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Article SEMIRAMIS. ← Page 4 of 6 →
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Semiramis.
presents , ordered the treasurer to give to each lord another jewel , three times the value ofthe one he brought . "It is thus , " she said , turning to the admiring monarch , " that a sovereign ought to receive presents from his subjects , as an act of homage to his power , not as the gifts of charity . " After the officers , came the servants of the palace ; these offered flowers , fruits , rosesor elegant animals . Semiramis received their
, offerings with a gracious air ; then came the slaves , who , having nothing , could make no gift . The first slaves were three young brothers , who had been brought up in the same palace with the queen ; they were fierce and bold , and served as guards to the palace . Semiramis recognized them ; for one day , in the place where she resided , the females were attacked by an enormous tiger , and it was these three brothers who rushed to kill the animal ; the femalesduring the scenehad been
, , veiled , therefore the brothers knew not the features of the queen . When they passed before the throne , she said to them , " and have you no presents to make your sovereign ?" "None , " replied the first , whose name was Zopyrus , "but my sword against her enemies . " " None , " replied the second , who was Artiban , " but my life to defend her . "
" None , answered the third , who was named Assur , " but the respect and admiration with which her presence inspires me . " " Slaves , " replied Semiramis , " it is ye , of all the court , who have made the best presents . I cannot recompense you with the riches of the treasury of the empire , as I have done the rest , but it shall never be said that your sovereign was ungrateful . Thou who has offered me thy sword against mine enemies , take this order to the general of the armies encamped under the walls of Babylonhand it to him , and wait
, for that which he will do to thee . Thou who has offered me thy life to defend me , take this order , carry it to the governor of the citadel , and wait for that which he will do to thee . Thou who hast offered me the respect and admiration which my presence inspires , thou seemest to me a courtier , take this order to the chief of the slaves ofthe palace , and wait for that which he will do for thee . " The three brothers went out immediatelyancl the rest of the slaves
, passed on . The ceremony of gifts being finished , Semiramis descended from her throne , and commanding every one to quit the hall , remained alone with Ninus . "I told you , " she exclaimed , "that 1 would upset your empire . You see I put your gardens upon high terraces , ancl your slaves at the head of armies . But now to my toilet for the feast ; you will assist me , will you not ? " she added , casting a smile upon the amorous king ;
" and while I am making it , we can judge of the beauty of the fresh purchased slaves which I have , with so much generosity , added to your seraglio . " There was in Semiramis so much gaiety , folly , and beauty , that Ninus had never been so much in love as now . He assisted at the toilette of the queen , during which they introduced , one by one , the women destined for the seraglio . There were some beautiful—some only pretty ; Ninus scarcely deigned to look upon them , so much was he enchanted with the beauties of his enslaver . " You are wrong , " she exclaimed , " not to pay attention to your
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Semiramis.
presents , ordered the treasurer to give to each lord another jewel , three times the value ofthe one he brought . "It is thus , " she said , turning to the admiring monarch , " that a sovereign ought to receive presents from his subjects , as an act of homage to his power , not as the gifts of charity . " After the officers , came the servants of the palace ; these offered flowers , fruits , rosesor elegant animals . Semiramis received their
, offerings with a gracious air ; then came the slaves , who , having nothing , could make no gift . The first slaves were three young brothers , who had been brought up in the same palace with the queen ; they were fierce and bold , and served as guards to the palace . Semiramis recognized them ; for one day , in the place where she resided , the females were attacked by an enormous tiger , and it was these three brothers who rushed to kill the animal ; the femalesduring the scenehad been
, , veiled , therefore the brothers knew not the features of the queen . When they passed before the throne , she said to them , " and have you no presents to make your sovereign ?" "None , " replied the first , whose name was Zopyrus , "but my sword against her enemies . " " None , " replied the second , who was Artiban , " but my life to defend her . "
" None , answered the third , who was named Assur , " but the respect and admiration with which her presence inspires me . " " Slaves , " replied Semiramis , " it is ye , of all the court , who have made the best presents . I cannot recompense you with the riches of the treasury of the empire , as I have done the rest , but it shall never be said that your sovereign was ungrateful . Thou who has offered me thy sword against mine enemies , take this order to the general of the armies encamped under the walls of Babylonhand it to him , and wait
, for that which he will do to thee . Thou who has offered me thy life to defend me , take this order , carry it to the governor of the citadel , and wait for that which he will do to thee . Thou who hast offered me the respect and admiration which my presence inspires , thou seemest to me a courtier , take this order to the chief of the slaves ofthe palace , and wait for that which he will do for thee . " The three brothers went out immediatelyancl the rest of the slaves
, passed on . The ceremony of gifts being finished , Semiramis descended from her throne , and commanding every one to quit the hall , remained alone with Ninus . "I told you , " she exclaimed , "that 1 would upset your empire . You see I put your gardens upon high terraces , ancl your slaves at the head of armies . But now to my toilet for the feast ; you will assist me , will you not ? " she added , casting a smile upon the amorous king ;
" and while I am making it , we can judge of the beauty of the fresh purchased slaves which I have , with so much generosity , added to your seraglio . " There was in Semiramis so much gaiety , folly , and beauty , that Ninus had never been so much in love as now . He assisted at the toilette of the queen , during which they introduced , one by one , the women destined for the seraglio . There were some beautiful—some only pretty ; Ninus scarcely deigned to look upon them , so much was he enchanted with the beauties of his enslaver . " You are wrong , " she exclaimed , " not to pay attention to your