Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra; a tale of the Roman Empire in the days of the Emperor Aurelian . orld; they mayraise again the walls of the citizens humble dwelling, butthey cannot reanimate the bodies of the slaughtered multi-tudes, and call them out from their trenches to people againthe silent streets. They cannot, indeed, rejoined Gracchus; they cannotdo everything; they may not do anything. But I thinkthey will, and that the emperor himself, when reason re-turns, will himself set the example. And from you, Lu-cius, when once more in Kome, shall I look for substantialaid in disposing favourably
Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra; a tale of the Roman Empire in the days of the Emperor Aurelian . orld; they mayraise again the walls of the citizens humble dwelling, butthey cannot reanimate the bodies of the slaughtered multi-tudes, and call them out from their trenches to people againthe silent streets. They cannot, indeed, rejoined Gracchus; they cannotdo everything; they may not do anything. But I thinkthey will, and that the emperor himself, when reason re-turns, will himself set the example. And from you, Lu-cius, when once more in Kome, shall I look for substantialaid in disposing favourably the mind both of Aurelian andthe senate. I can never be more happily employed, I replied,? than in serving either you or Palmyra. You will havea powerful advocate also in Zenobia. Yes, said Gracchus, if her life be spared, which mustfor some time be still quite uncertain. After gracing thetriumph of Aurelian, she, like Longinus, may be offered asa new largess to the still hungering legions. Nay, there, I think, Gracchus, you do Aurelian hardly Fragments of Sculpture found at THE FALL OF PALMYRA. 421 justice. Although he has bound himself by no oath, yetvirtually is he sworn to spare Zenobia; and his least wordis true as his sword. • Thus have we passed the last days and hours of my resi-dence here. I should in vain attempt, my Curtius, to tellyou how strongly I am bound to this place, to this king-dom and city, and above all, to those who survive thisdestruction. No Palmyrene can lament with more sin-cerity than I, the whirlwind of desolation that has passedover them, obliterating almost their place and name; norfrom any one do there ascend more fervent prayers thatprosperity may yet return, and these wide-spread ruinsagain rise and glow in their ancient beauty. Eome hasby former acts of unparalleled barbarism covered her namewith reproach; but by none has she so drenched it in guiltas by this wanton annihilation — for so do I regard it — ofone of the fairest c
Size: 1316px × 1898px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, bookpublisherbosto, bookyear1868
