Bolesław Prus

“ The state is something more magnificent than the temple in Thebes, something grander than the pyramid of Cheops, something more ancient than the subterranean temple of the Sphinx, something more enduring than granite—in that immense though invisible edifice people are like ants in some cranny of a cliff, and the pharaoh a mere travelling architect who is barely able to lay one stone in the wall of the edifice and then go on farther. ”

“ Were the prince to take to the temple any slave or condemned criminal and let him stretch out his hand, the man would die that same instant."
"For ye would kill him."
"Each one of us would die just like an ordinary criminal were he to approach the altar sacrilegiously. In presence of the gods, my prince, a pharaoh or a priest means as little as a slave."
"What am I to do, then?" asked Ramses.
"Seek an answer to thy trouble in the temple, after Thou hast purified thyself by prayers and fasting," answered the priest. "While Egypt is Egypt, no ruler has gained wisdom of state in another way." ”

“ Shades As the sun's rays die away in the sky, twilight emerges from the earth. Twilight – a great army of the night, with thousands of invisible columns and billions of soldiers. A mighty army that from time immemorial has been contending with light, has been scattering with each dawn, has been victorious with each evening, has been holding sway from sunset to sunrise, and in the daytime, scattered, has been hiding and waiting. ”

“ Let them collect the tribute predestined for thy needs and for thy use, but let them not take secretly other tributes which never go into thy treasury, and enrich only thy servants and the servants of those servants.
“Command them to govern without injustice to us and our children, for thou art to us a deity and a ruler forever. Imitate the sun, which sends his light to all and gives life and strength to them. We, thy Libyan subjects, implore thy favor and fall on our faces before thee, O heir of the great and mighty pharaoh.” ”

“ Each one of us has tens, if not hundreds, of invisible enemies. Thank the gods, then, that thou hast even one invisible friend.”
“I shall not sleep to-night,” whispered the excited prince.
“Be calm. Instead of running along the terrace listen to me and lie down. Thou wilt see Sleep—that is a deliberate divinity, and it does not befit him to chase after those who run with the pace of a deer. If thou wilt lie down on a comfortable couch, Sleep, who loves comfort, will sit near thee and cover thee with his great mantle, which covers not only men’s eyes, but their memories.” ”

“ The Asiatics and the Libyan prisoners all woke, but each man merely pressed up to the cliff more closely, and possessed by great fear remained silent.
In nature something dreadful was happening. Night covered the earth, and through the sky black or ruddy clouds of sand rushed with mad impetus. It seemed as though all the sand of the desert, now alive, had sprung up and was flying to some place with the speed of a stone whirled from the sling of a warrior. ”

“ Ramses feigned to be so mightily indignant that the priests were satisfied.
"Thou speakest, prince," said Mefres, "as becomes a good Egyptian. Such a treaty would pain us, too; but danger to the state forces men to yield temporarily to circumstances."
"What forces you to yield?" cried the prince. "Have we lost a great battle, or have we no army?"
"The oarsmen on the boat in which Egypt is sailing through the river of eternity are gods," replied Mefres, with solemnity; "but the steersman is the Highest Lord of existence. ”

“ The prince felt a wound in his heart, and felt as if through that wound some feeling had gone from him. It was not passion, for passion remained; but it was esteem for Kama, and faith in her.
"Wonderful are these Phoenicians," thought the heir; "one may go wild for them, but 'tis not possible to trust them."
He felt wearied, and took farewell of the priestess. He looked around the chamber as though it were difficult to leave the place; and while going, he said to himself,
"And still Thou wilt be mine, and Phoenician gods will not kill thee, if they regard their own priests and temples." ”

“ Indignation among the aristocracy was immense, but no one betrayed himself; on the contrary, as well at the court of Ramses as at the courts of the nomarchs of Lower Egypt, people amused themselves perfectly. It might have been thought that with the weather had fallen on men a rage not only for amusements but for riot. There was no day without spectacles, feasts, and triumphal festivals; there was no night without illuminations and uproar. Not only in Pi-Bast but in every city it had become the fashion to run through the streets with torches, music, and, above all, with full pitchers. ”

“ The once mighty dignitary received him with a smile.
“A rare guest—a rare guest!” exclaimed he. “Since thou hadst the desire to become the counsellor of his holiness thou dost not show thyself before me. True, thou art not the only one! But whatever happens, I shall not forget thy services, wert thou even to avoid me still more than at present.”
“Worthiness, I am not a counsellor of our lord, nor do I avoid thee to whose favor I am indebted for what I am to-day.”
“I know, I know!” answered Herhor. “Thou hast refused the high dignity so as not to work to the destruction of the temples. ”

“ If Thou lose I shall be unhappy, for Thou wilt not improve the lot of the worker. And if Thou win? May I not live to that! for shouldst Thou break the lamp, who knows whether Thou wouldst not put out the fire of wisdom which for thousands of years has illuminated Egypt and mankind.
"These, lord, are the reasons why I will not take part in thy struggle with the sacred order of priests. I feel that the struggle is approaching, and I suffer because such a worm as I am unable to prevent it. But I will not participate, for I should have to betray either thee, or the God, the creator of wisdom." ”

“ Thou art a marvel among women; women's lips are rich in trouble and their love is very costly. But with all thy perfection how canst Thou ease my troubles? Canst Thou cause his holiness to order a great expedition to the East and name me to command it? Canst Thou give me the army corps in Memphis, for which I asked, or wilt thou, in the pharaoh's name, make me governor of Lower Egypt? Or canst Thou bring all subjects of his holiness to think and feel as I, his most devoted subject?" Sarah dropped her hands on her knees, and whispered sadly, "True, I cannot do those things I can do nothing." ”

“ But I have convinced myself during the first day that I am merely a shadow of the former rulers of Egypt; for what can a pharaoh be without wealth, without an army, and, above all, without faithful subjects? I am like the statues of the gods which they incense, and before which they place offerings. The statues are powerless and the offerings serve to fatten the priests. But, true, Thou art on their side. ”

“ Thou art wealthy beyond the wealthy!"
"Still I am not angry when a drachma comes to me. Why should others refuse a talent?"
"They would because they are servants of the gods," said the prince, passionately; "they would fear divine punishment."
The Phoenician laughed.
"I have seen," said he, "many temples of various nations, and in those temples great and small statues, of wood, stone, and gold even. But gods I have never met."
"Blasphemer!" exclaimed Ramses. "I have seen a divinity, I have felt its hand on my person, I have heard its voice." ”

“ Pentuer drew back, and muttered an exorcism.
"Speak not thus, worthy lord," said he, in confusion, "lest evil spirits circling through the desert may seize thy words. A word, remember this, ruler, is like a stone sent from a sling; it may strike a wall, rebound, and hit the man who hurled it."
The prince motioned with his hand contemptuously.
"It is all one," replied he. "A life in which every one stops my will has no worth for me. When the gods do not bar me, the winds of the desert do; when evil spirits are not against me, the priests are. Is the power of a pharaoh to be of such sort. ”

“ May I be turned into a Jew if a goblet of that luxury is not worth two drachmas, but to you, my benefactors and fathers, I will give it to-day for one drachma,—only to-day, to make a beginning.”
“Give it for half a drachma a goblet, and we will taste it,” said one of the merchants.
“Half a drachma!” repeated the host. “Sooner will the Nile flow upward toward Thebes than I give such sweetness for half a drachma, unless I do it for thee, Lord Belezis, who art the pearl of Sidon. Hei, slaves! bring to our benefactors the largest pitcher of wine from Cyprus.” ”

“ The gods hear our prayers sometimes, but the Sphinx never moves. No compassion on that face, a mere gigantic jeering terror. If I knew that in its mouth were hidden some prophecy for me, or some means to elevate Egypt, I should not dare to put a question. It seems to me that I should hear some awful answer uttered with unpitying calmness. This is the work and the image of the priesthood. It is worse than man, for it has a lion's body; it is worse than a beast, for it has a human head; it is worse than stone, for inexplicable life is contained in it. ”

“ Dagon was astonished, and looked with widely opened eyes at her.
“Then it must be that thou knowest not, Sarah, the value of this goblet. But I give it to thy father, who is my brother.”
“I cannot take it,” whispered Sarah.
“Oh!” cried Dagon. “Then thou, Sarah, wilt pay me for this goblet in another way, without speaking to thy lord. But a woman as beautiful as thou must have gold and jewels, and should have her own banker to bring her money when she pleases, not alone when her lord likes.”
“I cannot!” whispered Sarah, without concealing her repulsion for the banker. ”

“ Where art thou gone from me, where art thou, hen of mine? Thou hast fled, thou art gone from me. I give thee drink and clean grain; what I give is so good that slaves envy thee. Where art thou gone, my hen—wilt thou not answer me? Night will come down on thee, think of that; thou wilt not reach thy home, where all are at work for thee. Come; if thou come not, a falcon will fly from the desert and tear the heart out of thee. If he come thou wilt call in vain, as I now call in vain to thee. ”

“ Listen therefore to what the Phoenicians, the Hebrews, the Hittites, and the Egyptians think of the Assyrians, and weigh in thy own heart with care all that agrees in their judgments concerning Assyria. If all tell thee that danger is coming from that point, Thou wilt know that it is coming; but if different men speak variously, be on thy guard also, for wisdom commands us to look for less good and more evil."
"Thy speech is like that of the gods," whispered the heir of Egypt,
"I am old, and from the height of the throne things are seen of which mortal men have not even a suspicion. ”