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Poe, Edgar Allen - The Complete Works of Edgar Allen Poe

Page 17

by Volume 01-05 (lit)


  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. Wha
t

  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 for some occasion of

  especial state. Such, you will allow, is the massacre of a thousand

  Jews. With how superior a dignity the monarch perambulates on all

  fours! His tail, you perceive, is held aloft by his two principal

  concubines, Elline and Argelais; and his whole appearance would be

  infinitely prepossessing, were it not for the protuberance of his

  eyes, which will certainly start out of his head, and the queer color

  of his face, which has become nondescript from the quantity of wine

  he has swallowed. Let us follow him to the hippodrome, whither he is

  proceeding, and listen to the song of triumph which he is commencing:

  Who is king but Epiphanes?

  Say -- do you know?

  Who is king but Epiphanes?

  Bravo! -- bravo!

  There is none but Epiphanes,

  No -- there is none:

  So tear down the temples,

  And put out the sun!

  Well and strenuously sung! The populace are hailing him 'Prince of

  Poets,' as well as 'Glory of the East,' 'Delight of the Universe,'

  and 'Most Remarkable of Cameleopards.' They have encored his

  effusion, and do you hear? -- he is singing it over again. When he

  arrives at the hippodrome, he will be crowned with the poetic wreath,

  in anticipation of his victory at the approaching Olympics.

  "But, good Jupiter! what is the matter in the crowd behind us?"

  Behind us, did you say? -- oh! ah! -- I perceive. My friend, it is

  well that you spoke in time. Let us get into a place of safety as

  soon as possible. Here! -- let us conceal ourselves in the arch of

  this aqueduct, and I will inform you presently of the origin of the

  commotion. It has turned out as I have been anticipating. The

  singular appearance of the cameleopard and the head of a man, has, it

  seems, given offence to the notions of propriety entertained, in

  general, by the wild animals domesticated in the city. A mutiny has

  been the result; and, as is usual upon such occasions, all human

  efforts will be of no avail in quelling the mob. Several of the

  Syrians have already been devoured; but the general voice of the

  four-footed patriots seems to be for eating up the cameleopard. 'The

  Prince of Poets,' therefore, is upon his hinder legs, running for his

  life. His courtiers have left him in the lurch, and his concubines

  have followed so excellent an example. 'Delight of the Universe,'

  thou art in a sad predicament! 'Glory of the East,' thou art in

  danger of mastication! Therefore never regard so piteously thy tail;

  it will undoubtedly be draggled in the mud, and for this there is no

  help. Look not behind thee, then, at its unavoidable degradation; but

  take courage, ply thy legs with vigor, and scud for the hippodrome!

  Remember that thou art Antiochus Epiphanes. Antiochus the

  Illustrious! -- also 'Prince of Poets,' 'Glory of the East,' 'Delight

  of the Universe,' and 'Most Remarkable of Cameleopards!' Heavens!

  what a power of speed thou art displaying! What a capacity for

  leg-bail thou art developing! Run, Prince! -- Bravo, Epiphanes! Well

  done, Cameleopard! -- Glorious Antiochus! -- He runs! -- he leaps! --

  he flies! Like an arrow from a catapult he approaches the hippodrome!

  He leaps! -- he shrieks! -- he is there! This is well; for hadst

  thou, 'Glory of the East,' been half a second longer in reaching the

  gates of the Amphitheatre, there is not a bear's cub in Epidaphne

  that would not have had a nibble at thy carcase. Let us be off -- let

  us take our departure! -- for we shall find our delicate modern ears


  unable to endure the vast uproar which is about to commence in

  celebration of the king's escape! Listen! it has already commenced.

  See! -- the whole town is topsy-turvy.

  "Surely this is the most populous city of the East! What a wilderness

  of people! what a jumble of all ranks and ages! what a multiplicity

  of sects and nations! what a variety of costumes! what a Babel of

  languages! what a screaming of beasts! what a tinkling of

  instruments! what a parcel of philosophers!"

  Come let us be off.

  "Stay a moment! I see a vast hubbub in the hippodrome; what is the

  meaning of it, I beseech you?"

  That? -- oh, nothing! The noble and free citizens of Epidaphne being,

  as they declare, well satisfied of the faith, valor, wisdom, and

  divinity of their king, and having, moreover, been eye-witnesses of

  his late superhuman agility, do think it no more than their duty to

  invest his brows (in addition to the poetic crown) with the wreath of

  victory in the footrace -- a wreath which it is evident he must

  obtain at the celebration of the next Olympiad, and which, therefore,

  they now give him in advance.

  ~~~ End of Text ~~~

  Footnotes -- Four Beasts

  {*1} Flavius Vospicus says, that the hymn here introduced was sung by

  the rabble upon the occasion of Aurelian, in the Sarmatic war, having

  slain, with his own hand, nine hundred and fifty of the enemy.

  ==========

  THE MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE

 

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