historical lecturers and essays-第7节
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herb Homa； and by the preservation of the sacred fire； which；
understand； was not he； but the symbolas was light and the sunof
the good spiritof Ahura Mazda。 They had no images of the gods；
these old Persians； no temples； no altars； so says Herodotus； and
considered the use of them a sign of folly。 They were； as has been
well said of them； the Puritans of the old world。 When they
descended from their mountain fastnesses； they became the
iconoclasts of the old world； and the later Isaiah； out of the
depths of national shame； captivity； and exile； saw in them brother…
spirits； the chosen of the Lord； whose hero Cyrus； the Lord was
holding by His right hand； till all the foul superstitions and foul
effeminacies of the rotten Semitic peoples of the East； and even of
Egypt itself； should be crushed； though； alas！ only for awhile； by
men who felt that they had a commission from the God of light and
truth and purity； to sweep out all that with the besom of
destruction。
But that was a later inspiration。 In earlier； and it may be
happier； times the duty of the good man was to strive against all
evil； disorder； uselessness； incompetence in their more simple
forms。 〃He therefore is a holy man；〃 says Ormuzd in the Zend…
avesta； 〃who has built a dwelling on the earth； in which he
maintains fire； cattle； his wife； his children； and flocks and
herds； he who makes the earth produce barley； he who cultivates the
fruits of the soil； cultivates purity； he advances the law of Ahura
Mazda as much as if he had offered a hundred sacrifices。〃
To reclaim the waste； to till the land； to make a corner of the
earth better than they found it； was to these men to rescue a bit of
Ormuzd's world out of the usurped dominion of Ahriman； to rescue it
from the spirit of evil and disorder for its rightful owner； the
Spirit of Order and of Good。
For they believed in an evil spirit； these old Persians。 Evil was
not for them a lower form of good。 With their intense sense of the
difference between right and wrong it could be nothing less than
hateful； to be attacked； exterminated； as a personal enemy； till it
became to them at last impersonate and a person。
Zarathustra； the mystery of evil； weighed heavily on them and on
their great prophet； Zoroastersplendour of gold； as I am told his
name signifieswho lived； no man knows clearly when or clearly
where； but who lived and lives for ever； for his works follow him。
He； too； tried to solve for his people the mystery of evil； and if
he did not succeed； who has succeeded yet？ Warring against Ormuzd；
Ahura Mazda； was Ahriman； Angra Mainyus； literally the being of an
evil mind； the ill…conditioned being。 He was labouring perpetually
to spoil the good work of Ormuzd alike in nature and in man。 He was
the cause of the fall of man； the tempter； the author of misery and
death； he was eternal and uncreate as Ormuzd was。 But that；
perhaps； was a corruption of the purer and older Zoroastrian creed。
With it； if Ahriman were eternal in the past； he would not be
eternal in the future。 Somehow； somewhen； somewhere； in the day
when three prophetsthe increasing light； the increasing truth； and
the existing truthshould arise and give to mankind the last three
books of the Zend…avesta； and convert all mankind to the pure creed；
then evil should be conquered； the creation become pure again； and
Ahriman vanish for ever； and； meanwhile； every good man was to fight
valiantly for Ormuzd； his true lord； against Ahriman and all his
works。
Men who held such a creed； and could speak truth and draw the bow；
what might they not do when the hour and the man arrived？ They were
not a BIG nation。 No； but they were a GREAT nation； even while they
were eating barley…bread and paying tribute to their conquerors the
Medes； in the sterile valleys of Farsistan。
And at last the hour and the man came。 The story is half legendary…
…differently told by different authors。 Herodotus has one tale；
Xenophon another。 The first； at least； had ample means of
information。 Astyages is the old shah of the Median Empire； then at
the height of its seeming might and splendour and effeminacy。 He
has married his daughter； the Princess Mandane； to Cambyses；
seemingly a vassal…king or prince of the pure Persian blood。 One
night the old man is troubled with a dream。 He sees a vine spring
from his daughter； which overshadows all Asia。 He sends for the
Magi to interpret； and they tell him that Mandane will have a son
who will reign in his stead。 Having sons of his own； and fearing
for the succession； he sends for Mandane； and； when her child is
born； gives it to Harpagus； one of his courtiers； to be slain。 The
courtier relents； and hands it over to a herdsman； to be exposed on
the mountains。 The herdsman relents in turn； and bring the babe up
as his own child。
When the boy； who goes by the name of Agradates； is grown； he is at
play with the other herdboys； and they choose him for a mimic king。
Some he makes his guards； some he bids build houses； some carry his
messages。 The son of a Mede of rank refuses； and Agradates has him
seized by his guards and chastised with the whip。 The ancestral
instincts of command and discipline are showing early in the lad。
The young gentleman complains to his father； the father to the old
king； who of course sends for the herdsman and his boy。 The boy
answers in a tone so exactly like that in which Xenophon's Cyrus
would have answered； that I must believe that both Xenophon's Cyrus
and Herodotus's Cyrus （like Xenophon's Socrates and Plato's
Socrates） are real pictures of a real character； and that
Herodotus's story； though Xenophon says nothing of it； is true。
He has done nothing； the noble boy says； but what was just。 He had
been chosen king in play； because the boys thought him most fit。
The boy whom he had chastised was one of those who chose him。 All
the rest obeyed： but he would not； till at last he got his due
reward。 〃If I deserve punishment for that；〃 says the boy； 〃I am
ready to submit。〃
The old king looks keenly and wonderingly at the young king； whose
features seem somewhat like his own。 Likely enough in those days；
when an Iranian noble or prince would have a quite different cast of
complexion and of face from a Turanian herdsman。 A suspicion
crosses him； and by threats of torture he gets the truth from the
trembling herdsman。
To the poor wretch's rapture the old king lets him go unharmed。 He
has a more exquisite revenge to take； and sends for Harpagus； who
likewise confessed the truth。 The wily old tyrant has naught but
gentle words。 It is best as it is。 He has been very sorry himself
for the child； and Mandane's reproaches had gone to his heart。 〃Let
Harpagus go home and send his son to be a companion to the new…found
prince。 To…night there will be great sacrifices in honour of the
child's safety； and Harpagus is to be a guest at the banquet。〃
Harpagus comes； and after eating his fill； is asked how he likes the
king's meat？ He gives the usual answer； and a covered basket is put
before him； out of which he is to takein Median fashionwhat he
likes。 He finds in it the head and hands and feet of his own son。
Like a true Eastern he shows no signs of horror。 The king asks him
if he knew what flesh he had been eating。 He answers that he knew
perfectly。 That whatever the king did pleased him。
Like an Eastern courtier； he knew how to dissemble； but not to
forgive； and bided his time。 The Magi； to their credit； told
Astyages that his dream had been fulfilled； that Cyrusas we must
now call the foundling princehad fulfilled it by becoming a king
in play； and the boy is let to go back to his father and his hardy
Persian life。 But Harpagus does not leave him alone； nor perhaps；
do his own thoughts。 He has wrongs to avenge on his grandfather。
And it seems not altogether impossible to the young mountaineer。
He has seen enough of Median luxury to despise it and those who
indulge in it。 He has seen his own grandfather with his cheeks
rouged； his eyelids stained with antimony； living a womanlike life；
shut up from all his subjects in the recesses of a vast seraglio。
He calls together the mountain rulers； makes friends with Tigranes；
an Armenian prince； a vassal of the Mede； who has his wrongs
likew
