historical lectures and essays(查尔斯金斯利历史讲座)-第7章
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minded to play the cynic or the mountebank； I should choose some corrupt
and effete despotism； already grown weak and ridiculous by its decayas
did at last the Roman and then the Byzantine Empireand； after raising a
laugh at the expense of the old system say： See what a superior people
you are nowhow impossible； under free and enlightened institutions； is
anything so base and so absurd as went on； even in despotic France before
the Revolution of 1793。 Well； that would be on the whole true； thank
God； but what need is there to say it？
Let us keep our scorn for our own weaknesses； our blame for our own
sins； certain that we shall gain more instruction； though not more
amusement； by hunting out the good which is in anything than by hunting
out its evil。 I have chosen； not the worst； but the best despotism which I
could find in history； founded and ruled by a truly heroic personage； one
whose name has bee a proverb and a legend； that so I might lift up
your minds； even by the contemplation of an old Eastern empire； to see
that it； too； could be a work and ordinance of God； and its hero the servant
of the Lord。 For we are almost bound to call Cyrus； the founder of the
Persian Empire； by this august title for two reasonsFirst； because the
Hebrew Scriptures call him so； the next； because he proved himself to be
such by his actions and their consequencesat least in the eyes of those
who believe； as I do； in a far…seeing and far… reaching Providence； by
which all human history is
Bound by gold chains unto the throne of God。
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His work was very different from any that need be done； or can be
done； in these our days。 But while we thank God that such work is now
as unnecessary as impossible； we may thank God likewise that； when such
work was necessary and possible； a man was raised up to do it： and to
do it； as all accounts assert； better； perhaps； than it had ever been done
before or since。
True； the old conquerors； who absorbed nation after nation； tribe after
tribe； and founded empires on their ruins； are now； I trust； about to be
replaced； throughout the world； as here and in Britain at home； by free
self…governed peoples：
The old order changeth； giving place to the new； And God fulfils
Himself in many ways； Lest one good custom should corrupt the world。
And that custom of conquest and empire and transplantation did more
than once corrupt the world。 And yet in it； too； God may have more than
once fulfilled His own designs； as He did； if Scripture is to be believed； in
Cyrus； well surnamed the Great； the founder of the Persian Empire some
2400 years ago。 For these empires； it must be remembered； did at least
that which the Roman Empire did among a scattered number of savage
tribes； or separate little races； hating and murdering each other； speaking
different tongues； and worshipping different gods； and losing utterly the
sense of a mon humanity； till they looked on the people who dwelt in
the next valley as fiends； to be sacrificed； if caught； to their own fiends at
home。 Among such as these； empires did introduce order； law； mon
speech； mon interest； the notion of nationality and humanity。 They；
as it were； hammered together the fragments of the human race till they
had moulded them into one。 They did it cruelly； clumsily； ill： but was
there ever work done on earth； however noble； which was notalas； alas！
done somewhat ill？
Let me talk to you a little about the old hero。 He and his hardy
Persians should be specially interesting to us。 For in them first does our
race； the Aryan race； appear in authentic history。 In them first did our
race give promise of being the conquering and civilising race of the future
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world。 And to the conquests of Cyrus… …so strangely are all great times
and great movements of the human family linked to each otherto his
conquests； humanly speaking； is owing the fact that you are here； and I am
speaking to you at this moment。
It is an oft…told story： but so grand a one that I must sketch it for
you； however clumsily； once more。
In that mountain province called Farsistan； north…east of what we now
call Persia； the dwelling…place of the Persians； there dwelt； in the sixth and
seventh centuries before Christ； a hardy tribe； of the purest blood of Iran； a
branch of the same race as the Celtic； Teutonic； Greek； and Hindoo； and
speaking a tongue akin to theirs。 They had wandered thither； say their
legends； out of the far north… east； from off some lofty plateau of Central
Asia； driven out by the increasing cold； which left them but two mouths of
summer to ten of winter。
They despised at firstwould that they had despised always！the
luxurious life of the dwellers in the plains； and the effeminate customs of
the Medesa branch of their own race who had conquered and
intermarried with the Turanian； or Finnish tribes； and adopted much of
their creed； as well as of their morals； throughout their vast but short…lived
Median Empire。 〃Soft countries；〃 said Cyrus himselfso runs the tale
〃gave birth to small men。 No region produced at once delightful fruits
and men of a war…like spirit。〃 Letters were to them； probably； then
unknown。 They borrowed them in after years； as they borrowed their art；
from Babylonians； Assyrians； and other Semitic nations whom they
conquered。 From the age of five to that of twenty； their lads were
instructed but in two thingsto speak the truth and to shoot with the bow。
To ride was the third necessary art； introduced； according to Xenophon；
after they had descended from their mountain fastnessess to conquer the
whole East。
Their creed was simple enough。 Ahura MazdaOrmuzd； as he has
been called sincewas the one eternal Creator； the source of all light and
life and good。 He spake his word； and it acplished the creation of
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heaven； before the water； before the earth； before the cow； before the tree；
before the fire； before man the truthful； before the Devas and beasts of
prey； before the whole existing universe； before every good thing created
by Ahura Mazda and springing from Truth。
He needed no sacrifices of blood。 He was to be worshipped only
with prayers； with offerings of the inspiring juice of the now unknown
herb Homa； and by the preservation of the sacred fire； which； understand；
was not he； but the symbolas was light and the sunof the good spiritof
Ahura Mazda。 They had no images of the gods； these old Persians； no
temples； no altars； so says Herodotus； and considered the use of them a
sign of folly。 They were； as has been well said of them； the Puritans of
the old world。 When they descended from their mountain fastnesses；
they became the iconoclasts of the old world； and the later Isaiah； out of
the depths of national shame； captivity； and exile； saw in them brother…
spirits； the chosen of the Lord； whose hero Cyrus； the Lord was holding by
His right hand； till all the foul superstitions and foul effeminacies of the
rotten Semitic peoples of the East； and even of Egypt itself； should be
crushed； though； alas！ only for awhile； by men who felt that they had a
mission from the God of light and truth and purity； to sweep out all
that with the besom of destruction。
But that was a later inspiration。 In earlier； and it may be happier；
times the duty of the good man was to strive against all evil； disorder；
uselessness； inpetence in their more simple forms。 〃He therefore is a
holy man；〃 says Orm
