ben-hur-第21部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


g　is　a　law　which　will　continue　as　long　as　there　is　anything　we　cannot　understand。　The　prayer　of　the　barbarian　is　a　wail　of　fear　addressed　to　Strength；　the　only　divine　quality　he　can　clearly　conceive；　hence　his　faith　in　heroes。　What　is　Jove　but　a　Roman　hero？　The　Greeks　have　their　great　glory　because　they　were　the　first　to　set　Mind　above　Strength。　In　Athens　the　orator　and　philosopher　were　more　revered　than　the　warrior。　The　charioteer　and　the　swiftest　runner　are　still　idols　of　the　arena；　yet　the　immortelles　are　reserved　for　the　sweetest　singer。　The　birthplace　of　one　poet　was　contested　by　seven　cities。　But　was　the　Hellene　the　first　to　deny　the　old　barbaric　faith？　No。　My　son；　that　glory　is　ours；　against　brutalism　our　fathers　erected　God；　in　our　worship；　the　wail　of　fear　gave　place　to　the　Hosanna　and　the　Psalm。　So　the　Hebrew　and　the　Greek　would　have　carried　all　humanity　forward　and　upward。　But；　alas！　the　government　of　the　world　presumes　war　as　an　eternal　condition；　wherefore；　over　Mind　and　above　God；　the　Roman　has　enthroned　his　Caesar；　the　absorbent　of　all　attainable　power；　the　prohibition　of　any　other　greatness。

〃The　sway　of　the　Greek　was　a　flowering　time　for　genius。　In　return　for　the　liberty　it　then　enjoyed；　what　a　company　of　thinkers　the　Mind　led　forth？　There　was　a　glory　for　every　excellence；　and　a　perfection　so　absolute　that　in　everything　but　war　even　the　Roman　has　stooped　to　imitation。　A　Greek　is　now　the　model　of　the　orators　in　the　Forum；　listen；　and　in　every　Roman　song　you　will　hear　the　rhythm　of　the　Greek；　if　a　Roman　opens　his　mouth　speaking　wisely　of　moralities；　or　abstractions；　or　of　the　mysteries　of　nature；　he　is　either　a　plagiarist　or　the　disciple　of　some　school　which　had　a　Greek　for　its　founder。　In　nothing　but　war；　I　say　again；　has　Rome　a　claim　to　originality。　Her　games　and　spectacles　are　Greek　inventions；　dashed　with　blood　to　gratify　the　ferocity　of　her　rabble；　her　religion；　if　such　it　may　be　called；　is　made　up　of　contributions　from　the　faiths　of　all　other　peoples；　her　most　venerated　gods　are　from　Olympuseven　her　Mars；　and；　for　that　matter；　the　Jove　she　much　magnifies。　So　it　happens；　O　my　son；　that　of　the　whole　world　our　Israel　alone　can　dispute　the　superiority　of　the　Greek；　and　with　him　contest　the　palm　of　original　genius。

〃To　the　excellences　of　other　peoples　the　egotism　of　a　Roman　is　a　blindfold；　impenetrable　as　his　breastplate。　Oh；　the　ruthless　robbers！　Under　their　trampling　the　earth　trembles　like　a　floor　beaten　with　flails。　Along　with　the　rest　we　are　fallenalas　that　I　should　say　it　to　you；　my　son！　They　have　our　highest　places；　and　the　holiest；　and　the　end　no　man　can　tell；　but　this　I　knowthey　may　reduce　Judea　as　an　almond　broken　with　hammers；　and　devour　Jerusalem；　which　is　the　oil　and　sweetness　thereof；　yet　the　glory　of　the　men　of　Israel　will　remain　a　light　in　the　heavens　overhead　out　of　reach：　for　their　history　is　the　history　of　God；　who　wrote　with　their　hands；　spake　with　their　tongues；　and　was　himself　in　all　the　good　they　did；　even　the　least；　who　dwelt　with　them；　a　Lawgiver　on　Sinai；　a　Guide　in　the　wilderness；　in　war　a　Captain；　in　government　a　King；　who　once　and　again　pushed　back　the　curtains　of　the　pavilion　which　is　his　resting…place；　intolerably　bright；　and；　as　a　man　speaking　to　men；　showed　them　the　right；　and　the　way　to　happiness；　and　how　they　should　live；　and　made　them　promises　binding　the　strength　of　his　Almightiness　with　covenants　sworn　to　everlastingly。　O　my　son；　could　it　be　that　they　with　whom　Jehovah　thus　dwelt；　an　awful　familiar；　derived　nothing　from　him？that　in　their　lives　and　deeds　the　common　human　qualities　should　not　in　some　degree　have　been　mixed　and　colored　with　the　divine？　that　their　genius　should　not　have　in　it；　even　after　the　lapse　of　ages；　some　little　of　heaven？〃

For　a　time　the　rustling　of　the　fan　was　all　the　sound　heard　in　the　chamber。

〃In　the　sense　which　limits　art　to　sculpture　and　painting；　it　is　true；〃　she　next　said；　〃Israel　has　had　no　artists。〃

The　admission　was　made　regretfully；　for　it　must　be　remembered　she　was　a　Sadducee；　whose　faith；　unlike　that　of　the　Pharisees；　permitted　a　love　of　the　beautiful　in　every　form；　and　without　reference　to　its　origin。

〃Still　he　who　would　do　justice；〃　she　proceeded；　〃will　not　forget　that　the　cunning　of　our　hands　was　bound　by　the　prohibition；　'Thou　shalt　not　make　unto　thee　any　graven　image；　or　any　likeness　of　anything；'　which　the　Sopherim　wickedly　extended　beyond　its　purpose　and　time。　Nor　should　it　be　forgotten　that　long　before　Daedalus　appeared　in　Attica　and　with　his　wooden　statues　so　transformed　sculpture　as　to　make　possible　the　schools　of　Corinth　and　AEgina；　and　their　ultimate　triumphs　the　Poecile　and　Capitoliumlong　before　the　age　of　Daedalus；　I　say；　two　Israelites；　Bezaleel　and　Aholiab；　the　master…builders　of　the　first　tabernacle；　said　to　have　been　skilled　'in　all　manner　of　workmanship；'　wrought　the　cherubim　of　the　mercy…seat　above　the　ark。　Of　gold　beaten；　not　chiseled；　were　they；　and　they　were　statues　in　form　both　human　and　divine。　'And　they　shall　stretch　forth　their　wings　on　high；　。　。　。　。　and　their　faces　shall　look　one　to　another。'　Who　will　say　they　were　not　beautiful？　or　that　they　were　not　the　first　statues？〃

〃Oh；　I　see　now　why　the　Greek　outstripped　us；〃　said　Judah；　intensely　interested。　〃And　the　ark；　accursed　be　the　Babylonians　who　destroyed　it！〃

〃Nay；　Judah；　be　of　faith。　It　was　not　destroyed；　only　lost；　hidden　away　too　safely　in　some　cavern　of　the　mountains。　One　dayHillel　and　Shammai　both　say　soone　day；　in　the　Lord's　good　time；　it　will　be　found　and　brought　forth；　and　Israel　dance　before　it；　singing　as　of　old。　And　they　who　look　upon　the　faces　of　the　cherubim　then；　though　they　have　seen　the　face　of　the　ivory　Minerva；　will　be　ready　to　kiss　the　hand　of　the　Jew　from　love　of　his　genius；　asleep　through　all　the　thousands　of　years。〃

The　mother；　in　her　eagerness；　had　risen　into　something　like　the　rapidity　and　vehemence　of　a　speech…maker；　but　now；　to　recover　herself；　or　to　pick　up　the　thread　of　her　thought；　she　rested　awhile。

〃You　are　so　good；　my　mother；〃　he　said；　in　a　grateful　way。　〃And　I　will　never　be　done　saying　so。　Shammai　could　not　have　talked　better；　nor　Hillel。　I　am　a　true　son　of　Israel　again。〃

〃Flatterer！〃　she　said。　〃You　do　not　know　that　I　am　but　repeating　what　I　heard　Hillel　say　in　an　argument　he　had　one　day　in　my　presence　with　a　sophist　from　Rome。〃

〃Well；　the　hearty　words　are　yours。〃

Directly　all　her　earnestness　returned。

〃Where　was　I？　Oh　yes；　I　was　claiming　for　our　Hebrew　fathers　the　first　statues。　The　trick　of　the　sculptor；　Judah；　is　not　all　there　is　of　art；　any　more　than　art　is　all　there　is　of　greatness。　I　always　think　of　great　men　marching　down　the　centuries　in　groups　and　goodly　companies；　separable　according　to　nationalities；　here　the　Indian；　there　the　Egyptian；　yonder　the　Assyrian；　above　them　the　music　of　trumpets　and　the　beauty　of　banners；　and　on　their　right　hand　and　left；　as　reverent　spectators；　the　generations　from　the　beginning；　numberless。　As　they　go；　I　think　of　the　Greek；　saying；　'Lo！　The　Hellene　leads　the　way。'　Then　the　Roman　replies；　'Silence！　what　was　your　place　is　ours　now；　we　have　left　you　behind　as　dust　trodden　on。'　And　all　the　time；　from　the　far　front　back　over　the　line　of　march；　as　well　as　forward　into　the　farthest　future；　streams　a　light　of　which　the　wranglers　know　nothing；　except　that　it　is　forever　leading　them　onthe　Light　of　Revelation！　Who　are　they　that　carry　it？　Ah；　the　old　Judean　blood！　How　it　leaps　at　the　thought！　By　the　light　we　know　them。　Thrice　blessed；　O　our　fathers；　servants　of　God；　keepers　of　the　covenants！　Ye　are　the　leaders　of　men；　the　living　and　the　dead。　The　front　is　thine；　and　though　every　Roman　were　a　Caesar；　ye　shall　not　lose　it！〃

Judah　was　deeply　stirred。

〃Do　not　stop；　I　pray　you；〃　he　cried。　〃You　give　me　to　hear　the　sound　of　timbrels。　I　wait　for　Miriam　and　the　women　who　went　after　her　dancing　and　singing。〃

She　caught　his　feeling；　and；　with　ready　wit；　wove　it　into　her　speech。

〃Very　well；　my　son。　If　you　can　hear　the　timbrel　of　the　prophetess；　you　can　do　what　I　was　about　to　ask；　you　can　use　your　fancy；　and　stand　with　me；　as　if　by　the　wayside；　while　the　chosen　of　Israel　pass　us　at　the　head　of　the　procession。　Now　they　comethe　patriarchs　first；　next　the　fathers　of　the　tribes。　I　almost　hear　the　bells　of　their　camels　and　the　lowing　of　their　herds。　Who　is　he　that　walks　alone　between　the　companies？　An　old　man；　yet　his　eye　is　not　dim；　nor　his　natural　force　abated。　He　knew　the　Lord　face　to　face！　Warrior；　poet；　orator；　lawgiver；　prophet；　his　greatness　is　as　the　sun　at　morning；　its　flood　of　splendor　quenching　all　other　lights；　even　that　of　the　first　and　noblest　of　the　Caesars。　After　him　the　judges。　And　then　the　kingsthe　son　of　Jesse；　a　hero　in　war；　and　a　singer　of　songs　eternal　as　that　of　the　sea；　and　his　son；　who；　passing　all　other　kings　in　riches　and　wisdom；　and　while　making　the　Desert　habitable；　and　in　its　waste　places　planting　cities；　forgot　not　Jerusalem　which　the　Lord　had　chosen　for　his　seat　on　earth。　Bend　lower；　my　son！　These　that　come　next　are　the　first　of　their　kind；　and　the　last。　Their　faces　are　raised；　as　if　they　heard　a　voice　in　the　sky　and　were　listening。　Their　lives　were　full　of　sorrows。　Their　garments　smell　of　tombs　and　caverns。　Hearken　to　a　woman　among　them'Sing　ye　to　the　Lord；　for　he　hath　triumphed　gloriously！'　Nay；　put　your　forehead　in　the　dust　before　them！　They　were　tongues　of　God；　his　servants；　who　looked　through　heaven；　and；　seeing　all　the　future；　wrote　what　they　saw；　and　left　the　writing　to　be　proven　by　time。　Kings　turned　pale　as　they　approached　them；　and　nations　trembled　at　the　sound　of　their　voices。　The　elements　waited　upon　them。　In　their　hands　they　carried　every　bounty　and　every　plague。　See　the　Tishbite　and　his　servant　Elisha！　See　the　sad　son　of　Hilkiah；　and　him；　the　seer　of　visions；　by　the　river　of　Chebar！　And　of　the　three　children　of　Judah　who　refused　the　image　of　the　Babylonian；　lo！　that　one　who；　in　the　feast　to　the　thousand　lords；　so　confounded　the　astrologers。　And　yonderO　my　son；　kiss　the　dust　again！yonder　the　gentle　son　of　Amoz；　from　whom　the　world　has　its　promise　of　the　Messiah　to　come！〃

In　this　passage　the　fan　had　been　kept　in　rapid　play；　it　stopped　now；　and　her　voice　sank　low。

〃You　are　tired；〃　she　said。

〃No；〃　he　replied；　〃I　was　listening　to　a　n