CHAPTER XIII.
Hermon, filled with longing, went down toward evening to the shore.
The sun was setting, and the riot of colours in the western horizonseemed like a mockery of the torturing anxiety which had mastered hissoul.
He did not notice the boat that was approaching the land; manytravellers who intended to go through Arabia Petrea landed here, andfor several days--he knew why--there had been more stir in these quietwaters.
Suddenly he was surprised by the ringing shout with which he hadformerly announced his approach to Myrtilus.
Unconsciously agitated by joy, as if the sunset glow before him hadsuddenly been transformed into the dawn of a happy day, he answered by aloud cry glad with hope. Although his dim eyes did not yet permit him todistinguish who was standing erect in the boat, waving greetings to him,he thought he knew whom this exquisite evening was bringing.
Soon his own name reached him. It was his "wise Bias" who shouted, andsoon, with a throbbing heart, he held out both hands to him.
The freedman had performed his commission in the best possible manner,and was now no longer bound to silence by oath.
Ledscha had left him and Myrtilus to themselves and, as Bias thoughthe had heard, had sailed with the Gaul Lutarius for Paraetonium, thefrontier city between the kingdom of Egypt and that of Cyrene.
Myrtilus felt stronger than he had done for a long time, and had senthim back to the blind friend who would need him more than he did.
But worthy Bias also brought messages from Archias and Daphne. They werewell, and his uncle now had scarcely any cause to fear pursuers.
Before the landing of the boat, the shade had covered Hermon's eyes;but when, after the freedman's first timid question about his sight, heraised it again, at the same time reporting and showing what progresshe had already made toward recovery, the excess of joy overpoweredthe freedman, and sometimes laughing, sometimes weeping, he kissed theconvalescent's hands and simple robe. It was some time before he calmedhimself again, then laying his forefinger on the side of his nose, hesaid: "Therein the immortals differ from human beings. We sculptors canonly create good work with good tools, but the immortals often use thevery poorest of all to accomplish the best things. You owe your sight tothe hate of this old witch and mother of pirates, so may she find peacein the grave. She is dead. I heard it from a fellow-countryman whom Imet in Herocipolis. Her end came soon after our visit."
Then Bias related what he knew of Hermon's uncle, of Daphne, andMyrtilus.
Two letters were to give him further particulars.
They came from the woman he loved and from his friend, and as soon asBias had lighted the lamp in the tent, at the same time telling hismaster in advance many items of news they contained, he set about thedifficult task of reading.
He had certainly scarcely become a master of this art on board theHydra, yet his slow performance did all honour to the patience of histeacher Myrtilus.
He began with Daphne's letter, but by the desire of prudent Archias itcommunicated few facts. But the protestations of love and expressions oflonging which filled it pierced the freedman's soul so deeply that hisvoice more than once failed while reading them.
Myrtilus's letter, on the contrary, gave a minute description of hismode of life, and informed his friend what he expected for him andhimself in the future. The contents of both relieved Hermon's sorelytroubled heart, made life with those who were dearest to him possible,and explained many things which the reports of the slave had notrendered perfectly clear.
Archias had gone with Daphne to the island of Lesbos, his mother'snative city. The ships which conveyed travellers to Pergamus, whereMyrtilus was living, touched at this port, and Bias, to whom Hermon hadconfided the refuge of the father and daughter, had sought them there,and found them in a beautiful villa.
After being released from his oath, Myrtilus had put himself intocommunication with his uncle, and just before Bias's departure themerchant had come to Pergamus with his daughter. As he had the mostcordial reception from the Regent Philetaerus, he seemed inclined tosettle permanently there.
As for Myrtilus, he had cast anchor with Ledscha in the little Mysianseaport town of Pitane, near the mouth of the Caicus River, on which,farther inland, was the rapidly growing city of Pergamus.
She had found a hospitable welcome in the family of a seafarer who wererelatives, while the Gaul continued his voyage to obtain informationabout his tribe in Syria. But he had already returned when Bias reachedPitane with the two talents intended for him. Myrtilus had availedhimself of Ledscha's permission long before and gone to Pergamus, wherehe had lived and worked in secrecy until, after the freedman's returnfrom Ledscha, who at once left Pitane with the Gaul, he was releasedfrom his oath.
During the absence of Bias he had modelled a large relief, a triumphalprocession of Dionysus, and as the renown of his name had previouslyreached Pergamus, the artists and the most distinguished men in the cityflocked to his studio to admire the work of the famous Alexandrian.
Soon Philetoerus, who had founded the Pergamenian kingdom seven yearsbefore, and governed it with great wisdom, came to Myrtilus.
Like his nephew and heir Eumenes, he was a friend to art, and inducedthe laurel-crowned Alexandrian to execute the relief, modelled in clay,in marble for the Temple of Dionysus at Pergamus.
The heir to the throne of Philetaerus, who was now advancing in years,was especially friendly to Myrtilus, and did everything in his power tobind him to Pergamus.
He succeeded, for in the beautiful house, located in an extremelyhealthful site, which Eumenes had assigned for a residence and studio tothe Alexandrian artist, whose work he most ardently admired, and whom heregarded as the most welcome of guests, Myrtilus felt better physicallythan he had for years. Besides, he thought that, for many reasons,his friend would be less willing to settle in Alexandria, and that thepresence of his uncle and Daphne would attract him to Pergamus.
Moreover, Hermon surely knew that if he came to him as a blind man hewould find a brother; if he came restored to sight, he would also find abrother, and likewise a fellow-artist with whom he could live and work.
Myrtilus had told the heir to the throne of Pergamus of his richlygifted blind relative, and of the peculiarity of his art, and Eumeneseagerly endeavoured to induce his beloved guest to persuade his friendto remove to his capital, where there was no lack of distinguishedleeches.
If Hermon remained blind, he would honour him; if he recovered hissight, he would give him large commissions.
How deeply these letters moved the heart of the recovering man! Whatprospects they opened for his future life, for love, friendship, and,not least, for his art!
If he could see--if he could only see again! This exclamation blendedwith everything he thought, felt, and uttered. Even in sleep it hauntedhim. To regain the clearness of vision he needed for his work, he wouldwillingly have submitted to the severest tortures.
In Alexandria alone lived the great leeches who could complete the workwhich the salve of an ignorant old woman had begun. Thither he mustgo, though it cost him liberty and life. The most famous surgeon of theMuseum at the capital had refused his aid under other circumstances.Perhaps he would relent if Philippus, a friend of Erasistratus, smoothedthe way for him, and the old hero was now living very near. The ships,whose number on the sea at his feet was constantly increasing, wereattracted hither by the presence of the Egyptian King and Queen on theisthmus which connects Asia and Africa. The priest of Apollo at Clysma,and other distinguished Greeks whom he met there, had told him the daybefore yesterday, and on two former visits to the place, what wasgoing on in the world, and informed him how great an honour awaited theeastern frontier in these days. The appearance of their Majesties inperson must not only mean the founding of a city, the reception of avictorious naval commander, and the consecration of a restored temple,but also have still deeper causes.
During the last few years severe physical suffering had brought theunfortunate second
king of the house of Ptolemy to this place to seekthe aid of the ancient Egyptian gods, and, besides the philosophy, busyhimself with the mystic teachings and magic arts of their priesthood.
Only a short period of life seemed allotted to the invalid ruler, andthe service of the time-honoured god of the dead, to whom he had erectedone of the most magnificent temples in the world at Alexandria, to whichEgyptians and Hellenes repaired with equal devotion, opened hopes forthe life after death which seemed to him worthy of examination.
For this reason also he desired to secure the favour of the Egyptianpriesthood.
For this purpose, for the execution of his wise and beneficentarrangements, as well as for the gratification of his expensive tastes,large sums of money were required; therefore he devoted himself withespecial zeal to enlarging the resources of his country, already so richby nature.
In all these things he had found an admirable assistant in his sisterArsinoe. As the daughter of the father and mother to whom he himselfowed existence, he could claim for her unassailable legitimacy the samerecognition from the priesthood, and the same submission from the peoplerendered to his own person, whom the religion of the country commandedthem to revere as the representative of the sun god.
As marriages between brothers and sisters had been customary fromancient times, and were sanctioned by religion and myth, he had marriedthe second Arsinoe, his sister, immediately after the banishment of thefirst Queen of this name.
After the union with her, he called himself Philadelphus--brotherlylove--and honoured his sister and wife with the same name.
True, this led the sarcastic Alexandrians to utter many a biting, moreor less witty jest, but he never had cause to regret his choice; inspite of her forty years, and more than one bloody deed which before hermarriage to him she had committed as Queen of Thrace and as a widow, thesecond Arsinoe was always a pattern of regally aristocratic, dignifiedbearing and haughty womanly beauty.
Though the first Philadelphus could expect no descendants from her, hehad provided for securing them through her, for he had induced her toadopt the first Arsinoe's three children, who had been taken from theirexiled mother.
Arsinoe was now accompanying her royal husband Philadelphus to theeastern frontier. There the latter expected to name the city to be newlyfounded "Arsinoe" for her, and-to show his esteem for the priesthood--toconsecrate in person the new Temple of Tum in the city of Pithom, nearHeroopolis.
Lastly, the monarch had been endeavouring to form new connectionswith the coast countries of eastern Africa, and open them to Egyptiancommerce.
Admiral Eumedes, the oldest son of Philippus and Thyone, had succeededin doing this most admirably, for the distinguished commander had notonly founded on the Ethiopian shore of the Red Sea a city which he namedfor the King "Ptolemais," but also won over the princes and tribes ofthat region to Egypt.
He was now returning from Ethiopia with a wealth of treasures.
After the brilliant festivals the invalid King, with his new wife, wasto give himself up to complete rest for a month in the healthful air ofthe desert region which surrounded Pithom, far from the tumult of thecapital and the exhausting duties of government.
The magnificent shows which were to be expected, and the presence of theroyal pair, had attracted thousands of spectators on foot or horseback,and by water, and the morning after Bias's return the sea near Clysmawas swarming with vessels of all kinds and sizes.
It was more than probable that Philippus, the father, and Thyone, themother of the famous returning Admiral Eumedes, would not fail to bepresent at his reception on his native soil, and therefore Hermon wishedto seek out his dear old friends in Heroopolis, where the greeting wasto take place, and obtain their advice.
The boat on which the freedman had come was at the disposal of hismaster and himself. Before Hermon entered it, he took leave, with anagitated heart and open hand, of his Amalekite friends and, in spiteof the mist which still obscured everything he beheld, he perceived howreluctantly the simple dwellers in the wilderness saw him depart.
When the master and servant entered the boat, in spite of the sturdysailors who manned it, it proved even more difficult than they hadfeared to make any progress; for the whole narrow end of the arm of thesea, which here extended between Egypt and Arabia Petrea, was coveredwith war galleys and transports, boats and skiffs. The two mostmagnificent state galleys from Heroopolis were coming here, bearing theambassadors who, in the King's name, were to receive the fleet and itscommander. Other large and small, richly equipped, or unpretending shipsand boats were filled with curious spectators.
What a gay, animated scene! What brilliant, varied, strange, hithertounseen objects were gathered here: vessels of every form and size, sailswhite, brown, and black, and on the state galleys and boats purple,blue, and every colour, adorned with more or less costly embroidery!What rising and falling of swiftly or slowly moving oars!
"From Alexandria!" cried Bias, pointing to a state galley which the Kingwas sending to the commander of the southern fleet.
"And there," remarked Hermon, proud of his regained power ofdistinguishing one thing from another, and letting his eyes rest onone of the returning transports, on whose deck stood six huge Africanelephants, whose trumpeting mingled with the roaring of the lions andtigers on the huge freight vessels, and the exulting shouts of the menand women in the ships and boats.
"After the King's heart!" exclaimed Bias. "He probably never received atone time before so large an accession to his collection of rare animals.What is the transport with the huge lotus flower on the prow probablybringing?"
"Oh, and the monkeys and parrots over yonder!" joyously exclaimed theAmalekite boy who had been Hermon's guide, and had accompanied himinto the boat. Then he suddenly lowered his voice and, fearing that hisdelight might give pain to the less keen-sighted man whom he loved, heasked, "You can see them, my lord, can't you?"
"Certainly, my boy, though less plainly than you do," replied Hermon,stroking the lad's dark hair.
Meanwhile the admiral's ship had approached the shore.
Bias pointed to the poop, where the commander Eumedes was standingdirecting the course of the fleet.
As if moulded in bronze, a man thoroughly equal to his office, heseemed, in spite of the shouts, greetings, and acclamations thunderingaround him, to close his eyes and ears to the vessels thronging abouthis ship and devote himself body and soul to the fulfilment of his duty.He had just embraced his father and mother, who had come here to meethim.
"The King undoubtedly sent by his father the laurel wreath on hishelmet," observed Bias, pointing to the admiral. "So many honourswhile he is still so young! When you went to the wrestling school inAlexandria, Eumedes was scarcely eight years older than you, and Iremember how he preferred you to the others. A sign, and he will noticeus and allow you to go on his ship, or, at any rate, send us a boat inwhich we can enter the canal."
"No, no," replied Hermon. "My call would disturb him now."
"Then let us make ourselves known to the Lady Thyone or her husband,"the freedman continued. "They will certainly take us on their largestate galley, from which, though your eyes do not yet see as far as afalcon's, not a ship, not a man, not a movement will escape them."
But Hermon added one more surprise to the many which he had alreadygiven, for he kindly declined Bias's well-meant counsel, and, restinghis hand on the Amalekite boy's shoulder, said modestly: "I am no longerthe Hermon whom Eumedes preferred to the others. And the Lady Thyonemust not be reminded of anything sad in this festal hour for themother's heart. I shall meet her to-morrow, or the day after, and yet Ihad intended to let no one who is loyal to me look into my healing eyesbefore Daphne."
Then he felt the freedman's hand secretly press his, and it comfortedhim, after the sorrowful thoughts to which he had yielded, amid theshouts of joy ringing around him. How quietly, with what calm dignity,Eumedes received the well-merited homage, and how disgracefully thefalse fame had bewildered his own senses!
Yet he had not passed through the purifying fire of misfortune in vain!The past should not cloud the glad anticipation of brighter days!
Drawing a long breath, he straightened himself into a more erectposture, and ordered the men to push the boat from the shore. Then hepressed a farewell kiss on the Amalekite boy's forehead, the lad sprangashore, and the journey northward began.
At first the sailors feared that the crowd would be too great, and theboat would be refused admission to the canal; but the helmsman succeededin keeping close behind a vessel of medium size, and the Macedonianguards of the channel put no obstacle in their countryman's way, whileboats occupied by Egyptians and other barbarians were kept back.
In the Bitter Lakes, whose entire length was to be traversed, the shipshad more room, and after a long voyage through dazzling sunlight, andalong desolate shores, the boat anchored at nightfall at Heroopolis.
Hermon and Bias obtained shelter on one of the ships which the sovereignhad placed at the disposal of the Greeks who came to participate in thefestivals to be celebrated.
Before his master went to rest, the freedman--whom he had sent out tolook for a vessel bound to Pelusium and Alexandria the next day or thefollowing one--returned to the ship.
He had talked with the Lady Thyone, and told Hermon from her that shewould visit or send for him the next day, after the festival.
His own mother, the freedman protested, could not have rejoiced morewarmly over the commencement of his recovery, and she would have comewith him at once had not Philippus prevented his aged wife, who wasexhausted by the long journey.
The next morning the sun poured a wealth of radiant light upon thedesert, the green water of the harbour, and the gray and yellow walls ofthe border fortress.
Three worlds held out their hands to one another on this water waysurrounded by the barren wilderness--Egypt, Hellas, and Semitic Asia.
To the first belonged the processions of priests, who, with images ofthe gods, consecrated vessels, and caskets of relics, took their placesat the edge of the harbour. The tawny and black, half-naked soldierswho, with high shields, lances, battle-axes and bows, gathered aroundstrangely shaped standards, joined them, amid the beating of drums andblare of trumpets, as if for their protection. Behind them surged a vastmultitude of Egyptians and dark-skinned Africans.
On the other side of the canal the Asiatics were moving to and fro.The best places for spectators had been assigned to the petty kings andprinces of tribes, Phoenician and Syrian merchants, and well-equipped,richly armed warriors. Among them thronged owners of herds and seafarersfrom the coast. Until the reception began, fresh parties of bearded sonsof the desert, in floating white bernouse, mounted on noble steeds, wereconstantly joining the other Asiatics.
The centre was occupied by the Greeks. The appearance of everyindividual showed that they were rulers of the land, and that theydeserved to be. How free and bold was their bearing! how brightly andjoyously sparkled the eyes of these men, whose wreaths of green leavesand bright-hued flowers adorned locks anointed for the festivals! Strongand slender, they were conspicuous in their stately grace among thelean Egyptians, unbridled in their jests and jeers, and the excitableAsiatics.
Now the blare of trumpets and the roll of drums shook the air likeechoing lightning and heavy peals of thunder; the Egyptian priests sanga hymn of praise to the God King and Goddess Queen, and the aristocraticpriestesses of the deity tinkled the brass rings on the sistrum. Then achorus of Hellenic singers began a polyphonous hymn, and amid its full,melodious notes, which rose above the enthusiastic shouts of "Hail!"from the multitude, King Ptolemy and his sister-wife showed themselvesto the waiting throng. Seated on golden thrones borne on the broadshoulders of gigantic black Ethiopians, and shaded by lofty canopies,both were raised above the crowd, whom they saluted by graciousgestures.
The athletic young bearers of the large round ostrich-feather fans whichprotected them from the sunbeams were followed in ranks by the monarch's"relatives" and "friends," the dignitaries, the dark and fair-hairedbands of the guards of Grecian youths and boys, as well as divisions ofthe picked corps of the Hetairoi, Diadochi, and Epigoni, in beautifulplain Macedonian armour.
They were followed in the most informal manner by scholars from theMuseum, many Hellenic artists, and wealthy gentlemen of Alexandria ofGreek and Jewish origin, whom the King had invited to the festival.
In his train they went on board the huge galley on which the receptionwas to take place. Scarcely had the last one stepped on the deck when itbegan.
Eumedes came from the admiral's galley to the King's. Ptolemy embracedhim like a friend, and Arsinoe added a wreath of fresh roses to thelaurel crown which the sovereign had sent the day before.
At the same time thundering plaudits echoed from the walls of thefortifications and broke, sometimes rising, sometimes falling, againstthe ships and masts in the calm water of the harbour.
The King had little time to lose. Even festal joy must move swiftly.There were many and varied things to be seen and done; but in the courseof an hour--so ran the order--this portion of the festivities must beover, and it was fully obeyed.
The hands and feet of the woolly-headed blacks who, amid loudacclamations, carried on shore the cages in which lions, panthers, andleopards shook the bars with savage fury, moved as if they were winged.The slender, dark-brown Ethiopians who led giraffes, apes, gazelles, andgreyhounds past the royal pair rushed along as if they were under thelash; and the sixty elephants which Eumedes and his men had caught inthe land of Chatyth moved at a rapid pace past the royal state galley.
At the sight of them the King joined in the cheers of thousands ofvoices on the shore; these giant animals were to him auxiliarieswho could put to flight a whole corps of hostile cavalry, andArsinoe-Philadelphus, the Queen, sympathized with his pleasure.
She raised her voice with her royal husband, and it seemed to thespectators on the shore as if they had a share in the narrative when shelistened to Eumedes's first brief report.
Only specimens of the gold and ivory, spices and rare woods, junipertrees and skins of animals which the ships brought home could be bornepast their Majesties, and the black and brown men who carried them movedat a breathless rate.
The sun was still far from the meridian when the royal couple and theirtrain withdrew from the scene of the reception ceremonial, and drove, ina magnificent chariot drawn by four horses, to the neighbouring cityof Pithoin, where new entertainments and a long period of rest awaitedthem. Hermon had seen, as if through a veil of white mists, the objectsthat aroused the enthusiasm of the throng, and so, he said to himself,it had been during the whole course of his life. Only the surface of thephenomena on which he fixed his eyes had been visible to him; he hadnot learned to penetrate further into their nature, fathom them to theirdepths, until he became blind.
If the gods fulfilled his hope, if he regained his vision entirely, andeven the last mists had vanished, he would hold firmly to the capacityhe had gained, and use it in life as well as in art.