historic girls-第3章

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scholar　for　those　distant　daysmistress　of　four　languages：

Coptic；　Syriac；　Latin；　and　Greek；　while　the　fiery　temper　of　the

girl　grew　into　the　nobler　ambitions　of　the　maiden。　But　above　all

things；　as　became　her　mingled　Arabic　and　Egyptian　bloodfor　she

could　trace　her　ancestry　back　to　the　free　chiefs　of　the　Arabian

desert；　and　to　the　dauntless　Cleopatra　of　Egypt；she　loved　the

excitement　of　the　chase；　and　in　the　plains　and　mountains　beyond

the　city　she　learned　to　ride　and　hunt　with　all　the　skill　and

daring　of　a　young　Diana。



And　so　it　came　to　pass　that　when　the　Emperor　Valerian　sent　an

embassy　from　Rome　to　Ctesiphon；　bearing　a　message　to　the　Great

King；　as　Sapor；　the　Persian　monarch；　was　called；　the　embassy

halted　in　Palmyra；　and　Septimus　Hairan；　now　the　head…man　of　the

city；　ordered；　〃in　the　name　of　the　senate　and　people　of　Palmyra；〃

a　grand　venatio；　or　wild　beast　hunt；　in　the　circus　near　the

Street　of　the　Thousand　Columns；　in　honor　of　his　Roman　guests。　And

he　despatched　his　kinsman　Septimus　Zabbai；　the　soldier；　to　the

Armenian　hills　to　superintend　the　capture　and　delivery　of　the

wild　game　needed　for　the　hunt。　With　a　great　following　of　slaves

and　huntsmen；　Zabbai　the　soldier　departed；　and　with　him　went　his

niece；　Bath　Zabbai；　or　Zenobia；　now　a　fearless　young　huntress　of

fifteen。　Space　will　not　permit　to　tell　of　the　wonders　and

excitement　of　that　wild…beast　hunta　hunt　in　which　none　must　be

killed　but　all　must　be　captured　without　mar　or　wound。　Such　a

trapping　of　wolves　and　bears　and　buffaloes　was　there；　such　a

setting　of　nets　and　pitfalls　for　the　mountain　lion　and　the　Syrian

leopard；　while　the　Arab　hunters　beat；　and　drove；　and　shouted；　or

lay　in　wait　with　net　and　blunted　lance；　that　it　was　rare　sport　to

the　fearless　Zenobia；　who　rode　her　fleet　Arabian　horse　at　the

very　head　of　the　chase；　and；　with　quick　eye　and　practised　hand；

helped　largely　to　swell　the　trophies　of　the　hunt。　What　girl　of

to…day；　whom　even　the　pretty　little　jumping…mouse　of　Syria　would

scare　out　of　her　wits；　could　be　tempted　to　witness　such　a　scene？

And　yet　this　young　Palmyrean　girl　loved　nothing　better　than　the

chase；　and　the　records　tell　us　that　she　was　a　〃passionate

hunter；〃　and　that…she　pursued　with　ardor　the　wild　beasts　of　the

desert　and　thought　nothing　of　fatigue　or　peril。



So；　through　dense　Armenian　forests　and　along　rugged　mountain

paths；　down　rock…strewn　hill…slopes　and　in　green；　low…lying

valleys；　the　chase　swept　on：　and　one　day；　in　one　of　the　pleasant

glades　which；　half…sun　and　half…shadow；　stretch　away　to　the

Lebanon　hills；　young　Bath　Zabbai　suddenly　reined　in　her　horse　in

full　view　of　one　of　the　typical　hunting　scenes　of　those　old　days。

A　young　Arabian　hunter　had　enticed　a　big　mountain　lion　into　one

of　the　strong…meshed　nets　of　stout　palm　fibres；　then　used　for

such　purposes。　His　trained　leopard　or　cheetah　had　drawn　the　beast

from　his　lair；　and　by　cunning　devices　had　led　him　on　until　the

unfortunate　lion　was　half…entrapped。　Just　then；　with　a　sudden

swoop；　a　great　golden　eagle　dashed　down　upon　the　preoccupied

cheetah；　and　buried　his　talons　in　the　leopard's　head。　But　the

weight　of　his　victim　was　more　than　he　had　bargained　for；　the

cheetah　with　a　quick　upward　dash　dislodged　one　of　the　great

bird's　talons；　and；　turning　as　quickly；　caught　the　disengaged　leg

in　his　sharp　teeth。　At　that　instant　the　lion；　springing　at　the

struggling　pair；　started　the　fastenings　of　the　net；　which；

falling　upon　the　group；　held　all　three　prisoners。　The　eagle　and

the　lion　thus　ensnared　sought　to　release　themselves；　but　only

ensnared　themselves　the　more；　while　the　cunning　cheetah；　versed

in　the　knowledge　of　the　hunter's　net；　crept　out　from　beneath　the

meshes　as　his　master　raised　them　slightly；　and　with　bleeding　head

crawled　to　him　for　praise　and　relief。



Then　the　girl；　flushed　with　delight　at　this　double　capture；

galloped　to　the　spot；　and　in　that　instant　she　recognized　in　the

successful　hunter　her　cousin　the　exile。



〃Well　snared；　my　Odhainat；〃　she　said；　as；　the　first　exclamation

of　surprise　over；　she　stood　beside　the　brown…faced　and　sturdy

young　hunter。　〃The　Palmyrean　leopard　hath　bravely　trapped　both

the　Roman　eagle　and　the　Persian　lion。　See；　is　it　not　an　omen　from

the　gods？　Face　valor　with　valor　and　craft　with　craft；　O　Odhainat！

Have　you　forgotten　the　vow　in　your　father's　palace　full　three

years　ago？〃



Forgotten　it？　Not　he。　And　then　he　told　Bath　Zabbai　how　in　all　his

wanderings　he　had　kept　their　vow　in　mind；　and　with　that；　too；　her

other　words　of　counsel；　〃Watch　and　Wait。〃　He　told　her　that；　far

and　wide；　he　was　known　to　all　the　Arabs　of　the　desert　and　the

Armenians　of　the　hills；　and　how；　from　sheikh　to　camel…boy；　the

tribes　were　ready　to　join　with　Palmyra　against　both　Rome　and

Persia。



〃Your　time　will　indeed　come；　my　Odhainat；〃　said　the　fearless

girl；　with　proud　looks　and　ringing　voice。　〃See；　even　thus　our

omen　gives　the　proof；〃　and　she　pointed　to　the　net；　beneath　whose

meshes　both　eagle　and　lion；　fluttering　and　panting；　lay　wearied

with　their　struggles；　while　the　cheetah　kept　watch　above　them。

〃Now　make　your　peace　with　Hairan；　your　brother；　return　to　Palmyra

once　again；　and　still　let　us　watch　and　wait。〃



Three　more　years　passed。　Valerian；　Emperor　of　Rome；　leading　his

legions　to　war　with　Sapor；　whom　men　called　the　〃Great　King；〃　had

fallen　a　victim　to　the　treachery　and　traps　of　the　Persian

monarch；　and　was　held　a　miserable　prisoner　in　the　Persian

capital；　where；　richly　robed　in　the　purple　of　the　Roman　emperors

and　loaded　with　chains；　he　was　used　by　the　savage　Persian　tyrant

as　a　living　horse…block　for　the　sport　of　an　equally　savage　court。

In　Palmyra；　Hairan　was　dead；　and　young　Odhainat；　his　brother；　was

now　Septimus　Odaenathus〃headman〃　of　the　city　and　to　all

appearances　the　firm　friend　of　Rome。



There　were　great　rejoicings　in　Palmyra　when　the　wise

Zenobiastill　scarce　more　than　a　girland　the　fearless　young

〃head…man〃　of　the　desert　republic　were　married　in　the　marble　city

of　the　palm…trees；　and　her　shrewd　counsels　brought　still　greater

triumphs　to　Odaenathus　and　to　Palmyra；



In　the　great　market…place　or　forum；　Odaenathus　and　Zenobia

awaited　the　return　of　their　messengers　to　Sapor。　For　the　〃Great

King；〃　having　killed　and　stuffed　the　captive　Roman　Emperor；　now

turned　his　arms　against　the　Roman　power　in　the　east　and；

destroying　both　Antioch　and　Emesa；　looked　with　an　evil　eye　toward

Palmyra。　Zenobia；　remembering　the　omen　of　the　eagle　and　the　lion；

repeated　her　counsel　of　facing　craft　with　craft；　and　letters　and

gifts　had　been　sent　to　Sapor；　asking　for　peace　and　friendship。

There　is　a　hurried　entrance　through　the　eastern　gate　of　the　city；

and　the　messengers　from　the　Palmyrean　senate　rush　into　the

Market…place。



〃Your　presents　to　the　Great　King　have　been　thrown　into　the　river；

O　Odaenathus；〃　they　reported；　〃and　thus　sayeth　Sapor　of　Persia：

'Who　is　this　Odaenathus；　that　he　should　thus　presume　to　write　to

his　lord？　If　he　would　obtain　mitigation　of　the　punishment　that

awaits　him；　let　him　fall　prostrate　before　the　foot　of　our　throne；

with　his　hands　bound　behind　his　back。　Unless　he　doeth　this；　he；

his　family；　and　his　country　shall　surely　perish！'　〃



Swift　to　wrath　and　swifter　still　to　act；　Zenobia　sprang　to　her

feet。　〃Face　force　with　force；　Odaenathus。　Be　strong　and　sure；　and

Palmyra　shall　yet　humble　the　Persian。〃



Her　advice　was　taken。　Quickly　collecting　the　troops　of　Palmyra

and　the　Arabs　and　Armenian　who　were　his　allies；　the　fearless

〃head…man〃　fell　upon　the　army　of　the　haughty　Persian　king；

defeated　and　despoiled　it；　and　drove　it　back　to　Persia。　As

Gibbon；　the　historian　says：　〃The　majesty　of　Rome；　oppressed　by　a

Persian；　was　protected　by　an　Arab　of　Palmyra。〃



For　this　he　was　covered　with　favors　by　Rome；　made　supreme

commander　in　the　East；　and；　with　Zenobia　as　his　adviser　and

helper；　each　year　made　Palmyra　stronger　and　more　powerful。



Here；　rightly；　the　story　of　the　girl　Ze