Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
1
Pagan Rome was at the
zenith of her power.
The tread of her iron
legion shook the world;
and from every land rose
the cries of captive
peoples - - praying for a
deliverer.
2
In Judea the glory that
was Israel's lay
scattered in the dust -
and Jerusalem the
Golden, conquered and
oppressed, wept in the
shadow of her walls.
3
It was the twenty-fourth
day of December -
4
An unending stream of
travelers eddied in
and out of the great
Joppa gate - - Syrians,
Greeks, Jews, Egyptians
- all bound homeward.
5
For Rome had decreed
that the whole world
should be taxed, and
every man was forced
to go to his birthplace
to be counted.
6
"Will women ever cease
to paint their faces!"
7
Two weary travelers
striving to reach
Bethlehem before
nightfall - -
8
"Are you not Joseph
of Nazareth?"
9
"That is Mary."
10
Far to the Southward -
three wise men bent
on a strange and holy
quest.
11
And in the even Mary
and Joseph came
unto Bethlehem - - but
there was no room for
them in the inn.
12
"Nay, other wives must
sleep beneath the stars
tonight. Is your wife
better than her
sisters?"
13
The Cave of David -
gray with the dust
of centuries.
14
"A thousand years ago
the boy David, the
Shepherd King, rested
here with his flocks."
15
"The place is sanctified."
16
And there were in the
same country shepherds
abiding in the field.
17
And they came with haste
and found Mary, and
Joseph, and the babe.
18
"At last the prophets
are fulfilled - a King
to save us!"
19
And the three Wise Men,
bringing gifts, worshipped
the Holy Child as one born
to be King and deliverer.
20
Melchior - the Hindoo.
21
Caspar - - the Greek.
22
Balthazar - the Egyptian.
23
But year after year
went by and the
Nazarene became a
wistful memory.
24
In Jerusalem the coming
of Gratus, a new Roman
tyrant, was awaited by
the sullen and furious
people - -
25
Everywhere unrest --
the rich fearing for
their fortunes, the poor
for their lives.
26
"What chance has
a Jew against a
Roman?"
27
There was disquiet even
in the great palace of
Hur -- for centuries the
home of a powerful line
of Jewish princes - -
28
The widowed Princess
of Hur - -
29
Simonides, trusted bond-
slave, hurriedly
summoned to remove
the Hur riches to the
comparative safety of
Roman Antioch.
30
"Quiet your fears, noble
lady. Your fortune will
be safe with me. But
we must get away
before Gratus arrives."
31
"God speed you, Simonides.
I am distressed that you
must go without seeing
your young master - -"
32
"No higher than that
was Ben-Hur when I
saw him last -"
33
"You have been true to
me and mine. If the
law allowed I would free
you, Simonides."
34
"My bondage is easy
since you have let the
world - - even my
daughter - believe me
free. I am content."
35
Esther, Simonides'
daughter, on
her first visit to
Jerusalem -
36
The young prince -
Judah, Ben-Hur.
37
"The pigeon - I would
know if his wing
mends. May I not
come to inquire?"
38
"- It is a far journey -
to Antioch."
39
"Not too far for me -
some day!"
40
"Save your excuses. It
is way of your race
to walk backwards!"
41
"I seek the Roman
officer Messala -
my friend."
42
"Messala!"
43
"Your past has come to
life - a Jew claims you
for friend!"
44
"Surely you have not
forgotten Judah?
Judah, Ben-Hur!"
45
"How strange it is after
all these years to see
you a Roman officer!
How splendid you look!"
46
"My mother and sister
will be rejoiced to see
you. I pray you come!"
47
"In the past this house
was as your own,
Messala. Continue to
regard it so."
48
"Do you remember my
sister, Tirzah, whom
you delighted to tease?"
49
"Another to greet you,
Messala - Amrah, who
used to make you
sweets!"
50
"You have not changed,
Lord Messala - - you
were always bold and
handsome."
51
"It is good to have you
back, Messala - - a
Roman who under-
stands my people - -"
52
"Rome rules the peoples
she has conquered.
It is for them to
understand Rome!"
53
"I meant no offense, Judah.
But your stiff-necked race
must learn submission to
your masters!"
54
"Amrah is wrong, Messala.
In outward seeming you
are the same. but in
spirit - - you are a
stranger."
55
"My friend Messala
is become --"
56
"A Roman!"
57
"And why not? To be
a Roman is to rule the
world!"
58
"To be a Jew is to
crawl in the dirt!"
59
"Forget you are a
Jew!"
60
"Forget I am a Jew?
Forget you are a
Roman!"
61
"Israel has known other
conquerors than Rome
and lived to see their
downfall. The time will
come again!"
62
"Ah, Messala! I have loved
you as a brother! Let us
forget this bitterness."
63
"Gratus is at the gates -
I must go. Think well
ere you speak treason
again - even to a friend!"
64
"Messala has shown
me - - how we are
despised!"
65
"The Holy Child of Bethlehem
you told me of - prophesied
to be the Messiah! If it
were true, he could save
us from Rome!"
66
"Oh, if he would only
come now - - rise up
and lead us -- how I
would fight for him!"
67
Over the worn gray
stones that had
known the glory of
Solomon - -
68
- Under the ancient
walls where the
prophets walked and
talked with God -
69
- Black horsemen
from Nubia -
70
- - Celts from Britain,
Helvetian mountaineers,
Thracians of the Black
Sea - - warriors from
every corner of the
Empire - -
71
- - Clanking, grim
and relentless, the
conquerors.
72
"Ho! Gratus! Roman
dog! Jehovah smite
you!"
73
"Bray a welcome,
Bombo - to your
brother Gratus!"
74
"There rides Messala!
Caesar himself is not
more kingly!"
75
"God has spoken! Down
with the Romans!"
76
"His was the hand that
did it - I saw him throw
the tile!"
77
"No! No, Messala! It
is not true! You know
it is not true!"
78
"Take the women, too!"
79
"In the name of the mother
that bore you, Messala!
Double your vengeance
on me but let them go
free!"
80
"Oh, Lord, in the hour
of thy vengeance - -
mine be the hand to
put it on him!"
81
The way of death -
across the burning
wastes to the sea --
82
- Sentenced to the
galleys for life.
83
A carpenter shop -
by the side of the
Nazareth road.
84
The carpenter had
a son -
85
"Water! Water!"
86
"My torment is more
than I can bear! Is
there no God left in
Israel?"
87
"I am strengthened, O
Lord, and I will live -
live to fight for the
King when he comes!"
88
And so, for the first
time, Judah and
the Son of Mary met -
and parted.
89
The vengeful arm of
Rome had reached
forth to Simonides -
90
"Speak, dog! Where are
the Hur moneys hidden?
Gratus will have them
if he cracks every bone
in your stubborn skin!"
91
Then for a time the name
of Hur was forgotten.
Roman legions tramped the
land and Roman galleys
swept the seas -
92
- Stately and beautiful;
but under the beauty,
deep-locked in the heart
of each ship, a hell of
human woe.
93
"He is dead! But still
they lash - and lash -
and lash!"
94
The Tribune, Quintus
Arrius, commander
of the fleet -
95
"Merciful gods! I can
bear no more! Give
me the boon of death!"
96
"Pray not for death,
you coward, while
your enemies live!
Pray for life!"
97
"A galley slave wanting
to live! How long have
you been at the oars?"
98
"In your calendar, three
years -- in mine, three
centuries!"
99
"What has kept you
alive?"
100
"I live for revenge!"
101
"Spoken like a Roman!"
102
"I am a Jew!"
103
"Pirates!"
104
"They outnumber us
two to one!"
105
"Clear the decks!
Take stations for
battle!"
106
"Chain the slaves!"
107
"Unshackle that slave!
He has a freeman's
spirit!"
108
"Full speed, Hortator!
Drive your slaves!"
109
"Romans!"
110
"I am Golthar - Golthar
the terrible! What have
I to fear from Rome?"
111
"By Zeus! From Rome
I captured you! To
Rome I will return
you - - in my own
fashion!"
112
On they came, ship
after ship, battering
the Romans with their
deadly rams -
113
Grimly the Romans
fought, but where
one pirate fell, two
sprang to take his
place - -
114
"Death to Arrius!"
115
Two days later - on
a sullen sea.
116
"Romans! You are
saved!"
117
"I am defeated and
disgraced! I cannot
face the scorn of my
countrymen!"
118
"Take this ring - it will
buy your freedom - but
let me settle my own
fate."
119
"I owe you my life! I
cannot let you die!"
120
"Jupiter be praised! It
is Quintus Arrius! Our
search is ended!"
121
"- - It was your final
order turned the battle.
Never has there been a
more glorious victory!"
122
"The slave! What shall
be done with him?"
123
"This is no slave, my
friends, but my adopted
son. Honor him as you
honor me!"
124
Time passed and Arrius'
adopted son - - strength
and endurance galley-
hardened - became the greatest
athlete of his day, the idol
of Rome.
125
But Rome knew naught
of the secret grief
that tore Ben-Hur -
of the mother and sister
for whom he had searched
long and fruitlessly - -
126
"Noble Arrius, Caesar
sends this tribute to
your son for having
three times driven his
chariot to victory in
the races."
127
"Forgive me, my father -
I must leave you again.
This day I learned of a
mysterious miser at Antioch,
said to be Simonides, once
steward to Hur."
128
"But must you go
yourself this time? Let
me send messengers -"
129
"No messengers can serve
my haste. I myself must
go to Antioch by the
first ship."
130
"I can deny you nothing,
my son. Go if you
must - with my blessing!"
131
While in the maze of
Roman dungeons
underneath Jerusalem -
132
Two prisoners - -
long forgotten by
their jailers.
133
In the land of Israel never-
ending oppression - -
but still they hoped. By
the Pool of Siloam they talked
of a strange man - -
134
"He is not the promised
King, this Nazarene!
He is a preacher of
parables and sermons!"
135
"- Where are his armies?
Think you he can
scatter the Romans with
words - and prayers?"
136
"He speaks not of war and
strife, but of comfort to
the weary and relief for the
oppressed. I have heard
him - -"
137
"Come unto me, all ye that
labour and are heavy-laden,
and I will give you rest."
138
"His sword is truth and
his shield is love. He
needs no armies!"
139
Antioch! The Rome of
the East! Colorful,
pagan, famed for its
games.
140
On the outskirts of the
city the Sheik Ilderim,
known throughout the
East for his fiery racing
Arabs, had pitched his
tents - -
141
"He should drive goats -
not horses!"
142
"Curse him! Tomorrow
the races and he has
killed himself. Was ever
such a fool!"
143
Now there was one in
the heart of the city,
body broken by Roman
torture, who cared
nothing for Roman
games - -
144
- A merchant prince
known as the Miser
of Antioch.
145
"A Roman - Arrius the
Younger, would speak
with you."
146
"I crave your pardon -"
147
"My father will not keep
you waiting long. I pray
you be seated."
148
"Surely we are not
strangers - have we
not met before?"
149
"To forget so easily
is scarce a tribute
to me!"
150
"- Your face I never
could forget. It is the
time and place have
slipped me."
151
"I am told you are
Simonides - - once
steward to the
House of Hur."
152
"And what concern is
that of yours? Who
are you to question
me?"
153
"I am Judah, Ben-Hur!"
154
"Know you not that
Ben-Hur died in the
galleys, a galley-slave
- and that he was
the last of the Hurs?"
155
"What do you mean?
Speak! My mother
and sister - -"
156
"The women of Hur
are dead! Years of
fruitless search have
convinced me."
157
"No! No! It is not true!
If you are concerned for
your riches, keep them -
but give me hope!"
158
"The family of Hur
is no more!"
159
"My mother's!"
160
"She gave it to me.
With her own hands
she slipped it on my
arm. I - I loved her -"
161
"Wear it always -
for her sake."
162
"My friend, where is this
young Arrius who
landed from your ship
this morning? I must
find him!"
163
"I would all your wishes
were as easy to grant.
Here is young Arrius
himself!"
164
"The great race is on
tomorrow and I am
without a driver. You
must drive my Arabs
for me!"
165
"But you must! Ask
anything! I am the
great Sheik Ilderim and
I can grant it. Think
of the glory!"
166
"Persuade him, my friend,
or Messala the Roman
will humble me before
all Antioch!"
167
"Said you Messala?"
168
"I will drive your
chariot!"
169
"Not as Arrius the Roman,
racing for glory - but as
the unknown, driving for
revenge!"
170
"Come, then, for time
does not loiter and we
have much to do!"
171
"For your belief in me
I do thank you."
172
"Why are you so certain,
my father, that he is
not Ben-Hur?"
173
"Nay, child, I had never
a doubt. He is Ben-Hur!"
174
"Esther, all these years
I have lived a lie. I
am a slave to the
House of Hur!"
175
"For myself I care not,
but if I acknowledge
him, you too are his
slave!"
176
"Yours the decision,
Esther. I cannot make
it. Heiress to Simonides
the Merchant or slave-
girl to Ben-Hur!"
177
Across the river in the
wealthy Roman quarter
dwelt Messala - a Messala
unchanged by the years.
178
"Iras the Egyptian
awaits you."
179
"I must leave you, my
friends. Duty calls
and a soldier must
obey."
180
"Egypt! Egypt! I would
drown my soul in your
eyes! Give me proof of
your love!"
181
"My heart is in the
hollow of your hand,
Messala. What more
do you wish?"
182
"You, flower of the Nile,
will succeed where
others have failed - -
solve the mystery of
Ilderim's driver. I would
know if he needs
watching - -"
183
At the end of the day's
training Sheik Ilderim
made ready to entertain
a guest - -
184
"By the three-horned
goat of Ranor, you
are welcome!"
185
"Even Iras the Egyptian,
whom all men worship,
has sought you out!"
186
"Flashing eyes and milk-
white bodies! Beauty
to be tamed! Does it
not thrill you?"
187
"Tomorrow Messala shall
choke in the dust from
their heels!"
188
"Curiosity consumes me!
Why do you race as
the Unknown Jew? Is
it because you fear
another driver?"
189
"Get you to these fat-
bellied Romans, Sanballat.
Tease them, bully them,
shame them, but - force
them to bet!"
190
"Almost I am convinced
you are Apollo himself.
Tell me who you are?"
191
"If you are as slow in
the race tomorrow as
you are in love today,
Messala may drive
snails and win!"
192
"Simonides the
Merchant."
193
"I am come to make
restitution to your
guest - - he is the
Lord Judah, Prince of
Hur! My master!"
194
"Give not your gratitude
to me, but to my gentle
Esther who counseled
me."
195
"This the accounting of
all your possessions --
you are the richest
subject in the world!"
196
"Your father's slave was
I, Lord Judah -"
197
"This driver of Ilderim's
is strangely confident
and I have but now
learned his name. He is
Judah, Prince of Hur!"
198
"Calm your foolish fears!
The man is an impostor.
Judah, Ben-Hur has been
dead these many years!"
199
On the morrow - While
the populace pushed
and fought its way into
the Circus, there were
those who lingered for a
final wager in the betting
ring - -
200
"Give me odds against
the Unknown Jew, noble
Messala! Six to one -
the difference between
a Roman and a Jew!"
201
"You braying fool! Who
has ten thousand pieces
of gold to wager?"
202
"The Unknown Jew,
Messala! I have that
amount and more!
And I want no odds!"
203
"Scum of the galleys!
I will grind you in the
dust before all Antioch!"
204
"Ho! Romans! Saw
you ever a Jew in a
chariot?"
205
"I will ride you down --
wrench off your wheels -
trample you into the
sand! You shall race -
to your death!"
206
"Fifty thousand pieces of
gold! A King's ransom,
Messala! More than
your entire fortune!"
207
"Do you forget that you
are a Roman - and that
I am only a Jew?"
208
"Vile slave! By all the
furies of Hell I curse
you!"
209
"So be it! To the death!
But one of us shall leave
the course alive!"
210
Still they came - all of
Antioch, thousands
upon thousands - - to
see the great race.
211
"You're fouling me,
Roman dog!"
212
"Yes, and I'll wreck
you, Greek, to
smash the cursed
Jew behind you!"
213
To the victor the
spoils - -
214
"Your health, Ben-Hur!
You have broken
Messala and stripped
him of his fortune!"
215
"I am revenged indeed,
but to what profit!
My mother and Tirzah
are dead! Can gold
restore them to me -"
216
"- Or strike the Roman
shackles from my
people? What have I
to live for?"
217
"Hail Ilderim! The time
is come. You shall see
the downfall of Rome!"
218
"Well said, O Balthazar,
Wise Man of Egypt!
And welcome - my tent
is honored!"
219
"I bring a grave message.
The Holy Child of
Bethlehem whose star I
followed is grown to
manhood. He is the
promised Messiah."
220
"At last a King to
free my people!"
221
"He alone can save
the world from the
bondage of Rome!"
222
"But there is no time
to lose! His followers
must act in all haste!
We must proclaim him
King!"
223
"This is my pledge! Money
and lands and life itself!
Even unto death will I
follow him!"
224
"This very hour will I
leave Antioch - - to
gather him legions!"
225
"Mark you, Simonides -
everything I possess to
the cause of the King!"
226
"Better than life itself
do I love you! But not
until the King comes
into his own may I
dream of you again!"
227
"The Lord watch between
me and thee, when we
are absent one from
another."
228
"And I will wait for you,
Judah - as long as life
shall last."
229
"He that is without sin among
you; let him first cast a stone
at her."
230
From among the humble
fishermen by the Sea
of Galilee Ben-Hur gathered
his first legion -
231
In Ilderim's desert
country - - the
second legion.
232
On the next day, much people
when they heard that
Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
took branches of palm trees,
and went forth to meet him.
233
A new governor, Pontius
Pilate, had come to
Jerusalem and his first
act was to order the
release of all prisoners
whose crimes were
unrecorded.
234
"Unclean! Unclean!"
235
"Lepers!"
236
"Mark you! Before dawn
be outside the city walls -
in the Valley of the
Lepers."
237
"Lepers! Lepers!"
238
Now when the even was
come, he sat down with
the twelve - -
239
"A new commandment I
give unto you, That ye
love one another."
240
And in that same hour
Ben-Hur, saddle-weary
and travel-worn, came
again to the city of his
fathers - -
241
"Get you immediate news
of the Nazarene from his
followers. I go to my
father's house to wait
for Simonides."
242
"Mother!"
243
"Not a sound! He
belongs to the
living - we to the
dead!"
244
"In all the world I
have no one left
but you, beloved."
245
"They have seized the
King! The mob
howls - - only the
legions can save him!"
246
"O Judah! O my son!
I have seen you for the
last time on earth!"
247
"Back! Back! Come
no nearer! Unclean!
Unclean!"
248
"But your voices I
know - Tirzah -"
249
"Grieve not for us, Esther,
but keep our secret. If
Judah knew it would
wreck his life!"
250
"If you love him -
promise!"
251
And when they had bound
him, they led him away,
and delivered him to Pontius
Pilate, the governor.
252
In the streets the
motley crowds grew
more turbulent -
253
"This is no King! Where
is his purple? Where
his crown?"
254
"But I know he is the
King - - the Savior
promised by Jehovah!
I myself have seen him
heal the sick and raise
the dead!"
255
"Think you he can heal
anyone - - of any
sickness?"
256
"Anyone, gentle Esther,
who believes in him.
But you must have
faith!"
257
Into the Valley of the
Lepers - chancing all -
with a hope born of
desperation.
258
"Nay, you must come!
He can save you! All
Jerusalem is ringing
with his miracles!"
259
"He has even raised
the dead!"
260
And so Pilate delivered
Jesus to the mob.
261
In the thousands that
looked on - Romans,
Jews, Greeks, Arabs,
Syrians, Easterners. It
seemed the whole world
was represented along
that tragic way.
262
"O King, two legions of
fighting men are
coming! Each blow to
you will be avenged a
thousandfold!"
263
And a voice came to him saying:
"My Kingdom is not of this
world. Put up thy sword,
for the Son of man is not
come to destroy men's lives,
but to save them."
264
"Master, my babe is
dead. Give her back
to me."
265
"Lepers! Lepers!"
266
"Master, have mercy on
us! We believe!"
267
And they parted his raiment,
and cast lots.
268
"Father, forgive them; for they
know not what they do."
269
There was a darkness over
all the earth until the
ninth hour.
270
- And the earth
did quake.
271
And over the plains of
Judea two mighty
legions advanced.
272
"Our King is dead!"
273
"He bade us hold our
peace - - forgive our
enemies - - love one
another -"
274
"- and pray."
275
"He is not dead - -"
276
"- He will live forever
in the hearts of men."
THE END
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