Crotonian looked down on the youth with a smileof superiority; just as an epicure looks at the shellof the languste he is preparing to open.

“And now the wrestling began. For sometime neither could succeed in grasping the other.The Crotonian threw almost irresistible weight intohis attempts to lay hold of his opponent, but the latterslipped through the iron grip like a snake. Thisstruggle to gain a hold lasted long, and the immensemultitude watched silently, breathless from excitement.Not a sound was to be heard but the groans of thewrestlers and the singing of the nightingales in thegrove of the Altis. At last, the youth succeeded,by means of the cleverest trick I ever saw, in claspinghis opponent firmly. For a long time, Milo exertedall his strength to shake him oft, but in vain, andthe sand of the Stadium was freely moistened by thegreat drops of sweat, the result of this Herculeanstruggle.

“More and more intense waxed the excitementof the spectators, deeper and deeper the silence,rarer the cries of encouragement, and louder the groansof the wrestlers. At last Lysander’s strengthgave way. Immediately a thousand voices burstforth to cheer him on. He roused himself andmade one last superhuman effort to throw his adversary:but it was too late. Milo had perceived the momentaryweakness. Taking advantage of it, he claspedthe youth in a deadly embrace; a full black streamof blood welled from Lysander’s beautiful lips,and he sank lifeless to the earth from the weariedarms of the giant. Democedes, the most celebratedphysician of our day, whom you Samians will have knownat the court of Polycrates, hastened to the spot,but no skill could now avail the happy Lysander,—­hewas dead.

“Milo was obliged to forego the victor’swreath”; and the fame of this youth will longcontinue to sound through the whole of Greece.

[By the laws of the games the wrestler,whose adversary died, had no
right to the prize of victory.]

I myself would rather be the dead Lysander, son ofAristomachus, than the living Kallias growing oldin inaction away from his country. Greece, representedby her best and bravest, carried the youth to his grave,and his statue is to be placed in the Altis by thoseof Milo of Crotona and Praxidamas of AEgina”.At length the heralds proclaimed the sentence of thejudges: ’To Sparta be awarded a victor’swreath for the dead, for the noble Lysander hath beenvanquished, not by Milo, but by Death, and he whocould go forth unconquered from a two hours’struggle with the strongest of all Greeks, hath welldeserved the olive-branch.’”

Here Kallias stopped a moment in his narrative.During his animated description of these events, soprecious to every Greek heart, he had forgotten hislisteners, and, gazing into vacancy, had seen onlythe figures of the wrestlers as they rose before hisremembrance. Now, on looking round, he perceived,to his astonishment, that the grey-haired man withthe wooden leg, whom he had already noticed, thoughwithout recognizing him, had hidden his face in hishands and was weeping. Rhodopis was standingat his right hand. Phanes at his left, and theother guests were gazing at the Spartan, as if he hadbeen the hero of Kallias’s tale. In a momentthe quick Athenian perceived that the aged man muststand in some very near relation to one or other ofthe victors at Olympia; but when he heard that hewas Aristomachus-the father of that glorious pairof brothers, whose wondrous forms were constantly hoveringbefore his eyes like visions sent down from the abodesof the gods, then he too gazed on the sobbing oldman with mingled envy and admiration, and made noeffort to restrain the tears which rushed into hisown eyes, usually so clear and keen. In thosedays men wept, as well as women, hoping to gain relieffrom the balm of their own tears. In wrath, inecstasy of delight, in every deep inward anguish, wefind the mighty heroes weeping, while, on the otherhand, the Spartan boys would submit to be scourgedat the altar of Artemis Orthia, and would bleed andeven die under the lash without uttering a moan, inorder to obtain the praise of the men.

For a time every one remained silent, out of respectto the old man’s emotion. But at last thestillness was broken by Joshua the Jew, who beganthus, in broken Greek:

“Weep thy fill, O man of Sparta! I alsohave known what it is to lose a son. Eleven yearshave passed since I buried him in the land of strangers,by the waters of Babylon, where my people pined incaptivity. Had yet one year been added unto thelife of the beautiful child, he had died in his ownland, and had been buried in the sepulchres of hisfathers. But Cyrus the Persian (Jehovah blesshis posterity!) released us from bondage one yeartoo late, and therefore do I weep doubly for thismy son, in that he is buried among the enemies of mypeople Israel. Can there be an evil greater thanto behold our children, who are unto us as most precioustreasure, go down into the grave before us? And,may the Lord be gracious unto me, to lose so noblea son, in the dawn of his early manhood, just at themoment he had won such brilliant renown, must indeedbe a bitter grief, a grief beyond all others!”

Then the Spartan took away his hands from before hisface; he was looking stern, but smiled through histears, and answered:

“Phoenician, you err! I weep not for anguish,but for joy, and would have gladly lost my other son,if he could have died like my Lysander.”

The Jew, horrified at these, to him, sinful and unnaturalwords, shook his head disapprovingly; but the Greeksoverwhelmed the old man with congratulations, deeminghim much to be envied. His great happiness madeAristomachus look younger by many years, and he criedto Rhodopis: “Truly, my friend, your houseis for me a house of blessing; for this is the secondgift that the gods have allowed to fall to my lot,since I entered it.”—­“Whatwas the first?” asked Rhodopis. “Apropitious oracle.”—­“But,”cried Phanes, “you have forgotten the third;on this day the gods have blessed you with the acquaintanceof Rhodopis. But, tell me, what is this aboutthe oracle?”—­“May I repeat itto our friends?” asked the Delphian.

Aristomachus nodded assent, and Phryxus read alouda second time the answer of the Pythia:

“If once the warrior hosts fromthe snow-topped mountains descending
Come to the fields of the streamwatering richly the plain,
Then shall the lingering boat tothe beckoning meadows convey thee
Which to the wandering foot peaceand a home will afford.
When those warriors come from thesnow-topped mountains descending
Then will the powerful Five grantthee what they long refused.”

Scarcely was the last word out of his mouth, whenKallias the Athenian, springing up, cried: “Inthis house, too, you shall receive from me the fourthgift of the gods. Know that I have kept my rarestnews till last: the Persians are coming to Egypt!”

At this every one, except the Sybarite, rushed tohis feet, and Kallias found it almost impossible toanswer their numerous questions. “Gently,gently, friends,” he cried at last; “letme tell my story in order, or I shall never finish*t at all. It is not an army, as Phanes supposes,that is on its way hither, but a great embassy fromCambyses, the present ruler of the most powerful kingdomof Persia. At Samos I heard that they had alreadyreached Miletus, and in a few days they will be here.Some of the king’s own relations, are amongthe number, the aged Croesus, king of Lydia, too;we shall behold a marvellous splendor and magnificence!Nobody knows the object of their coming, but it issupposed that King Cambyses wishes to conclude analliance with Amasis; indeed some say the king solicitsthe hand of Pharaoh’s daughter.”

“An alliance?” asked Phanes, with an incredulousshrug of the shoulders. “Why the Persiansare rulers over half the world already. All thegreat Asiatic powers have submitted to their sceptre;Egypt and our own mother-country, Hellas, are theonly two that have been shared by the conqueror.”

“You forget India with its wealth of gold, andthe great migratory nations of Asia,” answeredKallias. “And you forget moreover, thatan empire, composed like Persia of some seventy nationsor tribes of different languages and customs, bearsthe seeds of discord ever within itself, and musttherefore guard against the chance of foreign attack;lest, while the bulk of the army be absent, singleprovinces should seize the opportunity and revoltfrom their allegiance. Ask the Milesians howlong they would remain quiet if they heard that theiroppressors had been defeated in any battle?”

Theopompus, the Milesian merchant, called out, laughingat the same time: “If the Persians wereto be worsted in one war, they would at once be involvedin a hundred others, and we should not be the lastto rise up against our tyrants in the hour of theirweakness!”

“Whatever the intentions of the envoys may be,”continued Kallias, “my information remains unaltered;they will be here at the latest in three days.”

“And so your oracle will be fulfilled, fortunateAristomachus!” exclaimed Rhodopis, “forsee, the warrior hosts can only be the Persians.When they descend to the shores of the Nile, thenthe powerful Five,’ your Ephori, will changetheir decision, and you, the father of two Olympianvictors, will be recalled to your native land.

[The five Ephori of Sparta were appointedto represent the absent kings during the Messenianwar. In later days the nobles made use ofthe Ephori as a power, which, springing immediatelyfrom their own body, they could oppose to the kinglyauthority. Being the highest magistrates inall judicial and educational matters, and in everythingrelating to the moral police of the country, the Ephorisoon found means to assert their superiority, andon most occasions over that of the kings themselves.Every patrician who was past the age of thirty,had the right to become a candidate yearly for theoffice. Aristot. Potit, ii. and IV.Laert. Diog. I. 68.]

“Fill the goblets again, Knakias. Let usdevote this last cup to the manes of the gloriousLysander; and then I advise you to depart, for itis long past midnight, and our pleasure has reachedits highest point. The true host puts an endto the banquet when his guests are feeling at theirbest. Serene and agreeable recollections willsoon bring you hither again; whereas there would belittle joy in returning to a house where the remembranceof hours of weakness, the result of pleasure, wouldmingle with your future enjoyment.” In thisher guests agreed, and Ibykus named her a thoroughdisciple of Pythagoras, in praise of the joyous, festiveevening.

Every one prepared for departure. The Sybarite,who had been drinking deeply in order to counteractthe very inconvenient amount of feeling excited bythe conversation, rose also, assisted by his slaves,who had to be called in for this purpose.

While he was being moved from his former comfortableposition, he stammered something about a “breachof hospitality;” but, when Rhodopis was aboutto give him her hand at parting, the wine gained theascendancy and he exclaimed, “By Hercules, Rhodopis,you get rid of us as if we were troublesome creditors.It is not my custom to leave a supper so long as Ican stand, still less to be turned out of doors likea miserable parasite!”

“Hear reason, you immoderate Sybarite,”began Rhodopis, endeavoring with a smile to excuseher proceeding. But these words, in Philoinus’half-intoxicated mood, only increased his irritation;he burst into a mocking laugh, and staggering towardsthe door, shouted: “Immoderate Sybarite,you call me? good! here you have your answer:Shameless slave! one can still perceive the tracesof what you were in your youth. Farewell then,slave of Iadmon and Xanthus, freedwoman of Charaxus!”He had not however finished his sentence, when Aristomachusrushed upon him, stunned him with a blow of his fist,and carried him off like a child down to the boatin which his slaves were waiting at the garden-gate.

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AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.

By Georg Ebers

Volume 2.

CHAPTER III.

The guests were all gone. Their departing mirthand joy had been smitten down by the drunkard’sabusive words, like fresh young corn beneath a hailstorm. Rhodopis was left standing alone in theempty, brightly decorated (supper-room). Knakiasextinguished the colored lamps on the walls, and adull, mysterious half-light took the place of theirbrilliant rays, falling scantily and gloomily on thepiled-up plates and dishes, the remnants of the meal,and the seats and cushions, pushed out of their placesby the retiring guests. A cold breeze came throughthe open door, for the dawn was at hand, and justbefore sunrise, the air is generally unpleasantlycool in Egypt. A cold chill struck the limbs ofthe aged woman through her light garments. Shestood gazing tearlessly and fixedly into the desolateroom, whose walls but a few minutes before had beenechoing with joy and gladness, and it seemed to herthat the deserted guest-chamber must be like her ownheart. She felt as if a worm were gnawing there,and the warm blood congealing into ice.

Lost in these thoughts, she remained standing tillat last her old female slave appeared to light herto her sleeping apartment.

Silently Rhodopis allowed herself to be undressed,and then, as silently, lifted the curtain which separateda second sleeping apartment from her own. Inthe middle of this second room stood a bedstead ofmaplewood, and there, on white sheets spread overa mattress of fine sheep’s wool, and protectedfrom the cold by bright blue coverlets’s, laya graceful, lovely girl asleep; this was Rhodopis’granddaughter, Sappho. The rounded form and delicatefigure seemed to denote one already in opening maidenhood,but the peaceful, blissful smile could only belongto a harmless, happy child.

One hand lay under her head, hidden among the thickdark brown hair, the other clasped unconsciously alittle amulet of green stone, which hung round herneck. Over her closed eyes the long lashes trembledalmost imperceptibly, and a delicate pink flush cameand went on the cheek of the slumberer. The finely-cutnostrils rose and fell with her regular breathing,and she lay there, a picture of innocence, of peace,smiling in dreams, and of the slumber that the godsbestow on early youth, when care has not yet come.

Softly and carefully, crossing the thick carpets ontiptoe, the grey-haired woman approached, looked withunutterable tenderness into the smiling, childishface, and, kneeling down silently by the side of thebed, buried her face in its soft coverings, so thatthe girl’s hand just came in contact with herhair. Then she wept, and without intermission;as though she hoped with this flood of tears to washaway not only her recent humiliation, but with itall other sorrow from her mind.

At length she rose, breathed a light kiss on the sleepinggirl’s forehead, raised her hands in prayertowards heaven, and returned to her own room, gentlyand carefully as she had come.

At her own bedside she found the old slave-woman,still waiting for her.

“What do you want so late, Melitta?” saidRhodopis, kindly, under her breath. “Goto bed; at your age it is not good to remain up late,and you know that I do not require you any longer.Good night! and do not come to-morrow until I sendfor you. I shall not be able to sleep much to-night,and shall be thankful if the morning brings me a shortrepose.”

The woman hesitated; it seemed that she had some thingon her mind which she feared to utter.

“There is something you want to ask me?”said Rhodopis.

Still the old slave hesitated.

“Speak!” said Rhodopis, “speak atonce, and quickly.”

“I saw you weeping,” said the slave-woman,“you seem ill or sad; let me watch this nightby your bedside. Will you not tell me what ailsyou? You have often found that to tell a sorrowlightens the heart and lessens the pain. Thentell me your grief to-day too; it will do you good,it will bring back peace to your mind.”

“No,” answered the other, “I cannotutter it.” And then she continued, smilingbitterly: “I have once more experiencedthat no one, not even a god, has power to cancel thepast of any human being, and that, in this world,misfortune and disgrace are one and the same.Good night, leave me; Melitta!”

At noon on the following day, the same boat, which,the evening before, had carried the Athenian and theSpartan, stopped once more before Rhodopis’garden.

The sun was shining so brightly, so warmly and geniallyin the dark blue Egyptian sky, the air was so pureand light, the beetles were humming so merrily, theboatmen singing so lustily and happily, the shoresof the Nile bloomed in such gay, variegated beauty,and were so thickly peopled, the palm-trees, sycamores,bananas and acacias were so luxuriant in foliage andblossom, and over the whole landscape the rarest andmost glorious gifts seemed to have been poured outwith such divine munificence, that a passer-by musthave pronounced it the very home of joy and gladness,a place from which sadness and sorrow had been foreverbanished.

How often we fancy, in passing a quiet village hiddenamong its orchards, that this at least must be theabode of peace, and unambitious contentment!But alas! when we enter the cottages, what do we find?there, as everywhere else, distress and need, passionand unsatisfied longing, fear and remorse, pain andmisery; and by the side of these, Ah! how few joys!Who would have imagined on coming to Egypt, that thisluxuriant, laughing sunny land, whose sky is alwaysunclouded, could possibly produce and nourish mengiven to bitterness and severity? that within thecharming, hospitable house of the fortunate Rhodopis,covered and surrounded, as it was, with sweet flowers,a heart could have been beating in the deepest sadness?And, still more, who among all the guests of thathonored, admired Thracian woman, would have believedthat this sad heart belonged to her? to the gracious,smiling matron, Rhodopis herself?

She was sitting with Phanes in a shady arbor nearthe cooling spray of a fountain. One could seethat she had been weeping again, but her face wasbeautiful and kind as ever. The Athenian was holdingher hand and trying to comfort her.

Rhodopis listened patiently, and smiled the while;at times her smile was bitter, at others it gave assentto his words. At last however she interruptedher well-intentioned friend, by saying:

“Phanes, I thank you. Sooner or later thislast disgrace must be forgotten too. Time isclever in the healing art. If I were weak I shouldleave Naukratis and live in retirement for my grandchildalone; a whole world, believe me, lies slumberingin that young creature. Many and many a timealready I have longed to leave Egypt, and as oftenhave conquered the wish. Not because I cannotlive without the homage of your sex; of that I havealready had more than enough in my life, but becauseI feel that I, the slave-girl and the despised womanonce, am now useful, necessary, almost indispensableindeed, to many free and noble men. Accustomedas I am, to an extended sphere of work, in its natureresembling a man’s, I could not content myselfin living for one being alone, however dear.I should dry up like a plant removed from a rich soilinto the desert, and should leave my grandchild desolateindeed, three times orphaned, and alone in the world.No! I shall remain in Egypt.

“Now that you are leaving, I shall be reallyindispensable to our friends here. Amasis isold; when Psamtik comes to the throne we shall haveinfinitely greater difficulties to contend with thanheretofore. I must remain and fight on in thefore-front of our battle for the freedom and welfareof the Hellenic race. Let them call my effortsunwomanly if they will. This is, and shall be,the purpose of my life, a purpose to which I willremain all the more faithful, because it is one ofthose to which a woman rarely dares devote her life.During this last night of tears I have felt that much,very much of that womanly weakness still lingers inme which forms at once the happiness and misery ofour sex. To preserve this feminine weakness inmy granddaughter, united with perfect womanly delicacy,has been my first duty; my second to free myself entirelyfrom it. But a war against one’s own naturecannot be carried on without occasional defeat, evenif ultimately successful. When grief and painare gaining the upperhand and I am well nigh in despair,my only help lies in remembering my friend Pythagoras,that noblest among men, and his words: ’Observea due proportion in all things, avoid excessive joyas well as complaining grief, and seek to keep thysoul in tune and harmony like a well-toned harp.’”

[There is no question that Pythagorasvisited Egypt during the reign of Amasis, probablytowards the middle of the 6th century (according toour reckoning, about 536 B. C.) Herod. II. 81-123.Diod. I. 98. Rich information about Pythagorasis to be found in the works of the very learnedscholar Roeth, who is however occasionally much toobold in his conjectures. Pythagoras was thefirst among Greek thinkers (speculators).He would not take the name of a wise man or “sage,”but called himself “Philosophos,” or a“friend of wisdom.”]

“This Pythagorean inward peace, this deep, untroubledcalm, I see daily before me in my Sappho; and struggleto attain it myself, though many a stroke of fateuntunes the chords of my poor heart. I am calmnow! You would hardly believe what power themere thought of that first of all thinkers, that calm,deliberate man, whose life acted on mine like sweet,soft music, has over me. You knew him, you canunderstand what I mean. Now, mention your wish;my heart is as calmly quiet as the Nile waters whichare flowing by so quietly, and I am ready to hear it,be it good or evil.”

“I am glad to see you thus,” said theAthenian. “If you had remembered the noblefriend of wisdom, as Pythagoras was wont to call himselfa little sooner, your soul would have regained itsbalance yesterday. The master enjoins us to lookback every evening on the events, feelings and actionsof the day just past.

“Now had you done this, you would have feltthat the unfeigned admiration of all your guests,among whom were men of distinguished merit, outweigheda thousandfold the injurious words of a drunken libertine;you would have felt too that you were a friend ofthe gods, for was it not in your house that the immortalsgave that noble old man at last, after his long yearsof misfortune, the greatest joy that can fall to thelot of any human being? and did they not take fromyou one friend only in order to replace him in thesame moment, by another and a better? Come, Iwill hear no contradiction. Now for my request.

“You know that people sometimes call me an Athenian,sometimes a Halikarnassian. Now, as the Ionian,AEolian and Dorian mercenaries have never been ongood terms with the Karians, my almost triple descent(if I may call it so) has proved very useful to meas commander of both these divisions. Well qualifiedas Aristomachus may be for the command, yet in thisone point Amasis will miss me; for I found it an easymatter to settle the differences among the troopsand keep them at peace, while he, as a Spartan, willfind it very difficult to keep right with the Kariansoldiers.

“This double nationality of mine arises fromthe fact that my father married a Halikarnassian wifeout of a noble Dorian family, and, at the time ofmy birth, was staying with her in Halikarnassus, havingcome thither in order to take possession of her parentalinheritance. So, though I was taken back to Athensbefore I was three months old, I must still be calleda Karian, as a man’s native land is decided byhis birthplace.

“In Athens, as a young nobleman, belonging tothat most aristocratic and ancient family, the Philaidae,I was reared and educated in all the pride of an Atticnoble. Pisistratus, brave and clever, and thoughof equal, yet by no means of higher birth, than ourselves,for there exists no family more aristocratic thanmy father’s, gained possession of the supremeauthority. Twice, the nobles, by uniting all theirstrength, succeeded in overthrowing him, and when,the third time, assisted by Lygdamis of Naxos, theArgives and Eretrians, he attempted to return, weopposed him again. We had encamped by the templeof Minerva at Pallene, and were engaged in sacrificingto the goddess, early, before our first meal, whenwe were suddenly surprised by the clever tyrant, whogained an easy, bloodless victory over our unarmedtroops. As half of the entire army opposed tothe tyrant was under my command, I determined ratherto die than yield, fought with my whole strength,implored the soldiers to remain steadfast, resistedwithout yielding a point, but fell at last with aspear in my shoulder.

“The Pisistratidae became lords of Athens.I fled to Halikarnassus, my second home, accompaniedby my wife and children. There, my name beingknown through some daring military exploits, and, throughmy having once conquered in the Pythian games, I wasappointed to a command in the mercenary troops ofthe King of Egypt; accompanied the expedition to Cyprus,shared with Aristomachus the renown of having conqueredthe birthplace of Aphrodite for Amasis, and finallywas named commander-in-chief of all the mercenariesin Egypt.

“Last summer my wife died; our children, a boyof eleven and a girl of ten years, remained with anaunt in Halikarnassus. But she too has followedto the inexorable Hades, and so, only a few days agoI sent for the little ones here. They cannot,however, possibly reach Naukratis in less than threeweeks, and yet they will already have set out on theirjourney before a letter to countermand my first ordercould reach them.

“I must leave Egypt in fourteen days, and cannottherefore receive them myself.

“My own intentions are to go to the ThracianChersonese, where my uncle, as you know, has beencalled to fill a high office among the Dolonki.The children shall follow me thither; my faithfulold slave Korax will remain in Naukratis on purposeto bring them to me.

“Now, if you will show to me that you are indeed and truth my friend, will you receive the littleones and take care of them till the next ship sailsfor Thrace? But above all, will you carefullyconceal them from the eyes of the crown-prince’sspies? You know that Psamtik hates me mortally,and he could easily revenge himself on the father throughthe children. I ask you for this great favor,first, because I know your kindness by experience;and secondly, because your house has been made secureby the king’s letter of guarantee, and they willtherefore be safe here from the inquiries of the police;notwithstanding that, by the laws of this most formalcountry, all strangers, children not excepted, mustgive up their names to the officer of the district.

“You can now judge of the depth of my esteem,Rhodopis; I am committing into your hands all thatmakes life precious to me; for even my native landhas ceased to be dear while she submits so ignominiouslyto her tyrants. Will you then restore tranquillityto an anxious father’s heart, will you—?”

“I will, Phanes, I will!” cried the agedwoman in undisguised delight. “You arenot asking me for any thing, you are presenting mewith a gift. Oh, how I look forward already totheir arrival! And how glad Sappho will be, whenthe little creatures come and enliven her solitude!But this I can assure you, Phanes, I shall not letmy little guests depart with the first Thracian ship.You can surely afford to be separated from them oneshort half-year longer, and I promise you they shallreceive the best lessons, and be guided to all thatis good and beautiful.”

“On that head I have no fear,” answeredPhanes, with a thankful smile. “But stillyou must send off the two little plagues by the firstship; my anxiety as to Psamtik’s revenge isonly too well grounded. Take my most heartfeltthanks beforehand for all the love and kindness whichyou will show to my children. I too hope andbelieve, that the merry little creatures will be anamusem*nt and pleasure to Sappho in her lonely life.”

“And more,” interrupted Rhodopis lookingdown; “this proof of confidence repays a thousand-foldthe disgrace inflicted on me last night in a momentof intoxication.—­But here comes Sappho!”

CHAPTER IV.

Five days after the evening we have just describedat Rhodopis’ house, an immense multitude wasto be seen assembled at the harbor of Sais.

Egyptians of both sexes, and of every age and classwere thronging to the water’s edge.

Soldiers and merchants, whose various ranks in societywere betokened by the length of their white garments,bordered with colored fringes, were interspersed amongthe crowd of half-naked, sinewy men, whose only clothingconsisted of an apron, the costume of the lower classes.Naked children crowded, pushed and fought to get thebest places. Mothers in short cloaks were holdingtheir little ones up to see the sight, which by thismeans they entirely lost themselves; and a troop ofdogs and cats were playing and fighting at the feetof these eager sight-seers, who took the greatestpains not to tread on, or in any way injure the sacredanimals.

[According to various pictures on theEgyptian monuments. The mothers are from WilkinsonIII. 363. Isis and Hathor, with the childHorus in her lap or at her breast, are found in a thousandrepresentations, dating both from more modern timesand in the Greek style. The latter seem tohave served as a model for the earliest picturesof the Madonna holding the infant Christ.]

The police kept order among this huge crowd with longstaves, on the metal heads of which the king’sname was inscribed. Their care was especiallyneeded to prevent any of the people from being pushedinto the swollen Nile, an arm of which, in the seasonof the inundations, washes the walls of Sais.

On the broad flight of steps which led between tworows of sphinxes down to the landing-place of theroyal boats, was a very different kind of assembly.

The priests of the highest rank were seated thereon stone benches. Many wore long, white robes,others were clad in aprons, broad jewelled collars,and garments of panther skins. Some had filletsadorned with plumes that waved around brows, temples,and the stiff structures of false curls that floatedover their shoulders; others displayed the glisteningbareness of their smoothly-shaven skulls. Thesupreme judge was distinguished by the possessionof the longest and handsomest plume in his head-dress,and a costly sapphire amulet, which, suspended by agold chain, hung on his breast.

The highest officers of the Egyptian army wore uniformsof gay colors,97 and carried short swords in theirgirdles. On the right side of the steps a divisionof the body-guard was stationed, armed with battleaxes,daggers, bows, and large shields; on the left, werethe Greek mercenaries, armed in Ionian fashion.Their new leader, our friend Aristomachus, stood witha few of his own officers apart from the Egyptians,by the colossal statues of Psamtik I., which had beenerected on the space above the steps, their facestowards the river.

In front of these statues, on a silver chair, satPsamtik, the heir to the throne: He wore a close-fittinggarment of many colors, interwoven with gold, andwas surrounded by the most distinguished among theking’s courtiers, chamberlains, counsellors,and friends, all bearing staves with ostrich feathersand lotus-flowers.

The multitude gave vent to their impatience by shouting,singing, and quarrelling; but the priests and magnateson the steps preserved a dignified and solemn silence.Each, with his steady, unmoved gaze, his stiffly-curledfalse wig and beard, and his solemn, deliberate manner,resembled the two huge statues, which, the one preciselysimilar to the other, stood also motionless in theirrespective places, gazing calmly into the stream.

At last silken sails, chequered with purple and blue,appeared in sight.

The crowd shouted with delight. Cries of, “Theyare coming! Here they are!” “Takecare, or you’ll tread on that kitten,”“Nurse, hold the child higher that she may seesomething of the sight.” “You arepushing me into the water, Sebak!” “Havea care Phoenician, the boys are throwing burs intoyour long beard.” “Now, now, you Greekfellow, don’t fancy that all Egypt belongs toyou, because Amasis allows you to live on the shoresof the sacred river!” “Shameless set,these Greeks, down with them!” shouted a priest,and the cry was at once echoed from many mouths.“Down with the eaters of swine’s fleshand despisers of the gods!”

[The Egyptians, like the Jews, were forbiddento eat swine’s flesh. This prohibitionis mentioned in the Ritual of the Dead, found in agrave in Abd-el-Qurnah, and also in other places.Porphyr. de Abstin. IV. The swine wasconsidered an especially unclean animal pertainingto Typhon (Egyptian, Set) as the boar to Ares, andswineherds were an especially despised race.Animals with bristles were only sacrificed at thefeasts of Osiris and Eileithyia. Herod.I. 2. 47. It is probable that Moses borrowedhis prohibition of swine’s flesh from theEgyptian laws with regard to unclean animals.]

From words they were proceeding to deeds, but thepolice were not to be trifled with, and by a vigoroususe of their staves, the tumult was soon stilled.The large, gay sails, easily to be distinguished amongthe brown, white and blue ones of the smaller Nile-boatswhich swarmed around them, came nearer and nearerto the expectant throng. Then at last the crown-princeand the dignitaries arose from their seats. Theroyal band of trumpeters blew a shrill and piercingblast of welcome, and the first of the expected boatsstopped at the landing-place.

It was a rather long, richly-gilded vessel, and borea silver sparrow-hawk as figure-head. In itsmidst rose a golden canopy with a purple covering,beneath which cushions were conveniently arranged.On each deck in the forepart of the ship sat twelverowers, their aprons attached by costly fastenings.

[Splendid Nile-boats were possessed,in greater or less numbers, by all the men of highrank. Even in the tomb of Ti at Sakkara, whichdates from the time of the Pyramids, we meet witha chief overseer of the vessels belonging to awealthy Egyptian.]

Beneath the canopy lay six fine-looking men in gloriousapparel; and before the ship had touched the shorethe youngest of these, a beautiful fair-haired youth,sprang on to the steps.

Many an Egyptian girl’s mouth uttered a lengthened“Ah” at this glorious sight, and eventhe grave faces of some of the dignitaries brightenedinto a friendly smile.

The name of this much-admired youth was Bartja.

[This Bartja is better known under thename of Smerdis, but on what account the Greeksgave him this name is not clear. In the cuneiforminscriptions of Bisitun or Behistun, he is called Bartja,or, according to Spiegel, Bardiya. We havechosen, for the sake of the easy pronunciation,the former, which is Rawlinson’s simplifiedreading of the name.]

He was the son of the late, and brother of the reigningking of Persia, and had been endowed by nature withevery gift that a youth of twenty years could desirefor himself.

Around his tiara was wound a blue and white turban,beneath which hung fair, golden curls of beautiful,abundant hair; his blue eyes sparkled with life andjoy, kindness and high spirits, almost with sauciness;his noble features, around which the down of a manlybeard was already visible, were worthy of a Greciansculptor’s chisel, and his slender but muscularfigure told of strength and activity. The splendorof his apparel was proportioned to his personal beauty.A brilliant star of diamonds and turquoises glitteredin the front of his tiara. An upper garment ofrich white and gold brocade reaching just below theknees, was fastened round the waist with a girdleof blue and white, the royal colors of Persia.In this girdle gleamed a short, golden sword, its hiltand scabbard thickly studded with opals and sky-blueturquoises. The trousers were of the same richmaterial as the robe, fitting closely at the ankle,and ending within a pair of short boots of light-blueleather.

The long, wide sleeves of his robe displayed a pairof vigorous arms, adorned with many costly braceletsof gold and jewels; round his slender neck and onhis broad chest lay a golden chain.

Such was the youth who first sprang on shore.He was followed by Darius, the son of Hystaspes, ayoung Persian of the blood royal, similar in personto Bartja, and scarcely less gorgeously apparelledthan he. The third to disembark was an aged manwith snow-white hair, in whose face the gentle andkind expression of childhood was united, with theintellect of a man, and the experience of old age.His dress consisted of a long purple robe with sleeves,and the yellow boots worn by the Lydians;—­hiswhole appearance produced an impression of the greatestmodesty and a total absence of pretension.

[On account of these boots, whichare constantly mentioned, Croesus
was named by the oracle “soft-footed.”]

Yet this simple old man had been, but a few yearsbefore, the most envied of his race and age; and evenin our day at two thousand years’ interval,his name is used as a synonyme for the highest pointof worldly riches attainable by mankind. Theold man to whom we are now introduced is no otherthan Croesus, the dethroned king of Lydia, who wasthen living at the court of Cambyses, as his friendand counsellor, and had accompanied the young Bartjato Egypt, in the capacity of Mentor.

Croesus was followed by Prexaspes, the king’sAmbassador, Zopyrus, the son of Megabyzus, a Persiannoble, the friend of Bartja and Darius; and, lastly,by his own son, the slender, pale Gyges, who afterhaving become dumb in his fourth year through thefearful anguish he had suffered on his father’saccount at the taking of Sardis, had now recoveredthe power of speech.

Psamtik descended the steps to welcome the strangers.His austere, sallow face endeavored to assume a smile.The high officials in his train bowed down nearlyto the ground, allowing their arms to hang looselyat their sides. The Persians, crossing theirhands on their breasts, cast themselves on the earthbefore the heir to the Egyptian throne. When thefirst formalities were over, Bartja, according to thecustom of his native country, but greatly to the astonishmentof the populace, who were totally unaccustomed tosuch a sight, kissed the sallow cheek of the Egyptianprince; who shuddered at the touch of a stranger’sunclean lips, then took his way to the litters waitingto convey him and his escort to the dwelling designedfor them by the king, in the palace at Sais.

A portion of the crowd streamed after the strangers,but the larger number remained at their places, knowingthat many a new and wonderful sight yet awaited them.

“Are you going to run after those dressed-upmonkeys and children of Typhon, too?” askedan angry priest of his neighbor, a respectable tailorof Sais. “I tell you, Puhor, and the high-priestsays so too, that these strangers can bring no goodto the black land! I am for the good old times,when no one who cared for his life dared set foot onEgyptian soil. Now our streets are literallyswarming with cheating Hebrews, and above all withthose insolent Greeks whom may the gods destroy!

[The Jews were called Hebrews (Apuriu)by the Egyptians; as brought
to light by Chabas. See Ebers,Aegypten I. p. 316. H. Brugsch
opposes this opinion.]

“Only look, there is the third boat full ofstrangers! And do you know what kind of peoplethese Persians are? The high-priest says thatin the whole of their kingdom, which is as large ashalf the world, there is not a single temple to thegods; and that instead of giving decent burial tothe dead, they leave them to be torn in pieces by dogsand vultures.”

[These statements are correct, as thePersians, at the time of the dynasty of the Achaemenidae,had no temples, but used fire-altars and exposedtheir dead to the dogs and vultures. An impurecorpse was not permitted to defile the pure earthby its decay; nor might it be committed to thefire or water for destruction, as their puritywould be equally polluted by such an act. Butas it was impossible to cause the dead bodies tovanish, Dakhmas or burying- places were laid out,which had to be covered with pavement and cementnot less than four inches thick, and surrounded bycords to denote that the whole structure was asit were suspended in the air, and did not comein contact with the pure earth. Spiegel, Avestaii.]

“The tailor’s indignation at hearing thiswas even greater than his astonishment, and pointingto the landing-steps, he cried:

“It is really too bad; see, there is the sixthboat full of these foreigners!”

“Yes, it is hard indeed!” sighed the priest,“one might fancy a whole army arriving.Amasis will go on in this manner until the strangersdrive him from his throne and country, and plunderand make slaves of us poor creatures, as the evilHyksos, those scourges of Egypt, and the black Ethiopiansdid, in the days of old.”

“The seventh boat!” shouted the tailor.

“May my protectress Neith, the great goddessof Sais, destroy me, if I can understand the king,”complained the priest. “He sent three barksto Naukratis, that poisonous nest hated of the gods,to fetch the servants and baggage of these Persians;but instead of three, eight had to be procured, forthese despisers of the gods and profaners of dead bodieshave not only brought kitchen utensils, dogs, horses,carriages, chests, baskets and bales, but have draggedwith them, thousands of miles, a whole host of servants.They tell me that some of them have no other workthan twining of garlands and preparing ointments.Their priests too, whom they call Magi, are here withthem. I should like to know what they are for?of what use is a priest where there is no temple?”

The old King Amasis received the Persian embassy shortlyafter their arrival with all the amiability and kindnesspeculiar to him.

Four days later, after having attended to the affairsof state, a duty punctually fulfilled by him everymorning without exception, he went forth to walk withCroesus in the royal gardens. The remaining membersof the embassy, accompanied by the crown-prince, wereengaged in an excursion up the Nile to the city ofMemphis.

The palace-gardens, of a royal magnificence, yet similarin their arrangement to those of Rhodopis, lay inthe north-west part of Sais, near the royal citadel.

Here, under the shadow of a spreading plane-tree,and near a gigantic basin of red granite, into whichan abundance of clear water flowed perpetually throughthe jaws of black basalt crocodiles, the two old menseated themselves.

The dethroned king, though in reality some years theelder of the two, looked far fresher and more vigorousthan the powerful monarch at his side. Amasiswas tall, but his neck was bent; his corpulent bodywas supported by weak and slender legs: and hisface, though well-formed, was lined and furrowed.But a vigorous spirit sparkled in the small, flashingeyes, and an expression of raillery, sly banter, andat times, even of irony, played around his remarkablyfull lips. The low, broad brow, the large andbeautifully-arched head bespoke great mental power,and in the changing color of his eyes one seemed toread that neither wit nor passion were wanting inthe man, who, from his simple place as soldier inthe ranks, had worked his way up to the throne of thePharaohs. His voice was sharp and hard, and hismovements, in comparison with the deliberation ofthe other members of the Egyptian court, appeared almostmorbidly active.

The attitude and bearing of his neighbor Croesus weregraceful, and in every way worthy of a king.His whole manner showed that he had lived in frequentintercourse with the highest and noblest minds of Greece.Thales, Anaximander and Anaximenes of Miletus, Biasof Priene, Solon of Athens, Pittakus of Lesbos, themost celebrated Hellenic philosophers, had in formerand happier days been guests at the court of Croesusin Sardis. His full clear voice sounded likepure song when compared with the shrill tones of Amasis.

[Bias, a philosopher of Ionian origin,flourished about 560 B. C. and was especially celebratedfor his wise maxims on morals and law. Afterhis death, which took place during his defence of afriend in the public court, a temple was erectedto him by his countrymen. Laert. Diog.I. 88.]

“Now tell me openly,” began king Pharaoh—­[InEnglish “great house,” the high gate or“sublime porte."]—­in tolerably fluentGreek, “what opinion hast thou formed of Egypt?Thy judgment possesses for me more worth than thatof any other man, for three reasons: thou artbetter acquainted with most of the countries and nationsof this earth; the gods have not only allowed theeto ascend the ladder of fortune to its utmost summit,but also to descend it, and thirdly, thou hast longbeen the first counsellor to the mightiest of kings.Would that my kingdom might please thee so well thatthou wouldst remain here and become to me a brother.Verily, Croesus, my friend hast thou long been, thoughmy eyes beheld thee yesterday for the first time!”

“And thou mine,” interrupted the Lydian.“I admire the courage with which thou hast accomplishedthat which seemed right and good in thine eyes, inspite of opposition near and around thee. I amthankful for the favor shown to the Hellenes, my friends,and I regard thee as related to me by fortune, forhast thou not also passed through all the extremesof good and evil that this life can offer?”

“With this difference,” said Amasis smiling,“that we started from opposite points; in thylot the good came first, the evil later; whereas inmy own this order has been reversed. In sayingthis, however,” he added, “I am supposingthat my present fortune is a good for me, and thatI enjoy it.”

“And I, in that case,” answered Croesus,“must be assuming that I am unhappy in whatmen call my present ill-fortune.”

“How can it possibly be otherwise after theloss of such enormous possessions?”

“Does happiness consist then in possession?”asked Croesus. “Is happiness itself a thingto be possessed? Nay, by no means! It isnothing but a feeling, a sensation, which the enviousgods vouchsafe more often to the needy than to themighty. The clear sight of the latter becomesdazzled by the glittering treasure, and they cannotbut suffer continual humiliation, because, consciousof possessing power to obtain much, they wage an eagerwar for all, and therein are continually defeated.”

Amasis sighed, and answered: “I would Icould prove thee in the wrong; but in looking backon my past life I am fain to confess that its caresbegan with that very hour which brought me what mencall my good fortune.”—­“AndI,” interrupted Croesus, “can assure theethat I am thankful thou delayedst to come to my help,inasmuch as the hour of my overthrow was the beginningof true, unsullied happiness. When I beheld thefirst Persians scale the walls of Sardis, I execratedmyself and the gods, life appeared odious to me, existencea curse. Fighting on, but in heart despairing,I and my people were forced to yield. A Persianraised his sword to cleave my skull—­inan instant my poor dumb son had thrown himself betweenhis father and the murderer, and for the first timeafter long years of silence, I heard him speak.Terror had loosened his tongue; in that dreadful hourGyges learnt once more to speak, and I, who but themoment before had been cursing the gods, bowed downbefore their power. I had commanded a slave tokill me the moment I should be taken prisoner by thePersians, but now I deprived him of his sword.I was a changed man, and by degrees learnt ever moreand more to subdue the rage and indignation whichyet from time to time would boil up again within mysoul, rebellious against my fate and my noble enemies.Thou knowest that at last I became the friend of Cyrus,and that my son grew up at his court, a free man atmy side, having entirely regained the use of his speech.Everything beautiful and good that I had heard, seenor thought during my long life I treasured up nowfor him; he was my kingdom, my crown, my treasure.Cyrus’s days of care, his nights so reft of sleep,reminded me with horror of my own former greatness,and from day to day it became more evident to me thathappiness has nothing to do with our outward circ*mstances.Each man possesses the hidden germ in his own heart.A contented, patient mind, rejoicing much in all thatis great and beautiful and yet despising not the dayof small things; bearing sorrow without a murmur andsweetening it by calling to remembrance former joy;moderation in all things; a firm trust in the favorof the gods and a conviction that, all things beingsubject to change, so with us too the worst must passin due season; all this helps to mature the germ ofhappiness, and gives us power to smile, where the manundisciplined by fate might yield to despair and fear.”

Amasis listened attentively, drawing figures the whilein the sand with the golden flower on his staff.At last he spoke:

“Verily, Croesus, I the great god, the ‘sunof righteousness,’ ’the son of Neith,’‘the lord of warlike glory,’ as the Egyptianscall me, am tempted to envy thee, dethroned and plunderedas thou art. I have been as happy as thou artnow. Once I was known through all Egypt, thoughonly the poor son of a captain, for my light heart,happy temper, fun and high spirits. The common

soldiers would do anything for me, my superior officerscould have found much fault, but in the mad Amasis,as they called me, all was overlooked, and among myequals, (the other under-officers) there could beno fun or merry-making unless I took a share in it.My predecessor king Hophra sent us against Cyrene.Seized with thirst in the desert, we refused to goon; and a suspicion that the king intended to sacrificeus to the Greek mercenaries drove the army to openmutiny. In my usual joking manner I called outto my friends: ’You can never get on withouta king, take me for your ruler; a merrier you willnever find!’ The soldiers caught the words.’Amasis will be our king,’ ran throughthe ranks from man to man, and, in a few hours more,they came to me with shouts, and acclamations of ’Thegood, jovial Amasis for our King!’ One of myboon companions set a field-marshal’s helmeton my head: I made the joke earnest, and we defeatedHophra at Momempliis. The people joined in theconspiracy, I ascended the throne, and men pronouncedme fortunate. Up to that time I had been everyEgyptian’s friend, and now I was the enemy ofthe best men in the nation.

“The priests swore allegiance to me, and acceptedme as a member of their caste, but only in the hopeof guiding me at their will. My former superiorsin command either envied me, or wished to remain onthe same terms of intercourse as formerly. Butthis would have been inconsistent with my new position,and have undermined my authority. One day, therefore,when the officers of the host were at one of my banquetsand attempting, as usual, to maintain their old convivialfooting, I showed them the golden basin in which theirfeet had been washed before sitting down to meat;five days later, as they were again drinking at oneof my revels, I caused a golden image of the greatgod Ra be placed upon the richly-ornamented banqueting-table.

[Ra, with the masculine article Phra,must be regarded as the central point of the sun-worshipof the Egyptians, which we consider to have beenthe foundation of their entire religion. He wasmore especially worshipped at Heliopolis.Plato, Eudoxus, and probably Pythagoras also, profitedby the teaching of his priests. The obelisks,serving also as memorial monuments on which the namesand deeds of great kings were recorded, were sacredto him, and Pliny remarks of them that they representedthe rays of the sun. He was regarded as thegod of light, the director of the entire visible creation,over which he reigned, as Osiris over the world ofspirits.]

“On perceiving it, they fell down to worship.As they rose from their knees, I took the sceptre,and holding it up on high with much solemnity, exclaimed:’In five days an artificer has transformed thedespised vessel into which ye spat and in which menwashed your feet, into this divine image. Sucha vessel was I, but the Deity, which can fashion betterand more quickly than a goldsmith, has made me yourking. Bow down then before me and worship.He who henceforth refuses to obey, or is unmindfulof the reverence due to the king, is guilty of death!’

“They fell down before me, every one, and Isaved my authority, but lost my friends. As Inow stood in need of some other prop, I fixed on theHellenes, knowing that in all military qualificationsone Greek is worth more than five Egyptians, and thatwith this assistance I should be able to carry outthose measures which I thought beneficial.

“I kept the Greek mercenaries always round me,I learnt their language, and it was they who broughtto me the noblest human being I ever met, Pythagoras.I endeavored to introduce Greek art and manners amongourselves, seeing what folly lay in a self-willed adherenceto that which has been handed down to us, when itis in itself bad and unworthy, while the good seedlay on our Egyptian soil, only waiting to be sown.

“I portioned out the whole land to suit my purposes,appointed the best police in the world, and accomplishedmuch; but my highest aim, namely: to infuse intothis country, at once so gay and so gloomy, the spiritand intellect of the Greeks, their sense of beautyin form, their love of life and joy in it, this allwas shivered on the same rock which threatens me withoverthrow and ruin whenever I attempt to accomplishanything new. The priests are my opponents, mymasters, they hang like a dead weight upon me.Clinging with superstitious awe to all that is oldand traditionary, abominating everything foreign, andregarding every stranger as the natural enemy of theirauthority and their teaching, they can lead the mostdevout and religious of all nations with a power thathas scarcely any limits. For this I am forcedto sacrifice all my plans, for this I see my lifepassing away in bondage to their severe ordinances,this will rob my death-bed of peace, and I cannot besecure that this host of proud mediators between godand man will allow me to rest even in my grave!”

“By Zeus our saviour, with all thy good fortune,thou art to be pitied!” interrupted Croesussympathetically, “I understand thy misery; forthough I have met with many an individual who passedthrough life darkly and gloomily, I could not havebelieved that an entire race of human beings existed,to whom a gloomy, sullen heart was as natural as apoisonous tooth to the serpent. Yet it is true,that on my journey hither and during my residenceat this court I have seen none but morose and gloomycountenances among the priesthood. Even the youths,thy immediate attendants, are never seen to smile;though cheerfulness, that sweet gift of the gods,usually belongs to the young, as flowers to spring.”

“Thou errest,” answered Amasis, “inbelieving this gloom to be a universal characteristicof the Egyptians. It is true that our religionrequires much serious thought. There are few nations,however, who have so largely the gift of banteringfun and joke: or who on the occasion of a festival,can so entirely forget themselves and everything elsebut the enjoyments of the moment; but the very sight

of a stranger is odious to the priests, and the morosenesswhich thou observest is intended as retaliation onme for my alliance with the strangers. Those veryboys, of whom thou spakest, are the greatest tormentof my life. They perform for me the service ofslaves, and obey my slightest nod. One might imaginethat the parents who devote their children to thisservice, and who are the highest in rank among thepriesthood, would be the most obedient and reverentialservants of the king whom they profess to honor asdivine; but believe me, Croesus, just in this veryact of devotion, which no ruler can refuse to acceptwithout giving offence, lies the most crafty, scandalouscalculation. Each of these youths is my keeper,my spy. They watch my smallest actions and reportthem at once to the priests.”

“But how canst thou endure such an existence?Why not banish these spies and select servants fromthe military caste, for instance? They would bequite as useful as the priests.”

“Ah! if I only could, if I dared!” exclaimedAmasis loudly. And then, as if frightened athis own rashness, he continued in a low voice, “Ibelieve that even here I am being watched. To-morrowI will have that grove of fig-trees yonder uprooted.The young priest there, who seems so fond of gardening,has other fruit in his mind besides the half-ripe figsthat he is so slowly dropping into his basket.While his hand is plucking the figs, his ear gathersthe words that fall from the mouth of his king.”

“But, by our father Zeus, and by Apollo—­”

“Yes, I understand thy indignation and I shareit; but every position has its duties, and as a kingof a people who venerate tradition as the highestdivinity, I must submit, at least in the main, to theceremonies handed down through thousands of years.Were I to burst these fetters, I know positively thatat my death my body would remain unburied; for, knowthat the priests sit in judgment over every corpse,and deprive the condemned of rest, even in the grave.”

[This well-known custom among theancient Egyptians is confirmed,
not only by many Greek narrators,but by the laboriously erased
inscriptions discovered in the chambersof some tombs.]

“Why care about the grave?” cried Croesus,becoming angry. “We live for life, notfor death!”

“Say rather,” answered Amasis rising fromhis seat, “we, with our Greek minds, believea beautiful life to be the highest good. But Croesus,I was begotten and nursed by Egyptian parents, nourishedon Egyptian food, and though I have accepted muchthat is Greek, am still, in my innermost being, anEgyptian. What has been sung to us in our childhood,and praised as sacred in our youth, lingers on inthe heart until the day which sees us embalmed asmummies. I am an old man and have but a shortspan yet to run, before I reach the landmark whichseparates us from that farther country. For thesake of life’s few remaining days, shall I willinglymar Death’s thousands of years? No, my friend,in this point at least I have remained an Egyptian,in believing, like the rest of my countrymen, thatthe happiness of a future life in the kingdom of Osiris,depends on the preservation of my body, the habitationof the soul.

[Each human soul was considered as apart of the world-soul Osiris, was united to himafter the death of the body, and thenceforth tookthe name of Osiris. The Egyptian Cosmos consistedof the three great realms, the Heavens, the Earthand the Depths. Over the vast ocean whichgirdles the vault of heaven, the sun moves in a boator car drawn by the planets and fixed stars.On this ocean too the great constellations circlein their ships, and there is the kingdom of theblissful gods, who sit enthroned above this heavenlyocean under a canopy of stars. The mouth ofthis great stream is in the East, where the sun-godrises from the mists and is born again as a childevery morning. The surface of the earth is inhabitedby human beings having a share in the three greatcosmic kingdoms. They receive their soul fromthe heights of heaven, the seat and source of light;their material body is of the earth; and the appearanceor outward form by which one human being is distinguishedfrom another at sight—­his phantom orshadow—­belongs to the depths. At death,soul, body, and shadow separate from one another.The soul to return to the place from whence itcame, to Heaven, for it is a part of God (of Osiris);the body, to be committed to the earth from whichit was formed in the image of its creator; the phantomor shadow, to descend into the depths, the kingdomof shadows. The gate to this kingdom was placedin the West among the sunset hills, where the sungoes down daily,—­where he dies. Thencearise the changeful and corresponding conceptionsconnected with rising and setting, arriving anddeparting, being born and dying. The carefulpreservation of the body after death from destruction,not only through the process of inward decay, butalso through violence or accident, was in the religionof ancient Egypt a principal condition (perhapsintroduced by the priests on sanitary grounds) on whichdepended the speedy deliverance of the soul, andwith this her early, appointed union with the sourceof Light and Good, which two properties were, inidea, one and indivisible. In the Egyptian conceptionsthe soul was supposed to remain, in a certain sense,connected with the body during a long cycle of solaryears. She could, however, quit the body fromtime to time at will, and could appear to mortalsin various forms and places; these appearances differedaccording to the hour, and were prescribed in exactwords and delineations.]

“But enough of these matters; thou wilt findit difficult to enter into such thoughts. Tellme rather what thou thinkest of our temples and pyramids.”

Croesus, after reflecting a moment, answered witha smile: “Those huge pyramidal masses ofstone seem to me creations of the boundless desert,the gaily painted temple colonnades to be the childrenof the Spring; but though the sphinxes lead up toyour temple gates, and seem to point the way intothe very shrines themselves, the sloping fortress-likewalls of the Pylons, those huge isolated portals,appear as if placed there to repel entrance.Your many-colored hieroglyphics likewise attract thegaze, but baffle the inquiring spirit by the mysterythat lies within their characters. The imagesof your manifold gods are everywhere to be seen; theycrowd on our gaze, and yet who knows not that theirreal is not their apparent significance? that theyare mere outward images of thoughts accessible onlyto the few, and, as I have heard, almost incomprehensiblein their depth? My curiosity is excited everywhere,and my interest awakened, but my warm love of thebeautiful feels itself in no way attracted. Myintellect might strain to penetrate the secrets ofyour sages, but my heart and mind can never be at homein a creed which views life as a short pilgrimageto the grave, and death as the only true life!”

“And yet,” said Amasis, “Death hasfor us too his terrors, and we do all in our powerto evade his grasp. Our physicians would not becelebrated and esteemed as they are, if we did notbelieve that their skill could prolong our earthlyexistence. This reminds me of the oculist Nebenchariwhom I sent to Susa, to the king. Does he maintainhis reputation? is the king content with him?”

“Very much so,” answered Croesus.“He has been of use to many of the blind; butthe king’s mother is alas! still sightless.It was Nebenchari who first spoke to Cambyses of thecharms of thy daughter Tachot. But we deplorethat he understands diseases of the eye alone.When the Princess Atossa lay ill of fever, he wasnot to be induced to bestow a word of counsel.”

“That is very natural; our physicians are onlypermitted to treat one part of the body. We haveaurists, dentists and oculists, surgeons for fracturesof the bone, and others for internal diseases.By the ancient priestly law a dentist is not allowedto treat a deaf man, nor a surgeon for broken bonesa patient who is suffering from a disease of the bowels,even though he should have a first rate knowledge ofinternal complaints. This law aims at securinga great degree of real and thorough knowledge; anaim indeed, pursued by the priests (to whose castethe physicians belong) with a most praiseworthy earnestnessin all branches of science. Yonder lies the houseof the high-priest Neithotep, whose knowledge of astronomyand geometry was so highly praised, even by Pythagoras.It lies next to the porch leading into the templeof the goddess Neith, the protectress of Sais.Would I could show thee the sacred grove with itsmagnificent trees, the splendid pillars of the temple

with capitals modelled from the lotus-flower, andthe colossal chapel which I caused to be wrought froma single piece of granite, as an offering to the goddess;but alas! entrance is strictly refused to strangersby the priests. Come, let us seek my wife anddaughter; they have conceived an affection for thee,and indeed it is my wish that thou shouldst gain afriendly feeling towards this poor maiden before shegoes forth with thee to the strange land, and to thestrange nation whose princess she is to become.Wilt thou not adopt and take her under thy care?”

“On that thou may’st with fullest confidencerely,” replied Croesus with warmth, returningthe pressure of Amasis’ hand. “I willprotect thy Nitetis as if I were her father; and shewill need my help, for the apartments of the womenin the Persian palaces are dangerous ground. Butshe will meet with great consideration. Cambysesmay be contented with his choice, and will be highlygratified that thou hast entrusted him with thy fairestchild. Nebenchari had only spoken of Tachot, thysecond daughter.”

“Nevertheless I will send my beautiful Nitetis.Tachot is so tender, that she could scarcely endurethe fatigues of the journey and the pain of separation.Indeed were I to follow the dictates of my own heart,Nitetis should never leave us for Persia. ButEgypt stands in need of peace, and I was a king beforeI became a father!”

CHAPTER V.

The other members of the Persian embassy had returnedto Sais from their excursion up the Nile to the pyramids.Prexaspes alone, the ambassador from Cambyses, hadalready set out for Persia, in order to inform theking of the successful issue of his suit.

The palace of Amasis was full of life and stir.The huge building was filled in all parts by the followersof the embassy, nearly three hundred in number, andby the high guests themselves, to whom every possibleattention was paid. The courts of the palace swarmedwith guards and officials, with young priests andslaves, all in splendid festal raiment.

On this day it was the king’s intention to makean especial display of the wealth and splendor ofhis court, at a festival arranged in honor of hisdaughter’s betrothal.

The lofty reception-hall opening on to the gardens,with its ceiling sown with thousands of golden starsand supported by gaily-painted columns, presenteda magic appearance. Lamps of colored papyrus hungagainst the walls and threw a strange light on thescene, something like that when the sun’s raysstrike through colored glass. The space betweenthe columns and the walls was filled with choice plants,palms, oleanders, pomegranates, oranges and roses,behind which an invisible band of harp and flute-playerswas stationed, who received the guests with strainsof monotonous, solemn music.

The floor of this hall was paved in black and white,and in the middle stood elegant tables covered withdishes of all kinds, cold roast meats, sweets, well-arrangedbaskets of fruit and cake, golden jugs of wine, glassdrinking-cups and artistic flower-vases.

A multitude of richly-dressed slaves under directionof the high-steward, busied themselves in handingthese dishes to the guests, who, either standing around,or reclining on sumptuous seats, entertained themselvesin conversation with their friends.

Both sexes and all ages were to be found in this assembly.As the women entered, they received charming littlenosegays from the young priests in the personal serviceof the king, and many a youth of high degree appearedin the hall with flowers, which he not only offeredto her he loved best, but held up for her to smell.

The Egyptian men, who were dressed as we have alreadyseen them at the reception of the Persian embassy,behaved towards the women with a politeness that mightalmost be termed submissive. Among the latterfew could pretend to remarkable beauty, though therewere many bewitching almond-shaped eyes, whose lovelinesswas heightened by having their lids dyed with theeye-paint called “mestem.” The majoritywore their hair arranged in the same manner; the wealthof waving brown locks floated back over the shouldersand was brushed behind the ears, one braid being lefton each side to hang over the temples to the breast.A broad diadem confined these locks, which as themaids knew, were quite as often the wig-maker’swork as Nature’s. Many ladies of the courtwore above their foreheads a lotus-flower, whose stemdrooped on the hair at the back.

They carried fans of bright feathers in their delicatehands. These were loaded with rings; the finger-nailswere stained red, according to Egyptian custom, andgold or silver bands were worn above the elbow, andat the wrists and ankles.

[This custom (of staining finger-nails)is still prevalent in the East; the plant Shenna,Laosonia spinosa, called by Pliny XIII. Cyprus,being used for the purpose. The Egyptian governmenthas prohibited the dye, but it will be difficultto uproot the ancient custom. The pigmentfor coloring the eyelids, mentioned in the text,is also still employed. The Papyrus Ebers alludesto the Arabian kohl or antimony, which is frequentlymentioned under the name of “mestem”on monuments belonging to the time of the Pharaohs.]

Their robes were beautiful and costly, and in manycases so cut as to leave the right breast uncovered.Bartja, the young Persian prince, among the men, andNitetis, the Pharaoh’s daughter, among the women,were equally conspicuous for their superior beauty,grace and charms. The royal maiden wore a transparentrose-colored robe, in her black hair were fresh roses,she walked by the side of her sister, the two robedalike, but Nitetis pale as the lotus-flower in hermother’s hair.

Ladice, the queen, by birth a Greek, and daughterof Battus of Cyrene, walked by the side of Amasisand presented the young Persians to her children.A light lace robe was thrown over her garment of purple,embroidered with gold; and on her beautiful Grecianhead she wore the Urmus serpent, the ornament peculiarto Egyptian queens.

Her countenance was noble yet charming, and everymovement betrayed the grace only to be imparted bya Greek education.

Amasis, in making choice of this queen, after thedeath of his second wife, (the Egyptian Tentcheta,mother of Psamtik the heir to the throne,) had followedhis prepossession in favor of the Greek nation anddefied the wrath of the priests.

The two girls at Ladice’s side, Tachot and Nitetis,were called twin-sisters, but showed no signs of thatresemblance usually to be found in twins.

Tachot was a fair, blue-eyed girl, small, and delicatelybuilt; Nitetis, on the other hand, tall and majestic,with black hair and eyes, evinced in every actionthat she was of royal blood.

“How pale thou look’st, my child!”said Ladice, kissing Nitetis’ cheek. “Beof good courage, and meet thy future bravely.Here is the noble Bartja, the brother of thy futurehusband.”

Nitetis raised her dark, thoughtful eyes and fixedthem long and enquiringly on the beautiful youth.He bowed low before the blushing maiden, kissed hergarment, and said:

“I salute thee, as my future queen and sister!I can believe that thy heart is sore at parting fromthy home, thy parents, brethren and sisters; but beof good courage; thy husband is a great hero, and apowerful king; our mother is the noblest of women,and among the Persians the beauty and virtue of womanis as much revered as the life-giving light of thesun. Of thee, thou sister of the lily Nitetis,whom, by her side I might venture to call the rose,I beg forgiveness, for robbing thee of thy dearestfriend.”

As he said these words he looked eagerly into Tachot’sbeautiful blue eyes; she bent low, pressing her handupon her heart, and gazed on him long after Amasishad drawn him away to a seat immediately opposite thedancing-girls, who were just about to display theirskill for the entertainment of the guests. Athin petticoat was the only clothing of these girls,who threw and wound their flexible limbs to a measureplayed on harp and tambourine. After the danceappeared Egyptian singers and buffoons for the furtheramusem*nt of the company.

At length some of the courtiers forsook the hall,their grave demeanor being somewhat overcome by intoxication.

[Unfortunately women, as well as men,are to be seen depicted on the monuments in anintoxicated condition. One man is being carriedhome, like a log of wood, on the heads of his servants.Wilkinson ii. 168. Another is standingon his head ii. 169. and several ladies arein the act of returning the excessive quantity whichthey have drunk. Wilkinson ii. 167.At the great Techu-festival at Dendera intoxicationseems to have been as much commanded as at the festivalsof Dionysus under the Ptolemies, one of whom (PtolemyDionysus) threatened those who remained sober withthe punishment of death. But intoxicationwas in general looked upon by the Egyptians asa forbidden and despicable vice. In the PapyrusAnastasi IV., for instance, we read these wordson a drunkard: “Thou art as a sanctuarywithout a divinity, as a house without bread,”and further: “How carefully should menavoid beer (hek).” A number of passagesin the Papyrus denounce drunkards.]

The women were carried home in gay litters by slaveswith torches; and only the highest military commanders,the Persian ambassadors and a few officials, especialfriends of Amasis, remained behind. These wereretained by the master of the ceremonies, and conductedto a richly-ornamented saloon, where a gigantic wine-bowlstanding on a table adorned in the Greek fashion,invited to a drinking-bout.

Amasis was seated on a high arm-chair at the headof the table; at his left the youthful Bartja, athis right the aged Croesus. Besides these andthe other Persians, Theodorus and Ibykus, the friendsof Polykrates, already known to us, and Aristomachus,now commander of the Greek body-guard, were amongthe king’s guests.

Amasis, whom we have just heard in such grave discoursewith Croesus, now indulged in jest and satire.He seemed once more the wild officer, the bold revellerof the olden days.

His sparkling, clever jokes, at times playful, attimes scornful, flew round among the revellers.The guests responded in loud, perhaps often artificiallaughter, to their king’s jokes, goblet aftergoblet was emptied, and the rejoicings had reachedtheir highest point, when suddenly the master of theceremonies appeared, bearing a small gilded mummy;and displaying it to the gaze of the assembly, exclaimed.“Drink, jest, and be merry, for all too soonye shall become like unto this!”

[Wilkinson gives drawings of these mummies(ii. 410.) hundreds of which were placed inthe tombs, and have been preserved to us. Lucianwas present at a banquet, when they were handed round.The Greeks seem to have adopted this custom, butwith their usual talent for beautifying all theytouched, substituted a winged figure of death forthe mummy. Maxims similar to the following oneare by no means rare. “Cast off allcare; be mindful only of pleasure until the daycometh when then must depart on the journey, whosegoal is the realm of silence!” Copied fromthe tomb of Neferhotep to Abd- el-Qurnah.]

“Is it your custom thus to introduce death atall your banquets?” said Bartja, becoming serious,“or is this only a jest devised for to-day byyour master of the ceremonies?”

“Since the earliest ages,” answered Amasis,“it has been our custom to display these mummiesat banquets, in order to increase the mirth of therevellers, by reminding them that one must enjoy thetime while it is here. Thou, young butterfly,hast still many a long and joyful year before thee;but we, Croesus, we old men, must hold by this firmly.Fill the goblets, cup-bearer, let not one moment of

our lives be wasted! Thou canst drink well, thougolden-haired Persian! Truly the great gods haveendowed thee not only with beautiful eyes, and bloomingbeauty, but with a good throat! Let me embracethee, thou glorious youth, thou rogue! What thinkestthou Croesus? my daughter Tachot can speak of nothingelse than of this beardless youth, who seems to havequite turned her little head with his sweet looksand words. Thou needest not to blush, young madcap!A man such as thou art, may well look at king’sdaughters; but wert thou thy father Cyrus himself,I could not allow my Tachot to leave me for Persia!”

“Father!” whispered the crown-prince Psamtik,interrupting this conversation. “Father,take care what you say, and remember Phanes.”The king turned a frowning glance on his son; butfollowing his advice, took much less part in the conversation,which now became more general.

The seat at the banquet-table, occupied by Aristomachus,placed him nearly opposite to Croesus, on whom, intotal silence and without once indulging in a smileat the king’s jests, his eyes had been fixedfrom the beginning of the revel. When the Pharaohceased to speak, he accosted Croesus suddenly withthe following question: “I would know, Lydian,whether the snow still covered the mountains, whenye left Persia.”

Smiling, and a little surprised at this strange speech,Croesus answered: “Most of the Persianmountains were green when we started for Egypt fourmonths ago; but there are heights in the land of Cambyseson which, even in the hottest seasons, the snow nevermelts, and the glimmer of their white crests we couldstill perceive, as we descended into the plains.”

The Spartan’s face brightened visibly, and Croesus,attracted by this serious, earnest man, asked hisname. “My name is Aristomachus.”

“That name seems known to me.”

“You were acquainted with many Hellenes, andmy name is common among them.”

“Your dialect would bespeak you my opinion aSpartan.”

“I was one once.”

“And now no more?”

“He who forsakes his native land without permission,is worthy of death.”

“Have you forsaken it with your own free-will?”

“Yes.”

“For what reason?”

“To escape dishonor.”

“What was your crime?”

“I had committed none.”

“You were accused unjustly?”

“Yes.”

“Who was the author of your ill-fortune?”

“Yourself.”

Croesus started from his seat. The serious toneand gloomy face of the Spartan proved that this wasno jest, and those who sat near the speakers, andhad been following this strange dialogue, were alarmedand begged Aristomachus to explain his words.

He hesitated and seemed unwilling to speak; at last,however, at the king’s summons, he began thus:

“In obedience to the oracle, you, Croesus, hadchosen us Lacedaemonians, as the most powerful amongthe Hellenes, to be your allies against the mightof Persia; and you gave us gold for the statue of Apolloon Mount Thornax. The ephori, on this, resolvedto present you with a gigantic bronze wine-bowl, richlywrought. I was chosen as bearer of this gift.Before reaching Sardis our ship was wrecked in a storm.The wine-cup sank with it, and we reached Samos withnothing but our lives. On returning home I wasaccused by enemies, and those who grudged my good fortune,of having sold both ship and wine-vessel to the Samians.As they could not convict me of the crime, and hadyet determined on my ruin, I was sentenced to twodays’ and nights’ exposure on the pillory.My foot was chained to it during the night; but beforethe morning of disgrace dawned, my brother broughtme secretly a sword, that my honor might be saved,though at the expense of my life. But I couldnot die before revenging myself on the men who hadworked my ruin; and therefore, cutting the manacledfoot from my leg, I escaped, and hid in the rusheson the banks of the Furotas. My brother broughtme food and drink in secret; and after two monthsI was able to walk on the wooden leg you now see.Apollo undertook my revenge; he never misses his mark,and my two worst opponents died of the plague.Still I durst not return home, and at length tookship from Gythium to fight against the Persians underyou, Croesus. On landing at Teos, I heard thatyou were king no longer, that the mighty Cyrus, thefather of yonder beautiful youth, had conquered thepowerful province of Lydia in a few weeks, and reducedthe richest of kings to beggary.”

Every guest gazed at Aristomachus in admiration.Croesus shook his hard hand; and Bartja exclaimed:“Spartan, I would I could take you back withme to Susa, that my friends there might see what Ihave seen myself, the most courageous, the most honorableof men!”

“Believe me, boy,” returned Aristomachussmiling, every Spartan would have done the same.In our country it needs more courage to be a cowardthan a brave man.”

“And you, Bartja,” cried Darius, the Persianking’s cousin, “could you have borne tostand at the pillory?” Bartja reddened, but itwas easy to see that he too preferred death to disgrace.

“Zopyrus, what say you?” asked Dariusof the third young Persian.

“I could mutilate my own limbs for love of youtwo,” answered he, grasping unobserved the handsof his two friends.

With an ironical smile Psamtik sat watching this scene—­thepleased faces of Amasis, Croesus and Gyges, the meaningglances of the Egyptians, and the contented lookswith which Aristomachus gazed on the young heroes.

Ibykus now told of the oracle which had promised Aristomachusa return to his native land, on the approach of themen from the snowy mountains, and at the same time,mentioned the hospitable house of Rhodopis.

On hearing this name Psamtik grew restless; Croesusexpressed a wish to form the acquaintance of the Thracianmatron, of whom AEsop had related so much that waspraiseworthy; and, as the other guests, many of whomhad lost consciousness through excessive drinking,were leaving the hall, the dethroned monarch, thepoet, the sculptor and the Spartan hero made an agreementto go to Naukratis the next day, and there enjoy theconversation of Rhodopis.

CHAPTER VI.

On the night following the banquet just described,Amasis allowed himself only three hours’ rest.On this, as on every other morning, the young priestswakened him at the first co*ck-crow, conducted him asusual to the bath, arrayed him in the royal vestmentsand led him to the altar in the court of the palace,where in presence of the populace he offered sacrifice.During the offering the priests sang prayers in a loudvoice, enumerated the virtues of their king, and,that blame might in no case light on the head of theirruler, made his bad advisers responsible for everydeadly sin committed in ignorance.

They exhorted him to the performance of good deeds,while extolling his virtues; read aloud profitableportions of the holy writings, containing the deedsand sayings of great men, and then conducted him tohis apartments, where letters and information fromall parts of the kingdom awaited him.

Amasis was in the habit of observing most faithfullythese daily-repeated ceremonies and hours of work;the remaining portion of the day he spent as it pleasedhim, and generally in cheerful society.

The priests reproached him with this, alleging thatsuch a life was not suited to a monarch; and on oneoccasion he had thus replied to the indignant high-priest:“Look at this bow! if always bent it must loseits power, but, if used for half of each day and thenallowed to rest, it will remain strong and usefultill the string breaks.”

Amasis had just signed his name to the last letter,granting the petition of a Nornarch—­[Administratorof a Province]—­for money to carry on differentembankments rendered necessary by the last inundation,when a servant entered, bringing a request from thecrown-prince Psamtik for an audience of a few minutes.

Amasis, who till this moment had been smiling cheerfullyat the cheering reports from all parts of the country,now became suddenly serious and thoughtful. Afterlong delay he answered: “Go and inform theprince that he may appear.”

Psamtik appeared, pale and gloomy as ever; he bowedlow and reverentially, on entering his father’spresence.

Amasis nodded silently in return, and then asked abruptlyand sternly: “What is thy desire? my timeis limited.”

“For your son, more than for others,”replied the prince with quivering lips. “Seventimes have I petitioned for the great favor, whichthou grantest for the first time to-day.”

“No reproaches! I suspect the reason ofthy visit. Thou desirest an answer to thy doubtsas to the birth of thy sister Nitetis.”

“I have no curiosity; I come rather to warnthee, and to remind thee that I am not the only onewho is acquainted with this mystery.”

“Speakest thou of Phanes?”

“Of whom else should I speak? He is banishedfrom Egypt and from his own country, and must leaveNaukratis in a few days. What guarantee hastthou, that he will not betray us to the Persians?”

“The friendship and kindness which I have alwaysshown him.”

“Dost thou believe in the gratitude of men?”

“No! but I rely on my own discernment of character.Phanes will not betray us! he is my friend, I repeatit!”

“Thy friend perhaps, but my mortal enemy!”

“Then stand on thy guard! I have nothingto fear from him.”

“For thyself perhaps nought, but for our country!O father, reflect that though as thy son I may behateful in thine eyes, yet as Egypt’s futureI ought to be near thy heart. Remember, thatat thy death, which may the gods long avert, I shallrepresent the existence of this glorious land as thoudost now; my fall will be the ruin of thine house,of Egypt!”

Amasis became more and more serious, and Psamtik wenton eagerly: “Thou knowest that I am right!Phanes can betray our land to any foreign enemy; heis as intimately acquainted with it as we are; andbeside this, he possesses a secret, the knowledgeof which would convert our most powerful ally intoa most formidable enemy.”

“There thou art in error. Though not mine,Nitetis is a king’s daughter and will know howto win the love of her husband.”

“Were she the daughter of a god, she could notsave thee from Cambyses’ wrath, if he discoversthe treachery; lying is to a Persian the worst ofcrimes, to be deceived the greatest disgrace; thouhast deceived the highest and proudest of the nation,and what can one inexperienced girl avail, when hundredsof women, deeply versed in intrigue and artifice,are striving for the favor of their lord?”

“Hatred and revenge are good masters in theart of rhetoric,” said Amasis in a cutting tone.“And think’st thou then, oh, foolish son,that I should have undertaken such a dangerous gamewithout due consideration? Phanes may tell thePersians what he likes, he can never prove his point.I, the father, Ladice the mother must know best whetherNitetis is our child or not. We call her so,who dare aver the contrary? If it please Phanesto betray our land to any other enemy beside the Persians,let him; I fear nothing! Thou wouldst have meruin a man who has been my friend, to whom I owe muchgratitude, who has served me long and faithfully;and this without offence from his side. Ratherwill I shelter him from thy revenge, knowing as Ido the impure source from which it springs.”

“My father!”

“Thou desirest the ruin of this man, becausehe hindered thee from taking forcible possession ofthe granddaughter of Rhodopis, and because thine ownincapacity moved me to place him in thy room as commanderof the troops. Ah! thou growest pale! Verily,I owe Phanes thanks for confiding to me your vileintentions, and so enabling me to bind my friends andsupporters, to whom Rhodopis is precious, more firmlyto my throne.”

“And is it thus thou speakest of these strangers,my father? dost thou thus forget the ancient gloryof Egypt? Despise me, if thou wilt; I know thoulovest me not; but say not that to be great we needthe help of strangers! Look back on our history!Were we not greatest when our gates were closed tothe stranger, when we depended on ourselves and ourown strength, and lived according to the ancient lawsof our ancestors and our gods? Those days beheldthe most distant lands subjugated by Rameses, andheard Egypt celebrated in the whole world as its firstand greatest nation. What are we now? Theking himself calls beggars and foreigners the supportersof his throne, and devises a petty stratagem to securethe friendship of a power over whom we were victoriousbefore the Nile was infested by these strangers.Egypt was then a mighty Queen in glorious apparel;she is now a painted woman decked out in tinsel!”

[Rameses the Great, son of Sethos, reignedover Egypt 1394-1328 B. C. He was called Sesostrisby the Greeks; see Lepsius (Chron. d. Aegypter,p. 538.) on the manner in which this confusion of namesarose. Egypt attained the zenith of her powerunder this king, whose army, according to Diodorus(I. 53-58). consisted of 600,000 foot and 24,000horsem*n, 27,000 chariots and 400 ships of war.With these hosts he subdued many of the Asiaticand African nations, carving his name and likeness,as trophies of victory, on the rocks of the conqueredcountries. Herodotus speaks of having seen twoof these inscriptions himself (ii. 102-106.)and two are still to be found not far from Bairut. His conquests brought vast sums of tribute intoEgypt. Tacitus annal. II. 60. and these enabledhim to erect magnificent buildings in the wholelength of his land from Nubia to Tanis, but moreespecially in Thebes, the city in which he resided.One of the obelisks erected by Rameses at Heliopolisis now standing in the Place de la Concorde atParis, and has been lately translated by E. Chabas.On the walls of the yet remaining palaces and temples,built under this mighty king, we find, even to thisday, thousands of pictures representing himself, hisarmed hosts, the many nations subdued by the powerof his arms, and the divinities to whose favorhe believed these victories were owing. Amongthe latter Ammon and Bast seem to have received hisespecial veneration, and, on the other hand, weread in these inscriptions that the gods were verywilling to grant the wishes of their favorite.A poetical description of the wars he waged with theCheta is to be found in long lines of hieroglyphicson the south wall of the hall of columns of Ramesesii. at Karnal, also at Luxor and in the SallierPapyrus, and an epic poem referring to his mightydeeds in no less than six different places.]

“Have a care what thou sayest!” shoutedAmasis stamping on the floor. “Egypt wasnever so great, so flourishing as now! Ramesescarried our arms into distant lands and earned blood;through my labors the products of our industry havebeen carried to all parts of the world and insteadof blood, have brought us treasure and blessing.Rameses caused the blood and sweat of his subjectsto flow in streams for the honor of his own greatname; under my rule their blood flows rarely, and thesweat of their brow only in works of usefulness.Every citizen can now end his days in prosperity andcomfort. Ten thousand populous cities rise onthe shores of the Nile, not a foot of the soil liesuntilled, every child enjoys the protection of lawand justice, and every ill-doer shuns the watchfuleye of the authorities.

“In case of attack from without, have we not,as defenders of those god-given bulwarks, our cataracts,our sea and our deserts, the finest army that everbore arms? Thirty thousand Hellenes beside ourentire Egyptian military caste? such is the presentcondition of Egypt! Rameses purchased the brighttinsel of empty fame with the blood and tears of hispeople. To me they are indebted for the pure goldof a peaceful welfare as citizens—­to meand to my predecessors, the Saitic kings!”

[The science of fortification was veryfairly understood by the ancient Egyptians.Walled and battlemented forts are to be seen depictedon their monuments. We have already endeavoredto show (see our work on Egypt. I. 78 andfollowing) that, on the northeast, Egypt defendedfrom Asiatic invasion by a line of forts extendingfrom Pelusium to the Red Sea.]

“And yet I tell thee,” cried the prince,“that a worm is gnawing at the root of Egypt’sgreatness and her life. This struggle for richesand splendor corrupts the hearts of the people, foreignluxury has given a deadly blow to the simple mannersof our citizens, and many an Egyptian has been taughtby the Greeks to scoff at the gods of his fathers.Every day brings news of bloody strife between theGreek mercenaries and our native soldiery, betweenour own people and the strangers. The shepherdand his flock are at variance; the wheels of the statemachinery are grinding one another and thus the stateitself, into total ruin. This once, father, thoughnever again, I must speak out clearly what is weighingon my heart. While engaged in contending withthe priests, thou hast seen with calmness the youngmight of Persia roll on from the East, consuming thenations on its way, and, like a devouring monster,growing more and more formidable from every freshprey. Thine aid was not, as thou hadst intended,

given to the Lydians and Babylonians against the enemy,but to the Greeks in the building of temples to theirfalse gods. At last resistance seemed hopeless;a whole hemisphere with its rulers lay in submissionat the feet of Persia; but even then the gods willedEgypt a chance of deliverance. Cambyses desiredthy daughter in marriage. Thou, however, tooweak to sacrifice thine own flesh and blood for thegood of all, hast substituted another maiden, not thineown child, as an offering to the mighty monarch; andat the same time, in thy soft-heartedness, wilt sparethe life of a stranger in whose hand he the fortunesof this realm, and who will assuredly work its ruin;unless indeed, worn out by internal dissension, itperish even sooner from its own weakness!”

Thus far Amasis had listened to these revilings ofall he held dearest in silence, though pale, and tremblingwith rage; but now he broke forth in a voice, thetrumpet-like sound of which pealed through the widehall: “Know’st thou not then, thouboasting and revengeful son of evil, thou future destroyerof this ancient and glorious kingdom, know’stthou not whose life must be the sacrifice, were notmy children, and the dynasty which I have founded,dearer to me than the welfare of the whole realm?Thou, Psamtik, thou art the man, branded by the gods,feared by men—­the man to whose heart loveand friendship are strangers, whose face is neverseen to smile, nor his soul known to feel compassion!It is not, however, through thine own sin that thynature is thus unblessed, that all thine undertakingsend unhappily. Give heed, for now I am forcedto relate what I had hoped long to keep secret fromthine ears. After dethroning my predecessor,I forced him to give me his sister Tentcheta in marriage.She loved me; a year after marriage there was promiseof a child. During the night preceding thy birthI fell asleep at the bedside of my wife. I dreamedthat she was lying on the shores of the Nile, and complainedto me of pain in the breast. Bending down, Ibeheld a cypress-tree springing from her heart.It grew larger and larger, black and spreading, twinedits roots around thy mother and strangled her.A cold shiver seized me, and I was on the point offlying from the spot, when a fierce hurricane camefrom the East, struck the tree and overthrew it, sothat its spreading branches were cast into the Nile.Then the waters ceased to flow; they congealed, and,in place of the river, a gigantic mummy lay beforeme. The towns on its banks dwindled into hugefunereal urns, surrounding the vast corpse of theNile as in a tomb. At this I awoke and causedthe interpreters of dreams to be summoned. Nonecould explain the vision, till at last the priestsof the Libyan Ammon gave me the following interpretation’Tentcheta will die in giving birth to a son.The cypress, which strangled its mother, is this gloomy,unhappy man. In his days a people shall comefrom the East and shall make of the Nile, that isof the Egyptians, dead bodies, and of their citiesruinous heaps; these are the urns for the dead, whichthou sawest.”

Psamtik listened as if turned into stone; his fathercontinued; “Thy mother died in giving birthto thee; fiery-red hair, the mark of the sons of Typhon,grew around thy brow; thou becam’st a gloomyman. Misfortune pursued thee and robbed theeof a beloved wife and four of thy children. Theastrologers computed that even as I had been born underthe fortunate sign of Amman, so thy birth had beenwatched over by the rise of the awful planet Seb.Thou . . .” But here Amasis broke off, forPsamtik, in the anguish produced by these fearfuldisclosures had given way, and with sobs and groans,cried:

“Cease, cruel father! spare me at least thebitter words, that I am the only son in Egypt whois hated by his father without cause!”

Amasis looked down on the wretched man who had sunkto the earth before him, his face hidden in the foldsof his robe, and the father’s wrath was changedto compassion. He thought of Psamtik’s mother,dead forty years before, and felt he had been cruelin inflicting this poisonous wound on her son’ssoul. It was the first time for years, that hehad been able to feel towards this cold strange man,as a father and a comforter. For the first timehe saw tears in the cold eyes of his son, and couldfeel the joy of wiping them away. He seized theopportunity at once, and bending clown over the groaningform, kissed his forehead, raised him from the groundand said gently:

“Forgive my anger, my son! the words that havegrieved thee came not from my heart, but were spokenin the haste of wrath. Many years hast thou angeredme by thy coldness, hardness and obstinacy; to-daythou hast wounded me again in my most sacred feelings;this hurried me into an excess of wrath. Butnow all is right between us. Our natures are sodiverse that our innermost feelings will never be one,but at least we can act in concert for the future,and show forbearance one towards the other.”

In silence Psamtik bowed down and kissed his father’srobe “Not so,” exclaimed the latter; “ratherlet my lips receive thy kiss, as is meet and fittingbetween father and son! Thou needest not to thinkagain of the evil dream I have related. Dreamsare phantoms, and even if sent by the gods, the interpretersthereof are human and erring. Thy hand tremblesstill, thy cheeks are white as thy robe. I washard towards thee, harder than a father. . . .”

“Harder than a stranger to strangers,”interrupted his son. “Thou hast crushedand broken me, and if till now my face has seldom worna smile, from this day forward it can be naught buta mirror of my inward misery.”

“Not so,” said Amasis, laying his handon his son’s shoulder. “If I wound,I can also heal. Tell me the dearest wish of thyheart, it shall be granted thee!”

Psamtik’s eyes flashed, his sallow cheeks glowedfor a moment, and he answered without consideration,though in a voice still trembling from the shock hehad just received: “Deliver Phanes, my enemy,into my power!”

The king remained a few moments in deep thought, thenanswered: “I knew what thou wouldst ask,and will fulfil thy desire: but I would ratherthou hadst asked the half of my treasures. A thousandvoices within warn me that I am about to do an unworthydeed and a ruinous—­ruinous for myself,for thee, the kingdom and our house. Reflect beforeacting, and remember, whatever thou mayst meditateagainst Phanes, not a hair of Rhodopis’ headshall be touched. Also, that the persecution ofmy poor friend is to remain a secret from the Greeks.Where shall I find his equal as a commander, an adviserand a companion? He is not yet in thy power,however, and I advise thee to remember, that thoughthou mayst be clever for an Egyptian, Phanes is aclever Greek. I will remind thee too of thy solemnoath to renounce the grandchild of Rhodopis. Methinksvengeance is dearer to thee than love, and the amendsI offer will therefore be acceptable! As to Egypt,I repeat once again, she was never more flourishingthan now; a fact which none dream of disputing, exceptthe priests, and those who retail their foolish words.And now give ear, if thou wouldst know the originof Nitetis. Self-interest will enjoin secrecy.”

Psamtik listened eagerly to his father’s communication,indicating his gratitude at the conclusion by a warmpressure of the hand.

“Now farewell,” said Amasis. “Forgetnot my words, and above all shed no blood! Iwill know nothing of what happens to Phanes, for Ihate cruelty and would not be forced to stand in horrorof my own son. But thou, thou rejoicest!My poor Athenian, better were it for thee, hadst thounever entered Egypt!”

Long after Psamtik had left, his father continuedto pace the hall in deep thought. He was sorryhe had yielded; it already seemed as if he saw thebleeding Phanes lying massacred by the side of thedethroned Hophra. “It is true, he couldhave worked our ruin,” was the plea he offeredto the accuser within his own breast, and with thesewords, he raised his head, called his servants andleft the apartment with a smiling countenance.

Had this sanguine man, this favorite of fortune, thusspeedily quieted the warning voice within, or washe strong enough to cloak his torture with a smile?

ETEXT editor’sbookmarks:

Avoid excessive joyas well as complaining grief
Cast off all care; bemindful only of pleasure
Creed which views lifeas a short pilgrimage to the grave
Does happiness consistthen in possession
Happiness has nothingto do with our outward circ*mstances
In our country it needsmore courage to be a coward
Observe a due proportionin all things
One must enjoy the timewhile it is here
Pilgrimage to the grave,and death as the only true life
Robes cut as to leavethe right breast uncovered
The priests are my opponents,my masters
Time is clever in thehealing art
We live for life, notfor death

AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.

By Georg Ebers

Volume 3.

CHAPTER VII.

Psamtik went at once from his father’s apartmentsto the temple of the goddess Neith. At the entrancehe asked for the high-priest and was begged by oneof the inferior priests to wait, as the great Neithotepwas at that moment praying in the holiest sanctuaryof the exalted Queen of Heaven.

[The temples of Egypt were so constructedas to intensify the devotion of the worshipperby conducting him onward through a series of hallsor chambers gradually diminishing in size. “Theway through these temples is clearly indicated,no digression is allowed, no error possible.We wander on through the huge and massive gatesof entrance, between the ranks of sacred animals.The worshipper is received into an ample court,but by degrees the walls on either side approachone another, the halls become less lofty, all isgradually tending towards one point. And thuswe wander on, the sights and sounds of God’sworld without attract us no longer, we see nothingbut the sacred representations which encompass us soclosely, feel only the solemnity of the temple inwhich we stand. And the consecrated wallsembrace us ever more and more closely, until atlast we reach the lonely, resonant chamber occupiedby the divinity himself, and entered by no humanbeing save his priest.” Schnaase, KunstaeschirhtcI. 394.]

After a short time a young priest appeared with theintelligence that his superior awaited the Prince’svisit. Psamtik had seated himself under the shadowof the sacred grove of silver poplars bordering theshores of the consecrated lake, holy to the greatNeith. He rose immediately, crossed the temple-court,paved with stone and asphalte, on which the sun’srays were darting like fiery arrows, and turned intoone of the long avenues of Sphinxes which led to theisolated Pylons before the gigantic temple of thegoddess. He then passed through the principalgate, ornamented, as were all Egyptian temple-entrances,with the winged sun’s disc. Above its widely-openedfolding doors arose on either side, tower-like buildings,slender obelisks and waving flags. The front ofthe temple, rising from the earth in the form of anobtuse angle, had somewhat the appearance of a fortress,and was covered with colored pictures and inscriptions.Through the porch Psamtik passed on into a lofty entrance-chamber,and from thence into the great hall itself, the ceilingof which was strewn with thousands of golden stars,and supported by four rows of lofty pillars.Their capitals were carved in imitation of the lotus-flower,and these, the shafts of the columns, the walls ofthis huge hall, and indeed every niche and cornerthat met the eye were covered with brilliant colorsand hieroglyphics. The columns rose to a gigantic

height, the eye seemed to wander through immeasurablespace, and the air breathed by the worshippers washeavy with the fragrance of Kyphi and incense, andthe odors which arose from the laboratory attachedto the temple. Strains of soft music, proceedingfrom invisible hands, flowed on unceasingly, onlyoccasionally interrupted by the deep lowing of thesacred cows of Isis, or the shrill call of the sparrow-hawkof Horus, whose habitations were in one of the adjoininghalls. No sooner did the prolonged low of a cowbreak like distant thunder on the ear, or the sharpcry of the sparrow-hawk shoot like a flash of lightningthrough the nerves of the worshippers, than each crouchingform bent lower still, and touched the pavement withhis forehead. On a portion of this pavement, raisedabove the rest, stood the priests, some wearing ostrich-featherson their bald and shining heads; others panther-skinsover their white-robed shoulders. Muttering andsinging, bowing low and rising again, they swung thecensers and poured libations of pure water to the godsout of golden vessels. In this immense templeman seemed a dwarf in his own eyes. All his senseseven to the organs of respiration, were occupied byobjects far removed from daily life, objects thatthrilled and almost oppressed him. Snatched fromall that was familiar in his daily existence, he seemedto grow dizzy and seek support beyond himself.To this the voice of the priests directed him andthe cries of the sacred animals were believed to provea divinity at hand.

Psamtik assumed the posture of a worshipper on thelow, gilded and cushioned couch set apart for him,but was unable to pay any real devotion, and passedon to the adjoining apartment before mentioned, wherethe sacred cows of Isis-Neith and the sparrow-hawkof Horus were kept. These creatures were concealedfrom the gaze of the worshippers by a curtain of richfabric embroidered with gold; the people were onlyallowed an occasional and distant glimpse of the adorableanimals. When Psamtik passed they were just beingfed; cakes soaked in milk, salt and clover-blossomswere placed in golden cribs for the cows, and smallbirds of many-colored plumage in the beautifully-wroughtand ornamented cage of the sparrow-hawk. But,in his present mood, the heir to the throne of Egypthad no eye for these rare sights; but ascended at once,by means of a hidden staircase, to the chambers lyingnear the observatory, where the high-priest was accustomedto repose after the temple-service.

Neithotep, a man of seventy years, was seated in asplendid apartment. Rich Babylonian carpets coveredthe floor and his chair was of gold, cushioned withpurple. A tastefully-carved footstool supportedhis feet, his hands held a roll covered with hieroglyphics,and a boy stood behind him with a fan of ostrich-feathersto keep away the insects.

The face of the old man was deeply lined now, butit might once have been handsome, and in the largeblue eyes there still lay evidence of a quick intellectand a dignified self-respect.

His artificial curls had been laid aside, and thebald, smooth head formed a strange contrast to thefurrowed countenance, giving an appearance of unusualheight to the forehead, generally so very low amongthe Egyptians. The brightly-colored walls of theroom, on which numerous sentences in hieroglyphiccharacters were painted, the different statues ofthe goddess painted likewise in gay colors, and thesnow-white garments of the aged priest, were calculatedto fill a stranger not only with wonder, but witha species of awe.

The old man received the prince with much affection,and asked:

“What brings my illustrious son to the poorservant of the Deity?”

“I have much to report to thee, my father;”answered Psamtik with a triumphant smile, “forI come in this moment from Amasis.”

“Then he has at length granted thee an audience?”

“At length!”

“Thy countenance tells me that thou hast beenfavorably received by our lord, thy father.”

“After having first experienced his wrath.For, when I laid before him the petition with whichthou hadst entrusted me, he was exceeding wroth andnearly crushed me by his awful words.”

“Thou hadst surely grieved him by thy language.Didst thou approach him as I advised thee, with lowliness,as a son humbly beseeching his father?”

“No, my father, I was irritated and indignant.”

“Then was Amasis right to be wrathful, for nevershould a son meet his father in anger; still lesswhen he hath a request to bring before him. Thouknow’st the promise, ’The days of him thathonoreth his father shall be many.’

[This Egyptian command hears a remarkableresemblance to the fifth
in the Hebrew decalogue, both havinga promise annexed. It occurs
in the Prisse Papyrus, the mostancient sacred writing extant.]

In this one thing, my scholar, thou errest always;to gain thine ends thou usest violence and roughness,where good and gentle words would more surely prevail.A kind word hath far more power than an angry one,and much may depend on the way in which a man orderethhis speech. Hearken to that which I will nowrelate. In former years there was a king in Egyptnamed Snefru, who ruled in Memphis. And it cameto pass that he dreamed, and in his dream his teethfell out of his mouth. And he sent for the soothsayersand told them the dream. The first interpreteranswered: ’Woe unto thee, O king, all thykinsmen shall die before thee!’ Then was Snefruwroth, caused this messenger of evil to be scourged,and sent for a second interpreter. He answered:’O king, live for ever, thy life shall be longerthan the life of thy kinsmen and the men of thy house!’Then the king smiled and gave presents unto this interpreter,for though the interpretations were one, yet he hadunderstood to clothe his message in a web of fairand pleasant words. Apprehendest thou? then hearkento my voice, and refrain from harsh words, rememberingthat to the ear of a ruler the manner of a man’sspeech is weightier than its matter.”

“Oh my father, how often hast thou thus admonishedme! how often have I been convinced of the evil consequencesof my rough words and angry gestures! but I cannotchange my nature, I cannot . . .”

“Say rather: I will not; for he that isindeed a man, dare never again commit those sins ofwhich he has once repented. But I have admonishedsufficiently. Tell me now how thou didst calmthe wrath of Amasis.”

“Thou knowest my father. When he saw thathe had wounded me in the depths of my soul by hisawful words, he repented him of his anger. Hefelt he had been too hard, and desired to make amendsat any price.”

“He hath a kindly heart, but his mind is blinded,and his senses taken captive,” cried the priest.“What might not Amasis do for Egypt, would hebut hearken to our counsel, and to the commandmentsof the gods!”

“But hear me, my father! in his emotion he grantedme the life of Phanes!”

“Thine eyes flash, Psamtik! that pleaseth menot. The Athenian must die, for he has offendedthe gods; but though he that condemns must let justicehave her way, he should have no pleasure in the deathof the condemned; rather should he mourn. Nowspeak; didst thou obtain aught further?”

“The king declared unto me to what house Nitetisbelongs.”

“And further naught?”

“No, my father; but art thou not eager to learn. . .?”

“Curiosity is a woman’s vice; moreover,I have long known all that thou canst tell me.”

“But didst thou not charge me but yesterdayto ask my father this question?”

“I did do so to prove thee, and know whetherthou wert resigned to the Divine will, and wert walkingin those ways wherein alone thou canst become worthyof initiation into the highest grade of knowledge.Thou hast told us faithfully all that thou hast heard,and thereby proved that thou canst obey—­thefirst virtue of a priest.”

“Thou knewest then the father of Nitetis?”

“I myself pronounced the prayer over king Hophra’stomb.”

“But who imparted the secret to thee?”

“The eternal stars, my son, and my skill inreading them.”

“And do these stars never deceive?”

“Never him that truly understands them.”

Psamtik turned pale. His father’s dreamand his own fearful horoscope passed like awful visionsthrough his mind. The priest detected at oncethe change in his features and said gently: “Thoudeem’st thyself a lost man because the heavensprognosticated evil at thy birth; but take comfort,Psamtik; I observed another sign in the heavens atthat moment, which escaped the notice of the astrologers.Thy horoscope was a threatening, a very threateningone, but its omens may be averted, they may . . .”

“O tell me, father, tell me how!”

“They must turn to good, if thou, forgetfulof all else, canst live alone to the gods, payinga ready obedience to the Divine voice audible to ustheir priests alone in the innermost and holiest sanctuary.”

“Father, I am ready to obey thy slightest word.”

“The great goddess Neith, who rules in Sais,grant this, my son!” answered the priest solemnly.“But now leave me alone,” he continuedkindly, “lengthened devotions and the weightof years bring weariness. If possible, delaythe death of Phanes, I wish to speak with him beforehe dies. Yet one more word. A troop of Ethiopiansarrived yesterday. These men cannot speak a wordof Greek, and under a faithful leader, acquaintedwith the Athenians and the locality, they would bethe best agents for getting rid of the doomed man,as their ignorance of the language and the circ*mstancesrender treachery or gossip impossible. Beforestarting for Naukratis, they must know nothing ofthe design of their journey; the deed once accomplished,we can send them back to Kush.—­[The Egyptianname for Ethiopia.] Remember, a secret can never betoo carefully kept! Farewell.” Psamtikhad only left the room a few moments, when a youngpriest entered, one of the king’s attendants.

“Have I listened well, father?” he enquiredof the old man.

“Perfectly, my son. Nothing of that whichpassed between Amasis and Psamtik has escaped thineears. May Isis preserve them long to thee!”

“Ah, father, a deaf man could have heard everyword in the ante-chamber to-day, for Amasis bellowedlike an ox.”

“The great Neith has smitten him with the lackof prudence, yet I command thee to speak of the Pharaohwith more reverence. But now return, keep thineeyes open and inform me at once if Amasis, as is possible,should attempt to thwart the conspiracy against Phanes.Thou wilt certainly find me here. Charge theattendants to admit no one, and to say I am at mydevotions in the Holy of holies. May the ineffableOne protect thy footsteps!”

[Isis, the wife or sister of Osiris,is the phenomena of nature, by
means of which the god is able toreveal himself to human
contemplation.]

..................................

While Psamtik was making every preparation for thecapture of Phanes, Croesus, accompanied by his followers,had embarked on board a royal bark, and was on hisway down the Nile to spend the evening with Rhodopis.

His son Gyges and the three young Persians remainedin Sais, passing the time in a manner most agreeableto them.

Amasis loaded them with civilities, allowed them,according to Egyptian custom, the society of his queenand of the twin-sisters, as they were called, taughtGyges the game of draughts, and looking on while thestrong, dexterous, young heroes joined his daughtersin the game of throwing balls and hoops, so popularamong Egyptian maidens, enlivened their amusem*ntswith an inexhaustible flow of wit and humor.

[The Pharaohs themselves, as well astheir subjects, were in the habit of playing atdraughts and other similar games. Rosellini givesits Rameses playing with his daughter; see also twoEgyptians playing together, Wilkinson ii.419. An especially beautiful draught-boardexists in the Egyptian collection at the Louvre Museum.The Egyptians hoped to be permitted to enjoy thesepleasures even in the other world.]

[Balls that have been found in thetombs are still to be seen; some,
for instance, in the Museum at Leyden.]

“Really,” said Bartja, as he watched Nitetiscatching the slight hoop, ornamented with gay ribbons,for the hundredth time on her slender ivory rod, “reallywe must introduce this game at home. We Persiansare so different from you Egyptians. Everythingnew has a special charm for us, while to you it isjust as hateful. I shall describe the game toOur mother Kassandane, and she will be delighted toallow my brother’s wives this new amusem*nt.”

“Yes, do, do!” exclaimed the fair Tachotblushing deeply. “Then Nitetis can playtoo, and fancy herself back again at home and amongthose she loves; and Bartja,” she added in alow voice, “whenever you watch the hoops flying,you too must remember this hour.”

“I shall never forget it,” answered hewith a smile, and then, turning to his future sister-in-law,he called out cheerfully, “Be of good courage,Nitetis, you will be happier than you fancy with us.We Asiatics know how to honor beauty; and prove itby taking many wives.”

Nitetis sighed, and the queen Ladice exclaimed, “Onthe contrary, that very fact proves that you understandbut poorly how to appreciate woman’s nature!You can have no idea, Bartja, what a woman feels onfinding that her husband—­the man who toher is more than life itself, and to whom she wouldgladly and without reserve give up all that she treasuresas most sacred—­looks down on her with thesame kind of admiration that he bestows on a prettytoy, a noble steed, or a well-wrought wine-bowl.But it is yet a thousand-fold more painful to feelthat the love which every woman has a right to possessfor herself alone, must be shared with a hundred others!”

“There speaks the jealous wife!” exclaimedAmasis. “Would you not fancy that I hadoften given her occasion to doubt my faithfulness?”

“No, no, my husband,” answered Ladice,“in this point the Egyptian men surpass othernations, that they remain content with that which theyhave once loved; indeed I venture to assert that anEgyptian wife is the happiest of women.

[According to Diodorus (I. 27) the queenof Egypt held a higher position than the king himself.The monuments and lists of names certainly provethat women could rule with sovereign power. Thehusband of the heiress to the throne became king.They had their own revenues (Diodorus I. 52) andwhen a princess, after death, was admitted amongthe goddesses, she received her own priestesses.(Edict of Canopus.) During the reigns of the Ptolemiesmany coins were stamped with the queen’simage and cities were named for them. We noticealso that sons, in speaking of their descent, morefrequently reckon it from the mother’s thanthe father’s side, that a married woman isconstantly alluded to as the “mistress”or “lady” of the house, that accordingto many a Greek Papyrus they had entire disposalof all their property, no matter in what it consisted,in short that the weaker sex seems to have enjoyedequal influence with the stronger.]

Even the Greeks, who in so many things may serve aspatterns to us, do not know how to appreciate womanrightly. Most of the young Greek girls pass theirsad childhood in close rooms, kept to the wheel andthe loom by their mothers and those who have chargeof them, and when marriageable, are transferred tothe quiet house of a husband they do not know, andwhose work in life and in the state allows him butseldom to visit his wife’s apartments.Only when the most intimate friends and nearest relationsare with her husband, does she venture to appear intheir midst, and then shyly and timidly, hoping tohear a little of what is going on in the great worldoutside. Ah, indeed! we women thirst for knowledgetoo, and there are certain branches of learning atleast, which it cannot be right to withhold from thosewho are to be the mothers and educators of the nextgeneration. What can an Attic mother, withoutknowledge, without experience, give to her daughters?Naught but her own ignorance. And so it is, thata Hellene, seldom satisfied with the society of hislawful, but, mentally, inferior wife, turns for satisfactionto those courtesans, who, from their constant intercoursewith men, have acquired knowledge, and well understandhow to adorn it with the flowers of feminine grace,and to season it with the salt of a woman’smore refined and delicate wit. In Egypt it isdifferent. A young girl is allowed to associatefreely with the most enlightened men. Youthsand maidens meet constantly on festive occasions, learnto know and love one another. The wife is notthe slave, but the friend of her husband; the onesupplies the deficiencies of the other. In weightyquestions the stronger decides, but the lesser caresof life are left to her who is the greater in smallthings. The daughters grow up under careful guidance,for the mother is neither ignorant nor inexperienced.To be virtuous and diligent in her affairs becomeseasy to a woman, for she sees that it increases hishappiness whose dearest possession she boasts of being,and who belongs to her alone. The women onlydo that which pleases us! but the Egyptian men understandthe art of making us pleased with that which is reallygood, and with that alone. On the shores of theNile, Phocylides of Miletus and Hipponax of Ephesuswould never have dared to sing their libels on women,nor could the fable of Pandora have been possiblyinvented here!”

[Simonides of Amorgos, an Iambic poet,who delighted in writing satirical verses on women.He divides them into different classes, which hecompares to unclean animals, and considers that theonly woman worthy of a husband and able to makehim happy must be like the bee. The well-knownfable of Pandora owes its origin to Simonides.He lived about 650 B. C. The Egyptians too, speak veryseverely of bad women, comparing them quite in theSimonides style to beasts of prey (hyenas, lionsand panthers). We find this sentence on avicious woman: She is a collection of every kindof meanness, and a bag full of wiles. Chabas,Papyr. magrque Harris. p. 135. Phocylidesof Miletus, a rough and sarcastic, but observantman, imitated Simonides in his style of writing.But the deformed Hipponax of Ephesus, a poet crusheddown by poverty, wrote far bitterer verses thanPhocylides. He lived about 550 B. C. “Hisown ugliness (according to Bernhardy) is reflectedin every one of his Choliambics.” ]

“How beautifully you speak!” exclaimedBartja. “Greek was not easy to learn, butI am very glad now that I did not give it up in despair,and really paid attention to Croesus’ lessons.”

“Who could those men have been,” askedDarius, “who dared to speak evil of women?”

“A couple of Greek poets,” answered Amasis,“the boldest of men, for I confess I would ratherprovoke a lioness than a woman. But these Greeksdo not know what fear is. I will give you a specimenof Hipponax’s Poetry:

“Thereare but two days when a wife,
Bringspleasure to her husband’s life,
Thewedding-day, when hopes are bright,
Andthe day he buries her out of his sight.”

“Cease, cease,” cried Ladice stoppingher ears, that is too had. Now, Persians, youcan see what manner of man Amasis is. For thesake of a joke, he will laugh at those who hold preciselythe same opinion as himself. There could notbe a better husband.

“Nor a worse wife,” laughed Amasis.“Thou wilt make men think that I am a too obedienthusband. But now farewell, my children; our youngheroes must look at this our city of Sais; beforeparting, however, I will repeat to them what the maliciousSiuionides has sung of a good wife:

“Dear to her spousefrom youth to age she grows;
Fills with fair girlsand sturdy boys his house;
Among all women womanliestseems,
And heavenly grace abouther mild brow gleams.
A gentle wife, a noblespouse she walks,
Nor ever with the gossipmongers talks.
Such women sometimesZeus to mortals gives,
The glory and the solaceof their lives.”

“Such is my Ladice! now farewell!”

“Not yet!” cried Bartja. “Letme first speak in defence of our poor Persia and instilfresh courage into my future sister-in-law; but no!Darius, thou must speak, thine eloquence is as greatas thy skill in figures and swordsmanship!”

“Thou speakst of me as if I were a gossip ora shopkeeper,”—­[This nickname, whichDarius afterwards earned, is more fully spoken of]—­answeredthe son of Hystaspes. “Be it so; I havebeen burning all this time to defend the customs ofour country. Know then, Ladice, that if Auramazdadispose the heart of our king in his own good ways,your daughter will not be his slave, but his friend.Know also, that in Persia, though certainly only athigh festivals, the king’s wives have theirplaces at the men’s table, and that we pay thehighest reverence to our wives and mothers. Aking of Babylon once took a Persian wife; in the broadplains of the Euphrates she fell sick of longing forher native mountains; he caused a gigantic structureto be raised on arches, and the summit thereof tobe covered with a depth of rich earth; caused thechoicest trees and flowers to be planted there, andwatered by artificial machinery. This wondercompleted, he led his wife thither; from its top shecould look down into the plains below, as from theheights of Rachined, and with this costly gift hepresented her. Tell me, could even an Egyptiangive more?”

[This stupendous erection is said tohave been constructed by Nebuchadnezzar for hisPersian wife Amytis. Curtius V. 5. Josephuscontra Apion. I. 19. Antiquities X. II. 1.Diod. II. 10. For further particularsrelative to the hanging-gardens, see later notes.]

“And did she recover?” asked Nitetis,without raising her eyes.

“She recovered health and happiness; and youtoo will soon feel well and happy in our country.”

“And now,” said Ladice with a smile, what,think you, contributed most to the young queen’srecovery? the beautiful mountain or the love of thehusband, who erected it for her sake?”

“Her husband’s love,” cried theyoung girls.

“But Nitetis would not disdain the mountaineither,” maintained Bartja, “and I shallmake it my care that whenever the court is at Babylon,she has the hanging-gardens for her residence.”

“But now come,” exclaimed Amasis, “unlessyou wish to see the city in darkness. Two secretarieshave been awaiting me yonder for the last two hours.Ho! Sachons! give orders to the captain of theguard to accompany our noble guests with a hundredmen.”

“But why? a single guide, perhaps one of theGreek officers, would be amply sufficient.”

“No, my young friends, it is better so.Foreigners can never be too prudent in Egypt.Do not forget this, and especially be careful not toridicule the sacred animals. And now farewell,my young heroes, till we meet again this evening overa merry wine-cup.”

The Persians then quitted the palace, accompaniedby their interpreter, a Greek, but who had been broughtup in Egypt, and spoke both languages with equal facility.

[Psamtik I. is said to have formed anew caste, viz.: the caste of Interpreters,out of those Greeks who had been born and bred up inEgypt. Herod. II. 154. Herodotushimself was probably conducted by such a “Dragoman.”]

Those streets of Sais which lay near the palace worea pleasant aspect. The houses, many of whichwere five stories high, were generally covered withpictures or hieroglyphics; galleries with balustradesof carved and gaily-painted wood-work, supported bycolumns also brightly painted, ran round the wallssurrounding the courts. In many cases the proprietor’sname and rank was to be read on the door, which was,however, well closed and locked. Flowers andshrubs ornamented the flat roofs, on which the Egyptiansloved to spend the evening hours, unless indeed, theypreferred ascending the mosquito-tower with whichnearly every house was provided. These troublesomeinsects, engendered by the Nile, fly low, and theselittle watch-towers were built as a protection fromthem.

The young Persians admired the great, almost excessivecleanliness, with which each house, nay, even thestreets themselves, literally shone. The door-platesand knockers sparkled in the sun; paintings, balconiesand columns all had the appearance of having beenonly just finished, and even the street-pavement lookedas if it were often scoured.

[The streets of Egyptian towns seemto have been paved, judging from
the ruins of Alabastron and Memphis.We know at least with
certainty that this was the casewith those leading to the temples.]

But as the Persians left the neighborhood of the Nileand the palace, the streets became smaller. Saiswas built on the slope of a moderately high hill,and had only been the residence of the Pharaohs fortwo centuries and a half, but, during that comparativelyshort interval, had risen from an unimportant placeinto a town of considerable magnitude.

On its river-side the houses and streets were brilliant,but on the hill-slope lay, with but few more respectableexceptions, miserable, poverty-stricken huts constructedof acacia-boughs and Nile-mud. On the north-westrose the royal citadel.

“Let us turn back here,” exclaimed Gygesto his young companions. During his father’sabsence he was responsible as their guide and protector,and now perceived that the crowd of curious spectators,which had hitherto followed them, was increasing atevery step.

“I obey your orders,” replied the interpreter,“but yonder in the valley, at the foot of thathill, lies the Saitic city of the dead, and for foreignersI should think that would be of great interest.”

“Go forward!” cried Bartja. “Forwhat did we leave Persia, if not to behold these remarkableobjects?”

On arriving at an open kind of square surrounded byworkmen’s booths, and not far from the cityof the dead, confused cries rose among the crowd behindthem.

[Artisans, as well among the ancientas the modern Egyptians, were
accustomed to work in the open air.]

The children shouted for joy, the women called out,and one voice louder than the rest was heard exclaiming:“Come hither to the fore-court of the temple,and see the works of the great magician, who comesfrom the western oases of Libya and is endowed withmiraculous gifts by Chunsu, the giver of good counsels,and by the great goddess Hekt.”

“Follow me to the small temple yonder,”said the interpreter, “and you will behold astrange spectacle.” He pushed a way forhimself and the Persians through the crowd, obstructedin his course by many a sallow woman and naked child;and at length came back with a priest, who conductedthe strangers into the fore-court of the temple.Here, surrounded by various chests and boxes, stooda man in the dress of a priest; beside him on theearth knelt two negroes. The Libyan was a manof gigantic stature, with great suppleness of limband a pair of piercing black eyes. In his handhe held a wind-instrument resembling a modern clarionet,and a number of snakes, known in Egypt to be poisonous,lay coiling themselves over his breast and arms.

On finding himself in the presence of the Persianshe bowed low, inviting them by a solemn gesture togaze at his performances; he then cast off his whiterobe and began all kinds of tricks with the snakes.

He allowed them to bite him, till the blood trickleddown his cheeks; compelled them by the notes of hisflute to assume an erect position and perform a kindof dancing evolution; by spitting into their jaws hetransformed them to all appearance into motionlessrods; and then, dashing them all on to the earth,performed a wild dance in their midst, yet withoutonce touching a single snake.

Like one possessed, he contorted his pliant limbsuntil his eyes seemed starting from his head and abloody foam issued from his lips.

Suddenly he fell to the ground, apparently lifeless.A slight movement of the lips and a low hissing whistlewere the only signs of life; but, on hearing the latter,the snakes crept up and twined themselves like livingrings around his neck, legs and body. At lasthe rose, sang a hymn in praise of the divine powerwhich had made him a magician, and then laid the greaternumber of his snakes in one of the chests, retaininga few, probably his favorites, to serve as ornamentsfor his neck and arms.

The second part of this performance consisted of cleverconjuring-tricks, in which he swallowed burning flax,balanced swords while dancing, their points standingin the hollow of his eye; drew long strings and ribbonsout of the noses of the Egyptian children, exhibitedthe well-known cup-and-ball trick, and, at length,raised the admiration of the spectators to its highestpitch, by producing five living rabbits from as manyostrich-eggs.

The Persians formed no unthankful portion of the assembledcrowd; on the contrary, this scene, so totally new,impressed them deeply.

They felt as if in the realm of miracles, and fanciedthey had now seen the rarest of all Egyptian rarities.In silence they took their way back to the handsomerstreets of Sais, without noticing how many mutilatedEgyptians crossed their path. These poor disfiguredcreatures were indeed no unusual sight for Asiatics,who punished many crimes by the amputation of a limb.Had they enquired however, they would have heard that,in Egypt, the man deprived of his hand was a convictedforger, the woman of her nose, an adulteress; thatthe man without a tongue had been found guilty ofhigh treason or false witness; that the loss of theears denoted a spy, and that the pale, idiotic-lookingwoman yonder had been guilty of infanticide, and hadbeen condemned to hold the little corpse three daysand three nights in her arms. What woman couldretain her senses after these hours of torture?—­[DiodorusI. 77.]

The greater number of the Egyptian penal laws notonly secured the punishment of the criminal, but rendereda repetition of the offence impossible.

The Persian party now met with a hindrance, a largecrowd having assembled before one of the handsomesthouses in the street leading to the temple of Neith.The few windows of this house that could be seen (thegreater number opening on the garden and court) wereclosed with shutters, and at the door stood an oldman, dressed in the plain white robe of a priest’sservant. He was endeavoring, with loud cries,to prevent a number of men of his own class from carryinga large chest out of the house.

“What right have you to rob my master?”he shrieked indignantly. “I am the guardianof this house, and when my master left for Persia (maythe gods destroy that land!) he bade me take especialcare of this chest in which his manuscripts lay.”

“Compose yourself, old Hib!” shouted oneof these inferior priests, the same whose acquaintancewe made on the arrival of the Asiatic Embassy.“We are here in the name of the high-priest ofthe great Neith, your master’s master.There must be queer papers in this box, or Neithotepwould not have honored us with his commands to fetchthem.”

“But I will not allow my master’s papersto be stolen,” shrieked the old man. “Mymaster is the great physician Nebenchari, and I willsecure his rights, even if I must appeal to the kinghimself.”

“There,” cried the other, “thatwill do; out with the chest, you fellows. Carryit at once to the high-priest; and you, old man, woulddo more wisely to hold your tongue and remember thatthe high-priest is your master as well as mine.Get into the house as quick as you can, or to-morrowwe shall have to drag you off as we did the chest to-day!”So saying, he slammed the heavy door, the old manwas flung backward into the house and the crowd sawhim no more.

The Persians had watched this scene and obtained anexplanation of its meaning from their interpreter.Zopyrus laughed on hearing that the possessor of thestolen chest was the oculist Nebenchari, the same whohad been sent to Persia to restore the sight of theking’s mother, and whose grave, even morosetemper had procured him but little love at the courtof Cambyses.

Bartja wished to ask Amasis the meaning of this strangerobbery, but Gyges begged him not to interfere inmatters with which he had no concern. Just asthey reached the palace, and darkness, which in Egyptso quickly succeeds the daylight, was already stealingover the city, Gyges felt himself hindered from proceedingfurther by a firm hand on his robe, and perceiveda stranger holding his finger on his lips in tokenof silence.

“When can I speak with you alone and unobserved?”he whispered.

“What do you wish from me?”

“Ask no questions, but answer me quickly.By Mithras,” I have weighty matters to disclose.”

“You speak Persian, but your garments wouldproclaim you an Egyptian.”

“I am a Persian, but answer me quickly or weshall be noticed. When can I speak to you alone?”

“To-morrow morning.”

“That is too late.”

“Well then, in a quarter of an hour, when itis quite dark, at this gate of the palace.”

“I shall expect you.”

So saying the man vanished. Once within the palace,Gyges left Bartja and Zopyrus, fastened his swordinto his girdle, begged Darius to do the same andto follow him, and was soon standing again under thegreat portico with the stranger, but this time intotal darkness.

“Auramazda be praised that you are there!”cried the latter in Persian to the young Lydian; “butwho is that with you?”

“Darius, the son of Hystaspes, one of the Achaemenidae;and my friend.”

The stranger bowed low and answered, “It iswell, I feared an Egyptian had accompanied you.”

“No, we are alone and willing to hear you; butbe brief. Who are you and what do you want?”

“My name is Bubares. I served as a poorcaptain under the great Cyrus. At the takingof your father’s city, Sardis, the soldiers wereat first allowed to plunder freely; but on your wisefather’s representing to Cyrus that to plundera city already taken was an injury to the present,and not to the former, possessor, they were commandedon pain of death to deliver up their booty to theircaptains, and the latter to cause everything of worth,when brought to them, to be collected in the market-place.Gold and silver trappings lay there in abundance, costlyarticles of attire studded with precious stones . ..”

“Quick, quick, our time is short,” interruptedGyges.

“You are right. I must be more brief.By keeping for myself an ointment-box sparkling withjewels, taken from your father’s palace, I forfeitedmy life. Croesus, however, pleaded for me withhis conqueror Cyrus; my life and liberty were grantedme, but I was declared a dishonored man. Lifein Persia became impossible with disgrace lying heavilyon my soul; I took ship from Smyrna to Cyprus, enteredthe army there, fought against Amasis, and was broughthither by Phanes as a prisoner-of-war. Havingalways served as a horse-soldier, I was placed amongthose slaves who had charge of the king’s horses,and in six years became an overseer. Never haveI forgotten the debt of gratitude I owe to your father;and now my turn has come to render him a service.”

“The matter concerns my father? then speak—­tellme, I beseech you!”

“Immediately. Has Croesus offended thecrown prince?”

“Not that I am aware of.”

“Your father is on a visit to Rhodopis thisevening, at Naukratis?”

“How did you hear this?”

“From himself. I followed him to the boatthis morning and sought to cast myself at his feet.”

“And did you succeed?”

“Certainly. He spoke a few gracious wordswith me, but could not wait to hear what I would say,as his companions were already on board when he arrived.His slave Sandon, whom I know, told me that they weregoing to Naukratis, and would visit the Greek womanwhom they call Rhodopis.”

“He spoke truly.”

“Then you must speed to the rescue. Atthe time that the market-place was full.”

[The forenoon among the Greeks was regulatedby the business of the market. “Whenthe market-place begins to fill, when it is full,when it becomes empty.” It would be impossibleto define this division of time exactly accordingto our modern methods of computation, but it seemscertain that the market was over by the afternoon.The busiest hours were probably from 10 till 1.At the present day the streets of Athens are crowdedduring those hours; but in Summer from two to fouro’clock are utterly deserted.]

“Ten carriages and two boats, full of Ethiopiansoldiers under the command of an Egyptian captain,were sent off to Naukratis to surround the house ofRhodopis and make captives of her guests.”

“Ha, treachery!” exclaimed Gyges.

“But how can they wish to injure your father?”said Darius. “They know that the vengeanceof Cambyses—­”

“I only know,” repeated Bubares, “thatthis night the house of Rhodopis, in which your fatheris, will be surrounded by Ethiopian soldiers.I myself saw to the horses which transport them thitherand heard Pentaur, one of the crown-prince’sfan-bearers, call to them, ’Keep eyes and earsopen, and let the house of Rhodopis be surrounded,lest he should escape by the back door. If possiblespare his life, and kill him only if he resist.Bring him alive to Sais, and you shall receive twentyrings of gold.’”

[It is no longer a matter of question,that before the time of the Persians, and thereforeat this point of our history, no money had beencoined in Egypt. The precious metals were weighedout and used as money in the shape of rings, animals,etc. On many of the monuments we seepeople purchasing goods and weighing out the goldin payment; while others are paying their tributein gold rings. These rings were in use asa medium of payment up to the time of the Ptolemies.Pliny XXXIII. I. Balances with weights in theform of animals may be seen in Wilkinson.During the reigns of the Ptolemies many coins werestruck.]

“But could that allude to my father?”

“Certainly not,” cried Darius.

“It is impossible to say,” murmured Bubares.“In this country one can never know what mayhappen.”

“How long does it take for a good horse to reachNaukratis?”

“Three hours, if he can go so long, and theNile has not overflowed the road too much.”

“I will be there in two.”

“I shall ride with you,” said Darius.

“No, you must remain here with Zopyrus for Bartja’sprotection. Tell the servants to get ready.”

“But Gyges—­”

“Yes, you will stay here and excuse me to Amasis.Say I could not come to the evening revel on accountof headache, toothache, sickness, anything you like.”

“I shall ride Bartja’s Nicaean horse;and you, Bubares, will follow me on Darius’s.You will lend him, my brother?”

“If I had ten thousand, you should have themall.”

“Do you know the way to Naukratis, Bubares?”

“Blindfold.”

“Then go, Darius, and tell them to get yourhorse and Bartja’s ready! To linger wouldbe sin. Farewell Darius, perhaps forever!Protect Bartja! Once more, farewell!”

CHAPTER VIII.

It wanted two hours of midnight. Bright lightwas streaming through the open windows of Rhodopis’house, and sounds of mirth and gaiety fell on theear. Her table had been adorned with special carein Croesus’ honor.

On the cushions around it lay the guests with whomwe are already acquainted: Theodorus, Ibykus,Phanes, Aristomachus, the merchant Theopompus of Miletus,Croesus and others, crowned with chaplets of poplarand roses.

Theodorus the sculptor was speaking: “Egyptseems to me,” he said, “like a girl whopersists in wearing a tight and painful shoe only becauseit is of gold, while within her reach he beautifuland well-fitting slippers in which she could moveat ease, if she only would.”

“You refer to the Egyptians’ pertinacityin retaining traditional forms and customs?”asked Croesus.

“Certainly I do,” answered the sculptor.“Two centuries ago Egypt was unquestionablythe first of the nations. In Art and Science shefar excelled us; but we learnt their methods of working,improved on them, held firm to no prescribed proportions,but to the natural types alone, gave freedom and beautyto their unbending outlines, and now have left ourmasters far behind us. But how was this possible?simply because the Egyptians, bound by unalterablelaws, could make no progress; we, on the contrary,were free to pursue our course in the wide arena ofart as far as will and power would allow.”

“But how can an artist be compelled to fashionstatues alike, which are meant to differ from eachother in what they represent?”

“In this case that can be easily explained.The entire human body is divided by the Egyptiansinto 21 1/4 parts, in accordance with which divisionthe proportion of each separate limb is regulated.I, myself, have laid a wager with Amasis, in presenceof the first Egyptian sculptor, (a priest of Thebes),that, if I send my brother Telekles, in Ephesus, dimensions,proportion and attitude, according to the Egyptianmethod, he and I together can produce a statue whichshall look as if sculptured from one block and byone hand, though Telekles is to carve the lower halfat Ephesus, and I the upper here in Sais, and underthe eye of Amasis.”

[These numbers, and the story which immediatelyfollows, are taken from Diodorus I. 98. Platotells us that, in his time, a law existed bindingthe Egyptian artists to execute their works with exactlythe same amount of beauty or its reverse, as thosewhich had been made more than a thousand yearsbefore. This statement is confirmed by themonuments; but any one well acquainted with Egyptianart can discern a marked difference in the style ofeach epoch. At the time of the ancient kingdomthe forms were compressed and stunted; under SetiI. beauty of proportion reached its highest point.During, and after the 20th dynasty, the style declinedin beauty; in the 26th, under the descendants ofPsammetichus, we meet with a last revival of art,but the ancient purity of form was never againattained.]

“And shall you win your wager?”

“Undoubtedly. I am just going to beginthis trick of art; it will as little deserve the nameof a work of art, as any Egyptian statue.”

“And yet there are single sculptures here whichare of exquisite workmanship; such, for instance,as the one Amasis sent to Samos as a present to Polykrates.In Memphis I saw a statue said to be about three thousandyears old, and to represent a king who built the greatPyramid, which excited my admiration in every respect.With what certainty and precision that unusually hardstone has been wrought! the muscles, how carefullycarved! especially in the breast, legs and feet; theharmony of the features too, and, above all, the polishof the whole, leave nothing to be desired.”

“Unquestionably. In all the mechanism ofart, such as precision and certainty in working eventhe hardest materials, the Egyptians, though theyhave so long stood still in other points, are stillfar before us; but to model form with freedom, tobreathe, like Prometheus, a soul into the stone, theywill never learn until their old notions on this subjecthave been entirely abandoned. Even the pleasingvarieties of corporeal life cannot be representedby a system of mere proportions, much less those whichare inner and spiritual. Look at the countlessstatues which have been erected during the last threethousand years, in all the temples and palaces fromNaukratis up to the Cataracts. They are all of

one type, and represent men of middle age, with gravebut benevolent countenances. Yet they are intended,some as statues of aged monarchs, others to perpetuatethe memory of young princes. The warrior and thelawgiver, the blood-thirsty tyrant and the philanthropistare only distinguished from each other by a differencein size, by which the Egyptian sculptor expressesthe idea of power and strength. Amasis ordersa statue just as I should a sword. Breadth andlength being specified, we both of us know quite well,before the master has begun his work, what we shallreceive when it is finished. How could I possiblyfashion an infirm old man like an eager youth? a pugilistlike a runner in the foot-race? a poet like a warrior?Put Ibykus and our Spartan friend side by side, andtell me what you would say, were I to give to the sternwarrior the gentle features and gestures of our heart-ensnaringpoet.”

“Well, and how does Amasis answer your remarkson this stagnation in art?”

“He deplores it; but does not feel himself strongenough to abolish the restrictive laws of the priests.”

“And yet,” said the Delphian, “hehas given a large sum towards the embellishment ofour new temple, expressly, (I use his own words) forthe promotion of Hellenic art!”

“That is admirable in him,” exclaimedCroesus. “Will the Alkmaeonidae soon havecollected the three hundred talents necessary for thecompletion of the temple? Were I as rich as formerlyI would gladly undertake the entire cost; notwithstandingthat your malicious god so cruelly deceived me, afterall my offerings at his shrine. For when I sentto ask whether I should begin the war with Cyrus, hereturned this answer: I should destroy a mightykingdom by crossing the river Halys. I trustedthe god, secured the friendship of Sparta accordingto his commands, crossed the boundary stream, and,in so doing, did indeed destroy a mighty kingdom;not however that of the Medes and Persians, but myown poor Lydia, which, as a satrapy of Cambyses, findsits loss of independence a hard and uncongenial yoke.”

“You blame the god unjustly,” answeredPhryxus. It cannot be his fault that you, inyour human conceit, should have misinterpreted hisoracle. The answer did not say ‘the kingdomof Persia,’ but ‘a kingdom’ shouldbe destroyed through your desire for war. Whydid you not enquire what kingdom was meant? Wasnot your son’s fate truly prophesied by theoracle? and also that on the day of misfortune he wouldregain his speech? And when, after the fall ofSardis, Cyrus granted your wish to enquire at Delphiwhether the Greek gods made a rule of requiting theirbenefactors by ingratitude, Loxias answered that hehad willed the best for you, but was controlled bya mightier power than himself, by that inexorablefate which had foretold to thy great ancestor, thathis fifth successor was doomed to destruction.”

“In the first days of my adversity I neededthose words far more than now,” interruptedCroesus. “There was a time when I cursedyour god and his oracles; but later, when with myriches my flatterers had left me, and I became accustomedto pronounce judgment on my own actions, I saw clearlythat not Apollo, but my own vanity had been the causeof my ruin. How could ‘the kingdom to bedestroyed’ possibly mean mine, the mighty realmof the powerful Croesus, the friend of the gods, thehitherto unconquered leader? Had a friend hintedat this interpretation of the ambiguous oracle, Ishould have derided, nay, probably caused him to bepunished. For a despotic ruler is like a fierysteed; the latter endeavors to kick him who toucheshis wounds with intent to heal; the former punisheshim who lays a hand on the weak or failing points ofhis diseased mind. Thus I missed what, if myeyes had not been dazzled, I might easily have seen;and now that my vision is clearer, though I have nothingto lose, I am far more often anxious than in the dayswhen none could possibly lose more than I. In comparisonwith those days, Phryxus, I may be called a poor mannow, but Cambyses does not leave me to famish, andI can still raise a talent for your temple.”

Phryxus expressed his thanks, and Phanes remarked“The Alkmaeonida; will be sure to erect a beautifuledifice, for they are rich and ambitious, and desirousof gaining favor with the Amphiktyons, in order, bytheir aid, to overthrow the tyrants, secure to themselvesa higher position than that of the family to whichI belong, and with this, the guidance of state-affairs.”

“Is it true, as people say,” asked Ibykus,“that next to Agarista with whom Megakles receivedso rich a dowry, you, Croesus, have been the largestcontributor to the wealth of the Alkmaeonidae?”

“True enough,” answered Croesus laughing.

“Tell us the story, I beg,” said Rhodopis.

“Well,” answered Croesus, “Alkmaeonof Athens once appeared at my court; his cheerfulnessand cultivation pleased me well, and I retained himnear me for some time. One day I showed him mytreasure-chambers, at the sight of which he fell intodespair, called himself a common beggar and declaredthat one good handful of these precious things wouldmake him a happy man. I at once allowed him totake as much gold away as he could carry. Whatthink you did Alkaemmon on this? sent for high Lydianriding-boots, an apron and a basket, had the one securedbehind him, put the others on, and filled them allwith gold, till they could hold no more. Notcontent with this, he strewed gold-dust in his hairand beard and filled his mouth to that extent thathe appeared in the act of choking. In each handhe grasped a golden dish, and thus laden dragged himselfout of the treasure-house, falling exhausted as hecrossed the threshold. Never have I laughed soheartily as at this sight.”

“But did you grant him all these treasures?”said Rhodopis.

“Yes, yes, my friend; and did not think eventhen, that I had paid too dearly for the experiencethat gold can make fools even of clever men.”

“You were the most generous of monarchs,”cried Phanes.

“And make a tolerably contented beggar,”answered Croesus. “But tell me, Phryxus,how much has Amasis contributed to your collection?”

“He gave fifty tons of alum.”

“A royal gift!”

“And the prince Psamtik?”

“On my appealing to him by his father’smunificence, he turned his back on me, and answeredwith a bitter laugh: ’Collect money forthe destruction of your temple, and I am ready todouble my father’s donation!’”

“The wretch!”

“Say rather: the true Egyptian! to Psamtikeverything foreign is an abomination.”

“How much have the Greeks in Naukratis contributed?”

“Beside munificent private donations, each communityhas given twenty minae.”

“That is much.”

“Philoinus, the Sybarite, alone sent me a thousanddrachmm,” and accompanied his gift with a mostsingular epistle. May I read it aloud, Rhodopis?”

“Certainly,” answered she, “it willshow you that the drunkard has repented of his latebehaviour.”

The Delphian began: “Philoinus to Phryxus:It grieves me that at Rhodopis’ house the othernight I did not drink more; for had I done so I shouldhave lost consciousness entirely, and so have beenunable to offend even the smallest insect. Myconfounded abstemiousness is therefore to blame, thatI can no longer enjoy a place at the best table inall Egypt. I am thankful, however, to Rhodopisfor past enjoyment, and in memory of her gloriousroastbeef (which has bred in me the wish to buy hercook at any price) I send twelve large spits for roastingoxen,—­[Rhodopis is said to have sent sucha gift to Delphi. Herod.]—­and begthey may be placed in some treasure-house at Delphias an offering from Rhodopis. As for myself,being a rich man, I sign my name for a thousand drachmae,and beg that my gift may be publicly announced at thenext Pythian games. To that rude fellow, Aristomachusof Sparta, express my thanks for the effectual mannerin which he fulfilled my intention in coming to Egypt.I came hither for the purpose of having a tooth extractedby an Egyptian dentist said to take out teeth withoutcausing much pain.

[The Egyptian dentists must havebeen very skilful. Artificial
teeth have been discovered in thejaws of mummies. See Blumenbach
on the teeth of the ancient Egyptians,and on mummies.]

Aristomachus, however, knocked out the defective toothand so saved me from an operation, the thought ofwhich had often made me tremble. On recoveringconsciousness, I found that three teeth had been knockedinto my mouth, the diseased one and two others, whichthough healthy, would probably at some future timehave caused me pain. Salute Rhodopis and thehandsome Phanes from me. You I invite to an entertainmentat my house in Sybaris, this day year. We areaccustomed to issue invitations somewhat early, onaccount of my necessary preparations. I have causedthis epistle to be written by my slave Sophotatusin an adjoining chamber, as merely to behold the laborof writing causes cramp in my fingers.”

A burst of laughter arose at these words, but Rhodopissaid: “This letter gives me pleasure; itproves that Philoinus is not bad at heart. Broughtup a Sybarite.” . . . She was suddenly interruptedby the voice of a stranger, who had entered unperceived,and, after apologizing to the venerable hostess andher guests for appearing without invitation amongthem, continued thus: “I am Gyges the sonof Croesus; and it has not been merely for pastime,that I have ridden over from Sais in two hours lestI should arrive too late!”

“Menon, a cushion for our guest!” criedRhodopis. “Be welcome to my house and takesome repose after your wild, thoroughly Lydian, ride.”

“By the dog, Gyges!” exclaimed Croesus.

[An oath of Rhadamanthus used inorder to avoid mentioning the names
of the gods. Schol. Aristoph.Aves. 520.]

“What brings thee here at this hour? Ibegged thee not to quit Bartja’s side. . . . But how thou look’st! what is the matter? hasaught happened? speak, speak!”

In the first moment Gyges could not answer a word.To see his beloved father, for whose very life hehad been in such anxiety, a safe and happy guest atthis rich banquet, seemed to rob him of his speecha second time. At last, however, he was ableto say: “The gods be praised, my father,that I see thee safe once more! Think not I forsookmy post thoughtlessly. Alas! I am forcedto appear as a bird of evil omen in this cheerfulassembly. Know at once, ye guests, for I darenot lose time in preparing my words, that a treacherousassault awaits ye!”

They all sprang up as if struck by lightning.Aristomachus silently loosened his sword in its scabbard;Phanes extended his arms as if to discern whetherthe old athletic elasticity still dwelt there.

“What can it be?—­what is their design?”echoed from all sides.

“This house is surrounded by Ethiopian soldiers!”answered Gyges. “A faithful fellow confidedto me that the crown-prince had designs on one ofyour number; he was to be taken alive if possible,but killed if he resisted. Dreading lest thoushouldst be this victim, my father, I sped hither.The fellow had not lied. This house is surrounded.My horse shied on reaching your garden-gate, Rhodopis,jaded as he was. I dismounted, and could discernbehind every bush the glitter of weapons and the eagereyes of men lying in ambush. They allowed us,however, to enter unmolested.”

At this moment Knakias rushed in crying, “Importantnews! On my way to the Nile to fetch water withwhich to prepare the wine-cup, I have just met a manwho, in his haste, nearly ran over me.

[The water of the Nile has a very agreeableflavor. It is called by one traveller thechampagne among the waters. The ladies of theSultan’s harem send for this water even fromConstantinople, and the Arabs say, that if Mahomethad drunk thereof he would have desired to livefor ever.]

It was an Ethiop, one of Phanes’ boatmen, andhe tells that just as he sprang out of the boat tobathe, a royal bark came alongside and a soldier askedthe rest of the crew in whose service they were.On the helmsman answering, ‘in Phanes’service,’ the royal boat passed on slowly.He, however, (the rower who was bathing), seated himselfin fun on the rudder of the royal boat, and heardone Ethiopian soldier on board say to another, ’Keepthat craft well in sight; now we know where the birdsits, and it will be easy to catch him. Remember,Psamtik has promised us fifty gold rings if we bringthe Athenian to Sais dead or alive.’ Thisis the report of Sebek, who has been in your serviceseven years, O Phanes.”

To both these accounts Phanes listened calmly.Rhodopis trembled. Aristomachus exclaimed, “Nota hair of your head shall be touched, if Egypt perishfor it!” Croesus advised prudence. A tremendousexcitement had mastered the whole party.

At last Phanes broke silence, saying: “Reflectionis never more necessary than in a time of danger.I have thought the matter over, and see clearly thatescape will be difficult. The Egyptians will tryto get rid of me quietly. They know that I intendgoing on board a Phoecean trireme, which sets sailfor Sigeum at a very early hour to-morrow morning,and have therefore no time to lose, if they will seizeme. Your garden, Rhodopis, is entirely surrounded,and were I to remain here, your house would no longerbe respected as a sanctuary; it would be searched andI taken in it. There can be no doubt that a watchhas been set over the Phoecean ship also. Bloodshall not be shed in vain on my account.”

“But you dare not surrender!” cried Aristomachus.

“No, no, I have a plan,” shouted Theopompusthe Milesian merchant. “At sunrise to-morrowa ship sails for Miletus laden with Egyptian corn,but not from Naukratis, from Canopus. Take thenoble Persian’s horse and ride thither.We will cut a way for you through the garden.”

“But,” said Gyges, “our little bandis not strong enough to carry out such an attempt.We number in all ten men, and of these only three haveswords; our enemies, on the other hand, number at leasta hundred, and are armed to the teeth.”

“Lydian!” cried Aristomachus, “wertthou ten times more fainthearted than thou art, andwere our enemies double their number, I at least, willfight them!”

Phanes grasped his friend’s hand. Gygesturned pale. This brave warrior had called himfainthearted; and again he could find no words to answer;for at every stirring emotion his tongue failed him.Suddenly the blood mounted to his face; his wordscame quickly and with decision: “Athenian,follow me! and thou, Spartan, who art not wont to usewords heedlessly, call no man fainthearted again beforethou knowest him. Friends, Phanes is safe, Farewell,father!”

The remaining guests surveyed these two departingmen in silent wonder. As they stood there, silentlylistening, the sound of two horses galloping swiftlyaway fell on their ear, and after a longer intervala prolonged whistle from the Nile and a cry of distress.

“Where is Knakias?” said Rhodopis to oneof her slaves.

“He went into the garden with Phanes and thePersian,” was the answer, and as it was beingspoken, the old slave re-entered, pale and trembling.

“Have you seen my son?” cried Croesus.“Where is Phanes?”

“I was to bid you farewell from them both.”

“Then they are gone.—­Whither?How was it possible?” . . .

“The Athenian and the Persian,” beganthe slave, “had a slight dispute in the anteroom.This over, I was told to divest both of their robes.Phanes then put on the stranger’s trousers,coat and girdle; on his own curls he placed the pointedPersian cap. The stranger wrapped himself in theAthenian’s chiton and mantle, placed the goldencirclet above his brow, caused the hair to be shavedfrom his upper lip, and ordered me to follow him intothe garden. Phanes, whom in his present dress,none could imagine to be other than a Persian, mountedone of the horses still waiting before the gate; thestranger called after him, ’Farewell Gyges,farewell beloved Persian, a pleasant journey to thee,Gyges!’ The servant, who had been waiting, followedon the other horse. I could hear the clatterof arms among the bushes, but the Athenian was allowedto depart unmolested, the soldiers, without doubt,believing him to be a Persian.

“On returning to the house the stranger’sorders were: ’Accompany me to Phanes’bark, and cease not to call me by the Athenian’sname.’ ’But the boatmen will betrayyou,’ I said. ‘Then go alone to them,’he answered, ‘and command them to receive meas their master, Phanes.’ Then I prayedhim to allow me to take the dress of the fugitive andbecome a prey to the pursuers; but he would by nomeans allow this, and said my gait and carriage wouldbetray me. There alas! he spoke truly, for onlythe free man can walk erect; the neck of the slaveis bent; the schools in which the noble and the freebornlearn grace and beauty of movement are not for him.And so it must remain, the children must be even asthe fathers; can the unclean onion-root produce arose, or the unsightly radish a hyacinth? Constantbondage bows the neck of the slave, but the consciousnessof freedom gives dignity to the stature.”

“But what has become of my son?” interruptedCroesus.

“He would not accept my poor offer, and tookhis seat in the bark, sending a thousand greetingsunto thee, O king! I cried after him, ‘FarewellPhanes! I wish thee a prosperous journey, Phanes!’At that moment a cloud crossed the moon; and fromout the thick darkness I heard screams, and criesfor help; they did not, however, last long, a shrillwhistle followed, then all was silent; and the measured

strokes of oars were the only sounds that fell onmy ear. I was on the point of returning to relatewhat I had seen, when the boatman Sebek swam up oncemore and told as follows: The Egyptians had causeda leak to be made in Phanes’ boat, and at ashort distance from land it had filled and began tosink. On the boatmen crying for help, the royalbark, which was following, had come up and taken thesupposed Phanes on board, but had prevented the rowersfrom leaving their benches. They all went downwith the leaking boat, the daring Sebek alone excepted.Gyges is on board the royal boat; Phanes has escaped,for that whistle must have been intended for the soldiersin ambush at the garden-gate. I searched the bushes,the soldiers were gone, and I could hear the soundof their voices and weapons on their way back to Sais.”

The guests listened with eager attention to this tale.At its close a mingled feeling of relief and anxietywas felt by all; relief that their favorite companionhad escaped so fearful a danger, anxiety for the braveyoung Lydian who had risked his life to save him.They praised his generosity, congratulated Croesuson possessing such a son, and finally agreed in theconclusion, that, when the crown-prince discoveredthe error into which his emissaries had fallen, hemust certainly release Gyges, and even make him compensationfor what he had suffered at their hands.

The friendship already shown by Amasis, and the fearin which he evidently stood of the Persian power,were the thoughts which had power to calm Croesus,who soon left, in order to pass the night at the houseof Theopompus, the Milesian merchant. At parting,Aristomachus said: “Salute Gyges in myname; tell him I ask his forgiveness, and hope oneday either to enjoy his friendship, or, if that cannotbe, to meet him as a fair foe on the field of battle.”

“Who knows what the future may bring?”answered Croesus giving his hand to the Spartan.

CHAPTER IX.

The sun of a new day had risen over Egypt, but wasstill low in the east; the copious dew, which, onthe Nile, supplies the place of rain, lay sparklinglike jewels on the leaves and blossoms, and the morningair, freshened by a north-west wind, invited thoseto enjoy it who could not bear the heat of mid-day.

Through the door of the country-house, now so wellknown to us, two female figures have just passed;Melitta, the old slave, and Sappho, the grandchildof Rhodopis.

The latter is not less lovely now, than when we sawher last, asleep. She moves through the gardenwith a light quick step, her white morning robe withits wide sleeves falling in graceful drapery over herlithe limbs, the thick brown hair straying from beneaththe purple kerchief over her head, and a merry, roguishsmile lurking round her rosy mouth and in the dimplesof her cheeks and chin.

She stooped to pick a rose, dashed the dew from itinto the face of her old nurse, laughing at her naughtytrick till the clear bell-like tones rang throughthe garden; fixed the flower in her dress and beganto sing in a wonderfully rich and sweet voice—­

Cupidonce upon a bed
Ofroses laid his weary head;
Lucklessurchin! not to see
Withinthe leaves a slumbering bee.
Thebee awak’d—­with anger wild
Thebee awak’d, and stung the child.
Loudand piteous are his cries;
ToVenus quick he runs, he flies;
“Ohmother! I am wounded through—­
“Idie with pain—­in sooth I do!
“Stungby some little angry thing.
“Someserpent on a tiny wing,
“Abee it was—­for once, I know,
“Iheard a rustic call it so.”

“Isn’t that a very pretty song?”asked the laughing girl. “How stupid oflittle Eros to mistake a bee for a winged snake!Grandmother says that the great poet Anacreon wroteanother verse to this song, but she will not teachit me. Tell me, Melitta, what can there be inthat verse? There, you are smiling; dear, darlingMelitta, do sing me that one verse. Perhaps though,you don’t know it yourself? No? then certainlyyou can’t teach it me.”

“That is a new song,” answered the oldwoman, evading her darling’s question, “Ionly know the songs of the good old times. Buthark! did not you hear a knock at the gate?”

[The last lines which contain thepoint of this song are:

Thushe spoke, and she, the while,
Heardhim with a soothing smile;
Thensaid, “My infant, if so much
“Thoufeel the little wild bee’s touch,
“Howmust the heart, ah! Cupid be,
“Thehapless heart that’s stung by thee?”

—­Translation from oneof Anacreon’s songs]

“Yes, of course I did, and I think the soundof horses’ hoofs too. Go and see who seeksadmission so early. Perhaps, after all, our kindPhanes did not go away yesterday, and has come tobid us farewell once more.”

“Phanes is gone,” said Melitta, becomingserious, “and Rhodopis has ordered me to sendyou in when visitors arrive. Go child, that Imay open the gate. There, they have knocked again.”

Sappho pretended to run in, but instead of obeyingher nurse’s orders, stopped and hid herselfbehind a rose-bush, hoping to catch sight of theseearly guests. In the fear of needlessly distressingher, she had not been told of the events of the previousevening, and at this early hour could only expectto see some very intimate friend of her grandmother’s.

Melitta opened the gate and admitted a youth splendidlyapparelled, and with fair curling hair.

It was Bartja, and Sappho was so lost in wonder athis beauty, and the Persian dress, to her so strange,that she remained motionless in her hiding-place,her eyes fixed on his face. Just so she had picturedto herself Apollo with the beautiful locks, guidingthe sun-chariot.

As Melitta and the stranger came nearer she thrusther little head through the roses to hear what thehandsome youth was saying so kindly in his brokenGreek.

She heard him ask hurriedly after Croesus and hisson; and then, from Melitta’s answer, she gatheredall that had passed the evening before, trembled forPhanes, felt so thankful to the generous Gyges, andagain wondered who this youth in royal apparel couldpossibly be. Rhodopis had told her about Cyrus’sheroic deeds, the fall of Croesus and the power andwealth of the Persians, but still she had always fanciedthem a wild, uncultivated people. Now, however,her interest in Persia increased with every look atthe handsome Bartja. At last Melitta went in towake her grandmother and announce the guest, and Sapphotried to follow her, but Eros, the foolish boy whoseignorance she had been mocking a moment before, hadother intentions. Her dress caught in the thorns,and before she could disengage it, the beautiful Bartjawas standing before her, helping her to get free fromthe treacherous bush.

Sappho could not speak a word even of thanks; sheblushed deeply, and stood smiling and ashamed, withdowncast eyes.

Bartja, too, generally so full of fun and spirit,looked down at her without speaking, the color mountingto his cheeks.

The silence, however, did not last long, for Sappho,recovering from her fright, burst into a laugh ofchildish delight at the silent stranger and the oddscene, and fled towards the house like a timid fawn.

In a moment Bartja was himself again; in two strideshe reached the young girl, quick as thought seizedher hand and held it fast, notwithstanding all herstruggles.

“Let me go!” she cried half in earnestand half laughing, raising her dark eyes appealinglyto him.

“Why should I?” he answered. “Itook you from the rose-bush and shall hold you fastuntil you give me your sister there, the other rose,from your bosom, to take home with me as a keepsake.”

“Please let me go,” repeated Sappho, “Iwill promise nothing unless you let my hand go.”

“But if I do, you will not run away again?”

“Certainly not.”

“Well, then, I will give you your liberty, butnow you must give me your rose.”

“There are plenty on the bush yonder, and morebeautiful ones; choose whichever you like. Whydo you want just this one?”

“To keep it carefully in remembrance of themost beautiful maiden I ever saw.”

“Then I shall certainly not give it to you;for those are not my real friends who tell me I ambeautiful, only those who tell me I am good.”

“Where did you learn that?”

“From my grandmother Rhodopis.”

“Very well, then I will tell you you are betterthan any other maiden in the whole world.”

“How can you say such things, when you don’tknow me at all? Oh, sometimes I am very naughtyand disobedient. If I were really good I shouldbe indoors now instead of talking to you here.My grandmother has forbidden me ever to stay in thegarden when visitors are here, and indeed I don’tcare for all those strange men who always talk aboutthings I cannot understand.”

“Then perhaps you would like me to go away too?”

“Oh no, I can understand you quite well; thoughyou cannot speak half so beautifully as our poor Phanesfor example, who was obliged to escape so miserablyyesterday evening, as I heard Melitta saying just thisminute.”

“Did you love Phanes?”

“Love him? Oh yes,—­I was veryfond of him. When I was little he always broughtme balls, dolls ninepins from Memphis and Sais; andnow that I am older he teaches me beautiful new songs.”

[Jointed dolls for children.Wilkinson ii. 427. Note 149. In the
Leyden Museum one of these jointedtoys is to be seen, in very good
preservation.]

“As a parting gift he brought me a tiny Sicilianlapdog, which I am going to call Argos, because heis so white and swiftfooted. But in a few dayswe are to have another present from the good Phanes,for. . . . There, now you can see what I am;I was just going to let out a great secret. Mygrandmother has strictly forbidden me to tell any onewhat dear little visitors we are expecting; but Ifeel as if I had known you a long time already, andyou have such kind eyes that I could tell you everything.You see, when I am very happy, I have no one in thewhole world to talk to about it, except old Melittaand my grandmother, and, I don’t know how itis, that, though they love me so much, they sometimescannot understand how trifles can make me so happy.”

“That is because they are old, and have forgottenwhat made them happy in their youth. But haveyou no companions of your own age that you are fondof?”

“Not one. Of course there are many otheryoung girls beside me in Naukratis, but my grandmothersays I am not to seek their acquaintance, and if theywill not come to us I am not to go to them.”

“Poor child! if you were in Persia, I couldsoon find you a friend. I have a sister calledAtossa, who is young and good, like you.”

“Oh, what a pity that she did not come herewith you!—­But now you must tell me yourname.”

“My name is Bartja.”

“Bartja! that is a strange name! Bartja-Bartja.Do you know, I like it. How was the son of Croesuscalled, who saved our Phanes so generously?”

“Gyges. Darius, Zopyrus and he are my bestfriends. We have sworn never to part, and togive up our lives for one another,” and thatis why I came to-day, so early and quite in secret,to help my friend Gyges, in case he should need me.”

“Then you rode here for nothing.”

“No, by Mithras, that indeed I did not, forthis ride brought me to you. But now you musttell me your name.”

“I am called Sappho.”

“That is a pretty name, and Gyges sings me sometimesbeautiful songs by a poetess called Sappho. Areyou related to her?”

“Of course. She was the sister of my grandfatherCharaxus, and is called the tenth muse or the Lesbianswan. I suppose then, your friend Gyges speaksGreek better than you do?”

“Yes, he learnt Greek and Lydian together asa little child, and speaks them both equally well.He can speak Persian too, perfectly; and what is more,he knows and practises all the Persian virtues.”

“Which are the highest virtues then accordingto you Persians?”

“Truth is the first of all; courage the second,and the third is obedience; these three, joined withveneration for the gods, have made us Persians great.”

“But I thought you worshipped no gods?”

“Foolish child! who could live without a god,without a higher ruler? True, they do not dwellin houses and pictures like the gods of the Egyptians,for the whole creation is their dwelling. TheDivinity, who must be in every place, and must seeand hear everything, cannot be confined within walls.”

“Where do you pray then and offer sacrifice,if you have no temples?”

“On the grandest of all altars, nature herself;our favorite altar is the summit of a mountain.There we are nearest to our own god, Mithras, themighty sun, and to Auramazda, the pure creative light;for there the light lingers latest and returns earliest.”

[From Herodotus (I. 131 and 132.), andfrom many other sources, we see clearly that atthe time of the Achaemenidae the Persians had neithertemples nor images of their gods. Auramazda andAngramainjus, the principles of good and evil, wereinvisible existences filling all creation withtheir countless train of good and evil spirits.Eternity created fire and water. From these Ormusd(Auramazda), the good spirit, took his origin.He was brilliant as the light, pure and good.After having, in the course of 12000 years, createdheaven, paradise and the stars, he became awareof the existence of an evil spirit, Ahriman (Angramainjus),black, unclean, malicious and emitting an evil odor.Ormusd determined on his destruction, and a fiercestrife began, in which Ormusd was the victor, andthe evil spirit lay 3000 years unconscious fromthe effects of terror. During this interval Ormusdcreated the sky, the waters, the earth, all usefulplants, trees and herbs, the ox and the first pairof human beings in one year. Ahriman, afterthis, broke loose, and was overcome but not slain.As, after death, the four elements of which allthings are composed, Earth, Air, Fire and Water,become reunited with their primitive elements;and as, at the resurrection-day, everything that hasbeen severed combines once more, and nothing returnsinto oblivion, all is reunited to its primitiveelements, Ahriman could only have been slain ifhis impurity could have been transmuted into purity,his darkness into light. And so evil continuedto exist, and to produce impurity and evil whereverand whenever the good spirit created the pure andgood. This strife must continue until the lastday; but then Ahriman, too, will become pure andholy; the Diws or Daewa (evil spirits) will haveabsorbed his evil, and themselves have ceased toexist. For the evil spirits which dwell in everyhuman being, and are emanations from Ahriman, willbe destroyed in the punishment inflicted on menafter death. From Vuller’s Ulmai Islamand the Zend-Avesta.]

“Light alone is pure and good; darkness is uncleanand evil. Yes, maiden, believe me, God is nearestto us on the mountains; they are his favorite resting-place.Have you never stood on the wooded summit of a highmountain, and felt, amid the solemn silence of nature,the still and soft, but awful breath of Divinity hoveringaround you? Have you prostrated yourself in thegreen forest, by a pure spring, or beneath the opensky, and listened for the voice of God speaking fromamong the leaves and waters? Have you beheldthe flame leaping up to its parent the sun, and bearingwith it, in the rising column of smoke, our prayersto the radiant Creator? You listen now in wonder,but I tell you, you would kneel and worship too withme, could I but take you to one of our mountain-altars.”

“Oh! if I only could go there with you! if Imight only once look down from some high mountainover all the woods and meadows, rivers and valleys.I think, up there, where nothing could be hidden frommy eyes, I should feel like an all-seeing Divinitymyself. But hark, my grandmother is calling.I must go.”

“Oh, do not leave me yet!”

“Is not obedience one of the Persian virtues?”

“But my rose?”

“Here it is.”

“Shall you remember me?”

“Why should I not?”

“Sweet maiden, forgive me if I ask one morefavor.”

“Yes, but ask it quickly, for my grandmotherhas just called again.”

“Take my diamond star as a remembrance of thishour.”

“No, I dare not.”

“Oh, do, do take it. My father gave itme as a reward, the first time that I killed a bearwith my own hand, and it has been my dearest treasuretill to-day, but now you shall have it, for you aredearer to me than anything else in the world.”

Saying this, he took the chain and star from his breast,and tried to hang it round Sappho’s neck.She resisted, but Bartja threw his arms round her,kissed her forehead, called her his only love, andlooking down deep into the eyes of the trembling child,placed it round her neck by gentle force.

Rhodopis called a third time. Sappho broke fromthe young prince’s embrace, and was runningaway, but turned once more at his earnest entreatyand the question, “When may I see you again?”and answered softly, “To-morrow morning at thisrose-bush.”

“Which held you fast to be my friend.”

Sappho sped towards the house. Rhodopis receivedBartja, and communicated to him all she knew of hisfriend’s fate, after which the young Persiandeparted for Sais.

When Rhodopis visited her grandchild’s bed thatevening, she did not find her sleeping peacefullyas usual; her lips moved, and she sighed deeply, asif disturbed by vexing dreams.

On his way back, Bartja met Darius and Zopyrus, whohad followed at once on hearing of their friend’ssecret departure. They little guessed that insteadof encountering an enemy, Bartja had met his firstlove. Croesus reached Sais a short time beforethe three friends. He went at once to the kingand informed him without reserve of the events of thepreceding evening. Amasis pretended much surpriseat his son’s conduct, assured his friend thatGyges should be released at once, and indulged in someironical jokes at the discomfiture of Psamtik’sattempt to revenge himself.

Croesus had no sooner quitted the king than the crown-princewas announced.

CHAPTER X.

Amasis received his son with a burst of laughter,and without noticing Psamtik’s pale and troubledcountenance, shouted: “Did not I tell thee,that a simple Egyptian would find it no easy task tocatch such a Greek fox? I would have given tencities to have been by, when thy captive proved tobe the stammering Lydian instead of the voluble Athenian.”

Psamtik grew paler and paler, and trembling with rage,answered in a suppressed voice: “Is itwell, my father, thus to rejoice at an affront offeredto thy son? I swear, by the eternal gods, thatbut for Cambyses’ sake that shameless Lydianhad not seen the light of another day. But whatis it to thee, that thy son becomes a laughing-stockto these beggarly Greeks!”

“Abuse not those who have outwitted thee.”

“Outwitted! my plan was so subtly laid, that. . .

“The finer the web, the sooner broken.”

“That that intriguing Greek could not possiblyhave escaped, if, in violation of all establishedprecedents; the envoy of a foreign power had not takenit upon himself to rescue a man whom we had condemned.”

“There thou art in error, my son. We arenot speaking of the execution of a judicial sentence,but of the success or failure of an attempt at personalrevenge.”

“The agents employed were, however, commissionedby the king, and therefore the smallest satisfactionthat I can demand of thee, is to solicit from Cambysesthe punishment of him who has interfered in the executionof the royal decrees. In Persia, where men bowto the king’s will as to the will of a god,this crime will be seen in all its heinousness.The punishment of Gyges is a debt which Cambyses owesus.”

“But I have no intention of demanding the paymentof this debt,” answered Amasis. “Onthe contrary, I am thankful that Phanes has escaped.Gyges has saved my soul from the guilt of sheddinginnocent blood, and thine from the reproach of havingrevenged thyself meanly on a man, to whom thy fatheris indebted.”

“Wilt thou then conceal the whole affair fromCambyses?”

“No, I shall mention it jestingly in a letter,as my manner is, and at the same time caution himagainst Phanes. I shall tell him that he hasbarely escaped my vengeance, and will therefore certainlyendeavor to stir up the power of Persia against Egypt;and shall entreat my future son-in-law to close hisears to this false accuser. Croesus and Gygescan help us by their friendship more than Phanes caninjure by his hatred.”

“Is this then thy final resolve? Can Iexpect no satisfaction?”

“None. I abide by what I have said.”

“Then tremble, not alone before Phanes, butbefore another—­before one who holds theein his power, and who himself is in ours.”

“Thou thinkest to alarm me; thou wouldst rendthe bond formed only yesterday? Psamtik, Psamtik,I counsel thee to remember, that thou standest beforethy father and thy king.”

“And thou, forget not that I am thy son!If thou compell’st me to forget that the godsappointed thee to be my father—­if I canhope for no help from thee, then I will resort tomy own weapons.”

“I am curious to learn what these may be.”

“And I need not conceal them. Know thenthat the oculist Nebenchari is in our power.”

Amasis turned pale.

“Before thou couldst possibly imagine that Cambyseswould sue for the hand of thy daughter, thou sentestthis man to the distant realm of Persia, in orderto rid thyself of one who shared thy knowledge of thereal descent of my, so-called, sister Nitetis.He is still there, and at a hint from the priestswill disclose to Cambyses that he has been deceived,and that thou hast ventured to send him, instead ofthine own, the child of thy dethroned predecessorHophra. All Nebenchari’s papers are inour possession, the most important being a letter inthine own hand promising his father, who assistedat Nitetis’ birth, a thousand gold rings, asan inducement to secrecy even from the priests.”

“In whose hands are these papers?” askedAmasis in a freezing tone.

“In the hands of the priesthood.”

“Who speak by thy mouth?”

“Thou hast said it.”

“Repeat then thy requests.”

“Entreat Cambyses to punish Gyges, and grantme free powers to pursue the escaped Phanes as itshall seem good in mine eyes.”

“Is that all?”

“Bind thyself by a solemn oath to the priests,that the Greeks shall be prevented from erecting anymore temples to their false gods in Egypt, and thatthe building of the temple to Apollo, in Memphis, shallbe discontinued.”

“I expected these demands. The priestshave discovered a sharp weapon to wield against me.Well, I am prepared to yield to the wishes of my enemies,with whom thou hast leagued thyself, but only on twoconditions. First, I insist that the letter,which I confess to have written to the father of Nebenchariin a moment of inconsideration, be restored to me.If left in the hands of thy party, it could reduceme from a king to the contemptible slave of priestlyintrigue.”

“That wish is reasonable. The letter shallbe returned to thee, if. . . . "

“Not another if! on the contrary, know thatI consider thy petition for the punishment of Gygesso imprudent, that I refuse to grant it. Nowleave me and appear not again before mine eyes untilI summon thee! Yesterday I gained a son, onlyto lose him to-day. Rise! I demand no tokensof a love and humility, which thou hast never felt.Go to the priests when thou needest comfort and counsel,and see if they can supply a father’s place.Tell Neithotep, in whose hands thou art as wax, thathe has found the best means of forcing me to grantdemands, which otherwise I should have refused.Hitherto I have been willing to make every sacrificefor the sake of upholding Egypt’s greatness;but now, when I see that, to attain their own ends,the priests can strive to move me by the threat oftreachery to their own country, I feel inclined toregard this privileged caste as a more dangerous enemyto Egypt, than even the Persians. Beware, beware!This once, having brought danger upon Egypt throughmy own fatherly weakness, I give way to the intriguesof my enemies; but, for the future, I swear by thegreat goddess Neith, that men shall see and feel Iam king; the entire priesthood shall be sacrificedrather than the smallest fraction of my royal will!Silence—­depart!”

The prince left, but this time a longer interval wasnecessary, before the king could regain even outwardcheerfulness sufficient to enable him to appear beforehis guests.

Psamtik went at once to the commander of the nativetroops, ordered him to banish the Egyptian captainwho had failed in executing his revengeful plans,to the quarries of Thebais, and to send the Ethiopiansback to their native country. He then hurriedto the high-priest of Neith, to inform him how muchhe had been able to extort from the king,

Neithotep shook his head doubtfully on hearing ofAmasis’ threats, and dismissed the prince witha few words of exhortation, a practice he never omitted.

Psamtik returned home, his heart oppressed and hismind clouded with a sense of unsatisfied revenge,of a new and unhappy rupture with his father, a fearof foreign derision, a feeling of his subjection tothe will of the priests, and of a gloomy fate whichhad hung over his head since his birth.

His once beautiful wife was dead; and, of five bloomingchildren, only one daughter remained to him, and alittle son, whom he loved tenderly, and to whom inthis sad moment he felt drawn. For the blue eyesand laughing mouth of his child were the only objectsthat ever thawed this man’s icy heart, and fromthese he now hoped for consolation and courage onhis weary road through life.

“Where is my son?” he asked of the firstattendant who crossed his path.

“The king has just sent for the Prince Nechoand his nurse,” answered the man.

At this moment the high-steward of the prince’shousehold approached, and with a low obeisance deliveredto Psamtik a sealed papyrus letter, with the words:“From your father, the king.”

In angry haste he broke the yellow wax of the sealbearing the king’s name, and read: “Ihave sent for thy son, that he may not become, likehis father, a blind instrument in the hands of thepriesthood, forgetful of what is due to himself andhis country. His education shall be my care,for the impressions of childhood affect the whole ofa man’s later life. Thou canst see himif thou wilt, but I must be acquainted with thy intentionbeforehand.”

[Signet rings were worn by the Egyptiansat a very early period. Thus, in Genesis 41.42., Pharaoh puts his ring on Joseph’s hand.In the Berlin Museum and all other collections ofEgyptian antiquities, numbers of these rings areto be found, many of which are more than 4000 yearsold.]

Psamtik concealed his indignation from the surroundingattendants with difficulty. The mere wish ofa royal father had, according to Egyptian custom,as much weight as the strictest command. Afterreflecting a few moments, he called for huntsmen,dogs, bows and lances, sprang into a light chariotand commanded the charioteer to drive him to the westernmarshes, where, in pursuing the wild beasts of thedesert, he could forget the weight of his own caresand wreak on innocent creatures his hitherto baffledvengeance.

Gyges was released immediately after the conversationbetween his father and Amasis, and welcomed with acclamationsof joy by his companions. The Pharaoh seemeddesirous of atoning for the imprisonment of his friend’sson by doubling his favors, for on the same day Gygesreceived from the king a magnificent chariot drawnby two noble brown steeds, and was begged to takeback with him to Persia a curiously-wrought set ofdraughts, as a remembrance of Sais. The separatepieces were made of ebony and ivory, some being curiouslyinlaid with sentences, in hieroglyphics of gold andsilver.

Amasis laughed heartily with his friends at Gyges’artifice, allowed the young heroes to mix freely withhis family, and behaved towards them himself as ajovial father towards his merry sons. That theancient Egyptian was not quite extinguished in himcould only be discerned at meal-times, when a separatetable was allotted to the Persians. The religionof his ancestors would have pronounced him defiled,had he eaten at the same table with men of anothernation.

[Herodotus ii. 41. says that theEgyptians neither kissed, nor ate out of the samedish with foreigners, nay, indeed, that they refusedto touch meat, in the cutting up of which the knifeof a Greek had been used. Nor were the lesserdynasties of the Delta allowed, according to theStela of Pianchi, to cross the threshold of the Pharaohsbecause they were unclean and ate fish. In thebook of Genesis, the brethren of Joseph were notallowed to eat bread with the Egyptians.]

When Amasis, at last, three days after the releaseof Gyges, declared that his daughter Nitetis wouldbe prepared to depart for Asia in the course of twomore weeks, all the Persians regretted that their stayin Egypt was so near its close.

Croesus had enjoyed the society of the Samian poetsand sculptors. Gyges had shared his father’spreference for Greek art and artists. Darius,who had formerly studied astronomy in Babylon, wasone evening observing the heavens, when, to his surprise,he was addressed by the aged Neithotep and invitedto follow him on to the temple-roof. Darius, evereager to acquire knowledge, did not wait to be askedtwice, and was to be found there every night in earnestattention to the old priest’s lessons.

On one occasion Psamtik met him thus with his master,and asked the latter what could have induced him toinitiate a Persian in the Egyptian mysteries.

“I am only teaching him,” answered thehigh-priest, “what is as well known to everylearned Chaldee in Babylon as to ourselves, and amthereby gaining the friendship of a man, whose starsas far outshine those of Cambyses as the sun outshinesthe moon. This Darius, I tell thee, will be amighty ruler. I have even seen the beams of hisplanet shining over Egypt. The truly wise manextends his gaze into the future, regards the objectslying on either side of his road, as well as the roaditself. Thou canst not know in which of the manyhouses by which thou passest daily, a future benefactormay not have been reared for thee. Leave noughtunnoticed that lies in thy path, but above all directthy gaze upward to the stars. As the faithfuldog lies in wait night after night for thieves, sohave I watched these pilgrims of the heavens fiftyyears long—­these foretellers of the fatesof men, burning in ethereal space, and announcing,not only the return of summer and winter, but the arrivalof good and bad fortune, honor and disgrace. Theseare the unerring guides, who have pointed out to mein Darius a plant, that will one day wax into a mightytree.”

To Bartja, Darius’ nightly studies were especiallywelcome; they necessitated more sleep in the morning,and so rendered Bartja’s stolen early ridesto Naukratis, (on which Zopyrus, to whom he had confidedhis secret, accompanied him), easier of accomplishment.During the interviews with Sappho, Zopyrus and theattendants used all their endeavors to kill a fewsnipes, jackals or jerboas. They could then, ontheir return, maintain to their Mentor Croesus, thatthey had been pursuing fieldsports, the favorite occupationof the Persian nobility.

The change which the power of a first love had wroughtin the innermost character of Bartja, passed unnoticedby all but Tachot, the daughter of Amasis. Fromthe first day on which they had spoken together shehad loved him, and her quick feelings told her atonce that something had happened to estrange him fromherself. Formerly his behavior had been thatof a brother, and he had sought her companionship;but now he carefully avoided every approach to intimacy,for he had guessed her secret and felt as if evena kind look would have been an offence against hisloyalty to Sappho.

In her distress at this change Tachot confided hersorrows to Nitetis. The latter bade her takecourage, and the two girls built many a castle inthe air, picturing to themselves the happiness of beingalways together at one court, and married to two royalbrothers. But as the days went by, the visitsof the handsome prince became more and more rare, andwhen he did come, his behavior to Tachot was cold anddistant. Yet the poor girl could not but confessthat Bartja had grown handsomer and more manly duringhis stay in Egypt. An expression of proud andyet gentle consciousness lay beaming in his largeeyes, and a strange dreamy air of rest often tookthe place of his former gay spirits. His cheekshad lost their brilliant color, but that added tohis beauty, while it lessened hers, who, like him,became paler from day to day.

Melitta, the old slave, had taken the lovers underher protection. She had surprised them one morning,but the prince had given her such rich presents, andher darling had begged, flattered and coaxed so sweetly,that at last Melitta promised to keep their secret,and later, yielding to that natural impulse whichmoves all old women to favor lovers, had even giventhem every assistance in her power. She alreadysaw her “sweet child” mistress of a hemisphere,often addressed her as “my Princess” and“my Queen” when none were by to hear, andin many a weak moment imagined a brilliant futurefor herself in some high office at the Persian court.

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A kind word hath farmore power than an angry one
Abuse not those whohave outwitted thee
Cannot understand howtrifles can make me so happy
Confess I would ratherprovoke a lioness than a woman
Curiosity is a woman’svice
I cannot. . . . Say rather: I will not
In this immense templeman seemed a dwarf in his own eyes
Know how to honor beauty;and prove it by taking many wives
Mosquito-tower withwhich nearly every house was provided
Natural impulse whichmoves all old women to favor lovers
Sent for a second interpreter
Sing their libels onwomen (Greek Philosophers)
Those are not my realfriends who tell me I am beautiful
Young Greek girls passtheir sad childhood in close rooms

AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.

By Georg Ebers

Volume 4.

CHAPTER XI.

Three days before the time fixed for the departureof Nitetis, Rhodopis had invited a large number ofguests to her house at Naukratis, amongst whom Croesusand Gyges were included.

The two lovers had agreed to meet in the garden, protectedby the darkness and the old slave, while the guestswere occupied at the banquet. Melitta, therefore,having convinced herself that the guests were thoroughlyabsorbed in conversation, opened the garden-gate,admitted the prince, brought Sappho to him, and thenretired, promising to warn them of any intruder byclapping her hands.

“I shall only have you near me three days longer,”whispered Sappho. “Do you know, sometimesit seems to me as if I had only seen you yesterdayfor the first time; but generally I feel as if youhad belonged to me for a whole eternity, and I hadloved you all my life.”

“To me too it seems as if you had always beenmine, for I cannot imagine how I could ever have existedwithout you. If only the parting were over andwe were together again!”

“Oh, believe me, that will pass more quicklythan you fancy. Of course it will seem long towait—­very long; but when it is over, andwe are together again, I think it will seem as ifwe had never been parted. So it has been withme every day. How I have longed for the morningto come and bring you with it! but when it came andyou were sitting by my side, I felt as if I had hadyou all the time and your hand had never left my head.”

“And yet a strange feeling of fear comes overme, when I think of our parting hour.”

“I do not fear it so very much. I knowmy heart will bleed when you say farewell, but I amsure you will come back and will not have forgottenme. Melitta wanted to enquire of the Oracle whetheryou would remain faithful; and to question an oldwoman who has just come from Phrygia and can conjureby night from drawn cords, with incense, styrax, moon-shapedcakes, and wild-briar leaves; but I would have noneof this, for my heart knows better than the Pythia,the cords, or the smoke of sacrifice, that you willbe true to me, and love me always.”

“And your heart speaks the truth.”

“But I have sometimes been afraid; and haveblown into a poppy-leaf, and struck it, as the younggirls here do. If it broke with a loud crack Iwas very happy, and cried, ‘Ah! he will not forget!’but if the leaf tore without a sound I felt sad.I dare say I did this a hundred times, but generallythe leaf gave the wished-for sound, and I had muchoftener reason to be joyful than sad.”

“May it be ever thus!”

“It must be! but dearest, do not speak so loudly;I see Knakias going down to the Nile for water andhe will hear us.”

“Well, I will speak low. There, I willstroke back your silky hair and whisper in your ear‘I love you.’ Could you understand?”

“My grandmother says that it is easy to understandwhat we like to hear; but if you had just whispered,‘I hate you,’ your eyes would have toldme with a thousand glad voices that you loved me.Silent eyes are much more eloquent than all the tonguesin the world.”

“If I could only speak the beautiful Greek languageas you do, I would..”

“Oh, I am so glad you cannot, for if you couldtell me all you feel, I think you would not look intomy eyes so lovingly. Words are nothing.Listen to the nightingale yonder! She never hadthe gift of speech and yet I think I can understandher.”

“Will you confide her secret to me? I shouldlike to know what Gulgul, as we Persians call thenightingale, has to talk about to her mate in therose-bush. May you betray her secret?”

“I will whisper it softly. Philomel singsto her mate ‘I love thee,’ and he answers,(don’t you hear him?), ‘Itys, ito, itys.’”

“And what does that mean, ‘Ito, ito?’”

“I accept it.”

“And Itys?”

“Oh, that must be explained, to be rightly understood.Itys is a circle; and a circle, I was always taught,is the symbol of eternity, having neither beginningnor end; so the nightingale sings, ’I acceptit for eternity.’”

“And if I say to you, ‘I love thee?’”

“Then I shall answer gladly, like the sweetnightingale, ’I accept it for to-day, to-morrow,for all eternity!’”

“What a wonderful night it is! everything sostill and silent; I do not even hear the nightingalenow; she is sitting in the acacia-tree among the bunchesof sweet blossoms. I can see the tops of the palm-treesin the Nile, and the moon’s reflection betweenthem, glistening like a white swan.”

“Yes, her rays are over every living thing likesilver fetters, and the whole world lies motionlessbeneath them like a captive woman. Happy as Ifeel now, yet I could not even laugh, and still lessspeak in a loud voice.”

“Then whisper, or sing!”

“Yes, that is the best. Give me a lyre.Thank you. Now I will lean my head on your breast,and sing you a little, quiet, peaceful song. Itwas written by Alkman, the Lydian, who lived in Sparta,in praise of night and her stillness. You mustlisten though, for this low, sweet slumber-song mustonly leave the lips like a gentle wind. Do notkiss me any more, please, till I have finished; thenI will ask you to thank me with a kiss:

“Now o’erthe drowsy earth still night prevails,
Calm sleep the mountaintops and shady vales,
The rugged cliffs andhollow glens;

The wild beasts slumberin their dens;
The cattle on the bill.Deep in the sea
The countless finnyrace and monster brood
Tranquil repose.Even the busy bee
Forgets her daily toil.The silent wood
No more with noisy humof insect rings;
And all the featheredtribe, by gentle sleep subdued,
Roost in the glade andhang their drooping wings.”
—­Translationby Colonel Mure.

“Now, dearest, where is my kiss?”

“I had forgotten it in listening, just as beforeI forgot to listen in kissing.”

“You are too bad. But tell me, is not mysong lovely?”

“Yes, beautiful, like everything else you sing.”

“And the Greek poets write?”

“Yes, there you are right too, I admit.”

“Are there no poets in Persia?”

“How can you ask such a question? How coulda nation, who despised song, pretend to any nobilityof feeling?”

“But you have some very bad customs.”

“Well?”

“You take so many wives.”

“My Sappho . . .”

“Do not misunderstand me. I love you somuch, that I have no other wish than to see you happyand be allowed to be always with you. If, by takingme for your only wife, you would outrage the laws ofyour country, if you would thereby expose yourselfto contempt, or even blame, (for who could dare todespise my Bartja!) then take other wives; but letme have you, for myself alone, at least two, or perhapseven three years. Will you promise this, Bartja?”

“I will.”

“And then, when my time has passed, and youmust yield to the customs of your country (for itwill not be love that leads you to bring home a secondwife), then let me be the first among your slaves.Oh! I have pictured that so delightfully to myself.When you go to war I shall set the tiara on your head,gird on the sword, and place the lance in your hand;and when you return a conqueror, I shall be the firstto crown you with the wreath of victory. Whenyou ride out to the chase, mine will be the duty ofbuckling on your spurs, and when you go to the banquet,of adorning and anointing you, winding the garlandsof poplar and roses and twining them around your foreheadand shoulders. If wounded, I will be your nurse;will never stir from your side if you are ill, andwhen I see you happy will retire, and feast my eyesfrom afar on your glory and happiness. Then perchanceyou will call me to your side, and your kiss willsay, ‘I am content with my Sappho, I love herstill.’”

“O Sappho, wert thou only my wife now!—­to-day!The man who possesses such a treasure as I have inthee, will guard it carefully, but never care to seekfor others which, by its side, can only show theirmiserable poverty. He who has once loved thee,can never love another: I know it is the customin my country to have many wives, but this is onlyallowed; there is no law to enjoin it. My fatherhad, it is true, a hundred female slaves, but onlyone real, true wife, our mother Kassandane.”

“And I will be your Kassandane.”

“No, my Sappho, for what you will be to me,no woman ever yet was to her husband.”

“When shall you come to fetch me?”

“As soon as I can, and am permitted to do so.”

“Then I ought to be able to wait patiently.”

“And shall I ever hear from you?”

“Oh, I shall write long, long letters, and chargeevery wind with loving messages for you.”

“Yes, do so, my darling; and as to the letters,give them to the messenger who will bring Nitetistidings from Egypt from time to time.”

“Where shall I find him?”

“I will see that a man is stationed at Naukratis,to take charge of everything you send to him.All this I will settle with Melitta.”

“Yes, we can trust her, she is prudent and faithful;but I have another friend, who is dearer to me thanany one else excepting you, and who loves me too betterthan any one else does, but you—­”

“You mean your grandmother Rhodopis.”

“Yes, my faithful guardian and teacher.”

“Ah, she is a noble woman. Croesus considersher the most excellent among women, and he has studiedmankind as the physicians do plants and herbs.He knows that rank poison lies hidden in some, in othershealing cordials, and often says that Rhodopis islike a rose which, while fading away herself, anddropping leaf after leaf, continues to shed perfumeand quickening balsam for the sick and weak, and awaitsin patience the wind which at last shall waft herfrom us.”

“The gods grant that she may be with us fora long time yet! Dearest, will you grant me onegreat favor?”

“It is granted before I hear it.”

“When you take me home, do not leave Rhodopishere. She must come with us. She is so kindand loves me so fervently, that what makes me happywill make her so too, and whatever is dear to me, willseem to her worthy of being loved.”

“She shall be the first among our guests.”

“Now I am quite happy and satisfied, for I amnecessary to my grandmother; she could not live withouther child. I laugh her cares and sorrows away,and when she is singing to me, or teaching me how toguide the style, or strike the lute, a clearer lightbeams from her brow, the furrows ploughed by griefdisappear, her gentle eyes laugh, and she seems toforget the evil past in the happy present.”

“Before we part, I will ask her whether shewill follow us home.”

“Oh, how glad that makes me! and do you know,the first days of our absence from each other do notseem so very dreadful to me. Now you are to bemy husband, I may surely tell you everything that painsor pleases me, even when I dare not tell any one else,and so you must know, that, when you leave, we expecttwo little visitors; they are the children of thekind Phanes, whom your friend Gyges saved so nobly.I mean to be like a mother to the little creatures,and when they have been good I shall sing them a storyof a prince, a brave hero, who took a simple maidento be his wife; and when I describe the prince I shallhave you in my mind, and though my little listenerswill not guess it, I shall be describing you fromhead to foot. My prince shall be tall like you,shall have your golden curls and blue eyes, and yourrich, royal dress shall adorn his noble figure.Your generous heart, your love of truth, and your beautifulreverence for the gods, your courage and heroism, inshort, every thing that I love and honor in you, Ishall give to the hero of my tale. How the childrenwill listen! and when they cry, ’Oh, how we lovethe prince, how good and beautiful he must be! ifwe could only see him? then I shall press them closeto my heart and kiss them as I kiss you now, and sothey will have gained their wish, for as you are enthronedin my heart, you must be living within me and thereforenear to them, and when they embrace me they will embraceyou too.”

“And I shall go to my little sister Atossa andtell her all I have seen on my journey, and when Ispeak of the Greeks, their grace, their glorious worksof art, and their beautiful women, I shall describethe golden Aphrodite in your lovely likeness.I shall tell her of your virtue, your beauty and modesty,of your singing, which is so sweet that even the nightingaleis silent in order to listen to it, of your love andtenderness. But all this I shall tell her belongsto the divine Cypris, and when she cries, ‘OAphrodite, could I but see thee!’ I too shallkiss my sister.”

“Hark, what was that? Melitta surely clappedher hands. Farewell, we must not stay! but weshall soon see each other again.”

“One more kiss!”

“Farewell!”

Melitta had fallen asleep at her post, overcome byage and weariness. Her dreams were suddenly disturbedby a loud noise, and she clapped her hands directlyto warn the lovers and call Sappho, as she perceivedby the stars that the dawn was not far off.

As the two approached the house, they discovered thatthe noise which had awakened the old slave, proceededfrom the guests, who were preparing for departure.

Urging her to make the greatest haste, Melitta pushedthe frightened girl into the house, took her at onceto her sleeping-room, and was beginning to undressher when Rhodopis entered.

“You are still up, Sappho?” she asked.

“What is this, my child?”

Melitta trembled and had a falsehood ready on herlips, but Sappho, throwing herself into her grandmother’sarms, embraced her tenderly and told the whole storyof her love.

Rhodopis turned pale, ordered Melitta to leave thechamber, and, placing herself in front of her grandchild,laid both hands on her shoulders and said earnestly,“Look into my eyes, Sappho. Canst thou lookat me as happily and as innocently, as thou couldstbefore this Persian came to us?”

The girl raised her eyes at once with a joyful smile;then Rhodopis clasped her to her bosom, kissed herand continued: “Since thou wert a littlechild my constant effort has been to train thee toa noble maidenhood and guard thee from the approachof love. I had intended, in accordance with thecustoms of our country, to choose a fitting husbandfor thee shortly myself, to whose care I should havecommitted thee; but the gods willed differently.

[The Spartans married for love,but the Athenians were accustomed to
negotiate their marriages with theparents of the bride alone.]

Eros mocks all human efforts to resist or confinehim; warm AEolian blood runs in thy veins and demandslove; the passionate heart of thy Lesbian forefathersbeats in thy breast.

[Charaxus, the grandfather of ourheroine, and brother of the
poetess Sappho, was, as a Lesbian,an AEolian Greek.]

What has happened cannot now be undone. Treasurethese happy hours of a first, pure love; hold themfast in the chambers of memory, for to every humanbeing there must come, sooner or later, a present sosad and desolate, that the beautiful past is all hehas to live upon. Remember this handsome princein silence, bid him farewell when he departs to hisnative country, but beware of hoping to see him again.The Persians are fickle and inconstant, lovers ofeverything new and foreign. The prince has beenfascinated by thy sweetness and grace. He lovesthee ardently now, but remember, he is young and handsome,courted by every one, and a Persian. Give himup that he may not abandon thee!”

“But how can I, grandmother? I have swornto be faithful to him for ever.”

“Oh, children! Ye play with eternity asif it were but a passing moment! I could blamethee for thus plighting thy troth, but I rejoice thatthou regardest the oath as binding. I detestthe blasphemous proverb: ’Zeus pays noheed to lovers’ oaths.’ Why shouldan oath touching the best and holiest feelings ofhumanity be regarded by the Deity, as inferior inimportance to asseverations respecting the triflingquestions of mine and thine? Keep thy promisethen,—­hold fast thy love, but prepare torenounce thy lover.”

“Never, grandmother! could I ever have lovedBartja, if I had not trusted him? Just becausehe is a Persian and holds truth to be the highestvirtue, I may venture to hope that he will rememberhis oath, and, notwithstanding those evil customsof the Asiatics, will take and keep me as his onlywife.”

“But if he should forget, thy youth will bepassed in mourning, and with an embittered heart .. .”

“O, dear kind grandmother, pray do not speakof such dreadful things. If you knew him as wellas I do, you would rejoice with me, and would tellme I was right to believe that the Nile may dry upand the Pyramids crumble into ruins, before my Bartjacan ever deceive me!”

The girl spoke these words with such a joyful, perfectconfidence, and her eyes, though filled with tears,were so brilliant with happiness and warmth of feeling,that Rhodopis’ face grew cheerful too.

Sappho threw her arms again round her grandmother,told her every word that Bartja had said to her, andended the long account by exclaiming: “Oh,grandmother, I am so happy, so very happy, and if youwill come with us to Persia, I shall have nothingmore to wish from the Immortals.”

“That will not last long,” said Rhodopis.“The gods cast envious glances at the happinessof mortals; they measure our portion of evil with lavishhands, and give us but a scanty allowance of good.But now go to bed, my child, and let us pray togetherthat all may end happily. I met thee this morningas a child, I part from thee to-night a woman; and,when thou art a wife, may thy kiss be as joyful asthe one thou givest me now. To-morrow I willtalk the matter over with Croesus. He must decidewhether I dare allow thee to await the return of thePersian prince, or whether I must entreat thee toforget him and become the domestic wife of a Greekhusband. Sleep well, my darling, thy grandmotherwill wake and watch for thee.”

Sappho’s happy fancies soon cradled her to sleep;but Rhodopis remained awake watching the day dawn,and the sun rise, her mind occupied with thoughtswhich brought smiles and frowns across her countenancein rapid succession.

The next morning she sent to Croesus, begging himto grant her an hour’s interview, acquaintedhim with every particular she had heard from Sappho,and concluded her tale with these words: “Iknow not what demands may be made on the consort ofa Persian king, but I can truly say that I believeSappho to be worthy of the first monarch of the world.Her father was free and of noble birth, and I haveheard that, by Persian law, the descent of a childis determined by the rank of the father only.In Egypt, too, the descendants of a female slave enjoythe same rights as those of a princess, if they owetheir existence to the same father.”

“I have listened to you in silence,” answeredCroesus, “and must confess, that, like yourself,I do not know in this moment whether to be glad orsorry for this attachment. Cambyses and Kassandane(the king’s and Bartja’s mother) wishedto see the prince married before we left Persia, forthe king has no children, and should he remain childless,the only hope for the family of Cyrus rests on Bartja,as the great founder of the Persian empire left buttwo sons,—­Cambyses, and him who is now thesuitor of your granddaughter. The latter is thehope and pride of the entire Persian nation, highand low; the darling of the people; generous, andnoble, handsome, virtuous, and worthy of their love.It is indeed expected that the princes shall marryin their own family, the Achaemenidae; but the Persianshave an unbounded predilection for everything foreign.Enchanted with the beauty of your granddaughter, andrendered indulgent by their partiality for Bartja,they would easily forgive this breach of an ancientcustom. Indeed, if the king gives his approval,no objection on the part of his subjects can be entertained.The history of Iran too offers a sufficient numberof examples, in which even slaves became the mothersof kings. The queen mother, whose position, inthe eyes of the people, is nearly as high as that ofthe monarch himself, will do nothing to thwart thehappiness of her youngest and favorite son. Whenshe sees that he will not give up Sappho,—­thathis smiling face, in which she adores the image ofher great husband Cyrus, becomes clouded, I verilybelieve she would be ready to sanction his takingeven a Scythian woman to wife, if it could restorehim to cheerfulness. Neither will Cambyses himselfrefuse his consent if his mother press the point ata right moment.”

“In that case every difficulty is set aside,”cried Rhodopis joyfully.

“It is not the marriage itself, but the timethat must follow, which causes me uneasiness,”answered Croesus.

“Do you think then that Bartja . . .?”

“From him I fear nothing. He has a pureheart, and has been so long proof against love, thatnow he has once yielded, he will love long and ardently.”

“What then do you fear?”

“You must remember that, though the charmingwife of their favorite will be warmly received byall his friends of his own sex, there are thousandsof idle women in the harems of the Persian nobles,who will endeavor, by every artifice and intriguein their power, to injure the newly-risen star; andwhose greatest joy it will be to ruin such an inexperiencedchild and make her unhappy.”

“You have a very bad opinion of the Persianwomen.”

“They are but women, and will naturally envyher, who has gained the husband they all desired eitherfor themselves or for their daughters. In theirmonotonous life, devoid of occupation, envy easilybecomes hatred, and the gratification of these evilpassions is the only compensation which the poor creaturescan obtain for the total absence of love and lossof freedom. I repeat, the more beautiful Sapphois, the more malicious they will feel towards her,and, even if Bartja should love her so fervently asnot to take a second wife for two or three years, shewill still have such heavy hours to encounter, thatI really do not know whether I dare congratulate youon her apparently brilliant future.”

“That is quite my own feeling. A simpleGreek would be more welcome to me than this son ofa mighty monarch.”

In this moment Knakias brought Bartja into the room.He went to Rhodopis at once, besought her not to refusehim the hand of her granddaughter, spoke of his ardentlove, and assured her that his happiness would bedoubled, if she would consent to accompany them toPersia. Then turning to Croesus, he seized hishand and entreated forgiveness for having so longconcealed his great happiness from one who had beenlike a father to him, at the same time begging himto second his suit with Rhodopis.

The old man listened to the youth’s passionatelanguage with a smile, and said: “Ah, Bartja,how often have I warned thee against love! Itis a scorching fire.”

“But its flame is bright and beautiful.”

“It causes pain.”

“But such pain is sweet.”

“It leads the mind astray.”

“But it strengthens the heart.”

“Oh, this love!” cried Rhodopis.“Inspired by Eros, the boy speaks as if he hadbeen all his life studying under an Attic orator!”

“And yet,” answered Croesus, “theselovers are the most unteachable of pupils. Convincethem as clearly as you will, that their passion isonly another word for poison, fire, folly, death,they still cry, ‘Tis sweet,’ and willnot be hindered in their course.”

As he was speaking Sappho came in. A white festalrobe, with wide sleeves, and borders of purple embroidery,fell in graceful folds round her delicate figure,and was confined at the waist by a golden girdle.Her hair was adorned with fresh roses, and on her bosomlay her lover’s first gift, the flashing diamondstar.

She came up modestly and gracefully, and made a lowobeisance to the aged Croesus. His eyes restedlong on the maidenly and lovely countenance, and thelonger he gazed the kindlier became his gaze.For a moment he seemed to grow young again in thevisions conjured up by memory, and involuntarily hewent up to the young girl, kissed her affectionatelyon the forehead, and, taking her by the hand, ledher to Bartja with the words: “Take her,thy wife she must be, if the entire race of the Achaemenidaewere to conspire against us!”

“Have I no voice in the matter?” saidRhodopis, smiling through her tears.

On hearing these words, Bartja and Sappho each tookone of her hands, and gazed entreatingly into herface. She rose to her full stature, and likea prophetess exclaimed: “Eros, who broughtyou to each other, Zeus and Apollo defend and protectyou. I see you now like two fair roses on onestem, loving and happy in the spring of life.What summer, autumn and winter may have in store foryou, lies hidden with the gods. May the shadesof thy departed parents, Sappho, smile approvinglywhen these tidings of their child shall reach themin the nether world.”

.................................

Three days later a densely packed crowd was once moresurging round the Sais landing-place. This timethey had assembled to bid a last farewell to theirking’s daughter, and in this hour the peoplegave clear tokens that, in spite of all the effortsof the priestly caste, their hearts remained loyalto their monarch and his house. For when Amasisand Ladice embraced Nitetis for the last time withtears—­when Tachot, in presence of all theinhabitants of Sais, following her sister down thebroad flight of steps that led to the river, threwher arms round her neck once more and burst into sobs—­whenat last the wind filled the sails of the royal boatand bore the princess, destined to be the great king’sbride, from their sight, few eyes among that vastcrowd remained dry.

The priests alone looked on at this sad scene withunmoved gravity and coldness; but when the south windat last bore away the strangers who had robbed themof their princess, many a curse and execration followedfrom the Egyptians on the shore; Tachot alone stoodweeping there and waving her veil to them. Forwhom were these tears? for the play-fellow of heryouth, or for the handsome, beloved prince?

Amasis embraced his wife and daughter in the eyesof all his people; and held up his little grandson,Prince Necho, to their gaze, the sight eliciting criesof joy on all sides. But Psamtik, the child’sown father, stood by the while, tearless and motionless.The king appeared not to observe him, until Neithotepapproached, and leading him to his father, joinedtheir hands and called down the blessing of the godsupon the royal house.

At this the Egyptians fell on their knees with upliftedhands. Amasis clasped his son to his heart, andwhen the high-priest had concluded his prayer, thefollowing colloquy between the latter and Amasis tookplace in low tones:

“Let peace be between us for our own and Egypt’ssake!”

“Hast thou received Nebenchari’s letter?”

“A Samian pirate-vessel is in pursuit of Phanes’trireme.”

“Behold the child of thy predecessor Hophra,the rightful heiress of the Egyptian throne, departingunhindered to a distant land!”

“The works of the Greek temple now buildingin Memphis shall be discontinued.”

“May Isis grant us peace, and may prosperityand happiness increase in our land!”

............................

The Greek colonists in Naukratis had prepared a feastto celebrate the departure of their protector’sdaughter.

Numerous animals had been slaughtered in sacrificeon the altars of the Greek divinities, and the Nile-boatswere greeted with a loud cry of “Ailinos”on their arrival in the harbor.

A bridal wreath, composed of a hoop of gold woundround with scented violets, was presented to Nitetisby a troop of young girls in holiday dresses, theact of presentation being performed by Sappho, as themost beautiful among the maidens of Naukratis.

On accepting the gift Nitetis kissed her foreheadin token of gratitude. The triremes were alreadywaiting; she went on board, the rowers took theiroars and began the Keleusma.

[The measure of the Keleusma was generallygiven by a flute-player, the Trieraules. AEschylus,Persians 403. Laert. Diog. IV. 22.In the Frogs of Aristophanes the inhabitants ofthe marshes are made to sing the Keleusma, v. 205.The melody, to the measure of which the Greek boatmenusually timed their strokes.]

Ailinos rang across the water from a thousand voices.Bartja stood on the deck, and waved a last lovingfarewell to his betrothed; while Sappho prayed insilence to Aphrodite Euploia, the protectress of thosewho go down to the sea in ships. A tear rolleddown her cheek, but around her lips played a smileof love and hope, though her old slave Melitta, whoaccompanied her to carry her parasol, was weeping asif her heart would break. On seeing, however,a few leaves fall from her darling’s wreath,she forgot her tears for a moment and whispered softly:“Yes, dear heart, it is easy to see that youare in love; when the leaves fall from a maiden’swreath, ’tis a sure sign that her heart has beentouched by Eros.

CHAPTER XII.

Seven weeks after Nitetis had quitted her native country,a long train of equipages and horsem*n was to be seenon the king’s highway from the west to Babylon,moving steadily towards that gigantic city, whose towersmight already be descried in the far distance.

[The great road called the “king’sroad,” of which we shall have
more to say, was made by Cyrus andcarefully kept up by Darius.]

The principal object in this caravan was a richly-gilded,four-wheeled carriage, closed in at the sides by curtains,and above by a roof supported on wooden pillars.In this vehicle, called the Harmamaxa, resting onrich cushions of gold brocade, sat our Egyptian Princess.

[Harmamaxa—­An Asiatic travellingcarriage. The first mention of these is inXenophon’s Anabasis, where we find a queen travellingin such a vehicle. They were later adoptedby the Romans and used for the same object.]

On either side rode her escort, viz.: thePersian princes and nobles whom we have already learntto know during their visit to Egypt, Croesus and hisson.

Behind these, a long train, consisting of fifty vehiclesof different kinds and six hundred beasts of burden,stretched away into the distance, and the royal carriagewas preceded by a troop of splendidly-mounted Persiancavalry.

The high-road followed the course of the Euphrates,passing through luxuriant fields of wheat, barleyand sesame yielding fruit two, and sometimes eventhree, hundred-fold. Slender date-palms coveredwith golden fruit were scattered in every directionover the fields, which were thoroughly irrigated bymeans of canals and ditches.

It was winter, but the sun shone warm and bright froma cloudless sky. The mighty river swarmed withcraft of all sizes, either transporting the productsof Upper Armenia to the plains of Mesopotamia, or thewares of Greece and Asia Minor from Thapsakus to Babylon.

[Thapsakus—­An importantcommercial town on the Euphrates, and the
point of observation from whichEratosthenes took his measurements
of the earth.]

Pumps and water-wheels poured refreshing streams overthe thirsty land, and pretty villages ornamented theshores of the river. Indeed every object gaveevidence that our caravan was approaching the metropolisof a carefully governed and civilized state.

Nitetis and her retinue now halted at a long brickhouse, roofed with asphalte, and surrounded by a groveof plane-trees.

[Asphalte—­Nearly all authorities,ancient as well as modern, report that bitumen,which is still plentifully found in the neighborhoodof Babylon, was used by the Babylonians as mortar.See, besides the accounts of ancient writers, W.Vaux, ‘Nineveh and Persepolis’. Burntbitumen was used by Assyrians for cement in building.]

Here Croesus was lifted from his horse, and approachingthe carriage, exclaimed: “Here we are atlength at the last station! That high tower whichyou see on the horizon is the celebrated temple ofBel, next to the Pyramids, one of the most giganticworks ever constructed by human hands. Beforesunset we shall have reached the brazen gates of Babylon.And now I would ask you to alight, and let me sendyour maidens into the house; for here you must puton Persian apparel, to appear well-pleasing in theeyes of Cambyses. In a few hours you will standbefore your future husband. But you are pale!Permit your maidens to adorn your cheeks with a colorthat shall look like the excitement of joy. Afirst impression is often a final one, and this isespecially true with regard to Cambyses. If,which I doubt not, you are pleasing in his eyes atfirst, then you have won his love for ever; but ifyou should displease him to-day he will never lookkindly on you again, for he is rough and harsh.But take courage, my daughter, and above all, do notforget the advice I have given you.” Nitetisdried her tears as she answered: “How canI ever thank you, O Croesus, my second father, myprotector and adviser, for all your goodness?Oh, forsake me not in the days to come! and if thepath of my life should lead through grief and care,be near to help and guide me as you did on the mountain-passesof this long and dangerous journey. A thousandtimes I thank thee, O my father!”

And, as she said these words, the young girl threwher arms around the old man’s neck and kissedhim tenderly.

On entering the court-yard, a tall stout man, followedby a train of Asiatic serving-maidens, came forwardto meet them. This was Boges, the chief of theeunuchs, an important official at the Persian court.His beardless face wore a smile of fulsome sweetness;in his ears hung costly jewelled pendents; his neck,arms, legs and his effeminately long garments glitteredall over with gold chains and rings, and his crisp,stiff curls, bound round by a purple fillet, streamedwith powerful and penetrating perfumes.

Making a low and reverential obeisance before Nitetis,and holding, the while, his fat hands overloaded withrings before his mouth, he thus addressed her:“Cambyses, lord of the world, hath sent me tothee, O Queen, that I may refresh thy heart with thedew of his salutations. He sendeth thee likewiseby me, even by me the lowest of his servants, Persianraiment, that thou, as befitteth the consort of themightiest of all rulers, mayest approach the gatesof the Achaemenidae in Median garments. Thesewomen whom thou seest are thy handmaidens, and onlyawait thy bidding to transform thee from an Egyptianjewel into a Persian pearl.”

The master of the caravansary then appeared, bearing,in token of welcome, a basket of fruits arranged withgreat taste.

Nitetis returned her thanks to both these men in kindand friendly words; then entering the house laid asidethe dress and ornaments of her native land, weepingas she did so, allowed the strangers to unloose theplait of hair which hung down at the left side ofher head, and was the distinctive mark of an Egyptianprincess, and to array her in Median garments.

[In almost all the Egyptian pictures,the daughters and sons of the Pharaohs are representedwith these locks of hair, plaited and reachingfrom the forehead to the neck. Rosellini, Mon.stor. II. 123. Lepsius, Denkmaler.The daughter of Rameses ii. is drawn thus,and we have examples of the same in many other pictures.]

In the meantime, a repast had been commanded by theprinces who accompanied her. Eager and agileattendants rushed to the baggage-waggons, fetchingthence, in a few moments, seats, tables, and goldenutensils of all kinds. The cooks vied with themand with each other, and as if by magic, in a shortspace of time a richly-adorned banquet for the hungryguests appeared, at which even the flowers were notwanting.

During the entire journey our travellers had livedin a similar luxury, as their beasts of burden carriedevery imaginable convenience, from tents of water-proofmaterials inwrought with gold, down to silver foot-stools;and in the vehicles which composed their train werenot only bakers, cooks, cup-bearers and carvers, butperfumers, hair-dressers and weavers of garlands.Beside these conveniences, a well-fitted up caravansary,or inn, was to be found about every eighteen milesalong the whole route, where disabled horses couldbe replaced, the plantations around which affordeda refreshing shelter from the noonday heat, or theirhearths a refuge from the snow and cold on the mountain-passes.

The kingdom of Persia was indebted for these inns(similar to the post-stations of modern days) to Cyrus,who had endeavored to connect the widely-distant provincesof his immense dominions by a system of well-keptroads, and a regular postal service. At each ofthese stations the horseman carrying the letter-bagwas relieved by a fresh man on a fresh steed, to whomthe letters were transferred, and who, in his turn,darted off like the wind, to be again replaced at asimilar distance by another rider. These couriers,called Angari, were considered the swiftest horsem*nin the world.

[Herodotus V. 14. 49-52. Persianmilestones are still to be found
among the ruins of the old king’sroad, which led from Nineveh to
Ecbatana. The Kurds call themkeli-Shin (blue pillars).]

Just as the banqueters, amongst whom Boges had takenhis seat, were rising from table, the door opened,and a vision appeared, which drew prolonged exclamationof surprise from all the Persians present. Nitetis,clad in the glorious apparel of a Median princess,proud in the consciousness of her triumphant beauty,and yet blushing like a young girl at the wonderingadmiration of her friends, stood before them.

The attendants involuntarily fell on their faces beforeher, according to the custom of the Asiatics, andthe noble Achaemenidae bowed low and reverentially;for it seemed as if Nitetis has laid aside all herformer bashfulness and timidity with her simple Egyptiandress, and with the splendid silken garments of aPersian princess, flashing as they were with goldand jewels, had clothed herself in the majesty of aqueen.

The deep reverence paid by all present seemed agreeableto her, and thanking her admiring friends by a graciouswave of the hand, she turned to the chief of the eunuchsand said in a kind tone but mingled with a touch ofpride; “Thou hast performed thy mission well;I am content with the raiment and the slaves thatthou hast provided and shall commend thy circ*mspectionto the king, my husband. Receive this gold chainin the meanwhile, as a token of my gratitude.”

The eunuch kissed the hem of her garment, and acceptedthe gift in silence. This man, hitherto omnipotentin his office, had never before encountered such pridein any of the women committed to his charge. Upto the present time all Cambyses’ wives hadbeen Asiatics, and, well aware of the unlimited powerof the chief of the eunuchs, had used every meanswithin their reach to secure his favor by flatteryand submission.

Boges now made a second obeisance before Nitetis,of which, however, she took no notice, and turningto Croesus said: “Neither words nor giftscould ever suffice to express my gratitude to you,kindest of friends, for, if my future life at thecourt of Persia prove, I will not venture to say ahappy, but even a peaceful one, it is to you alonethat I shall owe it. Still, take this ring.

It has never left my finger since I quitted Egypt,and it has a significance far beyond its outward worth.Pythagoras, the noblest of the Greeks, gave it to mymother, when he was tarrying in Egypt to learn thewisdom of our priests, and it was her parting giftto me. The number seven is engraved upon the simplestone. This indivisible number represents perfecthealth, both to soul and body for health is likewiseone and indivisible.

[Seven, the “motherless”number, which has no factor below ten.]

The sickness of one member is the sickness of all;one evil thought, allowed to take up its abode withinour heart, destroys the entire harmony of the soul.When you see this seven therefore, let it recall myheart’s wish that you may ever enjoy undisturbedbodily health, and long retain that loving gentlenesswhich has made you the most virtuous, and thereforethe healthiest of men. No thanks, my father, foreven if I could restore to Croesus all the treasuresthat he once possessed, I should still retrain hisdebtor. Gyges, to you I give this Lydian lyre;let its tones recall the giver to your memory.For you, Zopyrus, I have a golden chain; I have witnessedthat you are the most faithful of friends; and weEgyptians are accustomed to place cords and bands inthe hands of our lovely Hathor, the goddess of loveand friendship, as symbols of her captivating andenchaining attributes. As Darius has studied thewisdom of Egypt and the signs of the starry heavens,I beg him to take this circlet of gold, on which askilful hand has traced the signs of the Zodiac.

[Diodorus (I. 49.) tells, that in thetomb of Osymandyas (palace of Rameses ii.at Thebes) there lay a circle of gold, one ell thickand 365 ells in circumference, containing a completeastronomical calendar. The circle of the zodiacfrom Dendera, which is now in Paris,—­anastronomical ceiling painting, which was believed atthe time of its discovery to be of great age, isnot nearly so ancient as was supposed, dating onlyfrom the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty. Letronnewas the first to estimate it correctly. See Lepsius,Chron. p.63. and Lauth, ‘les zodiaques deDendera’. Munich 1865.]

And lastly, to my dear brother-in-law Bartja I committhe most precious jewel in my possession—­thisamulet of blue stone. My sister Tachot hung itround my neck as I kissed her on the last night beforewe parted; she told me it could bring to its wearerthe sweet bliss of love. And then, Bartja, shewept! I do not know of whom she was thinking inthat moment, but I hope I am acting according to herwishes in giving you her precious jewel. Takeit as a gift from Tachot, and sometimes call to mindour games in the Sais gardens.”

Thus far she had been speaking Greek, but now, addressingthe attendants who remained standing in an attitudeof deep reverence, she began in broken Persian:“Accept my thanks also. In Babylon you shallreceive a thousand gold staters.” Thenturning to Boges, she added: “Let this sumbe distributed among the attendants at latest by theday after to-morrow. Take me to my carriage,Croesus.”

The old king hastened to do her bidding, and as hewas leading her thither she pressed his arm and whisperedgently, “Are you pleased with me, my father?”

“I tell you, girl,” the old man answered,“that no one but the king’s mother canever be your equal at this court, for a true and queenlypride reigns on your brow, and you have the powerof using small means to effect great ends. Believeme, the smallest gift, chosen and bestowed as youcan choose and bestow, gives more pleasure to a noblemind than heaps of treasure merely cast down at hisfeet. The Persians are accustomed to presentand receive costly gifts. They understand alreadyhow to enrich their friends, but you can teach themto impart a joy with every gift. How beautifulyou are to-day! Are your cushions to your mind,or would you like a higher seat? But what isthat? There are clouds of dust in the directionof the city. Cambyses is surely coming to meetyou! Courage, my daughter. Above all tryto meet his gaze and respond to it. Very few canbear the lightning glance of those eyes, but, if youcan return it freely and fearlessly, you have conquered.Fear nothing, my child, and may Aphrodite adorn youwith her most glorious beauty! My friends, wemust start, I think the king himself is coming.”Nitetis sat erect in her splendid, gilded carriage;her hands were pressed on her throbbing heart.The clouds of dust came nearer and nearer, her eyecaught the flash of weapons like lightning acrossa stormy sky. The clouds parted, she could seesingle figures for a moment, but soon lost them asthe road wound behind some thickets and shrubs.Suddenly the troop of horsem*n appeared in full galloponly a hundred paces before her, and distinctly visible.

Her first impression was of a motley mass of steedsand men, glittering in purple, gold, silver and jewels.It consisted in reality of a troop of more than twohundred horsem*n mounted on pure white Nicaean horses,whose bridles and saddle-cloths were covered with bellsand bosses, feathers, fringes, and embroidery.Their leader rode a powerful coal-black charger, whicheven the strong will and hand of his rider could notalways curb, though in the end his enormous strengthproved him the man to tame even this fiery animal.This rider, beneath whose weight the powerful steedtrembled and panted, wore a vesture of scarlet andwhite, thickly embroidered with eagles and falconsin silver.

[Curtius III. 3. Xenoph. Cyrap,VIII. 3. 7. Aeschylus, Persians 835. 836.The king’s dress and ornaments were worth 12,000talents, or L2,250,000 (estimate of 1880) accordingto Plutarch, Artaxerxes 24.]

The lower part of his dress was purple, and his bootsof yellow leather. He wore a golden girdle; inthis hung a short dagger-like sword, the hilt andscabbard of which were thickly studded with jewels.The remaining ornaments of his dress resembled thosewe have described as worn by Bartja, and the blue

and white fillet of the Achaemenidae was bound aroundthe tiara, which surmounted a mass of thick curls,black as ebony. The lower part of his face wasconcealed by an immense beard. His features werepale and immovable, but the eyes, (more intensely black,if possible, than either hair or beard), glowed witha fire that was rather scorching than warming.A deep, fiery-red scar, given by the sword of a Massagetanwarrior, crossed his high forehead, arched nose andthin upper lip. His whole demeanor expressedgreat power and unbounded pride.

Nitetis’ gaze was at once riveted by this man.She had never seen any one like him before, and heexercised a strange fascination over her. Theexpression of indomitable pride, worn by his features,seemed to her to represent a manly nature which thewhole world, but she herself above all others, wascreated to serve. She felt afraid, and yet hertrue woman’s heart longed to lean upon his strengthas the vine upon the elm. She could not be quitesure whether she had thus pictured to herself thefather of all evil, the fearful Seth, or the greatgod Ammon, the giver of light.

The deepest pallor and the brightest color flittedby turns across her lovely face, like the light andshadow when clouds pass swiftly over a sunny noondaysky. She had quite forgotten the advice of herfatherly old friend, and yet, when Cambyses broughthis unruly, chafing steed to a stand by the side ofher carriage, she gazed breathless into the fieryeyes of this man and felt at once that he was the king,though no one had told her so.

The stern face of this ruler of half the known worldrelaxed, as Nitetis, moved by an unaccountable impulse,continued to bear his piercing gaze. At lasthe waved his hand to her in token of welcome, and thenrode on to her escort, who had alighted from theirhorses and were awaiting him, some having cast themselvesdown in the dust, and others, after the Persian manner,standing in an attitude of deep reverence, their handsconcealed in the wide sleeves of their robes.

He sprang from his horse, an example which was followedat once by his entire suite. The attendants,with the speed of thought, spread a rich purple carpeton the highway, lest the foot of the king should comein contact with the dust of the earth, and then Cambysesproceeded to salute his friends and relations by offeringthem his mouth to kiss.

He shook Croesus by the right hand, commanding himto remount and accompany him to the carriage, as interpreterbetween himself and Nitetis.

In an instant his highest office-bearers were at handto lift the king once more on to his horse, and ata single nod from their lord, the train was againin motion.

Cambyses and Croesus rode by the side of the carriage.

“She is beautiful, and pleases me well,”began the king. “Interpret faithfully allher answers, for I understand only the Persian, Assyrianand Median tongues.”

Nitetis caught and understood these words. Afeeling of intense joy stole into her heart, and beforeCroesus could answer, she began softly in broken Persianand blushing deeply: “Blessed be the gods,who have caused me to find favor in thine eyes.I am not ignorant of the speech of my lord, for thenoble Croesus has instructed me in the Persian languageduring our long journey. Forgive, if my sentencesbe broken and imperfect; the time was short, and mycapacity only that of a poor and simple maiden.”

[Diodorus tells us that Themistocleslearnt the Persian language
during the journey to Susa.We are not, therefore, requiring an
impossibility of Nitetis.]

A smile passed over the usually serious mouth of Cambyses.His vanity was flattered by Nitetis’ desireto win his approbation, and, accustomed as he wasto see women grow up in idleness and ignorance, thinkingof nothing but finery and intrigue, her perseveringindustry seemed to him both wonderful and praise worthy.So he answered with evident satisfaction: “Irejoice that we can speak without an interpreter.Persevere in learning the beautiful language of myforefathers. Croesus, who sits at my table, shallstill remain your instructor.”

“Your command confers happiness!” exclaimedthe old man. “No more eager or thankfulpupil could be found, than the daughter of Amasis.”

“She justifies the ancient report of the wisdomof Egypt,” answered the king, “and I canbelieve that she will quickly understand and receiveinto her soul the religious instructions of our Magi.”

Nitetis dropped her earnest gaze. Her fears werebeing realized. She would be compelled to servestrange gods.

But her emotion passed unnoticed by Cambyses, whowent on speaking: “My mother Kassandanewill tell you the duties expected from my wives.To-morrow I myself will lead you to her. The words,which you innocently chanced to hear, I now repeat;you please me well. Do nothing to alienate myaffection. We will try to make our country agreeable,and, as your friend, I counsel you to treat Bogeswhom I sent as my forerunner, in a kind and friendlymanner. As head over the house of the women, youwill have to conform to his will in many things.”

“Though he be head over the house of the women,”answered Nitetis, “surely your wife is boundto obey no other earthly will than yours. Yourslightest look shall be for me a command; but rememberthat I am a king’s daughter, that in my nativeland the weaker and the stronger sex have equal rights,and that the same pride reigns in my breast, whichI see kindling in your eyes, my lord and king!My obedience to you, my husband and my ruler, shallbe that of a slave, but I can never stoop to sue forthe favor, or obey the orders of a venal servant, themost unmanly of his kind!”

Cambyses’ wonder and satisfaction increased.He had never heard any woman speak in this way before,except his mother; the clever way in which Nitetisacknowledged, and laid stress on, his right to commandher every act, was very flattering to his self-love,and her pride found an echo in his own haughty disposition.He nodded approvingly and answered: “Youhave spoken well. A separate dwelling shall beappointed you. I, and no one else, will prescribeyour rules of life and conduct. This day thepleasant palace on the hanging-gardens shall be preparedfor your reception.”

“A thousand, thousand thanks,” cried Nitetis.“You little know the blessing you are bestowingin this permission. Again and again I have beggedyour brother Bartja to repeat the story of these gardens,and the love of the king who raised that verdant andblooming hill, pleased us better than all the otherglories of your vast domains.”

“To-morrow,” answered the king, “youcan enter your new abode. But tell me now howmy messengers pleased you and your countrymen.”

“How can you ask? Who could know the nobleCroesus without loving him? Who could fail toadmire the beauty of the young heroes, your friends?They have all become dear to us, but your handsomebrother Bartja especially, won all hearts. TheEgyptians have no love for strangers, and yet thegaping crowd would burst into a murmur of admiration,when his beautiful face appeared among them.”

At these words the king’s brow darkened; hestruck his horse so sharply that the creature reared,and then turning it quickly round he gallopped tothe front and soon reached the walls of Babylon.

...........................

Though Nitetis had been brought up among the hugetemples and palaces of Egypt, she was still astonishedat the size and grandeur of this gigantic city.

Its walls seemed impregnable; they measured more thanseventy-five feet—­[Fifty ells. TheGreek ell is equal to one foot and a half English.]—­inheight and their breadth was so great, that two chariotscould conveniently drive abreast upon them. Thesemighty defences were crowned and strengthened by twohundred and fifty high towers, and even these wouldhave been insufficient, if Babylon had not been protectedon one side by impassable morasses. The giganticcity lay on both shores of the Euphrates. Itwas more than forty miles in circumference, and itswalls enclosed buildings surpassing in size and grandeureven the Pyramids and the temples of Thebes.

[These numbers and measurements are takenpartly from Herodotus, partly from Diodorus, Straboand Arrian. And even the ruins of this giantcity, writes Lavard, are such as to allow a very fairconclusion of its enormous size. Aristotle(Polit. III. I.) says Babylon’sdimensions were not those of a city, but of a nation.]

The mighty gates of brass, through which the royal

train entered the city, had opened wide to receivethis noble company. This entrance was defendedon each side by a strong tower, and before each ofthese towers lay, as warder, a gigantic winged bullcarved in stone, with a human head, bearded and solemn.Nitetis gazed at these gates in astonishment, andthen a joyful smile lighted up her face, as she lookedup the long broad street so brightly and beautifullydecorated to welcome her.

The moment they beheld the king and the gilded carriage,the multitude burst into loud shouts of joy, but whenBartja, the people’s darling, came in sight,the shouts rose to thunder-peals and shrieks of delight,which seemed as if they would never end. It waslong since the populace had seen Cambyses, for inaccordance with Median customs the king seldom appearedin public. Like the Deity, he was to govern invisibly,and his occasional appearance before the nation tobe looked upon as a festival and occasion of rejoicing.Thus all Babylon had come out to-day to look upontheir awful ruler and to welcome their favorite Bartjaon his return. The windows were crowded witheager, curious women, who threw flowers before theapproaching train, or poured sweet perfumes from aboveas they passed by. The pavement was thickly strewnwith myrtle and palm branches, trees of differentkinds had been placed before the house-doors, carpetsand gay cloths hung from the windows, garlands offlowers were wreathed from house to house, fragrantodors of incense and sandal-wood perfumed the air,and the way was lined with thousands of gaping Babyloniansdressed in white linen shirts, gaily-colored woollenpetticoats and short cloaks, and carrying long stavesheaded with pomegranates, birds, or roses, of goldor silver.

The streets through which the procession moved werebroad and straight, the houses on either side, builtof brick, tall and handsome. Towering above everything else, and visible from all points, rose the gigantictemple of Bel. Its colossal staircase, like ahuge serpent, wound round and round the ever-diminishingseries of stories composing the tower, until it reachedthe summit crowned by the sanctuary itself.

[This temple of Bel, which many considermay have been the tower of Babel of Genesis XI.,is mentioned by Herodotus I. 181. 182. 183. Diodorusii. 8. 9. (Ktesias), Strabo 738 and many otherancient writers. The people living in itsneighborhood now call the ruins Birs Nimrod, thecastle of Nimrod. In the text we have reconstructedit as far as possible from the accounts of classicalwriters. The first story, which is still standing,in the midst of a heap of ruins, is 260 feet high.The walls surrounding the tower are said to bestill clearly recognizable, and were 4000 feet longand 3000 broad. ]

The procession approached the royal palace. Thiscorresponded in its enormous size to the rest of thevast city. The walls surrounding it were coveredwith gaily-colored and glazed representations of strangefigures made up of human beings, birds, quadrupedsand fishes; hunting-scenes, battles and solemn processions.By the side of the river towards the north, rose thehanging-gardens, and the smaller palace lay towardthe east on the other bank of the Euphrates, connectedwith the larger one by the wondrous erection, a firmbridge of stone.

Our train passed on through the brazen gates of threeof the walls surrounding the palace, and then halted.Nitetis was lifted from her carriage by bearers; shewas at last in her new home, and soon after in theapartments of the women’s house assigned to hertemporary use.

Cambyses, Bartja and their friends already known tous, were still standing in the gaily-carpeted courtof the palace, surrounded by at least a hundred splendiddignitaries in magnificent dresses, when suddenlya sound of loud female voices was heard, and a lovelyPersian girl richly dressed, her thick fair hair profuselywreathed with pearls, rushed into the court, pursuedby several women older than herself. She ranup to the group of men; Cambyses with a smile placedhimself in her path, but the impetuous girl slippedadroitly past him, and in another moment was hangingon Bartja’s neck, crying and laughing by turns.

The attendants in pursuit prostrated themselves ata respectful distance, but Cambyses, on seeing thecaresses lavished by the young girl on her newly-returnedbrother, cried: “For shame, Atossa! rememberthat since you began to wear ear-rings you have ceasedto be a child!

[Ear-rings were given to the Persiangirls in their fifteenth year, the marriageableage. Vendid. Farlard XIV. 66. At thisage too boys as well as girls were obliged to wearthe sacred cord, Kuctl or Kosti as a girdle; andwere only allowed to unloose it in the night.The making of this cord is attended with many ceremonies,even among the Persians of our own day. Seventy-twothreads must be employed, but black wool is prohibited.]

It is right that you should rejoice to see your brotheragain, but a king’s daughter must never forgetwhat is due to her rank, even in her greatest joy.Go back to your mother directly. I see your attendantswaiting yonder. Go and tell them, that as thisis a day of rejoicing I will allow your heedless conductto pass unpunished, but the next time you appear unbiddenin these apartments, which none may enter withoutpermission, I shall tell Boges to keep you twelve daysin confinement. Remember this, thoughtless child,and tell our mother, Bartja and I are coming to visither. Now give me a kiss. You will not?We shall see, capricious little one!” And sosaying the king sprang towards his refractory littlesister, and seizing both her hands in one of his own,bent back her charming head with the other and kissedher in spite of her resistance. She screamedfrom the violence of his grasp, and ran away cryingto her attendants, who took her back to her apartments.

When Atossa had disappeared, Bartja said; “Youwere too rough with the little one, Cambyses.She screamed with pain!”

Once more the king’s face clouded, but suppressingthe harsh words which trembled on his lips, he onlyanswered, turning towards the house: “Letus come to our mother now; she begged me to bring youas soon as you arrived. The women, as usual,are all impatience. Nitetis told me your rosycheeks and fair curls had bewitched the Egyptian womentoo. I would advise you to pray betimes to Mithrasfor eternal youth, and for his protection againstthe wrinkles of age!”

“Do you mean to imply by these words that Ihave no virtues which could make an old age beautiful?”asked Bartja.

“I explain my words to no one. Come.”

“But I ask for an opportunity of proving, thatI am inferior to none of my nation in manly qualities.”

“For that matter, the shouts of the Babylonianstoday will have been proof enough, that deeds arenot wanted from you, in order to win their admiration.”

“Cambyses!”

“Now come! We are just on the eve of awar with the Massagetae; there you will have a goodopportunity of proving what you are worth.”

A few minutes later, and Bartja was in the arms ofhis blind mother. She had been waiting for herdarling’s arrival with a beating heart, and inthe joy of hearing his voice once more, and of beingable to lay her hands again on that beloved head,she forgot everything else—­even her first-bornson who stood by smiling bitterly, as he watched therich and boundless stream of a mother’s loveflowing out to his younger brother.

Cambyses had been spoiled from his earliest infancy.Every wish had been fulfilled, every look regardedas a command; and thus he grew up totally unable tobrook contradiction, giving way to the most violentanger if any of his subjects (and he knew no humanbeings who were not his subjects) dared to opposehim.

His father Cyrus, conqueror of half the world—­theman whose genius had raised Persia from a small nationto the summit of earthly greatness—­whohad secured for himself the reverence and admirationof countless subjugated tribes—­this greatking was incapable of carrying out in his own smallfamily-circle the system of education he had so successfullyadopted towards entire countries. He could seenought else in Cambyses but the future king of Persia,and commanded his subjects to pay him an unquestioningobedience, entirely forgetful of the fact that he whois to govern well must begin by learning to obey.

Cambyses had been the first-born son of Kassandane,the wife whom Cyrus had loved and married young; threedaughters followed, and at last, fifteen years later,Bartja had come into the world. Their eldest sonhad already outgrown his parents’ caresses,when this little child appeared to engross all theircare and love. His gentle, affectionate and clingingnature made him the darling of both father and mother:Cambyses was treated with consideration by his parents,but their love was for Bartja. Cambyses was brave;he distinguished himself often in the field, but hisdisposition was haughty and imperious; men served himwith fear and trembling, while Bartja, ever sociableand sympathizing, converted all his companions intoloving friends. As to the mass of the people,they feared the king, and trembled when he drew near,notwithstanding the lavish manner in which he showeredrich gifts around him; but they loved Bartja, andbelieved they saw in him the image of the great Cyrusthe “Father of his people.”

Cambyses knew well that all this love, so freely givento Bartja, was not to be bought. He did not hatehis younger brother, but he felt annoyed that a youthwho had as yet done nothing to distinguish himself,should be honored and revered as if he were alreadya hero and public benefactor. Whatever annoyedor displeased him he considered must be wrong; wherehe disapproved he did not spare his censures, and fromhis very childhood, Cambyses’ reproofs had beendreaded even by the mighty.

The enthusiastic shouts of the populace, the overflowinglove of his mother and sister, and above all, thewarm encomiums expressed by Nitetis, had excited ajealousy which his pride had never allowed hitherto.Nitetis had taken his fancy in a remarkable degree.This daughter of a powerful monarch, like himselfdisdaining everything mean and inferior, had yet acknowledgedhim to be her superior, and to win his favor had notshrunk from the laborious task of mastering his nativelanguage. These qualities, added to her peculiarstyle of beauty, which excited his admiration fromits rare novelty, half Egyptian half Greek, (her motherhaving been a Greek), had not failed to make a deepimpression on him. But she had been liberal inher praise of Bartja; that was enough to disturb Cambyses’mind and prepare the way for jealousy.

As he and his brother were leaving the women’sapartments, Cambyses adopted a hasty resolution andexclaimed: “You asked me just now for anopportunity of proving your courage. I will notrefuse. The Tapuri have risen; I have sent troopsto the frontier. Go to Rhagae, take the commandand show what you are worth.”

“Thanks, brother,” cried Bartja.“May I take my friends, Darius, Gyges and Zopyruswith me?”

“That favor shall be granted too. I hopeyou will all do your duty bravely and promptly, thatyou may be back in three months to join the main armyin the expedition of revenge on the Massagetae.It will take place in spring.”

“I will start to-morrow.”

“Then farewell.”

“If Auramazda should spare my life and I shouldreturn victorious, will you promise to grant me onefavor?”

“Yes, I will.”

“Now, then, I feel confident of victory, evenif I should have to stand with a thousand men againstten thousand of the enemy.” Bartja’seyes sparkled, he was thinking of Sappho.

“Well,” answered his brother, “Ishall be very glad if your actions bear out theseglowing words. But stop; I have something moreto say. You are now twenty years of age; youmust marry. Roxana, daughter of the noble Hydarnes,is marriageable, and is said to be beautiful.Her birth makes her a fitting bride for you.”

“Oh! brother, do not speak of marriage; I .. .” “You must marry, for I haveno children.”

“But you are still young; you will not remainchildless. Besides, I do not say that I willnever marry. Do not be angry, but just now, whenI am to prove my courage, I would rather hear nothingabout women.”

“Well, then, you must marry Roxana when youreturn from the North. But I should advise youto take her with you to the field. A Persian generallyfights better if he knows that, beside his most precioustreasures, he has a beautiful woman in his tent todefend.”

“Spare me this one command, my brother.I conjure thee, by the soul of our father, not toinflict on me a wife of whom I know nothing, and neverwish to know. Give Roxana to Zopyrus, who is sofond of women, or to Darius or Bessus, who are relatedto her father Hydarnes. I cannot love her, andshould be miserable . . .”

Cambyses interrupted him with a laugh, exclaiming:“Did you learn these notions in Egypt, whereit is the custom to be contented with one wife?In truth, I have long repented having sent a boy likeyou abroad. I am not accustomed to bear contradiction,and shall listen to no excuses after the war.This once I will allow you to go to the field withouta wife. I will not force you to do what, in youropinion, might endanger your valor. But it seemsto me that you have other and more secret reasonsfor refusing my brotherly proposal. If that isthe case, I am sorry for you. However, for thepresent, you can depart, but after the war I willhear no remonstrances. You know me.”

“Perhaps after the war I may ask for the verything, which I am refusing now—­but neverfor Roxana! It is just as unwise to try to makea man happy by force as it is wicked to compel himto be unhappy, and I thank you for granting my request.”

“Don’t try my powers of yielding too often!—­Howhappy you look! I really believe you are in lovewith some one woman by whose side all the others havelost their charms.”

Bartja blushed to his temples, and seizing his brother’shand, exclaimed: “Ask no further now, acceptmy thanks once more, and farewell. May I bidNitetis farewell too, when I have taken leave of ourmother and Atossa?”

Cambyses bit his lip, looked searchingly into Bartja’sface, and finding that the boy grew uneasy under hisglance, exclaimed abruptly and angrily: “Yourfirst business is to hasten to the Tapuri. Mywife needs your care no longer; she has other protectorsnow.” So saying he turned his back on hisbrother and passed on into the great hall, blazingwith gold, purple and jewels, where the chiefs ofthe army, satraps, judges, treasurers, secretaries,counsellors, eunuchs, door-keepers, introducers ofstrangers, chamberlains, keepers of the wardrobe, dressers,cup-bearers, equerries, masters of the chase, physicians,eyes and ears of the king, ambassadors and plenipotentiariesof all descriptions—­were in waiting forhim.

[The “eyes and ears” of theking may be compared to our police- ministers.Darius may have borrowed the name from Egypt, wheresuch titles as “the 2 eyes of the king forUpper Egypt, the 2 ears of the king for Lower Egypt”are to be found on the earlier monuments, for instancein the tomb of Amen en, heb at Abd el Qurnah.And in Herodotus ii. 114. the boy Cyrus callsone of his playfellows “the eye of the king,”Herod. (I, 100.)]

The king was preceded by heralds bearing staves, andfollowed by a host of fan, sedan and footstool-bearers,men carrying carpets, and secretaries who the momenthe uttered a command, or even indicated a concession,a punishment or a reward, hastened to note it downand at once hand it over to the officials empoweredto execute his decrees.

In the middle of the brilliantly-lighted hall stooda gilded table, which looked as if it must give waybeneath the mass of gold and silver vessels, plates,cups and bowls which were arranged with great orderupon it. The king’s private table, theservice on which was of immense worth and beauty,was placed in an apartment opening out of the largehall, and separated from it by purple hangings.These concealed him from the gaze of the revellers,but did not prevent their every movement from beingwatched by his eye. It was an object of the highestambition to be one of those who ate at the king’stable, and even he to whom a portion was sent mightdeem himself a highly-favored man.

As Cambyses entered the hall, nearly every one presentprostrated themselves before him; his relations alone,distinguished by the blue and white fillet on thetiara, contented themselves with a deferential obeisance.

After the king had seated himself in his private apartment,the rest of the company took their places, and thena tremendous revel began. Animals, roasted whole,were placed on the table, and, when hunger was appeased,several courses of the rarest delicacies followed,celebrated in later times even among the Greeks underthe name of “Persian dessert.”

[Herodotus (I. 133.) writes thatthe Persians fancied the Greeks’
hunger was never satisfied, becausenothing special was brought to
the table at the end of the meal.]

Slaves then entered to remove the remains of the food.Others brought in immense jugs of wine, the king lefthis own apartment, took his seat at the head of thetable, numerous cup-bearers filled the golden drinking-cupsin the most graceful manner, first tasting the wineto prove that it was free from poison, and soon oneof those drinking-bouts had begun under the best auspices,at which, a century or two later, Alexander the Great,forgot not only moderation but even friendship itself.

Cambyses was unwontedly silent. The suspicionhad entered his mind, that Bartja loved Nitetis.Why had he, contrary to all custom, so decidedly refusedto marry a noble and beautiful girl, when his brother’schildlessness rendered marriage an evident and urgentduty for him? Why had he wished to see the Egyptianprincess again before leaving Babylon? and blushedas he expressed that wish? and why had she, almostwithout being asked, praised him so warmly?

It is well that he is going, thought the king; atleast he shall not rob me of her love. If hewere not my brother I would send him to a place fromwhence none can return.

After midnight he broke up the banquet. Bogesappeared to conduct him to the Harem, which he wasaccustomed to visit at this hour, when sufficientlysober.

“Phaedime awaits you with impatience,”said the eunuch.

“Let her wait!” was the king’s answer.“Have you given orders that the palace on thehanging-gardens shall be set in order?”

“It will be ready for occupation to-morrow.”

“What apartments have been assigned to the EgyptianPrincess?”

“Those formerly occupied by the second wifeof your father Cyrus, the deceased Amytis.”

“That is well. Nitetis is to be treatedwith the greatest respect, and to receive no commandseven from yourself, but such as I give you for her.”

Boges bowed low.

“See that no one, not even Croesus, has admissionto her before my. . . . before I give further orders.”

“Croesus was with her this evening.”

“What may have been his business with my wife?”

“I do not know, for I do not understand theGreek language, but I heard the name of Bartja severaltimes, and it seemed to me that the Egyptian had receivedsorrowful intelligence. She was looking very sadwhen I came, after Croesus had left, to inquire ifshe had any commands for me.”

“May Ahriman blast thy tongue,” mutteredthe king, and then turning his back on the eunuchhe followed the torch-bearers and attendants, who werein waiting to disrobe him, to his own private apartments.

At noon on the following clay, Bartja, accompaniedby his friends and a troop of attendants, startedon horseback for the frontier. Croesus went withthe young warriors as far as the city gates, and astheir last farewells and embraces were being exchanged,Bartja whispered to his old friend: “Ifthe messenger from Egypt should have a letter for mein his bag, will you send it on?”

“Shall you be able to decipher the Greek writing?”

“Gyges and love will help me!”

“When I told Nitetis of your departure she beggedme to wish you farewell, and tell you not to forgetEgypt.”

“I am not likely to do that.”

“The gods take thee into their care, my son.Be prudent, do not risk your life heedlessly, butremember that it is no longer only your own.Exercise the gentleness of a father towards the rebels;they did not rise in mere self-will, but to gain theirfreedom, the most precious possession of mankind.Remember, too, that to shew mercy is better than toshed blood; the sword killeth, but the favor of theruler bringeth joy and happiness. Conclude thewar as speedily as possible, for war is a perversionof nature; in peace the sons outlive the fathers, butin war the fathers live to mourn for their slain sons.Farewell, my young heroes, go forward and conquer!”

CHAPTER XIII.

Cambyses passed a sleepless night. The feelingof jealousy, so totally new to him, increased hisdesire to possess Nitetis, but he dared not take heras his wife yet, as the Persian law forbade the kingto marry a foreign wife, until she had become familiarwith the customs of Iran and confessed herself a discipleof Zoroaster.

[Zoroaster, really Zarathustra or Zerethoschtro,was one of the `greatest among founders of newreligions and lawgivers. His name signified“golden star” according to Anquetil duPerron. But this interpretation is as doubtful,as the many others which have been attempted.An appropriate one is given in the essay by Kern quotedbelow, from zara golden, and thwistra glittering;thus “the gold glittering one.”It is uncertain whether he was born in Bactria, Mediaor Persia, Anquetil thinks in Urmi, a town in Aderbaijan.His father’s name was Porosehasp, his mother’sDogdo, and his family boasted of royal descent.The time of his birth is very,—­Spiegelsays “hopelessly”—­dark.Anquetil, and many other scholars would place itin the reign of Darius, a view which has been provedto be incorrect by Spiegel, Duncker and v.Schack in his introduction.]

According to this law a whole year must pass beforeNitetis could become the wife of a Persian monarch?but what was the law to Cambyses? In his eyesthe law was embodied in his own person, and in hisopinion three months would be amply sufficient toinitiate Nitetis in the Magian mysteries, after whichprocess she could become his bride.

To-day his other wives seemed hateful, even loathsome,to him. From Cambyses’ earliest youth hishouse had been carefully provided with women.Beautiful girls from all parts of Asia, black-eyedArmenians, dazzlingly fair maidens from the Caucasus,delicate girls from the shores of the Ganges, luxuriousBabylonian women, golden-haired Persians and the effeminatedaughters of the Median plains; indeed many of thenoblest Achaemenidae had given him their daughtersin marriage.

Phaedime, the daughter of Otanes, and niece of hisown mother Kassandane, had been Cambyses’ favoritewife hitherto, or at least the only one of whom itcould be said that she was more to him than a purchasedslave would have been. But even she, in his presentsated and disgusted state of feeling, seemed vulgarand contemptible, especially when he thought of Nitetis.

The Egyptian seemed formed of nobler, better stuffthan they all. They were flattering, coaxinggirls; Nitetis was a queen. They humbled themselvesin the dust at his feet; but when he thought of Nitetis,he beheld her erect, standing before him, on the sameproud level as himself. He determined that fromhenceforth she should not only occupy Phaedime’splace, but should be to him what Kassandane had beento his father Cyrus.

She was the only one of his wives who could assisthim by her knowledge and advice; the others were alllike children, ignorant, and caring for nothing butdress and finery: living only for petty intriguesand useless trifles. This Egyptian girl wouldbe obliged to love him, for he would be her protector,her lord, her father and brother in this foreign land.

“She must,” he said to himself, and tothis despot to wish for a thing and to possess itseemed one and the same. “Bartja had bettertake care,” he murmured, “or he shallknow what fate awaits the man who dares to cross mypath.”

Nitetis too had passed a restless night.

The common apartment of the women was next to herown, and the noise and singing there had not ceaseduntil nearly midnight. She could often distinguishthe shrill voice of Boges joking and laughing withthese women, who were under his charge. At lastall was quiet in the wide palace halls and then herthoughts turned to her distant home and her poor sisterTachot, longing for her and for the beautiful Bartja,who, Croesus had told her, was going to-morrow tothe war and possibly to death. At last she fellasleep, overcome by the fatigue of the journey anddreaming of her future husband. She saw him onhis black charger. The foaming animal shied atBartja who was lying in the road, threw his riderand dragged him into the Nile, whose waves became blood-red.In her terror she screamed for help; her cries wereechoed back from the Pyramids in such loud and fearfultones that she awoke.

But hark! what could that be? That wailing, shrillcry which she had heard in her dream,—­shecould hear it still.

Hastily drawing aside the shutters from one of theopenings which served as windows, she looked out.A large and beautiful garden, laid out with fountainsand shady avenues, lay before her, glittering withthe early dew.

[The Persian gardens were celebratedthroughout the old world, and seem to have beenlaid out much less stiffly than the Egyptian.Even the kings of Persia did not consider horticulturebeneath their notice, and the highest among theAchaemenidae took an especial pleasure in layingout parks, called in Persian Paradises. Theiradmiration for well-grown trees went so far, thatXerxes, finding on his way to Greece a singularlybeautiful tree, hung ornaments of gold upon itsbranches. Firdusi, the great Persian epic poet,compares human beauty to the growth of the cypress,as the highest praise he can give. Indeedsome trees were worshipped by the Persians; andas the tree of life in the Hebrew and Egyptian, sowe find sacred trees in their Paradise.]

No sound was to be heard except the one which hadalarmed her, and this too died away at last on themorning breeze. After a few minutes she heardcries and noise in the distance, then the great cityawaking to its daily work, which soon settled downinto a deep, dull murmur like the roaring of the sea.

Nitetis was by this time so thoroughly awakened fromthe effect of the fresh morning air, that she didnot care to lie down again. She went once moreto the window and perceived two figures coming outof the house. One she recognized as the eunuchBoges; he was talking to a beautiful Persian womancarelessly dressed. They approached her window.Nitetis hid herself behind the half-opened shutterand listened, for she fancied she heard her own name.

“The Egyptian is still asleep.” said Boges.“She must be much fatigued by the journey.I see too that one of her windows is still firmly closed.”

“Then tell me quickly,” said the Persian.“Do you really think that this stranger’scoming can injure me in any way?”

“Certainly, I do, my pretty one.”

“But what leads you to suppose this?”

“She is only to obey the king’s commands,not mine.”

“Is that all?”

“No, my treasure. I know the king.I can read his features as the Magi read the sacredbooks.”

“Then we must ruin her.”

“More easily said than done, my little bird.”

“Leave me alone! you are insolent.”

“Well, but nobody can see us, and you know youcan do nothing without my help.”

“Very well then, I don’t care. Buttell me quickly what we can do.”

“Thanks, my sweet Phaedime. Well, for thepresent we must be patient and wait our time.That detestable hypocrite Croesus seems to have establishedhimself as protector of the Egyptian; when he is away,we must set our snares.”

The speakers were by this time at such a distance,that Nitetis could not understand what they said.In silent indignation she closed the shutter, andcalled her maidens to dress her. She knew herenemies now—­she knew that a thousand dangerssurrounded her, and yet she felt proud and happy,for was she not chosen to be the real wife of Cambyses?Her own worth seemed clearer to her than ever before,from a comparison with these miserable creatures,and a wonderful certainty of ultimate victory stoleinto her heart, for Nitetis was a firm believer inthe magic power of virtue.

“What was that dreadful sound I heard so early?”she asked of her principal waiting-woman, who wasarranging her hair.

“Do you mean the sounding brass, lady?”

“Scarcely two hours ago I was awakened by astrange and frightful sound.”

“That was the sounding brass, lady. Itis used to awaken the young sons of the Persian nobles,who are brought up at the gate of the king. Youwill soon become accustomed to it. We have longceased even to hear it, and indeed on great festivals,when it is not sounded, we awake from the unaccustomedstillness. From the hanging-gardens you will beable to see how the boys are taken to bathe everymorning, whatever the weather may be. The poorlittle ones are taken from their mothers when theyare six years old, to be brought up with the otherboys of their own rank under the king’s eye.”

“Are they to begin learning the luxurious mannersof the court so early?”

“Oh no! the poor boys lead a terrible life.They are obliged to sleep on the hard ground, to risebefore the sun. Their food is bread and water,with very little meat, and they are never allowed totaste wine or vegetables. Indeed at times theyare deprived of food and drink for some days, simplyto accustom them to privations. When the courtis at Ecbatana or Pasargadae, and the weather is bitterlycold, they are sure to be taken out to bathe, andhere in Susa, the hotter the sun, the longer and moredifficult the marches they are compelled to take.”

[The summer residences of the kings cfPersia, where it is sometimes very cold. Ecbatanalies at the foot of the high Elburs (Orontes) rangeof mountains in the neighborhood of the modern Hamadan;Pasargadae not far from Rachmet in the highlandsof Iran]

“And these boys, so simply and severely broughtup, become in after life such luxurious men?”

“Yes, that is always the case. A meal thathas been waited for is all the more relished whenit comes. These boys see splendor and magnificencearound them daily; they know how rich they are in reality,and yet have to suffer from hunger and privation.Who can wonder, if, when at last they gain their liberty,they plunge into the pleasures of life with a tenfoldeagerness? But on the other hand, in time of war,or when going to the chase, they never murmur at hungeror thirst, spring with a laugh into the mud regardlessof their thin boots and purple trousers, and sleepas soundly on a rock as on their beds of delicate Arabianwool. You must see the feats these boys perform,especially when the king is watching them! Cambyseswill certainly take you if you ask him.”

“I know those exercises already. In Egyptthe girls as well as the boys are kept to such gymnasticexercises. My limbs were trained to flexibilityby running, postures, and games with hoops and balls.

“How strange! Here, we women grow up justas we please, and are taught nothing but a littlespinning and weaving. Is it true that most ofthe Egyptian women can read and write?”

“Yes, nearly all.”

“By Mithras, you must be a clever people!Scarcely any of the Persians, except the Magi andthe scribes, learn these difficult arts. The sonsof the nobles are taught to speak the truth, to becourageous, obedient, and to reverence the gods; tohunt, ride, plant trees and discern between herbs;but whoever, like the noble Darius, wishes to learnthe art of writing, must apply to the Magi. Womenare forbidden to turn their minds to such studies.—­Nowyour dress is complete. This string of pearls,which the king sent this morning, looks magnificentin your raven-black hair, but it is easy to see thatyou are not accustomed to the full silk trousers andhigh-heeled boots. If, however, you walk two orthree times up and down the room you will surpassall the Persian ladies even in your walk!”

At this moment a knock was heard and Boges entered.He had come to conduct Nitetis to Kassandane’sapartments, where Cambyses was waiting for her.

The eunuch affected an abject humility, and pouredforth a stream of flattering words, in which he likenedthe princess to the sun, the starry heavens, a purefount of happiness, and a garden of roses. Nitetisdeigned him not a word in reply, but followed, witha beating heart, to the queen’s apartment.

In order to keep out the noonday sun and produce asalutary half-light for the blind queen’s eyes,her windows were shaded by curtains of green Indiansilk. The floor was covered with a thick Babyloniancarpet, soft as moss under the foot. The wallswere faced with a mosaic of ivory, tortoise-shell,gold, silver, malachite, lapis-lazuli, ebony and amber.The seats and couches were of gold covered with lions’skins, and a table of silver stood by the side ofthe blind queen. Kassandane was seated in a costlyarm-chair. She wore a robe of violet-blue, embroideredwith silver, and over her snow-white hair lay a longveil of delicate lace, woven in Egypt, the ends ofwhich were wound round her neck and tied in a largebow beneath her chin. She was between sixty andseventy years old; her face, framed, as it were, intoa picture by the lace veil, was exquisitely symmetricalin its form, intellectual, kind and benevolent inits expression.

The blind eyes were closed, but those who gazed onher felt that, if open, they would shine with thegentle light of stars. Even when sitting, herattitude and height showed a tall and stately figure.Indeed her entire appearance was worthy the widowof the great and good Cyrus.

On a low seat at her feet, drawing long threads froma golden spindle, sat the queen’s youngest childAtossa, born to her late in life. Cambyses wasstanding before her, and behind, hardly visible inthe dim light, Nebenchari, the Egyptian oculist.

As Nitetis entered, Cambyses came towards her andled her to his mother. The daughter of Amasisfell on her knees before this venerable woman, andkissed her hand with real affection.

“Be welcome here!” exclaimed the blindqueen, feeling her way to the young girl’s head,on which she laid her hand, “I have heard muchin your praise, and hope to gain in you a dear andloving daughter.”

Nitetis kissed the gentle, delicate hand again, sayingin a low voice: “O how I thank you forthese words! Will you, the wife of the great Cyrus,permit me to call you mother? My tongue has beenso long accustomed to this sweet word; and now afterlong weeks of silence, I tremble with joy at the thoughtthat I may say ‘my mother’ once more!I will indeed try to deserve your love and kindness;and you—­you will be to me all that yourloving countenance seems to promise? Advise andteach me; let me find a refuge at your feet, if sometimesthe longing for home becomes too strong, and my poorheart too weak to bear its grief or joy alone.Oh, be my mother! that one word includes all else!”

The blind queen felt the warm tears fall on her hand;she pressed her lips kindly on the weeping girl’sforehead, and answered: “I can understandyour feelings. My apartments shall be always opento you, my heart ready to welcome you here. Comewhen you will, and call me your mother with the sameperfect confidence with which I, from my whole heart,name you my daughter. In a few months you willbe my son’s wife, and then the gods may grantyou that gift, which, by implanting within you thefeelings of a mother, will prevent you from feelingthe need of one.”

“May Ormuszd hear and give his blessing!”said Cambyses. “I rejoice, mother, thatmy wife pleases you, and I know that when once shebecomes familiar with our manners and customs shewill be happy here. If Nitetis pay due heed,our marriage can be celebrated in four months.”

“But the law—­” began his mother.

“I command—­in four months, and shouldlike to see him who dare raise an objection.Farewell! Nebenchari, use your best skill forthe queen’s eyes, and if my wife permit, you,as her countryman, may visit her to-morrow. Farewell!Bartja sends his parting greetings. He is on theroad to the Tapuri.”

Atossa wiped away a tear in silence, but Kassandaneanswered: “You would have done well toallow the boy to remain here a few months longer.Your commander, Megabyzus, could have subdued thatsmall nation alone.”

“Of that I have no doubt,” replied theking, “but Bartja desired an opportunity ofdistinguishing himself in the field; and for that reasonI sent him.”

“Would he not gladly have waited until the warwith the Massageta; where more glory might be gained?”asked the blind woman.

“Yes,” said Atossa, “and if he shouldfall in this war, you will have deprived him of thepower of fulfilling his most sacred duty, of avengingthe soul of our father!”

“Be silent!” cried Cambyses in an overbearingtone, “or I shall have to teach you what isbecoming in women and children. Bartja is on fartoo good terms with fortune to fall in the war.He will live, I hope, to deserve the love which isnow so freely flung into his lap like an alms.”

“How canst thou speak thus?” cried Kassandane.“In what manly virtue is Bartja wanting?Is it his fault, that he has had no such opportunityof distinguishing himself in the field as thou hasthad? You are the king and I am bound to respectyour commands, but I blame my son for depriving hisblind mother of the greatest joy left to her in herold age. Bartja would have gladly remained hereuntil the Massagetan war, if your self-will had notdetermined otherwise.”

“And what I will is good!” exclaimed Cambysesinterrupting his mother, and pale with anger, “Idesire that this subject be not mentioned again.”

So saying, he left the room abruptly and went intothe reception-hall, followed by the immense retinuewhich never quitted him, whithersoever he might directhis steps.

An hour passed, and still Nitetis and the lovely Atossawere sitting side by side, at the feet of the queen.The Persian women listened eagerly to all their newfriend could tell them about Egypt and its wonders.

“Oh! how I should like to visit your home!”exclaimed Atossa. “It must be quite, quitedifferent from Persia and everything else that I haveseen yet. The fruitful shores of your great river,larger even than the Euphrates, the temples with theirpainted columns, those huge artificial mountains,the Pyramids, where the ancient kings be buried—­itmust all be wonderfully beautiful. But what pleasesme best of all is your description of the entertainments,where men and women converse together as they like.The only meals we are allowed to take in the societyof men are on New Year’s Day and the king’sbirthday, and then we are forbidden to speak; indeedit is not thought right for us even to raise our eyes.How different it is with you! By Mithras! mother,I should like to be an Egyptian, for we poor creaturesare in reality nothing but miserable slaves; and yetI feel that the great Cyrus was my father too, andthat I am worth quite as much as most men. DoI not speak the truth? can I not obey as well as command?have I not the same thirst and longing for glory?could not I learn to ride, to string a bow, to fightand swim, if I were taught and inured to such exercises?”

The girl had sprung from her seat while speaking,her eyes flashed and she swung her spindle in theair, quite unconscious that in so doing she was breakingthe thread and entangling the flax.

“Remember what is fitting,” reminded Kassandane.“A woman must submit with humility to her quietdestiny, and not aspire to imitate the deeds of men.”

“But there are women who lead the same livesas men,” cried Atossa. “There arethe Amazons who live on the shores of the Thermodonin Themiscyra, and at Comana on the Iris; they havewaged great wars, and even to this day wear men’sarmor.”

“Who told you this?”

“My old nurse, Stephanion, whom my father broughta captive from Sinope to Pasargadae.”

“But I can teach you better,” said Nitetis.“It is true that in Themiscyra and Comana thereare a number of women who wear soldier’s armor;but they are only priestesses, and clothe themselveslike the warlike goddess they serve, in order to presentto the worshippers a manifestation of the divinityin human form. Croesus says that an army of Amazonshas never existed, but that the Greeks, (always readyand able to turn anything into a beautiful myth),having seen these priestesses, at once transformedthe armed virgins dedicated to the goddess into a nationof fighting women.”

“Then they are liars!” exclaimed the disappointedgirl.

“It is true, that the Greeks have not the samereverence for truth as you have,” answered Nitetis,“but they do not call the men who invent thesebeautiful stories liars; they are called poets.”

“Just as it is with ourselves,” said Kassandane.“The poets, who sing the praises of my husband,have altered and adorned his early life in a marvellousmanner; yet no one calls them liars. But tellme, my daughter, is it true that these Greeks aremore beautiful than other men, and understand artbetter even than the Egyptians?”

“On that subject I should not venture to pronouncea judgment. There is such a great differencebetween the Greek and Egyptian works of art. WhenI went into our own gigantic temples to pray, I alwaysfelt as if I must prostrate myself in the dust beforethe greatness of the gods, and entreat them not tocrush so insignificant a worm; but in the temple ofHera at Samos, I could only raise my hands to heavenin joyful thanksgiving, that the gods had made theearth so beautiful. In Egypt I always believedas I had been taught: ’Life is asleep; weshall not awake to our true existence in the kingdomof Osiris till the hour of death;’ but in GreeceI thought: ’I am born to live and to enjoythis cheerful, bright and blooming world.’”

“Ah! tell us something more about Greece,”cried Atossa; “but first Nebenchari must puta fresh bandage on my mother’s eyes.”

The oculist, a tall, grave man in the white robesof an Egyptian priest, came forward to perform thenecessary operation, and after being kindly greetedby Nitetis, withdrew once more silently into the background.At the same time a eunuch entered to enquire whetherCroesus might be allowed to pay his respectful homageto the king’s mother.

The aged king soon appeared, and was welcomed as theold and tried friend of the Persian royal family.Atossa, with her usual impetuosity, fell on the neckof the friend she had so sorely missed during his absence;the queen gave him her hand, and Nitetis met him likea loving daughter.

“I thank the gods, that I am permitted to seeyou again,” said Croesus. “The youngcan look at life as a possession, as a thing understoodand sure, but at my age every year must be acceptedas an undeserved gift from the gods, for which a manmust be thankful.”

“I could envy you for this happy view of life,”sighed Kassandane. “My years are fewerthan yours, and yet every new day seems to me a punishmentsent by the Immortals.”

“Can I be listening to the wife of the greatCyrus?” asked Croesus. “How longis it since courage and confidence left that braveheart? I tell you, you will recover sight, andonce more thank the gods for a good old age.The man who recovers, after a serious illness, valueshealth a hundred-fold more than before; and he whor*gains sight after blindness, must be an especialfavorite of the gods. Imagine to yourself thedelight of that first moment when your eyes beholdonce more the bright shining of the sun, the facesof your loved ones, the beauty of all created things,and tell me, would not that outweigh even a whole lifeof blindness and dark night? In the day of healing,even if that come in old age, a new life will beginand I shall hear you confess that my friend Solonwas right.”

“In what respect?” asked Atossa.

“In wishing that Mimnermos, the Colophonianpoet, would correct the poem in which he has assignedsixty years as the limit of a happy life, and wouldchange the sixty into eighty.”

“Oh no!” exclaimed Kassandane. “Evenwere Mithras to restore my sight, such a long lifewould be dreadful. Without my husband I seem tomyself like a wanderer in the desert, aimless andwithout a guide.”

“Are your children then nothing to you, andthis kingdom, of which you have watched the rise andgrowth?”

“No indeed! but my children need me no longer,and the ruler of this kingdom is too proud to listento a woman’s advice.”

On hearing these words Atossa and Nitetis seized eachone of the queen’s hands, and Nitetis cried:“You ought to desire a long life for our sakes.What should we be without your help and protection?”

Kassandane smiled again, murmuring in a scarcely audiblevoice: “You are right, my children, youwill stand in need of your mother.”

“Now you are speaking once more like the wifeof the great Cyrus,” cried Croesus, kissingthe robe of the blind woman. “Your presencewill indeed be needed, who can say how soon?Cambyses is like hard steel; sparks fly wherever hestrikes. You can hinder these sparks from kindlinga destroying fire among your loved ones, and thisshould be your duty. You alone can dare to admonishthe king in the violence of his passion. He regardsyou as his equal, and, while despising the opinionof others, feels wounded by his mother’s disapproval.Is it not then your duty to abide patiently as mediatorbetween the king, the kingdom and your loved ones,and so, by your own timely reproofs, to humble thepride of your son, that he may be spared that deeperhumiliation which, if not thus averted, the gods willsurely inflict.”

“You are right,” answered the blind woman,“but I feel only too well that my influenceover him is but small. He has been so much accustomedto have his own will, that he will follow no advice,even if it come from his mother’s lips.”

“But he must at least hear it,” answeredCroesus, “and that is much, for even if he refuseto obey, your counsels will, like divine voices, continueto make themselves heard within him, and will keephim back from many a sinful act. I will remainyour ally in this matter; for, as Cambyses’dying father appointed me the counsellor of his sonin word and deed, I venture occasionally a bold wordto arrest his excesses. Ours is the only blamefrom which he shrinks: we alone can dare to speakour opinion to him. Let us courageously do ourduty in this our office: you, moved by love toPersia and your son, and I by thankfulness to thatgreat man to whom I owe life and freedom, and whoseson Cambyses is. I know that you bemoan the mannerin which he has been brought up; but such late repentancemust be avoided like poison. For the errors ofthe wise the remedy is reparation, not regret; regretconsumes the heart, but the effort to repair an errorcauses it to throb with a noble pride.”

“In Egypt,” said Nitetis, “regretis numbered among the forty-two deadly sins.One of our principal commandments is, ’Thou shaltnot consume thine heart.’”

[In the Ritual of the Dead (indeed inalmost every Papyrus of the Dead) we meet witha representation of the soul, whose heart is beingweighed and judged. The speech made by the soulis called the negative justification, in whichshe assures the 42 judges of the dead, that shehas not committed the 42 deadly sins which she enumerates.This justification is doubly interesting because itcontains nearly the entire moral law of Moses, whichlast, apart from all national peculiarities andhabits of mind, seems to contain the quintessenceof human morality—­and this we find readyparagraphed in our negative justification.Todtenbuch ed. Lepsius. 125. We cannotdiscuss this question philosophically here, but thelaw of Pythagoras, who borrowed so much from Egypt,and the contents of which are the same, speaksfor our view. It is similar in form to theEgyptian.]

“There you remind me,” said Croesus “thatI have undertaken to arrange for your instructionin the Persian customs, religion and language.I had intended to withdraw to Barene, the town whichI received as a gift from Cyrus, and there, in thatmost lovely mountain valley, to take my rest; butfor your sake and for the king’s, I will remainhere and continue to give you instruction in the Persiantongue. Kassandane herself will initiate youin the customs peculiar to women at the Persian court,and Oropastes, the high-priest, has been ordered bythe king to make you acquainted with the religionof Iran. He will be your spiritual, and I yoursecular guardian.”

At these words Nitetis, who had been smiling happily,cast down her eyes and asked in a low voice:“Am I to become unfaithful to the gods of myfathers, who have never failed to hear my prayers?Can I, ought I to forget them?”

“Yes,” said Kassandane decidedly, “thoucanst, and it is thy bounden duty, for a wife oughtto have no friends but those her husband calls such.The gods are a man’s earliest, mightiest andmost faithful friends, and it therefore becomes thyduty, as a wife, to honor them, and to close thineheart against strange gods and superstitions, as thouwouldst close it against strange lovers.”

“And,” added Croesus, “we will notrob you of your deities; we will only give them toyou under other names. As Truth remains eternallythe same, whether called ‘maa’, as bythe Egyptians, or ‘Aletheia’ as by theGreeks, so the essence of the Deity continues unchangedin all places and times. Listen, my daughter:I myself, while still king of Lydia, often sacrificedin sincere devotion to the Apollo of the Greeks, withouta fear that in so doing I should offend the Lydiansun-god Sandon; the Ionians pay their worship to theAsiatic Cybele, and, now that I have become a Persian,I raise my hands adoringly to Mithras, Ormuzd and thelovely Anahita. Pythagoras too, whose teachingis not new to you, worships one god only, whom hecalls Apollo; because, like the Greek sun-god, heis the source of light and of those harmonies whichPythagoras holds to be higher than all else. Andlastly, Xenophanes of Colophon laughs at the manyand divers gods of Homer and sets one single deityon high—­the ceaselessly creative might ofnature, whose essence consists of thought, reasonand eternity.

[A celebrated freethinker, who indulgedin bold and independent speculations, and sufferedmuch persecution for his ridicule of the Homericdeities. He flourished at the time of our historyand lived to a great age, far on into the fifthcentury. We have quoted some fragments ofhis writings above. He committed his speculationsalso to verse.]

“In this power everything has its rise, andit alone remains unchanged, while all created mattermust be continually renewed and perfected. Theardent longing for some being above us, on whom wecan lean when our own powers fail,—­thewonderful instinct which desires a faithful friendto whom we can tell every joy and sorrow without fearof disclosure, the thankfulness with which we beholdthis beautiful world and all the rich blessings wehave received—­these are the feelings whichwe call piety—­devotion.

“These you must hold fast; remembering, however,at the same time, that the world is ruled neitherby the Egyptian, the Persian, nor the Greek divinitiesapart from each other, but that all these are one;and that one indivisible Deity, how different soevermay be the names and characters under which He isrepresented, guides the fate of men and nations.”

The two Persian women listened to the old man in amazement.Their unpractised powers were unable to follow thecourse of his thoughts. Nitetis, however, hadunderstood him thoroughly, and answered: “Mymother Ladice was the pupil of Pythagoras, and hastold me something like this already; but the Egyptianpriests consider such views to be sacrilegious, andcall their originators despisers of the gods.So I tried to repress such thoughts; but now I willresist them no longer. What the good and wiseCroesus believes cannot possibly be evil or impious!Let Oropastes come! I am ready to listen to histeaching. The god of Thebes, our Ammon, shallbe transformed into Ormuzd,—­Isis or Hathor,into Anahita, and those among our gods for whom Ican find no likeness in the Persian religion, I shalldesignate by the name of ‘the Deity.’”

Croesus smiled. He had fancied, knowing how obstinatelythe Egyptians clung to all they had received fromtradition and education, that it would have been moredifficult for Nitetis to give up the gods of her nativeland. He had forgotten that her mother was a Greek,and that the daughters of Amasis had studied the doctrinesof Pythagoras. Neither was he aware how ardentlyNitetis longed to please her proud lord and master.Even Amasis, who so revered the Samian philosopher,who had so often yielded to Hellenic influence, andwho with good reason might be called a free-thinkingEgyptian, would sooner have exchanged life for death,than his multiform gods for the one idea “Deity.”

“You are a teachable pupil,” said Croesus,laying his hand on her head, “and as a reward,you shall be allowed either to visit Kassandane, orto receive Atossa in the hanging-gardens, every morning,and every afternoon until sunset.”

This joyful news was received with loud rejoicingsby Atossa, and with a grateful smile by the Egyptiangirl.

“And lastly,” said Croesus, “I havebrought some balls and hoops with me from Sais, thatyou may be able to amuse yourselves in Egyptian fashion.”

“Balls?” asked Atossa in amazement; “whatcan we do with the heavy wooden things?”

“That need not trouble you,” answeredCroesus, laughing. “The balls I speak ofare pretty little things made of the skins of fishfilled with air, or of leather. A child of twoyears old can throw these, but you would find it noeasy matter even to lift one of those wooden ballswith which the Persian boys play. Are you contentwith me, Nitetis?”

[In Persia games with balls are stillreckoned among the amusem*nts of the men.One player drives a wooden hall to the other, as inthe English game of cricket. Chardin (Voyageen Perse. III. p. 226.) saw the game playedby 300 players.]

“How can I thank you enough, my father?”

“And now listen to my plan for the divisionof your time. In the morning you will visit Kassandane,chat with Atossa, and listen to the teaching of yournoble mother.”

Here the blind woman bent her head in approval.“Towards noon I shall come to teach you, andwe can talk sometimes about Egypt and your loved onesthere, but always in Persian. You would like this,would you not?”

Nitetis smiled.

“Every second day, Oropastes will be in attendanceto initiate you in the Persian religion.”

“I will take the greatest pains to comprehendhim quickly.”

“In the afternoon you can be with Atossa aslong as you like. Does that please you too?”

“O Croesus!” cried the young girl andkissed the old man’s hand.

ETEXT editor’sbookmarks:

A first impression isoften a final one
Assigned sixty yearsas the limit of a happy life
At my age every yearmust be accepted as an undeserved gift
Cambyses had been spoiledfrom his earliest infancy
Devoid of occupation,envy easily becomes hatred
Easy to understand whatwe like to hear
Eros mocks all humanefforts to resist or confine him
Eyes are much more eloquentthan all the tongues in the world
For the errors of thewise the remedy is reparation, not regret
Greeks have not thesame reverence for truth
He who is to governwell must begin by learning to obey
In war the fathers liveto mourn for their slain sons
Inn, was to be foundabout every eighteen miles
Lovers are the mostunteachable of pupils
The beautiful past isall he has to live upon
The gods cast enviousglances at the happiness of mortals
Unwise to try to makea man happy by force
War is a perversionof nature
Ye play with eternityas if it were but a passing moment
Zeus pays no heed tolovers’ oaths

AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.

By Georg Ebers

Volume 5.

CHAPTER XIV.

The next day Nitetis removed to the country-housein the hanging-gardens, and began a monotonous, buthappy and industrious life there, according to therules laid down by Croesus. Every day she wascarried to Kassandane and Atossa in a closely shut-uplitter. Nitetis soon began to look upon the blindqueen as a beloved and loving mother, and the merry,spirited Atossa nearly made up to her for the lossof her sister Tachot, so far away on the distant Nile.She could not have desired a better companion thanthis gay, cheerful girl, whose wit and merriment effectuallyprevented homesickness or discontent from settlingin her friend’s heart. The gravity andearnestness of Nitetis’ character were brightenedby Atossa’s gaiety, and Atossa’s exuberantspirits calmed and regulated by the thoughtful natureof Nitetis.

Both Croesus and Kassandane were pleased and satisfiedwith their new daughter and pupil, and Oropastes extolledher talents and industry daily to Cambyses. Shelearnt the Persian language unusually well and quickly;Cambyses only visited his mother when he hoped to findNitetis there, and presented her continually withrich dresses and costly jewels. But the highestproof of his favor consisted in his abstaining fromvisiting her at her house in the hanging-gardens,a line of conduct which proved that he meant to includeNitetis in the small number of his real and lawfulwives, a privilege of which many a princess in hisharem could not boast.

The grave, beautiful girl threw a strange spell overthis strong, turbulent man. Her presence aloneseemed enough to soften his stubborn will, and hewould watch their games for hours, his eyes fixed onher graceful movements. Once, when the ball hadfallen into the water, the king sprang in after it,regardless of his costly apparel. Nitetis screamedon seeing his intention, but Cambyses handed her thedripping toy with the words: “Take careor I shall be obliged to frighten you again.”At the same time he drew from his neck a gold chainset with jewels and gave it to the blushing girl,who thanked him with a look which fully revealed herfeelings for her future husband.

Croesus, Kassandane and Atossa soon noticed that Nitetisloved the king. Her former fear of this proudand powerful being had indeed changed into a passionateadmiration. She felt as if she must die if deprivedof his presence. He seemed to her like a, gloriousand omnipotent divinity, and her wish to possess himpresumptuous and sacrilegious; but its fulfilmentshone before her as an idea more beautiful even thanreturn to her native land and reunion with those who,till now, had been her only loved ones.

Nitetis herself was hardly conscious of the strengthof her feelings, and believed that when she trembledbefore the king’s arrival it was from fear,and not from her longing to behold him once more.Croesus, however, had soon discovered the truth, andbrought a deep blush to his favorite’s cheekby singing to her, old as he was, Anacreon’snewest song, which he had learnt at Sais from Ibykus

“We read the flying courser’sname
Upon his side in marks of flame;
And by their turban’d brows alone
The warriors of the East are known.
But in the lover’s glowing eyes,
The inlet to his bosom lies;
Through them we see the tiny mark,
Where Love has dropp’d his burning spark”

—­Paegnion15

And thus, in work and amusem*nt, jest, earnest, andmutual love, the weeks and months passed with Nitetis.Cambyses’ command that she was to be happy inhis land had fulfilled itself, and by the time theMesopotamian spring-tide (January, February and March),which succeeds the rainy month of December, was over,and the principal festival of the Asiatics, the NewYear, had been solemnized at the equinox, and the Maysun had begun to glow in the heavens, Nitetis feltquite at home in Babylon, and all the Persians knewthat the young Egyptian princess had quite displacedPhaedime, the daughter of Otanes, in the king’sfavor, and would certainly become his first and favoritewife.

Boges sank considerably in public estimation, forit was known that Cambyses had ceased to visit theharem, and the chief of the eunuchs had owed all hisimportance to the women, who were compelled to coaxfrom Cambyses whatever Boges desired for himself orothers. Not a day passed on which the mortifiedofficial did not consult with the supplanted favoritePhaedime, as to the best means of ruining Nitetis,but their most finely spun intrigues and artificeswere baffled by the strength of king’s loveand the blameless life of his royal bride.

Phaedime, impatient, mortified, and thirsting forvengeance, was perpetually urging Boges to some decidedact; he, on the contrary, advised patience.

At last, however, after many weeks, he came to herfull of joy, exclaiming: “I have deviseda little plan which must ruin the Egyptian woman assurely as my name is Boges. When Bartja comesback, my treasure, our hour will have arrived.”

While saying this the creature rubbed his fat, softhands, and, with his perpetual fulsome smile, lookedas if he were feasting on some good deed performed.He did not, however, give Phaedime the faintest ideaof the nature of his “little plan,” andonly answered her pressing questions with the words:“Better lay your head in a lion’s jaws,than your secret in the ears of a woman. I fullyacknowledge your courage, but at the same time adviseyou to remember that, though a man proves his couragein action, a woman’s is shown in obedience.Obey my words and await the issue in patience.”Nebenchari, the oculist, continued to attend the queen,but so carefully abstained from all intercourse withthe Persians, that he became a proverb among themfor his gloomy, silent ways. During the day hewas to be found in the queen’s apartments, silentlyexamining large rolls of papyri, which he called thebook of Athotes and the sacred Ambres; at night, bypermission of the king and the satraps of Babylon,he often ascended one of the high towers on the walls,called Tritantaechmes, in order to observe the stars.

The Chaldaean priests, the earliest astronomers, wouldhave allowed him to take his observations from thesummit of the great temple of Bel, their own observatory,but he refused this offer decidedly, and persistedin his haughty reserve. When Oropastes attemptedto explain to him the celebrated Babylonian sun-dial,introduced by Anaximander of Miletus into Greece,he turned from the Magian with a scornful laugh, saying:“We knew all this, before you knew the meaningof an hour.”

Nitetis had shown Nebenchari much kindness, yet hetook no interest in her, seemed indeed to avoid herpurposely, and on her asking whether she had displeasedor offended him, answered: “For me you area stranger. How can I reckon those my friends,who can so gladly and so quickly forget those theyloved best, their gods, and the customs of their nativeland?”

Boges quickly discovered this state of feeling onthe part of Nebenchari, and took much pains to securehim as an ally, but the physician rejected the eunuch’sflatteries, gifts, and attentions with dignity.

No sooner did an Angare appear in the court of thepalace with despatches for the king, than Boges hastenedto enquire whether news from the Tapuri had arrived.

At length the desired messenger appeared, bringingword that the rebels were subdued, and Bartja on thepoint of returning.

Three weeks passed—­fresh messengers arrivedfrom day to day announcing the approach of the victoriousprince; the streets glittered once more in festalarray, the army entered the gates of Babylon, Bartjathanked the rejoicing multitude, and a short timeafter was in the arms of his blind mother.

Cambyses received his brother with undisguised warmth,and took him to the queen’s apartments, whenhe knew that Nitetis would be there.

For he was sure the Egyptian girl loved him; his previousjealousy seemed a silly fancy now, and he wished togive Bartja an opportunity of seeing how entirelyhe trusted his bride.

Cambyses’ love had made him mild and gentle,unwearied in giving and in doing good. His wrathslumbered for a season, and around the spot wherethe heads of those who had suffered capital punishmentwere exhibited as a warning to their fellow-men, thehungry, screeching crows now wheeled, in vain.

The influence of the insinuating eunuchs (a race whohad never been seen within the gates of Cyrus untilthe incorporation of Media, Lydia and Babylon, inwhich countries they had filled many of the highestoffices at court and in the state), was now waning,and the importance of the noble Achaemenidae increasingin proportion; for Cambyses applied oftener to thelatter than to the former for advice in matters relatingto the welfare of the country.

The aged Hystaspes, father of Darius, governor ofPersia proper and cousin to the king; Pharnaspes,Cambyses’ grandfather on the mother’sside; Otanes, his uncle and father-in-law. Intaphernes,Aspathines, Gobryas, Hydarnes, the general Megabyzus,father of Zopyrus, the envoy Prexaspes, the nobleCroesus, and the old warrior Araspes; in short, theflower of the ancient Persian aristocracy, were nowat the court of Cambyses.

To this must be added that the entire nobility ofthe realm, the satraps or governors of the provinces,and the chief priests from every town were also assembledat Babylon to celebrate the king’s birthday.

[The king’s birthday was the principalfeast among the Persians, and called “theperfect feast.” Herod. I. 133.Birthdays were held in much honor by the ancients,and more especially those of their kings.Both the great bilingual Egyptian tablets, which wepossess (the Rosetta stone, line 10 of hieroglyphictext; Gr. text, line 46. and the edict of Canopused. Lepsius, hieroglyphic text 1. 3. Gr.text 1. 5.) mention the celebration of the birthdayof one of the Ptolemies; and even of Rameses ii.,so early as the 14th century B. C. we read:“There was joy in heaven on his birthday.”]

The entire body of officials and deputies streamedfrom the provinces up to the royal city, bringingpresents to their ruler and good wishes; they camealso to take part in the great sacrifices at whichhorses, stags, bulls and asses were slaughtered inthousands as offerings to the gods.

At this festival all the Persians received gifts,every man was allowed to ask a petition of the king,which seldom remained unfulfilled, and in every citythe people were feasted at the royal expense.Cambyses had commanded that his marriage with Nitetisshould be celebrated eight days after the birthday,and all the magnates of the realms should be invitedto the ceremony.

The streets of Babylon swarmed with strangers, thecolossal palaces on both shores of the Euphrates wereoverfilled, and all the houses stood adorned in festalbrightness.

The zeal thus displayed by his people, this vast throngof human beings, —­representing and bringingaround him, as it were, his entire kingdom, contributednot a little to raise the king’s spirits.

His pride was gratified; and the only longing leftin his heart had been stilled by Nitetis’ love.For the first time in his life he believed himselfcompletely happy, and bestowed his gifts, not onlyfrom a sense of his duty as king of Persia, but becausethe act of giving was in itself a pleasure.

Megabyzus could not extol the deeds of Bartja andhis friends too highly. Cambyses embraced theyoung warriors, gave them horses and gold chains,called them “brothers” and reminded Bartja,that he had promised to grant him a petition if hereturned victorious.

At this Bartja cast down his eyes, not knowing atfirst in what form to begin his request, and the kinganswered laughing: “Look, my friends; ouryoung hero is blushing like a girl! It seems Ishall have to grant something important; so he hadbetter wait until my birthday, and then, at supper,when the wine has given him courage, he shall whisperin my ear what he is now afraid to utter. Askmuch, Bartja, I am happy myself, and wish all my friendsto be happy too.” Bartja only smiled inanswer and went to his mother; for he had not yetopened his heart to her on the matter which lay sonear it.

He was afraid of meeting with decided opposition;but Croesus had cleared the way far him by tellingKassandane so much in praise of Sappho, her virtuesand her graces, her talents and skill, that Nitetisand Atossa maintained she must have given the oldman a magic potion, and Kassandane, after a shortresistance, yielded to her darling’s entreaties.

“A Greek woman the lawful wife of a Persianprince of the blood!” cried the blind woman.“Unheard of! What will Cambyses say?How can we gain his consent?”

“On that matter you may be at ease, my mother,”answered Bartja, “I am as certain that my brotherwill give his consent, as I am that Sappho will provean ornament and honor to our house.”

“Croesus has already told me much in favor ofthis maiden,” answered Kassandane, “andit pleases me that thou hast at last resolved to marry;but never-the-less this alliance does not seem suitablefor a son of Cyrus. And have you forgotten thatthe Achaemenidae; will probably refuse to recognizethe child of a Greek mother as their future king, ifCambyses should remain childless?”

“Mother, I fear nothing; for my heart is notset upon the crown. And indeed many a king ofPersia has had a mother of far lower parentage thanmy Sappho.” I feel persuaded that when myrelations see the precious jewel I have won on theNile, not one of them will chide me.”

“The gods grant that Sappho may be equal toour Nitetis!” answered Kassandane, “Ilove her as if she were my own child, and bless theday which brought her to Persia. The warm lightof her eyes has melted your brother’s hard heart;her kindness and gentleness bring beauty into thenight of my blind old age, and her sweet earnestnessand gravity have changed your sister Atossa from anunruly child into a gentle maiden. But now callthem, (they are playing in the garden), and we willtell them of the new friend they are to gain throughyou.”

“Pardon me, my mother,” answered Bartja,“but I must beg you not to tell my sister untilwe are sure of the king’s consent.”

“You are right, my son. We must concealyour wish, to save Nitetis and Atossa from a possibledisappointment. A bright hope unfulfilled isharder to bear than an unexpected sorrow. So letus wait for your brother’s consent, and maythe gods give their blessing!” Early in themorning of the king’s birthday the Persians offeredtheir sacrifices on the shores of the Euphrates.A huge altar of silver had been raised on an artificialhill. On this a mighty fire had been kindled,from which flames and sweet odors rose towards heaven.White-robed magi fed the fire with pieces of daintily-cutsandal-wood, and stirred it with bundles of rods.

A cloth, the Paiti-dhana, was bound round the headsof the priests, the ends of which covered the mouth,and thus preserved the pure fire from pollution byhuman breath.

[The Persians were ordered to hold thislittle square piece of cloth before their mouthswhen they prayed. It was from 2 to 7 fingersbroad. Anquetil gives a drawing of it in hisZend-Avesia. Strabo speaks of the Paiti-dhanap. 733. He says the ends of the cloth usedas a covering for the head hung down over the mouth.]

The victims had been slaughtered in a meadow nearthe river, the flesh cut into pieces, sprinkled withsalt, and laid out on tender grasses, sprouts of clover,myrtle-blossoms, and laurel-leaves, that the beautifuldaughter of Ormuzd, the patient, sacred Earth, mightnot be touched by aught that was dead or bleeding.

Oropastes, the chief Destur,—­[Priest]—­nowdrew near the fire and cast fresh butter into it.The flames leapt up into the air and all the Persiansfell on their knees and hid their faces, in the beliefthat the fire was now ascending to their great godand father. The Magian then took a mortar, laidsome leaves and stalks of the sacred herb Haomas withinit, crushed them and poured the ruddy juice, the foodof the gods, into the flames.

After this he raised his hands to heaven, and, whilethe other priests continually fed the flames intoa wilder blaze by casting in fresh butter, sang along prayer out of the sacred books. In this prayerthe blessing of the gods was called down on everythingpure and good, but principally on the king and hisentire realm. The good spirits of light, lifeand truth; of all noble deeds; of the Earth, the universalgiver; of the refreshing waters, the shining metals,the pastures, trees and innocent creatures, were praised:the evil spirits of darkness; of lying, the deceiverof mankind; of disease, death and sin; of the rigidcold; the desolating heat; of all odious dirt andvermin, were cursed, together with their father themalignant Ahriman. At the end all present joinedin singing the festival prayer: “Purityand glory are sown for them that are pure and uprightin heart.”

The sacrificial ceremony was concluded with the king’sprayer, and then Cambyses, arrayed in his richestrobes, ascended a splendid chariot drawn by four snow-whiteNicoean horses, and studded with topazes, cornelianand amber, and was conveyed to the great reception-hall,where the deputies and officers from the provincesawaited him.

As soon as the king and his retinue had departed,the priests selected, for themselves, the best piecesof the flesh which had been offered in sacrifice,and allowed the thronging crowd to take the rest.

The Persian divinities disdained sacrifices in thelight of food, requiring only the souls of the slaughteredanimals, and many a poor man, especially among thepriests, subsisted on the flesh of the abundant royalsacrifices.

The prayer offered up by the Magian was a model forthose of the Persian people. No man was allowedto ask anything of the gods for himself alone.Every pious soul was rather to implore blessings forhis nation; for was not each only a part of the whole?and did not each man share in the blessings grantedto the whole kingdom? But especially they werecommanded to pray for the king, in whom the realm wasembodied and shadowed forth. It was this beautifulsurrender of self for the public weal, that had madethe Persians great. The doctrines of the Egyptianpriesthood represented the Pharaohs as actual divinities,while the Persian monarchs were only called “sonsof the gods;” yet the power of the latter wasfar more absolute and unfettered than that of the former;the reason for this being that the Persians had beenwise enough to free themselves from priestly domination,while the Pharaohs, as we have seen, if not entirelyunder the dominion of the priestly caste, were yetunder its influence in the most important matters.

The Egyptian intolerance of all strange religionswas unknown in Asia. The conquered Babylonianswere allowed by Cyrus to retain their own gods, aftertheir incorporation in the great Asiatic kingdom.The Jews, Ionians and inhabitants of Asia Minor, inshort, the entire mass of nations subject to Cambysesremained unmolested in possession of their hereditaryreligions and customs.

Beside the great altar, therefore, might be seen manya smaller sacrificial flame, kindled in honor of theirown divinities, by the envoys from the conquered provincesto this great birthday feast.

Viewed from a distance, the immense city looked likea gigantic furnace. Thick clouds of smoke hoveredover its towers, obscuring the light of the burningMay sun.

By the time the king had reached the palace, the multitudewho had come to take part in the festival had formedthemselves into a procession of interminable length,which wandered on through the straight streets ofBabylon towards the royal palace.

Their road was strewn with myrtle and palm-branches,roses, poppy and oleander-blossoms, and with leavesof the silver poplar, palm and laurel; the air perfumedwith incense, myrrh, and a thousand other sweet odors.Carpets and flags waved and fluttered from the houses.

Music too was there; the shrill peal of the Mediantrumpet, and soft tone of the Phrygian flute; theJewish cymbal and harp, Paphlagonian tambourines andthe stringed instruments of Ionia; Syrian kettle-drumsand cymbals, the shells and drums of the Arians fromthe mouth of the Indus, and the loud notes of theBactrian battle-trumpets. But above all theseresounded the rejoicing shouts of the Babylonian multitude,subjugated by the Persians only a few short years before,and yet, like all Asiatics, wearing their fetterswith an air of gladness so long as the fear of theirtyrant was before their eyes.

The fragrant odors, the blaze of color and sparklingof gold and jewels, the neighing of the horses, andshouts and songs of human beings, all united to producea whole, at once bewildering and intoxicating to thesenses and the feelings.

The messengers had not been sent up to Babylon empty-handed.Beautiful horses, huge elephants and comical monkeys;rhinoceroses and buffaloes adorned with housings andtassels; double-humped Bactrian camels with gold collarson their shaggy necks; waggon-loads of rare woods andivory, woven goods of exquisite texture, casks ofingots and gold-dust, gold and silver vessels, rareplants for the royal gardens, and foreign animalsfor the preserves, the most remarkable of which wereantelopes, zebras, and rare monkeys and birds, theselast being tethered to a tree in full leaf and flutteringamong the branches. Such were the offerings sentto the great king of Persia.

They were the tribute of the conquered nations and,after having been shown to the king, were weighedand tested by treasurers and secretaries, either declaredsatisfactory, or found wanting and returned, in whichcase the nigg*rdly givers were condemned to bring adouble tribute later.

[At the time of which we are writing,the kings of Persia taxed their kingdom at whatevertime and to whatever extent seemed good in theirown eyes. Cambyses’ successor, Darius, wasthe first to introduce a regular system of taxation,in consequence of which he was nicknamed “theshopkeeper.” Up to a much later period itstill remained the duty of certain districts tosend natural products to the court Herod.I. 192. Xenoph. Anab. IV. 5.]

The palace-gates were reached without hindrance, theway being kept clear by lines of soldiers and whipbearersstationed on either side of the street.

If the royal progress to the place of sacrifice, whenfive hundred richly-caprisoned horses had been ledbehind the king’s chariot, could be called magnificent,and the march of the envoys a brilliant spectacle,the great throne-room presented a vision of dazzlingand magic beauty.

In the background, raised on six steps, each of whichwas guarded, as it were, by two golden clogs, stoodthe throne of gold; above it, supported by four goldenpillars studded with precious stones, was a purplecanopy, on which appeared two winged discs, the king’sFeruer.

[The Feruer or Ferwer is the spiritualpart of every man-his soul and reason. Itwas in existence before the man was horn, joins himat his birth and departs at his death. TheFerwer keeps up a war with the Diws or evil spirits,and is the element of man’s preservationin life. The moment he departs, the body returnsto its original elements. After death he becomesimmortal if he has done well, but if his deedshave been evil he is cast into hell. It isright to call upon the Ferwer and entreat his help.He will bring the prayer before God and on thisaccount is represented as a winged disc.]

Fan-bearers, high in office at the court, stood behindthe throne, and, on either side, those who sat atthe king’s table, his relations and friends,and the most important among the officers of state,the priestly caste and the eunuchs.

The walls and ceiling of the entire hall were coveredwith plates of burnished gold, and the floor withpurple carpets.

Before the silver gates lay winged bulls, and theking’s body-guard-their dress consisting ofa gold cuirass under a purple overcoat, and the highPersian cap, their swords in golden scabbards glitteringwith jewels, and their lances ornamented with goldand silver apples, were stationed in the court ofthe palace. Among them the band of the “Immortals”was easily to be distinguished by their stately formsand dauntless bearing.

Officers, whose duty consisted in announcing and presentingstrangers, and who carried short ivory staves, ledthe deputies into the hall, and up to the throne,where they cast themselves on the ground as thoughthey would kiss the earth, concealing their handsin the sleeves of their robes. A cloth was boundover the mouth of every man before he was allowedto answer the king’s questions, lest the pureperson of the king should be polluted by the breathof common men.

Cambyses’ severity or mildness towards the deputationswith whose chiefs he spoke, was proportioned to theobedience of their province and the munificence oftheir tribute-offerings. Near the end of the trainappeared an embassy from the Jews, led by two gravemen with sharply-cut features and long beards.Cambyses called on them in a friendly tone to stop.

The first of these men was dressed in the fashionof the Babylonian aristocracy. The other worea purple robe woven without seam, trimmed with bellsand tassels, and held in at the waist by a girdle ofblue, red and white. A blue garment was thrownover his shoulders and a little bag suspended aroundhis neck containing the sacred lots, the Urim andThummin, adorned with twelve precious stones set ingold, and bearing the names of the tribes of Israel.The high-priest’s brow was grave and thoughtful.A white cloth was wound round his head, the ends ofwhich hung down to the shoulders.

“I rejoice to behold you once more, Belteshazzar,”exclaimed the king to the former of the two men.“Since the death of my father you have not beenseen at my gate.”

The man thus addressed bowed humbly and answered:“The favor of the king rejoices his servant!If it seem good unto thee, to cause the sun of thyfavor to shine on me, thine unworthy servant, so hearkenunto my petition for my nation, which thy great fathercaused to return unto the land of their fathers’sepulchres. This old man at my side, Joshua, thehigh-priest of our God, hath not feared the long journeyto Babylon, that he might bring his request beforethy face. Let his speech be pleasing in thineears and his words bring forth fruit in thine heart.”

“I foresee what ye desire of me,” criedthe king. “Am I wrong, priest, in supposingthat your petition refers to the building of the templein your native land?”

“Nothing can be hidden from the eyes of my lord,”answered the priest, bowing low. “Thy servantsin Jerusalem desire to behold the face of their ruler,and beseech thee by my mouth to visit the land of theirfathers, and to grant them permission to set forwardthe work of the temple, concerning which thine illustriousfather (the favor of our God rest upon him), madea decree.”

The king answered with a smile: “You havethe craft of your nation, and understand how to choosethe right time and words for your petition. Onmy birthday it is difficult for me to refuse my faithfulpeople even one request. I promise you, therefore,so soon as possible to visit Jerusalem and the landof your fathers.”

“By so doing thou wilt make glad the heartsof thy servants,” answered the priest; “ourvines and olives will bear more fruit at thine approach,our gates will lift up their heads to receive thee,and Israel rejoice with shouts to meet his lord doublyblessed if as lord of the building—­”

“Enough, priest, enough!” cried Cambyses.“Your first petition, I have said it, shallnot remain unfulfilled; for I have long desired tovisit the wealthy city of Tyre, the golden Sidon,and Jerusalem with its strange superstitions; butwere I to give permission for the building now, whatwould remain for me to grant you in the coming year?”

“Thy servants will no more molest thee by theirpetitions, if thou grant unto them this one, to finishthe temple of the Lord their God,” answeredthe priest.

“Strange beings, these men of Palestine!”exclaimed Cambyses. “I have heard it saidthat ye believe in one God alone, who can be representedby no likeness, and is a spirit. Think ye thenthat this omnipresent Being requires a house?Verily, your great spirit can be but a weak and miserablecreature, if he need a covering from the wind and rain,and a shelter from the heat which he himself has created.If your God be like ours, omnipresent, fall down beforehim and worship as we do, in every place, and feelcertain that everywhere ye will be heard of him!”

“The God of Israel hears his people in everyplace,” exclaimed the high-priest. “Heheard us when we pined in captivity under the Pharaohsfar from our land; he heard us weeping by the riversof Babylon. He chose thy father to be the instrumentof our deliverance, and will hear my prayer this dayand soften thine heart like wise. O mighty king,grant unto thy servants a common place of sacrifice,whither our twelve tribes may repair, an altar onthe steps of which they can pray together, a housein which to keep their holy feasts! For this permissionwe will call down the blessing of God upon thine headand his curse upon thine enemies.”

“Grant unto my brethren the permission to buildtheir temple!” added Belteshazzar, who was therichest and most honorable and respected of the Jewsyet remaining in Babylon; a man whom Cyrus had treatedwith much consideration, and of whom he had even takencounsel from time to time.

“Will ye then be peaceable, if I grant yourpetition?” asked the king. “My fatherallowed you to begin the work and granted the meansfor its completion. Of one mind, happy and content,ye returned to your native land, but while pursuingyour work strife and contention entered among you.Cyrus was assailed by repeated letters, signed by thechief men of Syria, entreating him to forbid the work,and I also have been lately besought to do the same.Worship your God when and where ye will, but justbecause I desire your welfare, I cannot consent tothe prosecution of a work which kindles discord amongyou.”

“And is it then thy pleasure on this day totake back a favor, which thy father made sure untous by a written decree?” asked Belteshazzar.

“A written decree?”

“Which will surely be found even to this daylaid up in the archives of thy kingdom.”

“Find this decree and show it me, and I willnot only allow the building to be continued, but willpromote the same,” answered the king; “formy father’s will is as sacred to me as the commandsof the gods.”

“Wilt thou allow search to be made in the houseof the rolls at Ecbatana?” asked Belteshazzar.“The decree will surely be found there.”

“I consent, but I fear ye will find none.Tell thy nation, priest, that I am content with theequipment of the men of war they have sent to takethe field against the Massagetae. My general Megabyzuscommends their looks and bearing. May thy peopleprove as valiant now as in the wars of my father!You, Belteshazzar, I bid to my marriage feast, andcharge you to tell your fellows, Meshach and Abednego,next unto you the highest in the city of Babylon,that I expect them this evening at my table.”

“The God of my people Israel grant thee blessingand happiness,” answered Belteshazzar bowinglow before the king.

“A wish which I accept!” answered theking, “for I do not despise the power of yourwonder-working great Spirit. But one word more,Belteshazzar. Many Jews have lately been punishedfor reviling the gods of the Babylonians. Warnyour people! They bring down hatred on themselvesby their stiff-necked superstition, and the pride withwhich they declare their own great spirit to be theonly true God. Take example by us; we are contentwith our own faith and leave others to enjoy theirsin peace. Cease to look upon yourselves as betterthan the rest of the world. I wish you well,for a pride founded on self-respect is pleasing inmine eyes; but take heed lest pride degenerate intovainglory. Farewell! rest assured of my favor.”

The Jews then departed. They were disappointed,but not hopeless; for Belteshazzar knew well thatthe decree, relative to the building of the temple,must be in the archives at Ecbatana.

They were followed by a deputation from Syria, andby the Greeks of Ionia; and then, winding up the longtrain, appeared a band of wild-looking men, dressedin the skins of animals, whose features bespoke themforeigners in Babylon. They wore girdles and shoulderbandsof solid, unwrought gold; and of the same preciousmetal were their bow-cases, axes, lance-points, andthe ornaments on their high fur caps. They werepreceded by a man in Persian dress, whose featuresproved him, however, to be of the same race as hisfollowers.

The king gazed at first on these envoys with wonder;then his brow darkened, and beckoning the officerwhose duty it was to present strangers, he exclaimed“What can these men have to crave of me?If I mistake not they belong to the Massagetae, tothat people who are so soon to tremble before my vengeance.Tell them, Gobryas, that an armed host is standingon the Median plains ready to answer their demandswith the sword.”

Gobryas answered, bowing low: “These menarrived this morning during the sacrifice bringinghuge burdens of the purest gold to purchase your forbearance.When they heard that a great festival was being celebratedin your honor, they urgently besought to be admittedinto your presence, that they might declare the messageentrusted to them by their country.”

The king’s brow cleared and, after sharply scrutinizingthe tall, bearded Massageta, he said: “Letthem come nearer. I am curious to know what proposalsmy father’s murderers are about to make me.”

Gobryas made a sign, and the tallest and eldest ofthe Massagetae came up close to the throne and beganto speak loudly in his native tongue. He wasaccompanied by the man in a Persian dress, who, asone of Cyrus’ prisoners of war, had learnt thePersian language, and now interpreted one by one thesentences uttered by the spokesman of this wanderingtribe.

“We know,” began the latter, “thatthou, great king, art wroth with the Massagetae becausethy father fell in war with our tribe—­awar which he alone had provoked with a people whohad done naught to offend him.”

“My father was justified in punishing your nation,”interrupted the king. “Your Queen Tomyrishad dared to refuse him her hand in marriage.”

“Be not wroth, O King,” answered the Massagetan,“when I tell thee that our entire nation approvedof that act. Even a child could see that thegreat Cyrus only desired to add our queen to the numberof his wives, hoping, in his insatiable thirst formore territories, to gain our land with her.”

Cambyses was silent and the envoy went on. “Cyruscaused a bridge to be made over our boundary river,the Araxes. We were not dismayed at this, andTomyris sent word that he might save himself this trouble,for that the Massagetae were willing either to awaithim quietly in their own land, leaving the passageof the river free, or to meet him in his. Cyrusdecided, by the advice of the dethroned king of Lydia,(as we learnt afterwards, through some prisoners ofwar) on meeting us in our own land and defeating usby a stratagem. With this intention he sent atfirst only a small body of troops, which could beeasily dispersed and destroyed by our arrows and lances,and allowed us to seize his camp without strikinga blow. Believing we had defeated this insatiableconqueror, we feasted on his abundant stores, and,poisoned by the sweet unknown drink which you callwine, fell into a stupefied slumber, during whichhis soldiers fell upon us, murdered the greater numberof our warriors and took many captives. Amongthe latter was the brave, young Spargapises, our queen’sson.

“Hearing in his captivity, that his mother waswilling to conclude peace with your nation as theprice of his liberty, he asked to have his chainstaken off. The request was granted, and on obtainingthe use of his hands he seized a sword and stabbedhimself, exclaiming: ’I sacrifice my lifefor the freedom of my nation.’”

“No sooner did we hear the news that the youngprince we loved so well had died thus, than we assembledall the forces yet left to us from your swords andfetters. Even old men and boys flew to arms torevenge our noble Spargapises, and sacrifice themselves,after his example, for Massagetaen freedom. Ourarmies met; ye were worsted and Cyrus fell. WhenTomyris found his body lying in a pool of human blood,she cried: ‘Methinks, insatiable conqueror,thou art at last sated with blood!’ The troop,composed of the flower of your nobility, which youcall the Immortals, drove us back and carried yourfather’s dead body forth from our closest ranks.You led them on, fighting like a lion. I knowyou well, and that wound across your manly face, whichadorns it like a purple badge of honor, was made bythe sword now hanging at my side.”

A movement passed through the listening crowd; theytrembled for the bold speaker’s life. Cambyses,however, looked pleased, nodded approvingly to theman and answered: “Yes, I recognize youtoo now; you rode a red horse with golden trappings.You shall see that the Persians know how to honorcourage. Bow down before this man, my friends,for never did I see a sharper sword nor a more unweariedarm than his; and such heroic courage deserves honorfrom the brave, whether shown by friend or foe.As for you, Massagetae, I would advise you to go homequickly and prepare for war; the mere recollectionof your strength and courage increases my longingto test it once more. A brave foe, by Mithras,is far better than a feeble friend. You shallbe allowed to return home in peace; but beware ofremaining too long within my reach, lest the thoughtof the vengeance I owe my father’s soul shouldrouse my anger, and your end draw suddenly nigh.”

A bitter smile played round the bearded mouth of thewarrior as he made answer to this speech. “TheMassagetae deem your father’s soul too wellavenged already. The only son of our queen, hispeople’s pride, and in no way inferior to Cyrus,has bled for him. The shores of the Araxes havebeen fertilized by the bodies of fifty thousand ofmy countrymen, slain as offerings for your dead king,while only thirty thousand fell there on your ownside. We fought as bravely as you, but your armoris better able to resist the arrows which pierce ourclothing of skins. And lastly, as the most cruelblow of all, ye slew our queen.”

“Tomyris is dead?” exclaimed Cambysesinterrupting him. “You mean to tell methat the Persians have killed a woman? Answerat once, what has happened to your queen?”

“Tomyris died ten months ago of grief for theloss of her only son, and I have therefore a rightto say that she too fell a sacrifice to the war withPersia and to your father’s spirit.”

“She was a great woman,” murmured Cambyses,his voice unsteady from emotion. “Verily,I begin to think that the gods themselves have undertakento revenge my father’s blood on your nation.Yet I tell you that, heavy as your losses may seem,Spargapises, Tomyris and fifty thousand Massagetaecan never outweigh the spirit of one king of Persia,least of all of a Cyrus.”

“In our country,” answered the envoy,“death makes all men equal. The spiritsof the king and the slave are of equal worth.Your father was a great man, but we have undergoneawful sufferings for his sake. My tale is notyet ended. After the death of Tomyris discordbroke out among the Massagetae. Two claimantsfor the crown appeared; half our nation fought forthe one, half for the other, and our hosts were thinned,first by this fearful civil war and then by the pestilencewhich followed in its track. We can no longerresist your power, and therefore come with heavy loadsof pure gold as the price of peace.”

“Ye submit then without striking a blow?”asked Cambyses. “Verily, I had expectedsomething else from such heroes; the numbers of myhost, which waits assembled on the plains of Media,will prove that. We cannot go to battle withoutan enemy. I will dismiss my troops and send asatrap. Be welcome as new subjects of my realm.”

The red blood mounted into the cheeks of the Massagetanwarrior on hearing these words, and he answered ina voice trembling with excitement: “Youerr, O King, if you imagine that we have lost our oldcourage, or learnt to long for slavery. But weknow your strength; we know that the small remnantof our nation, which war and pestilence have spared,cannot resist your vast and well-armed hosts.This we admit, freely and honestly as is the mannerof the Massagetae, declaring however at the same time,that we are determined to govern ourselves as of yore,and will never receive laws or ordinances from a Persiansatrap. You are wroth, but I can bear your angrygaze and yet repeat my declaration.”

“And my answer,” cried Cambyses, “isthis: Ye have but one choice: either tosubmit to my sceptre, become united to the kingdomof Persia under the name of the Massagetan province,and receive a satrap as my representative with duereverence, or to look upon yourselves as my enemies,in which case you will be forced by arms to conformto those conditions which I now offer you in goodpart. To-day you could secure a ruler well-affectedto your cause, later you will find in me only a conquerorand avenger. Consider well before you answer.”

“We have already weighed and considered all,”answered the warrior, “and, as free sons ofthe desert, prefer death to bondage. Hear whatthe council of our old men has sent me to declareto you:—­The Massageta; have become tooweak to oppose the Persians, not through their ownfault, but through the heavy visitation of our god,the sun. We know that you have armed a vast hostagainst us, and we are ready to buy peace and libertyby a yearly tribute. But if you persist in compellingus to submit by force of arms, you can only bringgreat damage on yourselves. The moment your armynears the Araxes, we shall depart with our wives andchildren and seek another home, for we have no fixeddwellings like yours, but are accustomed to rove at

will on our swift horses, and to rest in tents.Our gold we shall take with us, and shall fill up,destroy, and conceal the pits in which you could findnew treasures. We know every spot where goldis to be found, and can give it in abundance, if yougrant us peace and leave us our liberty; but, if youventure to invade our territory, you win nothing butan empty desert and an enemy always beyond your reach,—­anenemy who may become formidable, when he has had timeto recover from the heavy losses which have thinnedhis ranks. Leave us in peace and freedom andwe are ready to give every year five thousand swifthorses of the desert, besides the yearly tribute ofgold; we will also come to the help of the Persiannation when threatened by any serious danger.”

The envoy ceased speaking. Cambyses did not answerat once; his eyes were fixed on the ground in deepthought. At last he said, rising at the sametime from his throne: “We will take counselon this matter over the wine to-night, and to-morrowyou shall hear what answer you can bring to your people.Gobryas, see that these men are well cared for, andsend the Massagetan, who wounded me in battle, a portionof the best dishes from my own table.”

CHAPTER XV.

During these events Nitetis had been sitting alonein her house on the hanging-gardens, absorbed in thesaddest thoughts. To-day, for the first time,she had taken part in the general sacrifice made bythe king’s wives, and had tried to pray to hernew gods in the open air, before the fire-altars andamidst the sound of religious songs strange to herears.

Most of the inhabitants of the harem saw her to-dayfor the first time, and instead of raising their eyesto heaven, had fixed them on her during the ceremony.The inquisitive, malevolent gaze of her rivals, andthe loud music resounding from the city, disquietedand distracted her mind. Her thoughts revertedpainfully to the solemn, sultry stillness of the gigantictemples in her native land where she had worshippedthe gods of her childhood so earnestly at the sideof her mother and sister; and much as she longed,just on this day, to pray for blessings on her belovedking, all her efforts were in vain; she could arouseno devotional feeling. Kassandane and Atossaknelt at her side, joining heartily in the very hymnswhich to Nitetis were an empty sound.

It cannot be denied, that many parts of these hymnscontain true poetry; but they become wearisome throughthe constant repetition and invocation of the namesof good and bad spirits. The Persian women hadbeen taught from childhood, to look upon these religioussongs as higher and holier than any other poetry.Their earliest prayers had been accompanied by suchhymns, and, like everything else which has come downto us from our fathers, and which we have been toldin the impressionable time of childhood is divineand worthy of our reverence, they were still sacredand dear to them and stirred their most devotionalfeelings.

But for Nitetis, who had been spoilt for such thingsby an intimate acquaintance with the best Greek poets,they could have but little charm. What she hadlately been learning in Persia with difficulty hadnot yet become a part of herself, and so, while Kassandaneand Atossa went through all the outward rites as thingsof course and perfectly natural to them, Nitetis couldonly prevent herself from forgetting the prescribedceremonials by a great mental effort, and dreaded lestshe should expose her ignorance to the jealous, watchfulgaze of her rivals.

And then, too, only a few minutes before the sacrifice,she had received her first letter from Egypt.It lay unread on her dressing-table, and came intoher mind whenever she attempted to pray. She couldnot help wondering what news it might bring her.How were her parents? and how had Tachot borne theparting from herself, and from the prince she lovedso well?

The ceremony over, Nitetis embraced Kassandane andAtossa, and drew a long, deep breath, as if deliveredfrom some threatening danger. Then ordering herlitter, she was carried back to her dwelling, and hastenedeagerly to the table where her letter lay. Herprincipal attendant, the young girl who on the journeyhad dressed her in her first Persian robes, receivedher with a smile full of meaning and promise, whichchanged however, into a look of astonishment, on seeingher mistress seize the letter, without even glancingat the articles of dress and jewelery which lay onthe table.

Nitetis broke the seal quickly and was sitting down,in order to begin the difficult work of reading herletter, when the girl came up, and with clasped hands,exclaimed: “By Mithras, my mistress, I cannotunderstand you. Either you are ill, or that uglybit of grey stuff must contain some magic which makesyou blind to everything else. Put that roll awayand look at the splendid presents that the great king(Auramazda grant him victory!) has sent while youwere at the sacrifice. Look at this wonderfulpurple robe with the white stripe and the rich silverembroidery; and then the tiara with the royal diamonds!Do not you know the high meaning of these gifts?Cambyses begs, (the messenger said ‘begs,’not ‘commands’) you to wear these splendidornaments at the banquet to-day. How angry Phaedimewill be! and how the others will look, for they havenever received such presents. Till now only Kassandanehas had a right to wear the purple and diamonds; soby sending you these gifts, Cambyses places you ona level with his mother, and chooses you to be hisfavorite wife before the whole world.’ Opray allow me to dress you in these new and beautifulthings. How lovely you will look! How angryand envious the others will feel! If I could onlybe there when you enter the hall! Come, my mistress,let me take off your simple dress, and array you,(only as a trial you know,) in the robes that as thenew queen you ought to wear.”

Nitetis listened in silence to the chattering girl,and admired the gifts with a quiet smile. Shewas woman enough to rejoice at the sight, for he,whom she loved better than life itself, had sent them;and they were a proof that she was more to the kingthan all his other wives;—­that Cambysesreally loved her. The long wished-for letter fellunread to the ground, the girl’s wish to dressher was granted without a word, and in a short timethe splendid toilette was completed. The royalpurple added to her beauty, the high flashing tiaramade her slender, perfect figure seem taller thanit really was, and when, in the metal mirror whichlay on her dressing table, she beheld herself forthe first time in the glorious likeness of a queen,a new expression dawned on her features. It seemedas if a portion of her lord’s pride were reflectedthere. The frivolous waiting-woman sank involuntarilyon her knees, as her eyes, full of smiling admiration,met the radiant glance of Nitetis,—­of thewoman who was beloved by the most powerful of men.

For a few moments Nitetis gazed on the girl, lyingin the dust at her feet; but soon shook her beautifulhead, and blushing for shame, raised her kindly, kissedher forehead, gave her a gold bracelet, and then,perceiving her letter on the ground, told her she wishedto be alone. Mandane ran, rather than walked,out of the room in her eagerness to show the splendidpresent she had just received to the inferior attendantsand slaves; and Nitetis, her eyes glistening and herheart beating with excess of happiness, threw herselfon to the ivory chair which stood before her dressing-table,uttered a short prayer of thanksgiving to her favoriteEgyptian goddess, the beautiful Hathor, kissed thegold chain which Cambyses had given her after plunginginto the water for her ball, then her letter fromhome, and rendered almost over-confident by her greathappiness, began to unroll it, slowly sinking backinto the purple cushions as she did so and murmuring:“How very, very happy I am! Poor letter,I am sure your writer never thought Nitetis would leaveyou a quarter of an hour on the ground unread.”

In this happy mood she began to read, but her facesoon grew serious and when she had finished, the letterfell once more to the ground.

Her eyes, whose proud glance had brought the waiting-maidto her feet, were dimmed by tears; her head, carriedso proudly but a few minutes before, now lay on thejewels which covered the table. Tears rolled downamong the pearls and diamonds, as strange a contrastas the proud tiara and its unhappy, fainting wearer.

The letter read as follows:

“Ladice the wife of Amasis and Queen of Upperand Lower Egypt, to her daughter Nitetis, consortof the great King of Persia.

“It has not been our fault, my beloved daughter,that you have remained so long without news from home.The trireme by which we sent our letters for you toAEgae was detained by Samian ships of war, or ratherpirate vessels, and towed into the harbor of Astypalaea.

“Polykrates’ presumption increases withthe continual success of his undertakings, and sincehis victory over the Lesbians and Milesians, who endeavoredto put a stop to his depredations, not a ship is safefrom the attacks of his pirate vessels.

“Pisistratus is dead,” but his sons arefriendly to Polykrates. Lygdamis is under obligationsto him, and cannot hold his own in Naxos without Samianhelp. He has won over the Amphiktyonic councilto his side by presenting the Apollo of Delos withthe neighboring island of Rhenea. His fifty-oaredvessels, requiring to be manned by twenty-thousandmen, do immense damage to all the seafaring nations;yet not one dares to attack him, as the fortificationsof his citadel and his splendid harbor are almostimpregnable, and he himself always surrounded by awell-drilled body-guard.

“Through the traders, who followed the fortunateKolxus to the far west, and these pirate ships, Samoswill become the richest of islands and Polykratesthe most powerful of men, unless, as your father says,the gods become envious of such unchanging good fortuneand prepare him a sudden and speedy downfall.

“In this fear Amasis advised Polykrates as hisold friend, to put away from him the thing he helddearest, and in such a manner that he might be sureof never receiving it again. Polykrates adoptedthis advice and threw into the sea, from the top ofthe round tower on his citadel, his most valuablesignet-ring, an unusually large sardonyx held by twodolphins. This ring was the work of Theodorus,and a lyre, the symbol of the ruler, was exquisitelyengraved on the stone.”

“Six days later, however, the ring was foundby Polykrates’ cooks in the body of a fish.He sent us news at once of this strange occurrence,but instead of rejoicing your father shook his greyhead sadly, saying: ’he saw now it wasimpossible for any one to avoid his destiny!’On the same day he renounced the friendship of Polykratesand wrote him word, that he should endeavor to forgethim in order to avoid the grief of seeing his friendin misfortune.

“Polykrates laughed at this message and returnedthe letters his pirates had taken from our trireme,with a derisive greeting. For the future allyour letters will be sent by Syria.

“You will ask me perhaps, why I have told youthis long story, which has so much less interest foryou than any other home news. I answer: toprepare you for your father’s state. Wouldyou have recognized the cheerful, happy, carelessAmasis in that gloomy answer to his Samian friend?

“Alas, my husband has good reason to be sad,and since you left us, my own eyes have seldom beenfree from tears. My time is passed either atthe sick-bed of your sister or in comforting your fatherand guiding his steps; and though much in need ofsleep I am now taking advantage of night to writethese lines.

“Here I was interrupted by the nurses, callingme to your sister Tachot, your own true friend.

“How often the dear child has called you inher feverish delirium; and how carefully she treasuresyour likeness in wax, that wonderful portrait whichbears evidence not only of the height to which Greekart has risen, but of the master hand of the greatTheodorus. To-morrow it will be sent to AEgina,to be copied in gold, as the soft wax becomes injuredfrom frequent contact with your sister’s burninghands and lips.

“And now, my daughter, you must summon all yourcourage to hear what I need all my strength of mindto tell-the sad story of the fate which the gods havedecreed for our house.

“For three days after you left us Tachot weptincessantly. Neither our comforting words noryour father’s good advice—­neitherofferings nor prayers—­could avail to lessenher grief or divert her mind. At last on thefourth day she ceased to weep and would answer ourquestions in a low voice, as if resigned; but spentthe greater part of every day sitting silently ather wheel. Her fingers, however, which used tobe so skilful, either broke the threads they triedto spin, or lay for hours idle in her lap, while shewas lost in dreams. Your father’s jokes,at which she used to laugh so heartily, made no impressionon her, and when I endeavored to reason with her shelistened in anxious suspense.

“If I kissed her forehead and begged her tocontrol herself, she would spring up, blushing deeply,and throw herself into my arms, then sit down againto her wheel and begin to pull at the threads withalmost frantic eagerness; but in half an hour herhands would be lying idle in her lap again and hereyes dreamily fixed, either on the ground, or on somespot in the air. If we forced her to take partin any entertainment, she would wander among the gueststotally uninterested in everything that was passing.

“We took her with us on the great pilgrimageto Bubastis, during which the Egyptians forget theirusual gravity, and the shores of the Nile look likea great stage where the wild games of the satyrs arebeing performed by choruses, hurried on in the unrestrainedwantonness of intoxication. When she saw thusfor the first time an entire people given up to thewildest and most unfettered mirth and enjoyment, shewoke up from her silent brooding thoughts and beganto weep again, as in the first days after you wentaway.

“Sad and perplexed, we brought our poor childback to Sais.

“Her looks were not those of a common mortal.She grew thinner, and we all fancied, taller; hercomplexion was white, and almost transparent, witha tender bloom on her cheek, which I can only likento a young rose-leaf or the first faint blush of sunrise.Her eyes are still wonderfully clear and bright.It always seems to me as if they looked beyond theheaven and earth which we see.

“As she continued to suffer more and more fromheat in the head and hands, while her tender limbsoften shivered with a slight chill, we sent to Thebesfor Thutmes, the most celebrated physician for inwardcomplaints.

“The experienced priest shook his head on seeingyour sister and foretold a serious illness. Heforbade her to spin or to speak much. Potionsof all kinds were given her to drink, her illnesswas discussed and exorcised, the stars and oraclesconsulted, rich presents and sacrifices made to thegods. The priest of Hathor from the island ofPhilae sent us a consecrated amulet, the priest ofOsiris in Abydos a lock of hair from the god himselfset in gold, and Neithotep, the high-priest of ourown guardian goddess, set on foot a great sacrifice,which was to restore your sister to health.

“But neither physicians nor charms were of anyavail, and at last Neithotep confessed that Tachot’sstars gave but little ground for hope. Just then,too, the sacred bull at Memphis died and the priestscould discover no heart in his entrails, which theyinterpreted as prognosticating evil to our country.They have not yet succeeded in finding a new Apis,and believe that the gods are wroth with your father’skingdom. Indeed the oracle of Buto has declaredthat the Immortals will show no favor to Egypt, untilall the temples that have been built in the blackland for the worship of false gods are destroyed andtheir worshippers banished.

[Egypt was called by its ancientinhabitants Cham, the black,
or black-earthed.]

“These evil omens have proved, alas, only tootrue. Tachot fell ill of a dreadful fever andlay for nine days hovering between life and death;she is still so weak that she must be carried, andcan move neither hand nor foot.

“During the journey to Bubastis, Amasis’eyes, as so often happens here, became inflamed.Instead of sparing them, he continued to work as usualfrom sunrise until mid-day, and while your sister wasso ill he never left her bed, notwithstanding allour entreaties. But I will not enter into particulars,my child. His eyes grew worse, and on the veryday which brought us the news of your safe arrivalin Babylon, Amasis became totally blind.

“The cheerful, active man has become old, gloomyand decrepit since that day. The death of Apis,and the unfavorable constellations and oracles weighon his mind; his happy temper is clouded by the unbrokennight in which he lives; and the consciousness thathe cannot stir a step alone causes indecision anduncertainty. The daring and independent rulerwill soon become a mere tool, by means of which thepriests can work their will.

“He spends hours in the temple of Neith, prayingand offering sacrifices; a number of workmen are employedthere in building a tomb for his mummy, and the samenumber at Memphis in levelling the temple which theGreeks have begun building to Apollo. He speaksof his own and Tachot’s misfortunes as a justpunishment from the Immortals.

“His visits to Tachot’s sick-bed are notthe least comfort to her, for instead of encouragingher kindly, he endeavors to convince her that shetoo deserves punishment from the gods. He spendsall his remarkable eloquence in trying to persuadeher, that she must forget this world entirely andonly try to gain the favor of Osiris and the judgesof the nether world by ceaseless prayers and sacrifices.In this manner he only tortures our poor sick child,for she has not lost her love of life. PerhapsI have still too much of the Greek left in me for aqueen of Egypt; but really, death is so long and lifeso short, that I cannot help calling even wise menfoolish, when they devote the half of even this shortterm to a perpetual meditation on the gloomy Hades.

“I have just been interrupted again. Ourgreat physician, Thutmes, came to enquire after hispatient. He gives very little hope, and seemssurprised that her delicate frame has been able toresist death so long. He said yesterday:’She would have sunk long ago if not kept upby her determined will, and a longing which givesher no rest. If she ceased to care for life,she could allow death to take her, just as we dreamourselves asleep. If, on the other hand, her wishcould be gratified, she might, (though this is hardlyprobable) live some years yet, but if it remain buta short time longer unfulfilled, it will certainlywear her to death.

“Have you any idea for whom she longs so eagerly?Our Tachot has allowed herself to be fascinated bythe beautiful Bartja, the brother of your future husband.I do not mean to say by this that he has employed magic,as the priest Ameneman believes, to gain her love;for a youth might be far less handsome and agreeablethan Bartja, and yet take the heart of an innocentgirl, still half a child. But her passionate feelingis so strong, and the change in her whole being sogreat, that sometimes I too am tempted to believein the use of supernatural influence. A shorttime before you left I noticed that Tachot was fondof Bartja. Her distress at first we thought couldonly be for you, but when she sank into that dreamystate, Ibykus, who was still at our court, said shemust have been seized by some strong passion.

“Once when she was sitting dreaming at her wheel,I heard him singing softly Sappho’s little love-songto her:

“Icannot, my sweet mother,
Throwshuttle any more;
Myheart is full of longing,
Myspirit troubled sore,
Allfor a love of yesterday
Aboy not seen before.”

[Sapphoed. Neue XXXII. Translation from Edwin Arnold’s
Poetsof Greece.]

“She turned pale and asked him: ‘Isthat your own song?’

“‘No,’ said he, ‘Sappho wroteit fifty years ago.’

“‘Fifty years ago,’ echoed Tachotmusingly.

“‘Love is always the same,’ interruptedthe poet; ’women loved centuries ago, and willlove thousands of years to come, just as Sappho lovedfifty years back.’

“The sick girl smiled in assent, and from thattime I often heard her humming the little song asshe sat at her wheel. But we carefully avoidedevery question, that could remind her of him she loved.In the delirium of fever, however, Bartja’sname was always on her burning lips. When sherecovered consciousness we told her what she had saidin her delirium; then she opened her heart to me,and raising her eyes to heaven like a prophetess,exclaimed solemnly: ’I know, that I shallnot die till I have seen him again.’

“A short time ago we had her carried into thetemple, as she longed to worship there again.When the service was over and we were crossing thetemple-court, we passed some children at play, andTachot noticed a little girl telling something veryeagerly to her companions. She told the bearersto put down the litter and call the child to her.

“‘What were you saying?’ she askedthe little one.

“I was telling the others something about myeldest sister.’

“‘May I hear it too?’ said Tachotso kindly, that the little girl began at once withoutfear: “Batau, who is betrothed to my sister,came back from Thebes quite unexpectedly yesterdayevening. Just as the Isis-star was rising, hecame suddenly on to our roof where Kerimama was playingat draughts with my father; and he brought her sucha beautiful golden bridal wreath.”

[Among the Egyptians the planet Venusbore the name of the goddess Isis. Pliny ii.6. Arist De mundo ii. 7. Early monumentsprove that they were acquainted with the identityof the morning and evening star. Lepsius,Chronologie p. 94.]

“Tachot kissed the child and gave her her owncostly fan. When we were at home again she smiledarchly at me and said: ’You know, motherdear, that the words children say in the temple-courtsare believed to be oracles.’ So, if thelittle one spoke the truth, he must come; and did notyou hear that he is to bring the bridal-wreath?O mother, I am sure, quite sure, that I shall seehim again.’

“I asked her yesterday if she had any messagefor you, and she begged me to say that she sent youthousands of kisses, and messages of love, and thatwhen she was stronger she meant to write, as she hada great deal to tell you. She has just broughtme the little note which I enclose; it is for youalone, and has cost her much fatigue to write.

“But now I must finish my letter, as the messengerhas been waiting for it some time.

“I wish I could give you some joyful news, butsadness and sorrow meet me whichever way I turn.Your brother yields more and more to the priests’tyranny, and manages the affairs of state for yourpoor blind father under Neithotep’s guidance.

“Amasis does not interfere, and says it matterslittle whether his place be filled a few days sooneror later by his successor.

“He did not attempt to prevent Psamtik fromseizing the children of Phanes in Rhodopis’house, and actually allowed his son to enter into anegotiation with the descendants of those two hundredthousand soldiers, who emigrated to Ethiopia in thereign of Psamtik I. on account of the preference shownto the Greek mercenaries. In case they declaredthemselves willing to return to their native land,the Greek mercenaries were to have been dismissed.The negotiation failed entirely, but Psamtik’streatment of the children of Phanes has given bitteroffence to the Greeks. Aristomachus threatenedto leave Egypt, taking with him ten thousand of hisbest troops, and on hearing that Phanes’ sonhad been murdered at Psamtik’s command appliedfor his discharge. From that time the Spartandisappeared, no one knows whither; but the Greek troopsallowed themselves to be bribed by immense sums andare still in Egypt.

“Amasis said nothing to all this, and lookedon silently from the midst of his prayers and sacrifices,while your brother was either offending every classof his subjects or attempting to pacify them by meansbeneath the dignity of a ruler. The commandersof the Egyptian and Greek troops, and the governorsof different provinces have all alike assured me thatthe present state of things is intolerable. Noone knows what to expect from this new ruler; he commandstoday the very thing, which he angrily forbade theday before. Such a government must soon snap thebeautiful bond, which has hitherto united the Egyptianpeople to their king.

“Farewell, my child, think of your poor friend,your mother; and forgive your parents when you hearwhat they have so long kept secret from you.Pray for Tachot, and remember us to Croesus and theyoung Persians whom we know. Give a special messagetoo from Tachot to Bartja; I beg him to think of itas the last legacy of one very near death. Ifyou could only send her some proof, that he has notforgotten her! Farewell, once more farewell andbe happy in your new and blooming home.”

CHAPTER XVI.

Sad realities follow bright anticipations nearly assurely as a rainy day succeeds a golden sunrise.Nitetis had been so happy in the thought of readingthe very letter, which poured such bitter drops ofwormwood into her cup of happiness.

One beautiful element in her life, the remembranceof her dear home and the companions of her happy childhood,had been destroyed in one moment, as if by the touchof a magician’s wand.

She sat there in her royal purple, weeping, forgetfulof everything but her mother’s grief, her father’smisfortunes and her sister’s illness. Thejoyful future, full of love, joy, and happiness, whichhad been beckoning her forward only a few minutesbefore, had vanished. Cambyses’ chosenbride forgot her waiting, longing lover, and the futurequeen of Persia could think of nothing but the sorrowsof Egypt’s royal house.

It was long past mid-day, when the attendant Mandanecame to put a last touch to Nitetis’ dress andornaments.

“She is asleep,” thought the girl.“I can let her rest another quarter of an hour;the sacrifice this morning has tired her, and we musthave her fresh and beautiful for the evening banquet;then she will outshine the others as the moon doesthe stars.”

Unnoticed by her mistress she slipped out of the room,the windows of which commanded a splendid view overthe hanging-gardens, the immense city beneath, theriver, and the rich and fruitful Babylonian plain,and went into the garden.

Without looking round she ran to a flower-bed, topluck some roses. Her eyes were fixed on hernew bracelet, the stones of which sparkled in thesun, and she did not notice a richly-dressed man peeringin at one of the windows of the room where Nitetislay weeping. On being disturbed in his watchingand listening, he turned at once to the girl and greetedher in a high treble voice.

She started, and on recognizing the eunuch Boges,answered: “It is not polite, sir, to frightena poor girl in this way. By Mithras, if I hadseen you before I heard you, I think I should havefainted. A woman’s voice does not takeme by surprise, but to see a man here is as rare asto find a swan in the desert.”

Boges laughed good-humoredly, though he well understoodher saucy allusion to his high voice, and answered,rubbing his fat hands: “Yes, it is veryhard for a young and pretty bird like you, to haveto live in such a lonely corner, but be patient, sweetheart.Your mistress will soon be queen, and then she willlook out a handsome young husband for you. Ah,ha! you will find it pleasanter to live here alonewith him, than with your beautiful Egyptian.”

“My mistress is too beautiful for some people’sfancy, and I have never asked any one to look outa husband for me,” she answered pertly.“I can find one without your help either.”

“Who could doubt it? Such a pretty faceis as good a bait for a man, as a worm for a fish.”

“But I am not trying to catch a husband, andleast of all one like you.”

“That I can easily believe,” he answeredlaughing. But tell me, my treasure, why are youso hard on me? Have I done anything to vex you?Wasn’t it through me, that you obtained thisgood appointment, and are not we both Medes?”

“You might just as well say that we are bothhuman beings, and have five fingers on each hand anda nose in the middle of our faces. Half the peoplehere are Medes, and if I had as many friends as I havecountrymen, I might be queen to-morrow. And asto my situation here, it was not you, but the high-priestOropastes who recommended me to the great queen Kassandane.Your will is not law here.”

“What are you talking about, my sweet one? don’tyou know, that not a single waiting-woman can be engagedwithout my consent?”

“Oh, yes, I know that as well as you do, but. . .”

“But you women are an unthankful race, and don’tdeserve our kindness.”

“Please not to forget, that you are speakingto a girl of good family.”

“I know that very well, my little one.I know that your father was a Magian and your mothera Magian’s daughter; that they both died earlyand you were placed under the care of the Destur Ixabates,the father of Oropastes, and grew up with his children.I know too that when you had received the ear-rings,Oropastes’ brother Gaumata, (you need not blush,Gaumata is a pretty name) fell in love with your rosyface, and wanted to marry you, though he was onlynineteen. Gaumata and Mandane, how well the twonames sound together! Mandane and Gaumata!If I were a poet I should call my hero Gaumata andhis lady-love Mandane.”

“I insist on your ceasing to jest in this way,”cried Mandane, blushing deeply and stamping her foot.

“What, are you angry because I say the namessound well together? You ought rather to be angrywith the proud Oropastes, who sent his younger brotherto Rhagar and you to the court, that you might forgetone another.”

“That is a slander on my benefactor.”

“Let my tongue wither away, if I am not speakingthe truth and nothing but the truth! Oropastesseparated you and his brother because he had higherintentions for the handsome Gaumata, than a marriagewith the orphan daughter of an inferior Magian.He would have been satisfied with Amytis or Menischefor a sister-in-law, but a poor girl like you, whoowed everything to his bounty, would only have stoodin the way of his ambitious plans. Between ourselves,he would like to be appointed regent of Persia whilethe king is away at the Massagetan war, and wouldtherefore give a great deal to connect himself by marriagein some way or other with the Archemenidae. Athis age a new wife is not to be thought of; but hisbrother is young and handsome, indeed people go sofar as to say, that he is like the Prince Bartja.”

“That is true,” exclaimed the girl.“Only think, when we went out to meet my mistress,and I saw Bartja for the first time from the windowof the station-house, I thought he was Gaumata.They are so like one another that they might be twins,and they are the handsomest men in the kingdom.”

“How you are blushing, my pretty rose-bud!But the likeness between them is not quite so greatas all that. When I spoke to the high-priest’sbrother this morning . . .”

“Gaumata is here?” interrupted the girlpassionately. “Have you really seen himor are you trying to draw me out and make fun of me?”

“By Mithras! my sweet one, I kissed his foreheadthis very morning, and he made me tell him a greatdeal about his darling. Indeed his blue eyes,his golden curls and his lovely complexion, like thebloom on a peach, were so irresistible that I feltinclined to try and work impossibilities for him.Spare your blushes, my little pomegranate-blossom,till I have told you all; and then perhaps in futureyou will not be so hard upon poor Boges; you willsee that he has a good heart, full of kindness forhis beautiful, saucy little countrywoman.”

“I do not trust you,” she answered, interruptingthese assurances. “I have been warned againstyour smooth tongue, and I do not know what I havedone to deserve this kind interest.”

“Do you know this?” he asked, showingher a white ribbon embroidered all over with littlegolden flames.

“It is the last present I worked for him,”exclaimed Mandane.

“I asked him for this token, because I knewyou would not trust me. Who ever heard of a prisonerloving his jailer?”

“But tell me at once, quickly—­whatdoes my old playfellow want me to do? Look, the-westernsky is beginning to glow. Evening is coming on,and I must arrange my mistress’s dress and ornamentsfor the banquet.”

“Well, I will not keep you long,” saidthe eunuch, becoming so serious that Mandane was frightened.“If you do not choose to believe that I wouldrun into any risk out of friendship to you, then fancythat I forward your love affair to humble the prideof Oropastes. He threatens to supplant me inthe king’s favor, and I am determined, let himplot and intrigue as he likes, that you shall marryGaumata. To-morrow evening, after the Tistar-starhas risen, your lover shall come to see you. Iwill see that all the guards are away, so that hecan come without danger, stay one hour and talk overthe future with you; but remember, only one hour.I see clearly that your mistress will be Cambyses’favorite wife, and will then forward your marriage,for she is very fond of you, and thinks no praisetoo high for your fidelity and skill. So to-morrowevening,” he continued, falling back into thejesting tone peculiar to him, “when the Tistar-starrises, fortune will begin to shine on you. Whydo you look down? Why don’t you answer?Gratitude stops your pretty little mouth, eh? is thatthe reason? Well, my little bird, I hope youwon’t be quite so silent, if you should everhave a chance of praising poor Boges to your powerfulmistress. And what message shall I bring to thehandsome Gaumata? May I say that you have notforgotten him and will be delighted to see him again?You hesitate? Well, I am very sorry, but it isgetting dark and I must go. I have to inspectthe women’s dresses for the birthday banquet.Ah! one thing I forgot to mention. Gaumata mustleave Babylon to-morrow. Oropastes is afraid,that he may chance to see you, and told him to returnto Rhage directly the festival was over. What!still silent? Well then, I really cannot helpyou or that poor fellow either. But I shall gainmy ends quite as well without you, and perhaps afterall it is better that you should forget one another.Good-bye.”

It was a hard struggle for the girl. She feltnearly sure that Boges was deceiving her, and a voicewithin warned her that it would be better to refuseher lover this meeting. Duty and prudence gainedthe upper hand, and she was just going to exclaim:“Tell him I cannot see him,” when hereye caught the ribbon she had once embroidered forher handsome playfellow. Bright pictures fromher childhood flashed through her mind, short momentsof intoxicating happiness; love, recklessness and longinggained the day in their turn over her sense of right,her misgivings and her prudence, and before Bogescould finish his farewell, she called out, almostin spite of herself and flying towards the house likea frightened fawn: “I shall expect him.”

Boges passed quickly through the flowery paths ofthe hanging-gardens. He stopped at the parapetend cautiously opened a hidden trap-door, admittingto a secret staircase which wound down through oneof the huge pillars supporting the hanging-gardens,and which had probably been intended by their originaldesigner as a means of reaching his wife’s apartmentsunobserved from the shores of the river. The doormoved easily on its hinges, and when Boges had shutit again and strewed a few of the river-shells fromthe garden walks over it, it would have been difficultto find, even for any one who had come with that purpose.The eunuch rubbed his jeweled hands, smiling the whileas was his custom, and murmured: “It can’tfail to succeed now; the girl is caught, her loveris at my beck and call, the old secret flight of stepsis in good order, Nitetis has been weeping bitterlyon a day of universal rejoicing, and the blue lilyopens to-morrow night. Ah, ha! my little plancan’t possibly fail now. And to-morrow,my pretty Egyptian kitten, your little velvet pawwill be fast in a trap set by the poor despised eunuch,who was not allowed, forsooth, to give you any orders.”

His eyes gleamed maliciously as he said these wordsand hurried from the garden.

At the great flight of steps he met another eunuch,named Neriglissar, who held the office of head-gardener,and lived at the hanging-gardens.

“How is the blue lily going on?” askedBoges.

“It is unfolding magnificently!” criedthe gardener, in enthusiasm at the mere mention ofhis cherished flower. “To-morrow, as I promised,when the Tistar-star rises, it will be in all itsbeauty. My Egyptian mistress will be delighted,for she is very fond of flowers, and may I ask youto tell the king and the Achaemenidae, that undermy care this rare plant has at last flowered?It is to be seen in full beauty only once in everyten years. Tell the noble Achaemenidae; this,and bring them here.”

“Your wish shall be granted,” said Bogessmiling, “but I think you must not reckon onthe king, as I do not expect he will visit the hanging-gardensbefore his marriage with the Egyptian. Some ofthe Archimenidae, however, will be sure to come; theyare such lovers of horticulture that they would notlike to miss this rare sight. Perhaps, too, Imay succeed in bringing Croesus. It is true thathe does not understand flowers or doat on them asthe Persians do, but he makes amends for this by histhorough appreciation of everything beautiful.”

“Yes, yes, bring him too,” exclaimed thegardener. “He will really be grateful toyou, for my queen of the night is the most beautifulflower, that has ever bloomed in a royal garden.You saw the bud in the clear waters of the reservoirsurrounded by its green leaves; that bud will openinto a gigantic rose, blue as the sky. My flower. . .”

The enthusiastic gardener would have said much morein praise of his flower, but Boges left him with afriendly nod, and went down the flight of steps.A two-wheeled wooden carriage was waiting for him there;he took his seat by the driver, the horses, deckedout with bells and tassels, were urged into a sharptrot and quickly brought him to the gate of the harem-garden.

That day was a busy, stirring one in Cambyses’harem. In order that the women might look theirvery best, Boges had commanded that they should allbe taken to the bath before the banquet. He thereforewent at once to that wing of the palace, which containedthe baths for the women.

While he was still at some distance a confused noiseof screaming, laughing, chattering and tittering reachedhis ears. In the broad porch of the large bathing-room,which had been almost overheated, more than threehundred women were moving about in a dense cloud ofsteam.

[We read in Diodorus XVII. 77. that theking of Persia had as many wives as there are daysin the year. At the battle of Issus, Alexanderthe Great took 329 concubines, of the last Darius,captive.]

The half-naked forms floated over the warm pavementlike a motley crowd of phantoms. Their thin silkengarments were wet through and clung to their delicatefigures, and a warm rain descended upon them from theroof of the bath, rising up again in vapor when itreached the floor.

Groups of handsome women, ten or twenty together,lay gossiping saucily in one part of the room; inanother two king’s wives were quarrelling likenaughty children. One beauty was screaming atthe top of her voice because she had received a blowfrom her neighbor’s dainty little slipper, whileanother was lying in lazy contemplation, still as death,on the damp, warm floor. Six Armenians were standingtogether, singing a saucy love-song in their nativelanguage with clear-toned voices, and a little knotof fair-haired Persians were slandering Nitetis sofearfully, that a by-stander would have fancied ourbeautiful Egyptian was some awful monster, like thosenurses used to frighten children.

Naked female slaves moved about through the crowd,carrying on their heads well-warmed cloths to throwover their mistresses. The cries of the eunuchs,who held the office of door-keepers, and were continuallyurging the women to greater haste,—­thescreeching calls of those whose slaves had not yetarrived,—­the penetrating perfumes and thewarm vapor combined to produce a motley, strange andstupefying scene.

A quarter of an hour later, however, the king’swives presented a very different spectacle.

They lay like roses steeped in dew, not asleep, butquite still and dreaming, on soft cushions placedalong the walls of an immense room. The wet perfumesstill lay on their undried and flowing hair, and nimblefemale slaves were busied in carefully wiping away,with little bags made of soft camels’ hair,the slightest outward trace of the moisture whichpenetrated deep into the pores of the skin.

Silken coverlets were spread over their weary, beautifullimbs, and a troop of eunuchs took good care thatthe dreamy repose of the entire body should not bedisturbed by quarrelsome or petulant individuals.Their efforts, however, were seldom so successfulas to-day, when every one knew that a disturbanceof the peace would be punished by exclusion from thebanquet. They had probably been lying a full hourin this dreamy silence, when the sound of a gong producedanother transformation.

The reposing figures sprang from their cushions, atroop of female slaves pressed into the hall, thebeauties were annointed and perfumed, their luxurianthair ingeniously braided, plaited, and adorned withprecious stones. Costly ornaments and silkenand woolen robes in all the colors of the rainbowwere brought in, shoes stiff with rich embroidery ofpearls and jewels were tied on to their tender feet,and golden girdles fastened round their waists.

[Some kings gave their wives therevenues of entire cities as
“girdle-money” (pin-money).]

By the time Boges came in, the greater number of thewomen were already fully adorned in their costly jewelry,which would have represented probably, when takentogether, the riches of a large kingdom.

He was greeted by a shrill cry of joy from many voices.Twenty of the women joined hands and danced roundtheir smiling keeper, singing a simple song whichhad been composed in the harem in praise of his virtues.On this day it was customary for the king to granteach of his wives one reasonable petition. Sowhen the ring of dancers had loosed hands, a troopof petitioners rushed in upon Boges, kissing his hands,stroking his cheeks, whispering in his ear all kindsof requests, and trying by flattery to gain his intercessionwith the king. The woman’s tyrant smiledat it all, stopped his ears and pushed them all backwith jests and laughter, promising Amytis the Medianthat Esther the Phoenician should be punished, andEsther the same of Amytis,—­that Parmysshould have a handsomer set of jewels than Parisatys,and Parisatys a more costly one than Parmys, but findingit impossible to get rid of these importunate petitioners,he blew a little golden whistle. Its shrill tonesacted like magic on the eager crowd; the raised handsfell in a moment, the little tripping feet stood still,the opening lips closed and the eager tumult was turnedinto a dead silence.

Whoever disobeyed the sound of this little whistle,was certain of punishment. It was as importantas the words “Silence, in the king’s name!”or the reading of the riot-act. To-day it workedeven more effectually than usual. Boges’self-satisfied smile showed that he had noticed this;he then favored the assembly with a look expressiveof his contentment with their conduct, promised ina flowery speech to exert all his influence with theking in behalf of his dear little white doves, andwound up by telling them to arrange themselves in twolong rows.

The women obeyed and submitted to his scrutiny likesoldiers on drill, or slaves being examined by theirbuyer.

With the dress and ornaments of most he was satisfied,ordering, however, to one a little more rouge, toanother a little white powder to subdue a too healthycolor, here a different arrangement of the hair—­therea deeper tinge to the eyebrows, or more pains to betaken in anointing the lips.

When this was over he left the hall and went to Phaedime,who as one of the king’s lawful wives, had aprivate room, separated from those allotted to theconcubines.

This former favorite,—­this humbled daughterof the Achaemenidae, had been expecting him alreadysome time.

She was magnificently dressed, and almost overloadedwith jewels. A thick veil of gauze inwroughtwith gold hung from her little tiara, and interlacedwith this was the blue and white band of the Achaemenidae.There could be no question that she was beautiful,but her figure was already too strongly developed,a frequent result of the lazy harem life among Easternwomen. Fair golden hair, interwoven with littlesilver chains and gold pieces, welled out almost tooabundantly from beneath her tiara, and was smoothedover her white temples.

She sprang forward to meet Boges, trembling with eagerness,caught a hasty glance at herself in the looking-glass,and then, fixing her eyes on the eunuch, asked impetuously:“Are you pleased with me? Will he admireme?”

Boges smiled his old, eternal smile and answered:“You always please me, my golden peaco*ck, andthe king would admire you too if he could see youas you were a moment ago. You were really beautifulwhen you called out, ‘Will he admire me?’for passion had turned your blue eyes black as night,and your lip was curled with hatred so as to show tworows of teeth white as the snow on the Demawend!”

Phaedime was flattered and forced her face once moreinto the admired expression, saying: “Thentake us at once to the banquet, for I know my eyeswill be darker and more brilliant, and my teeth willgleam more brightly, when I see that Egyptian girlsitting where I ought to sit.”

“She will not be allowed to sit there long.”

“What! is your plan likely to succeed then?Oh, Boges, do not hide it any longer from me—­Iwill be as silent as the grave—­I will helpyou—­I will—­”

“No, I cannot, I dare not tell you about it,but this much I will say in order to sweeten thisbitter evening: we have dug the pit for our enemy,and if my golden Phaedime will only do what I tellher, I hope to give her back her old place, and notonly that, but even a higher one.”

“Tell me what I am to do; I am ready for anythingand everything.”

“That was well and bravely spoken; like a truelioness. If you obey me we must succeed; andthe harder the task, the higher the reward. Don’tdispute what I am going to say, for we have not a minuteto lose. Take off all your useless ornamentsand only wear the chain the king gave you on yourmarriage. Put on a dark simple dress instead ofthis bright one; and when you have prostrated yourselfbefore Kassandane, bow down humbly before the EgyptianPrincess too.”

“Impossible!”

“I will not be contradicted. Take off thoseornaments at once, I entreat you. There, thatis right. We cannot succeed unless you obey me.How white your neck is! The fair Peri would lookdark by your side.”

“But—­”

“When your turn comes to ask a favor of theking, tell him you have no wishes, now that the sunof your life has withdrawn his light.”

“Yes, that I will do.”

“When your father asks after your welfare, youmust weep.”

“I will do that too.”

“And so that all the Achaemenidae can see thatyou are weeping.”

“That will be a fearful humiliation!”

“Not at all; only a means by which to rise themore surely. Wash the red color from your cheeksand put on white powder. Make yourself pale—­palerstill.”

“Yes, I shall need that to hide my blushes.Boges, you are asking something fearful of me, butI will obey you if you will only give me a reason.”

“Girl, bring your mistress’s new darkgreen robe.”

“I shall look like a slave.”

“True grace is lovely even in rags.”

“The Egyptian will completely eclipse me.”

“Yes, every one must see that you have not theslightest intention of comparing yourself with her.Then people will say: ’Would not Phaedimebe as beautiful as this proud woman, if she had takenthe same pains to make herself so?"’

“But I cannot bow down to her.”

“You must.”

“You only want to humble and ruin me.”

“Short-sighted fool! listen to my reasons andobey. I want especially to excite the Achaemenidaeagainst our enemy. How it will enrage your grandfatherIntaphernes, and your father Otanes to see you in thedust before a stranger! Their wounded pride willbring them over to our side, and if they are too ‘noble,’as they call it, to undertake anything themselvesagainst a woman, still they will be more likely tohelp than to hinder us, if I should need their assistance.Then, when the Egyptian is ruined, if you have doneas I wish, the king will remember your sad pale face,your humility and forgetfulness of self. The Achaemenidae,and even the Magi, will beg him to take a queen fromhis own family; and where in all Persia is there awoman who can boast of better birth than you?Who else can wear the royal purple but my bright birdof Paradise, my beautiful rose Phaedime? Withsuch a prize in prospect we must no more fear a littlehumiliation than a man who is learning to ride fearsa fall from his horse.”

And she, princess as she was, answered: “Iwill obey you.”

“Then we are certain of victory,” saidthe eunuch. “There, now your eyes are flashingdarkly again as I like to see them, my queen.And so Cambyses shall see you when the tender fleshof the Egyptian shall have become food for dogs andthe birds of the air, and when for the first timeafter long months of absence, I bring him once moreto the door of your apartments. Here, Armorges!tell the rest of the women to get ready and entertheir litters. I will go on and be there to showthem their places.”

..........................

The great banqueting-hall was bright as day—­evenbrighter, from the light of thousands of candles whoserays were reflected in the gold plates forming thepanelling of the walls. A table of interminablelength stood in the middle of the hall, overloadedwith gold and silver cups, plates, dishes, bowls,jugs, goblets, ornaments and incense-altars, and lookedlike a splendid scene from fairy-land.

“The king will soon be here,” called outthe head-steward of the table, of the great court-lords,to the king’s cup-bearer, who was a member ofthe royal family. “Are all the wine-jugsfull, has the wine been tasted, are the goblets rangedin order, and the skins sent by Polykrates, have theybeen emptied?”

“Yes,” answered the cup-bearer, “everythingis ready, and that Chian wine is better than any Iever tasted; indeed, in my opinion, even the Syrianis not to be compared to it. Only taste it.”

So saying he took a graceful little golden gobletfrom the table in one hand, raised a wine-pitcherof the same costly metal with the other, swung thelatter high into the air and poured the wine so cleverlyinto the narrow neck of the little vessel that nota drop was lost, though the liquid formed a wide curvein its descent. He then presented the gobletto the head-steward with the tips of his fingers, bowinggracefully as he did so.

The latter sipped the delicious wine, testing itsflavor with great deliberation, and said, on returningthe cup: “I agree with you, it is indeeda noble wine, and tastes twice as well when presentedwith such inimitable grace. Strangers are quiteright in saying that there are no cupbearers likethe Persian.”

“Thanks for this praise,” replied theother, kissing his friend’s forehead. “Yes,I am proud of my office, and it is one which the kingonly gives to his friends. Still it is a greatplague to have to stay so long in this hot, suffocatingBabylon. Shall we ever be off for the summer,to Ecbatana or Pasargada?”

“I was talking to the king about it to-day.He had intended not to leave before the Massagetanwar, and to go straight from Babylon into the field,but to-day’s embassy has changed matters; itis probable that there may be no war, and then weshall go to Susa three days after the king’smarriage—­that is, in one week from the presenttime.”

“To Susa?” cried the cup-bearer.“It’s very little cooler there than here,and besides, the old Memnon’s castle is beingrebuilt.”

“The satrap of Susa has just brought word thatthe new palace is finished, and that nothing so brillianthas ever been seen. Directly Cambyses heard,it he said: Then we will start for Susa threedays after our marriage. I should like to showthe Egyptian Princess that we understand the art ofbuilding as well as her own ancestors. She isaccustomed to hot weather on the Nile, and will notfind our beautiful Susa too warm.’ Theking seems wonderfully fond of this woman.”

“He does indeed! All other women have becomeperfectly indifferent to him, and he means soon tomake her his queen.”

“That is unjust; Phaedime, as daughter of theAchaemenidae, has an older and better right.”

“No doubt, but whatever the king wishes, mustbe right.”

“The ruler’s will is the will of God.”

“Well said! A true Persian will kiss hisking’s hand, even when dripping with the bloodof his own child.”

“Cambyses ordered my brother’s execution,but I bear him no more ill-will for it than I shouldthe gods for depriving me of my parents. Here,you fellows! draw the curtains back; the guests arecoming. Look sharp, you dogs, and do your duty!Farewell, Artabazos, we shall have warm work to-night.”

ETEXT editor’sbookmarks:

Death is so long andlife so short
No man was allowed toask anything of the gods for himself
Take heed lest pridedegenerate into vainglory

AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.

By Georg Ebers

Volume 6.

CHAPTER I.

The principal steward of the banquet went forwardto meet the guests as they entered, and, assistedby other noble staff-bearers (chamberlains and mastersof the ceremonies), led them to their appointed places.

When they were all seated, a flourish of trumpetsannounced that the king was near. As he enteredthe hall every one rose, and the multitude receivedhim with a thundering shout of “Victory to theking!” again and again repeated.

The way to his seat was marked by a purple Sardiancarpet, only to be trodden by himself and Kassandane.His blind mother, led by Croesus, went first and tookher seat at the head of the table, on a throne somewhathigher than the golden chair for Cambyses, which stoodby it. The king’s lawful wives sat on hisleft hand; Nitetis next to him, then Atossa, and byher side the pale, plainly-dressed Phaedime; next tothis last wife of Cambyses sat Boges, the eunuch.Then came the high-priest Oropastes, some of the principalMagi, the satraps of various provinces (among themthe Jew Belteshazzar), and a number of Persians, Medesand eunuchs, all holding high offices under the crown.

Bartja sat at the king’s right hand, and afterhim Croesus, Hystaspes, Gobryas, Araspes, and othersof the Achaemenidae, according to their rank and age.Of the concubines, the greater number sat at the footof the table; some stood opposite to Cambyses, andenlivened the banquet by songs and music. A numberof eunuchs stood behind them, whose duty it was tosee that they did not raise their eyes towards themen.

Cambyses’ first glance was bestowed on Nitetis;she sat by him in all the splendor and dignity ofa queen, but looking very, very pale in her new purplerobes.

Their eyes met, and Cambyses felt that such a lookcould only come from one who loved him very dearly.But his own love told him that something had troubledher. There was a sad seriousness about her mouth,and a slight cloud, which only he could see, seemedto veil the usually calm, clear and cheerful expressionof her eyes. “I will ask her afterwardswhat has happened,” thought he, “but itwill not do to let my subjects see how much I lovethis girl.”

He kissed his mother, sister, brother and his nearestrelations on the forehead—­said a shortprayer thanking the gods for their mercies and entreatinga happy new year for himself and the Persians—­namedthe immense sum he intended to present to his countrymenon this day, and then called on the staff bearersto bring the petitioners before his face, who hopedto obtain some reasonable request from the king onthis day of grace.

As every petitioner had been obliged to lay his requestbefore the principal staff bearer the day before,in order to ascertain whether it was admissible, theyall received satisfactory answers. The petitionsof the women had been enquired into by the eunuchsin the same manner, and they too were now conductedbefore their lord and master by Boges, Kassandanealone remaining seated.

The long procession was opened by Nitetis and Atossa,and the two princesses were immediately followed byPhaedime and another beauty. The latter was magnificentlydressed and had been paired with Phaedime by Boges,in order to make the almost poverty-stricken simplicityof the fallen favorite more apparent.

Intaphernes and Otanes looked as annoyed as Bogeshad expected, on seeing their grandchild and daughterso pale, and in such miserable array, in the midstof all this splendor and magnificence.

Cambyses had had experience of Phaedime’s formerextravagance in matters of dress, and, when he sawher standing before him so plainly dressed and sopale, looked both angry and astonished. His browdarkened, and as she bent low before him, he askedher in an angry and tyrannical tone: “Whatis the meaning of this beggarly dress at my table,on the day set apart in my honor? Have you forgotten,that in our country it is the custom never to appearunadorned before the king? Verily, if it werenot my birthday, and if I did not owe you some considerationas the daughter of our dearest kinsman, I should orderthe eunuchs to take you back to the harem, that youmight have time to think over your conduct in solitude.”

These words rendered the mortified woman’s taskmuch easier. . . . She began to weep loud andbitterly, raising her hands and eyes to her angry lordin such a beseeching manner that his anger was changedinto compassion, and he raised her from the groundwith the question: “Have you a petitionto ask of me?”

“What can I find to wish for, now that the sunof my life has withdrawn his light?” was herfaltering answer, hindered by sobs.

Cambyses shrugged his shoulders, and asked again “Isthere nothing then that you wish for? I usedto be able to dry your tears with presents; ask mefor some golden comfort to-day.”

“Phaedime has nothing left to wish for now.For whom can she put on jewels when her king, herhusband, withdraws the light of his countenance?”

“Then I can do nothing for you,” exclaimedCambyses, turning away angrily from the kneeling woman.Boges had been quite right in advising Phaedime topaint herself with white, for underneath the pale colorher cheeks were burning with shame and anger.But, in spite of all, she controlled her passionatefeelings, made the same deep obeisance to Nitetis asto the queen-mother, and allowed her tears to flowfast and freely in sight of all the Achaemenidae.

Otanes and Intaphernes could scarcely suppress theirindignation at seeing their daughter and grandchildthus humbled, and many an Achaemenidae looked on,feeling deep sympathy with the unhappy Phaedime anda hidden grudge against the favored, beautiful stranger.

The formalities were at last at an end and the feastbegan. Just before the king, in a golden basket,and gracefully bordered round with other fruits, laya gigantic pomegranate, as large as a child’shead.

Cambyses noticed it now for the first time, examinedits enormous size and rare beauty with the eye ofa connoisseur, and said: “Who grew thiswonderful pomegranate?”

“Thy servant Oropastes,” answered thechief of the Magi, with a low obeisance. “Formany years I have studied the art of gardening, andhave ventured to lay this, the most beautiful fruitof my labors, at the feet of my king.”

“I owe you thanks,” cried the king:“My friends, this pomegranate will assist mein the choice of a governor at home when we go outto war, for, by Mithras, the man who can cherish andfoster a little tree so carefully will do greaterthings than these. What a splendid fruit!Surely it’s like was never seen before.I thank you again, Oropastes, and as the thanks ofa king must never consist of empty words alone, I nameyou at once vicegerent of my entire kingdom, in caseof war. For we shall not dream away our timemuch longer in this idle rest, my friends. A Persiangets low-spirited without the joys of war.”

A murmur of applause ran through the ranks of theAchaemenidae and fresh shouts of “Victory tothe king” resounded through the hall. Theiranger on account of the humiliation of a woman wasquickly forgotten; thoughts of coming battles, undyingrenown and conqueror’s laurels to be won bydeeds of arms, and recollections of their former mightydeeds raised the spirits of the revellers.

The king himself was more moderate than usual to-day,but he encouraged his guests to drink, enjoying theirnoisy merriment and overflowing mirth; taking, however,far more pleasure still in the fascinating beautyof the Egyptian Princess, who sat at his side, palerthan usual, and thoroughly exhausted by the exertionsof the morning and the unaccustomed weight of thehigh tiara. He had never felt so happy as on thisday. What indeed could he wish for more thanhe already possessed? Had not the gods givenhim every thing that a man could desire? and, overand above all this, had not they flung into his lapthe precious gift of love? His usual inflexibilityseemed to have changed into benevolence, and his sternseverity into good-nature, as he turned to his brotherBartja with the words: “Come brother, haveyou forgotten my promise? Don’t you knowthat to-day you are sure of gaining the dearest wishof your heart from me? That’s right, drainthe goblet, and take courage! but do not ask anythingsmall, for I am in the mood to give largely to-day.Ah, it is a secret! come nearer then. I am reallycurious to know what the most fortunate youth in myentire kingdom can long for so much, that he blusheslike a girl when his wish is spoken of.”

Bartja, whose cheeks were really glowing from agitation,bent his head close to his brother’s ear, andwhispered shortly the story of his love. Sappho’sfather had helped to defend his native town Phocaeaagainst the hosts of Cyrus, and this fact the boycleverly brought forward, speaking of the girl heloved as the daughter of a Greek warrior of noble birth.In so saying he spoke the truth, but at the same timehe suppressed the facts that this very father hadacquired great riches by mercantile undertakings.

[The Persians were forbidden by law tocontract debts, because debtors were necessarilyled to say much that was untrue. Herod. I.For this reason they held all money transactionsin contempt, such occupations being also very uncongenialto their military tastes. They despised commerceand abandoned it to the conquered nations.]

He then told his brother how charming, cultivatedand loving his Sappho was, and was just going to callon Croesus for a confirmation of his words, when Cambysesinterrupted him by kissing his forehead and saying:“You need say no more, brother; do what yourheart bids you. I know the power of love too,and I will help you to gain our mother’s consent.”Bartja threw himself at his brother’s feet, overcomewith gratitude and joy, but Cambyses raised him kindlyand, looking especially at Nitetis and Kassandane,exclaimed: “Listen, my dear ones, the stemof Cyrus is going to blossom afresh, for our brotherBartja has resolved to put an end to his single life,so displeasing to the gods.

[The Persians were commanded by theirreligion to marry, and the unmarried were heldup to ridicule. Vendid. IV. Fargard.130. The highest duty of man was to createand promote life, and to have many children wastherefore considered praiseworthy. Herod.I. 136.]

In a few days the young lover will leave us for yourcountry, Nitetis, and will bring back another jewelfrom the shores of the Nile to our mountain home.”

“What is the matter, sister?” cried Atossa,before her brother had finished speaking. Nitetishad fainted, and Atossa was sprinkling her foreheadwith wine as she lay in her arms.

“What was it?” asked the blind Kassandane,when Nitetis had awakened to consciousness a few momentslater.

“The joy—­the happiness—­Tachot,”faltered Nitetis. Cambyses, as well as his sister,had sprung to the fainting girl’s help.When she had recovered consciousness, he asked herto take some wine to revive her completely, gave herthe cup with his own hand, and then went on at thepoint at which he had left off in his account:“Bartja is going to your own country, my wife—­toNaukratis on the Nile—­to fetch thence thegranddaughter of a certain Rhodopis, and daughter ofa noble warrior, a native of the brave town of Phocaea,as his wife.”

“What was that?” cried the blind queen-mother.

“What is the matter with you?” exclaimedAtossa again, in an anxious, almost reproachful tone.

“Nitetis!” cried Croesus admonishingly.But the warning came too late; the cup which her royallover had given her slipped from her hands and fellringing on the floor. All eyes were fixed on theking’s features in anxious suspense. Hehad sprung from his seat pale as death; his lips trembledand his fist was clenched. Nitetis looked up ather lover imploringly, but he was afraid of meetingthose wonderful, fascinating eyes, and turned hishead away, saying in a hoarse voice: “Takethe women back to their apartments, Boges. Ihave seen enough of them—­let us begin ourdrinking-bout—­good-night, my mother; takecare how you nourish vipers with your heart’sblood. Sleep well, Egyptian, and pray to thegods to give you a more equal power of dissemblingyour feelings. To-morrow, my friends, we willgo out hunting. Here, cup-bearer, give me somewine! fill the large goblet, but taste it well—­yes,well—­for to-day I am afraid of poison;to-day for the first time. Do you hear, Egyptian?I am afraid of poison! and every child knows—­ah-ha—­thatall the poison, as well as the medicine comes fromEgypt.”

Nitetis left the hall,—­she hardly knewhow,—­more staggering than walking.Boges accompanied her, telling the bearers to makehaste.

When they reached the hanging-gardens he gave herup to the care of the eunuch in attendance, and tookhis leave, not respectfully as usual, but chuckling,rubbing his hands, and speaking in an intimate andconfidential tone: “Dream about the handsomeBartja and his Egyptian lady-love, my white Nile-kitten!Haven’t you any message for the beautiful boy,whose love-story frightened you so terribly? Thinka little. Poor Boges will very gladly play thego-between; the poor despised Boges wishes you sowell—­the humble Boges will be so sorry whenhe sees the proud palm-tree from Sais cut down.Boges is a prophet; he foretells you a speedy returnhome to Egypt, or a quiet bed in the black earth inBabylon, and the kind Boges wishes you a peaceful sleep.Farewell, my broken flower, my gay, bright viper, woundedby its own sting, my pretty fir-cone, fallen fromthe tall pine-tree!”

“How dare you speak in this impudent manner?”said the indignant princess.

“Thank you,” answered the wretch, smiling.

“I shall complain of your conduct,” threatenedNitetis.

“You are very amiable,” answered Boges.“Go out of my sight,” she cried.

“I will obey your kind and gentle hints;”he answered softly, as if whispering words of loveinto her ear. She started back in disgust andfear at these scornful words; she saw how full of terrorthey were for her, turned her back on him and wentquickly into the house, but his voice rang after her:“Don’t forget my lovely queen, think ofme now and then; for everything that happens in thenext few days will be a keepsake from the poor despisedBoges.”

As soon as she had disappeared he changed his tone,and commanded the sentries in the severest and mosttyrannical manner, to keep a strict watch over thehanging-gardens. “Certain death,”said he, “to whichever of you allows any onebut myself to enter these gardens. No one, remember—­noone—­and least of all messengers from thequeen-mother, Atossa or any of the great people, mayventure to set foot on these steps. If Croesusor Oropastes should wish to speak to the EgyptianPrincess, refuse them decidedly. Do you understand?I repeat it, whoever is begged or bribed into disobediencewill not see the light of to-morrow’s sun.Nobody may enter these gardens without express permissionfrom my own mouth. I think you know me. Here,take these gold staters, your work will be heaviernow; but remember, I swear by Plithras not to spareone of you who is careless or disobedient.”

The men made a due obeisance and determined to obey;they knew that Boges’ threats were never meantin joke, and fancied something great must be comingto pass, as the stingy eunuch never spent his staterswithout good reason.

Boges was carried back to the banqueting-hall in thesame litter, which had brought Nitetis away.

The king’s wives had left, but the concubineswere all standing in their appointed place, singingtheir monotonous songs, though quite unheard by theuproarious men.

The drinkers had already long forgotten the faintingwoman. The uproar and confusion rose with everyfresh wine-cup. They forgot the dignity of theplace where they were assembled, and the presence oftheir mighty ruler.

They shouted in their drunken joy; warriors embracedone another with a tenderness only excited by wine,here and there a novice was carried away in the armsof a pair of sturdy attendants, while an old hand atthe work would seize a wine-jug instead of a goblet,and drain it at a draught amid the cheers of the lookers-on.

The king sat on at the head of the table, pale asdeath, staring into the wine-cup as if unconsciousof what was going on around hint. But at thesight of his brother his fist clenched.

He would neither speak to him, nor answer his questions.The longer he sat there gazing into vacancy, the firmerbecame his conviction that Nitetis had deceived him,—­thatshe had pretended to love him while her heart reallybelonged to Bartja. How shamefully they had madesport of him! How deeply rooted must have beenthe faithlessness of this clever hypocrite, if themere news that his brother loved some one else couldnot only destroy all her powers of dissimulation, butactually deprive her of consciousness!

When Nitetis left the hall, Otanes, the father ofPhaedime had called out: “The Egyptianwomen seem to take great interest in the love-affairsof their brothers-in-law. The Persian women arenot so generous with their feelings; they keep themfor their husbands.”

Cambyses was too proud to let it be seen that he hadheard these words; like the ostrich, he feigned deafnessand blindness in order not to seem aware of the looksand murmurs of his guests, which all went to provethat he had been deceived.

Bartja could have had no share in her perfidy; shehad loved this handsome youth, and perhaps all themore because she had not been able to hope for a returnof her love. If he had had the slightest suspicionof his brother, he would have killed him on the spot.Bartja was certainly innocent of any share in thedeception and in his brother’s misery, but stillhe was the cause of all; so the old grudge, which hadonly just been allowed to slumber, woke again; and,as a relapse is always more dangerous than the originalillness, the newly-roused anger was more violent thanwhat he had formerly felt.

He thought and thought, but he could not devise afitting punishment for this false woman. Herdeath would not content his vengeance, she must suffersomething worse than mere death!

Should he send her back to Egypt, disgraced and shamed?Oh, no! she loved her country, and she would be receivedby her parents with open arms. Should he, aftershe had confessed her guilt, (for he was determinedto force a confession from her) shut her up in a solitarydungeon? or should he deliver her over to Boges, tobe the servant of his concubines? Yes! now hehad hit upon the right punishment. Thus the faithlesscreature should be disciplined, and the hypocrite,who had dared to make sport of him—­theAll-powerful—­forced to atone for her crimes.

Then he said to himself: “Bartja must notstay here; fire and water have more in common thanwe two—­he always fortunate and happy, andI so miserable. Some day or other his descendantswill divide my treasures, and wear my crown; but asyet I am king, and I will show that I am.”

The thought of his proud, powerful position flashedthrough him like lightning. He woke from hisdreams into new life, flung his golden goblet farinto the hall, so that the wine flew round like rain,and cried: “We have had enough of thisidle talk and useless noise. Let us hold a councilof war, drunken as we are, and consider what answerwe ought to give the Massagetae. Hystaspes, youare the eldest, give us your opinion first.”

[Herod. I. 134. The Persiansdeliberated and resolved when they were intoxicated,and when they were sober reconsidered their determinations.Tacitus tells the same of the old Germans. Germ,c. 22.]

Hystaspes, the father of Darius, was an old man.He answered: “It seems to me, that themessengers of this wandering tribe have left us nochoice. We cannot go to war against desert wastes;but as our host is already under arms and our swordshave lain long in their scabbards, war we must have.We only want a few good enemies, and I know no easierwork than to make them.”

At these words the Persians broke into loud shoutsof delight; but Croesus only waited till the noisehad ceased to say: “Hystaspes, you andI are both old men; but you are a thorough Persianand fancy you can only be happy in battle and bloodshed.You are now obliged to lean for support on the staff,which used to be the badge of your rank as commander,and yet you speak like a hot-blooded boy. I agreewith you that enemies are easy enough to find, butonly fools go out to look for them. The man whotries to make enemies is like a wretch who mutilateshis own body. If the enemies are there, let usgo out to meet them like wise men who wish to lookmisfortune boldly in the face; but let us never tryto begin an unjust war, hateful to the gods.We will wait until wrong has been done us, and thengo to victory or death, conscious that we have righton our side.”

The old man was interrupted by a low murmur of applause,drowned however quickly by cries of “Hystaspesis right! let us look for an enemy!”

It was now the turn of the envoy Prexaspes to speak,and he answered laughing: “Let us followthe advice of both these noble old men. We willdo as Croesus bids us and not go out to seek an enemy,but at the same time we will follow Hystaspes’advice by raising our claims and pronouncing everyone our enemy, who does not cheerfully consent tobecome a member of the kingdom founded by our greatfather Cyrus. For instance, we will ask the Indiansif they would feel proud to obey your sceptre, Cambyses.If they answer no, it is a sign that they do not loveus, and whoever does not love us, must be our enemy.”

“That won’t do,” cried Zopyrus.“We must have war at any price.”

“I vote for Croesus,” said Gobryas.“And I too,” said the noble Artabazus.

“We are for Hystaspes,” shouted the warriorAraspes, the old Intaphernes, and some more of Cyrus’sold companions-in-arms.

“War we must have at any price,” roaredthe general Megabyzus, the father of Zopyrus, strikingthe table so sharply with his heavy fist, that thegolden vessels rang again, and some goblets even fell;“but not with the Massagetac—­notwith a flying foe.”

“There must be no war with the Massagetae,”said the high-priest Oropastes. “The godsthemselves have avenged Cyrus’s death upon them.”

Cambyses sat for some moments, quietly and coldlywatching the unrestrained enthusiasm of his warriors,and then, rising from his seat, thundered out thewords: “Silence, and listen to your king!”

The words worked like magic on this multitude of drunkenmen. Even those who were most under the influenceof wine, listened to their king in a kind of unconsciousobedience. He lowered his voice and went on:“I did not ask whether you wished for peaceor war—­I know that every Persian prefersthe labor of war to an inglorious idleness—­butI wished to know what answer you would give the Massagetanwarriors. Do you consider that the soul of myfather—­of the man to whom you owe all yourgreatness—­has been sufficiently avenged?”

A dull murmur in the affirmative, interrupted by someviolent voices in the negative, was the answer.The king then asked a second question: “Shallwe accept the conditions proposed by their envoys,and grant peace to this nation, already so scourgedand desolated by the gods?” To this they allagreed eagerly.

“That is what I wished to know,” continuedCambyses. “To-morrow, when we are sober,we will follow the old custom and reconsider what hasbeen resolved on during our intoxication. Drinkon, all of you, as long as the night lasts. To-morrow,at the last crow of the sacred bird Parodar, I shallexpect you to meet me for the chase, at the gate ofthe temple of Bel.”

So saying, the king left the hall, followed by a thundering“Victory to the king!” Boges had slippedout quietly before him. In the forecourt he foundone of the gardener’s boys from the hanging-gardens.

“What do you want here?” asked Boges.“I have something for the prince Bartja.”

“For Bartja? Has he asked your master tosend him some seeds or slips?”

The boy shook his sunburnt head and smiled roguishly.

“Some one else sent you then?” said Bogesbecoming more attentive.

“Yes, some one else.”

“Ah! the Egyptian has sent a message to herbrother-in-law?”

“Who told you that?”

“Nitetis spoke to me about it. Here, giveme what you have; I will give it to Bartja at once.”

“I was not to give it to any one but the princehimself.”

“Give it to me; it will be safer in my handsthan in yours.”

“I dare not.”

“Obey me at once, or—­”

At this moment the king came up. Boges thoughta moment, and then called in a loud voice to the whip-bearerson duty at the palace-gate, to take the astonishedboy up.

“What is the matter here?” asked Cambyses.

“This fellow,” answered the eunuch, “hashad the audacity to make his way into the palace witha message from your consort Nitetis to Bartja.”

At sight of the king, the boy had fallen on his knees,touching the ground with his forehead.

Cambyses looked at him and turned deadly pale.Then, turning to the eunuch, he asked: “Whatdoes the Egyptian Princess wish from my brother?”

“The boy declares that he has orders to giveup what has been entrusted to him to no one but Bartja.”On hearing this the boy looked imploringly up at theking, and held out a little papyrus roll.

Cambyses snatched it out of his hand, but the nextmoment stamped furiously on the ground at seeing thatthe letter was written in Greek, which he could notread.

He collected himself, however, and, with an awfullook, asked the boy who had given him the letter.“The Egyptian lady’s waiting-woman Mandane,”he answered; “the Magian’s daughter.”

“For my brother Bartja?”

“She said I was to give the letter to the handsomeprince, before the banquet, with a greeting from hermistress Nitetis, and I was to tell him . . .”

Here the king stamped so furiously, that the boy wasfrightened and could only stammer: “Beforethe banquet the prince was walking with you, so Icould not speak to him, and now I am waiting for himhere, for Mandane promised to give me a piece of goldif I did what she told me cleverly.”

“And that you have not done,” thunderedthe king, fancying himself shamefully deceived.“No, indeed you have not. Here, guards,seize this fellow!”

The boy begged and prayed, but all in vain; the whip-bearersseized him quick as thought, and Cambyses, who wentoff at once to his own apartments, was soon out ofreach of his whining entreaties for mercy.

Boges followed his master, rubbing his fat hands,and laughing quietly to himself.

The king’s attendants began their work of disrobinghim, but he told them angrily to leave him at once.As soon as they were gone, he called Boges and saidin a low voice: “From this time forwardthe hanging-gardens and the Egyptian are under yourcontrol. Watch her carefully! If a singlehuman being or a message reaches her without my knowledge,your life will be the forfeit.”

“But if Kassandane or Atossa should send toher?”

“Turn the messengers away, and send word thatevery attempt to see or communicate with Nitetis willbe regarded by me as a personal offence.”

“May I ask a favor for myself, O King?”

“The time is not well chosen for asking favors.”

“I feel ill. Permit some one else to takecharge of the hanging-gardens for to-morrow only.”

“No!—­now leave me.”

“I am in a burning fever and have lost consciousnessthree times during the day—­if when I amin that state any one should . . .”

But who could take your place?”

“The Lydian captain of the eunuchs, Kandaules.He is true as gold, and inflexibly severe. Oneday of rest would restore me to health. Havemercy, O King!”

“No one is so badly served as the king himself.Kandaules may take your place to-morrow, but givehum the strictest orders, and say that the slightestneglect will put his life in danger.—­Nowdepart.”

“Yet one word, my King: to-morrow nightthe rare blue lily in the hanging-gardens will open.Hystaspes, Intaphernes, Gobyras, Croesus and Oropastes,the greatest horticulturists at your court, would verymuch like to see it. May they be allowed to visitthe gardens for a few minutes? Kandaules shallsee that they enter into no communication with theEgyptian.”

“Kandaules must keep his eyes open, if he caresfor his own life.—­Go!”

Boges made a deep obeisance and left the king’sapartment. He threw a few gold pieces to theslaves who bore the torches before him. He wasso very happy. Every thing had succeeded beyondhis expectations:—­the fate of Nitetis wasas good as decided, and he held the life of Kandaules,his hated colleague, in his own hands.

Cambyses spent the night in pacing up and down hisapartment. By co*ck-crow he had decided that Nitetisshould be forced to confess her guilt, and then besent into the great harem to wait on the concubines.Bartja, the destroyer of his happiness, should setoff at once for Egypt, and on his return become thesatrap of some distant provinces. He did notwish to incur the guilt of a brother’s murder,but he knew his own temper too well not to fear thatin a moment of sudden anger, he might kill one hehated so much, and therefore wished to remove him outof the reach of his passion.

Two hours after the sun had risen, Cambyses was ridingon his fiery steed, far in front of a Countless trainof followers armed with shields, swords, lances, bowsand lassos, in pursuit of the game which was to befound in the immense preserves near Babylon, and wasto be started from its lair by more than a thousanddogs.

[The same immense trains of followersof course accompanied the kings on their huntingexpeditions, as on their journeys. As the Persiannobility were very fond of hunting, their boys weretaught this sport at an early age. Accordingto Strabo, kings themselves boasted of having beenmighty hunters in the inscriptions on their tombs.A relief has been found in the ruins of Persepolis,on which the king is strangling a lion with hisright arm, but this is supposed to have a historical,not a symbolical meaning. Similar representationsoccur on Assyrian monuments. Izdubar stranglinga lion and fighting with a lion (relief at Khorsabad)is admirably copied in Delitzsch’s editionof G. Smith’s Chaldean Genesis. Layarddiscovered some representations of hunting-scenes duringhis excavations; as, for instance, stags and wildboars among the reeds; and the Greeks often mentionthe immense troops of followers on horse and footwho attended the kings of Persia when they went hunting.According to Xenophon, Cyrop. I. 2. II. 4.every hunter was obliged to be armed with a bowand arrows, two lances, sword and shield.In Firdusi’s Book of Kings we read that the lassowas also a favorite weapon. Hawking was wellknown to the Persians more than 900 years ago.Book of Kabus XVIII. p. 495. The boomerang wasused in catching birds as well by the Persians asby the ancient Egyptians and the present savagetribes of New Holland.]

CHAPTER II.

The hunt was over. Waggons full of game, amongstwhich were several enormous wild boars killed by theking’s own hand, were driven home behind thesports men. At the palace-gates the latter dispersedto their several abodes, in order to exchange thesimple Persian leather hunting-costume for the splendidMedian court-dress.

In the course of the day’s sport Cambyses had(with difficulty restraining his agitation) givenhis brother the seemingly kind order to start thenext day for Egypt in order to fetch Sappho and accompanyher to Persia. At the same time he assigned himthe revenues of Bactra, Rhagae and Sinope for themaintenance of his new household, and to his youngwife, all the duties levied from her native town Phocaea,as pin-money.

Bartja thanked his generous brother with undisguisedwarmth, but Cambyses remained cold as ice, uttereda few farewell words, and then, riding off in pursuitof a wild ass, turned his back upon him.

On the way home from the chase the prince invitedhis bosom-friends Croesus, Darius, Zopyrus and Gygesto drink a parting-cup with him.

Croesus promised to join them later, as he had promisedto visit the blue lily at the rising of the Tistarstar.

He had been to the hanging-gardens that morning earlyto visit Nitetis, but had been refused entrance bythe guards, and the blue lily seemed now to offerhim another chance of seeing and speaking to his belovedpupil. He wished for this very much, as he couldnot thoroughly understand her behavior the day before,and was uneasy at the strict watch set over her.

The young Achaemenidae sat cheerfully talking togetherin the twilight in a shady bower in the royal gardens,cool fountains plashing round them. Araspes,a Persian of high rank, who had been one of Cyrus’sfriends, had joined them, and did full justice tothe prince’s excellent wine.

“Fortunate Bartja!” cried the old bachelor,“going out to a golden country to fetch thewoman you love; while I, miserable old fellow, amblamed by everybody, and totter to my grave withoutwife or children to weep for me and pray the godsto be merciful to my poor soul.”

“Why think of such things?” cried Zopyrus,flourishing the wine-cup. “There’sno woman so perfect that her husband does not, at leastonce a day, repent that he ever took a wife.Be merry, old friend, and remember that it’sall your own fault. If you thought a wife wouldmake you happy, why did not you do as I have done?I am only twenty-two years old and have five statelywives and a troop of the most beautiful slaves in myhouse.”

Araspes smiled bitterly.

“And what hinders you from marrying now?”said Gyges. “You are a match for many ayounger man in appearance, strength, courage and perseverance.You are one of the king’s nearest relations too—­Itell you, Araspes, you might have twenty young andbeautiful wives.”

“Look after your own affairs,” answeredAraspes. “In your place, I certainly shouldnot have waited to marry till I was thirty.”

“An oracle has forbidden my marrying.”

“Folly? how can a sensible man care for whatan oracle says? It is only by dreams, that thegods announce the future to men. I should havethought that your own father was example enough ofthe shameful way in which those lying priests deceivetheir best friends.”

“That is a matter which you do not understand,Araspes.”

“And never wish to, boy, for you only believein oracles because you don’t understand them,and in your short-sightedness call everything thatis beyond your comprehension a miracle. And youplace more confidence in anything that seems to youmiraculous, than in the plain simple truth that liesbefore your face. An oracle deceived your fatherand plunged him into ruin, but the oracle is miraculous,and so you too, in perfect confidence, allow it torob you of happiness!”

“That is blasphemy, Araspes. Are the godsto be blamed because we misunderstand their words?”

“Certainly: for if they wished to benefitus they would give us, with the words, the necessarypenetration for discovering their meaning. Whatgood does a beautiful speech do me, if it is in aforeign language that I do not understand?”

“Leave off this useless discussion,” saidDarius, “and tell us instead, Araspes, how itis that, though you congratulate every man on becominga bridegroom, you yourself have so long submittedto be blamed by the priests, slighted at all entertainmentsand festivals, and abused by the women, only becauseyou choose to live and die a bachelor?”

Araspes looked down thoughtfully, then shook himself,took a long draught from the wine-cup, and said, “Ihave my reasons, friends, but I cannot tell them now.”

“Tell them, tell them,” was the answer.

“No, children, I cannot, indeed I cannot.This cup I drain to the health of the charming Sappho,and this second to your good fortune, my favorite,Darius.”

“Thanks, Araspes!” exclaimed Bartja, joyfullyraising his goblet to his lips.

“You mean well, I know,” muttered Darius,looking down gloomily.

“What’s this, you son of Hystaspes?”cried the old man, looking more narrowly at the seriousface of the youth. “Dark looks like thesedon’t sit well on a betrothed lover, who isto drink to the health of his dearest one. Isnot Gobryas’ little daughter the noblest of allthe young Persian girls after Atossa? and isn’tshe beautiful?”

“Artystone has every talent and quality thata daughter of the Achaemenidae ought to possess,”was Darius’s answer, but his brow did not clearas he said the words.

“Well, if you want more than that, you mustbe very hard to please.”

Darius raised his goblet and looked down into thewine.

“The boy is in love, as sure as my name is Araspes!”exclaimed the elder man.

“What a set of foolish fellows you are,”broke in Zopyrus at this exclamation. “Oneof you has remained a bachelor in defiance of allPersian customs; another has been frightened out ofmarrying by an oracle; Bartja has determined to becontent with only one wife; and Darius looks likea Destur chanting the funeral-service, because hisfather has told him to make himself happy with themost beautiful and aristocratic girl in Persia!”

“Zopyrus is right,” cried Araspes.“Darius is ungrateful to fortune.”

Bartja meanwhile kept his eyes fixed on the friend,who was thus blamed by the others. He saw thattheir jests annoyed him, and feeling his own greathappiness doubly in that moment, pressed Darius’shand, saying: “I am so sorry that I cannotbe present at your wedding. By the time I comeback, I hope you will be reconciled to your father’schoice.”

“Perhaps,” said Darius, “I may beable to show a second and even a third wife by thattime.”

“‘Anahita’ grant it!” exclaimedZopyrus. “The Achaemenidae would soon becomeextinct, if every one were to follow such examplesas Gyges and Araspes have set us. And your onewife, Bartja, is really not worth talking about.It is your duty to marry three wives at once, in orderto keep up your father’s family—­therace of Cyrus.”

“I hate our custom of marrying many wives,”answered Bartja. “Through doing this, wemake ourselves inferior to the women, for we expectthem to remain faithful to us all our lives, and we,who are bound to respect truth and faithfulness aboveevery thing else, swear inviolable love to one womanto-day, and to another to-morrow.”

“Nonsense!” cried Zopyrus. “I’drather lose my tongue than tell a he to a man, butour wives are so awfully deceitful, that one has nochoice but to pay them back in their own coin.”

“The Greek women are different,” saidBartja, “because they are differently treated.Sappho told me of one, I think her name was Penelope,who waited twenty years faithfully and lovingly forher husband, though every one believed he was dead,and she had fifty lovers a day at her house.”

“My wives would not wait so long for me,”said Zopyrus laughing. “To tell the truth,I don’t think I should be sorry to find an emptyhouse, if I came back after twenty years. Forthen I could take some new wives into my harem, youngand beautiful, instead of the unfaithful ones, who,besides, would have grown old. But alas! everywoman does not find some one to run away with her,and our women would rather have an absent husbandthan none at all.”

“If your wives could hear what you are saying!”said Araspes.

“They would declare war with me at once, or,what is still worse, conclude a peace with one another.”

“How would that be worse?”

“How? it is easy to see, that you have had noexperience.”

“Then let us into the secrets of your marriedlife.”

“With pleasure. You can easily fancy, thatfive wives in one house do not live quite so peacefullyas five doves in a cage; mine at least carry on anuninterrupted, mortal warfare. But I have accustomedmyself to that, and their sprightliness even amusesme. A year ago, however, they came to terms withone another, and this day of peace was the most miserablein my life.”

“You are jesting.”

“No, indeed, I am quite in earnest. Thewretched eunuch who had to keep watch over the five,allowed them to see an old jewel-merchant from Tyre.Each of them chose a separate and expensive set ofjewels. When I came home Sudabe came up and beggedfor money to pay for these ornaments. The thingswere too dear, and I refused. Every one of thefive then came and begged me separately for the money;I refused each of them point blank and went off tocourt. When I came back, there were all my wivesweeping side by side, embracing one another and calling

each other fellow-sufferers. These former enemiesrose up against me with the most touching unanimity,and so overwhelmed me with revilings and threats thatI left the room. They closed their doors againstme. The next morning the lamentations of theevening before were continued. I fled once moreand went hunting with the king, and when I came back,tired, hungry and half-frozen—­for it wasin spring, we were already at Ecbatana, and the snowwas lying an ell deep on the Orontes—­therewas no fire on the hearth and nothing to eat.These noble creatures had entered into an alliancein order to punish me, had put out the fire, forbiddenthe cooks to do their duty and, which was worse thanall—­had kept the jewels! No soonerhad I ordered the slaves to make a fire and preparefood, than the impudent jewel-dealer appeared anddemanded his money. I refused again, passed anothersolitary night, and in the morning sacrificed ten talentsfor the sake of peace. Since that time harmonyand peace among my beloved wives seems to me as muchto be feared as the evil Divs themselves, and I seetheir little quarrels with the greatest pleasure.”

“Poor Zopyrus!” cried Bartja.

“Why poor?” asked this five-fold husband.“I tell you I am much happier than you are.My wives are young and charming, and when they growold, what is to hinder me from taking others, stillhandsomer, and who, by the side of the faded beauties,will be doubly charming. Ho! slave—­bringsome lamps. The sun has gone down, and the wineloses all its flavor when the table is not brightlylighted.”

At this moment the voice of Darius, who had left thearbor and gone out into the garden, was heard calling:“Come and hear how beautifully the nightingaleis singing.”

“By Mithras, you son of Hystaspes, you mustbe in love,” interrupted Araspes. “Theflowery darts of love must have entered the heart ofhim, who leaves his wine to listen to the nightingale.”

“You are right there, father,” cried Bartja.“Philomel, as the Greeks call our Gulgul, isthe lovers’ bird among all nations, for lovehas given her her beautiful song. What beautywere you dreaming of, Darius, when you went out tolisten to the nightingale?”

“I was not dreaming of any,” answeredhe. “You know how fond I am of watchingthe stars, and the Tistar-star rose so splendidly to-night,that I left the wine to watch it. The nightingaleswere singing so loudly to one another, that if I hadnot wished to hear them I must have stopped my ears.”

“You kept them wide open, however,” saidAraspes laughing. “Your enraptured exclamationproved that.”

“Enough of this,” cried Darius, to whomthese jokes were getting wearisome. “Ireally must beg you to leave off making allusions tomatters, which I do not care to hear spoken of.”

“Imprudent fellow!” whispered the olderman; “now you really have betrayed yourself.If you were not in love, you would have laughed insteadof getting angry. Still I won’t go on provokingyou—­tell me what you have just been readingin the stars.”

At these words Darius looked up again into the starrysky and fixed his eyes on a bright constellation hangingover the horizon. Zopyrus watched him and calledout to his friends, “Something important mustbe happening up there. Darius, tell us what’sgoing on in the heavens just now.”

“Nothing good,” answered the other.“Bartja, I have something to say to you alone.”

“Why to me alone? Araspes always keepshis own counsel, and from the rest of you I neverhave any secrets.”

“Still—­”

“Speak out.”

“No, I wish you would come into the garden withme.”

Bartja nodded to the others, who were still sittingover their wine, laid his hand on Darius’ shoulderand went out with him into the bright moonlight.As soon as they were alone, Darius seized both hisfriend’s hands, and said: “To-dayis the third time that things have happened in theheavens, which bode no good for you. Your evilstar has approached your favorable constellation sonearly, that a mere novice in astrology could seesome serious danger was at hand. Be on your guard,Bartja, and start for Egypt to-day; the stars tellme that the danger is here on the Euphrates, not abroad.”

“Do you believe implicitly in the stars?”

“Implicitly. They never lie.”

“Then it would be folly to try and avoid whatthey have foretold.”

“Yes, no man can run away from his destiny;but that very destiny is like a fencing-master—­hisfavorite pupils are those who have the courage andskill to parry his own blows. Start for Egyptto-day, Bartja.”

“I cannot—­I haven’t taken leaveof my mother and Atossa.”

“Send them a farewell message, and tell Croesusto explain the reason of your starting so quickly.”

“They would call me a coward.”

“It is cowardly to yield to any mortal, butto go out of the way of one’s fate is wisdom.”

“You contradict yourself, Darius. Whatwould the fencing-master say to a runaway-pupil?”

“He would rejoice in the stratagem, by whichan isolated individual tried to escape a superiorforce.”

“But the superior force must conquer at last.—­Whatwould be the use of my trying to put off a dangerwhich, you say yourself, cannot be averted? Ifmy tooth aches, I have it drawn at once, instead oftormenting and making myself miserable for weeks byputting off the painful operation as a coward or awoman would, till the last moment. I can awaitthis coming danger bravely, and the sooner it comesthe better, for then I shall have it behind me.”

“You do not know how serious it is.”

“Are you afraid for my life?”

“No.”

“Then tell me, what you are afraid of.”

“That Egyptian priest with whom I used to studythe stars, once cast your horoscope with me.He knew more about the heavens, than any man I eversaw. I learnt a great deal from him, and I willnot hide from you that even then he drew my attentionto dangers that threaten you now.”

“And you did not tell me?”

“Why should I have made you uneasy beforehand?Now that your destiny is drawing near, I warn you.”

“Thank you,—­I will be careful.In former times I should not have listened to sucha warning, but now that I love Sappho, I feel as ifmy life were not so much my own to do what I likewith, as it used to be.”

“I understand this feeling . . .”

“You understand it? Then Araspes was right?You don’t deny?”

“A mere dream without any hope of fulfilment.”

“But what woman could refuse you?”

“Refuse!”

“I don’t understand you. Do you meanto say that you—­the boldest sportsman,the strongest wrestler—­the wisest of allthe young Persians—­that you, Darius, areafraid of a woman?”

“Bartja, may I tell you more, than I would telleven to my own father?”

“Yes.”

“I love the daughter of Cyrus, your sister andthe king’s, Atossa.”

“Have I understood you rightly? you love Atossa?Be praised for this, O ye pure Amescha cpenta!Now I shall never believe in your stars again, forinstead of the danger with which they threatened me,here comes an unexpected happiness. Embrace me,my brother, and tell me the whole story, that I maysee whether I can help you to turn this hopeless dream,as you call it, into a reality.”

“You will remember that before our journey toEgypt, we went with the entire court from Ecbatanato Susa. I was in command of the division ofthe “Immortals” appointed to escort thecarriages containing the king’s mother and sister,and his wives. In going through the narrow passwhich leads over the Orontes, the horses of your mother’scarriage slipped. The yoke to which the horseswere harnessed broke from the pole, and the heavy,four-wheeled carriage fell over the precipice withoutobstruction.

[There was a yoke at the end ofthe shaft of a Persian carriage,
which was fastened on to the backsof the horses and took the place
of our horse-collar and pole-chain.]

On seeing it disappear, we were horrified and spurredour horses to the place as quickly as possible.We expected of course to see only fragments of thecarriages and the dead bodies of its inmates, but thegods had taken them into their almighty protection,and there lay the carriage, with broken wheels, inthe arms of two gigantic cypresses which had takenfirm root in the fissures of the slate rocks, and whosedark tops reached up to the edge of the carriage-road.

“As quick as thought I sprang from my horseand scrambled down one of the cypresses. Yourmother and sister stretched their arms to me, cryingfor help. The danger was frightful, for the sidesof the carriage had been so shattered by the fall,that they threatened every moment to give way, inwhich case those inside it must inevitably have falleninto the black, unfathomable abyss which looked likean abode for the gloomy Divs, and stretched his jawswide to crush its beautiful victims.

“I stood before the shattered carriage as ithung over the precipice ready to fall to pieces everymoment, and then for the first time I met your sister’simploring look. From that moment I loved her,but at the time I was much too intent on saving them,to think of anything else, and had no idea what hadtaken place within me. I dragged the tremblingwomen out of the carriage, and one minute later itrolled down the abyss crashing into a thousand pieces.I am a strong man, but I confess that all my strengthwas required to keep myself and the two women fromfalling over the precipice until ropes were thrownto us from above. Atossa hung round my neck,and Kassandane lay on my breast, supported by my leftarm; with the right I fastened the rope round my waist,we were drawn up, and I found myself a few minuteslater on the high-road—­your mother andsister were saved.

“As soon as one of the Magi had bound up thewounds cut by the rope in my side, the king sent forme, gave me the chain I am now wearing and the revenuesof an entire satrapy, and then took me to his motherand sister. They expressed their gratitude verywarmly; Kassandane allowed me to kiss her forehead,and gave me all the jewels she had worn at the timeof the accident, as a present for my future wife.Atossa took a ring from her finger, put it on mineand kissed my hand in the warmth of her emotion—­youknow how eager and excitable she is. Since thathappy day—­the happiest in my life—­Ihave never seen your sister, till yesterday evening,when we sat opposite to each other at the banquet.Our eyes met. I saw nothing but Atossa, and Ithink she has not forgotten the man who saved her.Kassandane . . .”

“Oh, my mother would be delighted to have youfor a son-in-law; I will answer for that. Asto the king, your father must apply to him; he is ouruncle and has a right to ask the hand of Cyrus’sdaughter for his son.”

“But have you forgotten your father’sdream? You know that Cambyses has always lookedon me with suspicion since that time.”

“Oh, that has been long forgotten. My fatherdreamt before his death that you had wings, and wasmisled by the soothsayers into the fancy that you,though you were only eighteen then, would try to gainthe crown. Cambyses thought of this dream too;but, when you saved my mother and sister, Croesusexplained to him that this must have been its fulfilment,as no one but Darius or a winged eagle could possiblyhave possessed strength and dexterity enough to hangsuspended over such an abyss.”

“Yes, and I remember too that these words didnot please your brother. He chooses to be theonly eagle in Persia; but Croesus does not spare hisvanity—­”

“Where can Croesus be all this time?”

“In the hanging-gardens. My father andGobryas have very likely detained him.”

Just at that moment the voice of Zopyrus was heardexclaiming, “Well, I call that polite!Bartja invites us to a wine-party and leaves us sittinghere without a host, while he talks secrets yonder.”

“We are coming, we are coming,” answeredBartja. Then taking the hand of Darius heartily,he said: “I am very glad that you love Atossa.I shall stay here till the day after to-morrow, letthe stars threaten me with all the dangers in theworld. To-morrow I will find out what Atossafeels, and when every thing is in the right track Ishall go away, and leave my winged Darius to his ownpowers.”

So saying Bartja went back into the arbor, and hisfriend began to watch the stars again. The longerhe looked the sadder and more serious became his face,and when the Tistar-star set, he murmured, “PoorBartja!” His friends called him, and he wason the point of returning to them, when he caughtsight of a new star, and began to examine its positioncarefully. His serious looks gave way to a triumphantsmile, his tall figure seemed to grow taller still,he pressed his hand on his heart and whispered:“Use your pinions, winged Darius; your star willbe on your side,” and then returned to his friends.

A few minutes after, Croesus came up to the arbor.The youths sprang from their seats to welcome theold man, but when he saw Bartja’s face by thebright moonlight, he stood as if transfixed by a flashof lightning.

“What has happened, father?” asked Gyges,seizing his hand anxiously.

“Nothing, nothing,” he stammered almostinaudibly, and pushing his son on one side, whisperedin Bartja’s ear: “Unhappy boy, youare still here? don’t delay any longer,—­flyat once! the whip-bearers are close at my heels, andI assure you that if you don’t use the greatestspeed, you will have to forfeit your double imprudencewith your life.”

“But Croesus, I have . . .”

“You have set at nought the law of the landand of the court, and, in appearance at least, havedone great offence to your brother’s honor.. . .”

“You are speaking . . .”

“Fly, I tell you—­fly at once; forif your visit to the hanging-gardens was ever so innocentlymeant, you are still in the greatest danger. Youknow Cambyses’ violent temper so well; how couldyou so wickedly disobey his express command?”

“I don’t understand.”

“No excuses,—­fly! don’t youknow that, Cambyses has long been jealous of you,and that your visit to the Egyptian to-night . . .”

“I have never once set foot in the hanging-gardens,since Nitetis has been here.”

“Don’t add a lie to your offence, I .. .”

“But I swear to you . . .”

“Do you wish to turn a thoughtless act intoa crime by adding the guilt of perjury? The whip-bearersare coming, fly!”

“I shall remain here, and abide by my oath.”

“You are infatuated! It is not an hourago since I myself, Hystaspes, and others of the Achaemenidaesaw you in the hanging-gardens . . .”

In his astonishment Bartja had, half involuntarily,allowed himself to be led away, but when he heardthis he stood still, called his friends and said “Croesussays he met me an hour ago in the hanging-gardens,you know that since the sun set I have not been awayfrom you. Give your testimony, that in this casean evil Div must have made sport of our friend andhis companions.”

“I swear to you, father,” cried Gyges,“that Bartja has not left this garden for somehours.”

“And we confirm the same,” added Araspes,Zopyrus and Darius with one voice.

“You want to deceive me?” said Croesusgetting very angry, and looking at each of them reproachfully:“Do you fancy that I am blind or mad? Doyou think that your witness will outweigh the wordsof such men as Hystaspes, Gobryas, Artaphernes andthe high priest, Oropastes? In spite of all yourfalse testimony, which no amount of friendship canjustify, Bartja will have to die unless he flies atonce.”

“May Angramainjus destroy me,” said Araspesinterrupting the old man, “if Bartja was inthe hanging-gardens two hours ago!” and Gygesadded:

“Don’t call me your son any longer, ifwe have given false testimony.”

Darius was beginning to appeal to the eternal stars,but Bartja put an end to this confusion of voicesby saying in a decided tone: “A divisionof the bodyguard is coming into the garden. Iam to be arrested; I cannot escape because I am innocent,and to fly would lay me open to suspicion. Bythe soul of my father, the blind eyes of my mother,and the pure light of the sun, Croesus, I swear thatI am not lying.”

“Am I to believe you, in spite of my own eyeswhich have never yet deceived me? But I will,boy, for I love you. I do not and I will notknow whether you are innocent or guilty, but this Ido know, you must fly, and fly at once. You knowCambyses. My carriage is waiting at the gate.Don’t spare the horses, save yourself even ifyou drive them to death. The Soldiers seem toknow what they have been sent to do; there can beno question that they delay so long only in order togive their favorite time to escape. Fly, fly,or it is all over with you.”

Darius, too, pushed his friend forward, exclaiming:“Fly, Bartja, and remember the warning thatthe heavens themselves wrote in the stars for you.”

Bartja, however, stood silent, shook his handsomehead, waved his friends back, and answered: “Inever ran away yet, and I mean to hold my ground to-day.Cowardice is worse than death in my opinion, and Iwould rather suffer wrong at the hands of others thandisgrace myself. There are the soldiers!Well met, Bischen. You’ve come to arrestme, haven’t you? Wait one moment, tillI have said good-bye to my friends.”

Bischen, the officer he spoke to, was one of Cyrus’sold captains; he had given Bartja his first lessonsin shooting and throwing the spear, had fought byhis side in the war with the Tapuri, and loved himas if he were his own son. He interrupted him,saying: “There is no need to take leaveof your friends, for the king, who is raging like amadman, ordered me not only to arrest you, but everyone else who might be with you.”

And then he added in a low voice: “Theking is beside himself with rage and threatens tohave your life. You must fly. My men willdo what I tell them blindfold; they will not pursueyou; and I am so old that it would be little lossto Persia, if my head were the price of my disobedience.”

“Thanks, thanks, my friend,” said Bartja,giving him his hand; “but I cannot accept youroffer, because I am innocent, and I know that thoughCambyses is hasty, he is not unjust. Come friends,I think the king will give us a hearing to-day, lateas it is.”

CHAPTER III.

Two hours later Bartja and his friends were standingbefore the king. The gigantic man was seatedon his golden throne; he was pale and his eyes lookedsunken; two physicians stood waiting behind him withall kinds of instruments and vessels in their hands.Cambyses had, only a few minutes before, recoveredconsciousness, after lying for more than an hour inone of those awful fits, so destructive both to mindand body, which we call epileptic.

[The dangerous disease to whichHerodotus says Cambyses had been
subject from his birth, and whichwas called “sacred” by some, can
scarcely be other than epilepsy.See Herod, III. 33.]

Since Nitetis’ arrival he had been free fromthis illness; but it had seized him to-day with fearfulviolence, owing to the overpowering mental excitementhe had gone through.

If he had met Bartja a few hours before, he wouldhave killed him with his own hand; but though theepileptic fit had not subdued his anger it had atleast so far quieted it, that he was in a conditionto hear what was to be said on both sides.

At the right hand of the throne stood Hystaspes, Darius’sgrey-haired father, Gobryas, his future father-in-law,the aged Intaphernes, the grandfather of that Phaedimewhose place in the king’s favor had been givento Nitetis, Oropastes the high-priest, Croesus, andbehind them Boges, the chief of the eunuchs.At its left Bartja, whose hands were heavily fettered,Araspes, Darius, Zopyrus and Gyges. In the backgroundstood some hundred officials and grandees.

After a long silence Cambyses raised his eyes, fixeda withering look on his fettered brother, and saidin a dull hollow voice: “High-priest, tellus what awaits the man who deceives his brother, dishonorsand offends his king, and darkens his own heart byblack lies.”

Oropastes came forward and answered: “Assoon as such a one is proved guilty, a death fullof torment awaits him in this world, and an awfulsentence on the bridge Chinvat; for he has transgressedthe highest commands, and, by committing three crimes,has forfeited the mercy of our law, which commandsthat his life shall be granted to the man who hassinned but once, even though he be only a slave.”

[On the third day after death, at therising of the bright sun, the souls are conductedby the Divs to the bridge Chinvat, where they arequestioned as to their past lives and conduct.Vendid. Fargard. XIX. 93. On thatspot the two supernatural powers fight for thesoul.]

“Then Bartja has deserved death. Lead himaway, guards, and strangle him! Take him away!Be silent, wretch! never will I listen to that smooth,hypocritical tongue again, or look at those treacherouseyes. They come from the Divs and delude everyone with their wanton glances. Off with him,guards!”

Bischen, the captain, came up to obey the order, butin the same moment Croesus threw himself at the king’sfeet, touched the floor with his forehead, raisedhis hands and cried: “May thy days and yearsbring nought but happiness and prosperity; may Auramazdapour down all the blessings of this life upon thee,and the Amescha cpenta be the guardians of thy throne!

[The Amescha cpenta, “holy immortalones,” maybe compared to the archangels ofthe Hebrews. They surround the throne of Auramazdaand symbolize the highest virtues. Later wefind their number fixed at six.]

Do not close thine ear to the words of the aged, butremember that thy father Cyrus appointed me to bethy counsellor. Thou art about to slay thy brother;but I say unto thee, do not indulge anger; strive tocontrol it. It is the duty of kings and of thewise, not to act without due enquiry. Bewareof shedding a brother’s blood; the smoke thereofwill rise to heaven and become a cloud that must darkenthe days of the murderer, and at last cast down thelightnings of vengeance on his head. But I knowthat thou desirest justice, not murder. Act thenas those who have to pronounce a sentence, and hearboth sides before deciding. When this has beendone, if the criminal is proved guilty and confesseshis crime, the smoke of his blood will rise to heavenas a friendly shadow, instead of a darkening cloud,and thou wilt have earned the fame of a just judgeinstead of deserving the divine judgments.”

Cambyses listened in silence, made a sign to Bischento retire, and commanded Boges to repeat his accusation.

The eunuch made an obeisance, and began: “Iwas ill and obliged to leave the Egyptian and theHanging-gardens in the care of my colleague Kandaules,who has paid for his negligence with his life.Finding myself better towards evening, I went up tothe hanging-gardens to see if everything was in orderthere, and also to look at the rare flower which wasto blossom in the night. The king, (Auramazdagrant him victory!) had commanded that the Egyptianshould be more strictly watched than usual, becauseshe had dared to send the noble Bartja . . .”

“Be silent,” interrupted the king, “andkeep to the matter in hand.”

“Just as the Tistar-star was rising, I cameinto the garden, and staid some time there with thesenoble Achaemenidae, the high-priest and the king Croesus,looking at the blue lily, which was marvellously beautiful.I then called my colleague Kandaules and asked him,in the presence of these noble witnesses, if everythingwas in order. He affirmed that this was the caseand added, that he had just come from Nitetis, thatshe had wept the whole day, and neither tasted foodnor drink. Feeling anxious lest my noble mistressshould become worse, I commissioned Kandaules to fetcha physician, and was just on the point of leaving thenoble Achaemenidae, in order in person to ascertainmy mistress’s state of health, when I saw inthe moon-light the figure of a man. I was so illand weak, that I could hardly stand and had no onenear to help me, except the gardener.

“My men were on guard at the different entrances,some distance from us.

“I clapped my hands to call some of them, but,as they did not come, I went nearer to the house myself,under the protection of these noblemen.—­Theman was standing by the window of the Egyptian Princess’sapartment, and uttered a low whistle when he heardus coming up. Another figure appeared directly—­clearlyrecognizable in the bright moonlight—­sprangout of the sleeping-room window and came towards uswith her companion.

“I could hardly believe my eyes on discoveringthat the intruder was no other than the noble Bartja.A fig-tree concealed us from the fugitives, but wecould distinctly see them, as they passed us at a distanceof not more than four steps. While I was thinkingwhether I should be justified in arresting a son ofCyrus, Croesus called to Bartja, and the two figuressuddenly disappeared behind a cypress. No onebut your brother himself can possibly explain thestrange way in which he disappeared. I went atonce to search the house, and found the Egyptian lyingunconscious on the couch in her sleeping-room.”

Every one listened to this story in the greatest suspense.Cambyses ground his teeth and asked in a voice ofgreat emotion: “Can you testify to thewords of the eunuch, Hystaspes?”

“Yes.”

“Why did you not lay hands on the offender?”

“We are soldiers, not policemen.”

“Or rather you care for every knave more thanfor your king.”

“We honor our king, and abhor the criminal justas we formerly loved the innocent son of Cyrus.”

“Did you recognize Bartja distinctly?”

“Yes.”

“And you, Croesus, can you too give no otheranswer?”

“No! I fancied I saw your brother in themoonlight then, as clearly as I see him now; but Ibelieve we must have been deceived by some remarkablelikeness.” Boges grew pale at these words;Cambyses, however, shook his head as if the idea didnot please him, and said: “Whom am I tobelieve then, if the eyes of my best warriors failthem? and who would wish to be a judge, if testimonysuch as yours is not to be considered valid?”

“Evidence quite as weighty as ours, will provethat we must have been in error.”

“Will any one dare to give evidence in favorof such an outrageous criminal?” asked Cambyses,springing up and stamping his foot.

“We will,” “I,” “we,”shouted Araspes, Darius, Gyges and Zopyrus with onevoice.

“Traitors, knaves!” cried the king.But as he caught sight of Croesus’ warning eyefixed upon him, he lowered his voice, and said:“What have you to bring forward in favor ofthis fellow? Take care what you say, and considerwell what punishment awaits perjurers.”

“We know that well enough,” said Araspes,“and yet we are ready to swear by Mithras, thatwe have not left Bartja or his garden one moment sincewe came back from hunting.”

“As for me,” said Darius, “I, theson of Hystaspes, have especially convincing evidenceto give in favor of your brother’s innocence;I watched the rising of the Tistar-star with him;and this, according to Boges, was the very star thatshone on his flight.”

Hystaspes gazed on his son in astonishment and doubtat hearing these words, and Cambyses turned a scrutinizingeye first on the one and then on the other party ofthese strange witnesses, who wished so much, and yetfound it so impossible, to believe one another, himselfunable to come to a decision.

Bartja, who till now had remained perfectly silent,looking down sadly at his chained hands, took advantageof the silence to say, making at the same time a deepobeisance: “May I be allowed to speak afew words, my King?”

“Speak!”

“From our father we learnt to strive after thatwhich was pure and good only; so up to this time mylife has been unstained. If you have ever knownme take part in an evil deed, you have a right notto believe me, but if you find no fault in me thentrust to what I say, and remember that a son of Cyruswould rather die than tell a lie. I confess thatno judge was ever placed in such a perplexing position.The best men in your kingdom testify against one another,friend against friend, father against son. ButI tell you that were the entire Persian nation to riseup against you, and swear that Cambyses had committedthis or that evil deed, and you were to say, ‘Idid not commit it,’ I, Bartja, would give allPersia the lie and exclaim, ’Ye are all falsewitnesses; sooner could the sea cast up fire thana son of Cyrus allow his mouth to deal in lies.’No, Cambyses, you and I are so high-born that no onebut yourself can bear evidence against me; and youcan only be judged out of your own mouth.”

Cambyses’ looks grew a little milder on hearingthese words, and his brother went on: “SoI swear to you by Mithras, and by all pure spirits,that I am innocent. May my life become extinctand my race perish from off the earth, if I tell youa lie, when I say that I have not once set foot inthe hanging-gardens since my return!”

Bartja’s voice was so firm and his tone so fullof assurance, as he uttered this oath that Cambysesordered his chains to be loosened, and, after a fewmoments’ thought, said: “I shouldlike to believe you, for I cannot bear to imagineyou the worst and most abandoned of men. To-morrowwe will summon the astrologers, soothsayers and priests.Perhaps they may be able to discover the truth.Can you see any light in this darkness, Oropastes?”

“Thy servant supposes, that a Div has takenupon him the form of Bartja, in order to ruin theking’s brother and stain thine own royal soulwith the blood of thy father’s son.”

Cambyses and every one present nodded their assentto this proposition, and the king was just going tooffer his hand to Bartja, when a staff-bearer camein and gave the king a dagger. A eunuch had foundit under the windows of Nitetis’ sleeping-apartment.

Cambyses examined the weapon carefully. Its costlyhilt was thickly set with rubies and turquoises.As he looked he turned pale, and dashed the daggeron the ground before Bartja with such violence, thatthe stones fell out of their setting.

“This is your dagger, you wretch!” heshrieked, seized by the same violent passion as before.“This very morning you used it to give the lastthrust to the wild boar, that I had mortally wounded.Croesus, you ought to know it too, for my father broughtit from your treasure-house at Sardis. At lastyou are really convicted, you liar!—­youimpostor! The Divs require no weapons, and sucha dagger as this is not to be picked up everywhere.Ah, ha! you are feeling in your girdle! You maywell turn pale; your dagger is gone!”

“Yes, it is gone. I must have lost it,and some enemy . . .”

“Seize him, Bischen, put on his fetters!Take him to prison—­the traitor, the perjurer!He shall be strangled to-morrow. Death is thepenalty of perjury. Your heads for theirs, youguards, if they escape. Not one word more willI hear; away with you, you perjured villains!Boges, go at once to the hanging-gardens and bringthe Egyptian to me. Yet no, I won’t seethat serpent again. It is very near dawn now,and at noon she shall be flogged through the streets.Then I’ll . . .”

But here he was stopped by another fit of epilepsy,and sank down on to the marble floor in convulsions.At this fearful moment Kassandane was led into thehall by the old general Megabyzus. The news ofwhat had happened had found its way to her solitaryapartments, and, notwithstanding the hour, she hadrisen in order to try and discover the truth and warnher son against pronouncing a too hasty decision.She believed firmly that Bartja and Nitetis were innocent,though she could not explain to herself what had happened.Several times she had tried to put herself in communicationwith Nitetis, but without avail. At last shehad been herself to the hanging-gardens, but the guardshad actually had the hardihood to refuse her admission.

Croesus went at once to meet her, told her what hadhappened, suppressing as many painful details as possible,confirmed her in her belief of the innocence of theaccused, and then took her to the bedside of the king.

The convulsions had not lasted long this time.He lay on his golden bed under purple silk coverlets,pale and exhausted. His blind mother seated herselfat his side, Croesus and Oropastes took their stationat the foot of the bell, and in another part of theroom, four physicians discussed the patient’scondition in low whispers.

[It was natural, that medicine shouldbe carefully studied among a people who set sucha high value upon life as did the Persians. Plinyindeed, (XXX. I.) maintains, that the whole ofZoroaster’s religion was founded on the scienceof medicine, and it is true that there are a greatmany medical directions to be found in the Avesta.In the Vendidad, Farg. VII. there is a detailedlist of medical fees. “The physicianshall treat a priest for a pious blessing or spell,the master of a house for a small draught animal, etc.,the lord of a district for a team of four oxen.If the physician cures the mistress of the house,a female ass shall be his fee, etc., etc.”We read in the same Fargard, that the physician hadto pass a kind of examination. If he had operatedthrice successfully on bad men, on whose bodieshe had been permitted to try his skill, he was pronounced“capable for ever.” If, on the otherhand, three evil Daevayacna (worshippers of theDivs) died under his hands, he was pronounced “incapableof healing for evermore.”]

Kassandane was very gentle with her son; she beggedhim not to yield to passionate anger, and to rememberwhat a sad effect every such outburst had on his health.

“Yes, mother, you are right,” answeredthe king, smiling bitterly; “I see that I mustget rid of everything that rouses my anger. TheEgyptian must die, and my perfidious brother shallfollow his mistress.”

Kassandane used all her eloquence to convince himof the innocence of the accused, and to pacify hisanger, but neither prayers, tears, nor her motherlyexhortations, could in the least alter his resolutionto rid himself of these murderers of his happinessand peace.

At last he interrupted her lamentations by saying:“I feel fearfully exhausted; I cannot bear thesesobs and lamentations any longer. Nitetis hasbeen proved guilty. A man was seen to leave hersleeping-apartment in the night, and that man wasnot a thief, but the handsomest man in Persia, andone to whom she had dared to send a letter yesterdayevening.”

“Do you know the contents of that letter?”asked Croesus, coming up to the bed.

“No; it was written in Greek. The faithlesscreature made use of characters, which no one at thiscourt can read.”

“Will you permit me to translate the letter?”Cambyses pointed to a small ivory box in which theominous piece of writing lay, saying: “Thereit is; read it; but do not hide or alter a singleword, for to-morrow I shall have it read over againby one of the merchants from Sinope.”

Croesus’ hopes revived; he seemed to breatheagain as he took the paper. But when he had readit over, his eyes filled with tears and he murmured:“The fable of Pandora is only too true; I darenot be angry any longer with those poets who havewritten severely against women. Alas, they areall false and faithless! O Kassandane, how theGods deceive us! they grant us the gift of old age,only to strip us bare like trees in winter, and showus that all our fancied gold was dross and all ourpleasant and refreshing drinks poison!”

Kassandane wept aloud and tore her costly robes; butCambyses clenched his fist while Croesus was readingthe following words:

“Nitetis, daughter of Amasis of Egypt, to Bartja,son of the great Cyrus:

“I have something important to tell you; I cantell it to no one but yourself. To-morrow I hopeI shall meet you in your mother’s apartments.It lies in your power to comfort a sad and loving heart,and to give it one happy moment before death.I have a great deal to tell you, and some very sadnews; I repeat that I must see you soon.”

The desperate laughter, which burst from her son cuthis mother to the heart. She stooped down andwas going to kiss him, but Cambyses resisted her caresses,saying: “It is rather a doubtful honor,mother, to be one of your favorites. Bartja didnot wait to be sent for twice by that treacherouswoman, and has disgraced himself by swearing falsely.His friends, the flower of our young men, have coveredthemselves with indelible infamy for his sake; andthrough him, your best beloved daughter . . . butno! Bartja had no share in the corruption of thatfiend in Peri’s form. Her life was madeup of hypocrisy and deceit, and her death shall provethat I know how to punish. Now leave me, for Imust be alone.”

They had scarcely left the room, when he sprang upand paced backwards and forwards like a madman, tillthe first crow of the sacred bird Parodar. Whenthe sun had risen, he threw himself on his bed again,and fell into a sleep that was like a swoon.

Meanwhile Bartja had written Sappho a farewell letter,and was sitting over the wine with his fellow-prisonersand their elder friend Araspes. “Let usbe merry,” said Zopyrus, “for I believeit will soon be up with all our merriment. Iwould lay my life, that we are all of us dead by to-morrow.Pity that men haven’t got more than one neck;if we’d two, I would not mind wagering a goldpiece or two on the chance of our remaining alive.”

“Zopyrus is quite right,” said Araspes;“we will make merry and keep our eyes open;who knows how soon they may be closed for ever?”

“No one need be sad who goes to his death asinnocently as we do,” said Gyges. “Here,cup-bearer, fill my goblet!”

“Ah! Bartja and Darius!” cried Zopyrus,seeing the two speaking in a low voice together, “thereyou are at your secrets again. Come to us andpass the wine-cup. By Mithras, I can truly sayI never wished for death, but now I quite look forwardto the black Azis, because he is going to take usall together. Zopyrus would rather die with hisfriends, than live without them.”

“But the great point is to try and explain whathas really happened,” said Darius.

“It’s all the same to me,” saidZopyrus, whether I die with or without an explanation,so long as I know I am innocent and have not deservedthe punishment of perjury. Try and get us somegolden goblets, Bischen; the wine has no flavor outof these miserable brass mugs. Cambyses surelywould not wish us to suffer from poverty in our lasthours, though he does forbid our fathers and friendsto visit us.”

“It’s not the metal that the cup is madeof,” said Bartja, “but the wormwood ofdeath, that gives the wine its bitter taste.”

“No, really, you’re quite out there,”exclaimed Zopyrus. “Why I had nearly forgottenthat strangling generally causes death.”As he said this, he touched Gyges and whispered:“Be as cheerful as you can! don’t yousee that it’s very hard for Bartja to take leaveof this world? What were you saying, Darius?”

“That I thought Oropastes’ idea the onlyadmissible one, that a Div had taken the likenessof Bartja and visited the Egyptian in order to ruinus.”

“Folly! I don’t believe in such things.”

“But don’t you remember the legend ofthe Div, who took the beautiful form of a minstreland appeared before king Kawus?”

“Of course,” cried Araspes. “Cyrushad this legend so often recited at the banquets,that I know it by heart.

“Kai Kawus hearkened to the words of the disguisedDiv and went to Masenderan, and was beaten there bythe Divs and deprived of his eyesight.”

“But,” broke in Darius, “Rustem,the great hero, came and conquered Erscheng and theother bad spirits, freed the captives and restoredsight to the blind, by dropping the blood of the slaughteredDivs into their eyes. And so it will be withus, my friends! We shall be set free, and theeyes of Cambyses and of our blind and infatuated fatherswill be opened to see our innocence. Listen,Bischen; if we really should be executed, go to theMagi, the Chaldwans, and Nebenchari the Egyptian, andtell them they had better not study the stars any longer,for that those very stars had proved themselves liarsand deceivers to Darius.”

“Yes,” interrupted Araspes, “I alwayssaid that dreams were the only real prophecies.Before Abradatas fell in the battle of Sardis, thepeerless Panthea dreamt that she saw him pierced bya Lydian arrow.”

“You cruel fellow!” exclaimed Zopyrus.“Why do you remind us, that it is much moreglorious to die in battle than to have our necks wrungoff”

“Quite right,” answered the elder man;“I confess that I have seen many a death, whichI should prefer to our own,—­indeed to lifeitself. Ah, boys, there was a time when thingswent better than they do now.”

“Tell us something about those times.”

“And tell us why you never married. Itwon’t matter to you in the next world, if wedo let out your secret.”

“There’s no secret; any of your own fatherscould tell you what you want to hear from me.Listen then. When I was young, I used to amusemyself with women, but I laughed at the idea of love.It occurred, however, that Panthea, the most beautifulof all women, fell into our hands, and Cyrus gaveher into my charge, because I had always boasted thatmy heart was invulnerable. I saw her everyday,and learnt, my friends, that love is stronger thana man’s will. However, she refused all my

offers, induced Cyrus to remove me from my officenear her, and to accept her husband Abradatas as anally. When her handsome husband went out to thewar, this high-minded, faithful woman decked him outwith all her own jewels and told him that the nobleconduct of Cyrus, in treating her like a sister, whenshe was his captive, could only be repaid by the mostdevoted friendship and heroic courage. Abradatasagreed with her, fought for Cyrus like a lion, andfell. Panthea killed herself by his dead body.Her servants, on hearing of this, put an end to theirown lives too at the grave of this best of mistresses.Cyrus shed tears over this noble pair, and had a stoneset up to their memory, which you can see near Sardis.On it are the simple words: ’To Panthea,Abradatas, and the most faithful of servants.’You see, children, the man who had loved such a womancould never care for another.”

The young men listened in silence, and remained sometime after Araspes had finished, without utteringa word. At last Bartja raised his hands to heavenand cried: “O thou great Auramazda! whydost thou not grant us a glorious end like Abradatas?Why must we die a shameful death like murderers?”

As he said this Croesus came in, fettered and ledby whip-bearers. The friends rushed to him witha storm of questions, and Bartja too went up to embracethe man who had been so long his tutor and guide.But the old man’s cheerful face was severe andserious, and his eyes, generally so mild, had a gloomy,almost threatening, expression. He waved the princecoldly back, saying, in a voice which trembled withpain and reproach: “Let my hand go, youinfatuated boy! you are not worth all the love I havehitherto felt for you. You have deceived yourbrother in a fourfold manner, duped your friends,betrayed that poor child who is waiting for you inNaukratis, and poisoned the heart of Amasis’unhappy daughter.”

Bartja listened calmly till he heard the word “deceived”;then his hand clenched, and stamping his foot, hecried: “But for your age and infirmities,and the gratitude I owe you, old man, these slanderouswords would be your last.”

Croesus beard this outbreak of just indignation unmoved,and answered: “This foolish rage provesthat you and Cambyses have the same blood in yourveins. It would become you much better to repentof your crimes, and beg your old friend’s forgiveness,instead of adding ingratitude to the unheard-of basenessof your other deeds.”

At these words Bartja’s anger gave way.His clenched hands sank down powerless at his side,and his cheeks became pale as death.

These signs of sorrow softened the old man’sindignation. His love was strong enough to embracethe guilty as well as the innocent Bartja, and takingthe young man’s right hand in both his own, helooked at him as a father would who finds his son,wounded on the battle-field, and said: “Tellme, my poor, infatuated boy, how was it that your pureheart fell away so quickly to the evil powers?”

Bartja shuddered. The blood came back to hisface, but these words cut him to the heart. Forthe first time in his life his belief in the justiceof the gods forsook him.

He called himself the victim of a cruel, inexorablefate, and felt like a bunted animal driven to itslast gasp and hearing the dogs and sportsmen fastcoming nearer. He had a sensitive, childlike nature,which did not yet know how to meet the hard strokesof fate. His body and his physical courage hadbeen hardened against bodily and physical enemies;but his teachers had never told him how to meet ahard lot in life; for Cambyses and Bartja seemed destinedonly to drink out of the cup of happiness and joy.

Zopyrus could not bear to see his friend in tears.He reproached the old man angrily with being unjustand severe. Gyges’ looks were full of entreaty,and Araspes stationed himself between the old man andthe youth, as if to ward off the blame of the elderfrom cutting deeper into the sad and grieved heartof the younger man. Darius, however, after havingwatched them for some time, came up with quiet deliberationto Croesus, and said: “You continue todistress and offend one another, and yet the accuseddoes not seem to know with what offence he is charged,nor will the accuser hearken to his defence. Tellus, Croesus, by the friendship which has subsistedbetween us up to this clay, what has induced you tojudge Bartja so harshly, when only a short time agoyou believed in his innocence?”

The old man told at once what Darius desired to know—­thathe had seen a letter, written in Nitetis’ ownhand, in which she made a direct confession of herlove to Bartja and asked him to meet her alone.The testimony of his own eyes and of the first menin the realm, nay, even the dagger found under Nitetis’windows, had not been able to convince him that hisfavorite was guilty; but this letter had gone likea burning flash into his heart and destroyed the lastremnant of his belief in the virtue and purity ofwoman.

“I left the king,” he concluded, “perfectlyconvinced that a sinful intimacy must subsist betweenyour friend and the Egyptian Princess, whose heartI had believed to be a mirror for goodness and beautyalone. Can you find fault with me for blaminghim who so shamefully stained this clear mirror, andwith it his own not less spotless soul?”

“But how can I prove my innocence?” criedBartja, wringing his hands. “If you lovedme you would believe me; if you really cared for me.. . . "

“My boy! in trying to save your life only afew minutes ago, I forfeited my own. When I heardthat Cambyses had really resolved on your death, Ihastened to him with a storm of entreaties; but thesewere of no avail, and then I was presumptuous enoughto reproach him bitterly in his irritated state ofmind. The weak thread of his patience broke, andin a fearful passion he commanded the guards to beheadme at once. I was seized directly by Giv, oneof the whip-bearers; but as the man is under obligationsto me, he granted me my life until this morning, andpromised to conceal the postponement of the execution.I am glad, my sons, that I shall not outlive you,and shall die an innocent man by the side of the guilty.”

These last words roused another storm of contradiction.

Again Darius remained calm and quiet in the midstof the tumult. He repeated once more the storyof the whole evening exactly, to prove that it wasimpossible Bartja could have committed the crime laidto his charge. He then called on the accusedhimself to answer the charge of disloyalty and perfidy.Bartja rejected the idea of an understanding withNitetis in such short, decided, and convincing words,and confirmed his assertion with such a fearful oath,that Croesus’ persuasion of his guilt firstwavered, then vanished, and when Bartja had ended,he drew a deep breath, like a man delivered from aheavy burden, and clasped him in his arms.

But with all their efforts they could come to no explanationof what had really happened. In one thing, however,they were all agreed: that Nitetis loved Bartjaand had written the letter with a wrong intention.

“No one who saw her,” cried Darius, “whenCambyses announced that Bartja had chosen a wife,could doubt for a moment that she was in love withhim. When she let the goblet fall, I heard Phaedime’sfather say that the Egyptian women seemed to takea great interest in the affairs of their brothers-in-law.”

While they were talking, the sun rose and shone pleasantlyinto the prisoners’ room.

Bartja murmured Mithras means to make our partingdifficult.”

“No,” answered Croesus, “he onlymeans to light us kindly on our way into eternity.”

CHAPTER IV.

The innocent originator of all this complicated miseryhad passed many a wretched hour since the birthdaybanquet. Since those harsh words with which Cambyseshad sent her from the hall, not the smallest fragmentof news had reached her concerning either her angrylover, or his mother and sister. Not a day hadpassed since her arrival in Babylon, that had notbeen spent with Kassandane and Atossa; but now, onher desiring to be carried to them, that she mightexplain her strange conduct, her new guard, Kandaules,forbade her abruptly to leave the house. She hadthought that a free and full account of the contentsof her letter from home, would clear up all thesemisunderstandings. She fancied she saw Cambysesholding out his hand as if to ask forgiveness for hishastiness and foolish jealousy. And then a joyfulfeeling stole into her mind as she remembered a sentenceshe had once heard Ibykus say: “As feverattacks a strong man more violently than one of weakerconstitution; so a heart that loves strongly and deeplycan be far more awfully tormented by jealousy, thanone which has been only superficially seized by passion.”

If this great connoisseur in love were right, Cambysesmust love her passionately, or his jealousy couldnot have caught fire so quickly and fearfully.Sad thoughts about her home, however, and dark forebodingsof the future would mix with this confidence in Cambyses’love, and she could not shut them out. Mid-daycame, the sun stood high and burning in the sky, butno news came from those she loved so well; and a feverishrestlessness seized her which increased as night cameon. In the twilight Boges came to her, and toldher, with bitter scorn, that her letter to Bartjahad come into the king’s hands, and that thegardener’s boy who brought it had been executed.The tortured nerves of the princess could not resistthis fresh blow, and before Boges left, he carriedthe poor girl senseless into her sleeping-room, thedoor of which he barred carefully.

A few minutes later, two men, one old, the other young,came up through the trap-door which Boges had examinedso carefully two days before. The old man remainedoutside, crouching against the palace, wall; a handwas seen to beckon from the window: the youthobeyed the signal, swung himself over the ledge andinto the room at a bound. Then words of lovewere exchanged, the names Gaumata and Mandane whisperedsoftly, kisses and vows given and received. Atlast the old man clapped his hands. The youthobeyed, kissed and embraced Nitetis’ waiting-maidonce more, jumped out of the window into the garden,hurried past the admirers of the blue lily who werejust coming up, slipped with his companion into thetrap-door which had been kept open, closed it carefully,and vanished.

Mandane hurried to the room in which her mistressgenerally spent the evening. She was well acquaintedwith her habits and knew that every evening, whenthe stars had risen, Nitetis was accustomed to go tothe window looking towards the Euphrates, and spendhours gazing into the river and over the plain; andthat at that time she never needed her attendance.So she felt quite safe from fear of discovery in thisquarter, and knowing she was under the protection ofthe chief of the eunuchs himself, could wait for herlover calmly.

But scarcely had she discovered that her mistresshad fainted, when she heard the garden filling withpeople, a confused sound of men’s and eunuchs’voices, and the notes of the trumpet used to summonthe sentries. At first she was frightened andfancied her lover had been discovered, but Boges appearingand whispering: “He has escaped safely,”she at once ordered the other attendants, whom shehad banished to the women’s apartments duringher rendezvous, and who now came flocking back, tocarry their mistress into her sleeping-room, and thenbegan using all the remedies she knew of, to restoreher to consciousness. Nitetis had scarcely openedher eyes when Boges came in, followed by two eunuchs,whom he ordered to load her delicate arms with fetters.

Nitetis submitted; she could not utter one word, noteven when Boges called out as he was leaving the room:“Make yourself happy in your cage, my littleimprisoned bird. They’ve just been tellingyour lord that a royal marten has been making merryin your dove-cote. Farewell, and think of thepoor tormented Boges in this tremendous heat, whenyou feel the cool damp earth. Yes, my littlebird, death teaches us to know our real friends, andso I won’t have you buried in a coarse linensack, but in a soft silk shawl. Farewell, mydarling!”

The poor, heavily-afflicted girl trembled at thesewords, and when the eunuch was gone, begged Mandaneto tell her what it all meant. The girl, instructedby Boges, said that Bartja had stolen secretly intothe hanging-gardens, and had been seen by severalof the Achaemenidae as he was on the point of gettingin at one of the windows. The king had been toldof his brother’s treachery, and people were afraidhis jealousy might have fearful consequences.The frivolous girl shed abundant tears of penitencewhile she was telling the story, and Nitetis, fancyingthis a proof of sincere love and sympathy, felt cheered.

When it was over, however, she looked down at herfetters in despair, and it was long before she couldthink of her dreadful position quietly. Thenshe read her letter from home again, wrote the words,“I am innocent,” and told the sobbinggirl to give the little note containing them to theking’s mother after her own death, together withher letter from home. After doing this she passeda wakeful night which seemed as if it would neverend. She remembered that in her box of ointmentsthere was a specific for improving the complexion,which, if swallowed in a sufficiently large quantity,would cause death. She had this poison broughtto her, and resolved calmly and deliberately, to takeher own life directly the executioner should drawnear. From that moment she took pleasure in thinkingof her last hour, and said to herself: “Itis true he causes my death; but he does it out oflove.” Then she thought she would writeto him, and confess all her love. He should notreceive the letter until she was dead, that he mightnot think she had written it to save her life.The hope that this strong, inflexible man might perhapsshed tears over her last words of love filled her withintense pleasure.

In spite of her heavy fetters, she managed to writethe following words: “Cambyses will notreceive this letter until I am dead. It is totell him that I love him more than the gods, the world,yes, more than my own young life. Kassandaneand Atossa must think of me kindly. They willsee from my mother’s letter that I am innocent,and that it was only for my poor sister’s sakethat I asked to see Bartja. Boges has told methat my death has been resolved upon. When theexecutioner approaches, I shall kill myself.I commit this crime against myself, Cambyses, to saveyou from doing a disgraceful deed.”

This note and her mother’s she gave to the weepingMandane, and begged her to give both to Cambyses whenshe was gone. She then fell on her knees andprayed to the gods of her fathers to forgive her forher apostasy from them.

Mandane begged her to remember her weakness and takesome rest, but she answered: “I do notneed any sleep, because, you know, I have such littlewaking-time still left me.”

As she went on praying and singing her old Egyptianhymns, her heart returned more and more to the godsof her fathers, whom she had denied after such a shortstruggle. In almost all the prayers with whichshe was acquainted, there was a reference to the lifeafter death. In the nether world, the kingdomof Osiris, where the forty-two judges of the deadpronounce sentence on the worth of the soul after ithas been weighed by the goddess of truth and Thoth,who holds the office of writer in heaven, she couldhope to meet her dear ones again, but only in caseher unjustified soul were not obliged to enter onthe career of transmigration through the bodies ofdifferent animals, and her body, to whom the soulhad been entrusted, remained in a state of preservation.This, “if” filled her with a feverish restlessness.The doctrine that the well-being of the soul dependedon the preservation of the earthly part of every humanbeing left behind at death, had been impressed on herfrom childhood. She believed in this error, whichhad built pyramids and excavated rocks, and trembledat the thought that, according to the Persian custom,her body would be thrown to the dogs and birds of prey,and so given up to the powers of destruction, thather soul must be deprived of every hope of eternallife. Then the thought came to her, should sheprove unfaithful to the gods of her fathers again,and once more fall down before these new spirits oflight, who gave the dead body over to the elementsand only judged the soul? And so she raised herhands to the great and glorious sun, who with his goldensword-like rays was just dispersing the mists thathung over the Euphrates, and opened her lips to singher newly-learnt hymns in praise of Mithras; but hervoice failed her, instead of Mithras she could onlysee her own great Ra, the god she had so often worshippedin Egypt, and instead of a Magian hymn could onlysing the one with which the Egyptian priests are accustomedto greet the rising sun.

This hymn brought comfort with it, and as she gazedon the young light, the rays of which were not yetstrong enough to dazzle her, she thought of her childhood,and the tears gathered in her eyes. Then she lookeddown over the broad plain. There was the Euphrateswith his yellow waves looking so like the Nile; themany villages, just as in her own home, peeping outfrom among luxuriant cornfields and plantations offig-trees. To the west lay the royal hunting-park;she could see its tall cypresses and nut-trees milesaway in the distance. The dew was glistening onevery little leaf and blade of grass, and the birdssang deliciously in the shrubberies round her dwelling.Now and then a gentle breath of wind arose, carryingthe sweet scent of the roses across to her, and playingin the tops of the slender, graceful palms which grewin numbers on the banks of the river and in the fieldsaround.

She had so often admired these beautiful trees, andcompared them to dancing-girls, as she watched thewind seizing their heavy tops and swaying the slenderstems backwards and forwards. And she had oftensaid to herself that here must be the home of thePhoenix, that wonderful bird from the land of palms,who, the priests said, came once in every five hundredyears to the temple of Ra in Heliopolis and burnt himselfin the sacred incense-flames, only to rise again fromhis own ashes more beautiful than before, and, afterthree days, to fly back again to his home in the East.While she was thinking of this bird, and wishing thatshe too might rise again from the ashes of her unhappinessto a new and still more glorious joy, a large birdwith brilliant plumage rose out of the dark cypresses,which concealed the palace of the man she loved andwho had made her so miserable, and flew towards her.It rose higher and higher, and at last settled ona palmtree close to her window. She had neverseen such a bird before, and thought it could not possiblybe a usual one, for a little gold chain was fastenedto its foot, and its tail seemed made of sunbeamsinstead of feathers. It must be Benno, the birdof Ra! She fell on her knees again and sang withdeep reverence the ancient hymn to the Phoenix, neveronce turning her eyes from the brilliant bird.

The bird listened to her singing, bending his littlehead with its waving plumes, wisely and inquisitivelyfrom side to side, and flew away directly she ceased.Nitetis looked after him with a smile. It wasreally only a bird of paradise that had broken thechain by which he had been fastened to a tree in thepark, but to her he was the Phoenix. A strangecertainty of deliverance filled her heart; she thoughtthe god Ra had sent the bird to her, and that as ahappy spirit she should take that form. So longas we are able to hope and wish, we can bear a greatdeal of sorrow; if the wished-for happiness does notcome, anticipation is at least prolonged and has itsown peculiar sweetness. This feeling is of itselfenough, and contains a kind of enjoyment which cantake the place of reality. Though she was soweary, yet she lay down on her couch with fresh hopes,and fell into a dreamless sleep almost against herwill, without having touched the poison.

The rising sun generally gives comfort to sad heartswho have passed the night in weeping, but to a guiltyconscience, which longs for darkness, his pure lightis an unwelcome guest. While Nitetis slept, Mandanelay awake, tormented by fearful remorse. Howgladly she would have held back the sun which wasbringing on the day of death to this kindest of mistresses,and have spent the rest of her own life in perpetualnight, if only her yesterday’s deed could buthave been undone!

The good-natured, thoughtless girl called herselfa wretched murderess unceasingly, resolved again andagain to confess the whole truth and so to save Nitetis;but love of life and fear of death gained the victoryover her weak heart every time. To confess wascertain death, and she felt as if she had been madefor life; she had so many hopes for the future, andthe grave seemed so dreadful. She thought shecould perhaps have confessed the whole truth, if perpetualimprisonment had been all she had to fear; but death!no, she could not resolve on that. And besides,would her confession really save the already condemnedNitetis?

Had she not sent a message to Bartja herself by thatunfortunate gardener’s boy? This secretcorrespondence had been discovered, and that was enoughof itself to ruin Nitetis, even if she, Mandane, haddone nothing in the matter. We are never so cleveras when we have to find excuses for our own sins.

At sunrise, Mandane was kneeling by her mistress’scouch, weeping bitterly and wondering that Nitetiscould sleep so calmly.

Boges, the eunuch, had passed a sleepless night too,but a very happy one. His hated colleague, Kandaules,whom he had used as a substitute for himself, hadbeen already executed, by the king’s command,for negligence, and on the supposition that he hadaccepted a bribe; Nitetis was not only ruined, butcertain to die a shameful death. The influenceof the king’s mother had suffered a severe shock;and lastly, he had the pleasure of knowing, not onlythat he had outwitted every one and succeeded in allhis plans, but that through his favorite Phaedime hemight hope once more to become the all-powerful favoriteof former days. That sentence of death had beenpronounced on Croesus and the young heroes, was byno means an unwelcome thought either, as they mighthave been instrumental in bringing his intrigues tolight.

In the grey of the morning he left the king’sapartment and went to Phaedime. The proud Persianhad taken no rest. She was waiting for him withfeverish anxiety, as a rumor of all that had happenedhad already reached the harem and penetrated to herapartments. She was lying on a purple couch inher dressing-room; a thin silken chemise and yellowslippers thickly sown with turquoises and pearls composedher entire dress. Twenty attendants were standinground her, but the moment she heard Boges she senther slaves away, sprang up to meet him, and overwhelmedhim with a stream of incoherent questions, all referringto her enemy Nitetis.

“Gently, gently, my little bird,” saidBoges, laying his hand on her shoulder. “Ifyou can’t make up your mind to be as quiet asa little mouse while I tell my story, and not to askone question, you won’t hear a syllable of itto-day. Yes, indeed, my golden queen, I’veso much to tell that I shall not have finished tillto-morrow, if you are to interrupt me as often asyou like. Ah, my little lamb, and I’ve still

so much to do to-day. First I must be presentat an Egyptian donkey-ride; secondly, I must witnessan Egyptian execution . . . but I see I am anticipatingmy story; I must begin at the beginning. I’llallow you to cry, laugh and scream for joy as muchas you will, but you’re forbidden to ask a singlequestion until I have finished. I think reallyI have deserved these caresses. There, now Iam quite at my ease, and can begin. Once upona time there was a great king in Persia, who had manywives, but he loved Phaedime better than the rest,and set her above all the others. One day thethought struck him that he would ask for the hand ofthe King of Egypt’s daughter in marriage, andhe sent a great embassy to Sais, with his own brotherto do the wooing for him—­”

“What nonsense!” cried Phaedime impatiently;“I want to know what has happened now.”

“Patience, patience, my impetuous March wind.If you interrupt me again, I shall go away and tellmy story to the trees. You really need not grudgeme the pleasure of living my successes over again.While I tell this story, I feel as happy as a sculptorwhen he puts down his hammer and gazes at his finishedwork.”

“No, no!” said Phaedime, interruptinghim again. “I cannot listen now to whatI know quite well already. I am dying of impatience,and every fresh report that the eunuchs and slave-girlsbring makes it worse. I am in a perfect fever—­Icannot wait. Ask whatever else you like, onlydeliver me from this awful suspense. AfterwardsI will listen to you for days, if you wish.”

Boges’ smile at these words was one of greatsatisfaction; he rubbed his hands and answered:“When I was a child I had no greater pleasurethan to watch a fish writhing on the hook; now I havegot you, my splendid golden carp, at the end of myline, and I can’t let you go until I have satedmyself on your impatience.”

Phaedime sprang up from the couch which she had sharedwith Boges, stamping her foot and behaving like anaughty child. This seemed to amuse the eunuchimmensely; he rubbed his hands again and again, laughedtill the tears ran down over his fat cheeks, emptiedmany a goblet of wine to the health of the torturedbeauty, and then went on with his tale: “Ithad not escaped me that Cambyses sent his brother (whohad brought Nitetis from Egypt), out to the war withthe Tapuri purely from jealousy. That proud woman,who was to take no orders from me, seemed to care aslittle for the handsome, fair-haired boy as a Jew forpork, or an Egyptian for white beans. But stillI resolved to nourish the king’s jealousy, anduse it as a means of rendering this impudent creatureharmless, as she seemed likely to succeed in supplantingus both in his favor. It was long, however, beforeI could hit on a feasible plan.

“At last the new-year’s festival arrivedand all the priests in the kingdom assembled at Babylon.For eight days the city was full of rejoicing, feastingand merry-making. At court it was just the same,and so I had very little time to think of my plans.But just then, when I had hardly any hope of succeeding,the gracious Amescha cpenta sent a youth across mypath, who seemed created by Angramainjus himself tosuit my plan. Gaumata, the brother of Oropastes,came to Babylon to be present at the great new-year’ssacrifice. I saw him first in his brother’shouse, whither I had been sent on a message from theking, and his likeness to Bartja was so wonderful,that I almost fancied I was looking at an apparition.When I had finished my business with Oropastes theyouth accompanied me to my carriage. I showedno signs of astonishment at this remarkable likeness,treated him however, with immense civility, and beggedhim to pay me a visit. He came the very same evening.I sent for my best wine, pressed him to drink, andexperienced, not for the first time, that the juiceof the vine has one quality which outweighs all therest: it can turn even a silent man into a chatter-box.The youth confessed that the great attraction whichhad brought him to Babylon was, not the sacrifice,but a girl who held the office of upper attendant tothe Egyptian Princess. He said he had loved hersince he was a child; but his ambitious brother hadhigher views for him, and in order to get the lovelyMandane out of his way, had procured her this situation.At last he begged me to arrange an interview withher. I listened good-naturedly, made a few difficulties,and at last asked him to come the next day and seehow matters were going on. He came, and I toldhim that it might be possible to manage it, but onlyif he would promise to do what I told him withouta question. He agreed to everything, returnedto Rhagae at my wish, and did not come to Babylonagain until yesterday, when he arrived secretly atmy house, where I concealed him. Meanwhile Bartjahad returned from the war. The great point nowwas to excite the king’s jealousy again, andruin the Egyptian at one blow. I roused the indignationof your relations through your public humiliation,and so prepared the way for my plan. Events werewonderfully in my favor. You know how Nitetisbehaved at the birthday banquet, but you do not knowthat that very evening she sent a gardener’sboy to the palace with a note for Bartja. Thesilly fellow managed to get caught and was executedthat very night, by command of the king, who was almostmad with rage; and I took care that Nitetis shouldbe as entirely cut off from all communication withher friends, as if she lived in the nest of the Simurg.You know the rest.”

“But how did Gaumata escape?”

“Through a trap-door, of which nobody knowsbut myself, and which stood wide open waiting forhim. Everything turned out marvellously; I evensucceeded in getting hold of a dagger which Bartjahad lost while hunting, and in laying it under Nitetis’window. In order to get rid of the prince duringthese occurrences, and prevent him from meeting theking or any one else who might be important as a witness,I asked the Greek merchant Kolxus, who was then atBabylon with a cargo of Milesian cloth, and who isalways willing to do me a favor, because I buy allthe woollen stuffs required for the harem of him,to write a Greek letter, begging Bartja, in the nameof her he loved best, to come alone to the first stationoutside the Euphrates gate at the rising of the Tistar-star.But I had a misfortune with this letter, for the messengermanaged the matter clumsily. He declares thathe delivered the letter to Bartja; but there can beno doubt that he gave it to some one else, probablyto Gaumata, and I was not a little dismayed to hearthat Bartja was sitting over the wine with his friendson that very evening. Still what had been donecould not be undone, and I knew that the witness ofmen like your father, Hystaslies, Croesus and Intaphernes,would far outweigh anything that Darius, Gyges andAraspes could say. The former would testify againsttheir friend, the latter for him. And so at lasteverything went as I would have had it. The younggentlemen are sentenced to death and Croesus, whoas usual, presumed to speak impertinently to the king,will have lived his last hour by this time. Asto the Egyptian Princess, the secretary in chief hasjust been commanded to draw up the following order.Now listen and rejoice, my little dove! “’Nitetis,the adulterous daughter of the King of Egypt, shallbe punished for her hideous crimes according to theextreme rigor of the law, thus: She shall beset astride upon an ass and led through the streetsof Babylon; and all men shall see that Cambyses knowshow to punish a king’s daughter, as severelyas his magistrates would punish the meanest beggar.

—­To Boges, chief of the eunuchs, is entrustedthe execution of this order.

By command of King Cambyses. Ariabignes, chiefof the Secretaries’

“I had scarcely placed these lines in the sleeveof my robe, when the king’s mother, with hergarments rent, and led by Atossa, pressed hastilyinto the hall. Weeping and lamentation followed;cries, reproaches, curses, entreaties and prayers;but the king remained firm, and I verily believe Kassandaneand Atossa would have been sent after Croesus andBartja into the other world, if fear of Cyrus’sspirit had not prevented the son, even in this furiousrage, from laying hands on his father’s widow.Kassandane, however, did not say one word for Nitetis.She seems as fully convinced of her guilt as you andI can be. Neither have we anything to fear fromthe enamored Gaumata. I have hired three men togive him a cool bath in the Euphrates, before he getsback to Rhagae. Ah, ha! the fishes and wormswill have a jolly time!”

Phaedime joined in Boges’ laughter, bestowedon him all the flattering names which she had caughtfrom his own smooth tongue, and in token of her gratitude,hung a heavy chain studded with jewels round his neckwith her own beautiful arms.

ETEXT editor’sbookmarks:

Call everything thatis beyond your comprehension a miracle
Never so clever as whenwe have to find excuses for our own sins
So long as we are ableto hope and wish

AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.

By Georg Ebers

Volume 7.

CHAPTER V.

Before the sun had reached his mid-day height, thenews of what had happened and of what was still tohappen had filled all Babylon. The streets swarmedwith people, waiting impatiently to see the strangespectacle which the punishment of one of the king’swives, who had proved false and faithless, promisedto afford. The whip-bearers were forced to useall their authority to keep this gaping crowd in order.Later on in the day the news that Bartja and his friendswere soon to be executed arrived among the crowd;they were under the influence of the palm-wine, whichwas liberally distributed on the king’s birthdayand the following days, and could not control theirexcited feelings; but these now took quite anotherform.

Bands of drunken men paraded the streets, crying:“Bartja, the good son of Cyrus, is to be executed!”The women heard these words in their quiet apartments,eluded their keepers, forgot their veils, and rushingforth into the streets, followed the excited and indignantmen with cries and yells. Their pleasure in thethought of seeing a more fortunate sister humbled,vanished at the painful news that their beloved princewas condemned to death. Men, women and childrenraged, stormed and cursed, exciting one another tolouder and louder bursts of indignation. Theworkshops were emptied, the merchants closed theirwarehouses, and the school-boys and servants, whohad a week’s holiday on occasion of the king’sbirthday, used their freedom to scream louder thanany one else, and often to groan and yell withoutin the least knowing why.

At last the tumult was so great that the whip-bearerswere insufficient to cope with it, and a detachmentof the body-guard was sent to patrol the streets.At the sight of their shining armor and long lances,the crowd retired into the side streets, only, however,to reassemble in fresh numbers when the troops wereout of sight.

At the gate, called the Bel gate, which led to thegreat western high-road, the throng was thicker thanat any other point, for it was said that through thisgate, the one by which she had entered Babylon, theEgyptian Princess was to be led out of the city inshame and disgrace. For this reason a largernumber of whipbearers were stationed here, in orderto make way for travellers entering the city.Very few people indeed left the city at all on thisday, for curiosity was stronger than either businessor pleasure; those, on the other hand, who arrivedfrom the country, took up their stations near the gateon hearing what had drawn the crowd thither.

It was nearly mid-day, and only wanted a few hoursto the time fixed for Nitetis’ disgrace, whena caravan approached the gate with great speed.The first carriage was a so-called harmamaxa, drawnby four horses decked out with bells and tassels;a two-wheeled cart followed, and last in the trainwas a baggage-wagon drawn by mules. A fine, handsomeman of about fifty, dressed as a Persian courtier,and another, much older, in long white robes, occupiedthe first carriage. The cart was filled by a numberof slaves in simple blouses, and broad-brimmed felthats, wearing the hair cut close to the head.An old man, dressed as a Persian servant, rode bythe side of the cart. The driver of the firstcarriage had great difficulty in making way for hisgaily-ornamented horses through the crowd; he wasobliged to come to a halt before the gate and callsome whip-bearers to his assistance. “Makeway for us!” he cried to the captain of thepolice who came up with some of his men; “theroyal post has no time to lose, and I am driving someone, who will make you repent every minute’sdelay.”

“Softly, my son,” answered the official.“Don’t you see that it’s easierto-day to get out of Babylon, than to come in?Whom are you driving?”

“A nobleman, with a passport from the king.Come, be quick and make way for us.”

“I don’t know about that; your caravandoes not look much like royalty.”

“What have you to do with that? The pass.. . . "

“I must see it, before I let you into the city.”These words were half meant for the traveller, whomhe was scrutinizing very suspiciously.

While the man in the Persian dress was feeling inhis sleeve for the passport, the whip-bearer turnedto some comrades who had just come up, and pointedout the scanty retinue of the travellers, saying:“Did you ever see such a queer cavalcade?There’s something odd about these strangers,as sure as my name’s Giv. Why, the lowestof the king’s carpet-bearers travels with fourtimes as many people, and yet this man has a royalpass and is dressed like one of those who sit at theroyal table.”

At this moment the suspected traveller handed hima little silken roll scented with musk, sealed withthe royal seal, and containing the king’s ownhandwriting.

The whip-bearer took it and examined the seal.“It is all in order,” he murmured, andthen began to study the characters. But no soonerhad he deciphered the first letters than he lookedeven more sharply than before at the traveller, andseized the horses’ bridles, crying out:“Here, men, form a guard round the carriage!this is an impostor.”

When he had convinced himself that escape was impossible,he went up to the stranger again and said: “Youare using a pass which does not belong to you.Gyges, the son of Croesus, the man you give yourselfout for, is in prison and is to be executed to-day.You are not in the least like him, and you will havereason to repent leaving tried to pass for him.Get out of your carriage and follow me.”

The traveller, however, instead of obeying, beganto speak in broken Persian, and begged the officerrather to take a seat by him in the carriage, forthat he had very important news to communicate.The man hesitated a moment; but on seeing a freshband of whip-bearers come up, he nodded to them tostand before the impatient, chafing horses, and gotinto the carriage.

The stranger looked at him with a smile and said:“Now, do I look like an impostor?”

“No; your language proves that you are not aPersian, but yet you look like a nobleman.”

“I am a Greek, and have come hither to renderCambyses an important service. Gyges is my friend,and lent me his passport when he was in Egypt, incase I should ever come to Persia. I am preparedto vindicate my conduct before the king, and haveno reason for fear. On the contrary, the newsI bring gives me reason to expect much from his favor.Let me be taken to Croesus, if this is your duty;he will be surety for me, and will send back yourmen, of whom you seem to stand in great need to-day.Distribute these gold pieces among them, and tell mewithout further delay what my poor friend Gyges hasdone to deserve death, and what is the reason of allthis crowd and confusion.”

The stranger said this in bad Persian, but there layso much dignity and confidence in his tone, and hisgifts were on such a large scale, that the cringingand creeping servant of despotism felt sure he mustbe sitting opposite to a prince, crossed his armsreverentially, and, excusing himself from his manypressing affairs, began to relate rapidly. Hehad been on duty in the great hall during the examinationof the prisoners the night before, and could thereforetell all that had happened with tolerable accuracy.The Greek followed his tale eagerly, with many anincredulous shake of his handsome head, however, whenthe daughter of Amasis and the son of Cyrus were spokenof as having been disloyal and false, that sentenceof death had been pronounced, especially on Croesus,distressed him visibly, but the sadness soon vanishedfrom his quickly-changing features, and gave placeto thought; this in its turn was quickly followedby a joyful look, which could only betoken that thethinker had arrived at a satisfactory result.His dignified gravity vanished in a moment; he laughedaloud, struck his forehead merrily, seized the handof the astonished captain, and said:

“Should you be glad, if Bartja could be saved?”

“More than I can say.”

“Very well, then I will vouch for it, that youshall receive at least two talents, if you can procureme an interview with the king before the first executionhas taken place.”

“How can you ask such a thing of me, a poorcaptain? . . .”

“Yes, you must, you must!”

“I cannot.”

“I know well that it is very difficult, almostimpossible, for a stranger to obtain an audience ofyour king; but my errand brooks no delay, for I canprove that Bartja and his friends are not guilty.Do you hear? I can prove it. Do you thinknow, you can procure me admittance?”

“How is it possible?”

“Don’t ask, but act. Didn’tyou say Darius was one of the condemned?”

“Yes.”

“I have heard, that his father is a man of veryhigh rank.”

“He is the first in the kingdom, after the sonsof Cyrus.”

“Then take me to him at once. He will welcomeme when he hears I am able to save his son.”

“Stranger, you are a wonderful being. Youspeak with so much confidence that . . .”

“That you feel you may believe me. Makehaste then, and call some of your men to make wayfor us, and escort us to the palace.”

There is nothing, except a doubt, which runs morequickly from mind to mind, than a hope that some cherishedwish may be fulfilled, especially when this hope hasbeen suggested to us by some one we can trust.

The officer believed this strange traveller, jumpedout of the carriage, flourishing his scourge and callingto his men: “This nobleman has come onpurpose to prove Bartja’s innocence, and mustbe taken to the king at once. Follow me, my friends,and make way for him!”

Just at that moment a troop of the guards appearedin sight. The captain of the whip-bearers wentup to their commander, and, seconded by the shoutsof the crowd, begged him to escort the stranger tothe palace.

During this colloquy the traveller had mounted hisservant’s horse, and now followed in the wakeof the Persians.

The good news flew like wind through the huge city.As the riders proceeded, the crowd fell back morewillingly, and loader and fuller grew the shouts ofjoy until at last their march was like a triumphalprocession.

In a few minutes they drew up before the palace; butbefore the brazen gates had opened to admit them,another train came slowly into sight. At thehead rode a grey-headed old man; his robes were brown,and rent, in token of mourning, the mane and tailof his horse had been shorn off and the creature coloredblue.—­It was Hystaspes, coming to entreatmercy for his son.

The whip-bearer, delighted at this sight, threw himselfdown before the old man with a cry of joy, and withcrossed arms told him what confidence the travellerhad inspired him with.

Hystaspes beckoned to the stranger; he rode up, bowedgracefully and courteously to the old man, withoutdismounting, and confirmed the words of the whip bearer.Hystaspes seemed to feel fresh confidence too afterhearing the stranger, for he begged him to follow himinto the palace and to wait outside the door of theroyal apartment, while he himself, conducted by thehead chamberlain, went in to the king.

When his old kinsman entered, Cambyses was lying onhis purple couch, pale as death. A cup-bearerwas kneeling on the ground at his feet, trying tocollect the broken fragments of a costly Egyptian drinking-cupwhich the king had thrown down impatiently becauseits contents had not pleased his taste. At somedistance stood a circle of court-officials, in whosefaces it was easy to read that they were afraid oftheir ruler’s wrath, and preferred keeping asfar from him as possible. The dazzling lightand oppressive heat of a Babylonian May day came inthrough the open windows, and not a sound was to beheard in the great room, except the whining of a largedog of the Epirote breed, which had just receiveda tremendous kick from Cambyses for venturing to fawnon his master, and was the only being that venturedto disturb the solemn stillness. Just beforeHystaspes was led in by the chamberlain, Cambyses hadsprung up from his couch. This idle repose hadbecome unendurable, he felt suffocated with pain andanger. The dog’s howl suggested a new ideato his poor tortured brain, thirsting for forgetfulness.

“We will go out hunting!” he shouted tothe poor startled courtiers. The master of thehounds, the equerries, and huntsmen hastened to obeyhis orders. He called after them, “I shallride the unbroken horse Reksch; get the falcons ready,let all the dogs out and order every one to come,who can throw a spear. We’ll clear the preserves!”

He then threw himself down on his divan again, asif these words had quite exhausted his powerful frame,and did not see that Hystaspes had entered, for hissullen gaze was fixed on the motes playing in thesunbeams that glanced through the window.

Hystaspes did not dare to address him; but he stationedhimself in the window so as to break the stream ofmotes and thus draw attention to himself.

At first Cambyses looked angrily at him and his rentgarments, and then asked with a bitter smile; “Whatdo you want?”

“Victory to the king! Your poor servantand uncle has come to entreat his ruler’s mercy.”

“Then rise and go! You know that I haveno mercy for perjurers and false swearers. ’Tisbetter to have a dead son than a dishonorable one.”

“But if Bartja should not be guilty, and Darius. . .”

“You dare to question the justice of my sentence?”

“That be far from me. Whatever the kingdoes is good, and cannot be gainsaid; but still .. .”

“Be silent! I will not hear the subjectmentioned again. You are to be pitied as a father;but have these last few hours brought me any joy?Old man, I grieve for you, but I have as little powerto rescind his punishment as you to recall his crime.”

“But if Bartja really should not be guilty—­ifthe gods . . .”

“Do you think the gods will come to the helpof perjurers and deceivers?”

“No, my King; but a fresh witness has appeared.”

“A fresh witness? Verily, I would gladlygive half my kingdom, to be convinced of the innocenceof men so nearly related to me.”

“Victory to my lord, the eye of the realm!A Greek is waiting outside, who seems, to judge byhis figure and bearing, one of the noblest of hisrace.”

The king laughed bitterly: “A Greek!Ah, ha! perhaps some relation to Bartja’s faithfulfair one! What can this stranger know of my familyaffairs? I know these beggarly Ionians well.They are impudent enough to meddle in everything,and think they can cheat us with their sly tricks.How much have you had to pay for this new witness,uncle? A Greek is as ready with a lie as a Magianwith his spells, and I know they’ll do anythingfor gold. I’m really curious to see yourwitness. Call him in. But if he wants todeceive me, he had better remember that where the headof a son of Cyrus is about to fall, a Greek head hasbut very little chance.” And the king’seyes flashed with anger as he said these words.Hystaspes, however, sent for the Greek.

Before he entered, the chamberlains fastened the usualcloth before his mouth, and commanded him to casthimself on the ground before the king. The Greek’sbearing, as he approached, under the king’s penetratingglance, was calm and noble; he fell on his face, and,according to the Persian custom, kissed the ground.

His agreeable and handsome appearance, and the calmand modest manner in which he bore the king’sgaze, seemed to make a favorable impression on thelatter; he did not allow him to remain long on theearth, and asked him in a by no means unfriendly tone:“Who are you?”

“I am a Greek nobleman. My name is Phanes,and Athens is my home. I have served ten yearsas commander of the Greek mercenaries in Egypt, andnot ingloriously.”

“Are you the man, to whose clever generalshipthe Egyptians were indebted for their victories inCyprus?”

“I am.”

“What has brought you to Persia?”

“The glory of your name, Cambyses, and the wishto devote my arms and experience to your service.”

“Nothing else? Be sincere, and rememberthat one single lie may cost your life. We Persianshave different ideas of truth from the Greeks.”

“Lying is hateful to me too, if only, because,as a distortion and corruption of what is noblest,it seems unsightly in my eyes.”

“Then speak.”

“There was certainly a third reason for my cominghither, which I should like to tell you later.It has reference to matters of the greatest importance,which it will require a longer time to discuss; butto-day—­”

“Just to-day I should like to hear somethingnew. Accompany me to the chase. You comeexactly at the right time, for I never had more needof diversion than now.”

“I will accompany you with pleasure, if. . .”

“No conditions to the king! Have you hadmuch practice in hunting?”

“In the Libyan desert I have killed many a lion.”

“Then come, follow me.”

In the thought of the chase the king seemed to havethrown off all his weakness and roused himself toaction; he was just leaving the hall, when Hystaspesonce more threw himself at his feet, crying with up-raisedhands: “Is my son—­is your brother,to die innocent? By the soul of your father,who used to call me his truest friend, I conjure youto listen to this noble stranger.”

Cambyses stood still. The frown gathered on hisbrow again, his voice sounded like a menace and hiseyes flashed as he raised his hand and said to theGreek: “Tell me what you know; but rememberthat in every untrue word, you utter your own sentenceof death.”

Phanes heard this threat with the greatest calmness,and answered, bowing gracefully as he spoke:“From the sun and from my lord the king, nothingcan be hid. What power has a poor mortal to concealthe truth from one so mighty? The noble Hystaspeshas said, that I am able to prove your brother innocent.I will only say, that I wish and hope I may succeedin accomplishing anything so great and beautiful.The gods have at least allowed me to discover a tracewhich seems calculated to throw light on the eventsof yesterday; but you yourself must decide whethermy hopes have been presumptuous and my suspicionstoo easily aroused. Remember, however, that throughout,my wish to serve you has been sincere, and that ifI have been deceived, my error is pardonable; thatnothing is perfectly certain in this world, and everyman believes that to be infallible which seems tohim the most probable.”

“You speak well, and remind me of . . . curseher! there, speak and have done with it! I hearthe dogs already in the court.”

“I was still in Egypt when your embassy cameto fetch Nitetis. At the house of Rhodopis, mydelightful, clever and celebrated countrywoman, Imade the acquaintance of Croesus and his son; I onlysaw your brother and his friends once or twice, casually;still I remembered the young prince’s handsomeface so well, that some time later, when I was in theworkshop of the great sculptor Theodorus at Samos,I recognized his features at once.”

“Did you meet him at Samos?”

“No, but his features had made such a deep andfaithful impression on Theodorus’ memory, thathe used them to beautify the head of an Apollo, whichthe Achaemenidae had ordered for the new temple ofDelphi.”

“Your tale begins, at least, incredibly enough.How is it possible to copy features so exactly, whenyou have not got them before you?”

“I can only answer that Theodorus has reallycompleted this master-piece, and if you wish for aproof of his skill would gladly send you a secondlikeness of . . .”

“I have no desire for it. Go on with yourstory.”

“On my journey hither, which, thanks to yourfather’s excellent arrangements, I performedin an incredibly short time, changing horses everysixteen or seventeen miles . . .”

“Who allowed you, a foreigner, to use the posthorses?”

“The pass drawn out for the son of Croesus,which came by chance into my hands, when once, inorder to save my life, he forced me to change clotheswith him.”

“A Lydian can outwit a fox, and a Syrian a Lydian,but an Ionian is a match for both,” mutteredthe king, smiling for the first time; “Croesustold me this story—­poor Croesus!”and then the old gloomy expression came over his faceand he passed his hand across his forehead, as iftrying to smooth the lines of care away. The Athenianwent on: “I met with no hindrances on myjourney till this morning at the first hour aftermidnight, when I was detained by a strange occurrence.”

The king began to listen more attentively, and remindedthe Athenian, who spoke Persian with difficulty, thatthere was no time to lose.

“We had reached the last station but one,”continued he, “and hoped to be in Babylon bysunrise. I was thinking over my past stirringlife, and was so haunted by the remembrance of evildeeds unrevenged that I could not sleep; the old Egyptianat my side, however, slept and dreamt peacefully enough,lulled by the monotonous tones of the harness bells,the sound of the horses’ hoofs and the murmurof the Euphrates. It was a wonderfully still,beautiful night; the moon and stars were so brilliant,that our road and the landscape were lighted up almostwith the brightness of day. For the last hourwe had not seen a single vehicle, foot-passenger, orhorseman; we had heard that all the neighboring populationhad assembled in Babylon to celebrate your birthday,gaze with wonder at the splendor of your court, andenjoy your liberality. At last the irregular beatof horses’ hoofs, and the sound of bells struckmy ear, and a few minutes later I distinctly heardcries of distress. My resolve was taken at once;I made my Persian servant dismount, sprang into hissaddle, told the driver of the cart in which my slaveswere sitting not to spare his mules, loosened my daggerand sword in their scabbards, and spurred my horsetowards the place from whence the cries came.They grew louder and louder. I had not riddena minute, when I came on a fearful scene. Threewild-looking fellows had just pulled a youth, dressedin the white robes of a Magian, from his horse, stunnedhim with heavy blows, and, just as I reached them,were on the point of throwing him into the Euphrates,which at that place washes the roots of the palmsand fig-trees bordering the high-road. I utteredmy Greek war-cry, which has made many an enemy tremblebefore now, and rushed on the murderers. Suchfellows are always cowards; the moment they saw oneof their accomplices mortally wounded, they fled.I did not pursue them, but stooped down to examinethe poor boy, who was severely wounded. How canI describe my horror at seeing, as I believed, yourbrother Bartja? Yes, they were the very same featuresthat I had seen, first at Naukratis and then in Theodorus’workshop, they were . . .”

“Marvellous!” interrupted Hystaspes.

“Perhaps a little too much so to be credible,”added the king. “Take care, Hellene! remembermy arm reaches far. I shall have the truth ofyour story put to the proof.”

“I am accustomed,” answered Phanes bowinglow, “to follow the advice of our wise philosopherPythagoras, whose fame may perhaps have reached yourears, and always, before speaking, to consider whetherwhat I am going to say may not cause me sorrow inthe future.”

“That sounds well; but, by Mithras, I knew someone who often spoke of that great teacher, and yetin her deeds turned out to be a most faithful discipleof Angramainjus. You know the traitress, whomwe are going to extirpate from the earth like a poisonousviper to-day.”

“Will you forgive me,” answered Phanes,seeing the anguish expressed in the king’s features,“if I quote another of the great master’smaxims?”

“Speak.”

“Blessings go as quickly as they come.Therefore bear thy lot patiently. Murmur not,and remember that the gods never lay a heavier weighton any man than he can bear. Hast thou a woundedheart? touch it as seldom as thou wouldst a sore eye.There are only two remedies for heart-sickness:—­hopeand patience.”

Cambyses listened to this sentence, borrowed fromthe golden maxims of Pythagoras, and smiled bitterlyat the word “patience.” Still theAthenian’s way of speaking pleased him, and hetold him to go on with his story.

Phanes made another deep obeisance, and continued:“We carried the unconscious youth to my carriage,and brought him to the nearest station. Therehe opened his eyes, looked anxiously at me, and askedwho I was and what had happened to him? The masterof the station was standing by, so I was obliged togive the name of Gyges in order not to excite hissuspicions by belying my pass, as it was only throughthis that I could obtain fresh horses.

“This wounded young man seemed to know Gyges,for he shook his head and murmured: ‘Youare not the man you give yourself out for.’Then he closed his eyes again, and a violent attackof fever came on.

“We undressed, bled him and bound up his wounds.My Persian servant, who had served as overlooker inAmasis’ stables and had seen Bartja there, assistedby the old Egyptian who accompanied me, was very helpful,and asserted untiringly that the wounded man couldbe no other than your brother. When we had cleansedthe blood from his face, the master of the stationtoo swore that there could be no doubt of his beingthe younger son of your great father Cyrus. Meanwhilemy Egyptian companion had fetched a potion from thetravelling medicine-chest, without which an Egyptiandoes not care to leave his native country.

[A similar travelling medicine-chestis to be seen in the Egyptian Museum at Berlin.It is prettily and compendiously fitted up, and mustbe very ancient, for the inscription on the chest,which contained it stated that it was made in the11th dynasty (end of the third century B. C.) inthe reign of King Mentuhotep.]

The drops worked wonders; in a few hours the feverwas quieted, and at sunrise the patient opened hiseyes once more. We bowed down before him, believinghim to be your brother, and asked if he would liketo be taken to the palace in Babylon. This herefused vehemently, and asseverated that he was notthe man we took him for, but, . . .”

“Who can be so like Bartja? tell me quickly,”interrupted the king, “I am very curious toknow this.”

“He declared that he was the brother of yourhigh-priest, that his name was Gaumata, and that thiswould be proved by the pass which we should find inthe sleeve of his Magian’s robe. The landlordfound this document and, being able to read, confirmedthe statement of the sick youth; he was, however,soon seized by a fresh attack of fever, and began tospeak incoherently.”

“Could you understand him?”

“Yes, for his talk always ran on the same subject.The hanging-gardens seemed to fill his thoughts.He must have just escaped some great danger, and probablyhad had a lover’s meeting there with a womancalled Mandane.”

“Mandane, Mandane,” said Cambyses in alow voice; “if I do not mistake, that is thename of the highest attendant on Amasis’ daughter.”

These words did not escape the sharp ears of the Greek.He thought a moment and then exclaimed with a smile;“Set the prisoners free, my King; I will answerfor it with my own head, that Bartja was not in thehanging-gardens.”

The king was surprised at this speech but not angry.The free, unrestrained, graceful manner of this Atheniantowards himself produced the same impression, thata fresh sea-breeze makes when felt for the first time.The nobles of his own court, even his nearest relations,approached him bowing and cringing, but this Greekstood erect in his presence; the Persians never venturedto address their ruler without a thousand floweryand flattering phrases, but the Athenian was simple,open and straightforward. Yet his words were accompaniedby such a charm of action and expression, that theking could understand them, notwithstanding the defectivePersian in which they were clothed, better than theallegorical speeches of his own subjects. Nitetisand Phanes were the only human beings, who had evermade him forget that he was a king. With themhe was a man speaking to his fellow-man, instead ofa despot speaking with creatures whose very existencewas the plaything of his own caprice. Such isthe effect produced by real manly dignity, superiorculture and the consciousness of a right to freedom,on the mind even of a tyrant. But there was something

beside all this, that had helped to win Cambyses’favor for the Athenian. This man’s comingseemed as if it might possibly give him back the treasurehe had believed was lost and more than lost.But how could the life of such a foreign adventurerbe accepted as surety for the sons of the highest Persiansin the realm? The proposal, however, did notmake him angry. On the contrary, he could nothelp smiling at the boldness of this Greek, who inhis eagerness had freed himself from the cloth whichhung over his mouth and beard, and exclaimed:“By Mithras, Greek, it really seems as if youwere to prove a messenger of good for us! I acceptyour offer. If the prisoners, notwithstandingyour supposition, should still prove guilty you arebound to pass your whole life at my court and in myservice, but if, on the contrary, you are able toprove what I so ardently long for, I will make youricher than any of your countrymen.”

Phanes answered by a smile which seemed to declinethis munificent offer, and asked: “Is itpermitted me to put a few questions to yourself andto the officers of your court?”

“You are allowed to say and ask whatever youwish.”

At this moment the master of the huntsmen, one ofthose who daily ate at the king’s table, entered,out of breath from his endeavors to hasten the preparations,and announced that all was ready.

“They must wait,” was the king’simperious answer. “I am not sure, thatwe shall hunt at all to-day. Where is Bischen,the captain of police?”

Datis, the so-called “eye of the king,”who held the office filled in modern days by a ministerof police, hurried from the room, returning in a fewminutes with the desired officer. These momentsPhanes made use of for putting various questions onimportant points to the nobles who were present.

“What news can you bring of the prisoners?”asked the king, as the man lay prostrate before him.“Victory to the king! They await death withcalmness, for it is sweet to die by thy will.”

“Have you heard anything of their conversation?”

“Yes, my Ruler.”

“Do they acknowledge their guilt, when speakingto each other?”

“Mithras alone knows the heart; but you, myprince, if you could hear them speak, would believein their innocence, even as I the humblest of yourservants.”

The captain looked up timidly at the king, fearinglest these words should have excited his anger; Cambyses,however, smiled kindly instead of rebuking him.But a sudden thought darkened his brow again directly,and in a low voice he asked: “When was Croesusexecuted?”

The man trembled at this question; the perspirationstood on his forehead, and he could scarcely stammerthe words: “He is . . . he has . . . wethought. . . .”

“What did you think?” interrupted Cambyses,and a new light of hope seemed to dawn in his mind.“Is it possible, that you did not carry outmy orders at once? Can Croesus still be alive?Speak at once, I must know the whole truth.”

The captain writhed like a worm at his lord’sfeet, and at last stammered out, raising his handsimploringly towards the king: “Have mercy,have mercy, my Lord the king! I am a poor man,and have thirty children, fifteen of whom . . .”

“I wish to know if Croesus is living or dead.”

“He is alive! He has done so much for me,and I did not think I was doing wrong in allowinghim to live a few hours longer, that he might. . ..”

“That is enough,” said the king breathingfreely. “This once your disobedience shallgo unpunished, and the treasurer may give you twotalents, as you have so many children.—­Nowgo to the prisoners,—­tell Croesus to comehither, and the others to be of good courage, if theyare innocent.”

“My King is the light of the world, and an oceanof mercy.”

“Bartja and his friends need not remain anylonger in confinement; they can walk in the courtof the palace, and you will keep guard over them.You, Datis, go at once to the hanging-gardens and orderBoges to defer the execution of the sentence on theEgyptian Princess; and further, I wish messengerssent to the post-station mentioned by the Athenian,and the wounded man brought hither under safe escort.”

The “king’s eye” was on the pointof departure, but Phanes detained him, saying:“Does my King allow me to make one remark?”

“Speak.”

“It appears to me, that the chief of the eunuchscould give the most accurate information. Duringhis delirium the youth often mentioned his name inconnection with that of the girl he seemed to be inlove with.”

“Go at once, Datis, and bring him quickly.”

“The high-priest Oropastes, Gaumata’sbrother, ought to appear too; and Mandane, whom Ihave just been assured on the most positive authority,is the principal attendant of the Egyptian Princess.”

“Fetch her, Datis.”

“If Nitetis herself could . . .”

At this the king turned pale and a cold shiver ranthrough his limbs. How he longed to see his darlingagain! But the strong man was afraid of thiswoman’s reproachful looks; he knew the captivatingpower that lay in her eyes. So he pointed tothe door, saying “Fetch Boges and Mandane; theEgyptian Princess is to remain in the hanging-gardens,under strict custody.”

The Athenian bowed deferentially; as if he would say:“Here no one has a right to command but theking.”

Cambyses looked well pleased, seated himself againon the purple divan, and resting his forehead on hishand, bent his eyes on the ground and sank into deepthought. The picture of the woman he loved sodearly refused to be banished; it came again and again,more and more vividly, and the thought that thesefeatures could not have deceived him—­thatNitetis must be innocent—­took a firmer rootin his mind; he had already begun to hope. IfBartja could be cleared, there was no error that mightnot be conceivable; in that case he would go to thehanging-gardens, take her hand and listen to her defence.When love has once taken firm hold of a man in riperyears, it runs and winds through his whole nature likeone of his veins, and can only be destroyed with hislife.

The entrance of Croesus roused Cambyses from his dream;he raised the old man kindly from the prostrate positionat his feet, into which he had thrown himself on entering,and said: “You offended me, but I will bemerciful; I have not forgotten that my father, on hisdying bed, told me to make you my friend and adviser.Take your life back as a gift from me, and forgetmy anger as I wish to forget your want of reverence.This man says he knows you; I should like to hearyour opinion of his conjectures.”

Croesus turned away much affected, and after havingheartily welcomed the Athenian, asked him to relatehis suppositions and the grounds on which they werefounded.

The old man grew more and more attentive as the Greekwent on, and when he had finished raised his handsto heaven, crying: “Pardon me, oh ye eternalgods, if I have ever questioned the justice of yourdecrees. Is not this marvellous, Cambyses?My son once placed himself in great danger to savethe life of this noble Athenian, whom the gods havebrought hither to repay the deed tenfold. HadPhanes been murdered in Egypt, this hour might haveseen our sons executed.”

And as he said this he embraced Hystaspes; both sharedone feeling; their sons had been as dead and werenow alive.

The king, Phanes, and all the Persian dignitarieswatched the old men with deep sympathy, and thoughthe proofs of Bartja’s innocence were as yetonly founded on conjecture, not one of those presentdoubted it one moment longer. Wherever the beliefin a man’s guilt is but slight, his defenderfinds willing listeners.

CHAPTER VI.

The sharp-witted Athenian saw clearly how matterslay in this sad story; nor did it escape him thatmalice had had a hand in the affair. How couldBartja’s dagger have come into the hanging-gardensexcept through treachery?

While he was telling the king his suspicions, Oropasteswas led into the hall.

The king looked angrily at him and without one preliminaryword, asked: “Have you a brother?”

“Yes, my King. He and I are the only twoleft out of a family of six. My parents . . .”

“Is your brother younger or older than yourself?”

“I was the eldest of the family; my brother,the youngest, was the joy of my father’s oldage.”

“Did you ever notice a remarkable likeness betweenhim and one of my relations?”

“Yes, my King. Gaumata is so like yourbrother Bartja, that in the school for priests atRhagae, where he still is, he was always called ’theprince.’”

“Has he been at Babylon very lately?”

“He was here for the last time at the New Year’sfestival.”

“Are you speaking the truth?”

“The sin of lying would be doubly punishablein one who wears my robes, and holds my office.”

The king’s face flushed with anger at this answerand he exclaimed: “Nevertheless you arelying; Gaumata was here yesterday evening. Youmay well tremble.”

“My life belongs to the king, whose are allthings; nevertheless I swear—­the high-priest-bythe most high God, whom I have served faithfully forthirty years, that I know nothing of my brother’spresence in Babylon yesterday.”

“Your face looks as if you were speaking thetruth.”

“You know that I was not absent from your sidethe whole of that high holiday.”

“I know it.”

Again the doors opened; this time they admitted thetrembling Mandane. The high-priest cast sucha look of astonishment and enquiry on her, that theking saw she must be in some way connected with him,and therefore, taking no notice of the trembling girlwho lay at his feet, he asked: “Do youknow this woman?”

“Yes, my King. I obtained for her the situationof upper attendant to the—­may Auramazdaforgive her!—­King of Egypt’s daughter.”

“What led you,—­a priest,—­todo a favor to this girl?”

“Her parents died of the same pestilence, whichcarried off my brothers. Her father was a priest,respected, and a friend of our family; so we adoptedthe little girl, remembering the words: ’Ifthou withhold help from the man who is pure in heartand from his widow and orphans, then shall the pure,subject earth cast thee out unto the stinging-nettles,to painful sufferings and to the most fearful regions!’Thus I became her foster-father, and had her broughtup with my youngest brother until he was obliged toenter the school for priests.”

The king exchanged a look of intelligence with Phanes,and asked: “Why did not you keep the girllonger with you?”

“When she had received the ear-rings I, as priest,thought it more suitable to send such a young girlaway from my house, and to put her in a position toearn her own living.”

“Has she seen your brother since she has beengrown up?”

“Yes, my King. Whenever Gaumata came tosee me I allowed him to be with her as with a sister;but on discovering later that the passionate loveof youth had begun to mingle with the childish friendshipof former days, I felt strengthened in my resolutionto send her away.”

“Now we know enough,” said the king, commandingthe high-priest by a nod to retire. He then lookeddown on the prostrate girl, and said imperiously:“Rise!”

Mandane rose, trembling with fear. Her freshyoung face was pale as death, and her red lips wereblue from terror.

“Tell all you know about yesterday evening;but remember, a lie and your death are one and thesame.”

The girl’s knees trembled so violently thatshe could hardly stand, and her fear entirely tookaway the power of speaking.

“I have not much patience,” exclaimedCambyses. Mandane started, grew paler still,but could not speak. Then Phanes came forwardand asked the angry king to allow him to examine thegirl, as he felt sure that fear alone had closed herlips and that a kind word would open them.

Cambyses allowed this, and the Athenian’s wordsproved true; no sooner had he assured Mandane of thegood-will of all present, laid his hand on her headand spoken kindly to her, than the source of her tearswas unlocked, she wept freely, the spell which hadseemed to chain her tongue, vanished, and she beganto tell her story, interrupted only by low sobs.She hid nothing, confessed that Boges had given herhis sanction and assistance to the meeting with Gaumata,and ended by saying: “I know that I haveforfeited my life, and am the worst and most ungratefulcreature in the world; but none of all this would havehappened, if Oropastes had allowed his brother to marryme.”

The serious audience, even the king himself, couldnot resist a smile at the longing tone in which thesewords were spoken and the fresh burst of sobs whichsucceeded them.

And this smile saved her life. But Cambyses wouldnot have smiled, after hearing such a story, if Mandane,with that instinct which always seems to stand ata woman’s command in the hour of her greatestdanger, had not known how to seize his weak side,and use it for her own interests, by dwelling muchlonger than was necessary, on the delight which Nitetishad manifested at the king’s gifts.

“A thousand times” cried she, “didmy mistress kiss the presents which were brought fromyou, O King; but oftenest of all did she press herlips to the nosegay which you plucked with your ownhands for her, some days ago. And when it beganto fade, she took every flower separately, spreadout the petals with care, laid them between woollencloths, and, with her own hands, placed her heavy,golden ointment-box upon them, that they might dryand so she might keep them always as a remembranceof your kindness.”

Seeing Cambyses’ awful features grow a littlemilder at these words, the girl took fresh courage,and at last began to put loving words into her mistress’smouth which the latter had never uttered; professingthat she herself had heard Nitetis a hundred timesmurmur the word “Cambyses” in her sleepwith indescribable tenderness. She ended her confessionby sobbing and praying for mercy.

The king looked down at her with infinite contempt,though without anger, and pushing her away with hisfoot said: “Out of my sight, you dog ofa woman! Blood like yours would soil the executioner’saxe. Out of my sight!”

Mandane needed no second command to depart. Thewords “out of my sight” sounded like sweetmusic in her ears. She rushed through the courtsof the palace, and out into the streets, crying likea mad woman “I am free! I am free!”

She, had scarcely left the hall, when Datis, the “king’seye” reappeared with the news that the chiefof the eunuchs was nowhere to be found. He hadvanished from the hanging-gardens in an unaccountablemanner; but he, Datis, had left word with his subordinatesthat he was to be searched for and brought, dead oralive.

The king went off into another violent fit of passionat this news, and threatened the officer of police,who prudently concealed the excitement of the crowdfrom his lord, with a severe punishment, if Boges werenot in their hands by the next morning.

As he finished speaking, a eunuch was brought intothe hall, sent by the king’s mother to ask aninterview for herself with her son.

Cambyses prepared at once to comply with his mother’swish, at the same time giving Phanes his hand to kiss,a rare honor, only shown to those that ate at theking’s table, and saying: “All theprisoners are to be set at liberty. Go to yoursons, you anxious, troubled fathers, and assure themof my mercy and favor. I think we shall be ableto find a satrapy a-piece for them, as compensationfor to-night’s undeserved imprisonment.To you, my Greek friend, I am deeply indebted.In discharge of this debt, and as a means of retainingyou at my court, I beg you to accept one hundred talentsfrom my treasury.”

“I shall scarcely be able to use so large asum,” said Phanes, bowing low.

“Then abuse it,” said the king with afriendly smile, and calling out to him, “Weshall meet again at supper,” he left the hallaccompanied by his court.

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In the meantime there had been sadness and mourningin the apartments of the queen-mother. Judgingfrom the contents of the letter to Bartja, Kassandanehad made up her mind that Nitetis was faithless, andher own beloved son innocent. But in whom couldshe ever place confidence again, now that this girl,whom she had looked upon as the very embodiment ofevery womanly virtue, had proved reprobate and faithless—­nowthat the noblest youths in the realm had proved perjurers?

Nitetis was more than dead for her; Bartja, Croesus,Darius, Gyges, Araspes, all so closely allied to herby relationship and friendship, as good as dead.And yet she durst not indulge her sorrow; she had torestrain the despairing outbursts of grief of her impetuouschild.

Atossa behaved like one deprived of her senses whenshe heard of the sentences of death. The self-controlwhich she had learnt from Nitetis gave way, and herold impetuosity burst forth again with double vehemence.

Nitetis, her only friend,—­Bartja, the brotherwhom she loved with her whole heart,—­Darius,whom she felt now she not only looked up to as herdeliverer, but loved with all the warmth of a firstaffection—­Croesus to whom she clung likea father,—­she was to lose every one sheloved in one day.

She tore her dress and her hair, called Cambyses amonster, and every one who could possibly believein the guilt of such people, infatuated or insane.Then her tears would burst out afresh, she would utterimploring supplications to the gods for mercy, anda few minutes later, begin conjuring her mother totake her to the hanging-gardens, that they might hearNitetis’ defence of her own conduct.

Kassandane tried to soothe the violent girl, and assuredher every attempt to visit the hanging-gardens wouldbe in vain. Then Atossa began to rage again,until at last her mother was forced to command silence,and as morning had already began to dawn, sent herto her sleeping-room.

The girl obeyed, but instead of going to bed, seatedherself at a tall window looking towards the hanging-gardens.Her eyes filled with tears again, as she thought ofher friend—­her sister-sitting in that palacealone, forsaken, banished, and looking forward to anignominious death. Suddenly her tearful, wearyeyes lighted up as if from some strong purpose, andinstead of gazing into the distance, she fixed themon a black speck which flew towards her in a straightline from Nitetis’ house, becoming larger andmore distinct every moment; and finally settling ona cypress before her window. The sorrow vanishedat once from her lovely face and with a deep sighof relief she sprang up, exclaiming:

“Oh, there is the Homai, the bird of good fortune!Now everything will turn out well.”

It was the same bird of paradise which had broughtso much comfort to Nitetis that now gave poor Atossafresh confidence.

She bent forward to see whether any one was in thegarden; and finding that she would be seen by no onebut the old gardener, she jumped out, trembling likea fawn, plucked a few roses and cypress twigs and tookthem to the old man, who had been watching her performanceswith a doubtful shake of the head.

She stroked his cheeks coaxingly, put her flowersin his brown hand, and said: “Do you loveme, Sabaces?”

“O, my mistress!” was the only answerthe old man could utter, as he pressed the hem ofher robe to his lips.

“I believe you, my old friend, and I will showyou how I trust my faithful, old Sabaces. Hidethese flowers carefully and go quickly to the king’spalace. Say that you had to bring fruit for thetable. My poor brother Bartja, and Darius, theson of the noble Hystaspes, are in prison, near theguard-house of the Immortals. You must managethat these flowers reach them, with a warm greetingfrom me, but mind, the message must be given withthe flowers.”

“But the guards will not allow me to see theprisoners.”

“Take these rings, and slip them into theirhands.”

“I will do my best.”

“I knew you loved me, my good Sabaces.Now make haste, and come back soon.”

The old man went off as fast as he could. Atossalooked thoughtfully after him, murmuring to herself:“Now they will both know, that I loved themto the last. The rose means, ‘I love you,’and the evergreen cypress, ‘true and steadfast.’”The old man came back in an hour; bringing her Bartja’sfavorite ring, and from Darius an Indian handkerchiefdipped in blood.

Atossa ran to meet him; her eyes filled with tearsas she took the tokens, and seating herself undera spreading plane-tree, she pressed them by turnsto her lips, murmuring: “Bartja’sring means that he thinks of me; the blood-stainedhandkerchief that Darius is ready to shed his heart’sblood for me.”

Atossa smiled as she said this, and her tears, whenshe thought of her friends and their sad fate, werequieter, if not less bitter, than before.

A few hours later a messenger arrived from Croesuswith news that the innocence of Bartja and his friendshad been proved, and that Nitetis was, to all intentsand purposes, cleared also.

Kassandane sent at once to the hanging-gardens, witha request that Nitetis would come to her apartments.Atossa, as unbridled in her joy as in her grief, ranto meet her friend’s litter and flew from oneof her attendants to the other crying: “Theyare all innocent; we shall not lose one of them—­notone!”

When at last the litter appeared and her loved one,pale as death, within it, she burst into loud sobs,threw her arms round Nitetis as she descended, andcovered her with kisses and caresses till she perceivedthat her friend’s strength was failing, thather knees gave way, and she required a stronger supportthan Atossa’s girlish strength could give.

The Egyptian girl was carried insensible into thequeen-mother’s apartments. When she openedher eyes, her head-more like a marble piece of sculpturethan a living head—­was resting on the blindqueen’s lap, she felt Atossa’s warm kisseson her forehead, and Cambyses, who had obeyed hismother’s call, was standing at her side.

She gazed on this circle, including all she lovedbest, with anxious, perplexed looks, and at last,recognizing them one by one, passed her hand acrossher pale fore head as if to remove a veil, smiled ateach, and closed her eyes once more. She fanciedIsis had sent her a beautiful vision, and wished tohold it fast with all the powers of her mind.

Then Atossa called her by her name, impetuously andlovingly. She opened her eyes again, and againshe saw those loving looks that she fancied had onlybeen sent her in a dream. Yes, that was her ownAtossa—­this her motherly friend, and therestood, not the angry king, but the man she loved.And now his lips opened too, his stern, severe eyesrested on her so beseechingly, and he said: “ONitetis, awake! you must not—­you cannotpossibly be guilty!” She moved her head gentlywith a look of cheerful denial and a happy smile stoleacross her features, like a breeze of early springover fresh young roses.

“She is innocent! by Mithras, it is impossiblethat she can be guilty,” cried the king again,and forgetful of the presence of others, he sank onhis knees.

A Persian physician came up and rubbed her foreheadwith a sweet-scented oil, and Nebenchari approached,muttering spells, felt her pulse, shook his head,and administered a potion from his portable medicine-chest.This restored her to perfect consciousness; she raisedherself with difficulty into a sitting posture, returnedthe loving caresses of her two friends, and then turningto Cambyses, asked: “How could you believesuch a thing of me, my King?” There was no reproachin her tone, but deep sadness, and Cambyses answeredsoftly, “Forgive me.”

Kassandane’s blind eyes expressed her gratitudefor this self-renunciation on the part of her son,and she said: “My daughter, I need yourforgiveness too.”

“But I never once doubted you,” criedAtossa, proudly and joyfully kissing her friend’slips.

“Your letter to Bartja shook my faith in yourinnocence,” added Kassandane.

“And yet it was all so simple and natural,”answered Nitetis. “Here, my mother, takethis letter from Egypt. Croesus will translateit for you. It will explain all. PerhapsI was imprudent. Ask your mother to tell youwhat you would wish to know, my King. Pray donot scorn my poor, ill sister. When an Egyptiangirl once loves, she cannot forget. But I feelso frightened. The end must be near. Thelast hours have been so very, very terrible.That horrible man, Boges, read me the fearful sentenceof death, and it was that which forced the poisoninto my hand. Ah, my heart!”

And with these words she fell back into the arms ofKassandane.

Nebenchari rushed forward, and gave her some moredrops, exclaiming: “I thought so!She has taken poison and her life cannot be saved,though this antidote may possibly prolong it for afew days.” Cambyses stood by, pale andrigid, following the physician’s slightest movements,and Atossa bathed her friend’s forehead withher tears.

“Let some milk be brought,” cried Nebenchari,“and my large medicine-chest; and let attendantsbe called to carry her away, for quiet is necessary,above all things.”

Atossa hastened into the adjoining room; and Cambysessaid to the physician, but without looking into hisface: “Is there no hope?”

“The poison which she has taken results in certaindeath.”

On hearing this the king pushed Nebenchari away fromthe sick girl, exclaiming: “She shall live.It is my will. Here, eunuch! summon all the physiciansin Babylon—­assemble the priests and Alobeds!She is not to die; do you hear? she must live, I amthe king, and I command it.”

Nitetis opened her eyes as if endeavoring to obeyher lord. Her face was turned towards the window,and the bird of paradise with the gold chain on itsfoot, was still there, perched on the cypress-tree.Her eyes fell first on her lover, who had sunk downat her side and was pressing his burning lips to herright hand. She murmured with a smile: “O,this great happiness!” Then she saw the bird,and pointed to it with tier left hand, crying:“Look, look, there is the Phoenix, the bird ofRa!”

After saying this she closed her eyes and was soonseized by a violent attack of fever.

CHAPTER VII.

Prexaspes, the king’s messenger, and one ofthe highest officials at court, had brought Gaumata,Mandane’s lover, whose likeness to Bartja wasreally most wonderful, to Babylon, sick and woundedas he was. He was now awaiting his sentence ina dungeon, while Boges, the man who had led him intocrime, was nowhere to be found, notwithstanding allthe efforts of the police. His escape had beenrendered possible by the trap-door in the hanging-gardens,and greatly assisted by the enormous crowds assembledin the streets.

Immense treasures were found in his house. Chestsof gold and jewels, which his position had enabledhim to obtain with great ease, were restored to theroyal treasury. Cambyses, however, would gladlyhave given ten times as much treasure to secure possessionof the traitor.

To Phaedime’s despair the king ordered all theinhabitants of the harem, except his mother, Atossaand the dying Nitetis, to be removed to Susa, twodays after the accused had been declared innocent.Several eunuchs of rank were deposed from their offices.The entire caste was to suffer for the sins of himwho had escaped punishment.

Oropastes, who had already entered on his duties asregent of the kingdom, and had clearly proved hisnon-participation in the crime of which his brotherhad been proved guilty, bestowed the vacant placesexclusively on the Magi. The demonstration madeby the people in favor of Bartja did not come to theking’s ears until the crowd had long dispersed.Still, occupied as he was, almost entirely, by hisanxiety for Nitetis, he caused exact information ofthis illegal manifestation to be furnished him, andordered the ringleaders to be severely punished.He fancied it was a proof that Bartja had been tryingto gain favor with the people, and Cambyses wouldperhaps have shown his displeasure by some open act,if a better impulse had not told him that he, not Bartja,was the brother who stood in need of forgiveness.In spite of this, however, he could not get rid ofthe feeling that Bartja, had been, though innocent,the cause of the sad events which had just happened,nor of his wish to get him out of the way as far asmight be; and he therefore gave a ready consent tohis brother’s wish to start at once for Naukratis.

Bartja took a tender farewell of his mother and sister,and started two days after his liberation. Hewas accompanied by Gyges, Zopyrus, and a numerousretinue charged with splendid presents from Cambysesfor Sappho. Darius remained behind, kept backby his love for Atossa. The day too was not fardistant, when, by his father’s wish, he was tomarry Artystone, the daughter of Gobryas.

Bartja parted from his friend with a heavy heart,advising him to be very prudent with regard to Atossa.The secret had been confided to Kassandane, and shehad promised to take Darius’ part with the king.

If any one might venture to raise his eyes to thedaughter of Cyrus, assuredly it was the son of Hystaspes;he was closely connected by marriage with the royalfamily, belonged like Cambyses to the Pasargadae,and his family was a younger branch of the reigningdynasty. His father called himself the highestnoble in the realm, and as such, governed the provinceof Persia proper, the mother-country, to which thisenormous world-empire and its ruler owed their origin.Should the family of Cyrus become extinct, the descendantsof Hystaspes would have a well-grounded right to thePersian throne. Darius therefore, apart from hispersonal advantages, was a fitting claimant for Atossa’shand. And yet no one dared to ask the king’sconsent. In the gloomy state of mind into whichhe had been brought by the late events, it was likelythat he might refuse it, and such an answer wouldhave to be regarded as irrevocable. So Bartjawas obliged to leave Persia in anxiety about the futureof these two who were very dear to him.

Croesus promised to act as mediator in this case also,and before Bartja left, made him acquainted with Phanes.

The youth had heard such a pleasant account of theAthenian from Sappho, that he met him with great cordiality,and soon won the fancy of the older and more experiencedman, who gave him many a useful hint, and a letterto Theopompus, the Milesian, at Naukratis. Phanesconcluded by asking for a private interview.

Bartja returned to his friends looking grave and thoughtful;soon, however, he forgot his cause of anxiety andjoked merrily with them over a farewell cup.Before he mounted his horse the next morning, Nebenchariasked to be allowed an audience. He was admitted,and begged Bartja to take the charge of a large writtenroll for king Amasis. It contained a detailedaccount of Nitetis’ sufferings, ending with thesewords: “Thus the unhappy victim of yourambitious plans will end her life in a few hours bypoison, to the use of which she was driven by despair.The arbitrary caprices of the mighty can efface allhappiness from the life of a human creature, justas we wipe a picture from the tablet with a sponge.Your servant Nebenchari is pining in a foreign land,deprived of home and property, and the wretched daughterof a king of Egypt dies a miserable and lingeringdeath by her own hand. Her body will be torn topieces by dogs and vultures, after the manner of thePersians. Woe unto them who rob the innocentof happiness here and of rest beyond the grave!”

Bartja had not been told the contents of this letter,but promised to take it with him; he then, amid thejoyful shouts of the people, set up outside the city-gatethe stones which, according to a Persian superstition,were to secure him a prosperous journey, and left Babylon.

Nebenchari, meanwhile, prepared to return to his postby Nitetis’ dying-bed.

Just as he reached the brazen gates between the harem-gardensand the courts of the large palace, an old man inwhite robes came up to him. The sight seemedto fill Nebenchari with terror; he started as if thegaunt old man had been a ghost. Seeing, however,a friendly and familiar smile on the face of the other,he quickened his steps, and, holding out his handwith a heartiness for which none of his Persian acquaintanceswould have given him credit, exclaimed in Egyptian:“Can I believe my eyes? You in Persia,old Hib? I should as soon have expected the skyto fall as to have the pleasure of seeing you on theEuphrates. But now, in the name of Osiris, tellme what can have induced you, you old ibis, to leaveyour warm nest on the Nile and set out on such a longjourney eastward.”

While Nebenchari was speaking, the old man listenedin a bowing posture, with his arms hanging down byhis side, and when he had finished, looked up intohis face with indescribable joy, touched his breastwith trembling fingers, and then, falling on the rightknee, laying one hand on his heart and raising theother to heaven, cried: “Thanks be untothee, great Isis, for protecting the wanderer and permittinghim to see his master once more in health and safety.Ah, child, how anxious I have been! I expectedto find you as wasted and thin as a convict from thequarries; I thought you would have been grieving andunhappy, and here you are as well, and handsome andportly as ever. If poor old Hib had been in yourplace he would have been dead long ago.”

“Yes, I don’t doubt that, old fellow.I did not leave home of my own will either, nor withoutmany a heartache. These foreigners are all thechildren of Seth. The good and gracious gods areonly to be found in Egypt on the shores of the sacred,blessed Nile.”

“I don’t know much about its being soblessed,” muttered the old man.

“You frighten me, father Hib. What hashappened then?”

“Happened! Things have come to a prettypass there, and you’ll hear of it soon enough.Do you think I should have left house and grandchildrenat my age,—­going on for eighty,—­likeany Greek or Phoenician vagabond, and come out amongthese godless foreigners (the gods blast and destroythem!), if I could possibly have staid on in Egypt?”

“But tell me what it’s all about.”

“Some other time, some other time. Nowyou must take me to your own house, and I won’tstir out of it as long as we are in this land of Typhon.”

The old man said this with so much emphasis, thatNebenchiari could not help smiling and saying:“Have they treated you so very badly then, oldman?”

“Pestilence and Khamsin!” blustered theold man.

[The south-west wind, which doesso much injury to the crops in the
Nile valley. It is known tous as the Simoom, the wind so perilous
to travellers in the desert.]

“There’s not a more good-for-nothing Typhon’sbrood on the face of the earth than these Persians.I only wonder they’re not all red-haired andleprous. Ah, child, two whole days I have beenin this hell already, and all that time I was obligedto live among these blasphemers. They said noone could see you; you were never allowed to leaveNitetis’ sick-bed. Poor child! I alwayssaid this marriage with a foreigner would come to nogood, and it serves Amasis right if his children givehim trouble. His conduct to you alone deservesthat.”

“For shame, old man!”

“Nonsense, one must speak one’s mind sometimes.I hate a king, who comes from nobody knows where.Why, when he was a poor boy he used to steal yourfather’s nuts, and wrench the name-plates offthe house-doors. I saw he was a good-for-nothingfellow then. It’s a shame that such peopleshould be allowed to. . . .”

“Gently, gently, old man. We are not allmade of the same stuff, and if there was such a littledifference between you and Amasis as boys, it, isyour own fault that, now you are old men, he has outstrippedyou so far.

“My father and grandfather were both servantsin the temple, and of course I followed in their footsteps.”

“Quite right; it is the law of caste, and bythat rule, Amasis ought never to have become anythinghigher than a poor army-captain at most.”

“It is not every one who’s got such aneasy conscience as this upstart fellow.”

“There you are again! For shame, Hib!As long as I can remember, and that is nearly halfa century, every other word with you has been an abusiveone. When I was a child your ill-temper was ventedon me, and now the king has the benefit of it.”

“Serves him right! All, if you only knewall! It’s now seven months since . . .”

“I can’t stop to listen to you now.At the rising of the seven stars I will send a slaveto take you to my rooms. Till then you must stayin your present lodging, for I must go to my patient.”

“You must?—­Very well,—­thengo and leave poor old Hib here to die. I can’tpossibly live another hour among these creatures.”

“What would you have me do then?”

“Let me live with you as long as we are in Persia.”

“Have they treated you so very roughly?”

“I should think they had indeed. It isloathsome to think of. They forced me to eatout of the same pot with them and cut my bread withthe same knife. An infamous Persian, who hadlived many years in Egypt, and travelled here withus, had given them a list of all the things and actions,which we consider unclean. They took away my knifewhen I was going to shave myself. A good-for-nothingwench kissed me on the forehead, before I could preventit. There, you needn’t laugh; it will bea month at least before I can get purified from allthese pollutions. I took an emetic, and whenthat at last began to take effect, they all mockedand sneered at me. But that was not all.A cursed cook-boy nearly beat a sacred kitten to deathbefore my very eyes. Then an ointment-mixer,who had heard that I was your servant, made that godlessBubares ask me whether I could cure diseases of theeye too. I said yes, because you know in sixtyyears it’s rather hard if one can’t pickup something from one’s master. Bubareswas interpreter between us, and the shameful fellowtold him to say that he was very much disturbed abouta dreadful disease in his eyes. I asked whatit was, and received for answer that he could nottell one thing from another in the dark!”

“You should have told him that the best remedyfor that was to light a candle.”

“Oh, I hate the rascals! Another hour amongthem will be the death of me!”

“I am sure you behaved oddly enough among theseforeigners,” said Nebenchiari smiling, “youmust have made them laugh at you, for the Persiansare generally very polite, well-behaved people.Try them again, only once. I shall be very gladto take you in this evening, but I can’t possiblydo it before.”

“It is as I thought! He’s alteredtoo, like everybody else! Osiris is dead andSeth rules the world again.”

“Farewell! When the seven stars rise, ourold Ethiopian slave, Nebununf, will wait for you here.”

“Nebununf, that old rogue? I never wantto see him again.”

“Yes, the very same.”

“Him—­well it’s a good thing,when people stay as they were. To be sure I knowsome people who can’t say so much of themselves,and who instead of minding their own business, pretendto heal inward diseases, and when a faithful old servant. . .”

“Hold your tongue, and wait patiently till evening.”These last words were spoken seriously, and producedthe desired impression. The old man made anotherobeisance, and before his master left him, said:“I came here under the protection of Phanes,the former commander of the Greek mercenaries.He wishes very much to speak with you.”

“That is his concern. He can come to me.”

“You never leave that sick girl, whose eyesare as sound as . . .”

“Hib!”

“For all I care she may have a cataract in both.May Phanes come to you this evening?”

“I wished to be alone with you.”

“So did I; but the Greek seems to be in a greathurry, and he knows nearly everything that I haveto tell you.”

“Have you been gossiping then?”

“No—­not exactly—­but .. .”

“I always thought you were a man to be trusted.”

“So I was. But this Greek knows alreadya great deal of what I know, and the rest . . .”

“Well?”

“The rest he got out of me, I hardly know howmyself. If I did not wear this amulet againstan evil eye, I should have been obliged . . .”

“Yes, yes, I know the Athenian—­Ican forgive you. I should like him to come withyou this evening. But I see the sun is alreadyhigh in the heavens. I have no time to lose.Tell me in a few words what has happened.”

“I thought this evening . . .”

“No, I must have at least a general idea ofwhat has happened before I see the Athenian.Be brief.”

“You have been robbed!”

“Is that all?”

“Is not that enough?”

“Answer me. Is that all?”

“Yes!”

“Then farewell.”

“But Nebenchari!”

The physician did not even hear this exclamation;the gates of the harem had already closed behind him.

When the Pleiades had risen, Nebenchari was to befound seated alone in one of the magnificent roomsassigned to his use on the eastern side of the palace,near to Kassandane’s apartments. The friendlymanner in which he had welcomed his old servant hadgiven place to the serious expression which his faceusually wore, and which had led the cheerful Persiansto call him a morose and gloomy man.

Nebenchari was an Egyptian priest through and through;a member of that caste which never indulged in a jest,and never for a moment forgot to be dignified andsolemn before the public; but when among their relationsand their colleagues completely threw off this self-imposedrestraint, and gave way at times even to exuberantmirth.

Though he had known Phanes in Sais, he received himwith cold politeness, and, after the first greetingwas ended, told Hib to leave them alone.

“I have come to you,” said the Athenian,“to speak about some very important affairs.”

“With which I am already acquainted,”was the Egyptian’s curt reply.

“I am inclined to doubt that,” said Phaneswith an incredulous smile.

“You have been driven out of Egypt, persecutedand insulted by Psamtik, and you have come to Persiato enlist Cambyses as an instrument of revenge againstmy country.”

“You are mistaken. I have nothing againstyour country, but all the more against Amasis andhis house. In Egypt the state and the king areone, as you very well know.”

“On the contrary, my own observations have ledme to think that the priests considered themselvesone with the state.”

“In that case you are better informed than I,who have always looked on the kings of Egypt as absolute.So they are; but only in proportion as they know howto emancipate themselves from the influence of yourcaste.—­Amasis himself submits to the priestsnow.”

“Strange intelligence!”

“With which, however, you have already longbeen made acquainted.”

“Is that your opinion?”

“Certainly it is. And I know with stillgreater certainty that once—­you hear me—­once,he succeeded in bending the will of these rulers ofhis to his own.”

“I very seldom hear news from home, and do notunderstand what you are speaking of.”

“There I believe you, for if you knew what Imeant and could stand there quietly without clenchingyour fist, you would be no better than a dog who onlywhimpers when he’s kicked and licks the handthat torments him.”

The physician turned pale. “I know thatAmasis has injured and insulted me,” he said,“but at the same time I must tell you that revengeis far too sweet a morsel to be shared with a stranger.”

“Well said! As to my own revenge, however,I can only compare it to a vineyard where the grapesare so plentiful, that I am not able to gather themall myself.”

“And you have come hither to hire good laborers.”

“Quite right, and I do not even yet give upthe hope of securing you to take a share in my vintage.”

“You are mistaken. My work is already done.The gods themselves have taken it in hand. Amasishas been severely enough punished for banishing mefrom country, friends and pupils into this uncleanland.”

“You mean by his blindness perhaps?”

“Possibly.”

“Then you have not heard that Petammon, oneof your colleagues, has succeeded in cutting the skin,which covered the pupil of the eye and so restoringAmasis’ sight?”

The Egyptian started and ground his teeth; recoveredhis presence of mind, however, in a moment, and answered:“Then the gods have punished the father throughthe children.”

“In what way? Psamtik suits his father’spresent mood very well. It is true that Tachotis ill, but she prays and sacrifices with her fatherall the more for that; and as to Nitetis, you andI both know that her death will not touch him veryclosely.”

“I really do not understand you.”

“Of course not, so long as you fancy that Ibelieve your beautiful patient to be Amasis’daughter.”

The Egyptian started again, but Phanes went on withoutappearing to notice his emotion: “I knowmore than you suppose. Nitetis is the daughterof Hophra, Amasis’ dethroned predecessor.Amasis brought her up as his own child-first, in orderto make the Egyptians believe that Hophra had diedchildless; secondly, in order to deprive her of herrights to the throne; for you know women are allowedto govern on the Nile.”

“These are mere suppositions.”

“For which, however, I can bring irrefragableproofs. Among the papers which your old servantHib brought with him in a small box, there must besome letters from a certain Sonnophre, a celebratedaccoucheur, your own father, which . . .”

[To judge from the pictures on the monumentsand from the 1st Chap. of Exodus, it would seemthat in ancient, as in modern Egypt, midwives wereusually called in to assist at the birth of children;but it is also certain, that in difficult casesphysicians were employed also. In the hieraticmedical papyrus in Berlin, women are often spokenof as assisting at such times. In the medicalPapyrus Ebers certain portions are devoted to diseasespeculiar to women. “There were specialrooms set aside in private houses for the birth ofchildren, as symbolical ones were reserved in the temples.These chambers were called meschen, and from themwas derived the name given to midwives, to meschennu.]

“If that be the case, those letters are my property,and I have not the slightest intention of giving themup; besides which you might search Persia from oneend to the other without finding any one who coulddecipher my father’s writing.”

“Pardon me, if I point out one or two errorsinto which you have fallen. First, this box isat present in my hands, and though I am generallyaccustomed to respect the rights of property, I mustassure you that, in the present instance, I shallnot return the box until its contents have servedmy purpose. Secondly, the gods have so ordained,that just at this moment there is a man in Babylonwho can read every kind of writing known to the Egyptianpriests. Do you perhaps happen to know the nameof Onuphis?”

For the third time the Egyptian turned pale.“Are you certain,” he said, “thatthis man is still among the living?”

“I spoke to him myself yesterday. He wasformerly, you know, high-priest at Heliopolis, andwas initiated into all your mysteries there. Mywise countryman, Pythagoras of Samos, came to Egypt,and after submitting to some of your ceremonies, wasallowed to attend the lessons given in the schoolsfor priests. His remarkable talents won the loveof the great Onuphis and he taught him all the Egyptianmysteries, which Pythagoras afterwards turned to accountfor the benefit of mankind. My delightful friendRhodopis and I are proud of having been his pupils.When the rest of your caste heard that Onuphis hadbetrayed the sacred mysteries, the ecclesiasticaljudges determined on his death. This was to becaused by a poison extracted from peach-kernels.The condemned man, however, heard of their machinations,and fled to Naukratis, where he found a safe asylumin the house of Rhodopis, whom he had heard highlypraised by Pythagoras, and whose dwelling was renderedinviolable by the king’s letter. Here hemet Antimenidas the brother of the poet Alcarus ofLesbos, who, having been banished by Pittakus, thewise ruler of Mitylene, had gone to Babylon, and theretaken service in the army of Nebuchadnezzar, the Kingof Assyria. Antimenidas gave him letters to theChaldians. Onuphis travelled to the Euphrates,settled there, and was obliged to seek for some meansof earning his daily bread, as he had left Egypt apoor man. He is now supporting himself in hisold age, by the assistance which his superior knowledgeenables him to render the Chaldoeans in their astronomicalobservations from the tower of Bel. Onuphis isnearly eighty, but his mind is as clear as ever, andwhen I saw him yesterday and asked him to help me,his eyes brightened as he promised to do so.Your father was one of his judges, but he bears youno malice and sends you a greeting.”

Nebenchari’s eyes were fixed thoughtfully onthe ground during this tale. When Phanes hadfinished, he gave him a penetrating look and said:“Where are my papers?”

They are in Onuphis’ hands. He is lookingamong them for the document I want.”

“I expected to hear that. Be so good asto tell me what the box is like, which Hib thoughtproper to bring over to Persia?”

“It is a small ebony trunk, with an exquisitely-carvedlid. In the centre is a winged beetle, and onthe four corners . . .”

“That contains nothing but a few of my father’snotices and memorandums,” said Nebenchari, drawinga deep breath of relief.

“They will very likely be sufficient for mypurpose. I do not know whether you have heard,that I stand as high as possible in Cambyses’favor.”

“So much the better for you. I can assureyou, however, that the paper. which would have beenmost useful to you have all been left behind in Egypt.”

“They were in a large chest made of sycamore-woodand painted in colors.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because—­now listen well to whatI am going to say, Nebenchari—­because Ican tell you (I do not swear, for our great masterPythagoras forbade oaths), that this very chest, withall it contained, was burnt in the grove of the templeof Neith, in Sais, by order of the king.”

Phanes spoke slowly, emphasizing every syllable, andthe words seemed to strike the Egyptian like so manyflashes of lightning. His quiet coolness anddeliberation gave way to violent emotion; his cheeksglowed and his eyes flashed. But only for onesingle minute; then the strong emotion seemed to freeze,his burning cheeks grew pale. “You are tryingto make me hate my friends, in order to gain me asyour ally,” he said, coldly and calmly.“I know you Greeks very well. You are sointriguing and artful, that there is no lie, no fraud,too base, if it will only help to gain your purpose.”

“You judge me and my countrymen in true Egyptianfashion; that is, they are foreigners, and thereforemust be bad men. But this time your suspicionshappen to be misplaced. Send for old Hib; he willtell you whether I am right or not.”

Nebenchari’s face darkened, as Hib came intothe room.

“Come nearer,” said he in a commandingtone to the old man.

Hib obeyed with a shrug of the shoulders.

“Tell me, have you taken a bribe from this man?Yes or no? I must know the truth; it can influencemy future for good or evil. You are an old andfaithful servant, to whom I owe a great deal, and soI will forgive you if you were taken in by his artifices,but I must know the truth. I conjure you to tellme by the souls of your fathers gone to Osiris!”

The old man’s sallow face turned ashy pale ashe heard these words. He gulped and wheezed sometime before he could find an answer, and at last,after choking down the tears which had forced theirway to his eyes, said, in a half-angry, half-whiningtone: “Didn’t I say so? they’vebewitched him, they’ve ruined him in this wickedland. Whatever a man would do himself, he thinksothers are capable of. Aye, you may look as angryas you like; it matters but little to me. Whatcan it matter indeed to an old man, who has servedthe same family faithfully and honestly for sixtyyears, if they call him at last a rogue, a knave, atraitor, nay even a murderer, if it should take theirfancy.”

And the scalding tears flowed down over the old man’scheeks, sorely against his will.

The easily-moved Phanes clapped him on the shoulderand said, turning to Nebenchari: “Hib isa faithful fellow. I give you leave to call mea rascal, if he has taken one single obolus from me.”

The physician did not need Phanes’ assurance;he had known his old servant too well and too longnot to be able to read his simple, open features,on which his innocence was written as clearly as inthe pages of an open book. “I did not meanto reproach you, old Hib,” he said kindly, comingup to him. “How can any one be so angryat a simple question?”

“Perhaps you expect me to be pleased at sucha shameful suspicion?”

“No, not that; but at all events now you cantell me what has happened at our house since I left.”

“A pretty story that is! Why only to thinkof it makes my mouth as bitter, as if I were chewingwormwood.”

“You said I had been robbed.”

“Yes indeed: no one was ever so robbedbefore. There would have been some comfort ifthe knaves had belonged to the thieves’ caste,for then we should have got the best part of our propertyback again, and should not after all have been worseoff than many another; but when . . .”

[The cunning son of the architect, whorobbed the treasure-house of Rhampsinitus was,according to Herodotus, (ii. 120), severely punished;but in Diod. I. 80. we see that when thieves acknowledgedthemselves to the authorities to be such, they werenot punished, though a strict watch was set overthem. According to Diodorus, there was a presidentof the thieves’ caste, from whom the stolengoods could be reclaimed on relinquishment of afourth part of the same. This strange rulepossibly owed its rise to the law, which compelledevery Egyptian to appear once in each year before theauthorities of his district and give an accountof his means of subsistence. Those who madefalse statements were punished with death.Diod. I. 77. Thus no one who valued his lifecould escape the watchful eye of the police, andthe thief sacrificed the best part of his gainsin order to save his life.]

“Keep to the point, for my time is limited.”

“You need not tell me that; I see old Hib can’tdo anything right here in Persia. Well, be itso, you’re master; you must give orders; I amonly the servant, I must obey. I won’tforget it. Well, as I was saying, it was justat the time when the great Persian embassy came overto Sais to fetch Nitetis, and made everybody stareat them as if they were monsters or prodigies, thatthis shameful thing happened. I was sitting onthe mosquito-tower just as the sun was setting, playingwith my little grandson, my Baner’s eldest boy—­he’sa fine strapping little lad now, wonderfully sharpand strong for his age. The rogue was just tellingme how his father, the Egyptians do that when theirwives leave the children too much alone—­hadhidden his mother’s shoes, and I was laughingheartily, because my Baner won’t let any of thelittle ones live with me, she always says I spoilthem, and so I was glad she should have the trickplayed her—­when all of a sudden there wassuch a loud knocking at the house-door, that I thoughtthere must be a fire and let the child drop off mylap. Down the stairs I ran, three steps at a time,as fast as my long legs would carry me, and unbarredthe door. Before I had time to ask them whatthey wanted, a whole crowd of temple-servants andpolicemen—­there must have been at leastfifteen of them—­forced their way into the

house. Pichi,—­you know, that impudentfellow from the temple of Neith,—­pushedme back, barred the door inside and told the policeto put me in fetters if I refused to obey him.Of course I got angry and did not use very civil wordsto them—­you know that’s my way whenI’m put out—­and what does that bitof a fellow do—­by our god Thoth, the protectorof knowledge who must know all, I’m speakingthe truth—­but order them to bind my hands,forbid me—­me, old Hib—­to speak,and then tell me that he had been told by the high-priestto order me five-and-twenty strokes, if I refusedto do his bidding. He showed me the high-priest’sring, and so I knew there was nothing for it but toobey the villain, whether I would or no. Andwhat was his modest demand? Why, nothing lessthan to give him all the written papers you had leftbehind. But old Hib is not quite so stupid asto let himself be caught in that way, though somepeople, who ought to know better, do fancy he can bebribed and is no better than the son of an ass.What did I do then? I pretended to be quite crushedinto submission by the sight of the signet-ring, beggedPichi as politely as I could to unfasten my hands,and told him I would fetch the keys. They loosenedthe cords, I flew up the stairs five steps at a time,burst open the door of your sleeping-room, pushedmy little grandson, who was standing by it, into theroom and barred it within. Thanks to my long legs,the others were so far behind that I had time to gethold of the black box which you had told me to takeso much care of, put it into the child’s arms,lift him through the window on to the balcony whichruns round the house towards the inner court, andtell him to put it at once into the pigeon-house.Then I opened the door as if nothing had happened,told Pichi the child had had a knife in his mouth,and that that was the reason I had run upstairs insuch a hurry, and had put him out on the balcony topunish him. That brother of a hippopotamus waseasily taken in, and then he made me show him overthe house. First they found the great sycamore-chestwhich you had told me to take great care of too, thenthe papyrus-rolls on your writing-table, and so bydegrees every written paper in the house. Theymade no distinction, but put all together into thegreat chest and carried it downstairs; the littleblack box, however, lay safe enough in the pigeon-house.My grandchild is the sharpest boy in all Sais!

“When I saw them really carrying the chest downstairs,all the anger I’d been trying so hard to keepdown burst out again. I told the impudent fellowsI would accuse them before the magistrates, nay, evenbefore the king if necessary, and if those confoundedPersians, who were having the city shown them, hadnot come up just then and made everybody stare atthem, I could have roused the crowd to take my side.The same evening I went to my son-in-law-he is employedin the temple of Neith too, you know,—­and

begged him to make every effort to find out what hadbecome of the papers. The good fellow has neverforgotten the handsome dowry you gave my Baner whenhe married her, and in three days he came and toldme he had seen your beautiful chest and all the rollsit contained burnt to ashes. I was so angry thatI fell ill of the jaundice, but that did not hinderme from sending in a written accusation to the magistrates.The wretches,—­I suppose only because theywere priests too,—­refused to take any noticeof me or my complaint. Then I sent in a petitionto the king, and was turned away there too with theshameful threat, that I should be considered guiltyof high treason if I mentioned the papers again.I valued my tongue too much to take any further steps,but the ground burnt under my feet; I could not stayin Egypt, I wanted to see you, tell you what theyhad done to you, and call on you, who are more powerfulthan your poor servant, to revenge yourself.And besides, I wanted to see the black box safe inyour hands, lest they should take that from me too.And so, old man as I am, with a sad heart I left myhome and my grandchildren to go forth into this foreignTyphon’s land. Ah, the little lad was toosharp! As I was kissing him, he said: ’Staywith us, grandfather. If the foreigners makeyou unclean, they won’t let me kiss you any more.’Baner sends you a hearty greeting, and my son-in-lawtold me to say he had found out that Psamtik, thecrown-prince, and your rival, Petammon, had been thesole causes of this execrable deed. I could notmake up my mind to trust myself on that Typhon’ssea, so I travelled with an Arabian trading caravanas far as Tadmor,—­[Palmyra]—­thePhoenician palm-tree station in the wilderness,”and then on to Carchemish, on the Euphrates, withmerchants from Sidon. The roads from Sardis andfrom Phoenicia meet there, and, as I was sitting veryweary in the little wood before the station, a travellerarrived with the royal post-horses, and I saw at oncethat it was the former commander of the Greek mercenaries.”

“And I,” interrupted Phanes, “recognizedjust as soon in you, the longest and most quarrelsomeold fellow that had ever come across my path.Oh, how often I’ve laughed to see you scoldingthe children, as they ran after you in the streetwhenever you appeared behind your master with themedicine-chest. The minute I saw you too I remembereda joke which the king once made in his own way, asyou were both passing by. ’The old man,’he said, reminds me of a fierce old owl followed bya flight of small teasing birds, and Nebenchari looksas if he had a scolding wife, who will some day orother reward him for healing other people’s eyesby scratching out his own!’”

“Shameful!” said the old man, and burstinto a flood of execrations.

Nebenchari had been listening to his servant’stale in silence and thought. He had changed colorfrom time to time and on hearing that the papers whichhad cost him so many nights of hard work had been burnt,his fists clenched and he shivered as if seized bybiting frost. Not one of his movements escapedthe Athenian. He understood human nature; he knewthat a jest is often much harder to bear than a graveaffront, and therefore seized this opportunity torepeat the inconsiderate joke which Amasis had, itis true, allowed himself to make in one of his merrymoods. Phanes had calculated rightly, and hadthe pleasure of seeing, that as he uttered the lastwords Nebenchari pressed his hand on a rose whichlay on the table before him, and crushed it to pieces.The Greek suppressed a smile of satisfaction, anddid not even raise his eyes from the ground, but continuedspeaking: “Well, now we must bring thetravelling adventures of good old Hib to a close.I invited him to share my carriage. At firsthe refused to sit on the same cushion with such agodless foreigner, as I am, gave in, however, at last,had a good opportunity at the last station of showingthe world how many clever processes of manipulationhe had learnt from you and your father, in his treatmentof Oropastes’ wounded brother; he reached Babylonat last safe and sound, and there, as we could notget sight of you, owing to the melancholy poisoningof your country-woman, I succeeded in obtaining hima lodging in the royal palace itself. The restyou knew already.”

Nebenchari bowed assent and gave Hib a sign to leavethe room, which the old man obeyed, grumbling andscolding in a low tone as he departed. When thedoor had closed on him, Nebenchari, the man whose callingwas to heal, drew nearer to the soldier Phanes, andsaid: “I am afraid we cannot be alliesafter all, Greek.”

“Why not?”

“Because I fear, that your revenge will provefar too mild when compared with that which I feelbound to inflict.”

“On that head there is no need for solicitude,”answered the Athenian. “May I call youmy ally then?”

“Yes,” answered the other; “butonly on one condition.”

“And that is—?”

“That you will procure me an opportunity ofseeing our vengeance with my own eyes.”

“That is as much as to say you are willing toaccompany Cambyses’ army to Egypt?”

“Certainly I am; and when I see my enemies piningin disgrace and misery I will cry unto them, ’Ahha, ye cowards, the poor despised and exiled physician,Nebenchari, has brought this wretchedness upon you!’Oh, my books, my books! They made up to me formy lost wife and child. Hundreds were to havelearnt from them how to deliver the blind from thedark night in which he lives, and to preserve to theseeing the sweetest gift of the gods, the greatestbeauty of the human countenance, the receptacle oflight, the seeing eye. Now that my books are burnt

I have lived in vain; the wretches have burnt me inburning my works. O my books, my books!”And he sobbed aloud in his agony. Phanes cameup and took his band, saying: “The Egyptianshave struck you, my friend, but me they have maltreatedand abused—­thieves have broken into yourgranaries, but my hearth and home have been burntto ashes by incendiaries. Do you know, man, whatI have had to suffer at their hands? In persecutingme, and driving me out of Egypt, they only did whatthey had a right to do; by their law I was a condemnedman; and I could have forgiven all they did to mepersonally, for I loved Amasis, as a man loves hisfriend. The wretch knew that, and yet he sufferedthem to commit a monstrous, an incredible act—­anact that a man’s brain refuses to take in.They stole like wolves by night into a helpless woman’shouse—­they seized my children, a girl andboy, the pride, the joy and comfort of my homeless,wandering life. And how think you, did they treatthem? The girl they kept in confinement, on thepretext that by so doing they should prevent me frombetraying Egypt to Cambyses. But the boy—­mybeautiful, gentle boy—­my only son—­hasbeen murdered by Psamtik’s orders, and possiblywith the knowledge of Amasis. My heart was witheredand shrunk with exile and sorrow, but I feel thatit expands—­it beats more joyfully now thatthere is a hope of vengeance.”

Nebenchari’s sullen but burning glance met theflashing eye of the Athenian as he finished his tale;he gave him his hand and said: “We areallies.”

The Greek clasped the offered hand and answered:“Our first point now is to make sure of theking’s favor.”

“I will restore Kassandane’s sight.”

“Is that in your power?”

“The operation which removed Amasis’ blindnesswas my own discovery. Petammon stole it frommy burnt papers.”

“Why did you not exert your skill earlier?”

“Because I am not accustomed to bestow presentson my enemies.”

Phanes shuddered slightly at these words, recoveredhimself, however, in a moment, and said: “AndI am certain of the king’s favor too. TheMassagetan envoys have gone home to-day; peace hasbeen granted them and. . . .”

While he was speaking the door was burst open andone of Kassandane’s eunuchs rushed into theroom crying: “The Princess Nitetis is dying!Follow me at once, there is not a moment to lose.”

The physician made a parting sign to his confederate,and followed the eunuch to the dying-bed of the royalbride.

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Whatever a man woulddo himself, he thinks others are capable of
When love has once takenfirm hold of a man in riper years

AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.

By Georg Ebers

Volume 8.

CHAPTER VIII.

The sun was already trying to break a path for hisrays through the thick curtains, that closed the windowof the sick-room, but Nebenchari had not moved fromthe Egyptian girl’s bedside. Sometimes hefelt her pulse, or spread sweet-scented ointmentson her forehead or chest, and then he would sit gazingdreamily into vacancy. Nitetis seemed to havesunk into a deep sleep after an attack of convulsions.At the foot of her bed stood six Persian doctors,murmuring incantations under the orders of Nebenchari,whose superior science they acknowledged, and who wasseated at the bed’s head.

Every time he felt the sick girl’s pulse heshrugged his shoulders, and the gesture was immediatelyimitated by his Persian colleagues. From timeto time the curtain was lifted and a lovely head appeared,whose questioning blue eyes fixed at once on the physician,but were always dismissed with the same melancholyshrug. It was Atossa. Twice she had venturedinto the room, stepping so lightly as hardly to touchthe thick carpet of Milesian wool, had stolen to herfriend’s bedside and lightly kissed her forehead,on which the pearly dew of death was standing, buteach time a severe and reproving glance from Nebencharihad sent her back again into the next room, whereher mother Kassandane was lying, awaiting the end.

Cambyses had left the sick-room at sunrise, on seeingthat Nitetis had fallen asleep; he flung himself onto his horse, and accompanied by Phanes, Prexaspes,Otanes, Darius, and a number of courtiers, only justaroused from their sleep, took a wild ride throughthe game-park. He knew by experience, that hecould best overcome or forget any violent mental emotionwhen mounted on an unmanageable horse.

Nebenchari started on hearing the sound of horses’hoofs in the distance. In a waking dream he hadseen Cambyses enter his native land at the head ofimmense hosts; he had seen its cities and temples onfire, and its gigantic pyramids crumbling to piecesunder the powerful blows of his mighty hand.Women and children lay in the smouldering ruins, andplaintive cries arose from the tombs in which the verymummies moved like living beings; and all these-priests,warriors, women, and children—­the livingand the dead—­all had uttered his,—­Nebenchari’s,—­name,and had cursed him as a traitor to his country.A cold shiver struck to his heart; it beat more convulsivelythan the blood in the veins of the dying girl at hisside. Again the curtain was raised; Atossa stolein once more and laid her hand on his shoulder.He started and awoke. Nebenchari had been sittingthree days and nights with scarcely any intermissionby this sick-bed, and such dreams were the naturalconsequence.

Atossa slipped back to her mother. Not a soundbroke the sultry air of the sick-room, and Nebenchiari’sthoughts reverted to his dream. He told himselfthat he was on the point of becoming a traitor anda criminal, the visions he had just beheld passedbefore him again, but this time it was another, anda different one which gained the foremost place.The forms of Amasis, who had laughed at and exiledhim,—­of Psamtik and the priests,—­whohad burnt his works,—­stood near him; theywere heavily fettered and besought mercy at his hands.His lips moved, but this was not the place in whichto utter the cruel words which rose to them. Andthen the stern man wiped away a tear as he rememberedthe long nights, in which he had sat with the reedin his hand, by the dull light of the lamp, carefullypainting every sign of the fine hieratic characterin which he committed his ideas and experience towriting. He had discovered remedies for manydiseases of the eye, spoken of in the sacred booksof Thoth and the writings of a famous old physicianof Byblos as incurable, but, knowing that he shouldbe accused of sacrilege by his colleagues, if he venturedon a correction or improvement of the sacred writings,he had entitled his work, “Additional writingson the treatment of diseases of the eye, by the greatgod Thoth, newly discovered by the oculist Nebenchari.”

He had resolved on bequeathing his works to the libraryat Thebes, that his experience might be useful tohis successors and bring forth fruit for the wholebody of sufferers. This was to be his reward forthe long nights which he had sacrificed to science—­recognitionafter death, and fame for the caste to which he belonged.And there stood his old rival Petammon, by the sideof the crown-prince in the grove of Neith, and stirredthe consuming fire, after having stolen his discoveryof the operation of couching. Their maliciousfaces were tinged by the red glow of the flames, whichrose with their spiteful laughter towards heaven, asif demanding vengeance. A little further off hesaw in his dream Amasis receiving his father’sletters from the hands of the high-priest. Scornfuland mocking words were being uttered by the king; Neithoteplooked exultant.—­In these visions Nebenchariwas so lost, that one of the Persian doctors was obligedto point out to him that his patient was awake.He nodded in reply, pointing to his own weary eyeswith a smile, felt the sick girl’s pulse, andasked her in Egyptian how she had slept.

“I do not know,” she answered, in a voicethat was hardly audible. “It seemed tome that I was asleep, and yet I saw and heard everythingthat had happened in the room. I felt so weakthat I hardly knew whether I was awake or asleep.Has not Atossa been here several times?”

“Yes.”

“And Cambyses stayed with Kassandane until sunrise;then he went out, mounted his horse Reksch, and rodeinto the game-park.”

“How do you know that?”

“I saw it.”

Nebenchari looked anxiously into the girl’sshining eyes. She went on: “A greatmany dogs have been brought into the court behind thishouse.”

“Probably the king has ordered a hunt, in orderto deaden the pain which he feels at seeing you suffer.”

“Oh, no. I know better what it means.Oropastes taught me, that whenever a Persian diesdogs’ are brought in, that the Divs may enterinto them.”

“But you are living, my mistress, and . . .”

“Oh, I know very well that I shall die.I knew that I had not many hours more to live, evenif I had not seen how you and the other physiciansshrugged your shoulders whenever you looked at me.That poison is deadly.”

“You are speaking too much, my mistress, itwill hurt you.”

“Oh let me speak, Nebenchari! I must askyou to do something for me before I die.”

“I am your servant.”

“No, Nebenchari, you must be my friend and priest.You are not angry with me for having prayed to thePersian gods? Our own Hathor was always my bestfriend still. Yes, I see by your face that youforgiven me. Then you must promise not to allowmy corpse to be torn in pieces by dogs and vultures.The thought is so very dreadful. You will promiseto embalm my body and ornament it with amulets?”

“If the king allows.”

“Of course he will. How could Cambysespossibly refuse my last request?”

“Then my skill is at your service.”

“Thank you; but I have still something elseto ask.”

“You must be brief. My Persian colleaguesare already making signs to me, to enjoin silenceon you.”

“Can’t you send them away for a moment?”

“I will try to do so.”

Nebenchari then went up and spoke to the Magi fora few minutes, and they left the room. An importantincantation, at which no one but the two concernedmight be present, and the application of a new andsecret antidotal poison were the pretexts which hehad used in order to get rid of them.

When they were alone, Nitetis drew a breath of reliefand said: “Give me your priestly blessingon my long journey into the nether world, and prepareme for my pilgrimage to Osiris.”

Nebenchari knelt down by her bed and in a low voicerepeated hymns,
Nitetis making devotional responses.

The physician represented Osiris, the lord of thenether world—­Nitetis the soul, justifyingitself before him.

When these ceremonies were ended the sick girl breathedmore freely. Nebenchari could not but feel movedin looking at this young suicide. He felt confidentthat he had saved a soul for the gods of his nativeland, had cheered the last sad and painful hours ofone of God’s good creatures. During theselast moments, compassion and benevolence had excludedevery bitter feeling; but when he remembered that thislovely creature owed all her misery to Amasis too,the old black cloud of thought darkened his mind again.—­Nitetis,after lying silent for some time, turned to her newfriend with a pleasant smile, and said: “Ishall find mercy with the judges of the dead now,shall not I?”

“I hope and believe so.”

“Perhaps I may find Tachot before the throneof Osiris, and my father. . . .”

“Your father and mother are waiting for youthere. Now in your last hour bless those whobegot you, and curse those who have robbed you of yourparents, your crown and your life.”

“I do not understand you.”

“Curse those who robbed you of your parents,crown and life, girl!” cried the physician again,rising to his full height, breathing hard as he saidthe words, and gazing down on the dying girl.“Curse those wretches, girl! that curse willdo more in gaining mercy from the judges of the dead,than thousands of good works!” And as he saidthis he seized her hand and pressed it violently.

Nitetis looked up uneasily into his indignant face,and stammered in blind obedience, ’I curse.”

“Those who robbed my parents of their throneand lives!”

“Those who robbed my parents of their throneand their lives,” she repeated after him, andthen crying, “Oh, my heart!” sank backexhausted on the bed.

Nebenchari bent down, and before the royal physicianscould return, kissed her forehead gently, murmuring:“She dies my confederate. The gods hearkento the prayers of those who die innocent. By carryingthe sword into Egypt, I shall avenge king Hophra’swrongs as well as my own.”

When Nitetis opened her eyes once more, a few hourslater, Kassandane was holding her right hand, Atossakneeling at her feet, and Croesus standing at thehead of her bed, trying, with the failing strengthof old age, to support the gigantic frame of the king,who was so completely overpowered by his grief, thathe staggered like a drunken man. The dying girl’seyes lighted up as she looked round on this circle.She was wonderfully beautiful. Cambyses camecloser and kissed her lips; they were growing coldin death. It was the first kiss he had ever givenher, and the last. Two large tears sprang toher eyes; their light was fast growing dim; she murmuredCambyses’ name softly, fell back in Atossa’sarms, and died.

We shall not give a detailed account of the next fewhours: it would be an unpleasant task to describehow, at a signal from the principal Persian doctor,every one, except Nebenchari and Croesus, hastily leftthe room; how dogs were brought in and their sagaciousheads turned towards the corpse in order to scarethe demon of death;—­how, directly afterNitetis’ death, Kassandane, Atossa and theirentire retinue moved into another house in order toavoid defilement;—­how fire was extinguishedthroughout the dwelling, that the pure element mightbe removed from the polluting spirits of death;—­howspells and exorcisms were muttered, and how everyperson and thing, which had approached or been broughtinto contact with the dead body, was subjected to numerouspurifications with water and pungent fluids.

The same evening Cambyses was seized by one of hisold epileptic attacks. Two days later he gaveNebenchari permission to embalm Nitetis’ bodyin the Egyptian manner, according to her last wish.The king gave way to the most immoderate grief; hetore the flesh of his arms, rent his clothes and strewedashes on his head, and on his couch. All the magnatesof his court were obliged to follow his example.The troops mounted guard with rent banners and muffleddrums. The cymbals and kettle-drums of the “Immortals”were bound round with crape. The horses whichNitetis had used, as well as all which were then inuse by the court, were colored blue and deprived oftheir tails; the entire court appeared in mourningrobes of dark brown, rent to the girdle, and the Magiwere compelled to pray three days and nights unceasinglyfor the soul of the dead, which was supposed to beawaiting its sentence for eternity at the bridge Chinvaton the third night.

Neither the king, Kassandane, nor Atossa shrank fromsubmitting to the necessary purifications; they repeated,as if for one of their nearest relations, thirty prayersfor the dead, while, in a house outside the city gatesNebenchari began to embalm her body in the most costlymanner, and according to the strictest rules of hisart.

[Embalming was practised in three differentways. The first cost a talent of silver (L225.);the second 20 Minae (L60.) and the third was veryinexpensive. Herod. II. 86-88. Diod.I. 9. The brain was first drawn out throughthe nose and the skull filled with spices.The intestines were then taken out, and the body filledin like manner with aromatic spices. Whenall was finished, the corpse was left 70 days ina solution of soda, and then wrapped in bandages ofbyssus spread over with gum. The microscopicalexaminations of mummy-bandages made by Dr. Ureand Prof. Czermak have proved that byssusis linen, not cotton. The manner of embalmingjust described is the most expensive, and the latestchemical researches prove that the descriptiongiven of it by the Greeks was tolerably correct.L. Penicher maintains that the bodies were firstsomewhat dried in ovens, and that then resin ofthe cedar-tree, or asphalte, was poured into everyopening. According to Herodotus, female corpseswere embalmed by women. Herod. II. 89.The subject is treated in great detail by Pettigrew,History of Egyptian Mummies. London. 1834.Czermak’s microscopical examinations of Egyptianmummies show how marvellously the smallest portionsof the bodies were preserved, and confirm the statementsof Herodotus on many points. The monumentsalso contain much information in regard to embalming,and we now know the purpose of nearly all the amuletsplaced with the dead.]

For nine days Cambyses remained in a condition, whichseemed little short of insanity. At times furious,at others dull and stupefied, he did not even allowhis relations or the high-priest to approach him.On the morning of the tenth day he sent for the chiefof the seven judges and commanded, that as lenienta sentence as possible should be pronounced on Gaumata.Nitetis, on her dying-bed, had begged him to sparethe life of this unhappy youth.

One hour later the sentence was submitted to the kingfor ratification. It ran thus: “Victoryto the king! Inasmuch as Cambyses, the eye ofthe world and the sun of righteousness, hath, in hisgreat mercy, which is as broad as the heavens andas inexhaustible as the great deep, commanded us topunish the crime of the son of the Magi, Gaumata, withthe indulgence of a mother instead of with the severityof a judge, we, the seven judges of the realm, havedetermined to grant his forfeited life. Inasmuch,however, as by the folly of this youth the lives ofthe noblest and best in this realm have been imperilled,and it may reasonably be apprehended that he may againabuse the marvellous likeness to Bartja, the nobleson of Cyrus, in which the gods have been pleasedin their mercy to fashion his form and face, and therebybring prejudice upon the pure and righteous, we havedetermined to disfigure him in such wise, that in thetime to come it will be a light matter to discern betweenthis, the most worthless subject of the realm, andhim who is most worthy. We therefore, by theroyal Will and command, pronounce sentence, that boththe ears of Gaumata be cut off, for the honor of therighteous and shame of the impure.”

Cambyses confirmed this sentence at once, and it wasexecuted the same day.

[With reference to Gaumata’s punishment,the same which Herodotus says was inflicted onthe pretended Smerdis, we would observe that evenPersians of high rank were sometimes deprived of theirears. In the Behistan inscription (Spiegelp. 15 and 21.) the ears, tongue and nose of theman highest in rank among the rebels, were cut off.Similar punishments are quoted by Brisson.]

Oropastes did not dare to intercede for his brother,though this ignominious punishment mortified his ambitiousmind more than even a sentence of death could havedone. As he was afraid that his own influenceand consideration might suffer through this mutilatedbrother, he ordered him to leave Babylon at once fora country-house of his own on Mount Arakadris.

During the few days which had just passed, a shabbily-dressedand closely-veiled woman had watched day and nightat the great gate of the palace; neither the threatsof the sentries nor the coarse jests of the palace-servantscould drive her from her post. She never allowedone of the less important officials to pass withouteagerly questioning him, first as to the state ofthe Egyptian Princess, and then what had become ofGaumata. When his sentence was told her as a goodjoke by a chattering lamp-lighter, she went off intothe strangest excitement, and astonished the poorman so much by kissing his robe, that he thought shemust be crazed, and gave her an alms. She refusedthe money, but remained at her post, subsisting onthe bread which was given her by the compassionatedistributors of food. Three days later Gaumatahimself, with his head bound up, was driven out ina closed harmamaxa. She rushed to the carriageand ran screaming by the side of it, until the driverstopped his mules and asked what she wanted.She threw back her veil and showed the poor, sufferingyouth her pretty face covered with deep blushes.Gaumata uttered a low cry as he recognized her, collectedhimself, however, in a moment, and said: “Whatdo you want with me, Mandane?”

The wretched girl raised her hands beseechingly tohim, crying: “Oh, do not leave me, Gaumata!Take me with you! I forgive you all the miseryyou have brought on me and my poor mistress.I love you so much, I will take care of you and nurseyou as if I were the lowest servant-girl.”

A short struggle passed in Gaumata’s mind.He was just going to open the carriage-door and claspMandane-his earliest love-in his arms, when the soundof horses’ hoofs coming nearer struck on hisear, and looking round he saw, a carriage full ofMagi, among whom were several who had been his companionsat the school for priests. He felt ashamed andafraid of being seen by the very youths, whom he hadoften treated proudly and haughtily because he wasthe brother of the high-priest, threw Mandane a purseof gold, which his brother had given him at parting,and ordered the driver to go on as fast as possible.The mules galloped off. Mandane kicked the purseaway, rushed after the carriage and clung to it firmly.One of the wheels caught her dress and dragged herdown. With the strength of despair she sprangup, ran after the mules, overtook them on a slightascent which had lessened their speed, and seized thereins. The driver used his three-lashed whip,or scourge, the creatures reared, pulled the girldown and rushed on. Her last cry of agony piercedthe wounds of the mutilated man like a sharp lance-thrust.

.....................

On the twelfth day after Nitetis’ death Cambyseswent out hunting, in the hope that the danger andexcitement of the sport might divert his mind.The magnates and men of high rank at his court receivedhim with thunders of applause, for which he returnedcordial thanks. These few days of grief had workeda great change in a man so unaccustomed to sufferingas Cambyses. His face was pale, his raven-blackhair and beard had grown grey, and the consciousnessof victory which usually shone in his eyes was dimmed.Had he not, only too painfully, experienced that therewas a stronger will than his own, and that, easilyas he could destroy, it did not be in his power topreserve the life of the meanest creature? Beforestarting, Cambyses mustered his troop of sportsmen,and calling Gobryas, asked why Phanes was not there.

“My King did not order . . .”

“He is my guest and companion, once for all;call him and follow us.”

Gobryas bowed, dashed back to the palace, and in halfan hour reappeared among the royal retinue with Phanes.

The Athenian was warmly welcomed by many of the group,a fact which seems strange when we remember that courtiersare of all men the most prone to envy, and a royalfavorite always the most likely object to excite theirill will. But Phanes seemed a rare exception tothis rule. He had met the Achaemenidae in sofrank and winning a manner, had excited so many hopesby the hints he had thrown out of an expected and important

war, and had aroused so much merriment by well-toldjests, such as the Persians had never heard before,that there were very few who did not welcome his appearancegladly, and when—­in company with the king—­heseparated from the rest in chase of a wild ass, theyopenly confessed to one another, that they had neverbefore seen so perfect a man. The clever way inwhich he had brought the innocence of the accusedto light, the finesse which he had shown in securingthe king’s favor, and the ease with which hehad learnt the Persian language in so short a time,were all subjects of admiration. Neither wasthere one even of the Achaemenidae themselves, whoexceeded him in beauty of face or symmetry of figure.In the chase he proved himself a perfect horseman,and in a conflict with a bear an exceptionally courageousand skilful sportsman. On the way home, as thecourtiers were extolling all the wonderful qualitiespossessed by the king’s favorite, old Araspesexclaimed, “I quite agree with you that thisGreek, who by the way has proved himself a better soldierthan anything else, is no common man, but I am sureyou would not praise him half as much, if he werenot a foreigner and a novelty.”

Phanes happened to be only separated from the speakerby some thick bushes, and heard these words.When the other had finished, he went up and said,smiling: “I understood what you said andfeel obliged to you for your kind opinion. Thelast sentence, however, gave me even more pleasurethan the first, because it confirmed my own idea thatthe Persians are the most generous people in the world—­theypraise the virtues of other nations as much, or evenmore, than their own.”

His hearers smiled, well pleased at this flatteringremark, and Phanes went on: “How differentthe Jews are now, for instance! They fancy themselvesthe exclusive favorites of the gods, and by so doingincur the contempt of all wise men, and the hatredof the whole world. And then the Egyptians!You have no idea of the perversity of that people.Why, if the priests could have their way entirely,(and they have a great deal of power in their hands)not a foreigner would be left alive in Egypt, nor asingle stranger allowed to enter the country.A true Egyptian would rather starve, than eat outof the same dish with one of us. There are morestrange, astonishing and wonderful things to be seenin that country than anywhere else in the world.And yet, to do it justice, I must say that Egypt hasbeen well spoken of as the richest and most highlycultivated land under the sun. The man who possessesthat kingdom need not envy the very gods themselves.It would be mere child’s play to conquer thatbeautiful country. Ten years there gave me a perfectinsight into the condition of things, and I know thattheir entire military caste would not be sufficientto resist one such troop as your Immortals. Well,who knows what the future may bring! Perhaps wemay all make a little trip together to the Nile someday. In my opinion, your good swords have beenrather long idle.” These well-calculatedwords were received with such shouts of applause,that the king turned his horse to enquire the cause.Phanes answered quickly that the Achaemenidae wererejoicing in the thought that a war might possiblybe near at hand.

“What war?” asked the king, with the firstsmile that had been seen on his face for many days.

“We were only speaking in general of the possibilityof such a thing,” answered Phanes carelessly;then, riding up to the king’s side, his voicetook an impressive tone full of feeling, and lookingearnestly into his face, he began: “Itis true, my Sovereign, that I was not born in thisbeautiful country as one of your subjects, nor canI boast of a long acquaintance with the most powerfulof monarchs, but yet I cannot resist the presumptuous,perhaps criminal thought, that the gods at my birthappointed me to be your real friend. It is notyour rich gifts that have drawn me to you. Idid not need them, for I belong to the wealthier classof my countrymen, and I have no son,—­noheir,—­to whom I can bequeath my treasures.Once I had a boy—­a beautiful, gentle child;—­butI was not going to speak of that,—­I . .. Are you offended at my freedom of speech, mySovereign?”

“What is there to offend me?” answeredthe king, who had never been spoken to in this mannerbefore, and felt strongly attracted to the originalforeigner.

“Till to-day I felt that your grief was toosacred to be disturbed, but now the time has cometo rouse you from it and to make your heart glow oncemore. You will have to hear what must be verypainful to you.”

“There is nothing more now, that can grieveme.”

“What I am going to tell you will not give youpain; on the contrary, it will rouse your anger.”

“You make me curious.”

“You have been shamefully deceived; you andthat lovely creature, who died such an early deatha few days ago.”

Cambyses’ eyes flashed a demand for furtherinformation.

“Amasis, the King of Egypt, has dared to makesport of you, the lord of the world. That gentlegirl was not his daughter, though she herself believedthat she was; she . . .”

“Impossible!”

“It would seem so, and yet I am speaking thesimple truth. Amasis spun a web of lies, in whichhe managed to entrap, not only the whole world, butyou too, my Sovereign. Nitetis, the most lovelycreature ever born of woman, was the daughter of aking, but not of the usurper Amasis. Hophra,the rightful king of Egypt, was the father of thispearl among women. You may well frown, my Sovereign.It is a cruel thing to be betrayed by one’sfriends and allies.”

Cambyses spurred his horse, and after a silence ofsome moments, kept by Phanes purposely, that his wordsmight make a deeper impression, cried, “Tellme more! I wish to know everything.”

“Hophra had been living twenty years in easycaptivity in Sais after his dethronement, when hiswife, who had borne him three children and buriedthem all, felt that she was about to give birth toa fourth. Hophra, in his joy, determined to offera sacrifice of thanksgiving in the temple of Pacht,the Egyptian goddess supposed to confer the blessingof children, when, on his way thither, a former magnateof his court, named Patarbemis, whom, in a fit ofunjust anger, he had ignominiously mutilated, fellupon him with a troop of slaves and massacred him.Amasis had the unhappy widow brought to his palaceat once, and assigned her an apartment next to theone occupied by his own queen Ladice, who was alsoexpecting soon to give birth to a child. A girlwas born to Hophra’s widow, but the mother diedin the same hour, and two days later Ladice bore achild also.—­But I see we are in the courtof the palace. If you allow, I will have thereport of the physician, by whom this imposture waseffected, read before you. Several of his noteshave, by a remarkable conjuncture of circ*mstances,which I will explain to you later, fallen into myhands. A former high-priest of Heliopolis, Onuphis,is now living in Babylon, and understands all thedifferent styles of writing in use among his countrymen.Nebenchari will, of course, refuse to help in disclosingan imposture, which must inevitably lead to the ruinof his country.”

“In an hour I expect to see you here with theman you have just spoken of. Croesus, Nebenchari,and all the Achaemenidae who were in Egypt, will haveto appear also. I must have certainty before Ican act, and your testimony alone is not sufficient,because I know from Amasis, that you have cause tofeel a grudge against his house.”

At the time appointed all were assembled before theking in obedience to his command.

Onuphis, the former high-priest, was an old man ofeighty. A pair of large, clear, intelligent,grey eyes looked out of a head so worn and wasted,as to be more like a mere skull than the head of aliving man. He held a large papyrus-roll in hisgaunt hand, and was seated in an easy chair, as hisparalyzed limbs did not allow of his standing, evenin the king’s presence. His dress was snow-white,as beseemed a priest, but there were patches and rentsto be seen here and there. His figure might perhapsonce have been tall and slender, but it was now sobent and shrunk by age, privation and suffering, asto look unnatural and dwarfish, in comparison withthe size of his head.

Nebenchari, who revered Onuphis, not only as a high-priestdeeply initiated in the most solemn mysteries, butalso on account of his great age, stood by his sideand arranged his cushions. At his left stoodPhanes, and then Croesus, Darius and Prexaspes.

The king sat upon his throne. His face was darkand stern as he broke the silence with the followingwords:—­“This noble Greek, who, I aminclined to believe, is my friend, has brought mestrange tidings. He says that I have been baselydeceived by Amasis, that my deceased wife was not his,but his predecessor’s daughter.”

A murmur of astonishment ran through the assembly.“This old man is here to prove the imposture.”Onuphis gave a sign of assent.

“Prexaspes, my first question is to you.When Nitetis was entrusted to your care, was it expresslysaid that she was the daughter of Amasis?”

“Expressly. Nebenchari had, it is true,praised Tachot to the noble Kassandane as the mostbeautiful of the twin sisters; but Amasis insistedon sending Nitetis to Persia. I imagined that,by confiding his most precious jewel to your care,he meant to put you under a special obligation; andas it seemed to me that Nitetis surpassed her sister,not only in beauty but in dignity of character, Iceased to sue for the hand of Tachot. In hisletter to you too, as you will remember, he spoke ofconfiding to you his most beautiful, his dearest child.”

“Those were his words.”

“And Nitetis was, without question, the morebeautiful and the nobler of the two sisters,”said Croesus in confirmation of the envoy’s remark.“But it certainly did strike me that Tachot washer royal parents’ favorite.”

“Yes,” said Darius, “without doubt.Once, at a revel, Amasis joked Bartja in these words:’Don’t look too deep into Tachot’seyes, for if you were a god, I could not allow youto take her to Persia!’ Psamtik was evidentlyannoyed at this remark and said to the king, ‘Father,remember Phanes.’”

“Phanes!”

“Yes, my Sovereign,” answered the Athenian.“Once, when he was intoxicated, Amasis let outhis secret to me, and Psamtik was warning him notto forget himself a second time.”

“Tell the story as it occurred.”

“On my return from Cyprus to Sais as a conqueror,a great entertainment was given at court. Amasisdistinguished me in every way, as having won a richprovince for him, and even, to the dismay of his owncountrymen, embraced me. His affection increasedwith his intoxication, and at last, as Psamtik andI were leading him to his private apartments, he stoppedat the door of his daughter’s room, and said:’The girls sleep there. If you will putaway your own wife, Athenian, I will give you Nitetis.I should like to have you for a son-in-law. There’sa secret about that girl, Phanes; she’s notmy own child.’ Before his drunken fathercould say more, Psamtik laid his hand before his mouth,and sent me roughly away to my lodging, where I thoughtthe matter over and conjectured what I now, from reliablesources, know to be the truth. I entreat you,command this old man to translate those parts of thephysician Sonnophre’s journal, which alludeto this story.”

Cambyses nodded his consent, and the old man beganto read in a voice far louder than any one could havesupposed possible from his infirm appearance “Onthe fifth day of the month Thoth, I was sent for bythe king. I had expected this, as the queen wasnear her confinement. With my assistance shewas easily and safely delivered of a child—­aweakly girl. As soon as the nurse had taken chargeof this child, Amasis led me behind a curtain whichran across his wife’s sleeping-apartment.There lay another infant, which I recognized as thechild of Hophra’s widow, who herself had diedunder my hands on the third day of the same month.The king then said, pointing to this strong child,’This little creature has no parents, but, asit is written in the law that we are to show mercyto the desolate orphans, Ladice and I have determinedto bring her up as our own daughter. We do not,however, wish that this deed should be made known,either to the world or to the child herself, and Iask you to keep the secret and spread a report thatLadice has given birth to twins. If you accomplishthis according to our wish, you shall receive to-dayfive thousand rings of gold, and the fifth part ofthis sum yearly, during your life. I made myobeisance in silence, ordered every one to leave thesick room, and, when I again called them in, announcedthat Ladice had given birth to a second girl.Amasis’ real child received the name of Tachot,the spurious one was called Nitetis.”

At these words Cambyses rose from his seat, and strodethrough the hall; but Onuphis continued, without allowinghimself to be disturbed: “Sixth day ofthe month Thoth. This morning I had just laindown to rest after the fatigues of the night, whena servant appeared with the promised gold and a letterfrom the king, asking me to procure a dead child, tobe buried with great ceremony as the deceased daughterof King Hophra. After a great deal of troubleI succeeded, an hour ago, in obtaining one from apoor girl who had given birth to a child secretly inthe house of the old woman, who lives at the entranceto the City of the Dead. The little one had causedher shame and sorrow enough, but she would not be persuadedto give up the body of her darling, until I promisedthat it should be embalmed and buried in the mostsplendid manner. We put the little corpse intomy large medicine-chest, my son Nebenchari carriedit this time instead of my servant Hib, and so itwas introduced into the room where Hophra’swidow had died. The poor girl’s baby willreceive a magnificent funeral. I wish I mightventure to tell her, what a glorious lot awaits herdarling after death. Nebenchari has just beensent for by the king.”

At the second mention of this name, Cambyses stoppedin his walk, and said: “Is our oculistNebenchari the man whose name is mentioned in thismanuscript?”

“Nebenchari,” returned Phanes, “isthe son of this very Sonnophre who changed the children.”

The physician did not raise his eyes; his face wasgloomy and sullen.

Cambyses took the roll of papyrus out of Onuphis’band, looked at the characters with which it was covered,shook his head, went up to Nebenchari and said:

“Look at these characters and tell me if itis your father’s writing.”

Nebenchari fell on his knees and raised his hands.

“I ask, did your father paint these signs?”

“I do not know-whether . . . Indeed . ..”

“I will know the truth. Yes or no?”

“Yes, my King; but . . .”

“Rise, and be assured of my favor. Faithfulnessto his ruler is the ornament of a subject; but donot forget that I am your king now. Kassandanetells me, that you are going to undertake a delicateoperation to-morrow in order to restore her sight.Are you not venturing too much?”

“I can depend on my own skill, my Sovereign.”

“One more question. Did you know of thisfraud?”

“Yes.”

“And you allowed me to remain in error?”

“I had been compelled to swear secrecy and anoath . . .”

“An oath is sacred. Gobryas, see that boththese Egyptians receive a portion from my table.Old man, you seem to require better food.”

“I need nothing beyond air to breathe, a morselof bread and a draught of water to preserve me fromdying of hunger and thirst, a clean robe, that I maybe pleasing in the eyes of the gods and in my own,and a small chamber for myself, that I may be a hindranceto no man. I have never been richer than to-day.”

“How so?”

“I am about to give away a kingdom.”

“You speak in enigmas.”

“By my translation of to-day I have proved,that your deceased consort was the child of Hophra.Now, our law allows the daughter of a king to succeedto the throne, when there is neither son nor brotherliving; if she should die childless, her husband becomesher legitimate successor. Amasis is a usurper,but the throne of Egypt is the lawful birthright ofHophra and his descendants. Psamtik forfeits everyright to the crown the moment that a brother, son,daughter or son-in-law of Hophra appears. I can,therefore, salute my present sovereign as the futuremonarch of my own beautiful native land.”

Cambyses smiled self-complacently, and Onuphis wenton: “I have read in the stars too, thatPsamtik’s ruin and your own accession to thethrone of Egypt have been fore-ordained.”

“We’ll show that the stars were right,”cried the king, “and as for you, you liberalold fellow, I command you to ask me any wish you like.”

“Give me a conveyance, and let me follow yourarmy to Egypt. I long to close my eyes on theNile.”

“Your wish is granted. Now, my friends,leave me, and see that all those who usually eat atmy table are present at this evening’s revel.We will hold a council of war over the luscious wine.Methinks a campaign in Egypt will pay better thana contest with the Massagetae.”

He was answered by a joyful shout of “Victoryto the king!” They all then left the hall, andCambyses, summoning his dressers, proceeded for thefirst time to exchange his mourning garments for thesplendid royal robes.

Croesus and Phanes went into the green and pleasantgarden lying on the eastern side of the royal palace,which abounded in groves of trees, shrubberies, fountainsand flower-beds. Phanes was radiant with delight;Croesus full of care and thought.

“Have you duly reflected,” said the latter,“on the burning brand that you have just flungout into the world?”

“It is only children and fools that act withoutreflection,” was the answer.

“You forget those who are deluded by passion.”

“I do not belong to that number.”

“And yet revenge is the most fearful of allthe passions.”

“Only when it is practised in the heat of feeling.My revenge is as cool as this piece of iron; but Iknow my duty.”

“The highest duty of a good man, is to subordinatehis own welfare to that of his country.”

“That I know.”

“You seem to forget, however, that with Egyptyou are delivering your own country over to the Persians.”

“I do not agree with you there.”

“Do you believe, that when all the rest of theMediterranean coasts belong to Persia, she will leaveyour beautiful Greece untouched?”

“Certainly not, but I know my own countrymen;I believe them fully capable of a victorious resistanceto the hosts of the barbarians, and am confident thattheir courage and greatness will rise with the nearnessof the danger. It will unite our divided tribesinto one great nation, and be the ruin of the tyrants.”

“I cannot argue with you, for I am no longeracquainted with the state of things in your nativecountry, and besides, I believe you to be a wise man—­notone who would plunge a nation into ruin merely forthe gratification of his own ambition. It isa fearful thing that entire nations should have tosuffer for the guilt of one man, if that man be onewho wears a crown. And now, if my opinion is ofany importance to you, tell me what the deed was whichhas roused your desire of vengeance.”

“Listen then, and never try again to turn mefrom my purpose. You know the heir to the Egyptianthrone, and you know Rhodopis too. The formerwas, for many reasons, my mortal enemy, the latterthe friend of every Greek, but mine especially.When I was obliged to leave Egypt, Psamtik threatenedme with his vengeance; your son Gyges saved my life.A few weeks later my two children came to Naukratis,in order to follow me out to Sigeum. Rhodopistook them kindly under her protection, but some wretchhad discovered the secret and betrayed it to the prince.The very next night her house was surrounded and searched,—­mychildren found and taken captive. Amasis hadmeanwhile become blind, and allowed his miserableson to do what he liked; the wretch dared to . . .”

“Kill your only son?”

“You have said it.”

“And your other child?”

“The girl is still in their hands.”

“They will do her an injury when they hear .. .”

“Let her die. Better go to one’sgrave childless, than unrevenged.”

“I understand. I cannot blame you any longer.The boy’s blood must be revenged.”

And so saying, the old man pressed the Athenian’sright hand. The latter dried his tears, masteredhis emotion, and cried: “Let us go to thecouncil of war now. No one can be so thankfulfor Psamtik’s infamous deeds as Cambyses.That man with his hasty passions was never made tobe a prince of peace.”

“And yet it seems to me the highest duty ofa king is to work for the inner welfare of his kingdom.But human beings are strange creatures; they praisetheir butchers more than their benefactors. Howmany poems have been written on Achilles! but didany one ever dream of writing songs on the wise governmentof Pittakus?”

“More courage is required to shed blood, thanto plant trees.”

“But much more kindness and wisdom to heal wounds,than to make them.—­I have still one questionwhich I should very much like to ask you, before wego into the hall. Will Bartja be able to stayat Naukratis when Amasis is aware of the king’sintentions?”

“Certainly not. I have prepared him forthis, and advised his assuming a disguise and a falsename.”

“Did he agree?”

“He seemed willing to follow my advice.”

“But at all events it would be well to senda messenger to put him on his guard.”

“We will ask the king’s permission.”

“Now we must go. I see the wagons containingthe viands of the royal household just driving awayfrom the kitchen.”

“How many people are maintained from the king’stable daily?”

“About fifteen thousand.”

“Then the Persians may thank the gods, thattheir king only takes one meal a day.”

[This immense royal household issaid to have cost 400 talents, that
is (L90,000.) daily. Athenaus,Deipn. p. 607.]

CHAPTER IX.

Six weeks after these events a little troop of horsem*nmight have been seen riding towards the gates of Sardis.The horses and their riders were covered with sweatand dust. The former knew that they were drawingnear a town, where there would be stables and mangers,and exerted all their remaining powers; but yet theirpace did not seem nearly fast enough to satisfy theimpatience of two men, dressed in Persian costume,who rode at the head of the troop.

The well-kept royal road ran through fields of goodblack, arable land, planted with trees of many differentkinds. It crossed the outlying spurs of the Tmolusrange of mountains. At their foot stretched rowsof olive, citron and plane-trees, plantations of mulberriesand vines; at a higher level grew firs, cypressesand nut-tree copses. Fig-trees and date-palms,covered with fruit, stood sprinkled over the fields;and the woods and meadows were carpeted with brightly-coloredand sweetly-scented flowers. The road led overravines and brooks, now half dried up by the heat ofsummer, and here and there the traveller came upona well at the side of the road, carefully enclosed,with seats for the weary, and sheltering shrubs.Oleanders bloomed in the more damp and shady places;slender palms waved wherever the sun was hottest.Over this rich landscape hung a deep blue, perfectlycloudless sky, bounded on its southern horizon bythe snowy peaks of the Tmolus mountains, and on thewest by the Sipylus range of hills, which gave a bluishshimmer in the distance.

The road went down into the valley, passing througha little wood of birches, the stems of which, up tothe very tree-top, were twined with vines coveredwith bunches of grapes.

The horsem*n stopped at a bend in the road, for there,before them, in the celebrated valley of the Hermus,lay the golden Sardis, formerly the capital of theLydian kingdom and residence of its king, Croesus.

Above the reed-thatched roofs of its numerous housesrose a black, steep rock; the white marble buildingson its summit could be seen from a great distance.These buildings formed the citadel, round the threefoldwalls of which, many centuries before, King Meleshad carried a lion in order to render them impregnable.On its southern side the citadel-rock was not so steep,and houses had been built upon it. Croesus’former palace lay to the north, on the golden-sandedPactolus. This reddish-colored river flowed abovethe market-place, (which, to our admiring travellers,looked like a barren spot in the midst of a bloomingmeadow), ran on in a westerly direction, and thenentered a narrow mountain valley, where it washedthe walls of the temple of Cybele.

Large gardens stretched away towards the east, andin the midst of them lay the lake Gygaeus, coveredwith gay boats and snowy swans, and sparkling likea mirror.

A short distance from the lake were a great numberof artificial mounds, three of which were especiallynoticeable from their size and height.

[See also Hamilton’s Asia Minor,I. P. 145. Herodotus (I. 93.) calls the tombsof the Lydian kings the largest works of human hands,next to the Egyptian and Babylonian. These cone-shapedhills can be seen to this day, standing near theruins of Sardis, not far from the lake of Gygaea.Hamilton (Asia Minor, I. p. i) counted some sixtyof them, and could not ride round the hill of Alayattesin less than ten minutes. Prokesch saw 100such tumuli. The largest, tomb of Alyattes,still measures 3400 feet in circumference, andthe length of its slope is 650 feet. Accordingto Prokesch, gigantic Phallus columns lie on someof these graves.]

“What can those strange-looking earth-heapsmean?” said Darius, the leader of the troop,to Prexaspes, Cambyses’ envoy, who rode at hisside.

“They are the graves of former Lydian kings,”was the answer. “The middle one is in memoryof the princely pair Panthea and Abradatas, and thelargest, that one to the left, was erected to the fatherof Croesus, Alyattes. It was raised by the tradesmen,mechanics, and girls, to their late king, and on thefive columns, which stand on its summit, you can readhow much each of these classes contributed to the work.The girls were the most industrious. Gyges’grandfather is said to have been their especial friend.”

“Then the grandson must have degenerated verymuch from the old stock.”

“Yes, and that seems the more remarkable, becauseCroesus himself in his youth was by no means averseto women, and the Lydians generally are devoted tosuch pleasures. You see the white walls of thattemple yonder in the midst of its sacred grove.That is the temple of the goddess of Sardis, Cybeleor Ma, as they call her. In that grove there ismany a sheltered spot where the young people of Sardismeet, as they say, in honor of their goddess.”

“Just as in Babylon, at the festival of Mylitta.”

“There is the same custom too on the coast ofCyprus. When I landed there on the way back fromEgypt, I was met by a troop of lovely girls, who,with songs, dances, and the clang of cymbals, conductedme to the sacred grove of their goddess.”

“Well, Zopyrus will not grumble at Bartja’sillness.”

“He will spend more of his time in the groveof Cybele, than at his patient’s bedside.How glad I shall be to see that jolly fellow again!”

“Yes, he’ll keep you from falling intothose melancholy fits that you have been so subjectto lately.” “You are quite right toblame me for those fits, and I must not yield to them,but they are not without ground. Croesus sayswe only get low-spirited, when we are either too lazyor too weak to struggle against annoyances, and I believehe is right. But no one shall dare to accuseDarius of weakness or idleness. If I can’trule the world, at least I will be my own master.”And as he said these words, the handsome youth drewhimself up, and sat erect in his saddle. Hiscompanion gazed in wonder at him.

“Really, you son of Hystaspes,” he said,“I believe you must be meant for something great.It was not by chance that, when you were still a merechild, the gods sent their favorite Cyrus that dreamwhich induced him to order you into safe keeping.”

“And yet my wings have never appeared.”

“No bodily ones, certainly; but mental ones,likely enough. Young man, young man, you’reon a dangerous road.”

“Have winged creatures any need to be afraidof precipices?”

“Certainly; when their strength fails them.”

“But I am strong.”

“Stronger creatures than you will try to breakyour pinions.”

“Let them. I want nothing but what is right,and shall trust to my star.”

“Do you know its name?”

“It ruled in the hour of my birth, and its nameis Anahita.”

“I think I know better. A burning ambitionis the sun, whose rays guide all your actions.Take care; I tried that way myself once; it leads tofame or to disgrace, but very seldom to happiness.Fame to the ambitious is like salt water to the thirsty;the more he gets, the more he wants. I was onceonly a poor soldier, and am now Cambyses’ ambassador.But you, what can you have to strive for? Thereis no man in the kingdom greater than yourself, afterthe sons of Cyrus . . . Do my eyes deceive me?Surely those two men riding to meet us with a troopof horsem*n must be Gyges and Zopyrus. The Angare,who left the inn before us, must have told them ofour coming.”

“To be sure. Look at that fellow Zopyrus,how he’s waving and beckoning with that palm-leaf.”

“Here, you fellows, cut us a few twigs fromthose bushes-quick. We’ll answer his greenpalm-leaf with a purple pomegranate-branch.”

In a few minutes the friends had embraced one another,and the two bands were riding together into the populoustown, through the gardens surrounding the lake Gygaeus,the Sardians’ place of recreation. It wasnow near sunset, a cooler breeze was beginning to blow,and the citizens were pouring through the gates toenjoy themselves in the open air. Lydian andPersian warriors, the former wearing richly-ornamentedhelmets, the latter tiaras in the form of a cylinder,were following girls who were painted and wreathed.Children were being led to the lake by their nurses,to see the swans fed. An old blind man was seatedunder a plane-tree, singing sad ditties to a listeningcrowd and accompanying them on the Magadis, the twenty-stringedLydian lute. Youths were enjoying themselvesat games of ball, ninepins, and dice, and half-growngirls screaming with fright, when the ball hit oneof their group or nearly fell into the water.

The travellers scarcely noticed this gay scene, thoughat another time it would have delighted them.They were too much interested in enquiring particularsof Bartja’s illness and recovery.

At the brazen gates of the palace which had formerlybelonged to Croesus, they were met by Oroetes, thesatrap of Sardis, in a magnificent court-dress overloadedwith ornaments. He was a stately man, whose smallpenetrating black eyes looked sharply out from beneatha bushy mass of eyebrow. His satrapy was oneof the most important and profitable in the entirekingdom, and his household could bear a comparisonwith that of Cambyses in richness and splendor.Though he possessed fewer wives and attendants thanthe king, it was no inconsiderable troop of guards,slaves, eunuchs and gorgeously-dressed officials, whichappeared at the palace-gates to receive the travellers.

The vice-regal palace, which was still kept up withgreat magnificence, had been, in the days when Croesusoccupied it, the most splendid of royal residences;after the taking of Sardis, however, the greater partof the dethroned king’s treasures and works ofart had been sent to Cyrus’s treasure-housein Pasargadae. When that time of terror had passed,the Lydians brought many a hidden treasure into thelight of day once more, and, by their industry andskill in art during the peaceful years which theyenjoyed under Cyrus and Cambyses, recovered their oldposition so far, that Sardis was again looked uponas one of the wealthiest cities of Asia Minor, andtherefore, of the world.

Accustomed as Darius and Prexaspes were to royal splendor,they were still astonished at the beauty and brilliancyof the satrap’s palace. The marble work,especially, made a great impression on them, as nothingof the kind was to be found in Babylon, Susa or Ecbatane,where burnt brick and cedar-wood supply the placeof the polished marble.

[The palace of Persepolis did not existat the date of our story. It was built partlyof black stone from Mount Rachmed, and partly of whitemarble; it was probably begun by Darius. The palaceof Susa was built of brick, (Strabo p. 728) thatof Ecbatana of wood overlaid with plates of goldof immense value, and roofed with tiles made ofthe precious metals.]

They found Bartja lying on a couch in the great hall;he looked very pale, and stretched out his arms towardsthem.

The friends supped together at the satrap’stable and then retired to Bartja’s private room,in order to enjoy an undisturbed conversation.

“Well, Bartja, how did you come by this dangerousillness?” was Darius’ first question afterthey were seated.

“I was thoroughly well, as you know,”said Bartja, “when we left Babylon, and we reachedGerma, a little town on the Sangarius, without theslightest hindrance. The ride was long and wewere very tired, burnt too by the scorching May sun,and covered with dust; the river flows by the station,and its waves looked so clear and bright—­soinviting for a bathe—­that in a minute Zopyrusand I were off our horses, undressed, and in the water.Gyges told us we were very imprudent, but we felt confidentthat we were too much inured to such things to getany harm, and very much enjoyed our swim in the cool,green water. Gyges, perfectly calm as usual,let us have our own way, waited till our bath was over,and then plunged in himself.

“In two hours we were in our saddles again,pushing on as if for our very lives, changing horsesat every station, and turning night into day.

“We were near Ipsus, when I began to feel violentpains in the head and limbs. I was ashamed tosay anything about it and kept upright on my saddle,until we had to take fresh horses at Bagis. Justas I was in the very act of mounting, I lost my sensesand strength, and fell down on the ground in a deadfaint.”

“Yes, a pretty fright you gave us,” interruptedZopyrus, “by dropping down in that fashion.It was fortunate that Gyges was there, for I lostmy wits entirely; he, of course, kept his presenceof mind, and after relieving his feelings in wordsnot exactly flattering to us two, he behaved likea circ*mspect general.—­A fool of a doctorcame running up and protested that it was all overwith poor Bart, for which I gave him a good thrashing.”

“Which he didn’t particularly object to,”said the satrap, laughing, “seeing that youtold them to lay a gold stater on every stripe.”

“Yes, yes, my pugnacity costs me very dear sometimes.But to our story. As soon as Bartja had openedhis eyes, Gyges sent me off to Sardis to fetch a goodphysician and an easy travelling-carriage. Thatride won’t so soon be imitated. An hourbefore I reached the gates my third horse knockedup under me, so I had to trust to my own legs, andbegan running as fast as I could. The peoplemust all have thought me mad. At last I saw aman on horseback—­a merchant from Kelaenze—­draggedhim from his horse, jumped into the saddle, and, beforethe next morning dawned, I was back again with ourinvalid, bringing the best physician in Sardis, andOroetes’ most commodious travelling-carriage.We brought him to this house at a slow footpace, andhere a violent fever came on, he became delirious,talked all the nonsense that could possibly come intoa human brain, and made us so awfully anxious, thatthe mere remembrance of that time brings the big dropsof perspiration to my forehead.”

Bartja took his friend’s hand: “Iowe my life to him and Gyges,” said he, turningto Darius. “Till to-day, when they set outto meet you, they have never left me for a minute;a mother could not have nursed her sick child morecarefully. And Oroetes, I am much obliged to youtoo; doubly so because your kindness subjected youto annoyance.”

“How could that be?” asked Darius.

“That Polykrates of Samos, whose name we heardso often in Egypt, has the best physician that Greecehas ever produced. While I was lying here ill,Oroetes wrote to this Democedes, making him immensepromises, if he would only come to Sardis directly.The Sainian pirates, who infest the whole Ionian coast,took the messenger captive and brought Oroetes’letter to their master Polykrates. He openedit, and sent the messenger back with the answer, thatDemocedes was in his pay, and that if Oroetes neededhis advice he must apply to Polykrates himself.Our generous friend submitted for my sake, and askedthe Samian to send his physician to Sardis.”

“Well,” said Prexaspes, “and whatfollowed?” The proud island-prince sent himat once. He cured me, as you see, and left usa few days ago loaded with presents.”

“Well,” interrupted Zopyrus, “Ican quite understand, that Polykrates likes to keephis physician near him. I assure you, Darius,it would not be easy to find his equal. He’sas handsome as Minutscher, as clever as Piran Wisa,as strong as Rustem, and as benevolent and helpfulas the god Soma. I wish you could have seen howwell he threw those round metal plates he calls discs.I am no weakling, but when we wrestled he soon threwme. And then he could tell such famous stories—­storiesthat made a man’s heart dance within him.”

[This very Oroetes afterwards succeededin enticing Polykrates to
Sardis and there crucified him.Herod. III. 120-125. Valerius
Maximus VI. 9. 5.]

“We know just such a fellow too,” saidDarius, smiling at his friend’s enthusiasm.“That Athenian Phanes, who came to prove ourinnocence.”

“The physician Democedes is from Crotona, aplace which must be somewhere very near the settingsun.”

“But is inhabited by Greeks, like Athens.”added Oroetes. “Ah, my young friends, youmust beware of those fellows; they’re as cunning,deceitful, and selfish, as they are strong, clever,and handsome.”

“Democedes is generous and sincere,” criedZopyrus.

“And Croesus himself thinks Phanes not onlyan able, but a virtuous man,” added Darius.

“Sappho too has always, and only spoken wellof the Athenian,” said Bartja, in confirmationof Darius’s remark. “But don’tlet us talk any more about these Greeks,” hewent on. “They give Oroetes so much troubleby their refractory and stubborn conduct, that he isnot very fond of them.”

“The gods know that,” sighed the satrap.“It’s more difficult to keep one Greektown in order, than all the countries between the Euphratesand the Tigris.”

While Oroetes was speaking, Zopyrus had gone to thewindow. “The stars are already high inthe heavens,” he said, “and Bartja is tired;so make haste, Darius, and tell us something abouthome.”

The son of Hystaspes agreed at once, and began byrelating the events which we have heard already.Bartja, especially, was distressed at hearing of Nitetis’sad end, and the discovery of Amasis’ fraud filledthem all with astonishment. After a short pause,Darius went on:

“When once Nitetis’ descent had been fullyproved, Cambyses was like a changed man. He calleda council of war, and appeared at table in the royalrobes instead of his mourning garments. You canfancy what universal joy the idea of a war with Egyptexcited. Even Croesus, who you know is one ofAmasis’ well-wishers, and advises peace wheneverit is possible, had not a word to say against it.The next morning, as usual, what had been resolvedon in intoxication was reconsidered by sober heads;after several opinions had been given, Phanes askedpermission to speak, and spoke I should think foran hour. But how well! It was as if everyword he said came direct from the gods. He haslearnt our language in a wonderfully short time, butit flowed from his lips like honey. Sometimeshe drew tears from every eye, at others excited stormyshouts of joy, and then wild bursts of rage.His gestures were as graceful as those of a dancing-girl,but at the same time manly and dignified. I can’trepeat his speech; my poor words, by the side of his,would sound like the rattle of a drum after a pealof thunder. But when at last, inspired and carriedaway by his eloquence, we had unanimously decided onwar, he began to speak once more on the best ways andmeans of prosecuting it successfully.”

Here Darius was obliged to stop, as Zopyrus had fallenon his neck in an ecstasy of delight. Bartja,Gyges and Oroetes were not less delighted, and theyall begged him to go on with his tale.

“Our army,” began Darius afresh, “oughtto be at the boundaries of Egypt by the month Farwardin,(March) as the inundation of the Nile, which wouldhinder the march of our infantry, begins in Murdad(July). Phanes is now on his way to the Arabiansto secure their assistance; in hopes that these sonsof the desert may furnish our army with water and guidesthrough their dry and thirsty land. He will alsoendeavor to win the rich island of Cyprus, which heonce conquered for Amasis, over to our side.As it was through his mediation that the kings of theisland were allowed to retain their crowns, they willbe willing to listen to his advice. In shortthe Athenian leaves nothing uncared for, and knowsevery road and path as if he were the sun himselfHe showed us a picture of the world on a plate ofcopper.”

Oroetes nodded and said, “I have such a pictureof the world too. A Milesian named Hekataeus,who spends his life in travelling, drew it, and gaveit me in exchange for a free-pass.”

[Hekataeus of Miletus maybe called “thefather of geography,” as Herodotus was “thefather of history.” He improved the mapmade by Anaximander, and his great work, “thejourney round the world,” was much prizedby the ancients; but unfortunately, with the exceptionof some very small fragments, has now perished.Herodotus assures us, (V. 36.) that Hekataeus wasintimately acquainted with every part of the Persianempire, and had also travelled over Egypt. he livedat the date of our narrative, having been born at Miletus550 B. C. He lived to see the fall of his nativecity in 4966 B. C. His map has been restored byKlausen and can be seen also in Mure’s Lan.and Lit. of Ancient Greece. Vol. IV.Maps existed, however, much earlier, the earliestknown being one of the gold-mines, drawn very cleverlyby an Egyptian priest, and so well sketched as to givea pretty clear idea of the part of the country intended.It is preserved in the Egyptian Museum at Turin.]

“What notions these Greeks have in their heads!”exclaimed Zopyrus, who could not explain to himselfwhat a picture of the world could look like.

“To-morrow I will show you my copper tablet,said Oroetes, but now we must allow Darius to go on.”

“So Phanes has gone to Arabia,” continuedDarius, “and Prexaspes was sent hither not onlyto command you, Oroetes, to raise as many forces aspossible, especially Ionians and Carians, of whom Phaneshas offered to undertake the command, but also topropose terms of alliance to Polykrates.”

“To that pirate!” asked Oroetes, and hisface darkened.

“The very same,” answered Prexaspes, notappearing to notice the change in Oroetes’ face.“Phanes has already received assurances fromthis important naval power, which sound as if we mightexpect a favorable answer to my proposal.”

“The Phoenician, Syrian and Ionian ships ofwar would be quite sufficient to cope with the Egyptianfleet.”

“There you are right; but if Polykrates wereto declare against us, we should not be able to holdour own at sea; you say yourself that he is all-powerfulin the AEgean.”

“Still I decidedly disapprove of entering intotreaty with such a robber.”

“We want powerful allies, and Polykrates isvery powerful at sea. It will be time to humblehim, when we have used him to help us in conqueringEgypt. For the present I entreat you to suppressall personal feeling, and keep the success of ourgreat plan alone in view. I am empowered to saythis in the king’s name, and to show his ringin token thereof.”

Oroetes made a brief obeisance before this symbolof despotism, and asked: “What does Cambyseswish me to do?”

“He commands you to use every means in yourpower to secure an alliance with the Samian; and alsoto send your troops to join the main army on the plainsof Babylon as soon as possible.”

The satrap bowed and left the room with a look betrayingirritation and defiance.

When the echo of his footsteps had died away amongthe colonnades of the inner court, Zopyrus exclaimed:“Poor fellow, it’s really very hard forhim to have to meet that proud man, who has so oftenbehaved insolently to him, on friendly terms.Think of that story about the physician for instance.”

“You are too lenient,” interrupted Darius.“I don’t like this Oroetes. He hasno right to receive the king’s commands in thatway. Didn’t you see him bite his lips tillthey bled, when Prexaspes showed him the king’sring?”

“Yes,” cried the envoy, “he’sa defiant, perverse man. He left the room soquickly, only because he could not keep down his angerany longer.”

“Still,” said Bartja, “I hope youwill keep his conduct a secret from my brother, forhe has been very good to me.”

Prexaspes bowed, but Darius said: “We mustkeep an eye on the fellow. Just here, so farfrom the king’s gate and in the midst of nationshostile to Persia, we want governors who are more readyto obey their king than this Oroetes seems to be.Why, he seems to fancy he is King of Lydia!”

“Do you dislike the satrap?” said Zopyrus.

“Well, I think I do,” was the answer.“I always take an aversion or a fancy to peopleat first sight, and very seldom find reason to changemy mind afterwards. I disliked Oroetes beforeI heard him speak a word, and I remember having thesame feeling towards Psamtik, though Amasis took myfancy.”

“There’s no doubt that you’re verydifferent from the rest of us,” said Zopyruslaughing, “but now, to please me, let this poorOroetes alone. I’m glad he’s gonethough, because we can talk more freely about home.How is Kassandane? and your worshipped Atossa?Croesus too, how is he? and what are my wives about?They’ll soon have a new companion. To-morrowI intend to sue for the hand of Oroetes’ prettydaughter. We’ve talked a good deal of lovewith our eyes already. I don’t know whetherwe spoke Persian or Syrian, but we said the most charmingthings to one another.”

The friends laughed, and Darius, joining in theirmerriment, said: “Now you shall hear apiece of very good news. I have kept it to thelast, because it is the best I have. Now, Bartja,prick up your ears. Your mother, the noble Kassandane,has been cured of her blindness! Yes, yes, itis quite true.—­Who cured her? Why whoshould it be, but that crabbed old Nebenchari, whohas become, if possible, moodier than ever. Come,now, calm yourselves, and let me go on with my story;or it will be morning before Bartja gets to sleep.Indeed. I think we had better separate now:you’ve heard the best, and have something todream about What, you will not? Then, in thename of Mithras, I must go on, though it should makemy heart bleed.

“I’ll begin with the king. As longas Phanes was in Babylon, he seemed to forget hisgrief for Nitetis.

“The Athenian was never allowed to leave him.They were as inseparable as Reksch and Rustem.Cambyses had no time to think of his sorrow, for Phaneshad always some new idea or other, and entertainedus all, as well as the king, marvellously. Andwe all liked him too; perhaps, because no one couldreally envy him. Whenever he was alone, the tearscame into his eyes at the thought of his boy, andthis made his great cheerfulness—­a cheerfulnesswhich he always managed to impart to the king, Bartja,—­themore admirable. Every morning he went down tothe Euphrates with Cambyses and the rest of us, andenjoyed watching the sons of the Achaemenidae at theirexercises. When he saw them riding at full speedpast the sand-hills and shooting the pots placed onthem into fragments with their arrows, or throwingblocks of wood at one another and cleverly evadingthe blows, he confessed that he could not imitate themin these exercises, but at the same time he offeredto accept a challenge from any of us in throwing thespear and in wrestling. In his quick way he sprangfrom his horse, stripped off his clothes—­itwas really a shame—­and, to the delightof the boys, threw their wrestling-master as if hehad been a feather.

[In the East, nudity was, even in thosedays, held to be disgraceful, while the Greeksthought nothing so beautiful as the naked humanbody. The Hetaira Phryne was summoned before thejudges for an offence against religion. Herdefender, seeing that sentence was about to bepronounced against his client, suddenly tore awaythe garment which covered her bosom. The artificewas successful. The judges pronounced hernot guilty, being convinced that such wondrousgrace and beauty could only belong to a favorite ofAphrodite. Athen. XIII. p. 590]

“Then he knocked over a number of bragging fellows,and would have thrown me too if he had not been toofatigued. I assure you, I am really strongerthan he is, for I can lift greater weights, but heis as nimble as an eel, and has wonderful tricks bywhich he gets hold of his adversary. His being

naked too is a great help. If it were not soindecent, we ought always to wrestle stripped, andanoint our skins, as the Greeks do, with the olive-oil.He beat us too in throwing the spear, but the king,who you know is proud of being the best archer in Persia,sent his arrow farther. Phanes was especiallypleased with our rule, that in a wrestling-match theone who is thrown must kiss the hand of his victor.At last he showed us a new exercise:—­boxing.He refused, however, to try his skill on any one buta slave, so Cambyses sent for the biggest and strongestman among the servants—­my groom, Bessus—­agiant who can bring the hind legs of a horse togetherand hold them so firmly that the creature tremblesall over and cannot stir. This big fellow, tallerby a head than Phanes, shrugged his shoulders contemptuouslyon hearing that he was to box with the little foreigngentleman. He felt quite sure of victory, placedhimself opposite his adversary, and dealt him a blowheavy enough to kill an elephant. Phanes avoidedit cleverly, in the same moment hitting the giant withhis naked fist so powerfully under the eyes, thatthe blood streamed from his nose and mouth, and thehuge, uncouth fellow fell on the ground with a yell.When they picked him up his face looked like a pumpkinof a greenish-blue color. The boys shouted withdelight at his discomfiture; but we admired the dexterityof this Greek, and were especially glad to see theking in such good spirits; we noticed this most whenPhanes was singing Greek songs and dance-melodiesto him accompanied by the lute.

“Meanwhile Kassandane’s blindness hadbeen cured, and this of course tended not a littleto disperse the king’s melancholy.

“In short it was a very pleasant time, and Iwas just going to ask for Atossa’s hand in marriage,when Phanes went off to Arabia, and everything waschanged.

“No sooner had he turned his back on the gatesof Babylon than all the evil Divs seemed to have enteredinto the king. He went about, a moody, silentman, speaking to no one; and to drown his melancholywould begin drinking, even at an early hour in themorning, quantities of the strongest Syrian wine.By the evening he was generally so intoxicated thathe had to be carried out of the hall, and would wakeup the next morning with headache and spasms.In the day-time he would wander about as if lookingfor something, and in the night they often heard himcalling Nitetis. The physicians became very anxiousabout his health, but when they sent him medicinehe threw it away. It was quite right of Croesusto say, as he did once ’Ye Magi and Chaldaeans!before trying to cure a sick man we must discoverthe seat of his disease. Do you know it in thiscase? No? Then I will tell you what ailsthe king. He has an internal complaint and awound. The former is called ennui, and the latteris in his heart. The Athenian is a good remedyfor the first, but for the second I know of none;such wounds either scar over of themselves, or thepatient bleeds to death inwardly.’”

“I know of a remedy for the king though,”exclaimed Otanes when he heard these words. “Wemust persuade him to send for the women, or at leastfor my daughter Phaedime, back from Susa. Loveis good for dispersing melancholy, and makes the bloodflow faster.” We acknowledged that he wasright, and advised him to remind the king of his banishedwives. He ventured to make the proposal whilewe were at supper, but got such a harsh rebuff forhis pains, that we all pitied him. Soon afterthis, Cambyses sent one morning for all the Mobedsand Chaldaeans, and commanded them to interpret astrange dream which he had bad. In his dreamhe had been standing in the midst of a dry and barrenplain: barren as a threshing-floor, it did notproduce a single blade of grass. Displeased atthe desert aspect of the place, he was just going toseek other and more fruitful regions, when Atossaappeared, and, without seeing him, ran towards a springwhich welled up through the arid soil as if by enchantment.While he was gazing in wonder at this scene, he noticedthat wherever the foot of his sister touched the parchedsoil, graceful terebinths sprang up, changing, asthey grew, into cypresses whose tops reached untoheaven. As he was going to speak to Atossa, heawoke.

The Mobeds and Chaldaeans consulted together and interpretedthe dream thus? ‘Atossa would be successfulin all she undertook.’

“Cambyses seemed satisfied with this answer,but, as the next night the vision appeared again,he threatened the wise men with death, unless theycould give him another and a different interpretation.They pondered long, and at last answered, ’thatAtossa would become a queen and the mother of mightyprinces.’

“This answer really contented the king, andhe smiled strangely to himself as he told us his dream.’The same day Kassandane sent for me and toldme to give up all thoughts of her daughter, as I valuedmy life.

“’Just as I was leaving the queen’sgarden I saw Atossa behind a pomegranate-bush.She beckoned. I went to her; and in that hourwe forgot danger and sorrow, but said farewell toeach other for ever. Now you know all; and nowthat I have given her up—­now that I knowit would be madness even to think of her again—­Iam obliged to be very stern with myself, lest, likethe king, I should fall into deep melancholy for thesake of a woman. And this is the end of the story,the close of which we were all expecting, when Atossa,as I lay under sentence of death, sent me a rose,and made me the happiest of mortals. If I hadnot betrayed my secret then, when we thought our lasthour was near, it would have gone with me to my grave.But what am I talking about? I know I can trustto your secrecy, but pray don’t look at me sodeplorably. I think I am still to be envied,for I have had one hour of enjoyment that would outweigha century of misery. Thank you,—­thankyou: now let me finish my story as quickly asI can.

“Three days after I had taken leave of AtossaI had to marry Artystone, the daughter of Gobryas.She is beautiful, and would make any other man happy.The day after the wedding the Angare reached Babylonwith the news of your illness. My mind was madeup at once; I begged the king to let me go to you,nurse you, and warn you of the danger which threatensyour life in Egypt—­took leave of my bride,in spite of all my father-in-law’s protestations,and went off at full speed with Prexaspes, never restingtill I reached your side, my dear Bartja. NowI shall go with you and Zopyrus to Egypt, for Gygesmust accompany the ambassador to Samos, as interpreter.This is the king’s command; he has been in betterspirits the last few days; the inspection of the massesof troops coming up to Babylon diverts him, besideswhich, the Chaldaeans have assured him that the planetAdar, which belongs to their war-god Chanon, promisesa great victory to the Persian arms. When doyou think you shall be able to travel, Bartja?”

“To-morrow, if you like,” was the answer.“The doctors say the sea-voyage will do me good,and the journey by land to Smyrna is very short.”

“And I can assure you,” added Zopyrus,“that Sappho will cure you sooner than all thedoctors in the world.”

“Then we will start in three days;” saidDarius after some consideration, “we have plentyto do before starting. Remember we are going intowhat may almost be called an enemy’s country.I have been thinking the matter over, and it seemsto me that Bartja must pass for a Babylonian carpet-merchant,I for his brother, and Zopyrus for a dealer in Sardianred.”

“Couldn’t we be soldiers?” askedZopyrus. “It’s such an ignominiousthing to be taken for cheating peddlers. Howwould it be, for instance, if we passed ourselvesoff for Lydian soldiers, escaped from punishment, andseeking service in the Egyptian army?”

“That’s not a bad idea,” said Bartja,“and I think too that we look more like soldiersthan traders.”

“Looks and manner are no guide,” saidGyges. “Those great Greek merchants andship-owners go about as proudly as if the world belongedto them. But I don’t find Zopyrus’proposal a bad one.”

“Then so let it be,” said Darius, yielding.“In that case Oroetes must provide us with theuniform of Lydian Taxiarchs.”

“You’d better take the splendid dressof the Chiliarchs at once, I think,” cried Gyges.

“Why, on such young men, that would excite suspiciondirectly.”

“But we can’t appear as common soldiers.”

“No, but as Hekatontarchs.”

“All right,” said Zopyrus laughing.“Anything you like except a shop-keeper.—­Soin three days we are off. I am glad I shall justhave time to make sure of the satrap’s littledaughter, and to visit the grove of Cybele at last.Now, goodnight, Bartja; don’t get up too early.What will Sappho say, if you come to her with palecheeks?”

CHAPTER X.

The sun of a hot midsummer-day had risen on Naukratis.The Nile had already begun to overflow its banks,and the fields and gardens of the Egyptians were coveredwith water.

The harbor was crowded with craft of all kinds.Egyptian vessels were there, manned by Phoeniciancolonists from the coasts of the Delta, and bringingfine woven goods from Malta, metals and precious stonesfrom Sardinia, wine and copper from Cyprus. Greektriremes laden with oil, wine and mastic-wood; metal-workand woollen wares from Chalcis, Phoenician and Syriancraft with gaily-colored sails, and freighted withcargoes of purple stuffs, gems, spices, glass-work,carpets and cedar-trees,—­used in Egypt,where wood was very scarce, for building purposes,and taking back gold, ivory, ebony, brightly-plumagedtropical birds, precious stones and black slaves,—­thetreasures of Ethiopia; but more especially the far-famedEgyptian corn, Memphian chariots, lace from Sais,and the finer sorts of papyrus. The time whencommerce was carried on merely by barter was now,however, long past, and the merchants of Naukratisnot seldom paid for their goods in gold coin and carefully-weighedsilver.

Large warehouses stood round the harbor of this Greekcolony, and slightly-built dwelling-houses, into whichthe idle mariners were lured by the sounds of musicand laughter, and the glances and voices of paintedand rouged damsels. Slaves, both white and colored,rowers and steersmen, in various costumes, were hurryinghither and thither, while the ships’ captains,either dressed in the Greek fashion or in Phoeniciangarments of the most glaring colors, were shoutingorders to their crews and delivering up their cargoesto the merchants. Whenever a dispute arose, theEgyptian police with their long staves, and the Greekwarders of the harbor were quickly at hand. Thelatter were appointed by the elders of the merchant-bodyin this Milesian colony.

The port was getting empty now, for the hour at whichthe market opened was near, and none of the free Greekscared to be absent from the market-place then.This time, however, not a few remained behind, curiouslywatching a beautifully-built Samian ship, the Okeia,with a long prow like a swan’s neck, on thefront of which a likeness of the goddess Hera wasconspicuous. It was discharging its cargo, butthe public attention was more particularly attractedby three handsome youths, in the dress of Lydian officers,who left the ship, followed by a number of slavescarrying chests and packages.

The handsomest of the three travellers, in whom ofcourse our readers recognize their three young friends,Darius, Bartja and Zopyrus, spoke to one of the harborpolice and asked for the house of Theopompus the Milesian,to whom they were bound on a visit.

Polite and ready to do a service, like all the Greeks,the police functionary at once led the way acrossthe market-place,—­where the opening ofbusiness had just been announced by the sound of abell,—­to a handsome house, the propertyof the Milesian, Theopompus, one of the most importantand respected men in Naukratis.

The party, however, did not succeed in crossing themarket-place without hindrance. They found iteasy enough to evade the importunities of impudentfishsellers, and the friendly invitations of butchers,bakers, sausage and vegetable-sellers, and potters.But when they reached the part allotted to the flower-girls,Zopyrus was so enchanted with the scene, that he clappedhis hands for joy.

[Separate portions of the market wereset apart for the sale of different goods.The part appointed for the flower-sellers, who passedin general for no better than they should be, was calledthe “myrtle-market.” Aristoph.Thesmoph. 448.]

Three wonderfully-lovely girls, in white dresses ofsome half-transparent material, with colored borders,were seated together on low stools, binding roses,violets and orange-blossoms into one long wreath.Their charming heads were wreathed with flowers too,and looked very like the lovely rosebuds which oneof them, on seeing the young men come up, held outto their notice.

“Buy my roses, my handsome gentlemen,”she said in a clear, melodious voice, “to putin your sweethearts’ hair.”

Zopyrus took the flowers, and holding the girl’shand fast in his own, answered, “I come froma far country, my lovely child, and have no sweetheartin Naukratis yet; so let me put the roses in your owngolden hair, and this piece of gold in your whitelittle hand.”

The girl burst into a merry laugh, showed her sisterthe handsome present, and answered: “ByEros, such gentlemen as you cannot want for sweethearts.Are you brothers?”

“No.”

“That’s a pity, for we are sisters.”

“And you thought we should make three prettycouples?”

“I may have thought it, but I did not say so.”

“And your sisters?”

[This passage was suggested by the followingepigram of Dionysius “Roses are bloomingon thy cheek, with roses thy basket is laden, Whichdost thou sell? The flowers? Thyself?Or both, my pretty maiden?”]

The girls laughed, as if they were but little averseto such a connection, and offered Bartja and Dariusrosebuds too.

The young men accepted them, gave each a gold piecein return, and were not allowed to leave these beautiesuntil their helmets had been crowned with laurel.

Meanwhile the news of the strangers’ remarkableliberality had spread among the many girls, who wereselling ribbons, wreaths and flowers close by.They all brought roses too and invited the strangerswith looks and words to stay with them and buy theirflowers.

Zopyrus, like many a young gentleman in Naukratis,would gladly have accepted their invitations, formost of these girls were beautiful, and their heartswere not difficult to win; but Darius urged him tocome away, and begged Bartja to forbid the thoughtlessfellow’s staying any longer. After passingthe tables of the money-changers, and the stone seatson which the citizens sat in the open air and heldtheir consultations, they arrived at the house ofTheopompus.

The stroke given by their Greek guide with the metalknocker on the house-door was answered at once bya slave. As the master was at the market, thestrangers were led by the steward, an old servant growngrey in the service of Theopompus, into the Andronitis,and begged to wait there until he returned.

They were still engaged in admiring the paintingson the walls, and the artistic carving of the stonefloor, when Theopompus, the merchant whom we firstlearnt to know at the house of Rhodopis, came backfrom the market, followed by a great number of slavesbearing his purchases.

[Men of high rank among the Greeks didnot disdain to make purchases at market, accompaniedby their slaves, but respectable women could notappear there. Female slaves were generally sentto buy what was needed.]

He received the strangers with charming politenessand asked in what way he could be of use to them,on which Bartja, having first convinced himself thatno unwished—­for listeners were present,gave him the roll he had received from Phanes at parting.

Theopompus had scarcely read its contents, when hemade a low bow to the prince, exclaiming: “ByZeus, the father of hospitality, this is the greatesthonor that could have been conferred upon my house!All I possess is yours, and I beg you to ask yourcompanions to accept with kindness what I can offer.Pardon my not having recognized you at once in yourLydian dress. It seems to me that your hair isshorter and your beard thicker, than when you leftEgypt. Am I right in imagining that you do notwish to be recognized? It shall be exactly asyou wish. He is the best host, who allows hisguests the most freedom. All, now I recognizeyour friends; but they have disguised themselves andcut their curls also. Indeed, I could almostsay that you, my friend, whose name—­”

“My name is Darius.”

“That you, Darius, have dyed your hair black.Yes? Then you see my memory does not deceiveme. But that is nothing to boast of, for I sawyou several times at Sais, and here too, on your arrivaland departure. You ask, my prince, whether youwould be generally recognized? Certainly not.The foreign dress, the change in your hair and thecoloring of your eyebrows have altered you wonderfully.But excuse me a moment, my old steward seems to havesome important message to give.”

In a few minutes Theopompus came back, exclaiming:“No, no, my honored friends, you have certainlynot taken the wisest way of entering Naukratis incognito.You have been joking with the flower-girls and payingthem for a few roses, not like runaway Lydian Hekatontarchs,but like the great lords you are. All Naukratisknows the pretty, frivolous sisters, Stephanion, Chlorisand Irene, whose garlands have caught many a heart,and whose sweet glances have lured many a bright obolusout of the pockets of our gay young men. They’revery fond of visiting the flower-girls at market-time,

and agreements are entered into then for which morethan one gold piece must be paid later; but for a fewroses and good words they are not accustomed to beso liberal as you have been. The girls have beenboasting about you and your gifts, and showing yourgood red gold to their stingier suitors. As rumoris a goddess who is very apt to exaggerate and tomake a crocodile out of a lizard, it happened thatnews reached the Egyptian captain on guard at the market,that some newly-arrived Lydian warriors had been scatteringgold broadcast among the flower-girls. This excitedsuspicion, and induced the Toparch to send an officerhere to enquire from whence you come, and what isthe object of your journey hither. I was obligedto use a little stratagem to impose upon him, andtold him, as I believe you wish, that you were richyoung men from Sardis, who had fled on account of havingincurred the satrap’s ill-will. But I seethe government officer coming, and with him the secretarywho is to make out passports which will enable youto remain on the Nile unmolested. I have promisedhim a handsome reward, if he can help you in gettingadmitted into the king’s mercenaries. Hewas caught and believed my story. You are so young,that nobody would imagine you were entrusted witha secret mission.”

The talkative Greek had scarcely finished speakingwhen the clerk, a lean, dry-looking man, dressed inwhite, came in, placed himself opposite the strangersand asked them from whence they came and what was theobject of their journey.

The youths held to their first assertion, that theywere Lydian Hekatontarchs, and begged the functionaryto provide them with passes and tell them in whatway they might most easily obtain admittance into theking’s troop of auxiliaries.

The man did not hesitate long, after Theopompus hadundertaken to be their surety, and the desired documentswere made out.

Bartja’s pass ran thus:

“Smerdis, the son of Sandon of Sardis, about22 years of age—­figure, tall and slender-face,well-formed:—­nose, straight:—­forehead,high with a small scar in the middle:—­ishereby permitted to remain in those parts of Egyptin which the law allows foreigners to reside, as suretyhas been given for him.
“Inthe King’s name.
“Sachons,Clerk.”

Darius and Zopyrus received passports similarly worded.

When the government official had left the houses,Theopompus rubbed his hands and said: “Nowif you will follow my advice on all points you canstay in Egypt safely enough. Keep these littlerolls as if they were the apple of your eye, and neverpart from them. Now, however, I must beg youto follow me to breakfast and to tell me, if agreeableto you, whether a report which has just been makingthe round of the market is not, as usual, entirelyfalse. A trireme from Kolophon, namely, has broughtthe news that your powerful brother, noble Bartja,is preparing to make war with Amasis.”

.........................

On the evening of the same day, Bartja and Sapphosaw each other again. In that first hour surpriseand joy together made Sappho’s happiness toogreat for words. When they were once more seatedin the acanthus-grove whose blossoming branches hadso often seen and sheltered their young love, sheembraced him tenderly, but for a long time they didnot speak one word. They saw neither moon norstars moving silently above them, in the warm summernight; they did not even hear the nightingales whowere still repeating their favorite, flute-like, Itys-callto one another; nor did they feel the dew which fellas heavily on their fair heads as on the flowers inthe grass around them.

At last Bartja, taking both Sappho’s hands inhis own, looked long and silently into her face, asif to stamp her likeness for ever on his memory.When he spoke at last, she cast down her eyes, forhe said: “In my dreams, Sappho, you havealways been the most lovely creature that Auramazdaever created, but now I see you again, you are morelovely even than my dreams.”

And when a bright, happy glance from her had thankedhim for these words, he drew her closer to him, asking:“Did you often think of me?”

“I thought only of you.”

“And did you hope to see me soon?”

“Yes; hour after hour I thought, ‘nowhe must be coming.’ Sometimes I went intothe garden in the morning and looked towards your homein the East, and a bird flew towards me from thenceand I felt a twitching in my right eyelid; or whenI was putting my box to rights and found the laurelcrown which I put by as a remembrance, because youlooked so well in it,—­Melitta says suchwreaths are good for keeping true love—­thenI used to clap my hands with joy and think, ‘to-dayhe must come;’ and I would run down to the Nileand wave my handkerchief to every passing boat, forevery boat I thought must be bringing you to me.”

[A bird flying from the right side,and a twitching of the right eye
were considered fortunate omens.Theokrirus, III. 37]

“But you did not come, and then I went sadlyhome, and would sit down by the fire on the hearthin the women’s room, and sing, and gaze intothe fire till grandmother would wake me out of mydream by saying: ’Listen to me, girl; whoeverdreams by daylight is in danger of lying awake atnight, and getting up in the morning with a sad heart,a tired brain and weary limbs. The day was notgiven us for sleep, and we must live in it with openeyes, that not a single hour may be idly spent.The past belongs to the dead; only fools count uponthe future; but wise men hold fast by the ever youngpresent; by work they foster all the various giftswhich Zeus, Apollo, Pallas, Cypris lend; by work theyraise, and perfect and ennoble them, until their feelings,actions, words and thoughts become harmonious likea well-tuned lute. You cannot serve the man to

whom you have given your whole heart,—­towhom in your great love you look up as so much higherthan yourself—­you cannot prove the steadfastnessand faithfulness of that love better, than by raisingand improving your mind to the utmost of your power.Every good and beautiful truth that you learn is anoffering to him you love best, for in giving yourwhole self, you give your virtues too. But noone gains this victory in dreams. The dew bywhich such blossoms are nourished is called the sweatof man’s brow.’ So she would speakto me, and then I started up ashamed and left thehearth, and either took my lyre to learn new songs,or listened to my loving teacher’s words—­sheis wiser than most men—­attentively andstill. And so the time passed on; a rapid stream,just like our river Nile, which flows unceasingly,and brings such changing scenes upon its waves, sometimesa golden boat with streamers gay,—­sometimesa fearful, ravenous crocodile.”

“But now we are sitting in the golden boat.Oh, if time’s waves would only cease to flow!If this one moment could but last for aye. Youlovely girl, how perfectly you speak, how well youunderstand and remember all this beautiful teachingand make it even more beautiful by your way of repeatingit. Yes, Sappho, I am very proud of you.In you I have a treasure which makes me richer thanmy brother, though half the world belongs to him.”

“You proud of me? you, a king’s son, thebest and handsomest of your family?”

“The greatest worth that I can find in myselfis, that you think me worthy of your love.”

“Tell me, ye gods, how can this little hearthold so much joy without breaking? ’Tislike a vase that’s overfilled with purest, heaviestgold?”

“Another heart will help you to bear it; andthat is my own, for mine is again supported by yours,and with that help I can laugh at every evil thatthe world or night may bring.”

“Oh, don’t excite the envy of the gods;human happiness often vexes them. Since you leftus we have passed some very, very sad days. Thetwo poor children of our kind Phanes—­aboy as beautiful as Eros, and a little girl as fairand rosy as a summer morning’s cloud just litup by the sun,—­came for some happy daysto stay with us. Grandmother grew quite gladand young again while looking on these little ones,and as for me I gave them all my heart, though reallyit is your’s and your’s alone. Buthearts, you know, are wonderfully made; they’relike the sun who sends his rays everywhere, and losesneither warmth nor light by giving much, but givesto all their due. I loved those little ones sovery much. One evening we were sitting quitealone with Theopompus in the women’s room, whensuddenly we heard aloud, wild noise. The goodold Knakias, our faithful slave, just reached thedoor as all the bolts gave way, and, rushing throughthe entrance-hall into the peristyle, the andronitis,and so on to us, crashing the door between, came a

troop of soldiers. Grandmother showed them theletter by which Amasis secured our house from allattack and made it a sure refuge, but they laughedthe writing to scorn and showed us on their side adocument with the crown-prince’s seal, in whichwe were sternly commanded to deliver up Phanes’children at once to this rough troop of men.Theopompus reproved the soldiers for their roughness,telling them that the children came from Corinth andhad no connection with Phanes; but the captain ofthe troop defied and sneered at him, pushed my grandmotherrudely away, forced his way into her own apartment,where among her most precious treasures, at the headof her own bed, the two children lay sleeping peacefully,dragged them out of their little beds and took themin an open boat through the cold night-air to theroyal city. In a few days we heard the boy wasdead. They say he has been killed by Psamtik’sorders; and the little girl, so sweet and dear, islying in a dismal dungeon, and pining for her fatherand for us. Oh, dearest, isn’t it a painfulthing that sorrows such as these should come to marour perfect happiness? My eyes weep joy and sorrowin the same moment, and my lips, which have just beenlaughing with you, have now to tell you this sad story.”

“I feel your pain with you, my child, but itmakes my hand clench with rage instead of fillingmy eyes with tears. That gentle boy whom youloved, that little girl who now sits weeping in thedark dungeon, shall both be revenged. Trust me;before the Nile has risen again, a powerful army willhave entered Egypt, to demand satisfaction for thismurder.”

“Oh, dearest, how your eyes are glowing!I never saw you look so beautiful before. Yes,yes, the boy must be avenged, and none but you mustbe his avenger.”

“My gentle Sappho is becoming warlike too.”

“Yes, women must feel warlike when wickednessis so triumphant; women rejoice too when such crimesare punished. Tell me has war been declared already?”

“Not yet; but hosts on hosts are marching tothe valley of the Euphrates to join our main army.”

“My courage sinks as quickly as it rose.I tremble at the word, the mere word, war. Howmany childless mothers Ares makes, how many young fairheads must wear the widow’s veil, how many pillowsare wet through with tears when Pallas takes her shield.”

“But a man developes in war; his heart expands,his arm grows strong. And none rejoice more thanyou when he returns a conqueror from the field.The wife of a Persian, especially, ought to rejoicein the thought of battle, for her husband’shonor and fame are dearer to her than his life.”

“Go to the war. I shall pray for you there.”

“And victory will be with the right. Firstwe will conquer Pharaoh’s host, then releasePhanes’ little daughter . . .”

“And then Aristomachus, the brave old man whosucceeded Phanes when he fled. He has vanished,no one knows whither, but people say that the crown-princehas either imprisoned him in a dismal dungeon on accountof his having uttered threats of retaliating the crueltyshown to Phanes’ children, or—­whatwould be worse—­has had him dragged off tosome distant quarry. The poor old man was exiledfrom his home, not for his own fault, but by the maliceof his enemies, and the very day on which we lostsight of him an embassy arrived here from the Spartanpeople recalling Aristomachus to the Eurotas withall the honors Greece could bestow, because his sonshad brought great glory to their country. A shipwreathed with flowers was sent to fetch the honoredold man, and at the head of the deputation was hisown brave, strong son, now crowned with glory andfame.”

“I know him. He’s a man of iron.Once he mutilated himself cruelly to avoid disgrace.By the Anahita star, which is setting so beautifullyin the east, he shall be revenged!”

“Oh, can it be so late? To me the timehas gone by like a sweet breeze, which kissed my foreheadand passed away. Did not you hear some one call?They will be waiting for us, and you must be at yourfriend’s house in the town before dawn.Good-bye, my brave hero.”

“Good-bye, my dearest one. In five dayswe shall hear our marriage-hymn. But you trembleas if we were going to battle instead of to our wedding.”

“I’m trembling at the greatness of ourjoy; one always trembles in expectation of anythingunusually great.”

“Hark, Rhodopis is calling again; let us go.I have asked Theopompus to arrange everything aboutour wedding with her according to the usual custom;and I shall remain in his house incognito until I cancarry you off as my own dear wife.”

“And I will go with you.”

The next morning, as the three friends were walkingwith their host in his garden, Zopyrus exclaimed:“Wily, Bartja, I’ve been dreaming allnight of your Sappho. What a lucky fellow youare! Why I fancied my new wife in Sardis wasno end of a beauty until I saw Sappho, and now whenI think of her she seems like an owl. If Araspescould see Sappho he would be obliged to confess thateven Panthea had been outdone at last. Such acreature was never made before. Auramazda is anawful spendthrift; he might have made three beautiesout of Sappho. And how charmingly it soundedwhen she said ‘good-night’ to us in Persian.”

“While I was away,” said Bartja, “shehas been taking a great deal of trouble to learn Persianfrom the wife of a Babylonian carpet-merchant, a nativeof Susa, who is living at Naukratis, in order to surpriseme.

“Yes, she is a glorious girl,” said Theopompus.“My late wife loved the little one as if shehad been her own child. She would have liked tohave had her as a wife for our son who manages theaffairs of my house at Miletus, but the gods haveordained otherwise! Ah, how glad she would havebeen to see the wedding garland at Rhodopis’door!”

“Is it the custom here to ornament a bride’shouse with flowers?” said Zopyrus.

“Certainly,” answered Theopompus.“When you see a door hung with flowers you mayalways know that house contains a bride; an olive-branchis a sign that a boy has just come into the world,and a strip of woollen cloth hanging over the gatethat a girl has been born; but a vessel of water beforethe door is the token of death. But business-hourat the market is very near, my friends, and I mustleave you, as I have affairs of great importance totransact.”

“I will accompany you,” said Zopyrus,“I want to order some garlands for Rhodopis’house.”

“Aha,” laughed the Milesian. “Isee, you want to talk to the flower-girls again.Come, it’s of no use to deny. Well, if youlike you can come with me, but don’t be so generousas you were yesterday, and don’t forget thatif certain news of war should arrive, your disguisemay prove dangerous.”

The Greek then had his sandals fastened on by hisslaves and started for the market, accompanied byZopyrus. In a few hours he returned with sucha serious expression on his usually cheerful face,that it was easy to see something very important hadhappened.

“I found the whole town in great agitation,”he said to the two friends who had remained at home;“there is a report that Amasis is at the pointof death. We had all met on the place of exchangein order to settle our business, and I was on thepoint of selling all my stored goods at such highprices as to secure me a first-rate profit, with which,when the prospect of an important war had loweredprices again, I could have bought in fresh goods—­yousee it stands me in good stead to know your royalbrother’s intentions so early—­whensuddenly the Toparch appeared among us, and announcedthat Amasis was not only seriously ill, but that thephysicians had given up all hope, and he himself felthe was very near death. We must hold ourselvesin readiness for this at any moment, and for a veryserious change in the face of affairs. The deathof Amasis is the severest loss that could happen tous Greeks; he was always our friend, and favored uswhenever he could, while his son is our avowed enemyand will do his utmost to expel us from the country.If his father had allowed, and he himself had notfelt so strongly the importance and value of our mercenarytroops, he would have turned us hateful foreignersout long ago. Naukratis and its temples are odiousto him. When Amasis is dead our town will hailCambyses’ army with delight, for I have hadexperience already, in my native town Miletus, thatyou are accustomed to show respect to those who arenot Persians and to protect their rights.”

“Yes,” said Bartja, “I will takecare that all your ancient liberties shall be confirmedby my brother and new ones granted you.”

“Well, I only hope he will soon be here,”exclaimed the Greek, “for we know that Psamtik,as soon as he possibly can, will order our temples,which are an abomination to him, to be demolished.The building of a place of sacrifice for the Greeksat Memphis has long been put a stop to.”

“But here,” said Darius, “we sawa number of splendid temples as we came up from theharbor.”

“Oh, yes, we have several.—­Ah, therecomes Zopyrus; the slaves are carrying a perfect groveof garlands behind him. He’s laughing soheartily, he must have amused himself famously withthe flower-girls. Good-morning, my friend.The sad news which fills all Naukratis does not seemto disturb you much.”

“Oh, for anything I care, Amasis may go on livinga hundred years yet. But if he dies now, peoplewill have something else to do beside looking afterus. When do you set off for Rhodopis’ house,friends?”

“At dusk.”

“Then please, ask her to accept these flowersfrom me. I never thought I could have been sotaken by an old woman before. Every word she sayssounds like music, and though she speaks so gravelyand wisely it’s as pleasant to the ear as amerry joke. But I shan’t go with you thistime, Bartja; I should only be in the way. Darius,what have you made up your mind to do?”

“I don’t want to lose one chance of aconversation with Rhodopis.”

“Well, I don’t blame you. You’reall for learning and knowing everything, and I’mfor enjoying. Friends, what do you say to lettingme off this evening? You see. . . .”

“I know all about it,” interrupted Bartjalaughing: “You’ve only seen the flower-girlsby daylight as yet, and you would like to know howthey look by lamplight.”

“Yes, that’s it,” said Zopyrus,putting on a grave face. “On that pointI am quite as eager after knowledge as Darius.”

“Well, we wish you much pleasure with your threesisters.”

“No, no, not all three, if you please; Stephanion,the youngest, is my favorite.”

Morning had already dawned when Bartja, Darius andTheopompus left Rhodopis’ house. Syloson,a Greek noble who had been banished from his nativeland by his own brother, Polykrates the tyrant, hadbeen spending the evening with them, and was now returningin their company to Naukratis, where he had been livingmany years.

This man, though an exile, was liberally suppliedwith money by his brother, kept the most brilliantestablishment in Naukratis, and was as famous forhis extravagant hospitality as for his strength andcleverness. Syloson was a very handsome man too,and so remarkable for the good taste and splendorof his dress, that the youth of Naukratis prided themselveson imitating the cut and hang of his robes. Beingunmarried, he spent many of his evenings at Rhodopis’house, and had been told the secret of her granddaughter’sbetrothal.

On that evening it had been settled, that in fourdays the marriage should be celebrated with the greatestprivacy. Bartja had formally betrothed himselfto Sappho by eating a quince with her, on the sameday on which she had offered sacrifices to Zeus, Hera,and the other deities who protected marriage.The wedding-banquet was to be given at the house ofTheopompus, which was looked upon as the bridegroom’s.The prince’s costly bridal presents had beenentrusted to Rhodopis’ care, and Bartja hadinsisted on renouncing the paternal inheritance whichbelonged to his bride and on transferring it to Rhodopis,notwithstanding her determined resistance.

Syloson accompanied the friends to Rhodopis’house, and was just about to leave them, when a loudnoise in the streets broke the quiet stillness ofthe night, and soon after, a troop of the watch passedby, taking a man to prison. The prisoner seemedhighly indignant, and the less his broken Greek oathsand his utterances in some other totally unintelligiblelanguage were understood by the Egyptian guards, themore violent he became.

Directly Bartja and Darius heard the voice they ranup, and recognized Zopyrus at once.

Syloson and Theopompus stopped the guards, and askedwhat their captive had done. The officer on dutyrecognized them directly; indeed every child in Naukratisknew the Milesian merchant and the brother of thetyrant Polykrates by sight; and he answered at once,with a respectful salutation, that the foreign youththey were leading away had been guilty of murder.

Theopompus then took him on one side and endeavored,by liberal promises, to obtain the freedom of theprisoner. The man, however, would concede nothingbut a permission to speak with his captive. Meanwhilehis friends begged Zopyrus to tell them at once whathad happened, and heard the following story:The thoughtless fellow had visited the flower-girlsat dusk and remained till dawn. He had scarcelyclosed their housedoor on his way home, when he foundhimself surrounded by a number of young men, who hadprobably been lying in wait for him, as he had alreadyhad a quarrel with one of them, who called himselfthe betrothed lover of Stephanion, on that very morning.The girl had told her troublesome admirer to leaveher flowers alone, and had thanked Zopyrus for threateningto use personal violence to the intruder. Whenthe young Achaemenidae found himself surrounded, hedrew his sword and easily dispersed his adversaries,as they were only armed with sticks, but chanced towound the jealous lover, who was more violent thanthe rest, so seriously, that he fell to the ground.Meanwhile the watch had come up, and as Zopyrus’victim howled “thieves” and “murder”incessantly, they proceeded to arrest the offender.This was not so easy. His blood was up, and rushingon them with his drawn sword, he had already cut hisway through the first troop when a second came up.He was not to be daunted, attacked them too, splitthe skull of one, wounded another in the arm and wastaking aim for a third blow, when he felt a cord roundhis neck. It was drawn tighter and tighter tillat last he could not breathe and fell down insensible.By the time he came to his senses he was bound, andnotwithstanding all his appeals to his pass and thename of Theopompus, was forced to follow his captors.

When the tale was finished the Milesian did not attemptto conceal his strong disapprobation, and told Zopyrusthat his most unseasonable love of fighting mightbe followed by the saddest consequences. Aftersaying this, he turned to the officer and begged himto accept his own personal security for the prisoner.The other, however, refused gravely, saying he mightforfeit his own life by doing so, as a law existedin Egypt by which the concealer of a murder was condemnedto death. He must, he assured them, take theculprit to Sais and deliver him over to the Nomarchfor punishment. “He has murdered an Egyptian,”were his last words, “and must therefore betried by an Egyptian supreme court. In any othercase I should be delighted to render you any servicein my power.”

During this conversation Zopyrus had been begginghis friends not to take any trouble about him.“By Mithras,” he cried, when Bartja offeredto declare himself to the Egyptians as a means ofprocuring his freedom, “I vow I’ll stabmyself without a second thought, if you give yourselvesup to those dogs of Egyptians. Why the wholetown is talking about the war already, and do youthink that if Psamtik knew he’d got such splendidgame in his net, he would let you loose? He wouldkeep you as hostages, of course. No, no, my friends.Good-bye; may Auramazda send you his best blessings!and don’t quite forget the jovial Zopyrus, wholived and died for love and war.”

The captain of the band placed himself at the headof his men, gave the order to march, and in a fewminutes Zopyrus was out of sight.

ETEXT editor’sbookmarks:

Corpse to be torn inpieces by dogs and vultures
He is the best host,who allows his guests the most freedom
The past belongs tothe dead; only fools count upon the future
They praise their butchersmore than their benefactors
We’ve talked agood deal of love with our eyes already
Wise men hold fast bythe ever young present

AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.

By Georg Ebers

Volume 9.

CHAPTER XI.

According to the law of Egypt, Zopyrus had deserveddeath.

As soon as his friends heard this, they resolved togo to Sais and try to rescue him by stratagem.Syloson, who had friends there and could speak theEgyptian language well, offered to help them.

Bartja and Darius disguised themselves so completelyby dyeing their hair and eyebrows and wearing broad-brimmedfelt-hats,—­that they could scarcely recognizeeach other. Theopompus provided them with ordinaryGreek dresses, and, an hour after Zopyrus’ arrest,they met the splendidly-got-up Syloson on the shoreof the Nile, entered a boat belonging to him and mannedby his slaves, and, after a short sail, favored bythe wind, reached Sais,—­which lay abovethe waters of the inundation like an island,—­beforethe burning midsummer sun had reached its noondayheight.

They disembarked at a remote part of the town andwalked across the quarter appropriated to the artisans.The workmen were busy at their calling, notwithstandingthe intense noonday heat. The baker’s menwere at work in the open court of the bakehouse, kneadingbread—­the coarser kind of dough with thefeet, the finer with the hands. Loaves of variousshapes were being drawn out of the ovens-round andoval cakes, and rolls in the form of sheep, snailsand hearts. These were laid in baskets, and thenimble baker’s boys would put three, four, oreven five such baskets on their heads at once, andcarry them off quickly and safely to the customersliving in other quarters of the city. A butcherwas slaughtering an ox before his house, the creature’slegs having been pinioned; and his men were busy sharpeningtheir knives to cut up a wild goat. Merry cobblerswere calling out to the passers-by from their stalls;carpenters, tailors, joiners and weavers—­wereall there, busy at their various callings. Thewives of the work-people were going out marketing,leading their naked children by the hand, and somesoldiers were loitering near a man who was offeringbeer and wine for sale.

But our friends took very little notice of what wasgoing on in the streets through which they passed;they followed Syloson in silence.

At the Greek guard-house he asked them to wait forhim. Syloson, happening to know the Taxiarchwho was on duty that day, went in and asked him ifhe had heard anything of a man accused of murder havingbeen brought from Naukratis to Sais that morning.

“Of course,” said the Greek. “It’snot more than half an hour since he arrived.As they found a purse full of money in his girdle,they think he must be a Persian spy. I supposeyou know that Cambyses is preparing for war with Egypt.”

“Impossible!”

“No, no, it’s a fact. The prince-regenthas already received information. A caravan ofArabian merchants arrived yesterday at Pelusium, andbrought the news.”

“It will prove as false as their suspicionsabout this poor young Lydian. I know him well,and am very sorry for the poor fellow. He belongsto one of the richest families in Sardis, and onlyran away for fear of the powerful satrap Oroetes,with whom he had had a quarrel. I’ll tellyou the particulars when you come to see me next inNaukratis. Of course you’ll stay a fewdays and bring some friends. My brother has sentme some wine which beats everything I ever tasted.It’s perfect nectar, and I confess I grudgeoffering it to any one who’s not, like you, aperfect judge in such matters.” The Taxiarch’sface brightened up at these words, and grasping Syloson’shand, he exclaimed. “By the dog, my friend,we shall not wait to be asked twice; we’ll comesoon enough and take a good pull at your wine-skins.How would it be if you were to ask Archidice, thethree flower-sisters, and a few flute-playing-girlsto supper?”

[Archidice—­A celebratedHetaira of Naukratis mentioned by Herod.
II. 135. Flute-playing girlswere seldom missing at the young
Greeks’ drinking-parties]

“They shall all be there. By the bye, thatreminds me that the flower-girls were the cause ofthat poor young Lydian’s imprisonment.Some jealous idiot attacked him before their housewith a number of comrades. The hot-brained youngfellow defended himself . . . .”

“And knocked the other down?”

“Yes; and so that he’ll never get up again.”

“The boy must be a good boxer.”

“He had a sword.”

“So much the better for him.”

“No, so much the worse; for his victim was anEgyptian.”

“That’s a bad job. I fear it canonly have an unfortunate end. A foreigner, whokills an Egyptian, is as sure of death as if he hadthe rope already round his neck. However, justnow he’ll get a few days’ grace; the priestsare all so busy praying for the dying king that theyhave no time to try criminals.”

“I’d give a great deal to be able to savethat poor fellow. I know his father.”

“Yes, and then after all he only did his duty.A man must defend himself.”

“Do you happen to know where he is imprisoned?”

“Of course I do. The great prison is underrepair, and so he has been put for the present inthe storehouse between the principal guard-house ofthe Egyptian body-guard and the sacred grove of thetemple of Neith. I have only just come home fromseeing them take him there.”

“He is strong and has plenty of courage; doyou think he could get away, if we helped him?”

“No, it would be quite impossible; he’sin a room two stories high; the only window looksinto the sacred grove, and that, you know, is surroundedby a ten-foot wall, and guarded like the treasury.There are double sentries at every gate. There’sonly one place where it is left unguarded during theinundation season, because, just here, the water washesthe walls. These worshippers of animals are ascautious as water-wagtails.”

“Well, it’s a great pity, but I supposewe must leave the poor fellow to his fate. Good-bye,Doemones; don’t forget my invitation.”

The Samian left the guard-room and went back directlyto the two friends, who were waiting impatiently forhim.

They listened eagerly to his tidings, and when hehad finished his description of the prison, Dariusexclaimed: “I believe a little couragewill save him. He’s as nimble as a cat,and as strong as a bear. I have thought of aplan.”

“Let us hear it,” said Syloson, “andlet me give an opinion as to its practicability.”

“We will buy some rope-ladders, some cord, anda good bow, put all these into our boat, and row tothe unguarded part of the temple-wall at dusk.You must then help me to clamber over it. I shalltake the things over with me and give the eagle’scry. Zopyras will know at once, because, sincewe were children, we have been accustomed to use itwhen we were riding or hunting together. ThenI shall shoot an arrow, with the cord fastened toit, up into his window, (I never miss), tell him tofasten a weight to it and let it down again to me.I shall then secure the rope-ladder to the cord, Zopyruswill draw the whole affair up again, and hang it onan iron nail,—­which, by the bye, I mustnot forget to send up with the ladder, for who knowswhether he may have such a thing in his cell.He will then come down on it, go quickly with me tothe part of the wall where you will be waiting withthe boat, and where there must be another rope-ladder,spring into the boat, and there he is-safe!”

“First-rate, first-rate!” cried Bartja.

“But very dangerous,” added Syloson.“If we are caught in the sacred grove, we arecertain to be severely punished. The priests holdstrange nightly festivals there, at which every onebut the initiated is strictly forbidden to appear.I believe, however, that these take place on the lake,and that is at some distance from Zopyrus’ prison.”

“So much the better,” cried Darius; “butnow to the main point. We must send at once,and ask Theopompus to hire a fast trireme for us, andhave it put in sailing order at once. The newsof Cambyses’ preparations have already reachedEgypt; they take us for spies, and will be sure notto let either Zopyrus or his deliverers escape, ifthey can help it. It would be a criminal rashnessto expose ourselves uselessly to danger. Bartja,you must take this message yourself, and must marrySappho this very day, for, come what may, we mustleave Naukratis to-morrow. Don’t contradictme, my friend, my brother! You know our plan,and you must see that as only one can act in it, yourpart would be that of a mere looker-on. As itwas my own idea I am determined to carry it out myself.We shall meet again to-morrow, for Auramazda protectsthe friendship of the pure.”

It was a long time before they could persuade Bartjato leave his friends in the lurch, but their entreatiesand representations at last took effect, and he wentdown towards the river to take a boat for Naukratis,Darius and Syloson going at the same time to buy thenecessary implements for their plan.

In order to reach the place where boats were to behired, Bartja had to pass by the temple of Neith.This was not easy, as an immense crowd was assembledat the entrance-gates. He pushed his way as faras the obelisks near the great gate of the templewith its winged sun-disc and fluttering pennons, butthere the temple-servants prevented him from goingfarther; they were keeping the avenue of sphinxes

clear for a procession. The gigantic doors ofthe Pylon opened, and Bartja, who, in spite of himself,had been pushed into the front row, saw a brilliantprocession come out of the temple. The unexpectedsight of many faces he had formerly known occupiedhis attention so much, that he scarcely noticed theloss of his broad-brimmed hat, which had been knockedoff in the crowd. From the conversation of twoIonian mercenaries behind him he learnt that the familyof Amasis had been to the temple to pray for the dyingking.

The procession was headed by richly-decorated priests,either wearing long white robes or pantherskins.They were followed by men holding office at the court,and carrying golden staves, on the ends of which peaco*cks’feathers and silver lotus-flowers were fastened, andthese by Pastophori, carrying on their shoulders agolden cow, the animal sacred to Isis. When thecrowd had bowed down before this sacred symbol, thequeen appeared. She was dressed in priestly robesand wore a costly head-dress with the winged discand the Uraeus. In her left hand she held a sacredgolden sistrum, the tones of which were to scare awayTyphon, and in her right some lotus-flowers.The wife, daughter and sister of the high-priest followedher, in similar but less splendid ornaments. Thencame the heir to the throne, in rich robes of state,as priest and prince; and behind him four young priestsin white carrying Tachot, (the daughter of Amasisand Ladice and the pretended sister of Nitetis,) inan open litter. The heat of the day, and theearnestness of her prayers, had given the sick girla slight color. Her blue eyes, filled with tears,were fixed on the sistrum which her weak, emaciatedhands had hardly strength to hold.

A murmur of compassion ran through the crowd; forthey loved their dying king, and manifested openlyand gladly the sympathy so usually felt for younglives from whom a brilliant future has been snatchedby disease. Such was Amasis’ young, fadingdaughter, who was now being carried past them, andmany an eye grew dim as the beautiful invalid camein sight. Tachot seemed to notice this, for sheraised her eyes from the sistrum and looked kindlyand gratefully at the crowd. Suddenly the colorleft her face, she turned deadly pale, and the goldensistrum fell on to the stone pavement with a clang,close to Bartja’s feet. He felt that hehad been recognized and for one moment thought ofhiding himself in the crowd; but only for one moment—­hischivalrous feeling gained the day, he darted forward,picked up the sistrum, and forgetting the danger inwhich he was placing himself, held it out to the princess.

Tachot looked at him earnestly before taking the goldensistrum from his hands, and then said, in a low voice,which only he could understand: “Are youBartja? Tell me, in your mother’s name—­areyou Bartja?”

“Yes, I am,” was his answer, in a voiceas low as her own, “your friend, Bartja.”

He could not say more, for the priests pushed himback among the crowd. When he was in his oldplace, he noticed that Tachot, whose bearers had begunto move on again, was looking round at him. Thecolor had come back into her cheeks, and her brighteyes were trying to meet his. He did not avoidthem; she threw him a lotus-bud-he stooped to pickit up, and then broke his way through the crowd, forthis hasty act had roused their attention.

A quarter of an hour later, he was seated in the boatwhich was to take him to Sappho and to his wedding.He was quite at ease now about Zopyrus. In Bartja’seyes his friend was already as good as saved, and inspite of the dangers which threatened himself, hefelt strangely calm and happy, he could hardly saywhy.

Meanwhile the sick princess had been carried home,had had her oppressive ornaments taken off, and hercouch carried on to one of the palace-balconies whereshe liked best to pass the hot summer days, shelteredby broad-leaved plants, and a kind of awning.

From this veranda, she could look down into the greatfore-court of the palace, which was planted with trees.To-day it was full of priests, courtiers, generalsand governors of provinces. Anxiety and suspensewere expressed in every face: Amasis’ lasthour was drawing very near.

Tachot could not be seen from below; but listeningwith feverish eagerness, she could hear much thatwas said. Now that they had to dread the lossof their king, every one, even the priests, were fullof his praises. The wisdom and circ*mspectionof his plans and modes of government, his unweariedindustry, the moderation he had always shown, thekeenness of his wit, were, each and all, subjects ofadmiration. “How Egypt has prospered underAmasis’ government!” said a Nomarch.“And what glory he gained for our arms, by theconquest of Cyprus and the war with the Libyans!”cried one of the generals. “How magnificentlyhe embellished our temples, and what great honorshe paid to the goddess of Sais!” exclaimed oneof the singers of Neith. “And then how graciousand condescending he was!” murmured a courtier.“How cleverly he managed to keep peace withthe great powers!” said the secretary of state,and the treasurer, wiping away a tear, cried:“How thoroughly he understood the managementof the revenue! Since the reign of Rameses III.the treasury has not been so well filled as now.”“Psamtik comes into a fine inheritance,”lisped the courtier, and the soldier exclaimed, “Yes,but it’s to be feared that he’ll not spendit in a glorious war; he’s too much under theinfluence of the priests.” “No, youare wrong there,” answered the temple-singer.“For some time past, our lord and master hasseemed to disdain the advice of his most faithful servants.”“The successor of such a father will find itdifficult to secure universal approbation,”said the Nomarch. “It is not every one whohas the intellect, the good fortune and the wisdomof Amasis.” “The gods know that!”murmured the warrior with a sigh.

Tachot’s tears flowed fast. These wordswere a confirmation of what they had been trying tohide from her: she was to lose her dear fathersoon.

After she had made this dreadful certainty clear toher own mind, and discovered that it was in vain tobeg her attendants to carry her to her dying father,she left off listening to the courtiers below, andbegan looking at the sistrum which Bartja himselfhad put into her hand, and which she had brought onto the balcony with her, as if seeking comfort there.And she found what she sought; for it seemed to heras if the sound of its sacred rings bore her awayinto a smiling, sunny landscape.

That faintness which so often comes over people indecline, had seized her and was sweetening her lasthours with pleasant dreams.

The female slaves, who stood round to fan away theflies, said afterwards that Tachot had never lookedso lovely.

She had lain about an hour in this state, when herbreathing became more difficult, a slight cough madeher breast heave, and the bright red blood trickleddown from her lips on to her white robe. She awoke,and looked surprised and disappointed on seeing thefaces round her. The sight of her mother, however,who came on to the veranda at that moment, broughta smile to her face, and she said, “O mother,I have had such a beautiful dream.”

“Then our visit to the temple has done my dearchild good?” asked the queen, trembling at thesight of the blood on the sick girl’s lips.

“Oh, yes, mother, so much! for I saw him again.”Ladice’s glance at the attendants seemed toask “Has your poor mistress lost her senses?”Tachot understood the look and said, evidently speakingwith great difficulty: “You think I amwandering, mother. No, indeed, I really saw andspoke to him. He gave me my sistrum again, andsaid he was my friend, and then he took my lotus-budand vanished. Don’t look so distressed andsurprised, mother. What I say is really true;it is no dream.—­There, you hear, Tentrutsaw him too. He must have come to Sais for mysake, and so the child-oracle in the temple-courtdid not deceive me, after all. And now I don’tfeel anything more of my illness; I dreamt I was lyingin a field of blooming poppies, as red as the bloodof the young lambs that are offered in sacrifice;Bartja was sitting by my side, and Nitetis was kneelingclose to us and playing wonderful songs on a Nablamade of ivory. And there was such a lovely soundin the air that I felt as if Horus, the beautifulgod of morning, spring, and the resurrection, waskissing me. Yes, mother, I tell you he is comingsoon, and when I am well, then—­then—­ah,mother what is this? . . . I am dying!”

Ladice knelt down by her child’s bed and pressedher lips in burning kisses on the girl’s eyesas they grew dim in death.

An hour later she was standing by another bedside—­herdying husband’s.

Severe suffering had disfigured the king’s features,the cold perspiration was standing on his forehead,and his hands grasped the golden lions on the armsof the deep-seated invalid chair in which he was resting,almost convulsively.

When Ladice came in he opened his eyes; they wereas keen and intelligent as if he had never lost hissight.

“Why do not you bring Tachot to me?” heasked in a dry voice.

“She is too ill, and suffers so much, that .. .”

“She is dead! Then it is well with her,for death is not punishment; it is the end and aimof life,—­the only end that we can attainwithout effort, but through sufferings!—­thegods alone know how great. Osiris has taken herto himself, for she was innocent. And Nitetisis dead too. Where is Nebenchari’s letter?”

“Here is the place: ’She took herown life, and died calling down a heavy curse on theeand thine. The poor, exiled, scorned and plunderedoculist Nebenchari in Babylon sends thee this intelligenceto Egypt. It is as true as his own hatred ofthee.’ Listen to these words, Psamtik, andremember how on his dying bed thy father told theethat, for every drachm of pleasure purchased on earthby wrong-doing, the dying bed will be burdened bya talent’s weight of remorse. Fearful miseryis coming on Egypt for Nitetis’ sake. Cambysesis preparing to make war on us. He will sweepdown on Egypt like a scorching wind from the desert.Much, which I have staked my nightly sleep and thevery marrow of my existence to bring into existence,will be annihilated. Still I have not lived invain. For forty years I have been the carefulfather and benefactor of a great nation. Childrenand children’s children will speak of Amasisas a great, wise and humane king; they will read myname on the great works which I have built in Saisand Thebes, and will praise the greatness of my power.Neither shall I be condemned by Osiris and the forty-twojudges of the nether world; the goddess of truth,who holds the balances, will find that my good deedsoutweigh my bad.”—­Here the king sigheddeeply and remained silent for some time. Then,looking tenderly at his wife, he said: “Ladice,thou hast been a faithful, virtuous wife to me.For this I thank thee, and ask thy forgiveness formuch. We have often misunderstood one another.Indeed it was easier for me to accustom myself to theGreek modes of thought, than for a Greek to understandour Egyptian ideas. Thou know’st my loveof Greek art,—­thou know’st how I enjoyedthe society of thy friend Pythagoras, who was thoroughlyinitiated in all that we believe and know, and adoptedmuch from us. He comprehended the deep wisdomwhich lies in the doctrines that I reverence most,and he took care not to speak lightly of truths whichour priests are perhaps too careful to hide from thepeople; for though the many bow down before that whichthey cannot understand, they would be raised and upheldby those very truths, if explained to them. Toa Greek mind our worship of animals presents the greatestdifficulty, but to my own the worship of the Creatorin his creatures seems more just and more worthy ofa human being, than the worship of his likeness instone. The Greek deities are moreover subjectto every human infirmity; indeed I should have mademy queen very unhappy by living in the same manneras her great god Zeus.”

At these words the king smiled, and then went on:“And what has given rise to this? The Helleniclove of beauty in form, which, in the eye of a Greek,is superior to every thing else. He cannot separatethe body from the soul, because he holds it to bethe most glorious of formed things, and indeed, believesthat a beautiful spirit must necessarily inhabit abeautiful body. Their gods, therefore, are onlyelevated human beings, but we adore an unseen powerworking in nature and in ourselves. The animaltakes its place between ourselves and nature; its actionsare guided, not, like our own, by the letter, butby the eternal laws of nature, which owe their originto the Deity, while the letter is a device of man’sown mind. And then, too, where amongst ourselvesdo we find so earnest a longing and endeavor to gainfreedom, the highest good, as among the animals?Where such a regular and well-balanced life from generationto generation, without instruction or precept?”

Here the king’s voice failed. He was obligedto pause for a few moments, and then continued:“I know that my end is near; therefore enoughof these matters. My son and successor, hearmy last wishes and act upon them; they are the resultof experience. But alas! how often have I seen,that rules of life given by one man to another areuseless. Every man must earn his own experience.His own losses make him prudent, his own learningwise. Thou, my son, art coming to the throne ata mature age; thou hast had time and opportunity tojudge between right and wrong, to note what is beneficialand what hurtful, to see and compare many things.I give thee, therefore, only a few wholesome counsels,and only fear that though I offer them with my righthand, thou wilt accept them with the left.

“First, however, I must say that, notwithstandingmy blindness, my indifference to what has been goingon during the past months has been only apparent.I left you to your own devices with a good intention.Rhodopis told me once one of her teacher AEsop’sfables: ’A traveller, meeting a man onhis road, asked him how long it would be before hereached the nearest town.’ ‘Go on,go on,’ cried the other. ’But I wantto know first when I shall get to the town.’‘Go on, only go on,’ was the answer.The traveller left him with angry words and abuse;but he had not gone many steps when the man calledafter him: ’You will be there in an hour.I could not answer your question until I had seen yourpace.’

“I bore this fable in my mind for my son’ssake, and watched in silence at what pace he was rulinghis people. Now I have discovered what I wishto know, and this is my advice: Examine into everythingyour self. It is the duty of every man, but especiallyof a king, to acquaint himself intimately with allthat concerns the weal or woe of his people. You,my son, are in the habit of using the eyes and earsof other men instead of going to the fountain-headyourself. I am sure that your advisers, the priests,only desire what is good; but . . . Neithotep,I must beg you to leave us alone for a few moments.”

When the priest was gone the king exclaimed “Theywish for what is good, but good only for themselves.But we are not kings of priests and aristocrats only,we are kings of a nation! Do not listen to theadvice of this proud caste alone, but read every petitionyourself, and, by appointing Nomarchs devoted to theking and beloved by the people, make yourself acquaintedwith the needs and wishes of the Egyptian nation.It is not difficult to govern well, if you are awareof the state of feeling in your land. Choosefit men to fill the offices of state. I have takencare that the kingdom shall be properly divided.The laws are good, and have proved themselves so;hold fast by these laws, and trust no one who setshimself above them; for law is invariably wiser thanthe individual man, and its transgressor deserveshis punishment. The people understand this well,and are ready to sacrifice themselves for us, whenthey see that we are ready to give up our own willto the law. You do not care for the people.I know their voice is often rude and rough, but itutters wholesome truths, and no one needs to heartruth more than a king. The Pharaoh who choosespriests and courtiers for his advisers, will hearplenty of flattering words, while he who tries to fulfilthe wishes of the nation will have much to sufferfrom those around him; but the latter will feel peacein his own heart, and be praised in the ages to come.I have often erred, yet the Egyptians will weep forme, as one who knew their needs and considered theirwelfare like a father. A king who really knowshis duties, finds it an easy and beautiful task towin the love of the people—­an unthankfulone to gain the applause of the great—­almostan impossibility to content both.

“Do not forget,—­I say it again,—­thatkings and priests exist for the people, and not thepeople for their kings and priests. Honor religionfor its own sake and as the most important means ofsecuring the obedience of the governed to their governors;but at the same time show its promulgators that youlook on them, not as receptacles, but as servants,of the Deity. Hold fast, as the law commands,by what is old; but never shut the gates of your kingdomagainst what is new, if better. Bad men breakat once with the old traditions; fools only care forwhat is new and fresh; the narrowminded and the selfishprivileged class cling indiscriminately to all thatis old, and pronounce progress to be a sin; but thewise endeavor to retain all that has approved itselfin the past, to remove all that has become defective,and to adopt whatever is good, from whatever sourceit may have sprung. Act thus, my son. Thepriests will try to keep you back—­the Greeksto urge you forward. Choose one party or theother, but beware of indecision—­of yieldingto the one to-day, to the other to-morrow. Betweentwo stools a man falls to the ground. Let theone party be your friends, the other your enemies;by trying to please both, you will have both opposed

to you. Human beings hate the man who shows kindnessto their enemies. In the last few months, duringwhich you have ruled independently, both parties havebeen offended by your miserable indecision. Theman who runs backwards and forwards like a child,makes no progress, and is soon weary. I have tillnow—­till I felt that death was near—­alwaysencouraged the Greeks and opposed the priests.In the active business of life, the clever, braveGreeks seemed to me especially serviceable; at death,I want men who can make me out a pass into the netherregions. The gods forgive me for not being ableto resist words that sound so like a joke, even inmy last hour! They created me and must take meas I am. I rubbed my hands for joy when I becameking; with thee, my son, coming to the throne is agraver matter.—­Now call Neithotep back;I have still something to say to you both.”

The king gave his hand to the high-priest as he entered,saving: “I leave you, Neithotep, withoutill-will, though my opinion that you have been a betterpriest than a servant to your king, remains unaltered.Psamtik will probably prove a more obedient followerthan I have been, but one thing I wish to impressearnestly on you both: Do not dismiss the Greekmercenaries until the war with the Persians is over,and has ended we will hope—­in victory forEgypt. My former predictions are not worth anythingnow; when death draws near, we get depressed, and thingsbegin to look a little black. Without the auxiliarytroops we shall be hopelessly lost, but with themvictory is not impossible. Be clever; show theIonians that they are fighting on the Nile for thefreedom of their own country—­that Cambyses,if victorious, will not be contented with Egypt alone,while his defeat may bring freedom to their own enslavedcountrymen in Ionia. I know you agree with me,Neithotep, for in your heart you mean well to Egypt.—­Nowread me the prayers. I feel exhausted; my endmust be very near. If I could only forget thatpoor Nitetis! had she the right to curse us?May the judges of the dead-may Osiris—­havemercy on our souls! Sit down by me, Ladice; laythy hand on my burning forehead. And Psamtik,in presence of these witnesses, swear to honor andrespect thy step-mother, as if thou wert her own child.My poor wife! Come and seek me soon before thethrone of Osiris. A widow and childless, whathast thou to do with this world? We brought upNitetis as our own daughter, and yet we are so heavilypunished for her sake. But her curse rests onus—­and only on us;—­not on thee,Psamtik, nor on thy children. Bring my grandson.Was that a tear? Perhaps; well, the little thingsto which one has accustomed one’s self are generallythe hardest to give up.”

......................

Rhodopis entertained a fresh guest that evening; Kallias,the son of Phoenippus, the same who first appearedin our tale as the bearer of news from the Olympicgames.

The lively, cheerful Athenian had just come back fromhis native country, and, as an old and tried friend,was not only received by Rhodopis, but made acquaintedwith the secret of Sappho’s marriage.

Knakias, her old slave, had, it is true, taken inthe flag which was the sign of reception, two daysago; but he knew that Kallias was always welcome tohis mistress, and therefore admitted him just as readilyas he refused every one else.

The Athenian had plenty to tell, and when Rhodopiswas called away on business, he took his favoriteSappho into the garden, joking and teasing her gailyas they looked out for her lover’s coming.But Bartja did not come, and Sappho began to be soanxious that Kallias called old Melitta, whose longinglooks in the direction of Naukratis were, if possible,more anxious even than those of her mistress, andtold her to fetch a musical instrument which he hadbrought with him.

It was a rather large lute, made of gold and ivory,and as he handed it to Sappho, he said, with a smile:“The inventor of this glorious instrument, thedivine Anakreon, had it made expressly for me, at myown wish. He calls it a Barbiton, and bringswonderful tones from its chords—­tones thatmust echo on even into the land of shadows. Ihave told this poet, who offers his life as one greatsacrifice to the Muses, Eros and Dionysus, a greatdeal about you, and he made me promise to bring youthis song, which he wrote on purpose for you, as agift from himself.

“Now, what do you say to this song? Butby Hercules, child, how pale you are! Have theverses affected you so much, or are you frightenedat this likeness of your own longing heart? Calmyourself, girl. Who knows what may have happenedto your lover?”

“Nothing has happened,—­nothing,”cried a gay, manly voice, and in a few seconds Sapphowas in the arms of him she loved.

Kallias looked on quietly, smiling at the wonderfulbeauty of these two young lovers.

“But now,” said the prince, after Sapphohad made him acquainted with Kallias, “I mustgo at once to your grandmother. We dare not waitfour days for our wedding. It must be to-day!There is danger in every hour of delay. Is Theopompushere?”

“I think he must be,” said Sappho.“I know of nothing else, that could keep mygrandmother so long in the house. But tell me,what is this about our marriage? It seems tome . . .”

“Let us go in first, love. I fancy a thunder-stormmust be coming on. The sky is so dark, and it’sso intolerably sultry.”

“As you like, only make haste, unless you meanme to die of impatience. There is not the slightestreason to be afraid of a storm. Since I was achild there has not been either lightning or thunderin Egypt at this time of year.”

“Then you will see something new to-day,”said Kallias, laughing; for a large drop of rain hasjust fallen on my bald head, “the Nile-swallowswere flying close to the water as I came here, andyou see there is a cloud coming over the moon already.Come in quickly, or you will get wet. Ho, slave,see that a black lamb is offered to the gods of thelower world.”

They found Theopompus sitting in Rhodopis’ ownapartment, as Sappho had supposed. He had finishedtelling her the story of Zopyrus’ arrest, andof the journey which Bartja and his friends had takenon his behalf.

Their anxiety on the matter was beginning to be soserious, that Bartja’s unexpected appearancewas a great relief. His words flew as he repeatedthe events of the last few hours, and begged Theopompusto look out at once for a ship in sailing order, toconvey himself and his friends from Egypt.

“That suits famously,” exclaimed Kallias.“My own trireme brought me from Naukratis to-day;it is lying now, fully equipped for sea, in the port,and is quite at your service. I have only to sendorders to the steersman to keep the crew togetherand everything in sailing order.—­You areunder no obligations to me; on the contrary it isI who have to thank you for the honor you will conferon me. Ho, Knakias!—­tell my slave Philomelus,he’s waiting in the hall,—­to takea boat to the port, and order my steersman Nausarchusto keep the ship in readiness for starting. Givehim this seal; it empowers him to do all that is necessary.”

“And my slaves?” said Bartja.

“Knakias can tell my old steward to take themto Kallias’ ship,” answered Theopompus.

“And when they see this,” said Bartja,giving the old servant his ring, “they willobey without a question.”

Knakias went away with many a deep obeisance, andthe prince went on: “Now, my mother, Ihave a great petition to ask of you.”

“I guess what it is,” said Rhodopis, witha smile. “You wish your marriage to behastened, and I see that I dare not oppose your wish.”

“If I’m not mistaken,” said Kallias,“we have a remarkable case here. Two peopleare in great peril, and find that very peril a matterof rejoicing.”

“Perhaps you are right there,” said Bartja,pressing Sappho’s hand unperceived. Andthen, turning to Rhodopis again, he begged her to delayno longer in trusting her dearest treasure to his care,—­atreasure whose worth he knew so well.

Rhodopis rose, she laid her right hand on Sappho’shead and her left on Bartja’s, and said:“There is a myth which tells of a blue lake inthe land of roses; its waves are sometimes calm andgentle, but at others they rise into a stormy flood;the taste of its waters is partly sweet as honey,partly bitter as gall. Ye will learn the meaningof this legend in the marriage-land of roses.Ye will pass calm and stormy-sweet and bitter hoursthere. So long as thou wert a child, Sappho, thylife passed on like a cloudless spring morning, butwhen thou becam’st a maiden, and hadst learntto love, thine heart was opened to admit pain; andduring the long months of separation pain was a frequentguest there. This guest will seek admission aslong as life lasts. Bartja, it will be your dutyto keep this intruder away from Sappho, as far as it

lies in your power. I know the world. Icould perceive,—­even before Croesus toldme of your generous nature,—­that you wereworthy of my Sappho. This justified me in allowingyou to eat the quince with her; this induces me nowto entrust to you, without fear, what I have alwayslooked upon as a sacred pledge committed to my keeping.Look upon her too only as a loan. Nothing ismore dangerous to love, than a comfortable assuranceof exclusive possession—­I have been blamedfor allowing such an inexperienced child to go forthinto your distant country, where custom is so unfavorableto women; but I know what love is;—­I knowthat a girl who loves, knows no home but the heartof her husband;—­the woman whose heart hasbeen touched by Eros no misfortune but that of separationfrom him whom she has chosen. And besides, Iwould ask you, Kallias and Theopompus, is the positionof your own wives so superior to that of the Persianwomen? Are not the women of Ionia and Atticaforced to pass their lives in their own apartments,thankful if they are allowed to cross the street accompaniedby suspicious and distrustful slaves? As to thecustom which prevails in Persia of taking many wives,I have no fear either for Bartja or Sappho. Hewill be more faithful to his wife than are many Greeks,for he will find in her what you are obliged to seek,on the one hand in marriage, on the other in the housesof the cultivated Hetaere:—­in the former,housewives and mothers, in the latter, animated andenlivening intellectual society. Take her, myson. I give her to you as an old warrior giveshis sword, his best possession, to his stalwart son:—­hegives it gladly and with confidence. Whithersoevershe may go she will always remain a Greek, and itcomforts me to think that in her new home she willbring honor to the Greek name and friends to our nation,Child, I thank thee for those tears. I can commandmy own, but fate has made me pay an immeasurable pricefor the power of doing so. The gods have heardyour oath, my noble Bartja. Never forget it, buttake her as your own, your friend, your wife.Take her away as soon as your friends return; it isnot the will of the gods that the Hymenaeus shouldbe sung at Sappho’s nuptial rites.”

As she said these words she laid Sappho’s handin Bartja’s, embraced her with passionate tenderness,and breathed a light kiss on the forehead of the youngPersian. Then turning to her Greek friends, whostood by, much affected:

“That was a quiet nuptial ceremony,” shesaid; “no songs, no torch-light! May theirunion be so much the happier. Melitta, bring thebride’s marriage-ornaments, the bracelets andnecklaces which lie in the bronze casket on my dressing-table,that our darling may give her hand to her lord attiredas beseems a future princess.”

“Yes, and do not linger on the way,” criedKallias, whose old cheerfulness had now returned.“Neither can we allow the niece of the greatestof Hymen’s poets to be married without the soundof song and music. The young husband’shouse is, to be sure, too far off for our purpose,so we will suppose that the andronitis is his dwelling.

[The Hymenaeus was the wedding-song,so called because of its refrain “Hymen O!Hymenae’ O!” The god of marriage, Hymen,took his origin and name from the hymn, was afterwardsdecked out richly with myths, and finally, accordingto Catullus, received a seat on Mount Helikon withthe Muses.]

[A Greek bride was beautifully adornedfor her marriage, and her bridesmaids receivedholiday garments. Homer, Odyss. VI. 27.Besides which, after the bath, which both brideand bridegroom were obliged to take, she was anointedwith sweet-smelling essences. Thucyd.II. 15. Xenoph. Symp. II. 3.]

“We will conduct the maiden thither by the centredoor, and there we will enjoy a merry wedding-feastby the family hearth. Here, slavegirls, comeand form yourselves into two choruses. Half ofyour number take the part of the youths; the otherhalf that of the maidens, and sing us Sappho’sHymenaeus. I will be the torch-bearer; that dignityis mine by right. You must know, Bartja, thatmy family has an hereditary right to carry the torchesat the Eleusinian mysteries and we are therefore calledDaduchi or torch-bearers. Ho, slave! see thatthe door of the andronitis is hung with flowers, andtell your comrades to meet us with a shower of sweetmeatsas we enter. That’s right, Melitta; why,how did you manage to get those lovely violet andmyrtle marriage-crowns made so quickly? The rainis streaming through the opening above. You see,Hymen has persuaded Zeus to help him; so that nota single marriage-rite shall be omitted. Youcould not take the bath, which ancient custom prescribesfor the bride and bridegroom on the morning of theirwedding-day, so you have only to stand here a momentand take the rain of Zeus as an equivalent for thewaters of the sacred spring. Now, girls, beginyour song. Let the maidens bewail the rosy daysof childhood, and the youths praise the lot of thosewho marry young.”

Five well-practised treble voices now began to singthe chorus of virgins in a sad and plaintive tone.

Suddenly the song was hushed, for a flash of lightninghad shone down through the aperture beneath whichKallias had stationed the bride and bridegroom, followedby a loud peal of thunder. “See!”cried the Daduchus, raising his hand to heaven, “Zeushimself has taken the nuptial-torch, and sings theHymenaeus for his favorites.”

At dawn the next morning, Sappho and Bartja left thehouse and went into the garden. After the violentstorm which had raged all night, the garden was lookingas fresh and cheerful in the morning light as the facesof the newly-married pair.

Bartja’s anxiety for his friends, whom he hadalmost forgotten in the excitement of his marriage,had roused them so early.

The garden had been laid out on an artificial hill,which overlooked the inundated plain. Blue andwhite lotus-blossoms floated on the smooth surfaceof the water, and vast numbers of water-birds hoveredalong the shores or over the flood. Flocks ofwhite, herons appeared on the banks, their plumagegleaming like glaciers on distant mountain peaks; asolitary eagle circled upward on its broad pinionsthrough the pure morning air, turtle-doves nestledin the tops of the palm-trees; pelicans and ducksfluttered screaming away, whenever a gay sail appeared.The air had been cooled by the storm, a fresh north-windwas blowing, and, notwithstanding the early hour,there were a number of boats sailing over the delugedfields before the breeze. The songs of the rowers,the plashing strokes of their oars and the cries ofthe birds, all contributed to enliven the watery landscapeof the Nile valley, which, though varied in color,was somewhat monotonous.

Bartja and Sappho stood leaning on each other by thelow wall which ran round Rhodopis’ garden, exchangingtender words and watching the scene below, till atlast Bartja’s quick eye caught sight of a boatmaking straight for the house and coming on fast bythe help of the breeze and powerful rowers.

A few minutes later the boat put in to shore and Zopyruswith his deliverers stood before them.

Darius’s plan had succeeded perfectly, thanksto the storm, which, by its violence and the unusualtime of its appearance, had scared the Egyptians;but still there was no time to be lost, as it mightreasonably be supposed that the men of Sais wouldpursue their fugitive with all the means at theircommand.

Sappho, therefore, had to take a short farewell ofher grandmother, all the more tender, however, forits shortness,—­and then, led by Rartja andfollowed by old Melitta, who was to accompany her toPersia, she went on board Syloson’s boat.After an hour’s sail they reached a beautifully-builtand fast-sailing vessel, the Hygieia, which belongedto Kallias.

He was waiting for them on board his trireme.The leave-taking between himself and his young friendswas especially affectionate. Bartja hung a heavyand costly gold chain round the neck of the old manin token of his gratitude, while Syloson, in remembranceof the dangers they had shared together, threw hispurple cloak over Darius’ shoulders. Itwas a master-specimen of Tynan dye, and had takenthe latter’s fancy. Darius accepted thegift with pleasure, and said, as he took leave:“You must never forget that I am indebted toyou, my Greek friend, and as soon as possible giveme an opportunity of doing you service in return.”

“You ought to come to me first, though,”exclaimed Zopyrus, embracing his deliverer. “Iam perfectly ready to share my last gold piece withyou; or what is more, if it would do you a service,to sit a whole week in that infernal hole from whichyou saved me. Ah! they’re weighing anchor.Farewell, you brave Greek. Remember me to theflower-sisters, especially to the pretty, little Stephanion,and tell her her long-legged lover won’t beable to plague her again for some time to come at least.And then, one more thing; take this purse of goldfor the wife and children of that impertinent fellow,whom I struck too hard in the heat of the fray.”

The anchors fell rattling on to the deck, the windfilled the sails, the Trieraules—­[Flute-playerto a trireme]—­took his flute and set themeasure of the monotonous Keleusma or rowing-song,which echoed again from the hold of the vessel.The beak of the ship bearing the statue of Hygieia,carved in wood, began to move. Bartja and Sapphostood at the helm and gazed towards Naukratis, untilthe shores of the Nile vanished and the green wavesof the Hellenic sea splashed their foam over the deckof the trireme.

CHAPTER XII.

Our young bride and bridegroom had not travelled fartherthan Ephesus, when the news reached them that Amasiswas dead. From Ephesus they went to Babylon,and thence to Pasargadae, which Kassandane, Atossaand Croesus had made their temporary residence.Kassandane was to accompany the army to Egypt, andwished, now that Nebenchari had restored her sight,to see the monument which had lately been built toher great husband’s memory after Croesus’design, before leaving for so long a journey.She rejoiced in finding it worthy of the great Cyrus,and spent hours every day in the beautiful gardenswhich had been laid out round the mausoleum.

It consisted of a gigantic sarcophagus made of solidmarble blocks, and resting like a house on a substructurecomposed of six high marble steps. The interiorwas fitted up like a room, and contained, beside thegolden coffin in which were preserved such few remainsof Cyrus as had been spared by the dogs, vultures,and elements, a silver bed and a table of the samemetal, on which were golden drinking-cups and numerousgarments ornamented with the rarest and most costlyjewels.

The building was forty feet high. The shady paradises—­[Persianpleasure-gardens]—­and colonnades by whichit was surrounded had been planned by Croesus, andin the midst of the sacred grove was a dwelling-housefor the Magi appointed to watch over the tomb.

The palace of Cyrus could be seen in the distance—­apalace in which he had appointed that the future kingsof Persia should pass at least some months of everyyear. It was a splendid building in the styleof a fortress, and so inaccessibly placed that ithad been fixed on as the royal treasure-house.

Here, in the fresh mountain air of a place dedicatedto the memory of the husband she had loved so much,Kassandane felt well and at peace; she was glad tooto see that Atossa was recovering the old cheerfulness,which she had so sadly lost since the death of Nitetisand the departure of Darius. Sappho soon becamethe friend of her new mother and sister, and all threefelt very loath to leave the lovely Pasargadm.

Darius and Zopyrus had remained with the army whichwas assembling in the plains of the Euphrates, andBartja too had to return thither before the marchbegan.

Cambyses went out to meet his family on their return;he was much impressed with Sappho’s great beauty,but she confessed to her husband that his brotheronly inspired her with fear.

The king had altered very much in the last few months.His formerly pale and almost noble features were reddenedand disfigured by the quantities of wine he was inthe habit of drinking. In his dark eyes therewas the old fire still, but dimmed and polluted.His hair and beard, formerly so luxuriant, and blackas the raven’s wing, hung down grey and disorderedover his face and chin, and the proud smile which usedso to improve his features had given way to an expressionof contemptuous annoyance and harsh severity.

Sometimes he laughed,—­loudly, immoderatelyand coarsely; but this was only when intoxicated,a condition which had long ceased to be unusual withhim.

He continued to retain an aversion to his wives; somuch so that the royal harem was to be left behindin Susa, though all his court took their favoritewives and concubines with them on the campaign.Still no one could complain that the king was everguilty of injustice; indeed he insisted more eagerlynow than before on the rigid execution of the law;and wherever he detected an abuse his punishments werecruel and inexorable. Hearing that a judge, namedSisamnes, had been bribed to pronounce an unjust sentence,he condemned the wretched man to be flayed, orderedthe seat of justice to be covered with his skin, appointedthe son to the father’s vacant place and compelledhim to occupy this fearful seat.—­[Herodot.V. 25.]—­Cambyses was untiring as commanderof the forces, and superintended the drilling of thetroops assembled near Babylon with the greatest rigorand circ*mspection.

The hosts were to march after the festival of theNew Year, which Cambyses celebrated this time withimmense expense and profusion. The ceremony over,he betook himself to the army. Bartja was there.He came up to his brother, beaming with joy, kissedthe hem of his robe, and told him in a tone of triumphthat he hoped to become a father. The king trembledas he heard the words, vouchsafed his brother no answer,drank himself into unconsciousness that evening, andthe next morning called the soothsayers, Magi andChaldaeans together, in order to submit a questionto them. “Shall I be committing a sin againstthe gods, if I take my sister to wife and thus verifythe promise of the dream, which ye formerly interpretedto mean that Atossa should bear a future king to thisrealm?”

The Magi consulted a short time together. ThenOropastes cast himself at the king’s feet andsaid, “We do not believe, O King, that this marriagewould be a sin against the gods; inasmuch as, first:it is a custom among the Persians to marry with theirown kin; and secondly, though it be not written inthe law that the pure man may marry his sister, itis written that the king may do what seemeth goodin his own eyes. That which pleaseth thee istherefore always lawful.”

Cambyses sent the Magi away with rich gifts, gaveOropastes full powers as regent of the kingdom inhis absence, and soon after told his horrified motherthat, as soon as the conquest of Egypt and the punishmentof the son of Amasis should have been achieved, heintended to marry his sister Atossa.

At length the immense host, numbering more than 800,000fighting men, departed in separate divisions, andreached the Syrian desert in two months. Herethey were met by the Arabian tribes whom Phanes hadpropitiated—­the Amalekites and Geshurites—­bringingcamels and horses laden with water for the host.

At Accho, in the land of the Canaanites, the fleetsof the Syrians, Phoenicians and Ionians belongingto Persia, and the auxiliary ships from Cyprus andSamos, won by the efforts of Phanes, were assembled.The case of the Samian fleet was a remarkable one.Polykrates saw in Cambyses’ proposal a favorableopportunity of getting rid of all the citizens whowere discontented with his government, manned fortytriremes with eight thousand malcontent Samians, andsent them to the Persians with the request that notone might be allowed to return home.—­[Herod.III. 44.]

As soon as Phanes heard this he warned the doomedmen, who at once, instead of sailing to join the Persianforces, returned to Samos and attempted to overthrowPolykrates. They were defeated, however, on land,and escaped to Sparta to ask help against the tyrant.

A full month before the time of the inundation, thePersian and Egyptian armies were standing face toface near Pelusium on the north-east coast of theDelta.

Phanes’ arrangements had proved excellent.The Arabian tribes had kept faith so well that thejourney through the desert, which would usually havecost thousands of lives, had been attended with verylittle loss, and the time of year had been so wellchosen that the Persian troops reached Egypt by dryroads and without inconvenience.

The king met his Greek friend with every mark of distinction,and returned a friendly nod when Phanes said:“I hear that you have been less cheerful thanusual since the death of your beautiful bride.A woman’s grief passes in stormy and violentcomplaint, but the sterner character of a man cannotso soon be comforted. I know what you feel, forI have lost my dearest too. Let us both praisethe gods for granting us the best remedy for our grief—­warand revenge.” Phanes accompanied the kingto an inspection of the troops and to the eveningrevel. It was marvellous to see the influencehe exercised over this fierce spirit, and how calm—­nayeven cheerful—­Cambyses became, when theAthenian was near.

The Egyptian army was by no means contemptible, evenwhen compared with the immense Persian hosts.Its position was covered on the right by the wallsof Pelusium, a frontier fortress designed by the Egyptiankings as a defence against incursions from the east.The Persians were assured by deserters that the Egyptianarmy numbered altogether nearly six hundred thousandmen. Beside a great number of chariots of war,thirty thousand Karian and Ionian mercenaries, andthe corps of the Mazai, two hundred and fifty thousandKalasirians, one hundred and sixty thousand Hermotybians,twenty thousand horsem*n, and auxiliary troops, amountingto more than fifty thousand, were assembled under Psamtik’sbanner; amongst these last the Libyan Maschawaschawere remarkable for their military deeds, and theEthiopians for their numerical superiority.

The infantry were divided into regiments and companies,under different standards, and variously equipped.

[In these and the descriptions immediatelyfollowing, we have drawn our information, eitherfrom the drawings made from Egyptian monumentsin Champollion, Wilkinson, Rosellini and Lepsius, orfrom the monuments themselves. There is adagger in the Berlin Museum, the blade of whichis of bronze, the hilt of ivory and the sheath ofleather. Large swords are only to be seen inthe hands of the foreign auxiliaries, but the nativeEgyptians are armed with small ones, like daggers.The largest one of which we have any knowledge isin the possession of Herr E. Brugsch at Cairo.It is more than two feet long.]

The heavy-armed soldiers carried large shields, lances,and daggers; the swordsmen and those who fought withbattle-axes had smaller shields and light clubs; besidethese, there were slingers, but the main body of thearmy was composed of archers, whose bows unbent werenearly the height of a man. The only clothingof the horse-soldiers was the apron, and their weapona light club in the form of a mace or battle-axe.Those warriors, on the contrary, who fought in chariotsbelonged to the highest rank of the military caste,spent large sums on the decoration of their two-wheeledchariots and the harness of their magnificent horses,and went to battle in their most costly ornaments.They were armed with bows and lances, and a charioteerstood beside each, so that their undivided attentioncould be bestowed upon the battle.

The Persian foot was not much more numerous than theEgyptian, but they had six times the number of horse-soldiers.

As soon as the armies stood face to face, Cambysescaused the great Pelusian plain to be cleared of treesand brushwood, and had the sand-hills removed whichwere to be found here and there, in order to givehis cavalry and scythe-chariots a fair field of action.Phanes’ knowledge of the country was of greatuse. He had drawn up a plan of action with greatmilitary skill, and succeeded in gaining not onlyCambyses’ approval, but that of the old generalMegabyzus and the best tacticians among the Achaemenidae.His local knowledge was especially valuable on accountof the marshes which intersected the Pelusian plain,and might, unless carefully avoided, have proved fatalto the Persian enterprise. At the close of thecouncil of war Phanes begged to be heard once more:“Now, at length,” he said, “I amat liberty to satisfy your curiosity in referenceto the closed waggons full of animals, which I havehad transported hither. They contain five thousandcats! Yes, you may laugh, but I tell you thesecreatures will be more serviceable to us than a hundredthousand of our best soldiers. Many of you areaware that the Egyptians have a superstition whichleads them rather to die than kill a cat, I, myself,nearly paid for such a murder once with my life.

Remembering this, I have been making a diligent searchfor cats during my late journey; in Cyprus, wherethere are splendid specimens, in Samos and in Crete.All I could get I ordered to be caught, and now proposethat they be distributed among those troops who willbe opposed to the native Egyptian soldiers. Everyman must be told to fasten one firmly to his shieldand hold it out as he advances towards the enemy.I will wager that there’s not one real Egyptian,who would not rather fly from the battle-field thantake aim at one of these sacred animals.”

This speech was met by a loud burst of laughter; onbeing discussed, however, it was approved of, andordered to be carried out at once. The ingeniousGreek was honored by receiving the king’s handto kiss, his expenses were reimbursed by a magnificentpresent, and he was urged to take a daughter of somenoble Persian family in marriage.

[Themistocles too, on coming tothe Persian court, received a high-
born Persian wife in marriage.Diod. XI. 57.]

The king concluded by inviting him to supper, butthis the Athenian declined, on the plea that he mustreview the Ionian troops, with whom he was as yetbut little acquainted, and withdrew.

At the door of his tent he found his slaves disputingwith a ragged, dirty and unshaven old man, who insistedon speaking with their master. Fancying he mustbe a beggar, Phanes threw him a piece of gold; theold man did not even stoop to pick it up, but, holdingthe Athenian fast by his cloak, cried, “I amAristomachus the Spartan!”

Cruelly as he was altered, Phanes recognized his oldfriend at once, ordered his feet to be washed andhis head anointed, gave him wine and meat to revivehis strength, took his rags off and laid a new chitonover his emaciated, but still sinewy, frame.

Aristomachus received all in silence; and when thefood and wine had given him strength to speak, beganthe following answer to Phanes’ eager questions.

On the murder of Phanes’ son by Psamtik, hehad declared his intention of leaving Egypt and inducingthe troops under his command to do the same, unlesshis friend’s little daughter were at once setfree, and a satisfactory explanation given for thesudden disappearance of the boy. Psamtik promisedto consider the matter. Two days later, as Aristomachuswas going up the Nile by night to Memphis, he was seizedby Egyptian soldiers, bound and thrown into the darkhold of a boat, which, after a voyage of many daysand nights, cast anchor on a totally unknown shore.The prisoners were taken out of their dungeon and ledacross a desert under the burning sun, and past rocksof strange forms, until they reached a range of mountainswith a colony of huts at its base. These hutswere inhabited by human beings, who, with chains ontheir feet, were driven every morning into the shaftof a mine and there compelled to hew grains of goldout of the stony rock. Many of these miserablemen had passed forty years in this place, but mostdied soon, overcome by the hard work and the fearfulextremes of heat and cold to which they were exposedon entering and leaving the mine.

[Diodorus (III. 12.) describes the compulsorywork in the gold mines with great minuteness.The convicts were either prisoners taken in war,or people whom despotism in its blind fury found itexpedient to put out of the way. The mineslay in the plain of Koptos, not far from the RedSea. Traces of them have been discovered in moderntimes. Interesting inscriptions of the timeof Rameses the Great, (14 centuries B. C.) referringto the gold-mines, have been found, one at Radesich,the other at Kubnn, and have been published and decipheredin Europe.]

“My companions,” continued Aristomachus,“were either condemned murderers to whom mercyhad been granted, or men guilty of high treason whosetongues had been cut out, and others such as myselfwhom the king had reason to fear. Three monthsI worked among this set, submitting to the strokesof the overseer, fainting under the fearful heat, andstiffening under the cold dews of night. I feltas if picked out for death and only kept alive bythe hope of vengeance. It happened, however, bythe mercy of the gods, that at the feast of Pacht,our guards, as is the custom of the Egyptians, drankso freely as to fall into a deep sleep, during whichI and a young Jew who had been deprived of his righthand for having used false weights in trade, managedto escape unperceived; Zeus Lacedaemonius and thegreat God whom this young man worshipped helped usin our need, and, though we often heard the voicesof our pursuers, they never succeeded in capturingus. I had taken a bow from one of our guards;with this we obtained food, and when no game was tobe found we lived on roots, fruits and birds’eggs. The sun and stars showed us our road.We knew that the gold-mines were not far from theRed Sea and lay to the south of Memphis. It wasnot long before we reached the coast; and then, pressingonwards in a northerly direction, we fell in with somefriendly mariners, who took care of us until we weretaken up by an Arabian boat. The young Jew understoodthe language spoken by the crew, and in their carewe came to Eziongeber in the land of Edom. Therewe heard that Cambyses was coming with an immensearmy against Egypt, and travelled as far as Harmaunder the protection of an Amalekite caravan bringingwater to the Persian army. From thence I wenton to Pelusium in the company of some stragglers fromthe Asiatic army, who now and then allowed me a seaton their horses, and here I heard that you had accepteda high command in Cambyses’ army. I havekept my vow, I have been true to my nation in Egypt;now it is your turn to help old Aristomachus in gainingthe only thing he still cares for—­revengeon his persecutors.”

“And that you shall have!” cried Phanes,grasping the old man’s hand. “Youshall have the command of the heavy-armed Milesiantroops, and liberty to commit what carnage you likeamong the ranks of our enemies. This, however,is only paying half the debt I owe you. Praisedbe the gods, who have put it in my power to make youhappy by one single sentence. Know then, Aristomachus,that, only a few days after your disappearance, aship arrived in the harbor of Naukratis from Sparta.It was guided by your own noble son and expresslysent by the Ephori in your honor—­to bringthe father of two Olympic victors back to his nativeland.”

The old man’s limbs trembled visibly at thesewords, his eyes filled with tears and he murmureda prayer. Then smiting his forehead, he criedin a voice trembling with feeling: “Nowit is fulfilled! now it has become a fact! IfI doubted the words of thy priestess, O Phoebus Apollo!pardon my sin! What was the promise of the oracle?

“If once the warrior hosts fromthe snow-topped mountains descending, Cometo the fields of the stream watering richly the plain,Then shall the lingering boat to the beckoning meadowsconvey thee, Which to the wandering foot peaceand a home can afford. When those warriorscome, from the snow-topped mountains descending, Thenwill the powerful Five grant thee what long they refused.”

“The promise of the god is fulfilled. NowI may return home, and I will; but first I raise myhands to Dice, the unchanging goddess of justice,and implore her not to deny me the pleasure of revenge.”

“The day of vengeance will dawn to-morrow,”said Phanes, joining in the old man’s prayer.“Tomorrow I shall slaughter the victims for thedead—­for my son—­and will takeno rest until Cambyses has pierced the heart of Egyptwith the arrows which I have cut for him. Come,my friend, let me take you to the king. One manlike you can put a whole troop of Egyptians to flight.”

.......................

It was night. The Persian soldiers, their positionbeing unfortified, were in order of battle, readyto meet any unexpected attack. The foot-soldiersstood leaning on their shields, the horsem*n held theirhorses saddled and bridled near the camp-fires.Cambyses was riding through the ranks, encouraginghis troops by words and looks. Only one partof the army was not yet ranged in order of battle—­thecentre. It was composed of the Persian body-guard,the apple-bearers, Immortals, and the king’sown relatives, who were always led into battle by theking in person.

The Ionian Greeks too had gone to rest, at Phanes’command. He wanted to keep his men fresh, andallowed them to sleep in their armor, while he keptwatch. Aristomachus was welcomed with shouts ofjoy by the Greeks, and kindly by Cambyses, who assignedhim, at the head of one half the Greek troops, a placeto the left of the centre attack, while Phanes, withthe other half, had his place at the right. Theking himself was to take the lead at the head of theten thousand Immortals, preceded by the blue, redand gold imperial banner and the standard of Kawe.Bartja was to lead the regiment of mounted guardsnumbering a thousand men, and that division of thecavalry which was entirely clothed in mail.

Croesus commanded a body of troops whose duty it wasto guard the camp with its immense treasures, thewives of Cambyses’ nobles, and his own motherand sister.

At last Mithras appeared and shed his light upon theearth; the spirits of the night retired to their dens,and the Magi stirred up the sacred fire which hadbeen carried before the army the whole way from Babylon,until it became a gigantic flame. They and theking united in feeding it with costly perfumes, Cambysesoffered the sacrifice, and, holding the while a goldenbowl high in the air, besought the gods to grant himvictory and glory. He then gave the password,“Auramazda, the helper and guide,” andplaced himself at the head of his guards, who wentinto the battle with wreaths on their tiaras.The Greeks offered their own sacrifices, and shoutedwith delight on hearing that the omens were auspicious.Their war-cry was “Hebe.”

Meanwhile the Egyptian priests had begun their dayalso with prayer and sacrifice, and had then placedtheir army in order of battle.

Psamtik, now King of Egypt, led the centre. Hewas mounted on a golden chariot; the trappings ofhis horses were of gold and purple, and plumes ofostrich feathers nodded on their proud heads.He wore the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt,and the charioteer who stood at his left hand holdingthe reins and whip, was descended from one of the noblestEgyptian families.

The Hellenic and Karian mercenaries were to fightat the left of the centre, the horse at the extremeof each wing, and the Egyptian and Ethiopian footwere stationed, six ranks deep, on the right and leftof the armed chariots, and Greek mercenaries.

Psamtik drove through the ranks of his army, givingencouraging and friendly words to all the men.He drew up before the Greek division, and addressedthem thus: “Heroes of Cyprus and Libya!your deeds in arms are well known to me, and I rejoicein the thought of sharing your glory to-day and crowningyou with fresh laurels. Ye have no need to fear,that in the day of victory I shall curtail your liberties.Malicious tongues have whispered that this is allye have to expect from me; but I tell you, that ifwe conquer, fresh favors will be shown to you and yourdescendants; I shall call you the supporters of mythrone. Ye are fighting to-day, not for me alone,but for the freedom of your own distant homes.It is easy to perceive that Cambyses, once lord ofEgypt, will stretch out his rapacious hand over yourbeautiful Hellas and its islands. I need onlyremind you, that they be between Egypt and your Asiaticbrethren who are already groaning under the Persianyoke. Your acclamations prove that ye agree withme already, but I must ask for a still longer hearing.It is my duty to tell you who has sold, not only Egypt,but his own country to the King of Persia, in returnfor immense treasures. The man’s name isPhanes! You are angry and inclined to doubt?I swear to you, that this very Phanes has acceptedCambyses’ gold and promised not only to be hisguide to Egypt, but to open the gates of your ownGreek cities to him. He knows the country and

the people, and can be bribed to every perfidy.Look at him! there he is, walking by the side of theking. See how he bows before him! I thoughtI had heard once, that the Greeks only prostratedthemselves before their gods. But of course,when a man sells his country, he ceases to be its citizen.Am I not right? Ye scorn to call so base a creatureby the name of countryman? Yes? then I will deliverthe wretch’s daughter into your hands. Dowhat ye will with the child of such a villain.Crown her with wreaths of roses, fall down beforeher, if it please you, but do not forget that shebelongs to a man who has disgraced the name of Hellene,and has betrayed his countrymen and country!”

As he finished speaking the men raised a wild cryof rage and took possession of the trembling child.A soldier held her up, so that her father—­thetroops not being more than a bow-shot apart—­couldsee all that happened. At the same moment anEgyptian, who afterwards earned celebrity throughthe loudness of his voice, cried: “Lookhere, Athenian! see how treachery and corruption arerewarded in this country!” A bowl of wine stoodnear, provided by the king, from which the soldiershad just been drinking themselves into intoxication.A Karian seized it, plunged his sword into the innocentchild’s breast, and let the blood flow intothe bowl; filled a goblet with the awful mixture, anddrained it, as if drinking to the health of the wretchedfather. Phanes stood watching the scene, as ifstruck into a statue of cold stone. The rest ofthe soldiers then fell upon the bowl like madmen,and wild beasts could not have lapped up the fouldrink with greater eagerness.—­[Herodotustells this fearful tale (III. ii.)]

In the same moment Psamtik triumphantly shot off hisfirst arrow into the Persian ranks.

The mercenaries flung the child’s dead bodyon to the ground; drunk with her blood, they raisedtheir battle-song, and rushed into the strife farahead of their Egyptian comrades.

But now the Persian ranks began to move. Phanes,furious with pain and rage, led on his heavy-armedtroops, indignant too at the brutal barbarity of theircountrymen, and dashed into the ranks of those verysoldiers, whose love he had tried to deserve duringten years of faithful leadership.

At noon, fortune seemed to be favoring the Egyptians;but at sunset the Persians had the advantage, andwhen the full-moon rose, the Egyptians were flyingwildly from the battle-field, perishing in the marshesand in the arm of the Nile which flowed behind theirposition, or being cut to pieces by the swords oftheir enemies.

Twenty thousand Persians and fifty thousand Egyptianslay dead on the blood-stained sea-sand. The wounded,drowned, and prisoners could scarcely be numbered.

[Herod. III. 12. Ktesias, Persica9. In ancient history the loss of the conqueredis always far greater than that of the conquerors.To a certain extent this holds good in the presentday, but the proportion is decidedly not so unfavorablefor the vanquished.]

Psamtik had been one of the last to fly. He waswell mounted, and, with a few thousand faithful followers,reached the opposite bank of the Nile and made forMemphis, the well-fortified city of the Pyramids.

Of the Greek mercenaries very few survived, so furioushad been Phanes’ revenge, and so well had hebeen supported by his Ionians. Ten thousand Karianswere taken captive and the murderer of his little childwas killed by Phanes’ own hand.

Aristomachus too, in spite of his wooden leg, hadperformed miracles of bravery; but, notwithstandingall their efforts, neither he, nor any of his confederatesin revenge, had succeeded in taking Psamtik prisoner.

When the battle was over, the Persians returned intriumph to their tents, to be warmly welcomed by Croesusand the warriors and priests who had remained behind,and to celebrate their victory by prayers and sacrifices.

The next morning Cambyses assembled his generals andrewarded them with different tokens of distinction,such as costly robes, gold chains, rings, swords,and stars formed of precious stones. Gold andsilver coins were distributed among the common soldiers.

The principal attack of the Egyptians had been directedagainst the centre of the Persian army, where Cambysescommanded in person; and with such effect that theguards had already begun to give way. At thatmoment Bartja, arriving with his troop of horsem*n,had put fresh courage into the wavering, had foughtlike a lion himself, and by his bravery and promptitudedecided the day in favor of the Persians.

The troops were exultant in their joy: they shoutedhis praises, as “the conqueror of Pelusium”and the “best of the Achaemenidae.”

Their cries reached the king’s ears and madehim very angry. He knew he had been fightingat the risk of life, with real courage and the strengthof a giant, and yet the day would have been lost ifthis boy had not presented him with the victory.The brother who had embittered his days of happy love,was now to rob him of half his military glory.Cambyses felt that he hated Bartja, and his fist clenchedinvoluntarily as he saw the young hero looking sohappy in the consciousness of his own well-earnedsuccess.

Phanes had been wounded and went to his tent; Aristomachuslay near him, dying.

“The oracle has deceived me, after all,”he murmured. “I shall die without seeingmy country again.”

“The oracle spoke the truth,” answeredPhanes. “Were not the last words of thePythia?”

’Then shall the lingeringboat to the beckoning meadows convey thee,
Which to the wandering foot peaceand a home will afford?’

“Can you misunderstand their meaning? Theyspeak of Charon’s lingering boat, which willconvey you to your last home, to the one great resting-placefor all wanderers—­the kingdom of Hades.”

“Yes, my friend, you are right there. Iam going to Hades.”

“And the Five have granted you, before death,what they so long refused,—­the return toLacedaemon. You ought to be thankful to the godsfor granting you such sons and such vengeance on yourenemies. When my wound is healed, I shall goto Greece and tell your son that his father died aglorious death, and was carried to the grave on hisshield, as beseems a hero.”

“Yes, do so, and give him my shield as a remembranceof his old father. There is no need to exhorthim to virtue.”

“When Psamtik is in our power, shall I tellhim what share you had in his overthrow?”

“No; he saw me before he took to flight, andat the unexpected vision his bow fell from his hand.This was taken by his friends as a signal for flight,and they turned their horses from the battle.”

“The gods ordain, that bad men shall be ruinedby their own deeds. Psamtik lost courage, forhe must have believed that the very spirits of thelower world were fighting against him.”

“We mortals gave him quite enough to do.The Persians fought well. But the battle wouldhave been lost without the guards and our troops.”

“Without doubt.”

“I thank thee, O Zeus Lacedaemonius.”

“You are praying?”

“I am praising the gods for allowing me to dieat ease as to my country. These heterogeneousmasses can never be dangerous to Greece. Ho,physician, when am I likely to die?”

The Milesian physician, who had accompanied the Greektroops to Egypt, pointed to the arrow-head stickingfast in his breast, and said with a sad smile, “Youhave only a few hours more to live. If I wereto draw the arrow from your wound, you would die atonce.”

The Spartan thanked him, said farewell to Phanes,sent a greeting to Rhodopis, and then, before theycould prevent him, drew the arrow from his wound withan unflinching hand. A few moments later Aristomachuswas dead.

The same day a Persian embassy set out for Memphison board one of the Lesbian vessels. It was commissionedto demand from Psamtik the surrender of his own personand of the city at discretion. Cambyses followed,having first sent off a division of his army underMegabyzus to invest Sais.

At Heliopolis he was met by deputations from the Greekinhabitants of Naukratis and the Libyans, prayingfor peace and his protection, and bringing a goldenwreath and other rich presents. Cambyses receivedthem graciously and assured them of his friendship;but repulsed the messengers from Cyrene and Barkaindignantly, and flung, with his own hand, their tributeof five hundred silver mince among his soldiers, disdainingto accept so contemptible an offering.

In Heliopolis he also heard that, at the approachof his embassy, the inhabitants of Memphis had flockedto the shore, bored a hole in the bottom of the ship,torn his messengers in pieces without distinction,as wild beasts would tear raw flesh, and dragged theminto the fortress. On hearing this he cried angrily:“I swear, by Mithras, that these murdered menshall be paid for; ten lives for one.”

Two days later and Cambyses with his army stood beforethe gates of Memphis. The siege was short, asthe garrison was far too small for the city, and thecitizens were discouraged by the fearful defeat atPelusium.

King Psamtik himself came out to Cambyses, accompaniedby his principal nobles, in rent garments, and withevery token of mourning. Cambyses received himcoldly and silently, ordering him and his followersto be guarded and removed. He treated Ladice,the widow of Amasis, who appeared at the same timeas her step-son, with consideration, and, at the intercessionof Phanes, to whom she had always shown favor, allowedher to return to her native town of Cyrene under safeconduct. She remained there until the fall ofher nephew, Arcesilaus III. and the flight of hersister Pheretime, when she betook herself to Anthylla,the town in Egypt which belonged to her, and whereshe passed a quiet, solitary existence, dying at agreat age.

Cambyses not only scorned to revenge the imposturewhich had been practised on him on a woman, but, asa Persian, had far too much respect for a mother,and especially for the mother of a king, to injureLadice in any way.

While he was engaged in the siege of Sais, Psamtikpassed his imprisonment in the palace of the Pharaohs,treated in every respect as a king, but strictly guarded.

Among those members of the upper class who had incitedthe people to resistance, Neithotep, the high-priestof Neith, had taken the foremost place. He wastherefore sent to Memphis and put in close confinement,with one hundred of his unhappy confederates.The larger number of the Pharaoh’s court, onthe other hand, did homage voluntarily to Cambysesat Sais, entitled him Ramestu, “child of thesun,” and suggested that he should cause himselfto be crowned King of Upper and Lower Egypt, withall the necessary formalities, and admitted into thepriestly caste according to ancient custom. Bythe advice of Croesus and Phanes, Cambyses gave into these proposals, though much against his own will:he went so far, indeed, as to offer sacrifice in thetemple of Neith, and allowed the newly-created high-priestof the goddess to give him a superficial insight intothe nature of the mysteries. Some of the courtiershe retained near himself, and promoted different administrativefunctionaries to high posts; the commander of Amasis’Nile fleet succeeded so well in gaining the king’sfavor, as to be appointed one of those who ate atthe royal table.

[On a statue in the Gregorian Museumin the Vatican, there is an inscription givingan account of Cambyses’ sojourn at Sais, whichagrees with the facts related in our text.He was lenient to his conquered subjects, and,probably in order to secure his position as thelawful Pharaoh, yielded to the wishes of the priests,was even initiated into the mysteries and did muchfor the temple of Neith. His adoption of thename Ramestu is also confirmed by this statue.E. de Rough, Memoire sur la statuette naophore dumusee Gregorian, au Vatican. Revue Archeol.1851.]

On leaving Sais, Cambyses placed Megabyzus in commandof the city; but scarcely had the king quitted their

walls than the smothered rage of the people brokeforth; they murdered the Persian sentinels, poisonedthe wells, and set the stables of the cavalry on fire.Megabyzus at once applied to the king, representingthat such hostile acts, if not repressed by fear,might soon be followed by open rebellion. “Thetwo thousand noble youths from Memphis whom you havedestined to death as an indemnification for our murderedambassadors,” said he, “ought to be executedat once; and it would do no harm if the son of Psamtikwere added to the number, as he can some day becomea rallying centre for the rebels. I hear thatthe daughters of the dethroned king and of the high-priestNeithotep have to carry water for the baths of thenoble Phanes.”

The Athenian answered with a smile: “Cambyseshas allowed me to employ these aristocratic femaleattendants, my lord, at my own request.”

“But has forbidden you to touch the life ofone member of the royal house,” added Cambyses.“None but a king has the right to punish kings.”

Phanes bowed. The king turned to Megabyzus andordered him to have the prisoners executed the verynext day, as an example. He would decide thefate of the young prince later; but at all events hewas to be taken to the place of execution with therest. “We must show them,” he concluded,“that we know how to meet all their hostile manifestationswith sufficient rigor.”

Croesus ventured to plead for the innocent boy.“Calm yourself, old friend,” said Cambyseswith a smile; “the child is not dead yet, andperhaps will be as well off with us as your own son,who fought so well at Pelusium. I confess I shouldlike to know, whether Psamtik bears his fate as calmlyand bravely as you did twenty-five years ago.”

“That we can easily discover, by putting himon trial,” said Phanes. “Let himbe brought into the palace-court to-morrow, and letthe captives and the condemned be led past him.Then we shall see whether he is a man or a coward.”

“Be it so,” answered Cambyses. “Iwill conceal myself and watch him unobserved.You, Phanes, will accompany me, to tell me the nameand rank of each of the captives.”

The next morning Phanes accompanied the king on toa balcony which ran round the great court of the palace—­thecourt we have already described as being planted withtrees. The listeners were hidden by a grove offlowering shrubs, but they could see every movementthat took place, and hear every word that was spokenbeneath them. They saw Psamtik, surrounded bya few of his former companions. He was leaningagainst a palm-tree, his eyes fixed gloomily on theground, as his daughters entered the court. Thedaughter of Neithotep was with them, and some moreyoung girls, all dressed as slaves; they were carryingpitchers of water. At sight of the king, theyuttered such a loud cry of anguish as to wake himfrom his reverie. He looked up, recognized themiserable girls, and bowed his head lower than before;but only for a moment. Drawing himself up quickly,he asked his eldest daughter for whom she was carryingwater. On hearing that she was forced to do thework of a slave for Phanes, he turned deadly pale,nodded his head, and cried to the girls, “Goon.”

A few minutes later the captives were led into thecourt, with ropes round their necks, and bridles intheir mouths.

[This statement of Herodotus (III. 14.)is confirmed by the monuments, on which we oftensee representations of captives being led alongwith ropes round their necks. What follows istaken entirely from the same passage in Herodotus.]

At the head of the train was the little prince Necho.He stretched his hands out to his father, begginghim to punish the bad foreigners who wanted to killhim. At this sight the Egyptians wept in theirexceeding great misery; but Psamtik’s eyes weredry. He bowed his tearless face nearly to theearth, and waved his child a last farewell.

After a short interval, the captives taken in Saisentered. Among them was Neithotep, the once powerfulhigh-priest, clothed in rags and moving with difficultyby the help of a staff. At the entrance-gate heraised his eyes and caught sight of his former pupilDarius. Reckless of all the spectators aroundhim, he went straight up to the young man, poured outthe story of his need, besought his help, and endedby begging an alms. Darius complied at once,and by so doing, induced others of the Achaemenidae,who were standing by, to hail the old man jokinglyand throw him little pieces of money, which he pickedup laboriously and thankfully from the ground.

At this sight Psamtik wept aloud, and smote upon hisforehead, calling on the name of his friend in a voicefull of woe.

Cambyses was so astonished at this, that he came forwardto the balustrade of the veranda, and pushing theflowers aside, exclaimed: “Explain thyself,thou strange man; the misfortunes of a beggar, noteven akin to thee, move thy compassion, but thou canstbehold thy son on the way to execution and thy daughtersin hopeless misery without shedding a tear, or utteringa lament!”

Psamtik looked up at his conqueror, and answered:“The misfortunes of my own house, O son of Cyrus,are too great for tears; but I may be permitted toweep over the afflictions of a friend, fallen, in hisold age, from the height of happiness and influenceinto the most miserable beggary.”

Cambyses’ face expressed his approval, and onlooking round he saw that his was not the only eyewhich was filled with tears. Croesus, Bartja,and all the Persians-nay, even Phanes himself, whohad served as interpreter to the kings-were weepingaloud.

The proud conqueror was not displeased at these signsof sympathy, and turning to the Athenian: “Ithink, my Greek friend” he said, “we mayconsider our wrongs as avenged. Rise, Psamtik,and endeavor to imitate yonder noble old man, (pointingto Croesus) by accustoming yourself to your fate.Your father’s fraud has been visited on you andyour family. The crown, which I have wrestedfrom you is the crown of which Amasis deprived mywife, my never-to-be-forgotten Nitetis. For hersake I began this war, and for her sake I grant younow the life of your son—­she loved him.From this time forward you can live undisturbed atour court, eat at our table and share the privilegesof our nobles. Gyges, fetch the boy hither.He shall be brought up as you were, years ago, amongthe sons of the Achaemenidae.”

The Lydian was hastening to execute this delightfulcommission, but Phanes stopped him before he couldreach the door, and placing himself proudly betweenthe king and the trembling, thankful Psamtik, said:“You would be going on a useless errand, nobleLydian. In defiance of your command, my Sovereign,but in virtue of the full powers you once gave me,I have ordered the grandson of Amasis to be the executioner’sfirst victim. You have just heard the sound ofa horn; that was the sign that the last heir to theEgyptian throne born on the shores of the Nile hasbeen gathered to his fathers. I am aware of thefate I have to expect, Cambyses. I will not pleadfor a life whose end has been attained. Croesus,I understand your reproachful looks. You grievefor the murdered children. But life is such aweb of wretchedness and disappointment, that I agreewith your philosopher Solon in thinking those fortunateto whom, as in former days to Kleobis and Biton, thegods decree an early death.

[Croesus, after having shown Solon histreasures, asked him whom he held to be the mostfortunate of men, hoping to hear his own name.The sage first named Tellus, a famous citizen ofAthens, and then the brothers Kleobis and Biton.These were two handsome youths, who had gainedthe prize for wrestling, and one day, when the draught-animals had not returned from the field, draggedtheir mother themselves to the distant temple,in presence of the people. The men of Argospraised the strength of the sons,—­the womenpraised the mother who possessed these sons.She, transported with delight at her sons’deed and the people’s praise, went to the statueof the goddess and besought her to give them thebest that could fall to the lot of men. Whenher prayer was over and the sacrifice offered, theyouths fell asleep, and never woke again. Theywere dead. Herod. I, 31. Cicero.Tuscul. I. 47.]

“If I have ever been dear to you, Cambyses—­ifmy counsels have been of any use, permit me as a lastfavor to say a few more words. Psamtik knowsthe causes that rendered us foes to each other.Ye all, whose esteem is worth so much to me, shallknow them too. This man’s father placedme in his son’s stead at the head of the troopswhich had been sent to Cyprus. Where Psamtikhad earned humiliation, I won success and glory.I also became unintentionally acquainted with a secret,which seriously endangered his chances of obtainingthe crown; and lastly, I prevented his carrying offa virtuous maiden from the house of her grandmother,an aged woman, beloved and respected by all the Greeks.These are the sins which he has never been able toforgive; these are the grounds which led him to carryon war to the death with me directly I had quittedhis father’s service. The struggle is decidednow. My innocent children have been murderedat thy command, and I have been pursued like a wildbeast. That has been thy revenge. But mine!—­I

have deprived thee of thy throne and reduced thy peopleto bondage. Thy daughter I have called my slave,thy son’s death-warrant was pronounced by mylips, and my eyes have seen the maiden whom thou persecutedstbecome the happy wife of a brave man. Undone,sinking ever lower and lower, thou hast watched merise to be the richest and most powerful of my nation.In the lowest depth of thine own misery—­andthis has been the most delicious morsel of my vengeance—­thouwast forced to see me—­me, Phanes sheddingtears that could not be kept back, at the sight ofthy misery. The man, who is allowed to draw evenone breath of life, after beholding his enemy so low,I hold to be happy as the gods themselves I have spoken.”

He ceased, and pressed his hand on his wound.Cambyses gazed at him in astonishment, stepped forward,and was just going to touch his girdle—­anaction which would have been equivalent to the signingof a death-warrant when his eye caught sight of thechain, which he himself had hung round the Athenian’sneck as a reward for the clever way in which he hadproved the innocence of Nitetis.

[The same sign was used by the last Dariusto denote that his able Greek general Memnon, whohad offended him by his plainness of speech, wasdoomed to death. As he was being led away, Memnonexclaimed, in allusion to Alexander, who was thenfast drawing near: “Thy remorse willsoon prove my worth; my avenger is not far off.”Droysen, Alex. d. Grosse, Diod. XVII.30. Curtius III. 2.]

The sudden recollection of the woman he loved, andof the countless services rendered him by Phanes,calmed his wrath his hand dropped. One minutethe severe ruler stood gazing lingeringly at his disobedientfriend; the next, moved by a sudden impulse, he raisedhis right hand again, and pointed imperiously to thegate leading from the court.

Phanes bowed in silence, kissed the king’s robe,and descended slowly into the court. Psamtikwatched him, quivering with excitement, sprang towardsthe veranda, but before his lips could utter the cursewhich his heart had prepared, he sank powerless onto the ground.

Cambyses beckoned to his followers to make immediatepreparations for a lion-hunt in the Libyan mountains.

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Rules of life givenby one man to another are useless

AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.

By Georg Ebers

Volume 10.

CHAPTER XIII.

The waters of the Nile had begun to rise again.Two months had passed away since Phanes’ disappearance,and much had happened.

The very day on which he left Egypt, Sappho had givenbirth to a girl, and had so far regained strengthsince then under the care of her grandmother, as tobe able to join in an excursion up the Nile, whichCroesus had suggested should take place on the festivalof the goddess Neith. Since the departure ofPhanes, Cambyses’ behavior had become so intolerable,that Bartja, with the permission of his brother, hadtaken Sappho to live in the royal palace at Memphis,in order to escape any painful collision. Rhodopis,at whose house Croesus and his son, Bartja, Dariusand Zopyrus were constant guests, had agreed to jointhe party.

On the morning of the festival-day they started ina gorgeously decorated boat, from a point betweenthirty and forty miles below Memphis, favored by agood north-wind and urged rapidly forward by a largenumber of rowers.

A wooden roof or canopy, gilded and brightly painted,sheltered them from the sun. Croesus sat by Rhodopis,Theopompus the Milesian lay at her feet. Sapphowas leaning against Bartja. Syloson, the brotherof Polykrates, had made himself a comfortable resting-placenext to Darius, who was looking thought fully intothe water. Gyges and Zopyrus busied themselvesin making wreaths for the women, from the flowers handedthem by an Egyptian slave.

“It seems hardly possible,” said Bartja,“that we can be rowing against the stream.The boat flies like a swallow.”

“This fresh north-wind brings us forward,”answered Theopompus. “And then the Egyptianboatmen understand their work splendidly.”

“And row all the better just because we aresailing against the stream,” added Croesus.“Resistance always brings out a man’s bestpowers.”

“Yes,” said Rhodopis, “sometimeswe even make difficulties, if the river of life seemstoo smooth.”

“True,” answered Darius. “Anoble mind can never swim with the stream. Inquiet inactivity all men are equal. We must beseen fighting, to be rightly estimated.”

“Such noble-minded champions must be very cautious,though,” said Rhodopis, “lest they becomecontentious, and quarrelsome. Do you see thosemelons lying on the black soil yonder, like goldenballs? Not one would have come to perfectionif the sower had been too lavish with his seed.The fruit would have been choked by too luxuriant tendrilsand leaves. Man is born to struggle and to work,but in this, as in everything else, he must know howto be moderate if his efforts are to succeed.The art of true wisdom is to keep within limits.”

“Oh, if Cambyses could only hear you!”exclaimed Croesus. “Instead of being contentedwith his immense conquests, and now thinking for thewelfare of his subjects, he has all sorts of distantplans in his head. He wishes to conquer the entireworld, and yet, since Phanes left, scarcely a dayhas passed in which he has not been conquered himselfby the Div of drunkenness.”

“Has his mother no influence over him?”asked Rhodopis. “She is a noble woman.”

“She could not even move his resolution to marryAtossa, and was forced to be present at the marriagefeast.”

“Poor Atossa!” murmured Sappho.

“She does not pass a very happy life as Queenof Persia,” answered Croesus; “and herown naturally impetuous disposition makes it all themore difficult or her to live contentedly with thishusband and mother; I am sorry to hear it said thatCambyses neglects her sadly, and treats her like achild. But the marriage does not seem to haveastonished the Egyptians, as brothers and sistersoften marry here.”

“In Persia too,” said Darius, puttingon an appearance of the most perfect composure, “marriageswith very near relations are thought to be the best.”

“But to return to the king,” said Croesus,turning the conversation for Darius’ sake.“I can assure you, Rhodopis, that he may reallybe called a noble man. His violent and hastydeeds are repented of almost as soon as committed,and the resolution to be a just and merciful rulerhas never forsaken him. At supper, for instance,lately, before his mind was clouded by the influenceof wine, he asked us what the Persians thought ofhim in comparison with his father.”

“And what was the answer?” said Rhodopis.“Intaphernes got us out of the trap cleverlyenough,” answered Zopyrus, laughing. “Heexclaimed: ’We are of opinion that youdeserve the preference, inasmuch as you have not onlypreserved intact the inheritance bequeathed you byCyrus, but have extended his dominion beyond the seasby your conquest of Egypt.’ This answerdid not seem to please the king, however, and poorIntaphernes was not a little horrified to hear himstrike his fist on the table and cry, ‘Flatterer,miserable flatterer!’ He then turned to Croesusand asked his opinion. Our wise friend answeredat once: ’My opinion is that you have notattained to the greatness of your father; for,’added he in a pacifying tone, ’one thing iswanting to you—­a son such as Cyrus bequeathedus in yourself.”

“First-rate, first-rate,” cried Rhodopisclapping her hands and laughing. “An answerthat would have done honor to the ready-witted Odysseushimself. And how did the king take your honeyedpill?”

“He was very much pleased, thanked Croesus,and called him his friend.”

“And I,” said Croesus taking up the conversation,“used the favorable opportunity to dissuadehim from the campaigns he has been planning againstthe long lived Ethiopians, the Ammonians and the Carthaginians.Of the first of these three nations we know scarcelyanything but through fabulous tales; by attackingthem we should lose much and gain little. Theoasis of Ammon is scarcely accessible to a large army,on account of the desert by which it is surrounded;besides which, it seems to me sacrilegious to makewar upon a god in the hope of obtaining possession

of his treasures, whether we be his worshippers ornot. As to the Carthaginians, facts have alreadyjustified my predictions. Our fleet is mannedprincipally by Syrians and Phoenicians, and they have,as might be expected, refused to go to war againsttheir brethren. Cambyses laughed at my reasons,and ended by swearing, when he was already somewhatintoxicated, that he could carry out difficult undertakingsand subdue powerful nations, even without the helpof Bartja and Phanes.”

“What could that allusion to you mean, my son?”asked Rhodopis.

“He won the battle of Pelusiam,” criedZopyrus, before his friend could answer. “Heand no one else!”

“Yes,” added Croesus, “and you mighthave been more prudent, and have remembered that itis a dangerous thing to excite the jealousy of a manlike Cambyses. You all of you forget that hisheart is sore, and that the slightest vexation painshim. He has lost the woman he really loved; hisdearest friend is gone; and now you want to disparagethe last thing in this world that he still cares for,—­hismilitary glory.”

“Don’t blame him,” said Bartja,grasping the old man’s hand. “My brotherhas never been unjust, and is far from envying me whatI must call my good fortune, for that my attack arrivedjust at the right time can hardly be reckoned as amerit on my part. You know he gave me this splendidsabre, a hundred thorough-bred horses, and a goldenhand-mill as rewards of my bravery.”

Croesus’ words had caused Sappho a little anxietyat first; but this vanished on hearing her husbandspeak so confidently, and by the time Zopyrus hadfinished his wreath and placed it on Rhodopis’head, all her fears were forgotten.

Gyges had prepared his for the young mother.It was made of snow-white water-lilies, and, whenshe placed it among her brown curls, she looked sowonderfully lovely in the simple ornament, that Bartjacould not help kissing her on the forehead, thoughso many witnesses were present. This little episodegave a merry turn to the conversation; every one didhis best to enliven the others, refreshments of allkinds were handed round, and even Darius lost hisgravity for a time and joined in the jests that werepassing among his friends.

When the sun had set, the slaves set elegantly-carvedchairs, footstools, and little tables on the openpart of the deck. Our cheerful party now repairedthither and beheld a sight so marvellously beautifulas to be quite beyond their expectations.

The feast of Neith, called in Egyptian “thelamp-burning,” was celebrated by a universalillumination, which began at the rising of the moon.The shores of the Nile looked like two long linesof fire. Every temple, house and but was ornamentedwith lamps according to the means of its possessors.The porches of the country-houses and the little towerson the larger buildings were all lighted up by brilliantflames, burning in pans of pitch and sending up clouds

of smoke, in which the flags and pennons waved gentlybackwards and forwards. The palm-trees and sycamoreswere silvered by the moonlight and threw strange fantasticreflections on the red waters of the Nile-red fromthe fiery glow of the houses on their shores.But strong and glowing as was the light of the illumination,its rays had not power to reach the middle of thegiant river, where the boat was making its course,and the pleasure-party felt as if they were sailingin dark night between two brilliant days. Nowand then a brightly-lighted boat would come swiftlyacross the river and seem, as it neared the shore,to be cutting its way through a glowing stream ofmolten iron.

Lotus-blossoms, white as snow, lay on the surfaceof the river, rising and falling with the waves, andlooking like eyes in the water. Not a sound couldbe heard from either shore. The echoes were carriedaway by the north-wind, and the measured stroke ofthe oars and monotonous song of the rowers were theonly sounds that broke the stillness of this strangenight—­a night robbed of its darkness.

For a long time the friends gazed without speakingat the wonderful sight, which seemed to glide pastthem. Zopyrus was the first to break the silenceby saying, as he drew a long breath: “Ireally envy you, Bartja. If things were as theyshould be, every one of us would have his dearestwife at his side on such a night as this.”

“And who forbade you to bring one of your wives?”answered the happy husband.

“The other five,” said the youth witha sigh. “If I had allowed Oroetes’little daughter Parysatis, my youngest favorite, tocome out alone with me to-night, this wonderful sightwould have been my last; tomorrow there would havebeen one pair of eyes less in the world.”

Bartja took Sappho’s hand and held it fast,saying, “I fancy one wife will content me aslong as I live.” The young mother pressedhis hand warmly again, and said, turning to Zopyrus:“I don’t quite trust you, my friend.It seems to me that it is not the anger of your wivesyou fear, so much as the commission of an offenceagainst the customs of your country. I have beentold that my poor Bartja gets terribly scolded inthe women’s apartments for not setting eunuchsto watch over me, and for letting me share his pleasures.”

“He does spoil you terribly,” answeredZopyrus, “and our wives are beginning to quotehim as an example of kindness and indulgence, wheneverwe try to hold the reins a little tight. Indeedthere will soon be a regular women’s mutinyat the king’s gate, and the Achaemenidae whoescaped the swords and arrows of the Egyptians, willfall victims to sharp tongues and floods of salt tears.”

“Oh! you most impolite Persian!” saidSyloson laughing. “We must make you morerespectful to these images of Aphrodite.”

“You Greeks! that’s a good idea,”answered the youth. “By Mithras, our wivesare quite as well off as yours. It’s onlythe Egyptian women, that are so wonderfully free.”

“Yes, you are quite right,” said Rhodopis.“The inhabitants of this strange land have forthousands of years granted our weaker sex the samerights, that they demand for themselves. Indeed,in many respects, they have given us the preference.For instance, by the Egyptian law it is the daughters,not the sons, who are commanded to foster and providefor their aged parents, showing how well the fathersof this now humbled people understood women’snature, and how rightly they acknowledged that shefar surpasses man in thoughtful solicitude and self-forgetfullove. Do not laugh at these worshippers of animals.I confess that I cannot understand them, but I feeltrue admiration for a people in the teaching of whosepriests, even Pythagoras, that great master in theart of knowledge, assured me lies a wisdom as mightyas the Pyramids.”

“And your great master was right,” exclaimedDarius. “You know that I obtained Neithotep’sfreedom, and, for some weeks past, have seen him andOnuphis very constantly, indeed they have been teachingme. And oh, how much I have learnt already fromthose two old men, of which I had no idea before!How much that is sad I can forget, when I am listeningto them! They are acquainted with the entirehistory of the heavens and the earth. They knowthe name of every king, and the circ*mstances of everyimportant event that has occurred during the last fourthousand years, the courses of the stars, the worksof their own artists and sayings of their sages, duringthe same immense period of time. All this knowledgeis recorded in huge books, which have been preservedin a palace at Thebes, called the ‘place ofhealing for the soul.’ Their laws are afountain of pure wisdom, and a comprehensive intellecthas been shown in the adaptation of all their stateinstitutions to the needs of the country. I wishwe could boast of the same regularity and order athome. The idea that lies at the root of all theirknowledge is the use of numbers, the only means bywhich it is possible to calculate the course of thestars, to ascertain and determine the limits of allthat exists, and, by the application of which in theshortening and lengthening of the strings of musicalinstruments, tones can be regulated.

[We agree with Iamblichus in supposing,that these Pythagorean views
were derived from the Egyptian mysteries.]

“Numbers are the only certain things; they canneither be controlled nor perverted. Every nationhas its own ideas of right and wrong; every law canbe rendered invalid by circ*mstances; but the resultsobtained from numbers can never be overthrown.Who can dispute, for instance, that twice two makefour? Numbers determine the contents of everyexisting thing; whatever is, is equal to its contents,numbers therefore are the true being, the essenceof all that is.”

“In the name of Mithras, Darius, do leave offtalking in that style, unless you want to turn mybrain,” interrupted Zopyrus. “Why,to hear you, one would fancy you’d been spendingyour life among these old Egyptian speculators andhad never had a sword in your hand. What on earthhave we to do with numbers?”

“More than you fancy,” answered Rhodopis.“This theory of numbers belongs to the mysteriesof the Egyptian priests, and Pythagoras learnt it fromthe very Onuphis who is now teaching you, Darius.If you will come to see me soon, I will show you howwonderfully that great Samian brought the laws ofnumbers and of the harmonies into agreement. Butlook, there are the Pyramids!”

The whole party rose at these words, and stood speechless,gazing at the grand sight which opened before them.

The Pyramids lay on the left bank of the Nile, inthe silver moonshine, massive and awful, as if bruisingthe earth beneath them with their weight; the giantgraves of mighty rulers. They seemed examplesof man’s creative power, and at the same timewarnings of the vanity and mutability of earthly greatness.For where was Chufu now,—­the king who hadcemented that mountain of stone with the sweat of hissubjects? Where was the long-lived Chafra whohad despised the gods, and, defiant in the consciousnessof his own strength, was said to have closed the gatesof the temples in order to make himself and his nameimmortal by building a tomb of superhuman dimensions?

[Herodotus repeats, in good faith, thatthe builders of the great Pyramids were despisersof the gods. The tombs of their faithful subjectsat the foot of these huge structures prove, however,that they owe their bad repute to the hatred ofthe people, who could not forget the era of theirhardest bondage, and branded the memories of theiroppressors wherever an opportunity could be found.We might use the word “tradition” insteadof “the people,” for this it is whichputs the feeling and tone of mind of the multitudeinto the form of history.]

Their empty sarcophagi are perhaps tokens, that thejudges of the dead found them unworthy of rest inthe grave, unworthy of the resurrection, whereas thebuilder of the third and most beautiful pyramid, Menkera,who contented himself with a smaller monument, andreopened the gates of the temples, was allowed torest in peace in his coffin of blue basalt.

There they lay in the quiet night, these mighty pyramids,shone on by the bright stars, guarded by the watchmanof the desert—­the gigantic sphinx,—­andoverlooking the barren rocks of the Libyan stony mountains.At their feet, in beautifully-ornamented tombs, sleptthe mummies of their faithful subjects, and oppositethe monument of the pious Menkera stood a temple,where prayers were said by the priests for the soulsof the many dead buried in the great Memphian cityof the dead. In the west, where the sun wentdown behind the Libyan mountains, where the fruitfulland ended and the desert began—­there thepeople of Memphis had buried their dead; and as ourgay party looked towards the west they felt awed intoa solemn silence.

But their boat sped on before the north-wind; theyleft the city of the dead behind them and passed theenormous dikes built to protect the city of Menesfrom the violence of the floods; the city of the Pharaohscame in sight, dazzlingly bright with the myriadsof flames which had been kindled in honor of the goddessNeith, and when at last the gigantic temple of Ptahappeared, the most ancient building of the most ancientland, the spell broke, their tongues were loosed, andthey burst out into loud exclamations of delight.

It was illuminated by thousands of lamps; a hundredfires burnt on its Pylons, its battlemented wallsand roofs. Burning torches flared between therows of sphinxes which connected the various gateswith the main building, and the now empty house ofthe god Apis was so surrounded by colored fires thatit gleamed like a white limestone rock in a tropicalsunset. Pennons, flags and garlands waved abovethe brilliant picture; music and loud songs couldbe heard from below.

“Glorious,” cried Rhodopis in enthusiasm,“glorious! Look how the painted walls andcolumns gleam in the light, and what marvellous figuresthe shadows of the obelisks and sphinxes throw onthe smooth yellow pavement!”

“And how mysterious the sacred grove looks yonder!”added Croesus. “I never saw anything sowonderful before.”

“I have seen something more wonderful still,”said Darius. “You will hardly believe mewhen I tell you that I have witnessed a celebrationof the mysteries of Neith.”

“Tell us what you saw, tell us!” was theuniversal outcry.

“At first Neithotep refused me admission, butwhen I promised to remain hidden, and besides, toobtain the freedom of his child, he led me up to hisobservatory, from which there is a very extensive view,and told me that I should see a representation ofthe fates of Osiris and his wife Isis.

“He had scarcely left, when the sacred grovebecame so brightly illuminated by colored lights thatI was able to see into its innermost depths.

“A lake, smooth as glass, lay before me, surroundedby beautiful trees and flower-beds. Golden boatswere sailing on this lake and in them sat lovely boysand girls dressed in snow-white garments, and singingsweet songs as they passed over the water. Therewere no rowers to direct these boats, and yet theymoved over the ripples of the lake in a graceful order,as if guided by some magic unseen hand. A largeship sailed in the midst of this little fleet.Its deck glittered with precious stones. It seemedto be steered by one beautiful boy only, and, strangeto say, the rudder he guided consisted of one whitelotus-flower, the delicate leaves of which seemedscarcely to touch the water. A very lovely woman,dressed like a queen, lay on silken cushions in themiddle of the vessel; by her side sat a man of largerstature than that of ordinary mortals. He worea crown of ivy on his flowing curls, a panther-skinhung over his shoulders and he held a crooked staffin the right hand. In the back part of the shipwas a roof made of ivy, lotus-blossoms and roses; beneathit stood a milk-white cow with golden horns, coveredwith a cloth of purple. The man was Osiris, thewoman Isis, the boy at the helm their son Horus, andthe cow was the animal sacred to the immortal Isis.The little boats all skimmed over the water, singingglad songs of joy as they passed by the ship, andreceiving in return showers of flowers and fruits,thrown down upon the lovely singers by the god andgoddess within. Suddenly I heard the roll ofthunder. It came crashing on, louder, and louder,and in the midst of this awful sound a man in theskin of a wild boar, with hideous features and bristlingred hair, came out of the gloomiest part of the sacredgrove, plunged into the lake, followed by seventy creatureslike himself, and swam up to the ship of Osiris.

[We have taken our description of thisspectacle entirely from the Osiris-myth, as wefind it in Plutarch, Isis and Orisis 13-19. Diod.I. 22. and a thousand times repeated on the monuments.Horus is called “the avenger of his father,”&c. We copy the battle with all its phasesfrom an inscription at Edfu, interpreted by Naville.]

“The little boats fled with the swiftness ofthe wind, and the trembling boy helmsman dropped hislotus-blossom.

“The dreadful monster then rushed on Osiris,and, with the help of his comrades, killed him, threwthe body into a coffin and the coffin into the lake,the waters of which seemed to carry it away as if bymagic. Isis meanwhile had escaped to land inone of the small boats, and was now running hitherand thither on the shores of the lake, with streaminghair, lamenting her dead husband and followed by thevirgins who had escaped with her. Their songsand dances, while seeking the body of Osiris, werestrangely plaintive and touching, and the girls accompaniedthe dance by waving black Byssus scarfs in wonderfullygraceful curves. Neither were the youths idle;they busied themselves in making a costly coffin forthe vanished corpse of the god, accompanying theirwork with dances and the sound of castanets.When this was finished they joined the maidens inthe train of the lamenting Isis and wandered on theshore with them, singing and searching.

“Suddenly a low song rose from some invisiblelips. It swelled louder and louder and announced,that the body of the god had been transported by thecurrents of the Mediterranean to Gebal in distant Phoenicia.This singing voice thrilled to my very heart; Neithotep’sson, who was my companion, called it ‘the windof rumor.’

“When Isis heard the glad news, she threw offher mourning garments and sang a song of triumphantrejoicing, accompanied by the voices of her beautifulfollowers. Rumor had not lied; the goddess reallyfound the sarcophagus and the dead body of her husbandon the northern shore of the lake.

[It is natural, that Isis should findthe body of her husband in the north. Theconnection between Phoenicia and Egypt in this myth,as it has been handed down to us by Plutarch, isvery remarkable. We consider the explanationof the close affinity between the Isis and Osirisand the Adonis myths to be in the fact, that Egyptiansand Phoenicians lived together on the shores ofthe Delta where the latter had planted their colonies.Plutarch’s story of the finding of Osiris’dead body is very charming. Isis and Osiris.Ed. Parth. 15.]

“They brought both to land with dances; Isisthrew herself on the beloved corpse, called on thename of Osiris and covered the mummy with kisses,while the youths wove a wonderful tomb of lotus-flowersand ivy.

“When the coffin had been laid under this beautifulvault, Isis left the sad place of mourning and wentto look for her son. She found him at the eastend of the lake, where for a long time I had seen abeautiful youth practising arms with a number of companions.

“While she was rejoicing over her newly-foundchild, a fresh peal of thunder told that Typhon hadreturned. This time the monster rushed upon thebeautiful flowering grave, tore the body out of itscoffin, hewed it into fourteen pieces, and strewedthem over the shores of the lake.

“When Isis came back to the grave, she foundnothing but faded flowers and an empty coffin; butat fourteen different places on the shore fourteenbeautiful colored flames were burning. She andher virgins ran to these flames, while Horus led theyouths to battle against Typhon on the opposite shore.

“My eyes and ears hardly sufficed for all Ihad to see and hear. On the one shore a fearfuland interesting struggle, peals of thunder and thebraying of trumpets; on the other the sweet voicesof the women, singing the most captivating songs tothe most enchanting dances, for Isis had found a portionof her husband’s body at every fire and was rejoicing.

“That was something for you, Zopyrus! Iknow of no words to describe the grace of those girls’movements, or how beautiful it was to see them firstmingling in intricate confusion, then suddenly standingin faultless, unbroken lines, falling again into thesame lovely tumult and passing once more into order,and all this with the greatest swiftness. Brightrays of light flashed from their whirling ranks allthe time, for each dancer had a mirror fastened betweenher shoulders, which flashed while she was in motion,and reflected the scene when she was still.

“Just as Isis had found the last limb but oneof the murdered Osiris, loud songs of triumph andthe flourish of trumpets resounded from the oppositeshore.

“Horus had conquered Typhon, and was forcinghis way into the nether regions to free his father.The gate to this lower world opened on the west sideof the lake and was guarded by a fierce female hippopotamus.

“And now a lovely music of flutes and harpscame nearer and nearer, heavenly perfumes rose intothe air, a rosy light spread over the sacred grove,growing brighter every minute, and Osiris came up fromthe lower world, led by his victorious son. Isishastened to embrace her risen and delivered husband,gave the beautiful Horus his lotus-flower again insteadof the sword, and scattered fruits and flowers overthe earth, while Osiris seated himself under a canopywreathed with ivy, and received the homage of allthe spirits of the earth and of the Amenti.”

[The lower world, in Egyptian Amenti,properly speaking, the West or kingdom of death,to which the soul returns at the death of the body,as the sun at his setting. In a hieroglyphic inscriptionof the time of the Ptolemies the Amenti is calledHades.]

Darius was silent. Rhodopis began:

“We thank you for your charming account; butthis strange spectacle must have a higher meaning,and we should thank you doubly if you would explainthat to us.”

“Your idea is quite right,” answered Darius,“but what I know I dare not tell. I wasobliged to promise Neithotep with an oath, not to telltales out of school.”

“Shall I tell you,” asked Rhodopis, “whatconclusions various hints from Pythagoras and Onuphishave led me to draw, as to the meaning of this drama?Isis seems to me to represent the bountiful earth;Osiris, humidity or the Nile, which makes the earthfruitful; Horus, the young spring; Typhon, the scorchingdrought. The bounteous earth, robbed of her productivepower, seeks this beloved husband with lamentationsin the cooler regions of the north, where the Niledischarges his waters. At last Horus, the youngspringing power of nature, is grown up and conquersTyphon, or the scorching drought. Osiris, as isthe case with the fruitful principle of nature, wasonly apparently dead, rises from the nether regionsand once more rules the blessed valley of the Nile,in concert with his wife, the bounteous earth.”

“And as the murdered god behaved properly inthe lower regions,” said Zopyrus, laughing,“he is allowed, at the end of this odd story,to receive homage from the inhabitants of Hamestegan,Duzakh and Gorothman, or whatever they call theseabodes for the Egyptian spirit-host.”

“They are called Amenti,” said Darius,falling into his friend’s merry mood; but youmust know that the history of this divine pair representsnot only the life of nature, but also that of the humansoul, which, like the murdered Osiris, lives an eternallife, even when the body is dead.”

“Thank you,” said the other; “I’lltry to remember that if I should chance to die inEgypt. But really, cost what it may, I must seethis wonderful sight soon.”

“Just my own wish,” said Rhodopis.“Age is inquisitive.”

“You will never be old,” interrupted Darius.“Your conversation and your features have remainedalike beautiful, and your mind is as clear and brightas your eyes.”

“Forgive me for interrupting you,” saidRhodopis, as if she had not heard his flattering words,“but the word ‘eyes’ reminds me ofthe oculist Nebenchari, and my memory fails me sooften, that I must ask you what has become of him,before I forget. I hear nothing now of this skilfuloperator to whom the noble Kassandane owes her sight.”

“He is much to be pitied,” replied Darius.“Even before we reached Pelusium he had begunto avoid society, and scorned even to speak with hiscountryman Onuphis. His gaunt old servant wasthe only being allowed to wait on or be with him.But after the battle his whole behavior changed.He went to the king with a radiant countenance, andasked permission to accompany him to Sais, and tochoose two citizens of that town to be his slaves.Cambyses thought he could not refuse anything to theman, who had been such a benefactor to his mother,and granted him full power to do what he wished.On arriving at Amasis’ capital, he went at once

to the temple of Neith, caused the high-priest (whohad moreover placed himself at the head of the citizenshostile to Persia), to be arrested, and with him acertain oculist named Petammon. He then informedthem that, as punishment for the burning of certainpapers, they would be condemned to serve a Persianto whom he should sell them, for the term of theirnatural lives, and to perform the most menial servicesof slaves in a foreign country. I was presentat this scene, and I assure you I trembled beforethe Egyptian as he said these words to his enemies.Neithotep, however, listened quietly, and when Nebencharihad finished, answered him thus: If thou, foolishson, hast betrayed thy country for the sake of thyburnt manuscripts, the deed has been neither just norwise. I preserved thy valuable works with thegreatest care, laid them up in our temple, and senta complete copy to the library at Thebes. Nothingwas burnt but the letters from Amasis to thy father,and a worthless old chest. Psamtik and Petammonwere present, and it was then and there resolved thata new family tomb in the city of the dead should bebuilt for thee as a compensation for the loss of papers,which, in order to save Egypt, we were unfortunatelyforced to destroy. On its walls thou canst beholdpleasing paintings of the gods to whom thou hast devotedthy life, the most sacred chapters from the book ofthe dead, and many other beautiful pictures touchingthine own life and character.”

“The physician turned very pale—­askedfirst to see his books, and then his new and beautifully-fitted-uptomb. He then gave his slaves their freedom,(notwithstanding which they were still taken to Memphisas prisoners of war), and went home, often passinghis hand across his forehead on the way, and withthe uncertain step of one intoxicated. On reachinghis house he made a will, bequeathing all he possessedto the grandson of his old servant Hib, and, allegingthat he was ill, went to bed. The next morninghe was found dead. He had poisoned himself withthe fearful strychnos-juice.”

“Miserable man” said Croesus. “Thegods had blinded him, and he reaped despair insteadof revenge, as a reward for his treachery.”

“I pity him,” murmured Rhodopis.“But look, the rowers are taking in their oars.We are at the end of our journey; there are your littersand carriages waiting for you. It was a beautifultrip. Farewell, my dear ones; come to Naukratissoon, I shall return at once with Theopompus and Syloson.Give little Parmys a thousand kisses from me, and tellMelitta never to take her out at noon. It isdangerous for the eyes. Good-night, Croesus;good-night, friends, farewell my dear son.”

The Persians left the vessel with many a nod and farewellword, and Bartja, looking round once more, missedhis footing and fell on the landing-pier.

He sprang up in a moment without Zopyrus’ help,who came running back, calling out, “Take care,Bartja! It’s unlucky to fall in steppingashore. I did the very same thing, when we leftthe ship that time at Naukratis.”

CHAPTER XIV.

While our friends were enjoying their row on the Nile,Cambyses’ envoy, Prexaspes, had returned froma mission to the long-lived Ethiopians. He praisedtheir strength and stature, described the way to theircountry as almost inaccessible to a large army, andhad plenty of marvellous tales to tell. How,for instance; they always chose the strongest andhandsomest man in their nation for their king, andobeyed him unconditionally: how many of themreached the age of 120 years, and some even passedit: how they ate nothing but boiled flesh, dranknew milk and washed in a spring the waters of whichhad the scent of violets, gave a remarkable lustreto their skins, and were so light that wood could notswim in them: how their captives wore golden fetters,because other metals were rare and dear in their country;and lastly, how they covered the bodies of the deadwith plaster or stucco, over which a coating of someglass-like material was poured, and kept the pillarsthus formed one year in their houses, during whichtime sacrifices were offered them, and at the year’send they were placed in rows around the town.

The king of this strange people had accepted Cambyses’presents, saying, in a scornful tone, that he newwell his friendship was of no importance to the Persians,and Prexaspes had only been sent to spy out the land.If the prince of Asia were a just man, he would becontented with his own immense empire and not tryto subjugate a people who had done him no wrong.“Take your king this bow,” he said, “andadvise him not to begin the war with us, until thePersians are able to bend such weapons as easily aswe do. Cambyses may thank the gods, that the Ethiopianshave never taken it into their heads to conquer countrieswhich do not belong to them.”

He then unbent his mighty bow of ebony, and gave itto Prexaspes to take to his lord.

Cambyses laughed at the bragging African, invitedhis nobles to a trial of the bow the next morning,and awarded Prexaspes for the clever way in whichhe had overcome the difficulties of his journey andacquitted himself of his mission. He then wentto rest, as usual intoxicated, and fell into a disturbedsleep, in which he dreamed that Bartja was seatedon the throne of Persia, and that the crown of hishead touched the heavens.

This was a dream, which he could interpret withoutthe aid of soothsayer or Chaldean. It rousedhis anger first, and then made him thoughtful.

He could not sleep, and such questions as the followingcame into his mind: “Haven’t yougiven your brother reason to feel revengeful?Do you think he can forget that you imprisoned andcondemned him to death, when he was innocent?And if he should raise his hand against you, wouldnot all the Achaemenidae take his part? HaveI ever done, or have I any intention of ever doinganything to win the love of these venal courtiers?Since Nitetis died and that strange Greek fled, hasthere been a single human being, in whom I have theleast confidence or on whose affection I can rely?”

These thoughts and questionings excited him so fearfully,that he sprang from his bed, crying: “Loveand I have nothing to do with one another. Othermen maybe kind and good if they like; I must be stern,or I shall fall into the hands of those who hate me—­hateme because I have been just, and have visited heavysins with heavy chastisem*nts. They whisper flatteringwords in my ear; they curse me when my back is turned.The gods themselves must be my enemies, or why dothey rob me of everything I love, deny me posterityand even that military glory which is my just due?Is Bartja so much better than I, that everything whichI am forced to give up should be his in hundred-foldmeasure? Love, friendship, fame, children, everythingflows to him as the rivers to the sea, while my heartis parched like the desert. But I am king still.I can show him which is the stronger of us two, andI will, though his forehead may touch the heavens.In Persia there can be only one great man. Heor I,—­I or he. In a few days I’llsend him back to Asia and make him satrap of Bactria.There he can nurse his child and listen to his wife’ssongs, while I am winning glory in Ethiopia, whichit shall not be in his power to lessen. Ho, there,dressers! bring my robes and a good morning-draughtof wine. I’ll show the Persians that I’mfit to be King of Ethiopia, and can beat them allat bending a bow. Here, give me another cup ofwine. I’d bend that bow, if it were a youngcedar and its string a cable!” So saying hedrained an immense bowl of wine and went into thepalace-garden, conscious of his enormous strength andtherefore sure of success.

All his nobles were assembled waiting for him there,welcomed him with loud acclamations, and fell on theirfaces to the ground before their king.

Pillars, connected by scarlet cords, had been quicklyset up between the closely-cut hedges and straightavenues. From these cords, suspended by goldand silver rings, yellow and dark blue hangings flutteredin the breeze. Gilded wooden benches had beenplaced round in a large circle, and nimble cup-bearershanded wine in costly vessels to the company assembledfor the shooting-match.

At a sign from the king the Achaemenidae rose fromthe earth.

Cambyses glanced over their ranks, and his face brightenedon seeing that Bartja was not there. Prexaspeshanded him the Ethiopian bow, and pointed out a targetat some distance. Cambyses laughed at the largesize of the target, weighted the bow with his righthand, challenged his subjects to try their fortunefirst, and handed the bow to the aged Hystaspes, asthe highest in rank among the Achaemenidae.

While Hystaspes first, and then all the heads of thesix other highest families in Persia, were using theirutmost efforts to bend this monster weapon in vain,the king emptied goblet after goblet of wine, his spiritsrising as he watched their vain endeavors to solvethe Ethiopian’s problem. At last Darius,who was famous for his skill in archery, took thebow. Nearly the same result. The wood wasinflexible as iron and all his efforts only availedto move it one finger’s breadth. The kinggave him a friendly nod in reward for his success,and then, looking round on his friends and relationsin a manner that betokened the most perfect assurance,he said: “Give me the bow now, Darius.I will show you, that there is only one man in Persiawho deserves the name of king;—­only onewho can venture to take the field against the Ethiopians;—­onlyone who can bend this bow.”

He grasped it tightly with his left hand, taking thestring, which was as thick as a man’s fingerand made from the intestines of a lion, in his right,fetched a deep breath, bent his mighty back and pulledand pulled; collected all his strength for greaterand greater efforts, strained his sinews till theythreatened to break, and the veins in his foreheadwere swollen to bursting, did not even disdain touse his feet and legs, but all in vain. Aftera quarter of an hour of almost superhuman exertion,his strength gave way, the ebony, which he had succeededin bending even farther than Darius, flew back andset all his further endeavors at nought. At last,feeling himself thoroughly exhausted, he dashed thebow on to the ground in a passion, crying: “TheEthiopian is a liar! no mortal man has ever bent thatbow. What is impossible for my arm is possiblefor no other. In three days we will start forEthiopia. I will challenge the impostor to asingle combat, and ye shall see which is the stronger.Take up the bow, Prexaspes, and keep it carefully.The black liar shall be strangled with his own bow-string.This wood is really harder than iron, and I confessthat the man who could bend it, would really be mymaster. I should not be ashamed to call him so,for he must be of better stuff than I.”

As he finished speaking, Bartja appeared in the circleof assembled Persians. His glorious figure wasset off to advantage by his rich dress, his featureswere bright with happiness and a feeling of consciousstrength. He passed through the ranks of the Achaemenidaewith many a friendly nod, which was warmly returned,and going straight to his brother, kissed his robe,looked up frankly and cheerfully into his gloomy eyes,and said: “I am a little late, and ask yourforgiveness, my lord and brother. Or have I reallycome in time? Yes, yes, I see there’s noarrow in the target yet, so I am sure you, the bestarcher in the world, cannot have tried your strengthyet. But you look so enquiringly at me.Then I will confess that our child kept me. The

little creature laughed to-day for the first time,and was so charming with its mother, that I forgothow time was passing while I watched them. Youhave all full leave to laugh at my folly; I reallydon’t know how to excuse myself. See, thelittle one has pulled my star from the chain.But I think, my brother, you will give me a new oneto-day if I should hit the bull’s eye.Shall I shoot first, or will you begin, my Sovereign?”

“Give him the bow, Prexaspes,” said Cambyses,not even deigning to look at his brother.

Bartja took it and was proceeding to examine the woodand the string, when Cambyses suddenly called out,with a mocking laugh: “By Mithras, I believeyou want to try your sweet looks on the bow, and winits favor in that fashion, as you do the hearts ofmen. Give it back to Prexaspes. It’seasier to play with beautiful women and laughing children,than with a weapon like this, which mocks the strengtheven of real men.”

Bartja blushed with anger and annoyance at this speech,which was uttered in the bitterest tone, picked upthe giant arrow that lay before him, placed himselfopposite the target, summoned all his strength, bentthe bow, by an almost superhuman effort, and sentthe arrow into the very centre of the target, whereits iron point remained, while the wooden shaft splitinto a hundred shivers.

[Herodotus tells this story (III, 30.),and we are indebted to him also for our informationof the events which follow. The following inscription,said to have been placed over the grave of Darius,and communicated by Onesikritus, (Strabo 730.)proves that the Persians were very proud of beingreputed good archers: “I was a friend tomy friends, the best rider and archer, a first-ratehunter; I could do everything.”]

Most of the Achaemenidae burst into loud shouts ofdelight at this marvellous proof of strength; butBartja’s nearest friends turned pale and weresilent; they were watching the king, who literallyquivered with rage, and Bartja, who was radiant withpride and joy.

Cambyses was a fearful sight at that moment.It seemed to him as if that arrow, in piercing thetarget, had pierced his own heart, his strength, dignityand honor. Sparks floated before his eyes, inhis ears was a sound like the breaking of a stormysea on the shore; his cheeks glowed and he graspedthe arm of Prexaspes who was at his side. Prexaspesonly too well understood what that pressure meant,when given by a royal hand, and murmured: “PoorBartja!”

At last the king succeeded in recovering his presenceof mind. Without saying a word, he threw a goldchain to his brother, ordered his nobles to followhim, and left the garden, but only to wander restlesslyup and down his apartments, and try to drown his ragein wine. Suddenly he seemed to have formed aresolution and ordered all the courtiers, except Prexaspes,to leave the hall. When they were alone, he calledout in a hoarse voice and with a look that provedthe extent of his intoxication: “This lifeis not to be borne! Rid me of my enemy, and Iwill call you my friend and benefactor.”

Prexaspes trembled, threw himself at the king’sfeet and raised his hands imploringly; but Cambyseswas too intoxicated, and too much blinded by his hatredto understand the action. He fancied the prostrationwas meant as a sign of devotion to his will, signedto him to rise, and whispered, as if afraid of hearinghis own words: “Act quickly and secretly;and, as you value your life, let no one know of theupstart’s death. Depart, and when yourwork is finished, take as much as you like out of thetreasury. But keep your wits about you.The boy has a strong arm and a winning tongue.Think of your own wife and children, if he tries towin you over with his smooth words.”

As he spoke he emptied a fresh goblet of pure wine,staggered through the door of the room, calling outas he turned his back on Prexaspes: “Woebe to you if that upstart, that woman’s hero,that fellow who has robbed me of my honor, is leftalive.”

Long after he had left the hall, Prexaspes stood fixedon the spot where he had heard these words. Theman was ambitious, but neither mean nor bad, and hefelt crushed by the awful task allotted to him.He knew that his refusal to execute it would bringdeath or disgrace on himself and on his family; buthe loved Bartja, and besides, his whole nature revoltedat the thought of becoming a common, hired murderer.A fearful struggle began in his mind, and raged longafter he left the palace. On the way home hemet Croesus and Darius. He fancied they wouldsee from his looks that he was already on the wayto a great crime, and hid himself behind the projectinggate of a large Egyptian house. As they passed,he heard Croesus say: “I reproached himbitterly, little as he deserves reproach in general,for having given such an inopportune proof of his greatstrength. We may really thank the gods, that Cambysesdid not lay violent hands on him in a fit of passion.He has followed my advice now and gone with his wifeto Sais. For the next few days Bartja must notcome near the king; the mere sight of him might rousehis anger again, and a monarch can always find unprincipledservants . . .”

The rest of the sentence died away in the distance,but the words he had heard were enough to make Prexaspesstart, as if Croesus had accused him of the shamefuldeed. He resolved in that moment that, come whatwould, his hands should not be stained with the bloodof a friend. This resolution restored him hisold erect bearing and firm gait for the time, butwhen he reached the dwelling which had been assignedas his abode in Sais his two boys ran to the doorto meet him. They had stolen away from the play-groundof the sons of the Achaemenidae, (who, as was alwaysthe case, had accompanied the king and the army),to see their father for a moment. He felt a strangetenderness, which he could not explain to himself,on taking them in his arms, and kissed the beautifulboys once more on their telling him that they mustgo back to their play-ground again, or they shouldbe punished. Within, he found his favorite wifeplaying with their youngest child, a sweet little girl.Again the same strange, inexplicable feeling of tenderness.He overcame it this time for fear of betraying hissecret to his young wife, and retired to his own apartmentearly.

Night had come on.

The sorely-tried man could not sleep; he turned restlesslyfrom side to side. The fearful thought, thathis refusal to do the king’s will would be theruin of his wife and children, stood before his wakefuleyes in the most vivid colors. The strength tokeep his good resolution forsook him, and even Croesus’words, which, when he first heard them had given hisnobler feelings the victory, now came in as a poweron the other side. “A monarch can alwaysfind unprincipled servants.” Yes, the wordswere an affront, but at the same time a reminder, thatthough he might defy the king’s command a hundredothers would be ready to obey it. No sooner hadthis thought become clear to him, than he started up,examined a number of daggers which hung, carefullyarranged, above his bed, and laid the sharpest onthe little table before him.

He then began to pace the room in deep thought, oftengoing to the opening which served as a window, tocool his burning forehead and see if dawn were near.

When at last daylight appeared, he heard the soundingbrass calling the boys to early prayer. Thatreminded him of his sons and he examined the daggera second time. A troop of gaily-dressed courtiersrode by on their way to the king. He put thedagger in his girdle; and at last, on hearing themerry laughter of his youngest child sound from thewomen’s apartments, he set the tiara hastilyon his head, left the house without taking leave ofhis wife, and, accompanied by a number of slaves, wentdown to the Nile. There he threw himself intoa boat and ordered the rowers to take him to Sais.

.........................

A few hours after the fatal shooting-match, Bartjahad followed Croesus’ advice and had gone offto Sais with his young wife. They found Rhodopisthere. She had yielded to an irresistible impulseand, instead of returning to Naukratis, had stoppedat Sais. Bartja’s fall on stepping ashorehad disturbed her, and she had with her own eyes seenan owl fly from the left side close by his head.These evil omens, to a heart which had by no meansoutgrown the superstitions of the age, added to aconfused succession of distressing dreams which haddisturbed her slumbers, and her usual wish to be alwaysnear Bartja and Sappho, led her to decide quicklyon waiting for her granddaughter at Sais.

Bartja and Sappho were delighted to find such a welcomeguest, and after she had dandled and played with hergreat grandchild, the little Parmys, to her heart’scontent, they led her to the rooms which had been preparedfor her.

[Herodotus states, that beside Atossa,&c.. Darius took a daughter
of the deceased Bartja, named Parmys,to be his wife. Herod. III.
88. She is also mentioned VII.78.]

They were the same in which the unhappy Tachot hadspent the last months of her fading existence.Rhodopis could not see all the little trifles whichshowed, not only the age and sex of the former occupant,but her tastes and disposition, without feeling verysad. On the dressing-table were a number of littleointment-boxes and small bottles for perfumes, cosmetics,washes and oils. Two larger boxes, one in theform of a Nile-goose, and another on the side of whicha woman playing on a lute had been painted, had oncecontained the princess’s costly golden ornaments,and the metal mirror with a handle in the form of asleeping maiden, had once reflected her beautifulface with its pale pink flush. Everything inthe room, from the elegant little couch resting onlions’ claws, to the delicately-carved ivorycombs on the toilet-table, proved that the outwardadornments of life had possessed much charm for theformer owner of these rooms. The golden sisirumand the delicately-wrought nabla, the strings of whichhad long ago been broken, testified to her taste formusic, while the broken spindle in the corner, andsome unfinished nets of glass beads shewed that shehad been fond of woman’s usual work.

It was a sad pleasure to Rhodopis to examine all thesethings, and the picture which she drew in her ownmind of Tachot after the inspection, differed verylittle from the reality. At last interest andcuriosity led her to a large painted chest. Shelifted the light cover and found, first, a few driedflowers; then a ball, round which some skilful handhad wreathed roses and leaves, once fresh and bright,now, alas, long ago dead and withered. Besidethese were a number of amulets in different forms,one representing the goddess of truth, another containingspells written on a strip of papyrus and concealedin a little golden case. Then her eyes fell onsome letters written in the Greek character. Sheread them by the light of the lamp. They werefrom Nitetis in Persia to her supposed sister, andwere written in ignorance of the latter’s illness.When Rhodopis laid them down her eyes were full oftears. The dead girl’s secret lay openbefore her. She knew now that Tachot had lovedBartja, that he had given her the faded flowers, andthat she had wreathed the ball with roses becausehe had thrown it to her. The amulets must havebeen intended either to heal her sick heart, or toawaken love in his.

As she was putting the letters back in their old place,she touched some cloths which seemed put in to fillup the bottom of the chest, and felt a hard roundsubstance underneath. She raised them, and discovereda bust made of colored wax, such a wonderfully-exactportrait of Nitetis, that an involuntary exclamationof surprise broke from her, and it was long beforeshe could turn her eyes away from Theodorus’marvellous work.

She went to rest and fell asleep, thinking of thesad fate of Nitetis, the Egyptian Princess.

The next morning Rhodopis went into the garden—­thesame into which we led our readers during the lifetimeof Amasis-and found Bartja and Sappho in an arborovergrown with vines.

Sappho was seated in a light wicker-work chair.Her child lay on her lap, stretching out its littlehands and feet, sometimes to its father, who was kneelingon the ground before them, and then to its mother whoselaughing face was bent down over her little one.

Bartja was very happy with his child. When thelittle creature buried its tiny fingers in his curlsand beard, he would draw his head back to feel thestrength of the little hand, would kiss its rosy feet,its little round white shoulders and dimpled arms.Sappho enjoyed the fun, always trying to draw thelittle one’s attention to its father.

Sometimes, when she stooped down to kiss the rosybaby lips, her forehead would touch his curls andhe would steal the kiss meant for the little Parmys.

Rhodopis watched them a long time unperceived, and,with tears of joy in her eyes, prayed the gods thatthey might long be as happy as they now were.At last she came into the arbor to wish them good-morning,and bestowed much praise on old Melitta for appearingat the right moment, parasol in hand, to take hercharge out of the sunshine before it became too brightand hot, and put her to sleep.

The old slave had been appointed head-nurse to thehigh-born child, and acquitted herself in her newoffice with an amount of importance which was verycomical. Hiding her old limbs under rich Persianrobes, she moved about exulting in the new and delightfulright to command, and kept her inferiors in perpetualmotion.

Sappho followed Melitta into the palace, first whisperingin her husband’s ear with her arm round hisneck: “Tell my grandmother everything andask whether you are right.”

Before he could answer, she had stopped his mouthwith a kiss, and then hurried after the old womanwho was departing with dignified steps.

The prince smiled as he watched her graceful walkand beautiful figure, and said, turning to Rhodopis:“Does not it strike you, that she has growntaller lately.”

“It seems so,” answered Rhodopis.“A woman’s girlhood has its own peculiarcharm, but her true dignity comes with motherhood.It is the feeling of having fulfilled her destiny,which raises her head and makes us fancy she has growntaller.”

“Yes,” said Bartja, “I think sheis happy. Yesterday our opinions differed forthe first time, and as she was leaving us just now,she begged me, privately, to lay the question beforeyou, which I am very glad to do, for I honor yourexperience and wisdom just as much, as I love herchildlike inexperience.”

Bartja then told the story of the unfortunate shooting-match,finishing with these words: “Croesus blamesmy imprudence, but I know my brother; I know thatwhen he is angry he is capable of any act of violence,and it is not impossible that at the moment when hefelt himself defeated he could have killed me; butI know too, that when his fierce passion has cooled,he will forget my boastful deed, and only try to excelme by others of the same kind. A year ago hewas by far the best marksman in Persia, and wouldbe so still, if drink and epilepsy had not underminedhis strength. I must confess I feel as if I werebecoming stronger every day.”

“Yes,” interrupted Rhodopis, “purehappiness strengthens a man’s arm, just as itadds to the beauty of a woman, while intemperance andmental distress ruin both body and mind far more surelyeven than old age. My son, beware of your brother;his strong arm has become paralyzed, and his generositycan be forfeited too. Trust my experience, thatthe man who is the slave of one evil passion, is veryseldom master of the rest; besides which, no one feelshumiliation so bitterly as he who is sinking—­whoknows that his powers are forsaking him. I sayagain, beware of your brother, and trust the voiceof experience more than that of your own heart, which,because it is generous itself, believes every one elseto be so.”

“I see,” said Bartja, “that youwill take Sappho’s side. Difficult as itwill be for her to part from you, she has still beggedme to return with her to Persia. She thinks thatCambyses may forget his anger, when I am out of sight.I thought she was over-anxious, and besides, it woulddisappoint me not to take part in the expedition againstthe Ethiopians.”

“But I entreat you,” interrupted Rhodopis,“to follow her advice. The gods only knowwhat pain it will give me to lose you both, and yetI repeat a thousand times: Go back to Persia,and remember that none but fools stake life and happinessto no purpose. As to the war with Ethiopia, itis mere madness; instead of subduing those black inhabitantsof the south, you yourselves will be conquered by heat,thirst and all the horrors of the desert. Insaying this I refer to the campaigns in general; asto your own share in them, I can only say that if nofame is to be won there, you will be putting yourown life and the happiness of your family in jeopardyliterally for nothing, and that if, on the other hand,you should distinguish yourself again, it would onlybe giving fresh cause of jealousy and anger to yourbrother. No, go to Persia, as soon as you can.”

Bartja was just beginning to make various objectionsto these arguments, when he caught sight of Prexaspescoming up to them, looking very pale.

After the usual greeting, the envoy whispered to Bartja,that he should like to speak with him alone.Rhodopis left them at once, and he began, playingwith the rings on his right hand as he spoke, in aconstrained, embarrassed way. “I come fromthe king. Your display of strength irritatedhim yesterday, and he does not wish to see you againfor some time. His orders are, that you set outfor Arabia to buy up all the camels that are to behad.

[Camels are never represented on theEgyptian monuments, whereas they were in greatuse among the Arabians and Persians, and are now anecessity on the Nile. They must have existedin Egypt, however. Hekekyan-Bey discoveredthe bones of a dromedary in a deep bore. Representationsof these creatures were probably forbid We know thiswas the case with the co*ck, of which bird therewere large numbers in Egypt: It is remarkable,that camels were not introduced into Barbary untilafter the birth of Christ.]

“As these animals can bear thirst very long,they are to be used in conveying food and water forour army on the Ethiopian campaign. There mustbe no delay. Take leave of your wife, and (I speakby the king’s command) be ready to start beforedark. You will be absent at least a month.I am to accompany you as far as Pelusium. Kassandanewishes to have your wife and child near her duringyour absence. Send them to Memphis as soon aspossible; under the protection of the queen mother,they will be in safety.”

Prexaspes’ short, constrained way of speakingdid not strike Bartja. He rejoiced at what seemedto him great moderation on the part of his brother,and at receiving a commission which relieved him ofall doubt on the question of leaving Egypt, gave hisfriend, (as he supposed him to be), his hand to kissand an invitation to follow him into the palace.

In the cool of the evening, he took a short but veryaffectionate farewell of Sappho and his child, whowas asleep in Melitta’s arms, told his wifeto set out as soon as possible on her journey to Kassandane,called out jestingly to his mother-in-law, that atleast this time she had been mistaken in her judgmentof a man’s character, (meaning his brother’s),and sprang on to his horse.

As Prexaspes was mounting, Sappho whispered to him,“Take care of that reckless fellow, and remindhim of me and his child, when you see him runninginto unnecessary danger.”

“I shall have to leave him at Pelusium,”answered the envoy, busying himself with the bridleof his horse in order to avoid meeting her eyes.

“Then may the gods take him into their keeping!”exclaimed Sappho, clasping her husband’s hand,and bursting into tears, which she could not keepback. Bartja looked down and saw his usually trustfulwife in tears. He felt sadder than he had everfelt before. Stooping down lovingly from hissaddle, he put his strong arm round her waist, liftedher up to him, and as she stood supporting herselfon his foot in the stirrup, pressed her to his heart,as if for a long last farewell. He then let hersafely and gently to the ground, took his child upto him on the saddle, kissed and fondled the littlecreature, and told her laughingly to make her mothervery happy while he was away, exchanged some warm wordsof farewell with Rhodopis, and then, spurring hishorse till the creature reared, dashed through thegateway of the Pharaohs’ palace, with Prexaspesat his side.

When the sound of the horses’ hoofs had diedaway in the distance, Sappho laid her head on hergrandmother’s shoulder and wept uncontrollably.Rhodopis remonstrated and blamed, but all in vain,she could not stop her tears.

CHAPTER XV.

On the morning after the trial of the bow, Cambyseswas seized by such a violent attack of his old illness,that he was forced to keep his room for two days andnights, ill in mind and body; at times raging likea madman, at others weak and powerless as a littlechild.

On the third day he recovered consciousness and rememberedthe awful charge he had laid on Prexaspes, and thatit was only too possible he might have executed italready. At this thought he trembled, as he hadnever trembled in his life before. He sent atonce for the envoy’s eldest son, who was oneof the royal cup-bearers. The boy said his fatherhad left Memphis, without taking leave of his family.He then sent for Darius, Zopyrus and Gyges, knowinghow tenderly they loved Bartja, and enquired aftertheir friend. On hearing from them that he wasat Sais, he sent the three youths thither at once,charging them, if they met Prexaspes on the way, tosend him back to Memphis without delay. Thishaste and the king’s strange behavior were quiteincomprehensible to the young Achaemenidae; neverthelessthey set out on their journey with all speed, fearingthat something must be wrong.

Cambyses, meanwhile, was miserably restless, inwardlycursed his habit of drinking and tasted no wine thewhole of that clay. Seeing his mother in thepalace-gardens, he avoided her; he durst not meet hereye.

The next eight days passed without any sign of Prexaspes’return; they seemed to the king like a year.A hundred times he sent for the young cup-bearer andasked if his father had returned; a hundred times hereceived the same disappointing answer.

At sunset on the thirteenth day, Kassandane sent tobeg a visit from him. The king went at once,for now he longed to look on the face of his mother;he fancied it might give him back his lost sleep.

After he had greeted her with a tenderness so rarefrom him, that it astonished her, he asked for whatreason she had desired his presence. She answered,that Bartja’s wife had arrived at Memphis undersingular circ*mstances and had said she wished topresent a gift to Cambyses. He gave Sappho anaudience at once, and heard from her that Prexaspeshad brought her husband an order to start for Arabia,and herself a summons to Memphis from the queen-mother.At these words the king turned very pale, and hisfeatures were agitated with pain as he looked at hisbrother’s lovely young wife. She felt thatsomething unusual was passing in his mind, and suchdreadful forebodings arose in her own, that she couldonly offer him the gift in silence and with tremblinghands.

“My husband sends you this,” she said,pointing to the ingeniously-wrought box, which containedthe wax likeness of Nitetis. Rhodopis had advisedher to take this to the king in Bartja’s name,as a propitiatory offering.

Cambyses showed no curiosity as to the contents ofthe box, gave it in charge to a eunuch, said a fewwords which seemed meant as thanks to his sister-inlaw, and left the women’s apartments withouteven so much as enquiring after Atossa, whose existencehe seemed to have forgotten.

He had come to his mother, believing that the visitwould comfort and calm his troubled mind, but Sappho’swords had destroyed his last hope, and with that hislast possibility of rest or peace. By this timeeither Prexaspes would already have committed themurder, or perhaps at that very moment might be raisinghis dagger to plunge it into Bartja’s heart.

How could he ever meet his mother again after Bartja’sdeath? how could he answer her questions or thoseof that lovely Sappho, whose large, anxious, appealingeyes had touched him so strangely?

A voice within told him, that his brother’smurder would be branded as a cowardly, unnatural,and unjust deed, and he shuddered at the thought.It seemed fearful, unbearable, to be called an assassin.He had already caused the death of many a man withoutthe least compunction, but that had been done eitherin fair fight, or openly before the world. Hewas king, and what the king did was right. Hadhe killed Bartja with his own hand, his consciencewould not have reproached him; but to have had himprivately put out of the way, after he had given somany proofs of possessing first-rate manly qualities,which deserved the highest praise—­thistortured him with a feeling of rage at his own wantof principle,-a feeling of shame and remorse whichhe had never known before. He began to despisehimself. The consciousness of having acted, andwished to act justly, forsook him, and he began tofancy, that every one who had been executed by hisorders, had been, like Bartja, an innocent victimof his fierce anger. These thoughts became sointolerable, that he began to drink once more in thehope of drowning them. But now the wine had preciselythe opposite effect, and brought such tormenting thoughts,that, worn out as he was already by epileptic fitsand his habit of drinking, both body and mind threatenedto give way to the agitation caused by the eventsof the last months. Burning and shivering byturns, he was at last forced to lie down. Whilethe attendants were disrobing him, he remembered hisbrother’s present, had the box fetched and opened,and then desired to be left alone. The Egyptianpaintings on the outside of the box reminded him ofNitetis, and then he asked himself what she wouldhave said to his deed. Fever had already begun,and his mind was wandering as he took the beautifulwax bust out of the box. He stared in horrorat the dull, immovable eyes. The likeness wasso perfect, and his judgment so weakened by wine andfever, that he fancied himself the victim of somespell, and yet could not turn his eyes from thosedear features. Suddenly the eyes seemed to move.He was seized with terror, and, in a kind of convulsion,hurled what he thought had become a living head againstthe wall. The hollow, brittle wax broke intoa thousand fragments, and Cambyses sank back on tohis bed with a groan.

From that moment the fever increased. In hisdelirium the banished Phanes appeared, singing a scornfulGreek song and deriding him in such infamous words,that his fists clenched with rage. Then he sawhis friend and adviser, Croesus, threatening him inthe very same words of warning, which he had usedwhen Bartja had been sentenced to death by his commandon account of Nitetis: “Beware of sheddinga brother’s blood; the smoke thereof will riseto heaven and become a cloud, that must darken thedays of the murderer, and at last cast down the lightningsof heaven upon his head.”

And in his delirious fancy this figure of speech becamea reality. A rain of blood streamed down uponhim from dark clouds; his clothes and hands were wetwith the loathsome moisture. He went down to theNile to cleanse himself, and suddenly saw Nitetiscoming towards him. She had the same sweet smilewith which Theodorus had modelled her. Enchantedwith this lovely vision, he fell down before her andtook her hand, but he had scarcely touched it, whendrops of blood appeared at the tips of her delicatefingers, and she turned away from him with every signof horror. He humbly implored her to forgivehim and come back; she remained inexorable. Hegrew angry, and threatened her, first with his wrath,and then with awful punishments. At last, asshe only answered his threats by a low scornful laugh,he ventured to throw his dagger at her. She crumbledat once into a thousand pieces, like the wax statue.But the derisive laughter echoed on, and became louder.Many voices joined in it, each trying to outbid theother. And the voices of Bartja and Nitetis werethe loudest,—­their tone the most bitter.At last he could bear these fearful sounds no longerand stopped his ears; this was of no use, and he buriedhis head, first in the glowing desert-sand and thenin the icy cold Nile-water, until his senses forsookhim. On awaking, the actual state of things seemedincomprehensible to him. He had gone to bed inthe evening, and yet he now saw, by the directionof the sun’s rays which fell on his bed, that,instead of dawning as he had expected, the day wasgrowing dark. There could be no mistake; he heardthe chorus of priests singing farewell to the settingMithras.

Then he heard a number of people moving behind a curtain,which had been hung up at the head of his bed.He tried to turn in his bed, but could not; he wastoo weak. At last, finding it impossible to discoverwhether he was in real life or still in a dream, hecalled for his dressers and the courtiers, who wereaccustomed to be present when he rose. They appearedin a moment, and with them his mother, Prexaspes, anumber of the learned among the Magi, and some Egyptianswho were unknown to him. They told him, thathe had been lying in a violent fever for weeks, andhad only escaped death by the special mercy of thegods, the skill of the physicians, and the unweariednursing of his mother. He looked enquiringlyfirst at Kassandane, then at Prexaspes, lost consciousnessagain, and fell into a deep sleep, from which he awokethe next morning with renewed strength.

In four days he was strong enough to sit up and ableto question Prexaspes on the only subject, which occupiedhis thoughts.

In consideration of his master’s weakness theenvoy was beginning an evasive reply, when a threateningmovement of the king’s gaunt, worn hand, anda look which had by no means lost its old power ofawing into submission, brought him to the point atonce, and in the hope of giving the king a great pleasureand putting his mind completely at rest, he began:“Rejoice, O King! the youth, who dared to desirethe disparagement of thy glory, is no more. Thishand slew him and buried his body at Baal-Zephon.The sand of the desert and the unfruitful waves ofthe Red Sea were the only witnesses of the deed; andno creature knows thereof beside thyself, O King,thy servant Prexaspes, and the gulls and cormorants,that hover over his grave.”

The king uttered a piercing shriek of rage, was seizedby a fresh shivering-fit, and sank back once morein raving delirium.

Long weeks passed, every day of which threatened itsdeath. At last, however, his strong constitutiongained the day, but his mind had given way, and remaineddisordered and weak up to his last hour.

When he was strong enough to leave the sick-room andto ride and shoot once more, he abandoned himselfmore than ever to the pleasure of drinking, and lostevery remnant of self-control.

The delusion had fixed itself in his disordered mind,that Bartja was not dead, but transformed into thebow of the King of Ethiopia, and that the Feruer (soul)of his father Cyrus had commanded him to restore Bartjato its original form, by subjugating the black nation.

This idea, which he confided to every one about himas a great secret, pursued him day and night and gavehim no rest, until he had started for Ethiopia withan immense host. He was forced, however, to returnwithout having accomplished his object, after havingmiserably lost the greater part of his army by heatand the scarcity of provisions. An historian,who may almost be spoken of as contemporary, tellsus that the wretched soldiers, after having subsistedon herbs as long as they could, came to deserts wherethere was no sign of vegetation, and in their despairresorted to an expedient almost too fearful to describe.Lots were drawn by every ten men, and he on whom thelot fell was killed and eaten by the other nine.

[Herodotus visited Egypt some 60years after the death of Cambyses,
454 B.C. He describes the Ethiopiancampaign, III. 25.]

At last things went so far, that his subjects compelledthis madman to return, but only, with their slavishAsiatic feelings, to obey him all the more blindly,when they found themselves once more in inhabitedregions.

On reaching Memphis with the wreck of his army, hefound the Egyptians in glorious apparel celebratinga festival. They had found a new Apis and wererejoicing over the reappearance of their god, incarnatein the sacred bull.

As Cambyses had heard at Thebes, that the army hehad sent against the oasis of Ammon in the Libyandesert, had perished miserably in a Khamsin, or Simoom,and that his fleet, which was to conquer Carthage,had refused to fight with a people of their own race,he fancied that the Memphians must be celebratinga festival of joy at the news of his misfortunes,sent for their principal men, and after reproachingthem with their conduct, asked why they had been gloomyand morose after his victories, but joyous at hearingof his misfortunes. The Memphians answered byexplaining the real ground for their merry-making,and told him, that the appearance of the sacred bullwas always celebrated in Egypt with the greatest rejoicings.Cambyses called them liars, and, as such, sentencedthem to death. He then sent for the priests; received,however, exactly the same answer from them.

With the bitterest irony he asked to be allowed tomake the acquaintance of this new god, and commandedthem to bring him. The bull Apis was broughtand the king told that he was the progeny of a virgincow and a moonbeam, that he must be black, with awhite triangular spot on the forehead, the likenessof an eagle on his back, and on his side the crescentmoon. There must be two kinds of hair on his tail,and on his tongue an excrescence in the form of thesacred beetle Scarabaeus.

When Cambyses saw this deified creature he could discovernothing remarkable in him, and was so enraged thathe plunged his sword into its side. As the bloodstreamed from the wound and the animal fell, he brokeout into a piercing laugh, and cried: “Yefools! so your gods are flesh and blood; they canbe wounded. Such folly is worthy of you.But ye shall find, that it is not so easy to makea fool of me. Ho, guards! flog these priestssoundly, and kill every one whom you find taking partin this mad celebration.” The command wasobeyed and fearfully exasperated the Egyptians.

[According to Herod. III. 29.Cambyses’ sword slipped and ran into theleg of the sacred bull. As the king died alsoof a wound in the thigh, this just suits Herodotus,who always tries to put the retribution that comesafter presumptuous crime in the strongest light;but it is very unlikely that the bull should have diedof a mere thigh wound.]

Apis died of his wound; the Memphians buried him secretlyin the vaults belonging to the sacred bulls, nearthe Serapeum, and, led by Psamtik, attempted an insurrectionagainst the Persians. This was very quickly putdown, however, and cost Psamtik his life,—­alife the stains and severities of which deserve tobe forgiven, in consideration of his unwearied, ceaselessefforts to deliver his people from a foreign yoke,and his death in the cause of freedom.

Cambyses’ madness had meanwhile taken freshforms. After the failure of his attempt to restoreBartja, (transformed as he fancied into a bow) tohis original shape, his irritability increased so frightfullythat a single word, or even a look, was sufficientto make him furious. Still his true friend andcounsellor, Croesus, never left him, though the kinghad more than once given him over to the guards forexecution. But the guards knew their master;they took good care not to lay hands on the old man,and felt sure of impunity, as the king would eitherhave forgotten his command, or repented of it by thenext day, Once, however, the miserable whip bearerspaid a fearful penalty for their lenity. Cambyses,while rejoicing that Croesus was saved, ordered hisdeliverers to be executed for disobedience withoutmercy.

It would be repugnant to us to repeat all the talesof barbarous cruelties, which are told of Cambysesat this insane period of his life; but we cannot resistmentioning a few which seem to us especially characteristic.

While sitting at table one day, already somewhat intoxicated,he asked Prexaspes what the Persians thought of him.The envoy, who in hopes of deadening his tormentingconscience by the performance of noble and dangerousacts, let no opportunity pass of trying to exercisea good influence over his sovereign, answered thatthey extolled him on every point, but thought he wastoo much addicted to wine.

These words, though spoken half in jest, put the kinginto a violent passion, and he almost shrieked:“So the Persians say, that the wine has takenaway my senses, do they? on the contrary, I’llshow them that they’ve lost their own.”And as he spoke he bent his bow, took aim for a momentat Prexaspes’ eldest son, who, as cup-bearer,was standing at the back of the hall waiting for andwatching every look of his sovereign, and shot himin the breast. He then gave orders that the boy’sbody should be opened and examined. The arrowhad pierced the centre of his heart. This delightedthe senseless tyrant, and he called out with a laugh:“Now you see, Prexaspes, it’s the Persianswho have lost their judgment, not I. Could any onehave hit the mark better?”

Prexaspes stood there, pale and motionless, compelledto watch the horrid scene, like Niobe when chainedto Sipylus. His servile spirit bowed before theruler’s power, instead of arming his right handwith the dagger of revenge, and when the frantic kingasked him the same question a second time, he actuallyanswered, pressing his hand on his heart: “Agod could not have hit the mark more exactly.”

A few weeks after this, the king went to Sais, andthere was shown the rooms formerly occupied by hisbride. This brought back all the old painfulrecollections in full force, and at the same time hisclouded memory reminded him, though without any clearnessof detail, that Amasis had deceived both Nitetis andhimself. He cursed the dead king and furiouslydemanded to be taken to the temple of Neith, wherehis mummy was laid. There he tore the embalmedbody out of its sarcophagus, caused it to be scourged,to be stabbed with pins, had the hair torn off andmaltreated it in every possible way. In conclusion,and contrary to the ancient Persian religious law,which held the pollution of pure fire by corpses tobe a deadly sin, he caused Amasis’ dead bodyto be burnt, and condemned the mummy of his firstwife, which lay in a sarcophagus at Thebes, her nativeplace, to the same fate.

On his return to Memphis, Cambyses did not shrinkfrom personally ill-treating his wife and sister,Atossa.

He had ordered a combat of wild beasts to take place,during which, amongst other entertainments of thesame kind, a dog was to fight with a young lion.The lion had conquered his antagonist, when anotherdog, the brother of the conquered one, broke awayfrom his chain, attacked the lion, and with the helpof the wounded dog, vanquished him.

This scene delighted Cambyses, but Kassandane andAtossa, who had been forced by the king’s commandto be present, began to weep aloud.

The tyrant was astonished, and on asking the reasonfor their tears, received as answer from the impetuousAtossa, that the brave creature who had risked itsown life to save its brother, reminded her of Bartja.She would not say by whom he had been murdered, buthis murder had never been avenged.

These words so roused the king’s anger, andso goaded his conscience, that in a fit of insanefury he struck the daring woman, and might possiblyhave killed her, if his mother had not thrown herselfinto his arms and exposed her own body to his madblows.

Her voice and action checked his rage, for he hadnot lost reverence for his mother; but her look ofintense anger and contempt, which he clearly saw andcould not forget, begot a fresh delusion in his mind.He believed from that moment, that the eyes of womenhad power to poison him; he started and hid himselfbehind his companions whenever he saw a woman, andat last commanded that all the female inhabitants ofthe palace at Memphis, his mother not excepted, shouldbe sent back to Ecbatana. Araspes and Gyges wereappointed to be their escort thither.

......................

The caravan of queens and princesses had arrived atSais; they alighted at the royal palace. Croesushad accompanied them thus far on their way from Egypt.

Kassandane had altered very much during the last fewyears. Grief and suffering had worn deep linesin her once beautiful face, though they had had nopower to bow her stately figure.

Atossa, on the contrary, was more beautiful than ever,notwithstanding all she had suffered. The refractoryand impetuous child, the daring spirited girl, haddeveloped into a dignified, animated and determinedwoman. The serious side of life, and three sadyears passed with her ungovernable husband and brother,had been first-rate masters in the school of patience,but they had not been able to alienate her heart fromher first love. Sappho’s friendship hadmade up to her in some measure for the loss of Darius.

The young Greek had become another creature, sincethe mysterious departure of her husband. Herrosy color and her lovely smile were both gone.But she was wonderfully beautiful, in spite of herpaleness, her downcast eyelashes and languid attitude.She looked like Ariadne waiting for Theseus.Longing and expectation lay in every look, in the lowtone of her voice, in her measured walk. At thesound of approaching steps, the opening of a dooror the unexpected tones of a man’s voice, shewould start, get up and listen, and then sink backinto the old waiting, longing attitude, disappointedbut not hopeless. She began to dream again, asshe had been so fond of doing in her girlish days.

She was her old self only when playing with her child.Then the color came back to her cheeks, her eyes sparkled,she seemed once more to live in the present, and notonly in the past or future.

Her child was everything to her. In that littleone Bartja seemed to be still alive, and she couldlove the child with all her heart and strength, withouttaking one iota from her love to him. With thislittle creature the gods had mercifully given heran aim in life and a link with the lower world, thereally precious part of which had seemed to vanishwith her vanished husband. Sometimes, as she lookedinto her baby’s blue eyes, so wonderfully likeBartja’s, she thought: Why was not she borna boy? He would have grown more like his fatherfrom day to day, and at last, if such a thing indeedcould ever be, a second Bartja would have stood beforeme.

But such thoughts generally ended soon in her pressingthe little one closer than ever to her heart, andblaming herself for ingratitude and folly.

One day Atossa put the same idea in words, exclaiming:“If Parmys were only a boy! He would havegrown up exactly like his father, and have been asecond Cyrus for Persia.” Sappho smiledsadly at her friend, and covered the little one withkisses, but Kassandane said: “Be thankfulto the gods, my child, for having given you a daughter.If Parmys were a boy, he would be taken from you assoon as he had reached his sixth year, to be broughtup with the sons of the other Achaemenidae, but yourdaughter will remain your own for many years.”

Sappho trembled at the mere thought of parting fromher child; she pressed its little fair curly headclose to her breast, and never found, fault with hertreasure again for being a girl.

Atossa’s friendship was a great comfort to herpoor wounded heart. With her she could speakof Bartja as much and as often as she would, and wasalways certain of a kind and sympathizing listener.Atossa had loved her vanished brother very dearly.And even a stranger would have enjoyed hearing Sapphotell of her past happiness. Her words rose intoreal eloquence in speaking of those bright days; sheseemed like an inspired poetess. Then she wouldtake her lyre, and with her clear, sweet, plaintivevoice sing the love-songs of the elder Sappho, in whichall her own deepest feelings were so truly expressed,and fancy herself once more with her lover sittingunder the sweet-scented acanthus in the quiet night,and forget the sad reality of her present life.And when, with a deep sigh, she laid aside the lyreand came back out of this dream-kingdom, the tearswere always to be seen in Kassandane’s eyes,though she did not understand the language in whichSappho had been singing, and Atossa would bend downand kiss her forehead.

Thus three long years had passed, during which Sapphohad seldom seen her grandmother, for, as the motherof Parmys, she was by the king’s command, forbiddento leave the harem, unless permitted and accompaniedeither by Kassandane or the eunuchs.

On the present occasion Croesus, who had always loved,and loved her still, like a daughter, had sent forRhodopis to Sais. He, as well as Kassandane,understood her wish to take leave of this, her dearestand most faithful friend, before setting out for Persia;besides which Kassandane had a great wish to see onein whose praise she had heard so much. When Sappho’stender and sad farewell was over therefore, Rhodopiswas summoned to the queen-mother.

A stranger, who saw these two women together, wouldhave thought both were queens; it was impossible todecide which of the two had most right to the title.

Croesus, standing as he did in as close a relationto the one as to the other, undertook the office ofinterpreter, and the ready intellect of Rhodopis helpedhim to carry on an uninterrupted flow of conversation.

Rhodopis, by her own peculiar attractions, soon wonthe heart of Kassandane, and the queen knew no betterway of proving this than by offering, in Persian fashion,to grant her some wish.

Rhodopis hesitated a moment; then raising her handsas if in prayer, she cried: “Leave me mySappho, the consolation and beauty of my old age.”

Kassandane smiled sadly. “It is not inmy power to grant that wish,” she answered.“The laws of Persia command, that the childrenof the Achaemenidae shall be brought up at the king’sgate. I dare not allow the little Parmys, Cyrus’only grandchild, to leave me, and, much as Sappholoves you, you know she would not part from her child.Indeed, she has become so dear to me now, and to mydaughter, that though I well understand your wishto have her, I could never allow Sappho to leave us.”

Seeing that Rhodopis’ eyes were filling withtears, Kassandane went on: “There is, however,a good way out of our perplexity. Leave Naukratis,and come with us to Persia. There you can spendyour last years with us and with your granddaughter,and shall be provided with a royal maintenance.”

Rhodopis shook her head, hoary but still so beautiful,and answered in a suppressed voice: “Ithank you, noble queen, for this gracious invitation,but I feel unable to accept it. Every fibre ofmy heart is rooted in Greece, and I should be tearingmy life out by leaving it forever. I am so accustomedto constant activity, perfect freedom, and a stirringexchange of thought, that I should languish and diein the confinement of a harem. Croesus had alreadyprepared me for the gracious proposal you have justmade, and I have had a long and difficult battle tofight, before I could decide on resigning my dearestblessing for my highest good. It is not easy,but it is glorious, it is more worthy of the Greekname—­to live a good and beautiful life,than a happy one—­to follow duty ratherthan pleasure. My heart will follow Sappho, butmy intellect and experience belong to the Greeks;and if you should ever hear that the people of Hellasare ruled by themselves alone, by their own gods,their own laws, the beautiful and the good, then youwill know that the work on which Rhodopis, in leaguewith the noblest and best of her countrymen, has stakedher life, is accomplished. Be not angry withthe Greek woman, who confesses that she would ratherdie free as a beggar than live in bondage as a queen,though envied by the whole world.”

Kassandane listened in amazement. She only understoodpart of what Rhodopis had said, but felt that shehad spoken well and nobly, and at the conclusion gaveher her hand to kiss. After a short pause, Kassandanesaid: “Do what you think right, and remember,that as long as I and my daughter live, your granddaughterwill never want for true and faithful love.”

“Your noble countenance and the fame of yourgreat virtue are warrant enough for that.” answeredRhodopis.

“And also,” added the queen, “theduty which lies upon me to make good the wrong, thathas been done your Sappho.”

She sighed painfully and went on: “Thelittle Parmys shall be carefully educated. Sheseems to have much natural talent, and can sing thesongs of her native country already after her mother.I shall do nothing to check her love of music, though,in Persia the religious services are the only occasionsin which that art is studied by any but the lowerclasses.”

At these words Rhodopis’ face glowed. “Willyou permit me to speak openly, O Queen?” shesaid. “Speak without fear,” was Kassandane’sanswer. “When you sighed so painfully justnow in speaking of your dear lost son, I thought:Perhaps that brave young hero might have been stillliving, if the Persians had understood better how toeducate their sons. Bartja told me in what thateducation consisted. To shoot, throw the spear,ride, hunt, speak the truth, and perhaps also to distinguishbetween the healing and noxious properties of certainplants: that is deemed a sufficient educationalprovision for a man’s life. The Greek boysare just as carefully kept to the practice of exercisesfor hardening and bracing the body; for these exercisesare the founders and preservers of health, the physicianis only its repairer and restorer. If, however,by constant practice a Greek youth were to attain tothe strength of a bull, the truth of the Deity, andthe wisdom of the most learned Egyptian priest, weshould still look down upon him were he wanting intwo things which only early example and music, combinedwith these bodily exercises, can give: graceand symmetry. You smile because you do not understandme, but I can prove to you that music, which, fromwhat Sappho tells me, is not without its moving powerfor your heart, is as important an element in educationas gymnastics, and, strange as it may sound, has anequal share in effecting the perfection of both bodyand mind. The man who devotes his attention exclusivelyto music will, if he be of a violent disposition,lose his savage sternness at first; he will becomegentle and pliable as metal in the fire. But atlast his courage will disappear too; his passionatetemper will have changed into irritability, and hewill be of little worth as a warrior, the callingand character most desired in your country. If,on the other hand, he confines himself to gymnasticsonly, he will, like Cambyses, excel in manliness andstrength; but his mind—­here my comparisonceases—­will remain obtuse and blind, hisperceptions will be confused, He will not listen toreason, but will endeavor to carry everything by force,and, lacking grace and proportion, his life will probablybecome a succession of rude and violent deeds.On this account we conclude that music is necessarynot only for the mind, and gymnastics not only forthe body, but that both, working together, elevateand soften the mind and strengthen the body—­givemanly grace, and graceful manliness.”

[The fundamental ideas of this speechare drawn from
Plato’s ideal “State.”]

After a moment’s pause Rhodopis went on:“The youth who has not received such an education,whose roughness has never been checked even in childhood,who has been allowed to vent his temper on every one,receiving flattery in return and never hearing reproof;who has been allowed to command before he has learntto obey, and who has been brought up in the beliefthat splendor, power and riches are the highest good,can never possibly attain to the perfect manhood, whichwe beseech the gods to grant our boys. And ifthis unfortunate being happens to have been born withan impetuous disposition, ungovernable and eager passions,these will be only nourished and increased by bodilyexercise unaccompanied by the softening influenceof music, so that at last a child, who possibly cameinto the world with good qualities, will, merely throughthe defects in his education, degenerate into a destructiveanimal, a sensual self-destroyer, and a mad and furioustyrant.”

Rhodopis had become animated with her subject.She ceased, saw tears in the eyes of the queen, andfelt that she had gone too far and had wounded a mother’sheart,—­a heart full of noble feeling.She touched her robe, kissed its border, and saidsoftly: “Forgive me.”

Kassandane looked her forgiveness, courteously salutedRhodopis and prepared to leave the room. On thethreshold, however, she stopped and said: “Iam not angry. Your reproaches are just; but youtoo must endeavor to forgive, for I can assure youthat he who has murdered the happiness of your childand of mine, though the most powerful, is of all mortalsthe most to be pitied. Farewell! Should youever stand in need of ought, remember Cyrus’widow, and how she wished to teach you, that the virtuesthe Persians desire most in their children are magnanimityand liberality.”

After saying this she left the apartment.

On the same day Rhodopis heard that Phanes was dead.He had retired to Crotona in the neighborhood of Pythagorasand there passed his time in reflection, dying withthe tranquillity of a philosopher.

She was deeply affected at this news and said to Croesus:“Greece has lost one of her ablest men, butthere are many, who will grow up to be his equals.The increasing power of Persia causes me no fear; indeed,I believe that when the barbarous lust of conqueststretches out its hand towards us, our many-headedGreece will rise as a giant with one head of divinepower, before which mere barbaric strength must bowas surely as body before spirit.”

Three days after this, Sappho said farewell for thelast time to her grandmother, and followed the queensto Persia. Notwithstanding the events which afterwardstook place, she continued to believe that Bartja wouldreturn, and full of love, fidelity and tender remembrance,devoted herself entirely to the education of her childand the care of her aged mother-in-law, Kassandane.

Little Parmys became very beautiful, and learnt tolove the memory of her vanished father next to thegods of her native land, for her mother’s taleshad brought him as vividly before her as if he hadbeen still alive and present with them.

Atossa’s subsequent good fortune and happinessdid not cool her friendship. She always calledSappho her sister. The hanging-gardens were thelatter’s residence in summer, and in her conversationsthere with Kassandane and Atossa one name was oftenmentioned—­the name of her, who had beenthe innocent cause of events which had decided thedestinies of great kingdoms and noble lives—­theEgyptian Princess.

CHAPTER XVI.

Here we might end this tale, but that we feel boundto give our readers some account of the last daysof Cambyses. We have already described the ruinof his mind, but his physical end remains still tobe told, and also the subsequent fate of some of theother characters in our history.

A short time after the departure of the queens, newsreached Naukratis that Oroetes, the satrap of Lydia,had, by a stratagem, allured his old enemy, Polykrates,to Sardis and crucified him there, thus fulfillingwhat Amasis had prophecied of the tyrant’s mournfulend. This act the satrap had committed on hisown responsibility, events having taken place in theMedian kingdom which threatened the fall of the Achaemenidaeandynasty.

The king’s long absence in a foreign countryhad either weakened or entirely dissipated, the fearwhich the mere mention of his name had formerly inspiredin those who felt inclined to rebel. The awe thathis subjects had formerly felt for him, vanished atthe tidings of his madness, and the news that he hadwantonly exposed the lives of thousands of their countrymento certain death in the deserts of Libya and Ethiopia,inspired the enraged Asiatics with a hatred which,when skilfully fed by the powerful Magi, soon roused,first the Medes and Assyrians, and then the Persians,to defection and open insurrection. Motives ofself-interest led the ambitious high-priest, Oropastes,whom Cambyses had appointed regent in his absence,to place himself at the head of this movement.He flattered the people by remitting their taxes,by large gifts and larger promises, and finding hisclemency gratefully recognized, determined on an imposture,by which he hoped to win the crown of Persia for hisown family.

He had not forgotten the marvellous likeness betweenhis brother Gaumata (who had been condemned to losehis ears) and Bartja, the son of Cyrus, and on hearingthat the latter, the universal favorite, as he wellknew, of the Persian nation, had disappeared, resolvedto turn this to account by passing off his brotheras the vanished prince, and setting him on the thronein place of Cambyses. The hatred felt throughoutthe entire kingdom towards their insane king, andthe love and attachment of the nation to Bartja, madethis stratagem so easy of accomplishment, that whenat last messengers from Oropastes arrived in all theprovinces of the empire declaring to the discontentedcitizens that, notwithstanding the rumor they hadheard, the younger son of Cyrus was still alive, hadrevolted from his brother, ascended his father’sthrone and granted to all his subjects freedom fromtribute and from military service during a periodof three years, the new ruler was acknowledged throughoutthe kingdom with rejoicings.

The pretended Bartja, who was fully aware of his brother’smental superiority, had obeyed his directions in everyparticular, had taken up his residence in the palaceof Nisaea,—­in the plains of Media, placedthe crown on his head, declared the royal harem hisown, and had shown himself once from a distance tothe people, who were to recognize in him the murderedBartja. After that time, however, for fear ofbeing at last unmasked, he concealed himself in hispalace, giving himself up, after the manner of Asiaticmonarchs, to every kind of indulgence, while his brotherheld the sceptre with a firm hand, and conferred allthe important offices of state on his friends andfamily.

No sooner did Oropastes feel firm ground under hisfeet, than he despatched the eunuch Ixabates to Egypt,to inform the army of the change of rulers that hadtaken place and persuade them to revolt in favor ofBartja, who he knew had been idolized by the Soldiers.

The messenger had been well chosen, fulfilled hismission with much skill, and had already won overa considerable part of the army for the new king,when he was taken prisoner by some Syrians, who broughthim to Memphis in hopes of reward.

On arriving in the city of the Pyramids he was broughtbefore the king, and promised impunity on conditionof revealing the entire truth.

The messenger then confirmed the rumor, which hadreached Egypt, that Bartja had ascended the throneof Cyrus and had been recognized by the greater partof the empire.

Cambyses started with terror at these tidings, asone who saw a dead man rise from his grave. Hewas by this time fully aware that Bartja had beenmurdered by Prexaspes at his own command, but in thismoment he began to suspect that the envoy had deceivedhim and spared his brother’s life. Thethought had no sooner entered his mind than he utteredit, reproaching Prexaspes so bitterly with treachery,as to elicit from him a tremendous oath, that he hadmurdered and buried the unfortunate Bartja with hisown hand.

Oropastes’ messenger was next asked whetherhe had seen the new king himself. He answeredthat he had not, adding that the supposed brother ofCambyses had only once appeared in public, and hadthen shown himself to the people from a distance.On hearing this, Prexaspes saw through the whole webof trickery at once, reminded the king of the unhappymisunderstandings to which the marvellous likenessbetween Bartja and Gaumata had formerly given rise,and concluded by offering to stake his own life onthe correctness of his supposition. The explanationpleased the king, and from that moment his diseasedmind was possessed by one new idea to the exclusionof all others—­the seizure and slaughterof the Magi.

The host was ordered to prepare for marching.Aryandes,—­one of the Achaemenidae, wasappointed satrap of Egypt, and the army started homewardwithout delay. Driven by this new delusion, theking took no rest by day or night, till at last hisover-ridden and ill-used horse fell with him, andhe was severely wounded in the fall by his own dagger.

After lying insensible for some days, he opened hiseyes and asked first to see Araspes, then his mother,and lastly Atossa, although these three had set outon their journey home months before. From allhe said it appeared that during the last four years,from the attack of fever until the present accident,he had been living in a kind of sleep. He seemedastonished and pained at hearing what had happenedduring these years. But of his brother’sdeath he was fully aware. He knew that Prexaspeshad killed him by his—­the king’s—­ordersand had told him that Bartja lay buried on the shoresof the Red Sea.—­During the night which followedthis return to his senses it became clear to himselfalso, that his mind had been wandering for along time.Towards morning he fell into a deep sleep, and thisso restored his strength, that on waking he calledfor Croesus and required an exact relation of theevents that had passed during the last few years.

His old friend and adviser obeyed; he felt that Cambyseswas still entrusted to his care, and in the hope,faint as it was, of bringing him back to the rightway, he did not suppress one of the king’s actsof violence in his relation.

His joy was therefore great at perceiving, that hiswords made a deep impression on the newly-awakenedmind of the king. With tears in his eyes, andwith the ashamed look of a child, he grieved over hiswrong deeds and his madness, begged Croesus to forgivehim, thanked him for having borne so long and faithfullywith him, and commissioned him to ask Kassandane andSappho especially for forgiveness, but also, Atossaand all whom he had unjustly offended.

The old man wept too, but his tears were tears ofjoy and he repeatedly assured Cambyses that he wouldrecover and have ample opportunity of making amendsfor the past. But to all this Cambyses shook hishead resolutely, and, pale and wan as he looked, beggedCroesus to have his couch carried on to a rising groundin the open air, and then to summon the Achaemenidae.When these orders, in spite of the physicians, hadbeen obeyed, Cambyses was raised into an upright sittingposition, and began, in a voice which could be heardat a considerable distance:

“The time to reveal my great secret has arrived,O ye Persians. Deceived by a vision, provokedand annoyed by my brother, I caused him to be murderedin my wrath. Prexaspes wrought the evil deed bymy command, but instead of bringing me the peace Iyearned for, that deed has tortured me into madnessand death. By this my confession ye will be convinced,that my brother Bartja is really dead. The Magihave usurped the throne of the Achaemenidae.Oropastes, whom I left in Persia as my vicegerent andhis brother Gaumata, who resembles Bartja so nearlythat even Croesus, Intaphernes and my uncle, the nobleHystaspes, were once deceived by the likeness, haveplaced themselves at their head. Woe is me, thatI have murdered him who, as my nearest kinsman, should

have avenged on the Magi this affront to my honor.But I cannot recall him from the dead, and I thereforeappoint you the executors of my last will. Bythe Feruer of my dead father, and in the name of allgood and pure spirits, I conjure you not to sufferthe government to fall into the hands of the unfaithfulMagi. If they have obtained possession thereofby artifice, wrest it from their hands in like manner;if by force, use force to win it back. Obey thismy last will, and the earth will yield you its fruitsabundantly; your wives, your flocks and herds shallbe blessed and freedom shall be your portion.Refuse to obey it, and ye shall suffer the correspondingevils; yea, your end, and that of every Persian shallbe even as mine.”

After these words the king wept and sank back fainting,on seeing which, the Achaemenidae rent their clothesand burst into loud lamentations. A few hourslater Cambyses died in Croesus’ arms. Nitetiswas his last thought; he died with her name on hislips and tears of penitence in his eyes. Whenthe Persians had left the unclean corpse, Croesus kneltdown beside it and cried, raising his hand to heaven:“Great Cyrus, I have kept my oath. I haveremained this miserable man’s faithful advisereven unto his end.”

The next morning the old man betook himself, accompaniedby his son Gyges, to the town of Barene, which belongedto him, and lived there many years as a father tohis subjects, revered by Darius and praised by allhis contemporaries.

........................

After Cambyses’ death the heads of the sevenPersian tribes held a council, and resolved, as afirst measure, on obtaining certain information asto the person of the usurper. With this view,Otanes sent a confidential eunuch to his daughterPhaedime, who, as they knew, had come into the possessionof the new king with the rest of Cambyses’ harem.

[The names of the seven conspiring chiefs,given by Herodotus agree for the most part withthose in the cuneiform inscriptions. The namesare: Otanes, Intaphernes, Gobryas, Megabyzus,Aspatines, Hydarnes and Darius Hystaspis.In the inscription Otana: Vindafrand, Gaubaruva,Ardumams, Vidarna, Bagabukhsa and Darayavus.]

Before the messenger returned, the greater part ofthe army had dispersed, the soldiers seizing thisfavorable opportunity to return to their homes andfamilies, after so many years of absence. At last,however, the long-expected messenger came back andbrought for answer, that the new king had only visitedPhaedime once, but that during that visit she had,at great personal risk, discovered that he had lostboth ears. Without this discovery, however, shecould assert positively that though there were a thousandpoints of similarity between the usurper and the murderedBartja, the former was in reality none other than Gaumata,the brother of Oropastes. Her old friend Bogeshad resumed his office of chief of the eunuchs, and

had revealed to her the secrets of the Magi.The high-priest had met the former keeper of the womenbegging in the streets of Susa, and had restored himto his old office with the words: “Youhave forfeited your life, but I want men of your stamp.”In conclusion. Phaedime entreated her fatherto use every means in his power for the overthrowof the Magi, as they treated her with the greatestcontempt and she was the most miserable of women.

Though none of the Achaemenidae hall really for amoment believed; that Bartja was alive and had seizedon the throne, so clear an account of the real personof the usurper was very welcome to them, and they resolvedat once to march on Nisaea with the remnant of thearmy and overthrow the Magi either by craft or force.

They entered the new capital unassailed, and findingthat the majority of the people seemed content withthe new government, they also pretended to acknowledgethe king as the son of Cyrus, to whom they were preparedto do homage. The Magi, however, were not deceived;they shut themselves up in their palace, assembledan army in the Nisaean plain, promised the soldiershigh pay, and used every effort to strengthen the beliefof the people in Gaumata’s disguise. Onthis point no one could do them more injury, or, ifhe chose, be more useful to them, than Prexaspes.He was much looked up to by the Persians, and hisassurance, that he had not murdered Bartja, wouldhave been sufficient to tame the fast-spreading reportof the real way in which the youth had met his death.Oropastes, therefore, sent for Prexaspes, who, sincethe king’s dying words, had been avoided byall the men of his own rank and had led the life ofan outlaw, and promised him an immense sum of money,if he would ascend a high tower and declare to thepeople, assembled in the court beneath, that evil-disposedmen had called him Bartja’s murderer, whereashe had seen the new king with his own eyes and hadrecognized in him the younger son of his benefactor.Prexaspes made no objection to this proposal, tooka tender leave of his family while the people werebeing assembled, uttered a short prayer before thesacred fire-altar and walked proudly to the palace.On his way thither he met the chiefs of the seven tribesand seeing that they avoided him, called out to them:“I am worthy of your contempt, but I will tryto deserve your forgiveness.”

Seeing Darius look back, he hastened towards him,grasped his hand and said: “I have lovedyou like a son; take care of my children when I amno more, and use your pinions, winged Darius.”Then, with the same proud demeanor he ascended thetower.

Many thousands of the citizens of Nisaea were withinreach of his voice, as he cried aloud: “Yeall know that the kings who have, up to the presenttime, loaded you with honor and glory, belonged tothe house of the Achaemenidae. Cyrus governedyou like a real father, Cambyses was a stern master,and Bartja would have guided you like a bridegroom,if I, with this right hand which I now show you, hadnot slain him on the shores of the Red Sea. ByMithras, it was with a bleeding heart that I committedthis wicked deed, but I did it as a faithful servantin obedience to the king’s command. Nevertheless,it has haunted me by day and night; for four longyears I have been pursued and tormented by the spiritsof darkness, who scare sleep from the murderer’scouch. I have now resolved to end this painful,despairing existence by a worthy deed, and thougheven this may procure me no mercy at the bridge ofChinvat, in the mouths of men, at least, I shall haveredeemed my honorable name from the stain with whichI defiled it. Know then, that the man who giveshimself out for the son of Cyrus, sent me hither; hepromised me rich rewards if I would deceive you bydeclaring him to be Bartja, the son of the Achaemenidae.But I scorn his promises and swear by Mithras and theFeruers of the kings, the most solemn oaths I am acquaintedwith, that the man who is now ruling you is none otherthan the Magian Gaumata, he who was deprived of hisears, the brother of the king’s vicegerent andhigh-priest, Oropastes, whom ye all know. If itbe your will to forget all the glory ye owe to theAchaemenidae, if to this ingratitude ye choose toadd your own degradation, then acknowledge these creaturesand call them your kings; but if ye despise a lieand are ashamed to obey worthless impostors, drivethe Magi from the throne before Mithras has left theheavens, and proclaim the noblest of the Achaemenidae,Darius, the exalted son of Hystaspes, who promisesto become a second Cyrus, as your king. And now,in order that ye may believe my words and not suspectthat Darius sent me hither to win you over to his side,I will commit a deed, which must destroy every doubtand prove that the truth and glory of the Achaemenidaeare clearer to me, than life itself. Blessed beye if ye follow my counsels, but curses rest uponyou, if ye neglect to reconquer the throne from theMagi and revenge yourselves upon them.—­Behold,I die a true and honorable man!”

With these words he ascended the highest pinnacleof the tower and cast himself down head foremost,thus expiating the one crime of his life by an honorabledeath.

The dead silence with which the people in the courtbelow had listened to him, was now broken by shrieksof rage and cries for vengeance. They burst openthe gates of the palace and were pressing in with criesof “Death to the Magi,” when the sevenprinces of the Persians appeared in front of the ragingcrowd to resist their entrance.

At sight of the Achaemenidae the citizens broke intoshouts of joy, and cried more impetuously than ever,“Down with the Magi! Victory to King Darius!”

The son of Hystaspes was then carried by the crowdto a rising ground, from which he told the peoplethat the Magi had been slain by the Achaemenidae,as liars and usurpers. Fresh cries of joy arosein answer to these words, and when at last the bleedingheads of Oropastes and Gaumata were shown to the crowd,they rushed with horrid yells through the streetsof the city, murdering every Magian they could layhold of. The darkness of night alone was ableto stop this awful massacre.

Four days later, Darius, the son of Hystaspes, waschosen as king by the heads of the Achaemenidae, inconsideration of his high birth and noble character,and received by the Persian nation with enthusiasm.Darius had killed Gaumata with his own hand, and thehighpriest had received his death-thrust from thehand of Megabyzus, the father of Zopyrus. WhilePrexaspes was haranguing the people, the seven conspiringPersian princes, Otanes, Intaphernes, Gobryas, Megabyzus,Aspatines, Hydarnes and Darius, (as representativeof his aged father Hystaspes), had entered the palaceby a carelessly-guarded gate, sought out the part ofthe building occupied by the Magi, and then, assistedby their own knowledge of the palace, and the factthat most of the guards had been sent to keep watchover the crowd assembled to hear Prexaspes easily penetratedto the apartments in which at that moment they wereto be found. Here they were resisted by a feweunuchs, headed by Boges, but these were overpoweredand killed to a man. Darius became furious onseeing Boges, and killed him at once. Hearingthe dying cries of these eunuchs, the Magi rushed tothe spot and prepared to defend themselves. Oropastessnatched a lance from the fallen Boges, thrust outone of Intaphernes’ eyes and wounded Aspatinesin the thigh, but was stabbed by Megabyzus. Gaumatafled into another apartment and tried to bar the door,but was followed too soon by Darius and Gobryas; thelatter seized, threw him, and kept him down by theweight of his own body, crying to Darius, who was afraidof making a false stroke in the half-light, and sowounding his companion instead of Gaumata, “Strikeboldly, even if you should stab us both.”Darius obeyed, and fortunately only hit the Magian.

Thus died Oropastes, the high-priest, and his brotherGaumata, better known under the name of the “pseudo”or “pretended Smerdis.”

A few weeks after Darius’ election to the throne,which the people said had been marvellously influencedby divine miracles and the clever cunning of a groom,he celebrated his coronation brilliantly at Pasargadae,and with still more splendor, his marriage with hisbeloved Atossa. The trials of her life had ripenedher character, and she proved a faithful, belovedand respected companion to her husband through thewhole of that active and glorious life, which, as Prexaspeshad foretold, made him worthy of the names by whichhe was afterwards known—­Darius the Great,and a second Cyrus.

[Atossa is constantly mentioned as thefavorite wife of Darius, and be appointed her sonXerxes to be his successor, though he had three eldersons by the daughter of Gobryas. Herodotus (VII.3.) speaks with emphasis of the respect and considerationin which Atossa was held, and Aeschylus, in hisPersians, mentions her in her old age, as the much-reveredand noble matron.]

As a general he was circ*mspect and brave, and atthe same time understood so thoroughly how to dividehis enormous realm, and to administer its affairs,that he must be classed with the greatest organizersof all times and countries. That his feeble successorswere able to keep this Asiatic Colossus of differentcountries together for two hundred years after hisdeath, was entirely owing to Darius. He was liberalof his own, but sparing of his subjects’ treasures,and made truly royal gifts without demanding morethan was his due. He introduced a regular systemof taxation, in place of the arbitrary exactions practisedunder Cyrus and Cambyses, and never allowed himselfto be led astray in the carrying out of what seemedto him right, either by difficulties or by the ridiculeof the Achaemenidae, who nicknamed him the “shopkeeper,”on account of what seemed, to their exclusively militarytastes, his petty financial measures. It is byno means one of his smallest merits, that he introducedone system of coinage through his entire empire, andconsequently through half the then known world.

Darius respected the religions and customs of othernations. When the writing of Cyrus, of the existenceof which Cambyses had known nothing, was found inthe archives of Ecbatana, he allowed the Jews to carryon the building of their temple to Jehovah; he alsoleft the Ionian cities free to govern their own communitiesindependently. Indeed, he would hardly have senthis army against Greece, if the Athenians had notinsulted him.

In Egypt he had learnt much; among other things, theart of managing the exchequer of his kingdom wisely;for this reason he held the Egyptians in high esteem,and granted them many privileges, amongst others acanal to connect the Nile with the Red Sea, whichwas greatly to the advantage of their commerce.

[Traces of this canal can be found asearly as the days of Setos I; his son Rameses ii.caused the works to be continued. Under Nechothey were recommenced, and possibly finished byDarius. In the time of the Ptolemies, at allevents, the canal was already completed. Herod.II. 158. Diod. I. 33. The French, inundertaking to reconstruct the Suez canal, havehad much to encounter from the unfriendly commercialpolicy of the English and their influence over theinternal affairs of Egypt, but the unwearied energyand great talent of Monsr. de Lesseps and the patriotismof the French nation have at last succeeded inbringing their great work to a successful close.Whether it will pay is another question. See G.Ebers, Der Kanal von Suez. Nordische Revue,October 1864. The maritime canal connectingthe Mediterranean with the Red Sea has also been completedsince 1869. We were among those, who attendedthe brilliant inauguration ceremonies, and nowwillingly recall many of the doubts expressed inour work ‘Durch Gosen zum Sinai’.The number of ships passing through the canal isconstantly increasing.]

During the whole of his reign, Darius endeavored tomake amends for the severity with which Cambyses hadtreated the Egyptians; even in the later years ofhis life he delighted to study the treasures of theirwisdom, and no one was allowed to attack either theirreligion or customs, as long as he lived. Theold high-priest Neithotep enjoyed the king’sfavor to the last, and Darius often made use of hiswise old master’s astrological knowledge.

The goodness and clemency of their new ruler was fullyacknowledged by the Egyptians; they called him a deity,as they had called their own kings, and yet, in thelast years of his reign, their desire for independenceled them to forget gratitude and to try to shake offhis gentle yoke, which was only oppressive becauseit had originally been forced on them.

[The name of Darius occurs very oftenon the monuments as Ntariusch. It is mostfrequently found in the inscriptions on the templein the Oasis el-Khargah, recently photographedby G. Rohlfs. The Egypto- Persian memorialfragments, bearing inscriptions in the hieroglyphicand cuneiform characters are very interesting.Darius’ name in Egyptian was generally “Ra,the beloved of Ammon.” On a porcelain vesselin Florence, and in some papyri in Paris and Florencehe is called by the divine titles of honor givento the Pharaohs.]

Their generous ruler and protector did not live tosee the end of this struggle.

[The first rebellion in Egypt, whichbroke out under Aryandes, the satrap appointedby Cambyses, was put down by Darius in person.He visited Egypt, and promised 100 talents (L22,500.)to any one who would find a new Apis. Polyaen.VII. ii. 7. No second outbreak took placeuntil 486 B.C. about 4 years before the death of Darius.Herod. VI i. Xerxes conquered the rebelstwo years after his accession, and appointed hisbrother Achaemenes satrap of Egypt.]

It was reserved for Xerxes, the successor and sonof Darius and Atossa, to bring back the inhabitantsof the Nile valley to a forced and therefore insecureobedience.

Darius left a worthy monument of his greatness inthe glorious palace which he built on Mount Rachmed,the ruins of which are the wonder and admiration oftravellers to this day. Six thousand Egyptianworkmen, who had been sent to Asia by Cambyses, tookpart in the work and also assisted in building a tombfor Darius and his successors, the rocky and almostinaccessible chambers of which have defied the ravagesof time, and are now the resort of innumerable wildpigeons.

He caused the history of his deeds to be cut, (inthe cuneiform character and in the Persian, Medianand Assyrian languages), on the polished side of therock of Bisitun or Behistan, not far from the spotwhere he saved Atossa’s life. The Persianpart of this inscription can still be deciphered withcertainty, and contains an account of the events relatedin the last few chapters, very nearly agreeing withour own and that of Herodotus. The followingsentences occur amongst others: “Thus saithDarius the King: That which I have done, was doneby the grace of Auramazda in every way. I foughtnineteen battles after the rebellion of the kings.By the mercy of Auramazda I conquered them. Itook nine kings captive. One was a Median, Gaumataby name. He lied and said: ’I am Bardiya(Bartja), the son of Cyrus.’ He caused Persiato rebel.”

Some distance lower down, he names the chiefs whohelped him to dethrone the Magi, and in another placethe inscription has these words: “Thussaith the King Darius: That which I have donewas done in every way by the grace of Auramazda.Auramazda helped me, and such other gods as therebe. Auramazda and the other gods gave me help,because I was not swift to anger, nor a liar, nora violent ruler, neither I nor my kinsmen. I haveshown favor unto him who helped my brethren, and Ihave punished severely him who was my enemy.Thou who shalt be king after me, be not merciful untohim who is a liar or a rebel, but punish him with asevere punishment. Thus saith Darius the King:Thou who shalt hereafter behold this tablet whichI have written, or these pictures, destroy them not,but so long as thou shalt live preserve them, &c.”

It now only remains to be told that Zopyrus, the sonof Megabyzus, continued to the last the king’smost faithful friend.

A courtier once showed the king a pomegranate, andasked him of what one gift of fortune he would likeso many repetitions, as there were seeds in that fruit.Without a moment’s hesitation Darius answered,“Of my Zopyrus.”—­[Plutarch]

The following story will prove that Zopyrus, on hispart, well understood how to return his royal friend’skindness. After the death of Cambyses, Babylonrevolted from the Persian empire. Darius besiegedthe city nine months in vain, and was about to raisethe siege, when one day Zopyrus appeared before himbleeding, and deprived of his ears and nose, and explainedthat he had mutilated himself thus in order to cheatthe Babylonians, who knew him well, as he had formerlybeen on intimate terms with their daughters.He said he wished to tell the haughty citizens, thatDarius had thus disfigured him, and that he had cometo them for help in revenging himself. He thoughtthey would then place troops at his disposal, withwhich he intended to impose upon them by making a fewsuccessful sallies at first. His ultimate intentionwas to get possession of the keys, and open the Semiramisgate to his friends.

These words, which were spoken in a joking tone, contrastedso sadly with the mutilated features of his once handsomefriend, that Darius wept, and when at last the almostimpregnable fortress was really won by Zopyrus’stratagem, he exclaimed: “I would give ahundred Babylons, if my Zopyrus had not thus mutilatedhimself.”

He then appointed his friend lord of the giant city,gave him its entire revenues, and honored him everyyear with the rarest presents. In later dayshe used to say that, with the exception of Cyrus, whohad no equal, no man had ever performed so generousa deed as Zopyrus.

[Herod. III. 160. Among otherpresents Zopyrus received a gold hand-mill weighingsix talents, the most honorable and distinguishedgift a Persian monarch could bestow upon a subject.According to Ktesias, Megabaezus received thisgift from Xerxes.]

Few rulers possessed so many self-sacrificing friendsas Darius, because few understood so well how to begrateful.

When Syloson, the brother of the murdered Polykrates,came to Susa and reminded the king of his former services,Darius received him as a friend, placed ships andtroops at his service, and helped him to recover Samos.

The Samians made a desperate resistance, and said,when at last they were obliged to yield: “ThroughSyloson we have much room in our land.”

Rhodopis lived to hear of the murder of Hipparchus,the tyrant of Athens, by Harmodius and Aristogiton,and died at last in the arms of her best friends,Theopompus the Milesian and Kallias the Athenian, firmin her belief of the high calling of her countrymen.

All Naukratis mourned for her, and Kallias sent amessenger to Susa, to inform the king and Sappho ofher death.

A few months later the satrap of Egypt received thefollowing letter from the hand of the king:

“Inasmuch as we ourselves knewand honored Rhodopis, the Greek, who has latelydied in Naukratis,—­inasmuch as her granddaughter,as widow of the lawful heir to the Persian throne,enjoys to this day the rank and honors of a queen,—­andlastly, inasmuch as I have lately taken the great-grandchildof the same Rhodopis, Parmys, the daughter of Bartjaand Sappho, to be my third lawful wife, it seems tome just to grant royal honors to the ancestress oftwo queens. I therefore command thee to causethe ashes of Rhodopis, whom we have always esteemedas the greatest and rarest among women, to be buriedin the greatest and rarest of all monuments, namely,in one of the Pyramids. The costly urn, whichthou wilt receive herewith, is sent by Sappho topreserve the ashes of the deceased.”

Given in the new imperial palaceat Persepolis.

Darius, son of Hystaspes.

King.

ETEXT editor’s bookmarks:

A noble mind can never swim with thestream
Age is inquisitive
Apis the progeny of a virgin cow and a moonbeam
Be not merciful unto him who is a liar or a rebel
Canal to connect the Nile with the Red Sea
I was not swift to anger, nor a liar, nor a violentruler
Introduced a regular system of taxation-Darius
Numbers are the only certain things
Resistance always brings out a man’s bestpowers

ETEXT editor’sbookmarks for an Egyptian princess,complete:

A kind word hath farmore power than an angry one
A first impression isoften a final one
A noble mind can neverswim with the stream
Abuse not those whohave outwitted thee
Age is inquisitive
Apis the progeny ofa virgin cow and a moonbeam
Assigned sixty yearsas the limit of a happy life
At my age every yearmust be accepted as an undeserved gift
Avoid excessive joyas well as complaining grief
Be not merciful untohim who is a liar or a rebel
Between two stools aman falls to the ground
Blessings go as quicklyas they come
Call everything thatis beyond your comprehension a miracle
Cambyses had been spoiledfrom his earliest infancy
Canal to connect theNile with the Red Sea
Cannot understand howtrifles can make me so happy
Cast off all care; bemindful only of pleasure
Confess I would ratherprovoke a lioness than a woman
Corpse to be torn inpieces by dogs and vultures
Creed which views lifeas a short pilgrimage to the grave
Curiosity is a woman’svice
Death is so long andlife so short
Devoid of occupation,envy easily becomes hatred
Did the ancients knowanything of love
Does happiness consistthen in possession
Easy to understand whatwe like to hear
Eros mocks all humanefforts to resist or confine him
Eyes are much more eloquentthan all the tongues in the world
Folly to fret over whatcannot be undone
For the errors of thewise the remedy is reparation, not regret
Go down into the gravebefore us (Our children)
Greeks have not thesame reverence for truth
Happiness has nothingto do with our outward circ*mstances
Hast thou a woundedheart? touch it seldom
He who kills a cat ispunished (for murder)
He is the best host,who allows his guests the most freedom
He who is to governwell must begin by learning to obey
Human beings hate theman who shows kindness to their enemies
I cannot . . .Say rather: I will not
I was not swift to anger,nor a liar, nor a violent ruler
In war the fathers liveto mourn for their slain sons
In our country it needsmore courage to be a coward
In this immense temple

man seemed a dwarf in his own eyes
In those days men wept,as well as women
Inn, was to be foundabout every eighteen miles
Introduced a regularsystem of taxation-Darius
Know how to honor beauty;and prove it by taking many wives
Lovers delighted innature then as now
Lovers are the mostunteachable of pupils
Misfortune too greatfor tears
Mosquito-tower withwhich nearly every house was provided
Multitude who, likethe gnats, fly towards every thing brilliant
Natural impulse whichmoves all old women to favor lovers
Never so clever as whenwe have to find excuses for our own sins
No man was allowed toask anything of the gods for himself
Nothing is more dangerousto love, than a comfortable assurance
Nothing is perfectlycertain in this world
Numbers are the onlycertain things
Observe a due proportionin all things
Olympics—­Thefirst was fixed 776 B.C.
One must enjoy the timewhile it is here
Only two remedies forheart-sickness:—­hope and patience
Ordered his feet tobe washed and his head anointed
Papyrus Ebers
Pilgrimage to the grave,and death as the only true life
Pious axioms to be repeatedby the physician, while compounding
Remember, a lie andyour death are one and the same
Resistance always bringsout a man’s best powers
Robes cut as to leavethe right breast uncovered
Romantic love, as weknow it, a result of Christianity
Rules of life givenby one man to another are useless
Scarcely be able touse so large a sum—­Then abuse it
Sent for a second interpreter
Sing their libels onwomen (Greek Philosophers)
So long as we are ableto hope and wish
Take heed lest pridedegenerate into vainglory
The past belongs tothe dead; only fools count upon the future
The priests are my opponents,my masters
The gods cast enviousglances at the happiness of mortals
The beautiful past isall he has to live upon
They praise their butchersmore than their benefactors
Those are not my realfriends who tell me I am beautiful
Time is clever in thehealing art
True host puts an endto the banquet
Unwise to try to makea man happy by force
War is a perversionof nature
We live for life, notfor death
We’ve talked agood deal of love with our eyes already
Whatever a man woulddo himself, he thinks others are capable of
When love has once takenfirm hold of a man in riper years
Whether the historicalromance is ever justifiable
Wise men hold fast bythe ever young present
Ye play with eternityas if it were but a passing moment
Young Greek girls passtheir sad childhood in close rooms
Zeus pays no heed tolovers’ oaths