Ben-Hur; a tale of the Christ Read online

  CHAPTER III

  To speak in the style of the period, the meeting just described tookplace in the year of Rome 747. The month was December, and winterreigned over all the regions east of the Mediterranean. Such asride upon the desert in this season go not far until smittenwith a keen appetite. The company under the little tent were notexceptions to the rule. They were hungry, and ate heartily; and,after the wine, they talked.

  "To a wayfarer in a strange land nothing is so sweet as to hear hisname on the tongue of a friend," said the Egyptian, who assumed to bepresident of the repast. "Before us lie many days of companionship.It is time we knew each other. So, if it be agreeable, he who camelast shall be first to speak."

  Then, slowly at first, like one watchful of himself, the Greekbegan:

  "What I have to tell, my brethren, is so strange that I hardlyknow where to begin or what I may with propriety speak. I do notyet understand myself. The most I am sure of is that I am doing aMaster's will, and that the service is a constant ecstasy. When Ithink of the purpose I am sent to fulfil, there is in me a joy soinexpressible that I know the will is God's."

  The good man paused, unable to proceed, while the others, in sympathywith his feelings, dropped their gaze.

  "Far to the west of this," he began again, "there is a land whichmay never be forgotten; if only because the world is too much itsdebtor, and because the indebtedness is for things that bring to mentheir purest pleasures. I will say nothing of the arts, nothing ofphilosophy, of eloquence, of poetry, of war: O my brethren, hers isthe glory which must shine forever in perfected letters, by whichHe we go to find and proclaim will be made known to all the earth.The land I speak of is Greece. I am Gaspar, son of Cleanthes theAthenian.

  "My people," he continued, "were given wholly to study, and from themI derived the same passion. It happens that two of our philosophers,the very greatest of the many, teach, one the doctrine of a Soulin every man, and its Immortality; the other the doctrine of OneGod, infinitely just. From the multitude of subjects about whichthe schools were disputing, I separated them, as alone worth thelabor of solution; for I thought there was a relation between Godand the soul as yet unknown. On this theme the mind can reason toa point, a dead, impassable wall; arrived there, all that remainsis to stand and cry aloud for help. So I did; but no voice cameto me over the wall. In despair, I tore myself from the citiesand the schools."

  At these words a grave smile of approval lighted the gaunt faceof the Hindoo.

  "In the northern part of my country--in Thessaly," the Greekproceeded to say, "there is a mountain famous as the home of thegods, where Theus, whom my countrymen believe supreme, has hisabode; Olympus is its name. Thither I betook myself. I found acave in a hill where the mountain, coming from the west, bends tothe southeast; there I dwelt, giving myself up to meditation--no,I gave myself up to waiting for what every breath was a prayer--forrevelation. Believing in God, invisible yet supreme, I also believedit possible so to yearn for him with all my soul that he would takecompassion and give me answer."

  "And he did--he did!" exclaimed the Hindoo, lifting his hands fromthe silken cloth upon his lap.

  "Hear me, brethren," said the Greek, calming himself with an effort."The door of my hermitage looks over an arm of the sea, over theThermaic Gulf. One day I saw a man flung overboard from a shipsailing by. He swam ashore. I received and took care of him.He was a Jew, learned in the history and laws of his people;and from him I came to know that the God of my prayers didindeed exist; and had been for ages their lawmaker, ruler,and king. What was that but the Revelation I dreamed of? Myfaith had not been fruitless; God answered me!"

  "As he does all who cry to him with such faith," said the Hindoo.

  "But, alas!" the Egyptian added, "how few are there wise enoughto know when he answers them!"

  "That was not all," the Greek continued. "The man so sent to metold me more. He said the prophets who, in the ages which followedthe first revelation, walked and talked with God, declared he wouldcome again. He gave me the names of the prophets, and from thesacred books quoted their very language. He told me, further,that the second coming was at hand--was looked for momentarilyin Jerusalem."

  The Greek paused, and the brightness of his countenance faded.

  "It is true," he said, after a little--"it is true the man toldme that as God and the revelation of which he spoke had been forthe Jews alone, so it would be again. He that was to come shouldbe King of the Jews. 'Had he nothing for the rest of the world?'I asked. 'No,' was the answer, given in a proud voice--'No, we arehis chosen people.' The answer did not crush my hope. Why shouldsuch a God limit his love and benefaction to one land, and, as itwere, to one family? I set my heart upon knowing. At last I brokethrough the man's pride, and found that his fathers had beenmerely chosen servants to keep the Truth alive, that the worldmight at last know it and be saved. When the Jew was gone, and Iwas alone again, I chastened my soul with a new prayer--that Imight be permitted to see the King when he was come, and worshiphim. One night I sat by the door of my cave trying to get nearerthe mysteries of my existence, knowing which is to know God;suddenly, on the sea below me, or rather in the darkness thatcovered its face, I saw a star begin to burn; slowly it arose anddrew nigh, and stood over the hill and above my door, so that itslight shone full upon me. I fell down, and slept, and in my dreamI heard a voice say:

  "'O Gaspar! Thy faith hath conquered! Blessed art thou! With twoothers, come from the uttermost parts of the earth, thou shalt seeHim that is promised, and be a witness for him, and the occasion oftestimony in his behalf. In the morning arise, and go meet them,and keep trust in the Spirit that shall guide thee.'

  "And in the morning I awoke with the Spirit as a light within mesurpassing that of the sun. I put off my hermit's garb, and dressedmyself as of old. From a hiding-place I took the treasure which Ihad brought from the city. A ship went sailing past. I hailed it,was taken aboard, and landed at Antioch. There I bought the cameland his furniture. Through the gardens and orchards that enamelthe banks of the Orontes, I journeyed to Emesa, Damascus, Bostra,and Philadelphia; thence hither. And so, O brethren, you have mystory. Let me now listen to you."