the works of edgar allan poe-1-第24章

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Syrian　monarch　does　by　no　means　stand　in　need　of　any　adventitious　
embellishment。　His　accession　to　the　throne；　or　rather　his　usurpation　
of　the　sovereignty；　a　hundred　and　seventy…one　years　before　the　coming　
of　Christ；　his　attempt　to　plunder　the　temple　of　Diana　at　Ephesus；　his　
implacable　hostility　to　the　Jews；　his　pollution　of　the　Holy　of　
Holies；　and　his　miserable　death　at　Taba；　after　a　tumultuous　reign　of　
eleven　years；　are　circumstances　of　a　prominent　kind；　and　therefore　
more　generally　noticed　by　the　historians　of　his　time　than　the　
impious；　dastardly；　cruel；　silly；　and　whimsical　achievements　which　
make　up　the　sum　total　of　his　private　life　and　reputation。

Let　us　suppose；　gentle　reader；　that　it　is　now　the　year　of　the　world　
three　thousand　eight　hundred　and　thirty；　and　let　us；　for　a　few　
minutes；　imagine　ourselves　at　that　most　grotesque　habitation　of　man；　
the　remarkable　city　of　Antioch。　To　be　sure　there　were；　in　Syria　and　
other　countries；　sixteen　cities　of　that　appellation；　besides　the　one　
to　which　I　more　particularly　allude。　But　ours　is　that　which　went　by　
the　name　of　Antiochia　Epidaphne；　from　its　vicinity　to　the　little　
village　of　Daphne；　where　stood　a　temple　to　that　divinity。　It　was　
built　（although　about　this　matter　there　is　some　dispute）　by　Seleucus　
Nicanor；　the　first　king　of　the　country　after　Alexander　the　Great；　in　
memory　of　his　father　Antiochus；　and　became　immediately　the　residence　
of　the　Syrian　monarchy。　In　the　flourishing　times　of　the　Roman　Empire；　
it　was　the　ordinary　station　of　the　prefect　of　the　eastern　provinces；　
and　many　of　the　emperors　of　the　queen　city　（among　whom　may　be　
mentioned；　especially；　Verus　and　Valens）　spent　here　the　greater　part　
of　their　time。　But　I　perceive　we　have　arrived　at　the　city　itself。　Let　
us　ascend　this　battlement；　and　throw　our　eyes　upon　the　town　and　
neighboring　country。

〃What　broad　and　rapid　river　is　that　which　forces　its　way；　with　
innumerable　falls；　through　the　mountainous　wilderness；　and　finally　
through　the　wilderness　of　buildings？〃

That　is　the　Orontes；　and　it　is　the　only　water　in　sight；　with　the　
exception　of　the　Mediterranean；　which　stretches；　like　a　broad　mirror；　
about　twelve　miles　off　to　the　southward。　Every　one　has　seen　the　
Mediterranean；　but　let　me　tell　you；　there　are　few　who　have　had　a　peep　
at　Antioch。　By　few；　I　mean；　few　who；　like　you　and　me；　have　had；　at　
the　same　time；　the　advantages　of　a　modern　education。　Therefore　cease　
to　regard　that　sea；　and　give　your　whole　attention　to　the　mass　of　
houses　that　lie　beneath　us。　You　will　remember　that　it　is　now　the　year　
of　the　world　three　thousand　eight　hundred　and　thirty。　Were　it　later　
　for　example；　were　it　the　year　of　our　Lord　eighteen　hundred　and　
forty…five；　we　should　be　deprived　of　this　extraordinary　spectacle。　In　
the　nineteenth　century　Antioch　is　　that　is　to　say；　Antioch　will　be　
　in　a　lamentable　state　of　decay。　It　will　have　been；　by　that　time；　
totally　destroyed；　at　three　different　periods；　by　three　successive　
earthquakes。　Indeed；　to　say　the　truth；　what　little　of　its　former　self　
may　then　remain；　will　be　found　in　so　desolate　and　ruinous　a　state　
that　the　patriarch　shall　have　removed　his　residence　to　Damascus。　This　
is　well。　I　see　you　profit　by　my　advice；　and　are　making　the　most　of　
your　time　in　inspecting　the　premises　　in

…satisfying　your　eyes

With　the　memorials　and　the　things　of　fame

That　most　renown　this　city。…

I　beg　pardon；　I　had　forgotten　that　Shakespeare　will　not　flourish　for　
seventeen　hundred　and　fifty　years　to　come。　But　does　not　the　
appearance　of　Epidaphne　justify　me　in　calling　it　grotesque？

〃It　is　well　fortified；　and　in　this　respect　is　as　much　indebted　to　
nature　as　to　art。〃

Very　true。

〃There　are　a　prodigious　number　of　stately　palaces。〃

There　are。

〃And　the　numerous　temples；　sumptuous　and　magnificent；　may　bear　
comparison　with　the　most　lauded　of　antiquity。〃

All　this　I　must　acknowledge。　Still　there　is　an　infinity　of　mud　huts；　
and　abominable　hovels。　We　cannot　help　perceiving　abundance　of　filth　
in　every　kennel；　and；　were　it　not　for　the　over…powering　fumes　of　
idolatrous　incense；　I　have　no　doubt　we　should　find　a　most　intolerable　
stench。　Did　you　ever　behold　streets　so　insufferably　narrow；　or　houses　
so　miraculously　tall？　What　gloom　their　shadows　cast　upon　the　ground！　
It　is　well　the　swinging　lamps　in　those　endless　colonnades　are　kept　
burning　throughout　the　day；　we　should　otherwise　have　the　darkness　of　
Egypt　in　the　time　of　her　desolation。

〃It　is　certainly　a　strange　place！　What　is　the　meaning　of　yonder　
singular　building？　See！　it　towers　above　all　others；　and　lies　to　the　
eastward　of　what　I　take　to　be　the　royal　palace。〃

That　is　the　new　Temple　of　the　Sun；　who　is　adored　in　Syria　under　the　
title　of　Elah　Gabalah。　Hereafter　a　very　notorious　Roman　Emperor　will　
institute　this　worship　in　Rome；　and　thence　derive　a　cognomen；　
Heliogabalus。　I　dare　say　you　would　like　to　take　a　peep　at　the　
divinity　of　the　temple。　You　need　not　look　up　at　the　heavens；　his　
Sunship　is　not　there　　at　least　not　the　Sunship　adored　by　the　
Syrians。　That　deity　will　be　found　in　the　interior　of　yonder　building。　
He　is　worshipped　under　the　figure　of　a　large　stone　pillar　terminating　
at　the　summit　in　a　cone　or　pyramid；　whereby　is　denoted　Fire。

〃Hark　　behold！　　who　can　those　ridiculous　beings　be；　half　naked；　
with　their　faces　painted；　shouting　and　gesticulating　to　the　rabble？〃

Some　few　are　mountebanks。　Others　more　particularly　belong　to　the　race　
of　philosophers。　The　greatest　portion；　however　　those　especially　
who　belabor　the　populace　with　clubs　　are　the　principal　courtiers　of　
the　palace；　executing　as　in　duty　bound；　some　laudable　comicality　of　
the　king's。

〃But　what　have　we　here？　Heavens！　the　town　is　swarming　with　wild　
beasts！　How　terrible　a　spectacle！　　how　dangerous　a　peculiarity！〃

Terrible；　if　you　please；　but　not　in　the　least　degree　dangerous。　Each　
animal　if　you　will　take　the　pains　to　observe；　is　following；　very　
quietly；　in　the　wake　of　its　master。　Some　few；　to　be　sure；　are　led　
with　a　rope　about　the　neck；　but　these　are　chiefly　the　lesser　or　timid　
species。　The　lion；　the　tiger；　and　the　leopard　are　entirely　without　
restraint。　They　have　been　trained　without　difficulty　to　their　present　
profession；　and　attend　upon　their　respective　owners　in　the　capacity　
of　valets…de…chambre。　It　is　true；　there　are　occasions　when　Nature　
asserts　her　violated　dominions；　　but　then　the　devouring　of　a　
man…at…arms；　or　the　throttling　of　a　consecrated　bull；　is　a　
circumstance　of　too　little　moment　to　be　more　than　hinted　at　in　
Epidaphne。

〃But　what　extraordinary　tumult　do　I　hear？　Surely　this　is　a　loud　noise　
even　for　Antioch！　It　argues　some　commotion　of　unusual　interest。〃

Yes　　undoubtedly。　The　king　has　ordered　some　novel　spectacle　　some　
gladiatorial　exhibition　at　the　hippodrome　　or　perhaps　the　massacre　
of　the　Scythian　prisoners　　or　the　conflagration　of　his　new　palace　
　or　the　tearing　down　of　a　handsome　temple　　or；　indeed；　a　bonfire　
of　a　few　Jews。　The　uproar　increases。　Shouts　of　laughter　ascend　the　
skies。　The　air　becomes　dissonant　with　wind　instruments；　and　horrible　
with　clamor　of　a　million　throats。　Let　us　descend；　for　the　love　of　
fun；　and　see　what　is　going　on！　This　way　　be　careful！　Here　we　are　in　
the　principal　street；　which　is　called　the　street　of　Timarchus。　The　
sea　of　people　is　coming　this　way；　and　we　shall　find　a　difficulty　in　
stemming　the　tide。　They　are　pouring　through　the　alley　of　Heraclides；　
which　leads　directly　from　the　palace；　　therefore　the　king　is　most　
probably　among　the　rioters。　Yes；　　I　hear　the　shouts　of　the　herald　
proclaiming　his　approach　in　the　pompous　phraseology　of　the　East。　We　
shall　have　a　glimpse　of　his　person　as　he　passes　by　the　temple　of　
Ashimah。　Let　us　ensconce　ourselves　in　the　vestibule　of　the　sanctuary；　
he　will　be　here　anon。　In　the　meantime　let　us　survey　this　image。　What　
is　it？　Oh！　it　is　the　god　Ashimah　in　proper　person。　You　perceive；　
however；　that　he　is　neither　a　lamb；　nor　a　goat；　nor　a　satyr；　neither　
has　he　much　resemblance　to　the　Pan　of　the　Arcadians。　Yet　all　these　
appearances　have　been　given　　I　beg　pardon　　will　be　given　　by　
the　learned　of　future　ages；　to　the　Ashimah　of　the　Syrians。　Put　on　
your　spectacles；　and　tell　me　what　it　is。　What　is　it？

〃Bless　me！　it　is　an　ape！〃

True　　a　baboon；　but　by　no　means　the　less　a　deity。　His　name　is　a　
derivation　of　the　Greek　Simia　　what　great　fools　are　antiquarians！　
But　see！　　see！　　yonder　scampers　a　ragged　little　urchin。　Where　is　
he　going？　What　is　he　bawling　about？　What　does　he　say？　Oh！　he　says　the　
king　is　coming　in　triumph；　that　he　is　dressed　in　state；　that　he　has　
just　finished　putting　to　death；　with　his　own　hand；　a　thousand　chained　
Israelitish　prisoners！　For　this　exploit　the　ragamuffin　is　lauding　him　
to　the　skies。　Hark！　here　comes　a　troop　of　a　similar　description。　They　
have　made　a　Latin　hymn　upon　the　valor　of　the　king；　and　are　singing　it　
as　they　go：

Mille；　mille；　mille；

Mille；　mille；　mille；

Decollavimus；　unus　homo！

Mille；　mille；　mille；　mille；　decollavimus！

Mille；　mille；　mille；

Vivat　qui　mille　mille　occidit！

Tantum　vini　habet　nemo

Quantum　sanguinis　effudit！｛*1｝

Which　may　be　thus　paraphrased：

A　thousand；　a　thousand；　a　thousand；

A　thousand；　a　thousand；　a　thousand；

We；　with　one　warrior；　have　slain！

A　thousand；　a　thousand；　a　thousand；　a　thousand。

Sing　a　thousand　over　again！

Soho！　　let　us　sing

Long　life　to　our　king；

Who　knocked　over　a　thousand　so　fine！

Soho！　　let　us　roar；

He　has　given　us　more

Red　gallons　of　gore

Than　all　Syria　can　furnish　of　wine！

〃Do　you　hear　that　flourish　of　trumpets？〃

Yes：　the　king　is　coming！　See！　the　people　are　aghast　with　admiration；　
and　lift　up　their　eyes　to　the　heavens　in　reverence。　He　comes；　　he　
is　coming；　　there　he　is！

〃Who？　　where？　　the　king？　　do　not　behold　him　　cannot　say　that　
I　perceive　him。〃

Then　you　must　be　blind。

〃Very　possible。　Still　I　see　nothing　but　a　tumultuous　mob　of　idiots　
and　madmen；　who　are　busy　in　prostrating　themselves　before　a　gigantic　
cameleopard；　and　endeavoring　to　obtain　a　kiss　of　the　animal's　hoofs。　
See！　the　beast　has　very　justly　kicked　one　of　the　rabble　over　　and　
another　　and　another　　and　another。　Indeed；　I　cannot　help　admiring　
the　animal　for　the　excellent　use　he　is　making　of　his　feet。〃

Rabble；　indeed！　　why　these　are　the　noble　and　free　citizens　of　
Epidaphne！　Beasts；　did　you　say？　　take　care　that　you　are　not　
overheard。　Do　you　not　perceive　that　the　animal　has　the　visage　of　a　
man？　Why；　my　dear　sir；　that　cameleopard　is　no　other　than　Antiochus　
Epiphanes；　Antiochus　the　Illustrious；　King　of　Syria；　and　the　most　
potent　of　all　the　autocrats　of　the　East！　It　is　true；　that　he　is　
entitled；　at　times；　Antiochus　Epimanes　　Antiochus　the　madman　　but　
that　is　because　all　people　have　not　the　capacity　to　appreciate　his　
merits。　It　is　also　certain　that　he　is　at　present　ensconced　in　the　
hide　of　a　beast；　and　is　doing　his　best　to　play　the　part　of　a　
cameleopard；　but　this　is　done　for　the　better　sustaining　his　dignity　
as　king。　Besides；　the　monarch　is　of　gigantic　stature；　and　the　dress　
is　therefore　neither　unbecoming　nor　over　large。　We　may；　however；　
presume　he　would　not　have　adopted　it　but　f