ben-hur-第33章

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　in　superb　equipment；　brazen　helms；　burnished　shields　and　javelins。　While　the　fighting…men　thus　went　to　quarters　as　for　action；　the　sailors　proper　climbed　the　shrouds　and　perched　themselves　along　the　yard。　The　officers　and　musicians　took　their　posts。　There　was　no　shouting　or　needless　noise。　When　the　oars　touched　the　mole；　a　bridge　was　sent　out　from　the　helmsman's　deck。　Then　the　tribune　turned　to　his　party　and　said；　with　a　gravity　he　had　not　before　shown：

〃Duty　now；　O　my　friends。〃

He　took　the　chaplet　from　his　head　and　gave　it　to　the　dice…player。

〃Take　thou　the　myrtle；　O　favorite　of　the　tesserae！〃　he　said。　〃If　I　return；　I　will　seek　my　sestertii　again；　if　I　am　not　victor；　I　will　not　return。　Hang　the　crown　in　thy　atrium。〃

To　the　company　he　opened　his　arms；　and　they　came　one　by　one　and　received　his　parting　embrace。

〃The　gods　go　with　thee；　O　Quintus！〃　they　said。

〃Farewell；〃　he　replied。

To　the　slaves　waving　their　torches　he　waved　his　hand；　then　he　turned　to　the　waiting　ship；　beautiful　with　ordered　ranks　and　crested　helms；　and　shields　and　javelins。　As　he　stepped　upon　the　bridge；　the　trumpets　sounded；　and　over　the　aplustre　rose　the　vexillum　purpureum；　or　pennant　of　a　commander　of　a　fleet。




CHAPTER　II



The　tribune；　standing　upon　the　helmsman's　deck　with　the　order　of　the　duumvir　open　in　his　hand；　spoke　to　the　chief　of　the　rowers。*

…　*　Called　hortator。　…

〃What　force　hast　thou？〃

〃Of　oarsmen；　two　hundred　and　fifty…two；　ten　supernumeraries。

〃Making　reliefs　of〃

〃Eighty…four。〃

〃And　thy　habit？〃

〃It　has　been　to　take　off　and　put　on　every　two　hours。〃

The　tribune　mused　a　moment。

〃The　division　is　hard；　and　I　will　reform　it；　but　not　now。　The　oars　may　not　rest　day　or　night。〃

Then　to　the　sailing…master　he　said；

〃The　wind　is　fair。　Let　the　sail　help　the　oars。〃

When　the　two　thus　addressed　were　gone；　he　turned　to　the　chief　pilot。*

…　*　Called　rector。　…

〃What　service　hast　thou　had？〃

〃Two…and…thirty　years。〃

〃In　what　seas　chiefly？〃

〃Between　our　Rome　and　the　East。〃

〃Thou　art　the　man　I　would　have　chosen。〃

The　tribune　looked　at　his　orders　again。

〃Past　the　Camponellan　cape；　the　course　will　be　to　Messina。　Beyond　that；　follow　the　bend　of　the　Calabrian　shore　till　Melito　is　on　thy　left；　then　Knowest　thou　the　stars　that　govern　in　the　Ionian　Sea？〃

〃I　know　them　well。〃

〃Then　from　Melito　course　eastward　for　Cythera。　The　gods　willing；　I　will　not　anchor　until　in　the　Bay　of　Antemona。　The　duty　is　urgent。　I　rely　upon　thee。〃

A　prudent　man　was　Arriusprudent；　and　of　the　class　which；　while　enriching　the　altars　at　Praeneste　and　Antium；　was　of　opinion；　nevertheless；　that　the　favor　of　the　blind　goddess　depended　more　upon　the　votary's　care　and　judgment　than　upon　his　gifts　and　vows。　All　night　as　master　of　the　feast　he　had　sat　at　table　drinking　and　playing；　yet　the　odor　of　the　sea　returned　him　to　the　mood　of　the　sailor；　and　he　would　not　rest　until　he　knew　his　ship。　Knowledge　leaves　no　room　for　chances。　Having　begun　with　the　chief　of　the　rowers；　the　sailing…master；　and　the　pilot；　in　company　with　the　other　officersthe　commander　of　the　marines；　the　keeper　of　the　stores；　the　master　of　the　machines；　the　overseer　of　the　kitchen　or　fireshe　passed　through　the　several　quarters。　Nothing　escaped　his　inspection。　When　he　was　through；　of　the　community　crowded　within　the　narrow　walls　he　alone　knew　perfectly　all　there　was　of　material　preparation　for　the　voyage　and　its　possible　incidents；　and；　finding　the　preparation　complete；　there　was　left　him　but　one　thing　furtherthorough　knowledge　of　the　personnel　of　his　command。　As　this　was　the　most　delicate　and　difficult　part　of　his　task；　requiring　much　time；　he　set　about　it　his　own　way。

At　noon　that　day　the　galley　was　skimming　the　sea　off　Paestum。　The　wind　was　yet　from　the　west；　filling　the　sail　to　the　master's　content。　The　watches　had　been　established。　On　the　foredeck　the　altar　had　been　set　and　sprinkled　with　salt　and　barley；　and　before　it　the　tribune　had　offered　solemn　prayers　to　Jove　and　to　Neptune　and　all　the　Oceanidae；　and；　with　vows；　poured　the　wine　and　burned　the　incense。　And　now；　the　better　to　study　his　men；　he　was　seated　in　the　great　cabin；　a　very　martial　figure。

The　cabin；　it　should　be　stated；　was　the　central　compartment　of　the　galley；　in　extent　quite　sixty…five　by　thirty　feet；　and　lighted　by　three　broad　hatchways。　A　row　of　stanchions　ran　from　end　to　end；　supporting　the　roof；　and　near　the　centre　the　mast　was　visible；　all　bristling　with　axes　and　spears　and　javelins。　To　each　hatchway　there　were　double　stairs　descending　right　and　left；　with　a　pivotal　arrangement　at　the　top　to　allow　the　lower　ends　to　be　hitched　to　the　ceiling；　and；　as　these　were　now　raised；　the　compartment　had　the　appearance　of　a　skylighted　hall。

The　reader　will　understand　readily　that　this　was　the　heart　of　the　ship；　the　home　of　all　aboardeating…room；　sleeping…chamber；　field　of　exercise；　lounging…place　off　dutyuses　made　possible　by　the　laws　which　reduced　life　there　to　minute　details　and　a　routine　relentless　as　death。

At　the　after…end　of　the　cabin　there　was　a　platform；　reached　by　several　steps。　Upon　it　the　chief　of　the　rowers　sat；　in　front　of　him　a　sounding…table；　upon　which；　with　a　gavel；　he　beat　time　for　the　oarsmen；　at　his　right　a　clepsydra；　or　water…clock；　to　measure　the　reliefs　and　watches。　Above　him；　on　a　higher　platform；　well　guarded　by　gilded　railing；　the　tribune　had　his　quarters；　overlooking　everything；　and　furnished　with　a　couch；　a　table；　and　a　cathedra；　or　chair；　cushioned；　and　with　arms　and　high　backarticles　which　the　imperial　dispensation　permitted　of　the　utmost　elegance。

Thus　at　ease；　lounging　in　the　great　chair；　swaying　with　the　motion　of　the　vessel；　the　military　cloak　half　draping　his　tunic；　sword　in　belt；　Arrius　kept　watchful　eye　over　his　command；　and　was　as　closely　watched　by　them。　He　saw　critically　everything　in　view；　but　dwelt　longest　upon　the　rowers。　The　reader　would　doubtless　have　done　the　same：　only　he　would　have　looked　with　much　sympathy；　while；　as　is　the　habit　with　masters；　the　tribune's　mind　ran　forward　of　what　he　saw；　inquiring　for　results。

The　spectacle　was　simple　enough　of　itself。　Along　the　sides　of　the　cabin；　fixed　to　the　ship's　timbers；　were　what　at　first　appeared　to　be　three　rows　of　benches；　a　closer　view；　however；　showed　them　a　succession　of　rising　banks；　in　each　of　which　the　second　bench　was　behind　and　above　the　first　one；　and　the　third　above　and　behind　the　second。　To　accommodate　the　sixty　rowers　on　a　side；　the　space　devoted　to　them　permitted　nineteen　banks　separated　by　intervals　of　one　yard；　with　a　twentieth　bank　divided　so　that　what　would　have　been　its　upper　seat　or　bench　was　directly　above　the　lower　seat　of　the　first　bank。　The　arrangement　gave　each　rower　when　at　work　ample　room；　if　he　timed　his　movements　with　those　of　his　associates；　the　principle　being　that　of　soldiers　marching　with　cadenced　step　in　close　order。　The　arrangement　also　allowed　a　multiplication　of　banks；　limited　only　by　the　length　of　the　galley。

As　to　the　rowers；　those　upon　the　first　and　second　benches　sat；　while　those　upon　the　third；　having　longer　oars　to　work；　were　suffered　to　stand。　The　oars　were　loaded　with　lead　in　the　handles；　and　near　the　point　of　balance　hung　to　pliable　thongs；　making　possible　the　delicate　touch　called　feathering；　but；　at　the　same　time；　increasing　the　need　of　skill；　since　an　eccentric　wave　might　at　any　moment　catch　a　heedless　fellow　and　hurl　him　from　his　seat。　Each　oar…hole　was　a　vent　through　which　the　laborer　opposite　it　had　his　plenty　of　sweet　air。　Light　streamed　down　upon　him　from　the　grating　which　formed　the　floor　of　the　passage　between　the　deck　and　the　bulwark　over　his　head。　In　some　respects；　therefore；　the　condition　of　the　men　might　have　been　much　worse。　Still；　it　must　not　be　imagined　that　there　was　any　pleasantness　in　their　lives。　Communication　between　them　was　not　allowed。　Day　after　day　they　filled　their　places　without　speech；　in　hours　of　labor　they　could　not　see　each　other's　faces；　their　short　respites　were　given　to　sleep　and　the　snatching　of　food。　They　never　laughed；　no　one　ever　heard　one　of　them　sing。　What　is　the　use　of　tongues　when　a　sigh　or　a　groan　will　tell　all　men　feel　while；　perforce；　they　think　in　silence？　Existence　with　the　poor　wretche