herodias-第8章

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as　they　were　seated；　hands　were　stretched　out　with　the　eagerness　of　a

vulture's　claws；　seizing　upon　olives；　pistachios；　and　almonds。　Every

face　was　joyous；　every　head　was　crowned　with　flowers；　except　those　of

the　Pharisees；　who　refused　to　wear　the　wreaths；　regarding　them　as　a

symbol　of　Roman　voluptuousness　and　vice。　They　shuddered　when　the

attendants　sprinkled　them　with　galburnum　and　incense；　the　use　of　which

the　Pharisees　reserved　strictly　for　services　in　the　Temple。



Antipas　observed　that　Aulus　rubbed　himself　under　the　arms；　as　if

annoyed　by　heat　or　chafing；　and　promised　to　give　him　three　flasks　of

the　same　kind　of　precious　balm　that　had　been　used　by　Cleopatra。



A　captain　from　the　garrison　of　Tiberias　who　had　just　arrived；　placed

himself　behind　the　tetrarch　as　protection　in　case　any　unexpected

trouble　should　arise。　But　his　attention　was　divided　between　observing

the　movements　of　the　proconsul　and　listening　to　the　conversation　of

his　neighbours。



There　was；　naturally；　much　talk　of　Iaokanann；　and　other　men　of　his

stamp。



〃It　is　said；〃　remarked　one　of　the　guests；　〃that　Simon　of　Gitta　washed

away　his　sins　in　fire。　And　a　certain　man　called　Jesus〃



〃He　is　the　worst　of　them　all！〃　interrupted　Eleazar。　〃A　miserable

imposter！〃



At　this　a　man　sprang　up　from　a　table　near　the　tetrarch's　pavilion；　and

made　his　way　towards　the　place　where　Eleazar　sat。　His　face　was　almost

as　pale　as　his　linen　robe；　but　he　addressed　the　Pharisees　boldly；

saying：　〃That　is　a　lie！　Jesus　has　performed　miracles！〃



Antipas　expressed　a　long…cherished　desire　to　see　the　man　Jesus　perform

some　of　his　so…called　miracles。　〃You　should　have　brought　him　with

you；〃　he　said　to　the　last　speaker；　who　was　still　standing。　〃Tell　us

what　you　know　about　him；〃　he　commanded。



Then　the　stranger　said　that　he　himself；　whose　name　was　Jacob；　having　a

daughter　who　was　very　ill；　had　gone　to　Capernaum　to　implore　the　Master

to　heal　his　child。　The　Master　had　answered　him；　saying：　〃Return　to　thy

home：　she　is　healed！〃　And　he　had　found　his　daughter　standing　at　the

threshold　of　his　house；　having　risen　from　her　couch　when　the　gnomon

had　marked　the　third　hour；　the　same　moment　when　he　had　made　his

supplication　to　Jesus。



The　Pharisees　admitted　that　certain　mysterious　arts　and　powerful　herbs

existed　that　would　heal　the　sick。　It　was　said　that　the　marvellous

plant　known　as　〃baaras〃　grew　even　in　Machaerus；　the　power　of　which

rendered　its　consumer　invulnerable　against　all　attacks；　but　to　cure

disease　without　seeing　or　touching　the　afflicted　person　was　clearly

impossible；　unless；　indeed；　the　man　Jesus　called　in　the　assistance　of

evil　spirits。



The　friends　of　Antipas　and　the　men　from　Galilee　nodded　wisely；　saying：

〃It　is　evident　that　he　is　aided　by　demons　of　some　sort！〃



Jacob；　standing　between　their　table　and　that　of　the　priests；

maintained　a　silence　at　once　lofty　and　respectful。



Several　voices　exclaimed：　〃Prove　his　power　to　us！〃



Jacob　leaned　over　the　priests'　table；　and　said　slowly；　in　a　half…

suppressed　tone；　as　if　awe…struck　by　his　own　words：



〃Know　ye　not；　then；　that　He　is　the　Messiah？〃



The　priests　stared　at　one　another；　and　Vitellius　demanded　the　meaning

of　the　word。　His　interpreter　paused　a　moment　before　translating　it。

Then　he　said　that　Messiah　was　the　name　to　be　given　to　one　who　was　to

come；　bringing　the　enjoyment　of　all　blessings；　and　giving　them

domination　over　all　the　peoples　of　the　earth。　Certain　persons　believed

that　there　were　to　be　two　Messiahs；　one　would　be　vanquished　by　Gog　and

Magog；　the　demons　of　the　North；　but　the　other　would　exterminate　the

Prince　of　Evil；　and　for　centuries　the　coming　of　this　Saviour　of

mankind　had　been　expected　at　any　moment。



At　this；　the　priests　began　to　talk　in　low　tones　among　themselves。

Eleazar　addressed　Jacob；　saying　that　it　had　always　been　understood

that　the　Messiah　would　be　a　son　of　David；　not　of　a　carpenter；　and　that

he　would　confirm　the　law；　whereas　this　Nazarene　attacked　it。

Furthermore；　as　a　still　stronger　argument　against　the　pretender；　it

had　been　promised　that　the　Messiah　should　be　preceded　by　Elias。



〃But　Elias　has　come！〃　Jacob　answered。



〃Elias！　Elias！〃　was　repeated　from　one　end　of　the　banqueting…hall　to

the　other。



In　imagination；　all　fancied　that　they　could　see　an　old　man；　a　flight

of　ravens　above　his　head；　standing　before　an　altar；　which　a　flash　of

lightning　illumined；　revealing　the　idolatrous　priests　that　were　thrown

into　the　torrent；　and　the　women；　sitting　in　the　galleries；　thought　of

the　widow　of　Sarepta。



Jacob　then　declared　that　he　knew　Elias；　that　he　had　seen　him；　and　that

many　of　the　guests　there　assembled　had　seen　him！



〃His　name！〃　was　the　cry　from　all　lips。



〃Iaokanann！〃



Antipas　fell　back　in　his　chair　as　if　a　heavy　blow　had　struck　him　on

the　breast。　The　Sadducees　rose　from　their　seats　and　rushed　towards

Jacob。　Eleazar　raised　his　voice　to　a　shout　in　order　to　make　himself

heard。　When　order　was　finally　restored；　he　draped　his　mantle　about　his

shoulders；　and；　with　the　air　of　a　judge；　proceeded　to　put　questions　to

Jacob。



〃Since　the　prophet　is　dead〃　he　began。



Murmurs　interrupted　him。　Many　persons　believed　that　Elias　was　not

dead；　but　had　only　disappeared。



Eleazar　rebuked　those　who　had　interrupted　him；　and　continuing；　asked：



〃And　dost　thou　believe　that　he　has　indeed　come　to　life　again？〃



〃Why　should　I　not　believe　it？〃　Jacob　replied。



The　Sadducees　shrugged　their　shoulders。　Jonathas；　opening　wide　his

little　eyes；　gave　a　forced；　buffoon…like　laugh。　Nothing　could　be　more

absurd；　said　he；　than　the　idea　that　a　human　body　could　have　eternal

life；　and　he　declaimed；　for　the　benefit　of　the　proconsul；　this　line

from　a　contemporaneous　poet：



　　Nec　crescit；　nec　post　mortem　durare　videtur。



By　this　time　Aulus　was　leaning　over　the　side　of　the　pavilion；　with

pale　face；　a　perspiring　brow；　and　both　hands　outspread　on　his　stomach。



The　Sadducees　pretended　to　be　deeply　moved　at　the　sight　of　his

suffering；　thinking　that　perhaps　the　next　day　the　offices　of

sacrificers　would　be　theirs。　Antipas　appeared　to　be　in　despair　at　his

guest's　agony。　Vitellius　preserved　a　calm　demeanour；　although　he　felt

some　anxiety；　for　the　loss　of　his　son　would　mean　the　loss　of　his

fortune。



But　Aulus；　quickly　recovering　after　he　had　relieved　his　over…burdened

stomach；　was　as　eager　to　eat　as　before。



〃Let　some　one　bring　me　marble…dust；〃　he　commanded；　〃or　clay　of　Naxos；

sea…wateranything！　Perhaps　it　would　do　me　good　to　bathe。〃



He　swallowed　a　quantity　of　snow；　then　hesitated　between　a　ragout　and　a

dish　of　blackbirds；　and　finally　decided　in　favour　of　gourds　served　in

honey。　The　little　Asiatic　gazed　at　his　master　in　astonishment　and

admiration；　to　him　this　exhibition　of　gluttony　denoted　a　wonderful

being　belonging　to　a　superior　race。



The　feast　went　on。　Slaves　served　the　guests　with　kidneys；　dormice；

nightingales；　mince…meat　dressed　with　vine…leaves。　The　priests

discoursed　among　themselves　regarding　the　supposed　resurrection。

Ammonius；　pupil　of　Philon；　the　Platonist；　pronounced　them　stupid；　and

told　the　Greeks　that　he　laughed　at　their　oracles。



Marcellus　and　Jacob　were　seated　side　by　side。　Marcellus　described　the

happiness　he　had　felt　under　the　baptism　of　Mithra；　and　Jacob　made　him

promise　to　become　a　follower　of　Jesus。



The　wines　of　the　palm　and　the　tamarisk；　those　of　Safed　and　of　Byblos；

ran　from　the　amphoras　into　the　crateras；　from　the　crateras　into　the

cups；　and　from　the　cups　down　the　guests'　throats。　Every　one　talked；

all　hearts　expanding　under　the　good　cheer。　Jacim；　although　a　Jew；　did

not　hesitate　to　express　his　admiration　of　the　planets。　A　merchant　from

Aphaka　amazed　the　nomads　with　his　description　of　the　marvels　in　the

temple　of　Hierapolis；　and　they　wished　to　know　the　cost　of　a　pilgrimage

to　that　place。　Others　held　fast　to　the　principles　of　their　native

religion。　A　German；　who　was　nearly　bli