[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of thefile for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before making anentire meal of them. D. W. ] AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS, Part 1. By Georg Ebers Volume 4. CHAPTER XI. Three days before the time fixed for the departure of Nitetis, Rhodopishad invited a large number of guests to her house at Naukratis, amongstwhom Croesus and Gyges were included. The two lovers had agreed to meet in the garden, protected by thedarkness and the old slave, while the guests were occupied at thebanquet. Melitta, therefore, having convinced herself that the guestswere thoroughly absorbed in conversation, opened the garden-gate, admitted the prince, brought Sappho to him, and then retired, promisingto warn them of any intruder by clapping her hands. "I shall only have you near me three days longer, " whispered Sappho. "Do you know, sometimes it seems to me as if I had only seen youyesterday for the first time; but generally I feel as if you had belongedto me for a whole eternity, and I had loved you all my life. " "To me too it seems as if you had always been mine, for I cannot imaginehow I could ever have existed without you. If only the parting were overand we were together again!" "Oh, believe me, that will pass more quickly than you fancy. Of courseit will seem long to wait--very long; but when it is over, and we aretogether again, I think it will seem as if we had never been parted. Soit has been with me every day. How I have longed for the morning to comeand bring you with it! but when it came and you were sitting by my side, I felt as if I had had you all the time and your hand had never left myhead. " "And yet a strange feeling of fear comes over me, when I think of ourparting hour. " "I do not fear it so very much. I know my heart will bleed when you sayfarewell, but I am sure you will come back and will not have forgottenme. Melitta wanted to enquire of the Oracle whether you would remainfaithful; and to question an old woman who has just come from Phrygia andcan conjure by night from drawn cords, with incense, styrax, moon-shapedcakes, and wild-briar leaves; but I would have none of this, for my heartknows better than the Pythia, the cords, or the smoke of sacrifice, thatyou will be true to me, and love me always. " "And your heart speaks the truth. " "But I have sometimes been afraid; and have blown into a poppy-leaf, and struck it, as the young girls here do. If it broke with a loud crackI was very happy, and cried, 'Ah! he will not forget!' but if the leaftore without a sound I felt sad. I dare say I did this a hundred times, but generally the leaf gave the wished-for sound, and I had much oftenerreason to be joyful than sad. " "May it be ever thus!" "It must be! but dearest, do not speak so loudly; I see Knakias goingdown to the Nile for water and he will hear us. " "Well, I will speak low. There, I will stroke back your silky hair andwhisper in your ear 'I love you. ' Could you understand?" "My grandmother says that it is easy to understand what we like to hear;but if you had just whispered, 'I hate you, ' your eyes would have told mewith a thousand glad voices that you loved me. Silent eyes are much moreeloquent than all the tongues in the world. " "If I could only speak the beautiful Greek language as you do, I would. . " "Oh, I am so glad you cannot, for if you could tell me all you feel, Ithink you would not look into my eyes so lovingly. Words are nothing. Listen to the nightingale yonder! She never had the gift of speech andyet I think I can understand her. " "Will you confide her secret to me? I should like to know what Gulgul, as we Persians call the nightingale, has to talk about to her mate in therose-bush. May you betray her secret?" "I will whisper it softly. Philomel sings to her mate 'I love thee, ' andhe 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, havingneither beginning nor end; so the nightingale sings, 'I accept it foreternity. '" "And if I say to you, 'I love thee?'" "Then I shall answer gladly, like the sweet nightingale, 'I accept it forto-day, to-morrow, for all eternity!'" "What a wonderful night it is! everything so still and silent; I do noteven hear the nightingale now; she is sitting in the acacia-tree amongthe bunches of sweet blossoms. I can see the tops of the palm-trees inthe Nile, and the moon's reflection between them, glistening like a whiteswan. " "Yes, her rays are over every living thing like silver fetters, and thewhole world lies motionless beneath them like a captive woman. Happy asI feel now, yet I could not even laugh, and still less speak in a loudvoice. " "Then whisper, or sing!" "Yes, that is the best. Give me a lyre. Thank you. Now I will lean myhead on your breast, and sing you a little, quiet, peaceful song. It waswritten by Alkman, the Lydian, who lived in Sparta, in praise of nightand her stillness. You must listen though, for this low, sweet slumber-song must only leave the lips like a gentle wind. Do not kiss me anymore, please, till I have finished; then I will ask you to thank me witha kiss: "Now o'er the drowsy earth still night prevails, Calm sleep the mountain tops and shady vales, The rugged cliffs and hollow glens; The wild beasts slumber in their dens; The cattle on the bill. Deep in the sea The countless finny race and monster brood Tranquil repose. Even the busy bee Forgets her daily toil. The silent wood No more with noisy hum of insect rings; And all the feathered tribe, by gentle sleep subdued, Roost in the glade and hang their drooping wings. " --Translation by Colonel Mure. "Now, dearest, where is my kiss?" "I had forgotten it in listening, just as before I forgot to listen inkissing. " "You are too bad. But tell me, is not my song 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 could a nation, who despised song, pretend to any nobility of feeling?" "But you have some very bad customs. " "Well?" "You take so many wives. " "My Sappho . . . " "Do not misunderstand me. I love you so much, that I have no other wishthan to see you happy and be allowed to be always with you. If, bytaking me for your only wife, you would outrage the laws of your country, if you would thereby expose yourself to contempt, or even blame, (for whocould dare to despise my Bartja!) then take other wives; but let me haveyou, for myself alone, at least two, or perhaps even three years. Willyou promise this, Bartja?" "I will. " "And then, when my time has passed, and you must yield to the customs ofyour country (for it will not be love that leads you to bring home asecond wife), then let me be the first among your slaves. Oh! I havepictured that so delightfully to myself. When you go to war I shall setthe tiara on your head, gird on the sword, and place the lance in yourhand; and when you return a conqueror, I shall be the first to crown youwith the wreath of victory. When you ride out to the chase, mine will bethe duty of buckling on your spurs, and when you go to the banquet, ofadorning and anointing you, winding the garlands of poplar and roses andtwining them around your forehead and shoulders. If wounded, I will beyour nurse; will never stir from your side if you are ill, and when I seeyou happy will retire, and feast my eyes from afar on your glory andhappiness. Then perchance you will call me to your side, and your kisswill say, 'I am content with my Sappho, I love her still. '" "O Sappho, wert thou only my wife now!--to-day! The man who possessessuch a treasure as I have in thee, will guard it carefully, but nevercare to seek for others which, by its side, can only show their miserablepoverty. He who has once loved thee, can never love another: I know itis the custom in my country to have many wives, but this is only allowed;there is no law to enjoin it. My father had, it is true, a hundredfemale slaves, but only one 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 herhusband. " "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 charge every wind with lovingmessages for you. " "Yes, do so, my darling; and as to the letters, give them to themessenger who will bring Nitetis tidings from Egypt from time to time. " "Where shall I find him?" "I will see that a man is stationed at Naukratis, to take charge ofeverything you send to him. All this I will settle with Melitta. " "Yes, we can trust her, she is prudent and faithful; but I have anotherfriend, who is dearer to me than any one else excepting you, and wholoves me too better than any one else does, but you--" "You mean your grandmother Rhodopis. " "Yes, my faithful guardian and teacher. " "Ah, she is a noble woman. Croesus considers her the most excellentamong women, and he has studied mankind as the physicians do plants andherbs. He knows that rank poison lies hidden in some, in others healingcordials, and often says that Rhodopis is like a rose which, while fadingaway herself, and dropping leaf after leaf, continues to shed perfume andquickening balsam for the sick and weak, and awaits in patience the windwhich at last shall waft her from us. " "The gods grant that she may be with us for a long time yet! Dearest, will you grant me one great favor?" "It is granted before I hear it. " "When you take me home, do not leave Rhodopis here. She must come withus. She is so kind and loves me so fervently, that what makes me happywill make her so too, and whatever is dear to me, will seem to her worthyof being loved. " "She shall be the first among our guests. " "Now I am quite happy and satisfied, for I am necessary to mygrandmother; she could not live without her child. I laugh her cares andsorrows away, and when she is singing to me, or teaching me how to guidethe style, or strike the lute, a clearer light beams from her brow, thefurrows ploughed by grief disappear, her gentle eyes laugh, and she seemsto forget the evil past in the happy present. " "Before we part, I will ask her whether she will follow us home. " "Oh, how glad that makes me! and do you know, the first days of ourabsence from each other do not seem so very dreadful to me. Now you areto be my husband, I may surely tell you everything that pains or pleasesme, even when I dare not tell any one else, and so you must know, that, when you leave, we expect two little visitors; they are the children ofthe kind Phanes, whom your friend Gyges saved so nobly. I mean to belike a mother to the little creatures, and when they have been good Ishall sing them a story of a prince, a brave hero, who took a simplemaiden to be his wife; and when I describe the prince I shall have you inmy mind, and though my little listeners will not guess it, I shall bedescribing you from head to foot. My prince shall be tall like you, shall have your golden curls and blue eyes, and your rich, royal dressshall adorn his noble figure. Your generous heart, your love of truth, and your beautiful reverence for the gods, your courage and heroism, inshort, every thing that I love and honor in you, I shall give to the heroof my tale. How the children will listen! and when they cry, 'Oh, how welove the prince, how good and beautiful he must be! if we could only seehim? then I shall press them close to my heart and kiss them as I kissyou now, and so they will have gained their wish, for as you areenthroned in my heart, you must be living within me and thereforenear to them, and when they embrace me they will embrace you too. " "And I shall go to my little sister Atossa and tell her all I have seenon my journey, and when I speak of the Greeks, their grace, theirglorious works of art, and their beautiful women, I shall describe thegolden Aphrodite in your lovely likeness. I shall tell her of yourvirtue, your beauty and modesty, of your singing, which is so sweet thateven the nightingale is silent in order to listen to it, of your love andtenderness. But all this I shall tell her belongs to the divine Cypris, and when she cries, 'O Aphrodite, could I but see thee!' I too shall kissmy sister. " "Hark, what was that? Melitta surely clapped her hands. Farewell, wemust not stay! but we shall soon see each other again. " "One more kiss!" "Farewell!" Melitta had fallen asleep at her post, overcome by age and weariness. Her dreams were suddenly disturbed by a loud noise, and she clapped herhands directly to warn the lovers and call Sappho, as she perceived bythe stars that the dawn was not far off. As the two approached the house, they discovered that the noise which hadawakened the old slave, proceeded from the guests, who were preparing fordeparture. Urging her to make the greatest haste, Melitta pushed the frightened girlinto the house, took her at once to her sleeping-room, and was beginningto undress her when Rhodopis entered. "You are still up, Sappho?" she asked. "What is this, my child?" Melitta trembled and had a falsehood ready on her lips, but Sappho, throwing herself into her grandmother's arms, embraced her tenderly andtold the whole story of her love. Rhodopis turned pale, ordered Melitta to leave the chamber, and, placingherself in front of her grandchild, laid both hands on her shoulders andsaid earnestly, "Look into my eyes, Sappho. Canst thou look at me ashappily and as innocently, as thou couldst before this Persian came tous?" The girl raised her eyes at once with a joyful smile; then Rhodopisclasped her to her bosom, kissed her and continued: "Since thou wert alittle child my constant effort has been to train thee to a noblemaidenhood and guard thee from the approach of love. I had intended, inaccordance with the customs of our country, to choose a fitting husbandfor thee shortly myself, to whose care I should have committed thee; butthe gods willed differently. [The Spartans married for love, but the Athenians were accustomed to negotiate their marriages with the parents of the bride alone. ] Eros mocks all human efforts to resist or confine him; warm AEolian bloodruns in thy veins and demands love; the passionate heart of thy Lesbianforefathers beats in thy breast. [Charaxus, the grandfather of our heroine, and brother of the poetess Sappho, was, as a Lesbian, an AEolian Greek. ] What has happened cannot now be undone. Treasure these happy hours of afirst, pure love; hold them fast in the chambers of memory, for to everyhuman being there must come, sooner or later, a present so sad anddesolate, that the beautiful past is all he has to live upon. Rememberthis handsome prince in silence, bid him farewell when he departs to hisnative country, but beware of hoping to see him again. The Persians arefickle and inconstant, lovers of everything new and foreign. The princehas been fascinated by thy sweetness and grace. He loves thee ardentlynow, but remember, he is young and handsome, courted by every one, and aPersian. Give him up that he may not abandon thee!" "But how can I, grandmother? I have sworn to be faithful to him forever. " "Oh, children! Ye play with eternity as if it were but a passing moment!I could blame thee for thus plighting thy troth, but I rejoice that thouregardest the oath as binding. I detest the blasphemous proverb: 'Zeuspays no heed to lovers' oaths. ' Why should an oath touching the best andholiest feelings of humanity be regarded by the Deity, as inferior inimportance to asseverations respecting the trifling questions of mine andthine? Keep thy promise then, --hold fast thy love, but prepare torenounce thy lover. " "Never, grandmother! could I ever have loved Bartja, if I had not trustedhim? Just because he is a Persian and holds truth to be the highestvirtue, I may venture to hope that he will remember his oath, and, notwithstanding those evil customs of the Asiatics, will take and keep meas his only wife. " "But if he should forget, thy youth will be passed in mourning, and withan embittered heart . . . " "O, dear kind grandmother, pray do not speak of such dreadful things. If you knew him as well as I do, you would rejoice with me, and wouldtell me I was right to believe that the Nile may dry up and the Pyramidscrumble into ruins, before my Bartja can ever deceive me!" The girl spoke these words with such a joyful, perfect confidence, andher eyes, though filled with tears, were so brilliant with happiness andwarmth of feeling, that Rhodopis' face grew cheerful too. Sappho threw her arms again round her grandmother, told her every wordthat Bartja had said to her, and ended the long account by exclaiming:"Oh, grandmother, I am so happy, so very happy, and if you will come withus to Persia, I shall have nothing more to wish from the Immortals. " "That will not last long, " said Rhodopis. "The gods cast envious glancesat the happiness of mortals; they measure our portion of evil with lavishhands, and give us but a scanty allowance of good. But now go to bed, mychild, and let us pray together that all may end happily. I met theethis morning as a child, I part from thee to-night a woman; and, whenthou art a wife, may thy kiss be as joyful as the one thou givest me now. To-morrow I will talk the matter over with Croesus. He must decidewhether I dare allow thee to await the return of the Persian prince, orwhether I must entreat thee to forget him and become the domestic wife ofa Greek husband. Sleep well, my darling, thy grandmother will wake andwatch for thee. " Sappho's happy fancies soon cradled her to sleep; but Rhodopis remainedawake watching the day dawn, and the sun rise, her mind occupied withthoughts which brought smiles and frowns across her countenance in rapidsuccession. The next morning she sent to Croesus, begging him to grant her an hour'sinterview, acquainted him with every particular she had heard fromSappho, and concluded her tale with these words: "I know not what demandsmay be made on the consort of a Persian king, but I can truly say that Ibelieve Sappho to be worthy of the first monarch of the world. Herfather was free and of noble birth, and I have heard that, by Persianlaw, the descent of a child is determined by the rank of the father only. In Egypt, too, the descendants of a female slave enjoy the same rights asthose of a princess, if they owe their existence to the same father. " "I have listened to you in silence, " answered Croesus, "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 andBartja's mother) wished to see the prince married before we left Persia, for the king has no children, and should he remain childless, the onlyhope for the family of Cyrus rests on Bartja, as the great founder of thePersian empire left but two sons, --Cambyses, and him who is now thesuitor of your granddaughter. The latter is the hope and pride of theentire Persian nation, high and low; the darling of the people; generous, and noble, handsome, virtuous, and worthy of their love. It is indeedexpected that the princes shall marry in their own family, theAchaemenidae; but the Persians have an unbounded predilection foreverything foreign. Enchanted with the beauty of your granddaughter, andrendered indulgent by their partiality for Bartja, they would easilyforgive this breach of an ancient custom. Indeed, if the king gives hisapproval, no objection on the part of his subjects can be entertained. The history of Iran too offers a sufficient number of examples, in whicheven slaves became the mothers of kings. The queen mother, whoseposition, in the eyes of the people, is nearly as high as that of themonarch himself, will do nothing to thwart the happiness of her youngestand favorite son. When she sees that he will not give up Sappho, --thathis smiling face, in which she adores the image of her great husbandCyrus, becomes clouded, I verily believe she would be ready to sanctionhis taking even a Scythian woman to wife, if it could restore him tocheerfulness. Neither will Cambyses himself refuse his consent if hismother press the point at a right moment. " "In that case every difficulty is set aside, " cried Rhodopis joyfully. "It is not the marriage itself, but the time that must follow, whichcauses me uneasiness, " answered Croesus. "Do you think then that Bartja . . . ?" "From him I fear nothing. He has a pure heart, and has been so longproof against love, that now he has once yielded, he will love long andardently. " "What then do you fear?" "You must remember that, though the charming wife of their favorite willbe warmly received by all his friends of his own sex, there are thousandsof idle women in the harems of the Persian nobles, who will endeavor, byevery artifice and intrigue in their power, to injure the newly-risenstar; and whose greatest joy it will be to ruin such an inexperiencedchild and make her unhappy. " "You have a very bad opinion of the Persian women. " "They are but women, and will naturally envy her, who has gained thehusband they all desired either for themselves or for their daughters. In their monotonous life, devoid of occupation, envy easily becomeshatred, and the gratification of these evil passions is the onlycompensation which the poor creatures can obtain for the total absence oflove and loss of freedom. I repeat, the more beautiful Sappho is, themore malicious they will feel towards her, and, even if Bartja shouldlove her so fervently as not to take a second wife for two or threeyears, she will still have such heavy hours to encounter, that I reallydo not know whether I dare congratulate you on her apparently brilliantfuture. " "That is quite my own feeling. A simple Greek would be more welcome tome than this son of a mighty monarch. " In this moment Knakias brought Bartja into the room. He went to Rhodopisat once, besought her not to refuse him the hand of her granddaughter, spoke of his ardent love, and assured her that his happiness would bedoubled, if she would consent to accompany them to Persia. Then turningto Croesus, he seized his hand and entreated forgiveness for having solong concealed his great happiness from one who had been like a father tohim, at the same time begging him to second his suit with Rhodopis. The old man listened to the youth's passionate language with a smile, andsaid: "Ah, Bartja, how often have I warned thee against love! It is ascorching 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 asif he had been all his life studying under an Attic orator!" "And yet, " answered Croesus, "these lovers are the most unteachable ofpupils. Convince them as clearly as you will, that their passion is onlyanother word for poison, fire, folly, death, they still cry, 'Tis sweet, 'and will not be hindered in their course. " As he was speaking Sappho came in. A white festal robe, with widesleeves, and borders of purple embroidery, fell in graceful folds roundher delicate figure, and was confined at the waist by a golden girdle. Her hair was adorned with fresh roses, and on her bosom lay her lover'sfirst gift, the flashing diamond star. She came up modestly and gracefully, and made a low obeisance to the agedCroesus. His eyes rested long on the maidenly and lovely countenance, and the longer he gazed the kindlier became his gaze. For a moment heseemed to grow young again in the visions conjured up by memory, andinvoluntarily he went up to the young girl, kissed her affectionately onthe forehead, and, taking her by the hand, led her to Bartja with thewords: "Take her, thy wife she must be, if the entire race of theAchaemenidae were to conspire against us!" "Have I no voice in the matter?" said Rhodopis, smiling through hertears. On hearing these words, Bartja and Sappho each took one of her hands, andgazed entreatingly into her face. She rose to her full stature, and likea prophetess exclaimed: "Eros, who brought you to each other, Zeus andApollo defend and protect you. I see you now like two fair roses on onestem, loving and happy in the spring of life. What summer, autumn andwinter may have in store for you, lies hidden with the gods. May theshades of thy departed parents, Sappho, smile approvingly when thesetidings of their child shall reach them in the nether world. " . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Three days later a densely packed crowd was once more surging round theSais landing-place. This time they had assembled to bid a last farewellto their king's daughter, and in this hour the people gave clear tokensthat, in spite of all the efforts of the priestly caste, their heartsremained loyal to their monarch and his house. For when Amasis andLadice embraced Nitetis for the last time with tears--when Tachot, inpresence of all the inhabitants of Sais, following her sister down thebroad flight of steps that led to the river, threw her arms round herneck once more and burst into sobs--when at last the wind filled thesails of the royal boat and bore the princess, destined to be the greatking's bride, from their sight, few eyes among that vast crowd remaineddry. The priests alone looked on at this sad scene with unmoved gravity andcoldness; but when the south wind at last bore away the strangers who hadrobbed them of their princess, many a curse and execration followed fromthe Egyptians on the shore; Tachot alone stood weeping there and wavingher veil to them. For whom were these tears? for the play-fellow of heryouth, or for the handsome, beloved prince? Amasis embraced his wife and daughter in the eyes of all his people; andheld up his little grandson, Prince Necho, to their gaze, the sighteliciting cries of joy on all sides. But Psamtik, the child's ownfather, stood by the while, tearless and motionless. The king appearednot to observe him, until Neithotep approached, and leading him to hisfather, joined their hands and called down the blessing of the gods uponthe royal house. At this the Egyptians fell on their knees with uplifted hands. Amasisclasped his son to his heart, and when the high-priest had concluded hisprayer, the following colloquy between the latter and Amasis took placein low tones: "Let peace be between us for our own and Egypt's sake!" "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 theEgyptian throne, departing unhindered to a distant land!" "The works of the Greek temple now building in Memphis shall bediscontinued. " "May Isis grant us peace, and may prosperity and happiness increase inour land!" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Greek colonists in Naukratis had prepared a feast to celebrate thedeparture of their protector's daughter. Numerous animals had been slaughtered in sacrifice on the altars of theGreek divinities, and the Nile-boats were greeted with a loud cry of"Ailinos" on their arrival in the harbor. A bridal wreath, composed of a hoop of gold wound round with scentedviolets, was presented to Nitetis by a troop of young girls in holidaydresses, the act of presentation being performed by Sappho, as the mostbeautiful among the maidens of Naukratis. On accepting the gift Nitetis kissed her forehead in token of gratitude. The triremes were already waiting; she went on board, the rowers tooktheir oars and began the Keleusma. [The measure of the Keleusma was generally given by a flute-player, the Trieraules. AEschylus, Persians 403. Laert. Diog. IV. 22. In the Frogs of Aristophanes the inhabitants of the marshes are made to sing the Keleusma, v. 205. The melody, to the measure of which the Greek boatmen usually timed their strokes. ] Ailinos rang across the water from a thousand voices. Bartja stood onthe deck, and waved a last loving farewell to his betrothed; while Sapphoprayed in silence to Aphrodite Euploia, the protectress of those who godown to the sea in ships. A tear rolled down her cheek, but around herlips played a smile of love and hope, though her old slave Melitta, whoaccompanied her to carry her parasol, was weeping as if her heart wouldbreak. 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 you are in love; when the leaves fall from amaiden's wreath, 'tis a sure sign that her heart has been touched byEros. CHAPTER XII. Seven weeks after Nitetis had quitted her native country, a long train ofequipages and horsemen was to be seen on the king's highway from the westto Babylon, moving steadily towards that gigantic city, whose towersmight already be descried in the far distance. [The great road called the "king's road, " of which we shall have more to say, was made by Cyrus and carefully kept up by Darius. ] The principal object in this caravan was a richly-gilded, four-wheeledcarriage, closed in at the sides by curtains, and above by a roofsupported on wooden pillars. In this vehicle, called the Harmamaxa, resting on rich cushions of gold brocade, sat our Egyptian Princess. [Harmamaxa--An Asiatic travelling carriage. The first mention of these is in Xenophon's Anabasis, where we find a queen travelling in such a vehicle. They were later adopted by the Romans and used for the same object. ] On either side rode her escort, viz. : the Persian princes and nobles whomwe have already learnt to know during their visit to Egypt, Croesus andhis son. Behind these, a long train, consisting of fifty vehicles of differentkinds and six hundred beasts of burden, stretched away into the distance, and the royal carriage was preceded by a troop of splendidly-mountedPersian cavalry. The high-road followed the course of the Euphrates, passing throughluxuriant fields of wheat, barley and sesame yielding fruit two, andsometimes even three, hundred-fold. Slender date-palms covered withgolden fruit were scattered in every direction over the fields, whichwere thoroughly irrigated by means of canals and ditches. It was winter, but the sun shone warm and bright from a cloudless sky. The mighty river swarmed with craft of all sizes, either transporting theproducts of Upper Armenia to the plains of Mesopotamia, or the wares ofGreece and Asia Minor from Thapsakus to Babylon. [Thapsakus--An important commercial town on the Euphrates, and the point of observation from which Eratosthenes took his measurements of the earth. ] Pumps and water-wheels poured refreshing streams over the thirsty land, and pretty villages ornamented the shores of the river. Indeed everyobject gave evidence that our caravan was approaching the metropolis ofa carefully governed and civilized state. Nitetis and her retinue now halted at a long brick house, roofed withasphalte, and surrounded by a grove of plane-trees. [Asphalte--Nearly all authorities, ancient as well as modern, report that bitumen, which is still plentifully found in the neighborhood of Babylon, was used by the Babylonians as mortar. See, besides the accounts of ancient writers, W. Vaux, 'Nineveh and Persepolis'. Burnt bitumen was used by Assyrians for cement in building. ] Here Croesus was lifted from his horse, and approaching the carriage, exclaimed: "Here we are at length at the last station! That high towerwhich you see on the horizon is the celebrated temple of Bel, next to thePyramids, one of the most gigantic works ever constructed by human hands. Before sunset we shall have reached the brazen gates of Babylon. And nowI would ask you to alight, and let me send your maidens into the house;for here you must put on Persian apparel, to appear well-pleasing in theeyes of Cambyses. In a few hours you will stand before your futurehusband. But you are pale! Permit your maidens to adorn your cheekswith a color that shall look like the excitement of joy. A firstimpression is often a final one, and this is especially true with regardto Cambyses. If, which I doubt not, you are pleasing in his eyes atfirst, then you have won his love for ever; but if you should displeasehim to-day he will never look kindly on you again, for he is rough andharsh. But take courage, my daughter, and above all, do not forget theadvice I have given you. " Nitetis dried her tears as she answered: "Howcan I ever thank you, O Croesus, my second father, my protector andadviser, for all your goodness? Oh, forsake me not in the days to come!and if the path of my life should lead through grief and care, be near tohelp and guide me as you did on the mountain-passes of this long anddangerous journey. A thousand times I thank thee, O my father!" And, as she said these words, the young girl threw her arms around theold man's neck and kissed him tenderly. On entering the court-yard, a tall stout man, followed by a train ofAsiatic serving-maidens, came forward to meet them. This was Boges, thechief of the eunuchs, an important official at the Persian court. Hisbeardless face wore a smile of fulsome sweetness; in his ears hung costlyjewelled pendents; his neck, arms, legs and his effeminately longgarments glittered all over with gold chains and rings, and his crisp, stiff curls, bound round by a purple fillet, streamed with powerful andpenetrating perfumes. Making a low and reverential obeisance before Nitetis, and holding, thewhile, his fat hands overloaded with rings before his mouth, he thusaddressed her: "Cambyses, lord of the world, hath sent me to thee, OQueen, that I may refresh thy heart with the dew of his salutations. Hesendeth thee likewise by me, even by me the lowest of his servants, Persian raiment, that thou, as befitteth the consort of the mightiest ofall rulers, mayest approach the gates of the Achaemenidae in Mediangarments. These women whom thou seest are thy handmaidens, and onlyawait thy bidding to transform thee from an Egyptian jewel into a Persianpearl. " The master of the caravansary then appeared, bearing, in token ofwelcome, a basket of fruits arranged with great taste. Nitetis returned her thanks to both these men in kind and friendly words;then entering the house laid aside the dress and ornaments of her nativeland, weeping as she did so, allowed the strangers to unloose the plaitof hair which hung down at the left side of her head, and was thedistinctive mark of an Egyptian princess, and to array her in Mediangarments. [In almost all the Egyptian pictures, the daughters and sons of the Pharaohs are represented with these locks of hair, plaited and reaching from 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 the princes whoaccompanied her. Eager and agile attendants rushed to the baggage-waggons, fetching thence, in a few moments, seats, tables, and goldenutensils of all kinds. The cooks vied with them and with each other, andas if by magic, in a short space of time a richly-adorned banquet for thehungry guests appeared, at which even the flowers were not wanting. During the entire journey our travellers had lived in a similar luxury, as their beasts of burden carried every imaginable convenience, fromtents of water-proof materials inwrought with gold, down to silver foot-stools; and in the vehicles which composed their train were not onlybakers, cooks, cup-bearers and carvers, but perfumers, hair-dressers andweavers of garlands. Beside these conveniences, a well-fitted upcaravansary, or inn, was to be found about every eighteen miles along thewhole route, where disabled horses could be replaced, the plantationsaround which afforded a refreshing shelter from the noonday heat, ortheir hearths 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 thewidely-distant provinces of his immense dominions by a system of well-kept roads, and a regular postal service. At each of these stations thehorseman carrying the letter-bag was relieved by a fresh man on a freshsteed, to whom the letters were transferred, and who, in his turn, dartedoff like the wind, to be again replaced at a similar distance by anotherrider. These couriers, called Angari, were considered the swiftesthorsemen in the world. [Herodotus V. 14. 49-52. Persian milestones are still to be found among the ruins of the old king's road, which led from Nineveh to Ecbatana. The Kurds call them keli-Shin (blue pillars). ] Just as the banqueters, amongst whom Boges had taken his seat, wererising from table, the door opened, and a vision appeared, which drewprolonged exclamation of surprise from all the Persians present. Nitetis, clad in the glorious apparel of a Median princess, proud in theconsciousness of her triumphant beauty, and yet blushing like a younggirl at the wondering admiration of her friends, stood before them. The attendants involuntarily fell on their faces before her, according tothe custom of the Asiatics, and the noble Achaemenidae bowed low andreverentially; for it seemed as if Nitetis has laid aside all her formerbashfulness and timidity with her simple Egyptian dress, and with thesplendid silken garments of a Persian princess, flashing as they werewith gold and jewels, had clothed herself in the majesty of a queen. The deep reverence paid by all present seemed agreeable to her, andthanking her admiring friends by a gracious wave of the hand, she turnedto the chief of the eunuchs and said in a kind tone but mingled with atouch of pride; "Thou hast performed thy mission well; I am content withthe raiment and the slaves that thou hast provided and shall commend thycircumspection to the king, my husband. Receive this gold chain in themeanwhile, as a token of my gratitude. " The eunuch kissed the hem of her garment, and accepted the gift insilence. This man, hitherto omnipotent in his office, had never beforeencountered such pride in any of the women committed to his charge. Upto the present time all Cambyses' wives had been Asiatics, and, wellaware of the unlimited power of the chief of the eunuchs, had used everymeans within their reach to secure his favor by flattery and submission. Boges now made a second obeisance before Nitetis, of which, however, shetook no notice, and turning to Croesus said: "Neither words nor giftscould ever suffice to express my gratitude to you, kindest of friends, for, if my future life at the court of Persia prove, I will not ventureto say a happy, but even a peaceful one, it is to you alone that I shallowe it. Still, take this ring. It has never left my finger since Iquitted Egypt, and it has a significance far beyond its outward worth. Pythagoras, the noblest of the Greeks, gave it to my mother, when he wastarrying in Egypt to learn the wisdom of our priests, and it was herparting gift to me. The number seven is engraved upon the simple stone. This indivisible number represents perfect health, both to soul and bodyfor health is likewise one 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 within our heart, destroys the entireharmony of the soul. When you see this seven therefore, let it recall myheart's wish that you may ever enjoy undisturbed bodily health, and longretain that loving gentleness which has made you the most virtuous, andtherefore the healthiest of men. No thanks, my father, for even if Icould restore to Croesus all the treasures that he once possessed, Ishould still retrain his debtor. Gyges, to you I give this Lydian lyre;let its tones recall the giver to your memory. For you, Zopyrus, I havea golden chain; I have witnessed that you are the most faithful offriends; and we Egyptians are accustomed to place cords and bands in thehands of our lovely Hathor, the goddess of love and friendship, assymbols of her captivating and enchaining attributes. As Darius hasstudied the wisdom of Egypt and the signs of the starry heavens, I beghim to take this circlet of gold, on which a skilful hand has traced thesigns of the Zodiac. [Diodorus (I. 49. ) tells, that in the tomb of Osymandyas (palace of Rameses II. At Thebes) there lay a circle of gold, one ell thick and 365 ells in circumference, containing a complete astronomical calendar. The circle of the zodiac from Dendera, which is now in Paris, --an astronomical ceiling painting, which was believed at the time of its discovery to be of great age, is not nearly so ancient as was supposed, dating only from the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty. Letronne was the first to estimate it correctly. See Lepsius, Chron. P. 63. And Lauth, 'les zodiaques de Dendera'. Munich 1865. ] And lastly, to my dear brother-in-law Bartja I commit the most preciousjewel in my possession--this amulet of blue stone. My sister Tachot hungit round my neck as I kissed her on the last night before we parted; shetold me it could bring to its wearer the sweet bliss of love. And then, Bartja, she wept! I do not know of whom she was thinking in that moment, but I hope I am acting according to her wishes in giving you her preciousjewel. Take it as a gift from Tachot, and sometimes call to mind ourgames in the Sais gardens. " Thus far she had been speaking Greek, but now, addressing the attendantswho remained standing in an attitude of deep reverence, she began inbroken Persian: "Accept my thanks also. In Babylon you shall receive athousand gold staters. " Then turning to Boges, she added: "Let this sumbe distributed among the attendants at latest by the day after to-morrow. Take me to my carriage, Croesus. " The old king hastened to do her bidding, and as he was leading herthither she pressed his arm and whispered gently, "Are you pleased withme, my father?" "I tell you, girl, " the old man answered, "that no one but the king'smother can ever be your equal at this court, for a true and queenly pridereigns on your brow, and you have the power of using small means toeffect great ends. Believe me, the smallest gift, chosen and bestowed asyou can choose and bestow, gives more pleasure to a noble mind than heapsof treasure merely cast down at his feet. The Persians are accustomed topresent and receive costly gifts. They understand already how to enrichtheir friends, but you can teach them to impart a joy with every gift. How beautiful you are to-day! Are your cushions to your mind, or wouldyou like a higher seat? But what is that? There are clouds of dust inthe direction of the city. Cambyses is surely coming to meet you!Courage, my daughter. Above all try to meet his gaze and respond to it. Very few can bear the lightning glance of those eyes, but, if you canreturn it freely and fearlessly, you have conquered. Fear nothing, mychild, and may Aphrodite adorn you with her most glorious beauty! Myfriends, we must start, I think the king himself is coming. " Nitetis saterect in her splendid, gilded carriage; her hands were pressed on herthrobbing heart. The clouds of dust came nearer and nearer, her eyecaught the flash of weapons like lightning across a stormy sky. Theclouds parted, she could see single figures for a moment, but soon lostthem as the road wound behind some thickets and shrubs. Suddenly thetroop of horsemen appeared in full gallop only a hundred paces beforeher, and distinctly visible. Her first impression was of a motley mass of steeds and men, glitteringin purple, gold, silver and jewels. It consisted in reality of a troopof more than two hundred horsemen mounted on pure white Nicaean horses, whose bridles and saddle-cloths were covered with bells and bosses, feathers, fringes, and embroidery. Their leader rode a powerful coal-black charger, which even the strong will and hand of his rider could notalways curb, though in the end his enormous strength proved him the manto tame even this fiery animal. This rider, beneath whose weight thepowerful steed trembled and panted, wore a vesture of scarlet and white, thickly embroidered with eagles and falcons in silver. [Curtius III. 3. Xenoph. Cyrap, VIII. 3. 7. Aeschylus, Persians 835. 836. The king's dress and ornaments were worth 12, 000 talents, or L2, 250, 000 (estimate of 1880) according to Plutarch, Artaxerxes 24. ] The lower part of his dress was purple, and his boots of yellow leather. He wore a golden girdle; in this hung a short dagger-like sword, the hiltand scabbard of which were thickly studded with jewels. The remainingornaments of his dress resembled those we have described as worn byBartja, and the blue and white fillet of the Achaemenidae was boundaround the tiara, which surmounted a mass of thick curls, black as ebony. The lower part of his face was concealed by an immense beard. Hisfeatures were pale and immovable, but the eyes, (more intensely black, ifpossible, than either hair or beard), glowed with a fire that was ratherscorching than warming. A deep, fiery-red scar, given by the sword of aMassagetan warrior, crossed his high forehead, arched nose and thin upperlip. His whole demeanor expressed great power and unbounded pride. Nitetis' gaze was at once riveted by this man. She had never seen anyone like him before, and he exercised a strange fascination over her. The expression of indomitable pride, worn by his features, seemed to herto represent a manly nature which the whole world, but she herself aboveall others, was created to serve. She felt afraid, and yet her truewoman's heart longed to lean upon his strength as the vine upon the elm. She could not be quite sure whether she had thus pictured to herself thefather of all evil, the fearful Seth, or the great god Ammon, the giverof light. The deepest pallor and the brightest color flitted by turns across herlovely face, like the light and shadow when clouds pass swiftly over asunny noonday sky. She had quite forgotten the advice of her fatherlyold friend, and yet, when Cambyses brought his unruly, chafing steed to astand by the side of her carriage, she gazed breathless into the fieryeyes of this man and felt at once that he was the king, though no one hadtold her so. The stern face of this ruler of half the known world relaxed, as Nitetis, moved by an unaccountable impulse, continued to bear his piercing gaze. At last he waved his hand to her in token of welcome, and then rode on toher escort, who had alighted from their horses and were awaiting him, some having cast themselves down in the dust, and others, after thePersian 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 followed at once by hisentire suite. The attendants, with the speed of thought, spread a richpurple carpet on the highway, lest the foot of the king should come incontact with the dust of the earth, and then Cambyses proceeded to salutehis friends and relations by offering them his mouth to kiss. He shook Croesus by the right hand, commanding him to remount andaccompany him to the carriage, as interpreter between himself andNitetis. In an instant his highest office-bearers were at hand to lift the kingonce more on to his horse, and at a single nod from their lord, the trainwas again in motion. Cambyses and Croesus rode by the side of the carriage. "She is beautiful, and pleases me well, " began the king. "Interpretfaithfully all her answers, for I understand only the Persian, Assyrianand Median tongues. " Nitetis caught and understood these words. A feeling of intense joystole into her heart, and before Croesus could answer, she began softlyin broken Persian and blushing deeply: "Blessed be the gods, who havecaused me to find favor in thine eyes. I am not ignorant of the speechof my lord, for the noble Croesus has instructed me in the Persianlanguage during our long journey. Forgive, if my sentences be broken andimperfect; the time was short, and my capacity only that of a poor andsimple maiden. " [Diodorus tells us that Themistocles learnt 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 vanitywas flattered by Nitetis' desire to win his approbation, and, accustomedas he was to see women grow up in idleness and ignorance, thinking ofnothing but finery and intrigue, her persevering industry seemed to himboth wonderful and praise worthy. So he answered with evidentsatisfaction: "I rejoice that we can speak without an interpreter. Persevere in learning the beautiful language of my forefathers. Croesus, who sits at my table, shall still remain your instructor. " "Your command confers happiness!" exclaimed the old man. "No more eageror thankful pupil could be found, than the daughter of Amasis. " "She justifies the ancient report of the wisdom of Egypt, " answered theking, "and I can believe that she will quickly understand and receiveinto her soul the religious instructions of our Magi. " Nitetis dropped her earnest gaze. Her fears were being realized. Shewould be compelled to serve strange gods. But her emotion passed unnoticed by Cambyses, who went on speaking: "Mymother Kassandane will tell you the duties expected from my wives. To-morrow I myself will lead you to her. The words, which you innocentlychanced to hear, I now repeat; you please me well. Do nothing toalienate my affection. We will try to make our country agreeable, and, as your friend, I counsel you to treat Boges whom I sent as myforerunner, in a kind and friendly manner. As head over the houseof the women, you will 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 bound to obey no other earthly will than yours. Your slightest look shall be for me a command; but remember that I am aking's daughter, that in my native land the weaker and the stronger sexhave equal rights, and that the same pride reigns in my breast, which Isee kindling in your eyes, my lord and king! My obedience to you, myhusband and my ruler, shall be that of a slave, but I can never stoop tosue for the favor, or obey the orders of a venal servant, the mostunmanly of his kind!" Cambyses' wonder and satisfaction increased. He had never heard anywoman speak in this way before, except his mother; the clever way inwhich Nitetis acknowledged, and laid stress on, his right to command herevery act, was very flattering to his self-love, and her pride found anecho in his own haughty disposition. He nodded approvingly and answered:"You have spoken well. A separate dwelling shall be appointed you. I, and no one else, will prescribe your rules of life and conduct. Thisday the pleasant palace on the hanging-gardens shall be prepared for yourreception. " "A thousand, thousand thanks, " cried Nitetis. "You little know theblessing you are bestowing in this permission. Again and again I havebegged your brother Bartja to repeat the story of these gardens, and thelove of the king who raised that verdant and blooming hill, pleased usbetter than all the other glories of your vast domains. " "To-morrow, " answered the king, "you can enter your new abode. But tellme now how my messengers pleased you and your countrymen. " "How can you ask? Who could know the noble Croesus without loving him?Who could fail to admire the beauty of the young heroes, your friends?They have all become dear to us, but your handsome brother Bartjaespecially, won all hearts. The Egyptians have no love for strangers, and yet the gaping crowd would burst into a murmur of admiration, whenhis beautiful face appeared among them. " At these words the king's brow darkened; he struck his horse so sharplythat the creature reared, and then turning it quickly round he galloppedto the front and soon reached the walls of Babylon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Though Nitetis had been brought up among the huge temples and palaces ofEgypt, she was still astonished at the size and grandeur of this giganticcity. Its walls seemed impregnable; they measured more than seventy-five feet--[Fifty ells. The Greek ell is equal to one foot and a half English. ]--in height and their breadth was so great, that two chariots couldconveniently drive abreast upon them. These mighty defences were crownedand strengthened by two hundred and fifty high towers, and even thesewould have been insufficient, if Babylon had not been protected on oneside by impassable morasses. The gigantic city lay on bothshores of the Euphrates. It was more than forty miles in circumference, and its walls enclosed buildings surpassing in size and grandeur even thePyramids and the temples of Thebes. [These numbers and measurements are taken partly from Herodotus, partly from Diodorus, Strabo and Arrian. And even the ruins of this giant city, writes Lavard, are such as to allow a very fair conclusion of its enormous size. Aristotle (Polit. III. I. ) says Babylon's dimensions were not those of a city, but of a nation. ] The mighty gates of brass, through which the royal train entered thecity, had opened wide to receive this noble company. This entrance wasdefended on each side by a strong tower, and before each of these towerslay, as warder, a gigantic winged bull carved in stone, with a humanhead, bearded and solemn. Nitetis gazed at these gates in astonishment, and then a joyful smile lighted up her face, as she looked up the longbroad street so brightly and beautifully decorated to welcome her. The moment they beheld the king and the gilded carriage, the multitudeburst into loud shouts of joy, but when Bartja, 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 was long since the populacehad seen Cambyses, for in accordance with Median customs the king seldomappeared in public. Like the Deity, he was to govern invisibly, and hisoccasional appearance before the nation to be looked upon as a festivaland occasion of rejoicing. Thus all Babylon had come out to-day to lookupon their awful ruler and to welcome their favorite Bartja on hisreturn. The windows were crowded with eager, curious women, who threwflowers before the approaching train, or poured sweet perfumes from aboveas they passed by. The pavement was thickly strewn with myrtle and palmbranches, trees of different kinds had been placed before the house-doors, carpets and gay cloths hung from the windows, garlands of flowerswere wreathed from house to house, fragrant odors of incense and sandal-wood perfumed the air, and the way was lined with thousands of gapingBabylonians dressed in white linen shirts, gaily-colored woollenpetticoats and short cloaks, and carrying long staves headed withpomegranates, birds, or roses, of gold or silver. The streets through which the procession moved were broad and straight, the houses on either side, built of brick, tall and handsome. Toweringabove every thing else, and visible from all points, rose the gigantictemple of Bel. Its colossal staircase, like a huge serpent, wound roundand round the ever-diminishing series of stories composing the tower, until it reached the summit crowned by the sanctuary itself. [This temple of Bel, which many consider may have been the tower of Babel of Genesis XI. , is mentioned by Herodotus I. 181. 182. 183. Diodorus II. 8. 9. (Ktesias), Strabo 738 and many other ancient writers. The people living in its neighborhood now call the ruins Birs Nimrod, the castle of Nimrod. In the text we have reconstructed it as far as possible from the accounts of classical writers. 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 be still clearly recognizable, and were 4000 feet long and 3000 broad. ] The procession approached the royal palace. This corresponded in itsenormous size to the rest of the vast city. The walls surrounding itwere covered with gaily-colored and glazed representations of strangefigures made up of human beings, birds, quadrupeds and fishes; hunting-scenes, battles and solemn processions. By the side of the river towardsthe north, rose the hanging-gardens, and the smaller palace lay towardthe east on the other bank of the Euphrates, connected with the largerone by the wondrous erection, a firm bridge of stone. Our train passed on through the brazen gates of three of the wallssurrounding the palace, and then halted. Nitetis was lifted from hercarriage by bearers; she was at last in her new home, and soon after inthe apartments of the women's house assigned to her temporary use. Cambyses, Bartja and their friends already known to us, were stillstanding in the gaily-carpeted court of the palace, surrounded by atleast a hundred splendid dignitaries in magnificent dresses, whensuddenly a sound of loud female voices was heard, and a lovely Persiangirl richly dressed, her thick fair hair profusely wreathed with pearls, rushed into the court, pursued by several women older than herself. Sheran up to the group of men; Cambyses with a smile placed himself in herpath, but the impetuous girl slipped adroitly past him, and in anothermoment was hanging on Bartja's neck, crying and laughing by turns. The attendants in pursuit prostrated themselves at a respectful distance, but Cambyses, on seeing the caresses lavished by the young girl on hernewly-returned brother, cried: "For shame, Atossa! remember that sinceyou began to wear ear-rings you have ceased to be a child! [Ear-rings were given to the Persian girls in their fifteenth year, the marriageable age. Vendid. Farlard XIV. 66. At this age too boys as well as girls were obliged to wear the sacred cord, Kuctl or Kosti as a girdle; and were 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-two threads must be employed, but black wool is prohibited. ] It is right that you should rejoice to see your brother again, but aking's daughter must never forget what is due to her rank, even in hergreatest joy. Go back to your mother directly. I see your attendantswaiting yonder. Go and tell them, that as this is a day of rejoicing Iwill allow your heedless conduct to pass unpunished, but the next timeyou appear unbidden in these apartments, which none may enter withoutpermission, I shall tell Boges to keep you twelve days in confinement. Remember this, thoughtless child, and tell our mother, Bartja and I arecoming to visit her. Now give me a kiss. You will not? We shall see, capricious little one!" And so saying the king sprang towards hisrefractory little sister, and seizing both her hands in one of his own, bent back her charming head with the other and kissed her in spite ofher resistance. She screamed from the violence of his grasp, and ranaway crying to her attendants, who took her back to her apartments. When Atossa had disappeared, Bartja said; "You were too rough with thelittle one, Cambyses. She screamed with pain!" Once more the king's face clouded, but suppressing the harsh words whichtrembled on his lips, he only answered, turning towards the house: "Letus come to our mother now; she begged me to bring you as soon as youarrived. The women, as usual, are all impatience. Nitetis told me yourrosy cheeks and fair curls had bewitched the Egyptian women too. I wouldadvise you to pray betimes to Mithras for eternal youth, and for hisprotection against the wrinkles of age!" "Do you mean to imply by these words that I have no virtues which couldmake an old age beautiful?" asked Bartja. "I explain my words to no one. Come. " "But I ask for an opportunity of proving, that I am inferior to none ofmy nation in manly qualities. " "For that matter, the shouts of the Babylonians today will have beenproof enough, that deeds are not wanted from you, in order to win theiradmiration. " "Cambyses!" "Now come! We are just on the eve of a war with the Massagetae; thereyou will have a good opportunity of proving what you are worth. " A few minutes later, and Bartja was in the arms of his blind mother. She had been waiting for her darling's arrival with a beating heart, andin the joy of hearing his voice once more, and of being able to lay herhands again on that beloved head, she forgot everything else--even herfirst-born son who stood by smiling bitterly, as he watched the rich andboundless stream of a mother's love flowing out to his younger brother. Cambyses had been spoiled from his earliest infancy. Every wish had beenfulfilled, every look regarded as a command; and thus he grew up totallyunable to brook contradiction, giving way to the most violent anger ifany of his subjects (and he knew no human beings who were not hissubjects) dared to oppose him. His father Cyrus, conqueror of half the world--the man whose genius hadraised Persia from a small nation to the summit of earthly greatness--whohad secured for himself the reverence and admiration of countlesssubjugated tribes--this great king was incapable of carrying out in hisown small family-circle the system of education he had so successfullyadopted towards entire countries. He could see nought else in Cambysesbut the future king of Persia, and commanded his subjects to pay him anunquestioning obedience, entirely forgetful of the fact that he who is togovern well must begin by learning to obey. Cambyses had been the first-born son of Kassandane, the wife whom Cyrushad loved and married young; three daughters followed, and at last, fifteen years later, Bartja had come into the world. Their eldest sonhad already outgrown his parents' caresses, when this little childappeared to engross all their care and love. His gentle, affectionateand clinging nature made him the darling of both father and mother:Cambyses was treated with consideration by his parents, but their lovewas for Bartja. Cambyses was brave; he distinguished himself often inthe field, but his disposition was haughty and imperious; men served himwith fear and trembling, while Bartja, ever sociable and sympathizing, converted all his companions into loving friends. As to the mass ofthe people, they feared the king, and trembled when he drew near, notwithstanding the lavish manner in which he showered rich gifts aroundhim; but they loved Bartja, and believed they saw in him the image of thegreat Cyrus the "Father of his people. " Cambyses knew well that all this love, so freely given to Bartja, was notto be bought. He did not hate his younger brother, but he felt annoyedthat a youth who had as yet done nothing to distinguish himself, shouldbe honored and revered as if he were already a hero and publicbenefactor. Whatever annoyed or displeased him he considered must bewrong; where he disapproved he did not spare his censures, and from hisvery childhood, Cambyses' reproofs had been dreaded even by the mighty. The enthusiastic shouts of the populace, the overflowing love of hismother and sister, and above all, the warm encomiums expressed byNitetis, had excited a jealousy which his pride had never allowedhitherto. Nitetis had taken his fancy in a remarkable degree. Thisdaughter of a powerful monarch, like himself disdaining everything meanand inferior, had yet acknowledged him to be her superior, and to win hisfavor had not shrunk from the laborious task of mastering his nativelanguage. These qualities, added to her peculiar style of beauty, whichexcited his admiration from its rare novelty, half Egyptian half Greek, (her mother having been a Greek), had not failed to make a deepimpression on him. But she had been liberal in her praise of Bartja;that was enough to disturb Cambyses' mind and prepare the way forjealousy. As he and his brother were leaving the women's apartments, Cambysesadopted a hasty resolution and exclaimed: "You asked me just now for anopportunity of proving your courage. I will not refuse. The Tapuri haverisen; I have sent troops to the frontier. Go to Rhagae, take thecommand and show what you are worth. " "Thanks, brother, " cried Bartja. "May I take my friends, Darius, Gygesand Zopyrus with me?" "That favor shall be granted too. I hope you will all do your dutybravely and promptly, that you may be back in three months to join themain army in the expedition of revenge on the Massagetae. It will takeplace in spring. " "I will start to-morrow. " "Then farewell. " "If Auramazda should spare my life and I should return victorious, willyou promise to grant me one favor?" "Yes, I will. " "Now, then, I feel confident of victory, even if I should have to standwith a thousand men against ten thousand of the enemy. " Bartja's eyessparkled, he was thinking of Sappho. "Well, " answered his brother, "I shall be very glad if your actions bearout these glowing words. But stop; I have something more to say. Youare now twenty years of age; you must marry. Roxana, daughter of thenoble Hydarnes, is marriageable, and is said to be beautiful. Her birthmakes her a fitting bride for you. " "Oh! brother, do not speak of marriage; I . . . " "You must marry, forI have no children. " "But you are still young; you will not remain childless. Besides, I donot say that I will never marry. Do not be angry, but just now, when Iam to prove my courage, I would rather hear nothing about women. " "Well, then, you must marry Roxana when you return from the North. But Ishould advise you to take her with you to the field. A Persian generallyfights better if he knows that, beside his most precious treasures, hehas a beautiful woman in his tent to defend. " "Spare me this one command, my brother. I conjure thee, by the soul ofour father, not to inflict on me a wife of whom I know nothing, and neverwish to know. Give Roxana to Zopyrus, who is so fond of women, or toDarius or Bessus, who are related to her father Hydarnes. I cannot loveher, and should be miserable . . . " Cambyses interrupted him with a laugh, exclaiming: "Did you learn thesenotions in Egypt, where it is the custom to be contented with one wife?In truth, I have long repented having sent a boy like you abroad. I amnot accustomed to bear contradiction, and shall listen to no excusesafter the war. This once I will allow you to go to the field without awife. I will not force you to do what, in your opinion, might endangeryour valor. But it seems to me that you have other and more secretreasons for refusing my brotherly proposal. If that is the case, I amsorry for you. However, for the present, you can depart, but after thewar I will hear no remonstrances. You know me. " "Perhaps after the war I may ask for the very thing, which I am refusingnow--but never for Roxana! It is just as unwise to try to make a manhappy by force as it is wicked to compel him to be unhappy, and I thankyou for granting my request. " "Don't try my powers of yielding too often!--How happy you look!I really believe you are in love with some one woman by whose side allthe others have lost their charms. " Bartja blushed to his temples, and seizing his brother's hand, exclaimed:"Ask no further now, accept my thanks once more, and farewell. May I bidNitetis farewell too, when I have taken leave of our mother and Atossa?" Cambyses bit his lip, looked searchingly into Bartja's face, and findingthat the boy grew uneasy under his glance, exclaimed abruptly andangrily: "Your first business is to hasten to the Tapuri. My wife needsyour care no longer; she has other protectors now. " So saying he turnedhis back on his brother and passed on into the great hall, blazing withgold, purple and jewels, where the chiefs of the army, satraps, judges, treasurers, secretaries, counsellors, eunuchs, door-keepers, introducersof strangers, chamberlains, keepers of the wardrobe, dressers, cup-bearers, equerries, masters of the chase, physicians, eyes and ears ofthe king, ambassadors and plenipotentiaries of all descriptions--were inwaiting for him. [The "eyes and ears" of the king may be compared to our police- ministers. Darius may have borrowed the name from Egypt, where such titles as "the 2 eyes of the king for Upper Egypt, the 2 ears of the king for Lower Egypt" are to be found on the earlier monuments, for instance in the tomb of Amen en, heb at Abd el Qurnah. And in Herodotus II. 114. The boy Cyrus calls one of his playfellows "the eye of the king, " Herod. (I, 100. )] The king was preceded by heralds bearing staves, and followed by a hostof fan, sedan and footstool-bearers, men carrying carpets, andsecretaries who the moment he uttered a command, or even indicated aconcession, a punishment or a reward, hastened to note it down and atonce hand it over to the officials empowered to execute his decrees. In the middle of the brilliantly-lighted hall stood a gilded table, whichlooked as if it must give way beneath the mass of gold and silvervessels, plates, cups and bowls which were arranged with great order uponit. The king's private table, the service on which was of immense worthand beauty, was placed in an apartment opening out of the large hall, andseparated from it by purple hangings. These concealed him from the gazeof the revellers, but did not prevent their every movement from beingwatched by his eye. It was an object of the highest ambition to be oneof those who ate at the king's table, and even he to whom a portion wassent might deem himself a highly-favored man. As Cambyses entered the hall, nearly every one present prostratedthemselves before him; his relations alone, distinguished by the blue andwhite fillet on the tiara, contented themselves with a deferentialobeisance. After the king had seated himself in his private apartment, the rest ofthe company took their places, and then a tremendous revel began. Animals, roasted whole, were placed on the table, and, when hunger wasappeased, several courses of the rarest delicacies followed, celebratedin later times even among the Greeks under the name of "Persian dessert. " [Herodotus (I. 133. ) writes that the Persians fancied the Greeks' hunger was never satisfied, because nothing special was brought to the table at the end of the meal. ] Slaves then entered to remove the remains of the food. Others brought inimmense jugs of wine, the king left his own apartment, took his seat atthe head of the table, numerous cup-bearers filled the golden drinking-cups in the most graceful manner, first tasting the wine to prove that itwas free from poison, and soon one of those drinking-bouts had begununder the best auspices, at which, a century or two later, Alexander theGreat, forgot not only moderation but even friendship itself. Cambyses was unwontedly silent. The suspicion had entered his mind, thatBartja loved Nitetis. Why had he, contrary to all custom, so decidedlyrefused to marry a noble and beautiful girl, when his brother'schildlessness rendered marriage an evident and urgent duty for him? Whyhad he wished to see the Egyptian princess again before leaving Babylon?and blushed as he expressed that wish? and why had she, almost withoutbeing asked, praised him so warmly? It is well that he is going, thought the king; at least he shall not robme of her love. If he were not my brother I would send him to a placefrom whence none can return. After midnight he broke up the banquet. Boges appeared to conduct him tothe Harem, which he was accustomed to visit at this hour, whensufficiently sober. "Phaedime awaits you with impatience, " said the eunuch. "Let her wait!" was the king's answer. "Have you given orders that thepalace on the hanging-gardens shall be set in order?" "It will be ready for occupation to-morrow. " "What apartments have been assigned to the Egyptian Princess?" "Those formerly occupied by the second wife of your father Cyrus, thedeceased Amytis. " "That is well. Nitetis is to be treated with the greatest respect, andto receive no commands even from yourself, but such as I give you forher. " Boges bowed low. "See that no one, not even Croesus, has admission to 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 the Greek language, but I heardthe name of Bartja several times, and it seemed to me that the Egyptianhad received sorrowful intelligence. She was looking very sad when Icame, after Croesus had left, to inquire if she had any commands for me. " "May Ahriman blast thy tongue, " muttered the king, and then turning hisback on the eunuch he followed the torch-bearers and attendants, who werein waiting to disrobe him, to his own private apartments. At noon on the following clay, Bartja, accompanied by his friends and atroop of attendants, started on horseback for the frontier. Croesus wentwith the young warriors as far as the city gates, and as their lastfarewells and embraces were being exchanged, Bartja whispered to his oldfriend: "If the messenger from Egypt should have a letter for me in hisbag, 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 begged me to wish youfarewell, and tell you not to forget Egypt. " "I am not likely to do that. " "The gods take thee into their care, my son. Be prudent, do not riskyour life heedlessly, but remember that it is no longer only your own. Exercise the gentleness of a father towards the rebels; they did not risein mere self-will, but to gain their freedom, the most preciouspossession of mankind. Remember, too, that to shew mercy is better thanto shed blood; the sword killeth, but the favor of the ruler bringeth joyand happiness. Conclude the war as speedily as possible, for war is aperversion of nature; in peace the sons outlive the fathers, but in warthe fathers live to mourn for their slain sons. Farewell, my youngheroes, go forward and conquer!" CHAPTER XIII. Cambyses passed a sleepless night. The feeling of jealousy, so totallynew to him, increased his desire to possess Nitetis, but he dared nottake her as his wife yet, as the Persian law forbade the king to marry aforeign wife, until she had become familiar with the customs of Iran andconfessed herself a disciple of Zoroaster. [Zoroaster, really Zarathustra or Zerethoschtro, was one of the `greatest among founders of new religions and lawgivers. His name signified "golden star" according to Anquetil du Perron. But this interpretation is as doubtful, as the many others which have been attempted. An appropriate one is given in the essay by Kern quoted below, from zara golden, and thwistra glittering; thus "the gold glittering one. " It is uncertain whether he was born in Bactria, Media or Persia, Anquetil thinks in Urmi, a town in Aderbaijan. His father's name was Porosehasp, his mother's Dogdo, and his family boasted of royal descent. The time of his birth is very, --Spiegel says "hopelessly"--dark. Anquetil, and many other scholars would place it in the reign of Darius, a view which has been proved to be incorrect by Spiegel, Duncker and v. Schack in his introduction. ] According to this law a whole year must pass before Nitetis could becomethe wife of a Persian monarch? but what was the law to Cambyses? In hiseyes the law was embodied in his own person, and in his opinion threemonths would be amply sufficient to initiate Nitetis in the Magianmysteries, after which process she could become his bride. To-day his other wives seemed hateful, even loathsome, to him. FromCambyses' earliest youth his house had been carefully provided withwomen. Beautiful girls from all parts of Asia, black-eyed Armenians, dazzlingly fair maidens from the Caucasus, delicate girls from the shoresof the Ganges, luxurious Babylonian women, golden-haired Persians and theeffeminate daughters of the Median plains; indeed many of the noblestAchaemenidae had given him their daughters in marriage. Phaedime, the daughter of Otanes, and niece of his own mother Kassandane, had been Cambyses' favorite wife hitherto, or at least the only one ofwhom it could be said that she was more to him than a purchased slavewould have been. But even she, in his present sated and disgusted stateof feeling, seemed vulgar and contemptible, especially when he thought ofNitetis. The Egyptian seemed formed of nobler, better stuff than they all. Theywere flattering, coaxing girls; Nitetis was a queen. They humbledthemselves in the dust at his feet; but when he thought of Nitetis, hebeheld her erect, standing before him, on the same proud level ashimself. He determined that from henceforth she should not only occupyPhaedime's place, but should be to him what Kassandane had been to hisfather Cyrus. She was the only one of his wives who could assist him by her knowledgeand advice; the others were all like children, ignorant, and caring fornothing but dress and finery: living only for petty intrigues and uselesstrifles. This Egyptian girl would be obliged to love him, for he wouldbe her protector, her lord, her father and brother in this foreign land. "She must, " he said to himself, and to this despot to wish for a thingand to possess it seemed one and the same. "Bartja had better takecare, " he murmured, "or he shall know what fate awaits the man who daresto cross my path. " Nitetis too had passed a restless night. The common apartment of the women was next to her own, and the noise andsinging there had not ceased until nearly midnight. She could oftendistinguish the shrill voice of Boges joking and laughing with thesewomen, who were under his charge. At last all was quiet in the widepalace halls and then her thoughts turned to her distant home and herpoor sister Tachot, longing for her and for the beautiful Bartja, who, Croesus had told her, was going to-morrow to the war and possibly todeath. At last she fell asleep, overcome by the fatigue of the journeyand dreaming of her future husband. She saw him on his black charger. The foaming animal shied at Bartja who was lying in the road, threw hisrider and dragged him into the Nile, whose waves became blood-red. Inher terror she screamed for help; her cries were echoed back from thePyramids in such loud and fearful tones that she awoke. But hark! what could that be? That wailing, shrill cry which she hadheard in her dream, --she could hear it still. Hastily drawing aside the shutters from one of the openings which servedas windows, she looked out. A large and beautiful garden, laid out withfountains and shady avenues, lay before her, glittering with the earlydew. [The Persian gardens were celebrated throughout the old world, and seem to have been laid out much less stiffly than the Egyptian. Even the kings of Persia did not consider horticulture beneath their notice, and the highest among the Achaemenidae took an especial pleasure in laying out parks, called in Persian Paradises. Their admiration for well-grown trees went so far, that Xerxes, finding on his way to Greece a singularly beautiful tree, hung ornaments of gold upon its branches. Firdusi, the great Persian epic poet, compares human beauty to the growth of the cypress, as the highest praise he can give. Indeed some trees were worshipped by the Persians; and as the tree of life in the Hebrew and Egyptian, so we find sacred trees in their Paradise. ] No sound was to be heard except the one which had alarmed her, and thistoo died away at last on the morning breeze. After a few minutes sheheard cries and noise in the distance, then the great city awaking to itsdaily work, which soon settled down into a deep, dull murmur like theroaring of the sea. Nitetis was by this time so thoroughly awakened from the effect of thefresh morning air, that she did not care to lie down again. She wentonce more to the window and perceived two figures coming out of thehouse. One she recognized as the eunuch Boges; he was talking to abeautiful Persian woman carelessly dressed. They approached her window. Nitetis hid herself behind the half-opened shutter and listened, for shefancied she heard her own name. "The Egyptian is still asleep. " said Boges. "She must be much fatiguedby the journey. I see too that one of her windows is still firmlyclosed. " "Then tell me quickly, " said the Persian. "Do you really think that thisstranger's coming 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 Magiread the sacred books. " "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 you can do nothing without myhelp. " "Very well then, I don't care. But tell me quickly what we can do. " "Thanks, my sweet Phaedime. Well, for the present we must be patientand wait our time. That detestable hypocrite Croesus seems to haveestablished himself as protector of the Egyptian; when he is away, wemust set our snares. " The speakers were by this time at such a distance, that Nitetis could notunderstand what they said. In silent indignation she closed the shutter, and called her maidens to dress her. She knew her enemies now--she knewthat a thousand dangers surrounded her, and yet she felt proud and happy, for was she not chosen to be the real wife of Cambyses? Her own worthseemed clearer to her than ever before, from a comparison with thesemiserable creatures, and a wonderful certainty of ultimate victory stoleinto her heart, for Nitetis was a firm believer in the magic power ofvirtue. "What was that dreadful sound I heard so early?" she asked of herprincipal waiting-woman, who was arranging her hair. "Do you mean the sounding brass, lady?" "Scarcely two hours ago I was awakened by a strange and frightful sound. " "That was the sounding brass, lady. It is used to awaken the young sonsof the Persian nobles, who are brought up at the gate of the king. Youwill soon become accustomed to it. We have long ceased even to hear it, and indeed on great festivals, when it is not sounded, we awake from theunaccustomed stillness. From the hanging-gardens you will be able to seehow the boys are taken to bathe every morning, whatever the weather maybe. The poor little ones are taken from their mothers when they are sixyears old, to be brought up with the other boys of their own rank underthe king's eye. " "Are they to begin learning the luxurious manners of the court so early?" "Oh no! the poor boys lead a terrible life. They are obliged to sleep onthe hard ground, to rise before the sun. Their food is bread and water, with very little meat, and they are never allowed to taste wine orvegetables. Indeed at times they are deprived of food and drink for somedays, simply to accustom them to privations. When the court is atEcbatana or Pasargadae, and the weather is bitterly cold, they are sureto be taken out to bathe, and here in Susa, the hotter the sun, thelonger and more difficult the marches they are compelled to take. " [The summer residences of the kings cf Persia, where it is sometimes very cold. Ecbatana lies at the foot of the high Elburs (Orontes) range of mountains in the neighborhood of the modern Hamadan; Pasargadae not far from Rachmet in the highlands of Iran] "And these boys, so simply and severely brought up, become in after lifesuch luxurious men?" "Yes, that is always the case. A meal that has been waited for is allthe more relished when it comes. These boys see splendor andmagnificence around 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 oflife with a tenfold eagerness? But on the other hand, in time of war, orwhen going to the chase, they never murmur at hunger or thirst, springwith a laugh into the mud regardless of their thin boots and purpletrousers, and sleep as soundly on a rock as on their beds of delicateArabian wool. You must see the feats these boys perform, especially whenthe king is watching them! Cambyses will certainly take you if you askhim. " "I know those exercises already. In Egypt the girls as well as the boysare kept to such gymnastic exercises. My limbs were trained toflexibility by running, postures, and games with hoops and balls. "How strange! Here, we women grow up just as we please, and are taughtnothing but a little spinning and weaving. Is it true that most of theEgyptian women can read and write?" "Yes, nearly all. " "By Mithras, you must be a clever people! Scarcely any of the Persians, except the Magi and the scribes, learn these difficult arts. The sons ofthe nobles are taught to speak the truth, to be courageous, obedient, andto reverence the gods; to hunt, ride, plant trees and discern betweenherbs; but whoever, like the noble Darius, wishes to learn the art ofwriting, must apply to the Magi. Women are forbidden to turn their mindsto such studies. --Now your dress is complete. This string of pearls, which the king sent this morning, looks magnificent in your raven-blackhair, but it is easy to see that you are not accustomed to the full silktrousers and high-heeled boots. If, however, you walk two or three timesup and down the room you will surpass all the Persian ladies even in yourwalk!" At this moment a knock was heard and Boges entered. He had come toconduct Nitetis to Kassandane's apartments, where Cambyses was waitingfor her. The eunuch affected an abject humility, and poured forth a stream offlattering words, in which he likened the princess to the sun, the starryheavens, a pure fount of happiness, and a garden of roses. Nitetisdeigned him not a word in reply, but followed, with a beating heart, tothe queen's apartment. In order to keep out the noonday sun and produce a salutary half-lightfor the blind queen's eyes, her windows were shaded by curtains of greenIndian silk. The floor was covered with a thick Babylonian carpet, softas moss under the foot. The walls were 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 tableof silver stood by the side of the blind queen. Kassandane was seated ina costly arm-chair. She wore a robe of violet-blue, embroidered withsilver, and over her snow-white hair lay a long veil of delicate lace, woven in Egypt, the ends of which were wound round her neck and tied in alarge bow beneath her chin. She was between sixty and seventy years old;her face, framed, as it were, into a picture by the lace veil, wasexquisitely symmetrical in its form, intellectual, kind and benevolentin its expression. The blind eyes were closed, but those who gazed on her felt that, if open, they would shine with the gentle light of stars. Even whensitting, her attitude and height showed a tall and stately figure. Indeed her entire appearance was worthy the widow of the great andgood Cyrus. On a low seat at her feet, drawing long threads from a golden spindle, sat the queen's youngest child Atossa, born to her late in life. Cambyses was standing before her, and behind, hardly visible in the dimlight, Nebenchari, the Egyptian oculist. As Nitetis entered, Cambyses came towards her and led her to his mother. The daughter of Amasis fell on her knees before this venerable woman, andkissed her hand with real affection. "Be welcome here!" exclaimed the blind queen, feeling her way to theyoung girl's head, on which she laid her hand, "I have heard much in yourpraise, and hope to gain in you a dear and loving daughter. " Nitetis kissed the gentle, delicate hand again, saying in a low voice:"O how I thank you for these words! Will you, the wife of the greatCyrus, permit me to call you mother? My tongue has been so longaccustomed to this sweet word; and now after long weeks of silence, I tremble with joy at the thought that I may say 'my mother' once more!I will indeed try to deserve your love and kindness; and you--you will beto me all that your loving countenance seems to promise? Advise andteach me; let me find a refuge at your feet, if sometimes the longing forhome becomes too strong, and my poor heart too weak to bear its grief orjoy alone. Oh, be my mother! that one word includes all else!" The blind queen felt the warm tears fall on her hand; she pressed herlips kindly on the weeping girl's forehead, and answered: "I canunderstand your feelings. My apartments shall be always open to you, my heart ready to welcome you here. Come when you will, and call me yourmother with the same perfect confidence with which I, from my wholeheart, name you my daughter. In a few months you will be my son's wife, and then the gods may grant you that gift, which, by implanting withinyou the feelings of a mother, will prevent you from feeling the need ofone. " "May Ormuszd hear and give his blessing!" said Cambyses. "I rejoice, mother, that my wife pleases you, and I know that when once she becomesfamiliar with our manners and customs she will be happy here. If Nitetispay due heed, our marriage can be celebrated in four months. " "But the law--" began his mother. "I command--in four months, and should like to see him who dare raise anobjection. Farewell! Nebenchari, use your best skill for the queen'seyes, and if my wife permit, you, as her countryman, may visit herto-morrow. Farewell! Bartja sends his parting greetings. He is on theroad to the Tapuri. " Atossa wiped away a tear in silence, but Kassandane answered: "You wouldhave done well to allow the boy to remain here a few months longer. Yourcommander, Megabyzus, could have subdued that small nation alone. " "Of that I have no doubt, " replied the king, "but Bartja desired anopportunity of distinguishing himself in the field; and for that reasonI sent him. " "Would he not gladly have waited until the war with the Massageta; wheremore glory might be gained?" asked the blind woman. "Yes, " said Atossa, "and if he should fall in this war, you will havedeprived him of the power of fulfilling his most sacred duty, of avengingthe soul of our father!" "Be silent!" cried Cambyses in an overbearing tone, "or I shall have toteach you what is becoming in women and children. Bartja is on far toogood terms with fortune to fall in the war. He will live, I hope, todeserve the love which is now so freely flung into his lap like an alms. " "How canst thou speak thus?" cried Kassandane. "In what manly virtue isBartja wanting? Is it his fault, that he has had no such opportunity ofdistinguishing himself in the field as thou hast had? You are the kingand I am bound to respect your commands, but I blame my son for deprivinghis blind mother of the greatest joy left to her in her old age. Bartjawould have gladly remained here until the Massagetan war, if your self-will had not determined otherwise. " "And what I will is good!" exclaimed Cambyses interrupting his mother, and pale with anger, "I desire that this subject be not mentioned again. " So saying, he left the room abruptly and went into the reception-hall, followed by the immense retinue which never quitted him, whithersoever hemight direct his steps. An hour passed, and still Nitetis and the lovely Atossa were sitting sideby side, at the feet of the queen. The Persian women listened eagerly toall their new friend could tell them about Egypt and its wonders. "Oh! how I should like to visit your home!" exclaimed Atossa. "It mustbe quite, quite different from Persia and everything else that I haveseen yet. The fruitful shores of your great river, larger even than theEuphrates, the temples with their painted columns, those huge artificialmountains, the Pyramids, where the ancient kings be buried--it must allbe wonderfully beautiful. But what pleases me best of all is yourdescription of the entertainments, where men and women converse togetheras they like. The only meals we are allowed to take in the society ofmen are on New Year's Day and the king's birthday, and then we areforbidden to speak; indeed it is not thought right for us even to raiseour eyes. How different it is with you! By Mithras! mother, I shouldlike to be an Egyptian, for we poor creatures are in reality nothing butmiserable slaves; and yet I feel that the great Cyrus was my father too, and that I am worth quite as much as most men. Do I not speak the truth?can I not obey as well as command? have I not the same thirst andlonging 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 andshe swung her spindle in the air, quite unconscious that in so doing shewas breaking the thread and entangling the flax. "Remember what is fitting, " reminded Kassandane. "A woman must submitwith humility to her quiet destiny, and not aspire to imitate the deedsof men. " "But there are women who lead the same lives as men, " cried Atossa. "There are the Amazons who live on the shores of the Thermodon inThemiscyra, and at Comana on the Iris; they have waged great wars, andeven to this day wear men's armor. " "Who told you this?" "My old nurse, Stephanion, whom my father brought a captive from Sinopeto Pasargadae. " "But I can teach you better, " said Nitetis. "It is true that inThemiscyra and Comana there are a number of women who wear soldier'sarmor; but they are only priestesses, and clothe themselves like thewarlike goddess they serve, in order to present to the worshippers amanifestation of the divinity in human form. Croesus says that an armyof Amazons has never existed, but that the Greeks, (always ready and ableto turn anything into a beautiful myth), having seen these priestesses, at once transformed the armed virgins dedicated to the goddess into anation of fighting women. " "Then they are liars!" exclaimed the disappointed girl. "It is true, that the Greeks have not the same reverence for truth as youhave, " 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 singthe praises of my husband, have altered and adorned his early life in amarvellous manner; yet no one calls them liars. But tell me, mydaughter, is it true that these Greeks are more beautiful than other men, and understand art better even than the Egyptians?" "On that subject I should not venture to pronounce a judgment. There issuch a great difference between the Greek and Egyptian works of art. When I went into our own gigantic temples to pray, I always felt as if Imust prostrate myself in the dust before the greatness of the gods, andentreat them not to crush so insignificant a worm; but in the temple ofHera at Samos, I could only raise my hands to heaven in joyfulthanksgiving, that the gods had made the earth so beautiful. In Egypt Ialways believed as I had been taught: 'Life is asleep; we shall not awaketo our true existence in the kingdom of Osiris till the hour of death;'but in Greece I thought: 'I am born to live and to enjoy this cheerful, bright and blooming world. '" "Ah! tell us something more about Greece, " cried Atossa; "but firstNebenchari must put a fresh bandage on my mother's eyes. " The oculist, a tall, grave man in the white robes of an Egyptian priest, came forward to perform the necessary operation, and after being kindlygreeted by Nitetis, withdrew once more silently into the background. Atthe same time a eunuch entered to enquire whether Croesus might beallowed to pay his respectful homage to the king's mother. The aged king soon appeared, and was welcomed as the old and tried friendof the Persian royal family. Atossa, with her usual impetuosity, fell onthe neck of the friend she had so sorely missed during his absence; thequeen gave him her hand, and Nitetis met him like a loving daughter. "I thank the gods, that I am permitted to see you again, " said Croesus. "The young can look at life as a possession, as a thing understood andsure, but at my age every year must be accepted as an undeserved giftfrom the gods, for which a man must be thankful. " "I could envy you for this happy view of life, " sighed Kassandane. "My years are fewer than yours, and yet every new day seems to me apunishment sent by the Immortals. " "Can I be listening to the wife of the great Cyrus?" asked Croesus. "How long is it since courage and confidence left that brave heart?I tell you, you will recover sight, and once more thank the gods for agood old age. The man who recovers, after a serious illness, valueshealth a hundred-fold more than before; and he who regains sight afterblindness, must be an especial favorite of the gods. Imagine to yourselfthe delight of that first moment when your eyes behold once more thebright shining of the sun, the faces of your loved ones, the beauty ofall created things, and tell me, would not that outweigh even a wholelife of blindness and dark night? In the day of healing, even if thatcome in old age, a new life will begin and I shall hear you confess thatmy friend Solon was right. " "In what respect?" asked Atossa. "In wishing that Mimnermos, the Colophonian poet, would correct the poemin which he has assigned sixty years as the limit of a happy life, andwould change the sixty into eighty. " "Oh no!" exclaimed Kassandane. "Even were Mithras to restore my sight, such a long life would be dreadful. Without my husband I seem to myselflike a wanderer in the desert, aimless and without a guide. " "Are your children then nothing to you, and this kingdom, of which youhave watched the rise and growth?" "No indeed! but my children need me no longer, and the ruler of thiskingdom is too proud to listen to a woman's advice. " On hearing these words Atossa and Nitetis seized each one of the queen'shands, 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 audible voice: "You areright, my children, you will stand in need of your mother. " "Now you are speaking once more like the wife of the great Cyrus, " criedCroesus, kissing the robe of the blind woman. "Your presence will indeedbe needed, who can say how soon? Cambyses is like hard steel; sparksfly wherever he strikes. You can hinder these sparks from kindling adestroying fire among your loved ones, and this should be your duty. You alone can dare to admonish the king in the violence of his passion. He regards you as his equal, and, while despising the opinion of others, feels wounded by his mother's disapproval. Is it not then your duty toabide patiently as mediator between the king, the kingdom and your lovedones, and so, by your own timely reproofs, to humble the pride of yourson, that he may be spared that deeper humiliation which, if not thusaverted, the gods will surely inflict. " "You are right, " answered the blind woman, "but I feel only too well thatmy influence over him is but small. He has been so much accustomed tohave his own will, that he will follow no advice, even if it come fromhis mother's lips. " "But he must at least hear it, " answered Croesus, "and that is much, for even if he refuse to obey, your counsels will, like divine voices, continue to make themselves heard within him, and will keep him backfrom many a sinful act. I will remain your ally in this matter; for, as Cambyses' dying father appointed me the counsellor of his son in wordand deed, I venture occasionally a bold word to arrest his excesses. Ours is the only blame from which he shrinks: we alone can dare to speakour opinion to him. Let us courageously do our duty in this our office:you, moved by love to Persia and your son, and I by thankfulness to thatgreat man to whom I owe life and freedom, and whose son Cambyses is. Iknow that you bemoan the manner in which he has been brought up; but suchlate repentance must be avoided like poison. For the errors of the wisethe remedy is reparation, not regret; regret consumes the heart, but theeffort to repair an error causes it to throb with a noble pride. " "In Egypt, " said Nitetis, "regret is numbered among the forty-twodeadly sins. One of our principal commandments is, 'Thou shalt notconsume thine heart. '" [In the Ritual of the Dead (indeed in almost every Papyrus of the Dead) we meet with a representation of the soul, whose heart is being weighed and judged. The speech made by the soul is called the negative justification, in which she assures the 42 judges of the dead, that she has not committed the 42 deadly sins which she enumerates. This justification is doubly interesting because it contains nearly the entire moral law of Moses, which last, apart from all national peculiarities and habits of mind, seems to contain the quintessence of human morality--and this we find ready paragraphed in our negative justification. Todtenbuch ed. Lepsius. 125. We cannot discuss this question philosophically here, but the law of Pythagoras, who borrowed so much from Egypt, and the contents of which are the same, speaks for our view. It is similar in form to the Egyptian. ] "There you remind me, " said Croesus "that I have undertaken to arrangefor your instruction in the Persian customs, religion and language. Ihad intended to withdraw to Barene, the town which I received as a giftfrom Cyrus, and there, in that most lovely mountain valley, to take myrest; but for your sake and for the king's, I will remain here andcontinue to give you instruction in the Persian tongue. Kassandaneherself will initiate you in the customs peculiar to women at the Persiancourt, and Oropastes, the high-priest, has been ordered by the king tomake you acquainted with the religion of Iran. He will be yourspiritual, and I your secular guardian. " At these words Nitetis, who had been smiling happily, cast down her eyesand 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 toforget them?" "Yes, " said Kassandane decidedly, "thou canst, and it is thy boundenduty, for a wife ought to have no friends but those her husband callssuch. The gods are a man's earliest, mightiest and most faithfulfriends, and it therefore becomes thy duty, as a wife, to honor them, and to close thine heart against strange gods and superstitions, as thou wouldst close it against strange lovers. " "And, " added Croesus, "we will not rob you of your deities; we will onlygive them to you under other names. As Truth remains eternally the same, whether called 'maa', as by the Egyptians, or 'Aletheia' as by theGreeks, so the essence of the Deity continues unchanged in all places andtimes. Listen, my daughter: I myself, while still king of Lydia, oftensacrificed in sincere devotion to the Apollo of the Greeks, without afear that in so doing I should offend the Lydian sun-god Sandon; theIonians pay their worship to the Asiatic Cybele, and, now that I havebecome a Persian, I raise my hands adoringly to Mithras, Ormuzd and thelovely Anahita. Pythagoras too, whose teaching is not new to you, worships one god only, whom he calls Apollo; because, like the Greek sun-god, he is the source of light and of those harmonies which Pythagorasholds to be higher than all else. And lastly, Xenophanes of Colophonlaughs at the many and divers gods of Homer and sets one single deity onhigh--the ceaselessly creative might of nature, whose essence consists ofthought, reason and eternity. [A celebrated freethinker, who indulged in bold and independent speculations, and suffered much persecution for his ridicule of the Homeric deities. He flourished at the time of our history and lived to a great age, far on into the fifth century. We have quoted some fragments of his writings above. He committed his speculations also to verse. ] "In this power everything has its rise, and it alone remains unchanged, while all created matter must be continually renewed and perfected. Theardent longing for some being above us, on whom we can lean when our ownpowers fail, --the wonderful instinct which desires a faithful friend towhom we can tell every joy and sorrow without fear of disclosure, thethankfulness with which we behold this beautiful world and all the richblessings we have received--these are the feelings which we call piety--devotion. "These you must hold fast; remembering, however, at the same time, thatthe world is ruled neither by the Egyptian, the Persian, nor the Greekdivinities apart from each other, but that all these are one; and thatone indivisible Deity, how different soever may be the names andcharacters under which He is represented, guides the fate of men andnations. " The two Persian women listened to the old man in amazement. Theirunpractised powers were unable to follow the course of his thoughts. Nitetis, however, had understood him thoroughly, and answered: "My motherLadice was the pupil of Pythagoras, and has told me something like thisalready; but the Egyptian priests consider such views to be sacrilegious, and call their originators despisers of the gods. So I tried to represssuch thoughts; but now I will resist them no longer. What the good andwise Croesus believes cannot possibly be evil or impious! Let Oropastescome! I am ready to listen to his teaching. The god of Thebes, ourAmmon, shall be transformed into Ormuzd, --Isis or Hathor, into Anahita, and those among our gods for whom I can find no likeness in the Persianreligion, I shall designate by the name of 'the Deity. '" Croesus smiled. He had fancied, knowing how obstinately the Egyptiansclung to all they had received from tradition and education, that itwould have been more difficult for Nitetis to give up the gods of hernative land. He had forgotten that her mother was a Greek, and that thedaughters of Amasis had studied the doctrines of Pythagoras. Neither washe aware how ardently Nitetis longed to please her proud lord and master. Even Amasis, who so revered the Samian philosopher, who had so oftenyielded to Hellenic influence, and who with good reason might be called afree-thinking Egyptian, would sooner have exchanged life for death, thanhis 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, or toreceive Atossa in the hanging-gardens, every morning, and every afternoonuntil sunset. " This joyful news was received with loud rejoicings by Atossa, and with agrateful smile by the Egyptian girl. "And lastly, " said Croesus, "I have brought some balls and hoops with mefrom Sais, that you may be able to amuse yourselves in Egyptian fashion. " "Balls?" asked Atossa in amazement; "what can we do with the heavy woodenthings?" "That need not trouble you, " answered Croesus, laughing. "The balls Ispeak of are pretty little things made of the skins of fish filled withair, or of leather. A child of two years old can throw these, but youwould find it no easy matter even to lift one of those wooden balls withwhich the Persian boys play. Are you content with me, Nitetis?" [In Persia games with balls are still reckoned among the amusements of the men. One player drives a wooden hall to the other, as in the English game of cricket. Chardin (Voyage en Perse. III. P. 226. ) saw the game played by 300 players. ] "How can I thank you enough, my father?" "And now listen to my plan for the division of your time. In the morningyou will visit Kassandane, chat with Atossa, and listen to the teachingof your noble mother. " Here the blind woman bent her head in approval. "Towards noon I shallcome to teach you, and we can talk sometimes about Egypt and your lovedones there, but always in Persian. You would like this, would you not?" Nitetis smiled. "Every second day, Oropastes will be in attendance to initiate you in thePersian religion. " "I will take the greatest pains to comprehend him quickly. " "In the afternoon you can be with Atossa as long as you like. Does thatplease you too?" "O Croesus!" cried the young girl and kissed the old man's hand. ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: A first impression is often a final oneAssigned sixty years as the limit of a happy lifeAt my age every year must be accepted as an undeserved giftCambyses had been spoiled from his earliest infancyDevoid of occupation, envy easily becomes hatredEasy to understand what we like to hearEros mocks all human efforts to resist or confine himEyes are much more eloquent than all the tongues in the worldFor the errors of the wise the remedy is reparation, not regretGreeks have not the same reverence for truthHe who is to govern well must begin by learning to obeyIn war the fathers live to mourn for their slain sonsInn, was to be found about every eighteen milesLovers are the most unteachable of pupilsThe beautiful past is all he has to live uponThe gods cast envious glances at the happiness of mortalsUnwise to try to make a man happy by forceWar is a perversion of natureYe play with eternity as if it were but a passing momentZeus pays no heed to lovers' oaths