To a petty officer who then advanced from the gate he said,
“Thy comrade died like a soldier.
I leave him undespoiled.
Only his sword and shield are mine.”
With that, he walked away.
Off a little he spoke to the Galileans.
“Brethren, you have behaved well.
Let us now separate, lest we be pursued.
Meet me to-night at the khan in Bethany.
I have something to propose to you of great interest to Israel.”
“Who are you?” they asked him.
“A son of Judah,” he answered, simply.
A throng eager to see him surged around the party.
“Will you come to Bethany?” he asked.
“Yes, we will come.”
“Then bring with you this sword and shield that I may know you.”
Pushing brusquely through the increasing crowd, he speedily disappeared.
At the instance of Pilate, the people went up from the city, and carried off their dead and wounded, and there was much mourning for them; but the grief was greatly lightened by the victory of the unknown champion, who was everywhere sought, and by every one extolled.
The fainting spirit of the nation was revived by the brave deed; insomuch that in the streets and up in the Temple even, amidst the solemnities of the feast, old tales of the Maccabees were told again, and thousands shook their heads whispering wisely,
“A little longer, only a little longer, brethren, and Israel will come to her own.
Let there be faith in the Lord, and patience.”
In such manner Ben-Hur obtained hold on Galilee, and paved the way to greater services in the cause of the King Who Was Coming.
And with what result we shall see.
Part 7
“And, waking, I beheld her there
Sea-dreaming in the moted air,
A siren lithe and debonair,
With wristlets woven of scarlet weeds,
And oblong lucent amber beads Of sea-kelp shining in her hair.” Thomas Bailey Aldrich.
Chapter 1
The meeting took place in the khan of Bethany as appointed.
Thence Ben-Hur went with the Galileans into their country, where his exploits up in the old Market-place gave him fame and influence.
Before the winter was gone he raised three legions, and organized them after the Roman pattern.
He could have had as many more, for the martial spirit of that gallant people never slept.
The proceeding, however, required careful guarding as against both Rome and Herod Antipas.
Contenting himself for the present with the three, he strove to train and educate them for systematic action.
For that purpose he carried the officers over into the lava-beds of Trachonitis, and taught them the use of arms, particularly the javelin and sword, and the manoeuvering peculiar to the legionary formation; after which he sent them home as teachers.
And soon the training became a pastime of the people.
As may be thought, the task called for patience, skill, zeal, faith, and devotion on his part— qualities into which the power of inspiring others in matters of difficulty is always resolvable; and never man possessed them in greater degree or used them to better effect.
How he labored!
And with utter denial of self!
Yet withal he would have failed but for the support he had from Simonides, who furnished him arms and money, and from Ilderim, who kept watch and brought him supplies.
And still he would have failed but for the genius of the Galileans.
Under that name were comprehended the four tribes— Asher, Zebulon, Issachar, and Naphthali— and the districts originally set apart to them.
The Jew born in sight of the Temple despised these brethren of the north; but the Talmud itself has said,
“The Galilean loves honor, and the Jew money.”
Hating Rome fervidly as they loved their own country, in every revolt they were first in the field and last to leave it.
One hundred and fifty thousand Galilean youths perished in the final war with Rome.
For the great festal days, they went up to Jerusalem marching and camping like armies; yet they were liberal in sentiment, and even tolerant to heathenism.
In Herod’s beautiful cities, which were Roman in all things, in Sepphoris and Tiberias especially, they took pride, and in the building them gave loyal support.