It is now fourteen years since I planned the story related in thesevolumes, the outcome of a series of lectures which I had occasion todeliver on the period of the Roman dominion in Egypt. But the pleasuresof inventive composition were forced to give way to scientific labors,and when I was once more at leisure to try my wings with increase ofpower I felt more strongly urged to other flights. Thus it came to passthat I did I not take the time of Hadrian for the background of a taletill after I had dealt with the still later period of the early monasticmove in "Homo Sum." Since finishing that romance my old wish to depict,in the form of a story, the most important epoch of the history of thatvenerable nation to which I have devoted nearly a quarter century of mylife, has found its fulfilment. I have endeavored to give a picture ofthe splendor of the Pharaonic times in "Uarda," of the subjection ofEgypt to the new Empire of the Persians in "An Egyptian Princess," ofthe Hellenic period under the Lagides in "The Sisters," of the Romandominion and the early growth of Christianity in "The Emperor," andof the anchorite spirit--in the deserts and rocks of the SinaiticPeninsula--in "Homo Sum." Thus the present work is the last of which thescene will be laid in Egypt. This series of romances will not onlyhave introduced the reader to a knowledge of the history of manners andculture in Egypt, but will have facilitated his comprehension of certaindominant ideas which stirred the mind of the Ancients. How far I mayhave succeeded in rendering the color of the times I have described andin producing pictures that realize the truth, I myself cannot ventureto judge; for since even present facts are differently reflected indifferent minds, this must be still more emphatically the case withthings long since past and half-forgotten. Again and again, whenhistorical investigation has refused to afford me the means ofresuscitating some remotely ancient scene, I have been obliged to takecounsel of imagination and remember the saying that 'the Poet must be aretrospective Seer,' and could allow my fancy to spread her wings, whileI remained her lord and knew the limits up to which I might permit herto soar. I considered it my lawful privilege to paint much that waspure invention, but nothing that was not possible at the period I wasrepresenting. A due regard for such possibility has always set thebounds to fancy's flight; wherever existing authorities have allowedme to be exact and faithful I have always been so, and the mostdistinguished of my fellow-professors in Germany, England, France andHolland, have more than once borne witness to this. But, as I needhardly point out, poetical and historical truth are not the same thing;for historical truth must remain, as far as possible, unbiassed by thesubjective feeling of the writer, while poetical truth can only findexpression through the medium of the artist's fancy.
As in my last two romances, so in "The Emperor," I have added no notes:I do this in the pleasant conviction of having won the confidence of myreaders by my historical and other labors. Nothing has encouraged me tofresh imaginative works so much as the fact that through these romancesthe branch of learning that I profess has enlisted many disciples whosenames are now mentioned with respect among Egyptologists. Every one whois familiar with the history of Hadrian's time will easily discern bytrifling traits from what author or from which inscription or monumentthe minor details have been derived, and I do not care to interrupt thecourse of the narrative and so spoil the pleasure of the larger classof readers. It would be a happiness to me to believe that this taledeserves to be called a real work of art, and, as such, its firstfunction should be to charm and elevate the mind. Those who at the sametime enrich their knowledge by its study ought not to detect the factthat they are learning.
Those who are learned in the history of Alexandria under the Romans maywonder that I should have made no mention of the Therapeutai on LakeMareotis. I had originally meant to devote a chapter to them, but Luca'srecent investigations led me to decide on leaving it unwritten. I havegiven years of study to the early youth of Christianity, particularlyin Egypt, and it affords me particular satisfaction to help others torealize how, in Hadrian's time, the pure teaching of the Saviour, as yetlittle sullied by the contributions of human minds, conquered--and couldnot fail to conquer--the hearts of men. Side by side with the triumphantFaith I have set that noble blossom of Greek life and culture--Art whichin later ages, Christianity absorbed in order to dress herself in herbeautiful forms. The statues and bust of Antinous which remain to us ofthat epoch, show that the drooping tree was still destined to put forthnew leaves under Hadrian's rule.
The romantic traits which I have attributed to the character of my hero,who travelled throughout the world, climbing mountains to rejoice inthe splendor of he rising sun, are authentic. One of the most difficulttasks I have ever set myself was to construct from the abundant butessentially contradictory accounts of Hadian a human figure in which Icould myself at all believe; still, how gladly I set to work to do so!There was much to be considered in working out this narrative, but thestory itself has flowed straight from the heart of the writer; I canonly hope it may find its way to that of the reader.