CHAPTER V.
The other members of the Persian embassy had returned to Sais from theirexcursion up the Nile to the pyramids. Prexaspes alone, the ambassadorfrom Cambyses, had already set out for Persia, in order to inform theking of the successful issue of his suit.
The palace of Amasis was full of life and stir. The huge buildingwas filled in all parts by the followers of the embassy, nearly threehundred in number, and by the high guests themselves, to whom everypossible attention was paid. The courts of the palace swarmed withguards and officials, with young priests and slaves, all in splendidfestal raiment.
On this day it was the king's intention to make an especial display ofthe wealth and splendor of his court, at a festival arranged in honor ofhis daughter's betrothal.
The lofty reception-hall opening on to the gardens, with its ceilingsown with thousands of golden stars and supported by gaily-paintedcolumns, presented a magic appearance. Lamps of colored papyrus hungagainst the walls and threw a strange light on the scene, something likethat when the sun's rays strike through colored glass. The spacebetween the columns and the walls was filled with choice plants, palms,oleanders, pomegranates, oranges and roses, behind which an invisibleband of harp and flute-players was stationed, who received the guestswith strains of monotonous, solemn music.
The floor of this hall was paved in black and white, and in the middlestood elegant tables covered with dishes of all kinds, cold roast meats,sweets, well-arranged baskets of fruit and cake, golden jugs of wine,glass drinking-cups and artistic flower-vases.
A multitude of richly-dressed slaves under direction of thehigh-steward, busied themselves in handing these dishes to theguests, who, either standing around, or reclining on sumptuous seats,entertained themselves in conversation with their friends.
Both sexes and all ages were to be found in this assembly. As the womenentered, they received charming little nosegays from the young priestsin the personal service of the king, and many a youth of high degreeappeared in the hall with flowers, which he not only offered to her heloved best, but held up for her to smell.
The Egyptian men, who were dressed as we have already seen them atthe reception of the Persian embassy, behaved towards the women with apoliteness that might almost be termed submissive. Among the latter fewcould pretend to remarkable beauty, though there were many bewitchingalmond-shaped eyes, whose loveliness was heightened by having their lidsdyed with the eye-paint called "mestem." The majority wore their hairarranged in the same manner; the wealth of waving brown locks floatedback over the shoulders and was brushed behind the ears, one braid beingleft on each side to hang over the temples to the breast. A broad diademconfined these locks, which as the maids knew, were quite as often thewig-maker's work as Nature's. Many ladies of the court wore above theirforeheads a lotus-flower, whose stem drooped on the hair at the back.
They carried fans of bright feathers in their delicate hands. Thesewere loaded with rings; the finger-nails were stained red, according toEgyptian custom, and gold or silver bands were worn above the elbow, andat the wrists and ankles.
[This custom (of staining finger-nails) is still prevalent in the East; the plant Shenna, Laosonia spinosa, called by Pliny XIII. Cyprus, being used for the purpose. The Egyptian government has prohibited the dye, but it will be difficult to uproot the ancient custom. The pigment for coloring the eyelids, mentioned in the text, is also still employed. The Papyrus Ebers alludes to the Arabian kohl or antimony, which is frequently mentioned under the name of "mestem" on monuments belonging to the time of the Pharaohs.]
Their robes were beautiful and costly, and in many cases so cut as toleave the right breast uncovered. Bartja, the young Persian prince,among the men, and Nitetis, the Pharaoh's daughter, among the women,were equally conspicuous for their superior beauty, grace and charms.The royal maiden wore a transparent rose-colored robe, in her black hairwere fresh roses, she walked by the side of her sister, the two robedalike, but Nitetis pale as the lotus-flower in her mother's hair.
Ladice, the queen, by birth a Greek, and daughter of Battus of Cyrene,walked by the side of Amasis and presented the young Persians to herchildren. A light lace robe was thrown over her garment of purple,embroidered with gold; and on her beautiful Grecian head she wore theUrmus serpent, the ornament peculiar to Egyptian queens.
Her countenance was noble yet charming, and every movement betrayed thegrace only to be imparted by a Greek education.
Amasis, in making choice of this queen, after the death of his secondwife, (the Egyptian Tentcheta, mother of Psamtik the heir to thethrone,) had followed his prepossession in favor of the Greek nation anddefied the wrath of the priests.
The two girls at Ladice's side, Tachot and Nitetis, were calledtwin-sisters, but showed no signs of that resemblance usually to befound in twins.
Tachot was a fair, blue-eyed girl, small, and delicately built; Nitetis,on the other hand, tall and majestic, with black hair and eyes, evincedin every action that she was of royal blood.
"How pale thou look'st, my child!" said Ladice, kissing Nitetis' cheek."Be of good courage, and meet thy future bravely. Here is the nobleBartja, the brother of thy future husband."
Nitetis raised her dark, thoughtful eyes and fixed them long andenquiringly on the beautiful youth. He bowed low before the blushingmaiden, kissed her garment, and said:
"I salute thee, as my future queen and sister! I can believe thatthy heart is sore at parting from thy home, thy parents, brethren andsisters; but be of good courage; thy husband is a great hero, anda powerful king; our mother is the noblest of women, and among thePersians the beauty and virtue of woman is as much revered as thelife-giving light of the sun. Of thee, thou sister of the lily Nitetis,whom, by her side I might venture to call the rose, I beg forgiveness,for robbing thee of thy dearest friend."
As he said these words he looked eagerly into Tachot's beautiful blueeyes; she bent low, pressing her hand upon her heart, and gazed on himlong after Amasis had drawn him away to a seat immediately oppositethe dancing-girls, who were just about to display their skill for theentertainment of the guests. A thin petticoat was the only clothingof these girls, who threw and wound their flexible limbs to a measureplayed on harp and tambourine. After the dance appeared Egyptian singersand buffoons for the further amusement of the company.
At length some of the courtiers forsook the hall, their grave demeanorbeing somewhat overcome by intoxication.
[Unfortunately women, as well as men, are to be seen depicted on the monuments in an intoxicated condition. One man is being carried home, like a log of wood, on the heads of his servants. Wilkinson II. 168. Another is standing on his head II. 169. and several ladies are in the act of returning the excessive quantity which they have drunk. Wilkinson II. 167. At the great Techu-festival at Dendera intoxication seems to have been as much commanded as at the festivals of Dionysus under the Ptolemies, one of whom (Ptolemy Dionysus) threatened those who remained sober with the punishment of death. But intoxication was in general looked upon by the Egyptians as a forbidden and despicable vice. In the Papyrus Anastasi IV., for instance, we read these words on a drunkard: "Thou art as a sanctuary without a divinity, as a house without bread," and further: "How carefully should men avoid beer (hek)." A number of passages in the Papyrus denounce drunkards.]
The women were carried home in gay litters by slaves with torches; andonly the highest military commanders, the Persian ambassadors and afew officials, especial friends of Amasis, remained behind. Thesewere retained by the master of the ceremonies, and conducted to arichly-ornamented saloon, where a gigantic wine-bowl standing on a tableadorned in the Greek fashion, invited to a drinking-bout.
Amasis was seated on a high arm-chair at the head of the table; at hisleft the youthful Bartja, at his right the aged Croesus. Besides theseand the other Persians, Theodorus and Ibykus, the friends of Polykrates,already known to us, and Aristomachus, now commander of the Greekbody-guard, were among t
he king's guests.
Amasis, whom we have just heard in such grave discourse with Croesus,now indulged in jest and satire. He seemed once more the wild officer,the bold reveller of the olden days.
His sparkling, clever jokes, at times playful, at times scornful, flewround among the revellers. The guests responded in loud, perhaps oftenartificial laughter, to their king's jokes, goblet after goblet wasemptied, and the rejoicings had reached their highest point, whensuddenly the master of the ceremonies appeared, bearing a small gildedmummy; and displaying it to the gaze of the assembly, exclaimed. "Drink,jest, and be merry, for all too soon ye shall become like unto this!"
[Wilkinson gives drawings of these mummies (II. 410.) hundreds of which were placed in the tombs, and have been preserved to us. Lucian was present at a banquet, when they were handed round. The Greeks seem to have adopted this custom, but with their usual talent for beautifying all they touched, substituted a winged figure of death for the mummy. Maxims similar to the following one are by no means rare. "Cast off all care; be mindful only of pleasure until the day cometh when then must depart on the journey, whose goal is the realm of silence!" Copied from the tomb of Neferhotep to Abd-el-Qurnah.]
"Is it your custom thus to introduce death at all your banquets?" saidBartja, becoming serious, "or is this only a jest devised for to-day byyour master of the ceremonies?"
"Since the earliest ages," answered Amasis, "it has been our custom todisplay these mummies at banquets, in order to increase the mirth of therevellers, by reminding them that one must enjoy the time while it ishere. Thou, young butterfly, hast still many a long and joyful yearbefore thee; but we, Croesus, we old men, must hold by this firmly. Fillthe goblets, cup-bearer, let not one moment of our lives be wasted! Thoucanst drink well, thou golden-haired Persian! Truly the great gods haveendowed thee not only with beautiful eyes, and blooming beauty, but witha good throat! Let me embrace thee, thou glorious youth, thou rogue!What thinkest thou Croesus? my daughter Tachot can speak of nothing elsethan of this beardless youth, who seems to have quite turned her littlehead with his sweet looks and words. Thou needest not to blush, youngmadcap! A man such as thou art, may well look at king's daughters; butwert thou thy father Cyrus himself, I could not allow my Tachot to leaveme for Persia!"
"Father!" whispered the crown-prince Psamtik, interrupting thisconversation. "Father, take care what you say, and remember Phanes." Theking turned a frowning glance on his son; but following his advice, tookmuch less part in the conversation, which now became more general.
The seat at the banquet-table, occupied by Aristomachus, placed himnearly opposite to Croesus, on whom, in total silence and without onceindulging in a smile at the king's jests, his eyes had been fixedfrom the beginning of the revel. When the Pharaoh ceased to speak, heaccosted Croesus suddenly with the following question: "I would know,Lydian, whether the snow still covered the mountains, when ye leftPersia."
Smiling, and a little surprised at this strange speech, Croesusanswered: "Most of the Persian mountains were green when we started forEgypt four months ago; but there are heights in the land of Cambyseson which, even in the hottest seasons, the snow never melts, and theglimmer of their white crests we could still perceive, as we descendedinto the plains."
The Spartan's face brightened visibly, and Croesus, attracted by thisserious, earnest man, asked his name. "My name is Aristomachus."
"That name seems known to me."
"You were acquainted with many Hellenes, and my name is common amongthem."
"Your dialect would bespeak you my opinion a Spartan."
"I was one once."
"And now no more?"
"He who forsakes his native land without permission, is worthy ofdeath."
"Have you forsaken it with your own free-will?"
"Yes."
"For what reason?"
"To escape dishonor."
"What was your crime?"
"I had committed none."
"You were accused unjustly?"
"Yes."
"Who was the author of your ill-fortune?"
"Yourself."
Croesus started from his seat. The serious tone and gloomy face ofthe Spartan proved that this was no jest, and those who sat near thespeakers, and had been following this strange dialogue, were alarmed andbegged Aristomachus to explain his words.
He hesitated and seemed unwilling to speak; at last, however, at theking's summons, he began thus:
"In obedience to the oracle, you, Croesus, had chosen us Lacedaemonians,as the most powerful among the Hellenes, to be your allies against themight of Persia; and you gave us gold for the statue of Apollo on MountThornax. The ephori, on this, resolved to present you with a giganticbronze wine-bowl, richly wrought. I was chosen as bearer of this gift.Before reaching Sardis our ship was wrecked in a storm. The wine-cupsank with it, and we reached Samos with nothing but our lives. Onreturning home I was accused by enemies, and those who grudged my goodfortune, of having sold both ship and wine-vessel to the Samians. Asthey could not convict me of the crime, and had yet determined on myruin, I was sentenced to two days' and nights' exposure on the pillory.My foot was chained to it during the night; but before the morning ofdisgrace dawned, my brother brought me secretly a sword, that my honormight be saved, though at the expense of my life. But I could notdie before revenging myself on the men who had worked my ruin; andtherefore, cutting the manacled foot from my leg, I escaped, and hid inthe rushes on the banks of the Furotas. My brother brought me food anddrink in secret; and after two months I was able to walk on the woodenleg you now see. Apollo undertook my revenge; he never misses his mark,and my two worst opponents died of the plague. Still I durst not returnhome, and at length took ship from Gythium to fight against the Persiansunder you, Croesus. On landing at Teos, I heard that you were king nolonger, that the mighty Cyrus, the father of yonder beautiful youth, hadconquered the powerful province of Lydia in a few weeks, and reduced therichest of kings to beggary."
Every guest gazed at Aristomachus in admiration. Croesus shook his hardhand; and Bartja exclaimed: "Spartan, I would I could take you back withme to Susa, that my friends there might see what I have seen myself, themost courageous, the most honorable of men!"
"Believe me, boy," returned Aristomachus smiling, "every Spartan wouldhave done the same. In our country it needs more courage to be a cowardthan a brave man."
"And you, Bartja," cried Darius, the Persian king's cousin, "could youhave borne to stand at the pillory?" Bartja reddened, but it was easy tosee that he too preferred death to disgrace.
"Zopyrus, what say you?" asked Darius of the third young Persian.
"I could mutilate my own limbs for love of you two," answered he,grasping unobserved the hands of his two friends.
With an ironical smile Psamtik sat watching this scene--the pleasedfaces of Amasis, Croesus and Gyges, the meaning glances of theEgyptians, and the contented looks with which Aristomachus gazed on theyoung heroes.
Ibykus now told of the oracle which had promised Aristomachus a returnto his native land, on the approach of the men from the snowy mountains,and at the same time, mentioned the hospitable house of Rhodopis.
On hearing this name Psamtik grew restless; Croesus expressed a wish toform the acquaintance of the Thracian matron, of whom AEsop had relatedso much that was praiseworthy; and, as the other guests, many of whomhad lost consciousness through excessive drinking, were leaving thehall, the dethroned monarch, the poet, the sculptor and the Spartan heromade an agreement to go to Naukratis the next day, and there enjoy theconversation of Rhodopis.