Thalaba the Destroyer Part 31

[16] Shedad was the first King of the Adites. I have ornamented his palace less profusely than the oriental writers who describe it. In the notes to the _Bahar-Da.n.u.sh_ is the following account of its magnificence from the _Tofet al Mujalis_.

A pleasant and elevated spot being fixed upon, Shuddaud dispatched an hundred chiefs to collect skilful artists and workmen from all countries. He also commanded the monarchs of Syria and Ormus to send him all their jewels and precious stones. Forty camel loads of gold, silver, and jewels, were daily used in the building, which contained a thousand s.p.a.cious quadrangles of many thousand rooms. In the areas were artificial trees of gold and silver, whose leaves were emeralds, and fruit cl.u.s.ters of pearls and jewels. The ground was strewed with ambergris, musk, and saffron. Between every two of the artificial trees was planted one of delicious fruit. This romantic abode took up five hundred years in the completion. When finished, Shuddaud marched to view it; and, when arrived near, divided two hundred thousand youthful slaves, whom he had brought with him from Damascus, into four detachments, which were stationed in cantonments prepared for their reception on each side of the garden, towards which he proceeded with his favourite courtiers. Suddenly was heard in the air a voice like thunder, and Shuddaud looking up, beheld a personage of majestic figure and stern aspect, who said, "I am the Angel of Death, commissioned to seize thy impure soul."

Shuddaud exclaimed, "give me leisure to enter the garden," and was descending from his horse, when the seizer of life s.n.a.t.c.hed away his impure spirit, and he fell dead upon the ground. At the same time lightnings flashed and destroyed the whole army of the infidel; and the rose garden of Irim became concealed from the sight of man.

[17] Lamai relates that a great Monarch, whom he does not name, having erected a superb Palace, wished to show it to every man of talents and taste in the city; he therefore invited them to a banquet, and after the repast was finished asked them if they knew any building more magnificent and more perfect, in the architecture, in the ornaments and in the furniture. All the guests contented themselves with expressing their admiration, and lavis.h.i.+ng praise, except one, who led a retired and austere life, and was one of those persons whom the Arabians call Zahed.

This man spoke very freely to the Prince and said to him, I find a great defect in this building, it is, that the foundation is not good, nor the walls sufficiently strong, so that Azrael can enter on every side, and the Sarsar can easily pa.s.s thro'. And when they showed him the walls of the Palace ornamented with azure and gold, of which the marvellous workmans.h.i.+p surpa.s.sed in costliness the richness of the materials, he replied, there is still a great inconvenience here! it is that we can never estimate these works well, till we are laid backwards. Signifying by these words that we never understand these things rightly, till we are upon our death-bed, when we discover their vanity.

_D'Herbelot._

[18]

Las horrendas palabras parecian salir por una trompa resontane, y que los yertos labios no movian.

_Lupercio Leonardo._

[19] Death is come up into our windows, and entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets.

_Jeremiah_ IX. 21.

The Trees shall give fruit and who shall gather them? The Grapes shall ripen and who shall tread them? for all places shall be desolate of men.

2. _Esdras._ XVI. 25.

For strong is his right hand that bendeth the Bow, his arrows that he shooteth are sharp, and shall not miss when they begin to be shot into the ends of the world.

2. _Esdras._ XVI. 13.

[20] There are several trees or shrubs of the genus Mimosa. One of these trees drops its branches whenever any person approaches it, seeming as if it saluted those who retire under its shade, this mute hospitality has so endeared this tree to the Arabians that the injuring or cutting of it down is strictly prohibited.

_Niebuhr._

[21] The Angel of Death, say the Rabbis, holdeth his sword in his hand at the bed's head, having on the end thereof three drops of gall, the sick man spying this deadly Angel, openeth his mouth with fear and then those drops fall in, of which one killeth him, the second maketh him pale, the third rotteth and putrifieth.

_Purchas._

Possibly the expression to taste the bitterness of death, may refer to this.

[22] The manner how the Teraphim were made is fondly conceited thus among the Rabbies. They killed a man that was a first born son, and wrung off his head, and seasoned it with salt and spices, and wrote upon a plate of gold the name of an uncleane spirit, and put it under the head upon a wall, and lighted candles before it and wors.h.i.+pped it.

_G.o.dwyn's Moses and Aaron._

In _Rabbi Eleazar_ it is said to be the head of a child.

[23] The Devil, whom Mohammed names Eblis, from his dispair, was once one of those Angels who are nearest to G.o.d's presence, called Azazil; and fell (according to the doctrine of the Koran) for refusing to pay homage to Adam at the command of G.o.d.

_Koran. Chap._ 2. 7. 15.

G.o.d created the body of Adam of _Salsal_, that is of dry but unbaked clay; and left it forty nights, or according to others, forty years, lying without a soul; and the Devil came to it, and kicked it, and it sounded. And G.o.d breathed into it a soul with his breath, sending it in at his eyes, and he himself saw his nose still dead clay, and the soul running thro him, till it reached his feet, when he stood upright.

_Maracci._

In the Nuremberg Chronicle is a print of the creation of Adam, the body is half made, growing out of a heap of clay under the Creator's hands. A still more absurd print represents Eve half way out of his side.

[24] These lines contain the various opinions of the Mohammedans respecting the intermediate state of the Blessed, till the Day of Judgment.

[25] Excepting in this line I have avoided all resemblances to the powerful poetry of Lucan.

Aspicit astantem projecti corporis umbram, Exanimes artus, invisaque claustra timentem Carceris antiqui, pavet ire in pectus apertum, Visceraque, et ruptas letali vulnere fibras.

Ah miser, extremum cui mortis munus iniquae Eripitur, non posse mori! miratur Erichtho Has fatis licuisse moras, irataque morti Verberat immotum vivo serpente cadaver.

Protinus astrictus caluit cruor, atraque fovit Vulnera, et in venas extremaque membra cucurrit.

Percussae gelido trepidant sub pectore fibrae; Et nova desuetis subrepens vita medullis, Miscetur morti, tunc omnis palpitat artus; Tenduntur nervi; nec se tellure cadaver Paulatim per membra levat, terraque repulsum est, Er.e.c.t.u.mque simul. Distento lumina rictu Nudantur. Nondum facies viventis in illo, Jam morientis erat; remanet pallorque rigorque, Et stupet illatus mundo.

_Lucan._

A curious instance of French taste occurs in this part of Brebeuf's translation. The re-animated corpse is made the corpse of Burrhus, of whose wife Octavia s.e.xtus is enamoured. Octavia hears that her husband has fallen in battle, she seeks his body, but in vain. A light at length leads her to the scene of Erichtho's incantations, and she beholds Burrhus, to all appearance living. The witch humanely allows them time for a long conversation, which is very complimentary on the part of the husband.

Brebeuf was a man of genius. The Pharsalia is as well told in his version as it can be in the detestable French heroic couplet, which epigrammatizes every thing. He had courage enough, tho' a Frenchman, to admire Lucan,--and yet could not translate him without introducing a love-story.

[26] This was one of the superst.i.tions of the Pagan Arabs forbidden by Mohammed.

[27] Some imagine that the crystal is snow turned to ice which has been hardening thirty years, and is turned to a rock by age.

_Mirror of Stones, by Camillus Leonardus Physician of Pisaro, dedicated to Caesar Borgia._

"In the cabinet of the Prince of Monaco among other rarities are two pieces of crystal each larger than both hands clenched together. In the middle of one is about a gla.s.s full of water, and in the other is some moss, naturally enclosed there when the crystals congealed. These pieces are very curious.

_Tavernier._

Crystal, precious stones, every stone that has a regular figure, and even flints in small ma.s.ses and consisting of concentric coats, whether found in the perpendicular fissures of rocks, or elsewhere, are only exudations, or the concreting juices of flint in large ma.s.ses; they are, therefore, new and spurious productions, the genuine stalact.i.tes of flint or of granite.

_Buffen._

[28] With the Arabs either a round skin is laid on the ground for a small company, or large course woollen cloths for a great number spread all over the room, and about ten dishes repeated six or seven times over, laid round at a great feast, and whole sheep and lambs boild and roasted in the middle. When one company has done, another sits round, even to the meanest, till all is consumed. And an Arab Prince will often dine in the street before his door and call to all that pa.s.s even beggars, in the usual expression, _Bisimillah_, that is, in the name of G.o.d; who come and sit down and when they have done, give their _Hamdellilah_, that is, G.o.d be praised, for the Arabs who are great levellers, put every body on a footing with them, and it is by such generosity and hospitality that they maintain their interest.