12-as concerns interpreting the deity-第1节
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AS CONCERNS INTERPRETING THE DEITY
I
This line of hieroglyphics was for fourteen years the
despair of all the scholars who labored over the mysteries of the
Rosetta stone： ＇Figure 1＇
After five years of study Champollion translated it thus：
Therefore let the worship of Epiphanes be maintained in all
the temples； this upon pain of death。
That was the twenty…forth translation that had been
furnished by scholars。 For a time it stood。 But only for a
time。 Then doubts began to assail it and undermine it； and the
scholars resumed their labors。 Three years of patient work
produced eleven new translations； among them； this； by
Gr：unfeldt； was received with considerable favor：
The horse of Epiphanes shall be maintained at the public expense；
this upon pain of death。
But the following rendering； by Gospodin； was received by
the learned world with yet greater favor：
The priest shall explain the wisdom of Epiphanes to all these people；
and these shall listen with reverence； upon pain of death。
Seven years followed； in which twenty…one fresh and widely
varying renderings were scorednone of them quite convincing。
But now； at last； came Rawlinson； the youngest of all the
scholars； with a translation which was immediately and
universally recognized as being the correct version； and his name
became famous in a day。 So famous； indeed； that even the
children were familiar with it； and such a noise did the
achievement itself make that not even the noise of the monumental
political event of that same yearthe flight from Elbawas able
to smother it to silence。 Rawlinson's version reads as follows：
Therefore； walk not away from the wisdom of Epiphanes； but
turn and follow it； so shall it conduct thee to the temple's
peace； and soften for thee the sorrows of life and the pains of
death。
Here is another difficult text： ＇Figure 2＇
It is demotica style of Egyptian writing and a phase of
the language which has perished from the knowledge of all men
twenty…five hundred years before the Christian era。
Our red Indians have left many records； in the form of
pictures； upon our crags and boulders。 It has taken our most
gifted and painstaking students two centuries to get at the
meanings hidden in these pictures； yet there are still two little
lines of hieroglyphics among the figures grouped upon the Dighton
Rocks which they have not succeeds in interpreting to their
satisfaction。 These： ＇Figure 3＇
The suggested solutions are practically innumerable； they
would fill a book。
Thus we have infinite trouble in solving man…made mysteries；
it is only when we set out to discover the secret of God that our
difficulties disappear。 It was always so。 In antique Roman
times it was the custom of the Deity to try to conceal His
intentions in the entrails of birds； and this was patiently and
hopefully continued century after century； although the attempted
concealment never succeeded； in a single recorded instance。 The
augurs could read entrails as easily as a modern child can read
coarse print。 Roman history is full of the marvels of
interpretation which these extraordinary men performed。 These
strange and wonderful achievements move our awe and compel our
admiration。 Those men could pierce to the marrow of a mystery
instantly。 If the Rosetta…stone idea had been introduced it
would have defeated them； but entrails had no embarrassments for
them。 Entrails have gone out； nowentrails and dreams。 It was
at last found out that as hiding…places for the divine intentions
they were inadequate。
A part of the wall of Valletri in former times been struck
with thunder； the response of the soothsayers was； that a native
of that town would some time or other arrive at supreme power。
BOHN'S SUETONIUS； p。 138。
〃Some time or other。〃 It looks indefinite； but no matter；
it happened； all the same； one needed only to wait； and be
patient； and keep watch； then he would find out that the thunder…
stroke had Caesar Augustus in mind； and had come to give notice。
There were other advance…advertisements。 One of them
appeared just before Caesar Augustus was born； and was most
poetic and touching and romantic in its feelings and aspects。
It was a dream。 It was dreamed by Caesar Augustus's mother；
and interpreted at the usual rates：
Atia； before her delivery； dreamed that her bowels stretched
to the stars and expanded through the whole circuit of heaven
and earth。SUETONIUS； p。 139。
That was in the augur's line； and furnished him no
difficulties； but it would have taken Rawlinson and Champollion
fourteen years to make sure of what it meant； because they would
have been surprised and dizzy。 It would have been too late to be
valuable； then； and the bill for service would have been barred
by the statute of limitation。
In those old Roman days a gentleman's education was not
complete until he had taken a theological course at the seminary
and learned how to translate entrails。 Caesar Augustus's
education received this final polish。 All through his life；
whenever he had poultry on the menu he saved the interiors and
kept himself informed of the Deity's plans by exercising upon
those interiors the arts of augury。
In his first consulship； while he was observing the
auguries； twelve vultures presented themselves； as they had done
to Romulus。 And when he offered sacrifice； the livers of all
the victims were folded inward in the lower part； a circumstance
which was regarded by those present who had skill in things of
that nature； as an indubitable prognostic of great and wonderful
fortune。SUETONIUS； p。 141。
〃Indubitable〃 is a strong word； but no doubt it was
justified； if the livers were really turned that way。 In those
days chicken livers were strangely and delicately sensitive to
coming events； no matter how far off they might be； and they
could never keep still； but would curl and squirm like that；
particularly when vultures came and showed interest in that
approaching great event and in breakfast。
II
We may now skip eleven hundred and thirty or forty years；
which brings us down to enlightened Christian times and the
troubled days of King Stephen of England。 The augur has had his
day and has been long ago forgotten； the priest had fallen heir
to his trade。
King Henry is dead； Stephen； that bold and outrageous
person； comes flying over from Normandy to steal the throne from
Henry's daughter。 He accomplished his crime； and Henry of
Huntington； a priest of high degree； mourns over it in his
Chronicle。 The Archbishop of Canterbury consecrated Stephen：
〃wherefore the Lord visited the Archbishop with the same judgment
which he had inflicted upon him who struck Jeremiah the great
priest： he died with a year。〃
Stephen's was the greater offense； but Stephen could wait；
not so the Archbishop； apparently。
The kingdom was a prey to intestine wars； slaughter； fire；
and rapine spread ruin throughout the land； cries of distress；
horror； and woe rose in every quarter。
That was the result of Stephen's crime。 These unspeakable
conditions continued during nineteen years。 Then Stephen died as
comfortably as any man ever did； and was honorably buried。 It
makes one pity the poor Archbishop； and with that he； too； could
have been let off as leniently。 How did Henry of Huntington know
that the Archbishop was sent to his grave by judgment of God for
consecrating Stephen？ He does not explain。 Neither does he
explain why Stephen was awarded a pleasanter death than he was
entitled to； while the aged King Henry； his predecessor； who had
ruled England thirty…five years to the people's strongly worded
satisfaction； was condemned to close his life in circumstances
most distinctly unpleasant； inconvenient； and disagreeable。 His
was probably the most uninspiring funeral that is set down in
history。 There is not a detail about it that is attractive。 It
seems to have been just the funeral for Stephen； and even at this
far…distant day it is matter of just regret that by an
indiscretion the wrong man got it。
Whenever God punishes a man； Henry of Huntington knows why
it was done； and tells us； and his pen is eloquent with
admiration； but when a man has earned punishment； and escapes； he
does not explain。 He is evidently puzzled； but he does not say
anything。 I think it is often apparent that he is pained by
these discrepancies； but loyally tries his best not to show it。
When he cannot praise； he delivers himself of a silence so marked
that a suspicious person could mistake it for suppressed
criticism。 However； he has plenty of opportunities to feel
contented with the way things gohis book is full of them。
King David of Scotland 。 。 。 under color of re
