 Frontmatter to Zadig. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer visit LibriVox.org. This reading by Karl Manchester, 2007. Zadig or the Book of Fate. An Oriental History, translated from the French original of Mr. Voltaire. Qua fata trahant retrahant quay sequamur, per various casus, per top discrimino rareum, tendimus in latium. Virgil. Let us follow wherever the fates take us, there and back again. Through various hazards and events, we move to latium. The Dedication to the Sultana Shera by Sadi. The 18th of the month Sheval, in the year of the Hageera, 837. Thou joy of every eye, thou torment of every heart, thou intellectual light. I do not kiss the dust of thy feet, because thou seldom art seen out of the Saraglio, and when thou art, thou walkest only on the carpets of Iran or on beds of roses. I here present you, with the translation of the work of an ancient sage, who having the happiness of living free from all avocations, thought proper by way of amusement, to write the history of Zadig, a performance, that comprehends in it more instruction than it is possible you may be at first aware of. I beg you would indulge me so far as to read it over, and then pass your impartial judgment upon it. For notwithstanding you are in the bloom of your life, though every pleasure courts you, though you are nature's darling, and have internal qualities in proportion to your beauty, though the world resounds your praises from morning till night, and consequently you must have a just title to a superior degree of understanding than the rest of your sex. Yet your wit is no ways flashy, your taste is refined, and I have had the honor to hear you talk more learnedly than the wisest dervish with his venerable beard and pointed bonnet. You are discreet and yet not mistrustful, you are easy but not weak, you are beneficent with discretion, you love your friends and create yourself no enemies, your most sprightly flights borrow no graces from detraction. You never speak a misbecoming word, nor do an ill-natured action, but is always in your power. In a word, your soul is as spotless as your person. You have, moreover, a little fund of philosophy, which gives me just grounds to hope that you'll relish this historical performance better than any other lady of your quality would do. It was originally composed in the Shaldean language, to which both you and myself are perfect strangers. It was translated, however, into Arabic for the amusement of the celebrated sultan Ulug Beg. It first appeared in public when the Arabian and Persian tales of one thousand and one nights and one thousand and one days were most invogue. Ulug chose rather to entertain himself with the adventures of Zadig. The sultanas, indeed, were more fond of the former. How can you, said the judicious Ulug, be so partial as to prefer a set of tales that are no ways interesting or instructive to a work that has a variety of beauties to recommend it? Oh! replied the sultanas, the less sense there is in them the more they are in taste, and the less their merit the greater their commendation. I flatter myself, thou patroness of wisdom, that thou wilt not copy after those thoughtless sultanas, but give into the sentiments of Ulug. I am in hopes likewise, when you are tired with the conversation of such as make those senseless romances above mentioned their favourite amusements, you will vouchsave to listen for one minute or two to the dictates of solid sense. Had you been Thelestris in the days of Scander, the son of Philip, had you been the Queen of Sheba in the reign of Solomon, those kings would have been proud to have taken a tour to visit you. May the celestial virtues grant that your pleasures may meet with no interruption, your charms no no decay, and may your felicity be everlasting. Saadi The Approbation I, who have subscribed my name here too, ambitious of being thought a man of wit and learning, have perused this manuscript, which I find to my great mortification, amusing, moral, philosophical, and fit to be read, even by those who have an utter aversion to romances, for which reason I have depreciated it as it deserves, and have, in direct terms, told the cardi l'esquieu that is a most detestable performance. End of Front Matter Chapter 1 of Zadig This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, visit LibriVox.org. This reading by Karl Manchester, 2007. Zadig or The Book of Fate, by Voltaire. Chapter 1 The Blind Eye In the reign of King Moabdar, there was a young man, a native of Babylon, by name Zadig, who was not only endowed by nature with an uncommon genius, but born of illustrious parents, who bestowed on him an education no ways inferior to his birth. Though rich and young, he knew how to give a cheek to his passions. He was no ways self-conceited. He didn't always act up to the strictest rules of reason himself, and knew how to look on the foibles of others with an eye of indulgence. Everyone was surprised to find that notwithstanding he had such a fund of wit, he never insulted, nay, never so much as rallied any of his passions for that titl-tattle, which was so vague and empty, so noisy and confused, for those rash reflections, those illiterate conclusions, and those insipid jokes, and in short, for that flow of unmeaning words, which was called polite conversation in Babylon. He had learned from the first Book of Zoroasta that self-love is like a bladder full blown, which, when once pricked, discharges a kind of petty tempest. Zadig, in particular, never boasted of his contempt of the fair sex, or of his facility to make conquests amongst them. He was of a generous spirit, in so much that he was not afraid of obliging even an ungrateful man, strictly adhering to that wise maxim of Zoroasta, when you are eating, throw an awful to the dogs that are under the table, lest they should be tempted to bite you. He was as wise as he could well be wished, since he was fond of no company, but such as were distinguished for men of sense. As he was well grounded in all the sciences of the ancient Shaldeans, he was no stranger to those principles of natural philosophy which were then known, and understood as much of metaphysics as any one in all ages after him, that is to say, he knew little or nothing of the matter. He was firmly convinced that the year consisted of 365 days and a half, though directly repugnant to the new philosophy of the age he lived in, and that the sun was situated in the centre of the earth, and when the chief magi told him, with an imperious air, that he maintained erroneous principles, and that it was an indignity offered to the governments under which he lived to imagine the sun should roll around its own axis, and that the year consisted of twelve months. He knew how to sit still and quiet without showing the least tokens of resentment or contempt. As Zadig was immensely rich and had consequently friends without number, and as he was a gentleman of a robust constitution and remarkably handsome, as he was endowed with a plentiful share of ready and inoffensive wit, and in a word as his heart was perfectly sincere and open, he imagined himself, in some measure, qualified to be perfectly happy, for which purpose he determined to marry a gay young lady, once Samira by name, whose beauty, birth, and fortune rendered her the most desirable person in all Babylon. He had a sincere affection for her, grounded on honour, and Samira conceived as tender a passion for him. They were just upon the critical minute of a mutual conjunction in the bands of matrimony, when, as they were walking hand in hand together towards one of the gates of Babylon under the shade of a row of palm trees that grew on the banks of the river Euphrates, they were beset by a band of ruffians, armed with sabers, bows, and arrows. They were the guards, it seems, of a young Orcan, nephew of a certain minister of state, whom the parasites, kept by his uncle, had buoyed up with the permission to do with impunity whatever he thought proper. This young rival, though he had none of those internal qualities to boast of that Zadig had, yet he imagined himself a man of more power, and for that reason was perfectly outrageous to see the other preferred before him. This fit of jealousy, the result of mere vanity, prompted him to think that he was deeply in love with the fair Samira, and fired with that amorous notion he was determined to take her away from Zadig by dint of arms. The ravishers rushed rudely upon her, and in the transport of their rage drew the blood of a beauty, the sight of whose charms would have softened the very tigers of Mount Emmaus. The injured lady rent the very heavens with her exclamations. Where's my dear husband, she cried. They have torn me from the arms of the only man whom I adore. She never reflected on the danger to which she was exposed. Her sole concern was for her beloved Zadig. At the same time he defended her like a lover and a man of integrity and courage. With the assistance only of two domestic servants he put those sons of violence to flight and conducted Samira, bloody as she was and in fainting fits, to her own house. No sooner would she come to herself but she fixed her lovely eyes on her dear deliverer. O Zadig said she, I love thee affectionately as if I were actually thy bride. I love thee as the man to whom I owe my life and what is dearer to me the preservation of my honour. No heart sure could be more deeply smitten than that of Samira. Never did the lips of the fairest creature living utter softer sounds. Never did the most enamoured lady breathe such tender sentiments of love and gratitude for his signal service. Never in short did the most affectionate bride address such transports of joy for the fondest husband. Her wounds, however, were but very superficial and she was soon recovered. Zadig received a wound that was much more dangerous and unlucky arrow had grazed one of his eyes and the orifice was deep. Samira was incessant in her prayers to the gods that they might restore her Zadig. Her eyes were night and day overwhelmed with tears. She waited with impatience for the happy moment when those of Zadig might dart their fires upon her. But alas the wounded eye grew so inflamed and swelled that she was terrified to the last degree. She sent as far as Memphis for Hermes the celebrated physician there who instantly attended his new patient with a numerous retinue. Upon his first visit he peremptorily declared that Zadig would lose his eye and foretold not only the day but the very hour when that woeful disaster would befall him. Had it been, said that great man, his right eye, I could have administered an infallible specific. But as it is, his misfortune is beyond the art of manicure. Though all Babylon pitted the hard case of Zadig they equally stood astonished at the profound penetration of Hermes. Two days after the impostume broke without any application and Zadig soon after was perfectly recovered. Hermes thereupon wrote a very long and elaborate treatise to prove that his wound or not to have been healed. Zadig however never thought it worth his while to peruse his learned, loose abrasions. But as soon as ever he could get abroad determined to pay the lady a visit who had testified such uncommon concern for his welfare and for whose sake alone he wished for the restoration of his sight. Samira he found had been out of town for three days but was informed by the by that his intended spouse having conceived an implacable aversion to a one-eyed man was that very night to be married to Orkin. At this unexpected ill news poor Zadig was perfectly thunderstruck. He laid his disappointment so far to heart that in a short time he was become a mere skeleton and was sick almost to death for some months afterwards. At last however, by dint of reflection he got the better of his distemper and the acuteness of the pain he underwent in some measure contributed towards his consolation. Since I have met with such an unexpected repulse said he from a capricious court lady I am determined to marry some substantial citizen's daughter. He pitched accordingly upon Azora a young gentlewoman extremely well-bred an excellent economist and one whose parents were very rich. Their nuptials accordingly were soon after solemnized and for a whole month successively no two turtles were ever more fond of each other. In process of time however he perceived she was a little cocketish and too much inclined to think that the handsomest young fellows were always the most virtuous and the greatest wits. End of chapter 1 Chapter 2 of Zadig This is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer visit LibriVox.org This reading by Karl Manchester, 2007 Zadig or the Book of Fate by Voltaire Chapter 2 The Nose One day Azora as she was just returned home from taking a short country airing through herself into violent passion and swelled with invectives. What, in God's name, my dear, said Zadig has thus ruffled your temper. What can be the meaning of all these warm exclamations? Alas, said she, you would have been disgusted as much as I am had you been an eyewitness of that scene of female falsehood as I was yesterday. I went, you must know, to visit the disconsolate widow Cosru who has been these two days erecting a monument to the memory of her young deceased husband near the brook that runs on one side of her meadow. She made the most solemn vow in the height of her affliction never to stir from that tomb as long as ever that rivulet took its usual course. Well, and where in praise, said Zadig, is the good woman so much to blame? Is it not an incontestable mark of her superior merit and conjugal affection? But Zadig, said Azora, as you to know how her thoughts were implied when I made my visit, you'd never forget or forgive her. Pray, my dearest Azora, what then was she about? Why the creature, said Azora, was studying, to be sure, to find out ways and means to turn the current of the river. Azora, in short, her rang so long and was so big with her invectives against the young widow that her too affected, vain shrew of virtue, her secret discussed. Zadig had an intimate friend, one Kador by name, whose spouse was perfectly honest and had in reality a greater regard for him than all mankind besides. This friend Zadig made his confidant and bound him to keep a project of his entirely a secret by a promise of some valuable token of his respect. Azora had been visiting a female companion for two days together in the country, and on the third was returning home. No sooner, however, was she in sight of the house, but the servants ran to meet her with tears in their eyes and told her that their master died suddenly, the night before, that they didn't carry her the doleful tidings, but were going to bury Zadig in the sepulchre of his ancestors at the bottom of the garden. She burst into a flood of tears, tore her hair and vowed to die by his side. Soon as it was dark, young Kador came and begged the favour of being introduced to the widow. He was so, and they wept together very cordially. Next day the storm was somewhat abated and they dined together. Kador informed her that his friend had left him the much greater part of his effects, and gave her to understand that he should think himself the happiest creature in the world if she would condescend to be his partner in that demise. The widow wept, sobbed, and began to melt. More time was spent in supper than at dinner. They discoursed together with a little more freedom. Azor was lavish of her encomiums on Zadig. But then, towards true, she said he had some secret infirmities to which Kador was a stranger. In the midst of their midnight entertainment, Kador all of a sudden complained that he was taken with the most violent pleuretic fit and was ready to swoon away. Our lady, being extremely concerned and over-efficious, flew to her closet of cordials and brought down everything she could think of that might be of service on this emergent occasion. She was extremely sorry that the famous Hermes was gone from Babylon and condescended to lay her warm hand upon the part affected in which he felt such agonising pain. Pray, sir, said she, in a soft languishing tone, are you subject to this tormenting melody? Sometimes, madam, said Kador, so strong that they bring me almost to death's door and there is but one thing can infallibly cure me and that is the application of a dead man's nose to the part affected. An odd remedy, truly, said Azorah. Not stranger, madam, said he, than the great Arnon's. Footnote There was at this time in Babylon a famous doctor named Arnon who both cured apoplectic fits and prevented them from affecting his patients, as was frequently advertised in the gazettes by a little, never-failing purse that he hung round their necks infallible apoplectic necklaces. End footnote This assurance of success, together with Kador's personal merit, determined Azorah in his favour. After all, said she, when my husband shall be about to cross the bridge Shimavar from this world of yesterday to the other of tomorrow, will the angel Azrael, think you, make any scruple about his passage? Should his nose prove something shorter in the next life than twas in this? She would venture, however, and taking up a sharp razor, repaired to her husband's tomb, watered it first with her tears and then intended to perform the innocent operation as he lay extended and breathless as he thought in his coffin. Zadig mounted in a moment, secured his nose with one hand and the incision knife with the other. Madame said he, never more exclaim against the widow Cosru. The scheme for cutting my nose off was much closer laid than hers of throwing the river into a new channel. End of chapter 2 Chapter 3 of Zadig This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org This reading by Lucy Burgoyne Zadig or the Book of Fate by Volker Chapter 3 The Dog and the Horse Zadig found by experience that the first 30 days of matrimony as tis written in the Book of Zen is honeymoon but the second is all wormwood. He was obliged in short as Zoro grew such a termigent to seal out a bill of divorce and to seek his consolation for the future in the study of nature. Who is happier said he than the philosopher who peruses with understanding that spacious book with the supreme being has laid open before his eyes. The truths he discovers there are of infinite service to him. He thereby cultivates and improves his mind. He lives in peace and tranquility all his days. He is afraid of nobody and he has no tender indulgent wife to shorten his nose for him. Wrapped up in these contemplations he retired to a little country house on the banks of the Euphrates. There he never spent his time in calculating how many inches of water run through the arch of the bridge in a second of time or in inquiring if a cube line of rain falls more in the mouse month than in that of the ram. He formed no projects for making silk gloves and stockings out of spider's webs nor of china ware out of broken glass bottles that he pried into the nature and properties of animals and plants and soon by his strict and repeated inquiries he was capable of discerning a thousand variations invisible objects that others less curious imagined were all alike. One day as he was taking a solitary walk by the side of the thicket he espied one of the queen's eunuchs which several of his attendants coming towards him hunting a bough in deep concern both here and there like persons almost in despair and seeking with impatience for something lost of the utmost importance. Young man said the queen's chief eunuch have not you seen pray her majesty's dog Zadik very coolly replied you mean her bitch I presume you say very right sir said eunuch tis a spaniel bitch indeed and very small said Zadik she has had puppies too lately she's a little lame with her left four foot and has long years by your exact description sir you must doubtless have seen her said eunuch almost out of breath but I have not sir not withstanding neither did I know that by you that the queen ever had such a favourite bitch just at this critical juncture so various other turns of fortunes wheel the best pelphrey in all the king's table had broke loose from the groom and got upon the planes at Babylon the head huntsman with all his inferior officers were in pursuit after him with as much concern as eunuch about the bitch the head huntsman addressed himself to Zadik and asked him whether he hadn't seen the king's pelphrey run by him no horse said Zadik ever galloped smoother he is about 5 foot high his hoofs are very small his tail is about 3 foot 6 inches long the studs of his bit are of pure gold about 23 carats and his shoes are of silver about 11 penny weight what course did he take pray sir whereabouts is he said the huntsman I never sat eyes on him replied Zadik not I, neither did I hear before now that his majesty had such a pelphrey the head huntsman as well as the head eunuch upon his answering their interrogatories so very exactly in the least but that Zadik had clandestinely conveyed both the bitch and the horse away secured him and carried him before the grandestaham who condemned him to the now and to be confined for life in some remote and lonely part of Siberia no sooner had the sentence been pronounced but the horse and bitch were in some perplexity in this odd affair and yet thought it absolutely necessary as the man was innocent to recall their decree however they laid a fine upon him a 400 ounces of gold for his false declaration of his not having seen what doubtless he did and the fine was ordered to be deposited in court accordingly on the payment were old he was permitted to bring his cause onto a hearing before the grandestaham on the day appointed for that purpose he opened the cause himself in terms to this or the like effect yea bright stars of justice yea profound avas of universal knowledge yea mirrors of equity who have you the solidity of bleed the hardness of steel the lustre of a diamond and resemblance of the purest gold since ye have condescended so far as to admit of my address to this august assembly I here in the most solemn manner swear to you by Iris Mades that I never saw the queen's illustrious bitch nor the sacred pelphrey of the king of kings I'll be ingenuous however and declare the truth and nothing but the truth as I was walking by the thicket side where I met with the majesties most venerable chief and the kings most illustrious chief huntsman I perceived upon the sand the footsteps of an animal and I easily inferred that it must be a little one the several small though long ridges of land between the footsteps of the creature gave me just grounds to imagine it was a bitch whose teats hung down and for that reason I concluded she had but lately popped as I observed likewise some other traces in some degree different raised all the way upon the surface of the sand on the side of the forefeet I knew well enough she must have had long ears and for as much as I discerned with some degree of curiosity that the sand was everywhere less hollowed by one foot in particular than by the other three I conceived that the bitch of our most queen was somewhat lamish if I may presume to say so as to the palfres of the king of kings give me leave to inform you that as I was walking down the lane by the thicket side I took particular notice of the prints made upon the sand by our horses shoes and found that their distances were in exact proportion from that observation I concluded the palfres galloped well in the next place the dust of some trees in a narrow lane which was but seven foot broad was here and there swept off both on the right and on the left about three feet and six inches from the middle of the road for which reason I pronounced the tail of the palfres to be five foot and a half long with which he had whisked off the dust on both sides as he ran along again I perceived under the trees which formed a king of bowler of five feet high some leaves that had been lately fallen on the ground and I was sensible the horse must have shook them off from whence I conjectured he was five foot high close to the bits of his bridle I knew they must be of gold and of the value I mentioned that he had rubbed the stubs upon a certain stone which I knew to be a touch stone by an experiment that I had made of it to conclude by the prints which his shoes had left of some flint stones of another nature I concluded his shoes were silver and of eleven penny weight fineness as I before mentioned the whole bench of judges still astonished at the profundity of Zadik's nice discernment the news was soon carried to the king and the queen Zadik was not only the whole subject of the court's conversation that his name was mentioned with the utmost veneration in the king's chambers and his privy council and notwithstanding several of their magi declared he ought to be burnt for a sorcerer yet the king thought proper that the thine he had deposited in court should be peremptorily restored the clerk of the court the tip staffs and other petty officers waited on him in their proper habit in order to refund four hundred ounces of gold pursuant to the king's express order modestly reserving only three hundred and ninety ounces part thereof to defray the fees of the court and the domesticks swarmed about him likewise in hopes of some small consideration Zadik upon winding up of the bottom was fully convinced that it was very dangerous to be over wise and was determined to set a watch before the door of his lips for the future an opportunity soon offered for the trial of his resolution a prisoner of state had just made his escape and passed under the window of Zadik's house Zadik was examined there upon that was absolutely dumb however as it was plainly proved upon him that he didn't look out of the window at the same time he was sentenced to pay five hundred ounces of gold for the misdemeanor and moreover was obliged to thank the court for their indulgence a compliment which the magistrates at Babylon expect to be paid then Good God said he himself have I not substantial reason to complain that my improper stares should direct me to walk by a wood side where the queen's bitch and the king's pelphrine should happen to pass by how dangerous is it to pop one's head out of one's window and in a word how difficult is it End of Chapter 3 Chapter 4 of Zadik this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this reading by Lucy Burgoyne Zadik or the Book of Fate by Volker Chapter 4 The Envious Man as Zadik had met with such a series of misfortunes he was determined to ease the weight of them by the study of philosophy and the conversation of select friends he was still possessed of a little pretty box in the outparts of Babylon which was furnished in a good taste where every artist was welcome he enjoyed all the rational pleasures that a virtuous man could well wish for in the morning his library was always open for the use of the learned at night his table was filled with the most agreeable companions but he was soon sensible by experience how dangerous it was to keep the learned men company a warm dispute of Zorasta which prohibited the eating of grithins but to what purpose said some at the company was the prohibition since there is no such animal in nature some again insisted that there must for otherwise Zorasta could never have been so weak as to give his pupils such a caution to compromise the matter said gentlemen if there are such creatures in being let us never touch them and if there are not we are all assured we can't touch them so in either case we shall comply with the commandment a learned man at the upper end of the table who had composed 13 volumes expatuating on every property of the grithin took this affair in a very serious light which would greatly have embarrassed Zodik but for the credit of Margus who was brother to his friend Cador from that day forward Zodik ever distinguished and preferred good before learned company he associated with the most conversable men ladies in all Babylon he made elegant entertainments which were frequently preceded by a concert of music and enlivened by the most facetious conversation in which as he had felt the smart of it he had laid aside all thoughts of showing his wit which is not only the sure as proof that a man has none but the most infallible or good company neither the choice of his friends nor that of his dishes was the result of pride or ostentation he took delight in appearing to thee what he actually was and not in seeming to thee what he was not and by that means got a greater deal character than he actually aimed at directly opposite to his house with aromasis one puffed up with pride who not meeting with success in the world sought his revenge enrolling against all mankind rich as he was it was almost more than he could accomplish to procure even any parasites about him though the rattling of the chariots which stopped at Zodik's door was a perfect nuisance to him yet the good character which everybody gave him was still a higher provocation he would sometimes intrude himself upon Zodik and sat down at his table without any invitation when there he would most certainly interrupt the mirth of the company as harpies they say infect the very carrion that they eat aromasis took it in his head one day to invite a young lady to an entertainment but she instead of accepting of his offer spent the evening at Zodik's another time as Zodik and he were chatting together at court a minister of state came up to them and invited Zodik to supper but took no notice of aromasis the most implacable aversions have frequently no better foundations this gentleman who was called the envious man would have taken away the life of Zodik if he could because most people distinguished him by the title of the happy man an opportunity of doing mischief says Zoroaster offers itself a hundred times a day and that of doing a friend of good office but once a year aromasis went one day to Zodik's house when he was walking in his garden with two friends and a young lady to whom he said abundance of fine things with no other design but the innocent pleasure of saying them their conversation turned on a war that the king had happily put an end to between him and his vessel the prince of Hecania Zodik, having signalised himself in that short war, commended his majesty very highly but was more lavish of his compliments on the lady he took out his pocketbook and wrote for X-Tempo verses on that occasion and gave them the lady to read the gentleman then present blind with the sight of them as well as the lady but either through modesty or rather a self-consciousness that he hadn't happily succeeded he gave them a flat denial he was sensible that a sudden poetic flight must prove insipid to everyone but the person in whose favour it is written were upon he snapped the table in two were on the lines were wrote and through both pieces into a rose bush where they were hunted for but to no purpose soon after it happened to rain and all the company flew into the house but aromasis notwithstanding the shower he continued in the garden and never quitted it till he had found one moiety of the tablet unfortunately broke in such a manner that even the half lines were good sense and good meter though very short but what was still more remarkably unfortunate they appeared at first view to be a severe satire upon the king the words were these to flagrant crimes his crown he owes to peaceful times the worst of foes was the first moment that ever aromasis was happy he had it now in his power to ruin the most virtuous and innocent of men big with his execrable joy he flew to his majesty with this virulent satire of Zadik under his own hand not only Zadik but his two friends and the lady were immediately close confined his cause was soon over for the judges turned a deaf ear to what he had to say when sentence of condemnation was passed upon him aromasis still spiteful was heard to say as he went out of court with an air of contempt that Zadik's lines were treason indeed but nothing more those Zadik didn't value himself on account of his genius of poetry yet he was almost distracted to find himself condemned for the worst of traitors and his two friends and the lady locked up in a dungeon for a crime of which he was no ways guilty he wasn't permitted to speak one word for himself his pocket book was sufficient evidence against him so strict were the laws of Babylon the place of execution through a crowd of spectators who decently condoled with him and who flocked about him to observe whether his countenance changed or whether he died with a good grace his relations were the only real mourners for there was no estate in reversion for them three parts of his effects were confiscated for the king's use and the fourth was devoted as a reward to the use of the informer just at the time that he was preparing himself for death the king's parrot flew from a balcony into Zadik's garden and alighted on a rose bush a peach that had been blown down and drove by the wind from an adjacent tree just under the bush was glued as it were the entirety of the tablet a way flew the parrot with a booty and returned to the king's lap the monarch being somewhat curious read the words on the broken tablet which had no meaning in them as he could perceive but seemed to be the broken parts of the tetristic he was a great admirer of poetry and the odd adventure of his parrot upon reflection the queen who recollected full well the lines that were wrote on the fragment of Zadik's tablet ordered that part of it to be produced both the broken pieces being put together they answered exactly the indentures and then the verses which Zadik had written in a flight of loyalty ran thus tyrants are prone to flagrant crimes to clemency his crown he owes to concord and to peaceful times love only is the worst oppose upon this the king ordered Zadik to be instantly brought before him and his two friends and the lady to be that moment discharged Zadik as he stood before the king and queen fixed his eyes upon the ground and begged their majesty's pardon for his little worthless poetical attempt he spoke however with such a becoming grace and with so much modesty and good sense that the king and the queen ordered him to be brought before them once again he was brought accordingly and he pleased them still more and more in short they gave him all the immense estate of Aaron Moses who had so unjustly accused him but Zadik generously returned the wicked informer behold to a farthing the envious man however was no way it's affected but with the restoration of his effects Zadik every day grew more and more in favour at court he was made a party in all the king's pleasures and nothing was done in the privy council without him the queen from that very hour showed him so much respect and spoke to him in such soft and endearing terms that in process of time it proved a fatal consequence to herself her royal consort to Zadik and the whole kingdom Zadik now began to think it was not so difficult a thing to be happy as at first he imagined End of Chapter 4 Chapter 5 of Zadik This is LibriVox Recording All LibriVox recordings are on the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org This recording by Nicholas James Bridgewater The time now drew near the celebration of a grand festival which was kept but once in five years it was a constant custom in Babylon at the expiration of the term above mentioned to distinguish that citizen from all the rest in the most solemn manner who had done the most generous action and the grandees and magi always sat as judges the satrap informed them of every praiseworthy deed that occurred within his district all were put to the vote and the king himself pronounced the definitive sentence people of all ranks and degrees came from the remotest part of the kingdom to be present at this solemnity the victor whoever he was received from the king's own hand a golden cup enriched with precious stones and upon the delivery the king made use of the following salutation receive this reward of your generosity and may the gods grant me thousands of such valuable subjects upon this memorable day the king appeared in all the pomp imaginable on his throne of state surrounded by his grandees the magi and the deputies from all the surrounding nations of every province that attended these public sports where honor was to be acquired not by the velocity of the best racehorse or by bodily strength but by intrinsic merit the principal satrap proclaimed with an audible voice such actions as would entitle the victor to the inestimable prize but never mentioned one word of Zadig's greatness of soul in returning his invidious neighbor all his estate notwithstanding he would have taken away his life that was but a trifle and not worth speaking of the first that was set up for the prize was a judge that had occasioned a citizen to lose a very considerable cause through some mistake for which he was no ways responsible and made him restitution out of his private purse the next candidate was a youth that though violently in love with one that he intended shortly to make his spouse yet resigned her to his friend who was just expiring at her feet and more over gave her a portion at the same time after this appeared a soldier who in the Hirkanian war had done a much more glorious action than the lover a gang of Hirkanians having taken his mistress from him he fought them bravely and rescued her out of their hands soon after he was informed that another band of the same party had hurried away his mother to a place not far distant he left his mistress all drowned in tears and ran to his mother's assistance after that skirmish was over he returned to his sweetheart and found her just expiring he would feign of plunged a dagger into his heart that moment but his mother remonstrated to him that should he die she should be entirely helpless and upon that account only she had courage to live a little longer the judges seemed very much inclined to give their votes for the soldier but the king prevented them by saying that the soldier's action was praiseworthy enough and so were those of the rest but none of them give me any surprise what Zaddig did yesterday perfectly struck me with astonishment I'll mention another instance I had some few days ago as a testimony of my resentment banished my prime minister and favourite Korreb from the court I complained of his conduct in the warmest terms and all my sycophants about me told me that I was too merciful and loaded him with the sharpest invectives I asked Zaddig what his opinion was of Korreb and he dared to give him the best of characters I must confess I have read in our public records indeed of instances a restitution had been generally made for injuries committed by mistake where a minister has been resigned and where a mother has been preferred to a mistress but I never read of a courtier that would speak to the advantage of a minister in disgrace and against whom the sovereign was highly incensed I'll give 20,000 pieces of gold to every candidate that has been this day proclaimed but I'll give the cup to no one but Zaddig Sire said Zaddig tis your majesty alone that deserves this cup tis you alone who have done an action of generosity never heard of before since you who are king of kings wasn't exasperated against your slave when he contradicted you in the heat of your passion everybody gazed with eyes of admiration on the king and Zaddig the judge who had generously made restitution for his error the lover who had married his mistress to his friend the soldier who had preferred the welfare of his mother to that of his mistress received the promised donation from the monarch and saw their names registered in the book of fame but Zaddig had the cup the king got the universal character of a good prince which he did not long preserve and the peaceful day was solemnised with festivals beyond the time by law established tragedies were acted there that drew tears from the spectators and comedies that made them laugh entertainment that the Babylonians were perfect strangers to the commemoration of it is still preserved in Asia now said Zaddig I am happy at last but he was grossly mistaken end of chapter 5 chapter 6 of Zaddig this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Philippa Willits Zaddig or the book of fate by Voltaire chapter 6 the judgments young as Zaddig was he was constituted chief judge of all the tribunals throughout the empire he filled the place like one whom the gods had endowed with the strictest justice and the most solid wisdom it was to him the nations round about were indebted for that generous maxim that his much more prudence to acquit two persons though actually guilty than to pass sentence of condemnation in one that is virtuous and innocent it was his firm opinion that the laws were intended to be a praise to those who did well as much as to be a terror to evildoers it was his particular talent to render truth as obvious as possible whereas most men study to render it intricate and obscure on the very first day of his entrance into his high office he exerted this peculiar talent a rich merchant and a native of Babylon died in the Indies he had made his will and appointed his two sons joint heirs of his estate as soon as they had settled their sister and married her with their mutual approbation moreover he left a specific legacy of 30,000 pieces of gold to that son who should after his deceit be proved to love him best the eldest erected to his memory a very costly monument the youngest appropriated a considerable part of his bequest to the augmentation of his sister's fortune everyone without hesitation gave the preference to the elder allowing the younger to have the greatest affection for his sister the legacy therefore was doubtless due to the eldest their cause came before Zadig and he examined them apart to the former said Zadig your father sir is not dead as is reported but being happily recovered is on his return to Babylon God be praised said the young man but I hope the expense I have been at in raising this superb monument will be considered after this Zadig repeated the same thing to the younger God be praised said he I will immediately restore all the tears left me but I hope my father will not recall the little present I have made my sister you have nothing to restore sir you shall have the legacy of the 30,000 pieces for it is you that have the greatest veneration for your deceased father a young lady that was very rich had entered into a marriage contract with two mages and having received instructions from both parties for some months she proved with child they were both ready and willing to marry her but said she he shall be my husband that has put me into a capacity of serving my country by adding one to it tis I madam that have answered that valuable end said one but the other insisted well said she since this is a moot point I'll acknowledge him for father of the child that will give him the most liberal education in a short time after my lady was brought to bed of a hopeful boy each of them insisted on being tutor and the cause was brought before Zadig the two mages were ordered to appear in court pray sir said Zadig to the first what method of instruction do you propose to pursue for the improvement of your young pupil he shall first be grounded said this learned pedagogue in the eight parts of speech then I'll teach him logic astrology magic the wide difference between the term substance and accident abstract and concrete etc etc as for my part sir I shall take another course said the second I'll do my utmost to make him an honest man and acceptable to his friends upon this Zadig said you sir shall marry the mother let who will be the father there came daily complaints to court against the itimadule of media whose name was Iraq he was a person of quality who was possessed of a very considerable estate notwithstanding he had squandered away a great part of it by indulging himself in all manner of expensive pleasures it was but seldom that an inferior was suffered to speak to him but not a soul dosed contradict him no peacock was more gay no turtle more amorous and no tortoise more indolent and inactive he made false glory and false pleasures his soul pursuit Zadig undertaking to cure him sent him forthwith as by express orders from the king a music master with 12 voices and 24 violins as his attendants a head steward with six men cooks and four chamberlains who were never out of his sight the king issued out his writ for the punctual observance of his royal will and thus the affair proceeded the first morning as soon as the voluptuous iraqs had opened his eyes his music master with the voices and violins entered his apartment they sang a cantata that lasted two hours and three minutes every three minutes the chorus or birthing of the song was to this effect tisnt in words to speak your praise what mighty honours are your due to worth like yours we alters raise no monarchs happier than you after the cantata was over the chamberlain addressed him in a formal harangue for three-quarters of an hour without ceasing wherein he took occasion to extoll every virtue to which he was a perfect stranger when the oration was over he was conducted to dinner where the musicians were all in waiting and played as soon as he was seated at his table dinner lasted three hours before he condescended to speak a word when he did you say right sir said the chief chamberlain scarce had yuttered four words more but right sir said the second the other two chamberlain's time was taken up in laughing with admiration at iraqs's smart repartees or at least such as he ought to have made after the cloth was taken away the adulating chorus was repeated this first day iraqs was all in raptures he imagined that this honour done him by the king of kings was the sole result of his exalted merit the second wasn't altogether so agreeable the third proved somewhat troublesome the fourth insupportable the fifth was tormenting and at last he was perfectly outrageous at the continual peel in his ears of no monarch's happier sir than you you say right etc and at being daily harangued at the same hour whereupon he wrote to court and begged of his majesty to recall his chamberlain his musicmaster and all his retinue his head stewed and his cooks and promised in the most submissive manner to be less vain and more industrious for the future though he didn't require so much adulation or such grand entertainments he was much more happy for as sadder has it one continued scene of pleasure is no pleasure at all sadig every day gave incontestable proofs of his wondrous penetration and the goodness of his heart he was adored by the people and was the darling of the king the little difficulties that he met with in the first stage of his life served only to augment his present felicity every night however he had some unlucky dream or another that gave him some disturbance one while he imagined himself extended on a bed of withered plants amongst which there were some that were sharp pointed and made him very restless and uneasy another time he fancied himself reposed on a bed of roses out of which rushed a serpent that stung him to the heart with his envenomed tong alas! said he, waking I was one while on a bed of hard and nauseous plants and just this moment reposed on a bed of roses but then the serpent end of chapter 6 recording by Philippa Willits chapter 7 of sadig this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings from the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this recording by Nicholas James Bridgewater the misfortunes that attended sadig proceeded in a great measure from his preferment but more from his intrinsic merit every day he had familiar converse with the king his royal master and his august consort estarte and the pleasure rising from thence was greatly enhanced from an innate ambition of pleasing which in regard to wit is the same as dresses to beauty his youth and graceful apportment had a greater influence on estarte than she was at first aware of though her affection for him daily increased yet she was perfectly innocent estarte would say without the least reserve or apprehension of fear that she was extremely pleased with the company of one who was not only a favourite of her husband but the darling of the whole empire she was continually speaking in his commendation before the king he was the subject of her whole discourse amongst her ladies of honour who were as lavish of their praises as herself such repeated discourses however innocent made a deeper impression on her heart than she at that time apprehended she would every now and then send zadig some little present or another which she construed as the result of a greater value for him than she intended she said no more of him as she thought than a queen might innocently do who was perfectly assured of his attachment to her husband sometimes indeed she would express herself with an air of tenderness and affection Astarte was much handsomer than either his mistress Samira who had such a natural antipathy to a one-eyed lord or Azorra his late loving spouse that would innocently have cut his nose off the freedoms which Astarte took her tender expressions at which she began to blush the glances of her eye which she would turn away if perceived and which she fixed upon his kindled in the heart of kindled in the heart of zadig a fire which struck him with amazement he did all he could to smother it he called up all the philosophy he was master of to his aid but all in vain for no consolation arose from those reflections duty gratitude and an injured monarch presented themselves before his eyes as avenging deities he bravely struggled he triumphed indeed but this conquest over his passions which he was obliged to check every moment cost him many a deep sigh and tear he durst not talk with the queen anymore with that freedom which was too engaging on both sides his eyes were obnubilated his discourse was forced and unconnected he turned his eyes another way and when against his inclination they met with those of the queen he found that though drowned in tears they darted flames of fire they seemed in silence to intimate that they were afraid of being in love with each other and that both burned with a fire which both condemned zadig flew from her presence like one beside himself and in despair his heart was charged with a burden too great for him to bear in the heat of his conflicts he disclosed the secrets of his heart to his trusty friend Kador as one who having long groaned under the weight of an inexpressible anguish of mind at once makes known the cause of his torments by the groans as it were extorted from him and by the drops of a cold sweat that trickled down his cheeks Kador said to him it is now some considerable time since I have discovered that secret passion which you have fostered in your bosom and yet endeavored to conceal even from yourself the passions carry along with them such strong impressions that they cannot be concealed tell me ingenuously zadig and be your own accuser whether or no since I have made this discovery the king has not shown some visible marks of his resentment he has no other foible but that of being the most jealous mortal breathing you take more pains to check the violence of your passion than the queen herself does because you are a philosopher because in short you are zadig astarte is but a weak woman and though her eyes speak too visibly and with too much imprudence yet she does not think herself blame worthy being conscious of her innocence to her own misfortune as well as yours she is too unguarded I tremble for her because I am sensible her conscience acquits her were you both agreed you might conceal your regard for each other from all the world a rising passion that is smothered breaks out into a flame love when once gratified knows how to conceal itself with art zadig shuddered at the proposition of ungratefully violating the bed of his royal benefactor and never was there a more loyal subject to a prince though guilty of an involuntary crime the queen however repeated the name of zadig so often and her cheeks glowed with such a red whenever she uttered it she was one while so transported and at another so dejected when the discourse turned upon him in the king's presence she was in such a reverie so confused and stupid when he went out of the presence that her deportment made the king extremely uneasy he was convinced of everything he saw and formed in his mind an idea of a thousand things he did not see he observed particularly that a start his sandals were blue so zadig's were blue likewise that as the queen wore yellow ribbons zadig's turbid was of the same colour these were shocking circumstances for a monarch of his caste of mind to reflect on to a mind in short so distempered as his was suspicions were converted into real facts all court slaves and sycophants are so many spies on kings and queens they soon discovered that a start he was fond and moabdar jealous Arrimazius his envious foe who was as incorrigible as ever for flints will never soften and creatures that are by nature venomous forever retain their poison Arrimazius I say wrote an anonymous letter to moabdar the infamous recourse of sordid spirits who have the objects of universal contempt but in this case an affair of the last importance because this letter tallied with the baneful suggestions that the monarch had conceived in short his thoughts were now holy bent upon revenge he determined to poison a start on a certain night and to have zadig strangled by break of day for that purpose were expressly given to a merciless inhuman eunuch the ready executioner of his vengeance at that critical juncture there happened to be a dwarf who was dumb but not deaf in the king's apartment nobody regarded him he was an eye and ear witness to all that past and yet no more suspected than any irrational domestic animal this little dwarf had conceived a peculiar regard for a start and zadig he heard with equal horror and surprise the king's orders to destroy them both but how to prevent those orders from being put into execution as the time was so short was all his concern he could not write it is true but he had luckily learnt to draw and take a likeness he spent a good part of the night in delineating with crayons on a piece of paper the imminent danger that thus attended the queen in one corner he represented the king highly incensed and giving his cruel eunuch the fatal orders in another a bowl and a cord upon a table in the centre was the queen expiring in the arms of her maids of honour with zadig strangled and laid dead at her feet in the horizon was the rising sun to denote that this execrable scene was to be exhibited by break of day no sooner was his design finished but he ran with it to one of Astarte's female favourites then in waiting called her up and gave her to understand that she must carry the draft to Astarte that very moment in the meantime the queen's attendance though it was dead of night knocked at the door of zadig's apartment waked him and delivered into his hands a billet from the queen at first he could not well tell whether he was only in a dream or not the queen read the letter with a trembling hand and a heavy heart words can't express his surprise and the agonies of despair which he was in upon his perusal of the contents fly said she zadig this very moment for your life's in the utmost danger fly zadig I conjure you in the name of that fatal passion with which I have long struggled and which I now venture to discover as I am to make atonement for it in a few moments by the loss of my life though I am conscious to myself of my innocence I find I am to feel the weight of my husband's resentment and die the death of a traitor zadig was scarce able to speak he ordered his friend Kador to be instantly called and gave him the letter the moment he came without opening his lips Kador pressed his hand to regard the contents and to make the best of his way to Memphis if you presume said he to have an interview with her Majesty first you inevitably hasten her execution or if you wait upon the king the fatal consequence will be the same I'll prevent her unhappy fate if possible you follow but your own I'll give it out that you are gone to the Indies I'll wait on you as soon as the hurricane is gone over and I'll let you know all that occurs material in Babylon Kador that instant ordered two of the flitest dromedaries that could be got to be in readiness at a private back door belonging to the court he helped zadig to mount his beast though ready to drop into the earth he had but one trusty servant to attend him and Kador overwhelmed with grief soon lost sight of his dearly beloved friend this illustrious fugitive soon reached the summit of a little hill that afforded him a fair prospect of the whole city of Babylon but turning his eyes back towards the Queen's palace he fainted away and when he had recovered his senses he drowned his eyes in a flood of tears and with impatience wished for death to conclude after he had reflected with horror on the deplorable fate of the most amiable creature in the universe and of the most meritorious queen that ever lived he for a moment commanded his passion and with a sigh made the following exclamations what is this mortal life oh virtue virtue of what service has thou been to me two young ladies and mistress and a wife have proved false to me a third who is perfectly innocent and ten thousand times handsomer than either of them has suffered death is probable before this on my account all the acts of benevolence which I have shown have been the foundation of my sorrows and I have been only raised to the highest spoke of fortune's wheel for no other purpose than to be tumbled down with the greater force had I been as abandoned as some screants are I had like them been happy his head thus overwhelmed with these melancholy reflections his eyes thus sunk in his head and his meager cheeks all pale and languid and in a word his very soul thus plunged in the abyss of deep despair he pursued his journey towards Egypt end of chapter 7 chapter 8 oh sadig this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings from the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this recording by Nicholas James Bridgewater Zadig steered his course by the stars that shone over his head the constellation of Orion and the radiant dog-star directed him towards the pole of Canope he reflected with admiration on those immense globes of light which appeared to the naked eye no more than little twinkling lights whereas the earth he was then traversing which in reality is no more than an imperceptible point in nature seemed according to the selfish idea we generally entertain of it something very immense and very magnificent he then reflected on the whole race of mankind and reflected upon them as they are in fact a parcel of insects or reptiles devouring one another on a small atom of clay this just idea of them greatly alleviated his misfortunes recollecting the nothingness if we may be allowed the expression of his own being and even of Babylon itself his capacious soul now soared into infinity and he contemplated with the same freedom as if she was disencumbered from her earthly partner on the immutable order of the universe but as soon as she cowered her wings and resumed her native seat he began to consider that Astarte might possibly have lost her life for his sake upon which his thoughts of the universe vanished all at once and no other objects appeared but as Astarte giving up the ghost and himself overwhelmed with a sea of troubles as he gave himself up to this flux and reflux of sublime philosophy and anxiety of mind he wasn't sensibly arrived on the frontiers of Egypt and his trusty attendant had unknown to him stepped into the first village and sought out for a proper apartment for his master and himself Zadig in the meantime made the best of his way to the adjacent gardens where he saw not far distant from the highway a young lady all drowned in tears calling upon heaven and earth for succor in her distress and a man fired with rage and resentment in pursuit after her he had now just overtaken her and she fell prostrate at his feet imploring his forgiveness and loaded her with a thousand reproaches nor did he spare to chastise her in the most outrageous manner by the Egyptians cruel deportment towards her he concluded that the man was a jealous husband and that the lady was an inconstant and had defiled his bed but when he reflected that the woman was a perfect beauty and to his thinking something like the unfortunate Astarte he perceived his heart yearn with compassion towards the lady and swelled indignation against her tyrant for heaven's sake sir assist me said she to Zadig sobbing as if her heart would break oh deliver me out of the hands of this barbarian save sir oh save my life upon these her shocking outcries Zadig threw himself between the injured lady and the inexorable brute and as he had some smattering he expostulated with him in his own dialect and said dear sir if you're endowed with the least spark of humanity let me conjure you to have some pity and remorse for so beautiful a creature have some regard sir to the weakness of her sex how can you treat a lady who is one of nature's masterpieces in such a rude and outrageous manner one who lies weeping at your feet for forgiveness there was no other recourse than her tears for her defence oh oh said the jealous pated fellow in a fury to Zadig what you are one of her gallants I suppose I'll be revenged of thee thou villain this moment no sooner were the words out of his mouth but he quits hold of the lady in whose hair he had twisted his fingers before takes up his lance in a fury and endeavours to the utmost of his power to plunge it into the strangest heart Zadig however being cool warded the intended blow with ease he laid fast hold of his lance towards the point one strove to recover it and the other to snatch it away by force they broke it between them whereupon the Egyptian drew his sword Zadig drew his they fought the former made a hundred rash passes one after another which the latter parried with the utmost dexterity the lady sat herself upon a grass-plat adjusting her headdress and looking on the combatants the Egyptian was too strong for Zadig but Zadig was more nimble and active the latter fought as a man whose hand was guided by his head the former as a mad man who dealt about his blows at random Zadig took the advantage made a plunge at him and disarmed him and for as much as he found that the Egyptian was hotter than ever and endeavoured all he could to throw him down by dint of strength flew upon him and tripped up his heels after that holding the point of his sword to his breast like a man of honour gave him his life the Egyptian fired with rage and having no command of his passion drew his dagger and wounded Zadig like a coward whilst the victor generously forgave him upon that unexpected action Zadig being incensed for the last degree plunged his sword deep into his bosom the Egyptian fetched a hideous groan and died upon the spot Zadig then approached the lady and with a kind of concern in the softest terms told her that he was obliged to kill her and salt her though against his inclinations I have avenged your cause and delivered you out of the merciless hands of the most outrageous man I ever saw now madam let me know your father will and pleasure with me shall die you villain you have murdered my love oh I could tear your heart out indeed madam said Zadig you had one of the most hot headed oddest lovers I ever saw he beat you most unmercifully and would have taken away my life because you called me into your assistance would to God he was but alive to beat me again said she blubbering and roaring I deserve to be beat I gave him to just occasion to be jealous of me would to God that he had beat me and you had died in his stead Zadig more astonished and more exasperated than ever he was in all his life said to her really madam you put on such extravagant heirs that you tempt me pretty as you are to thresh you most cordially in my turn but I scorned to concern myself any more about you upon this he remounted his dromedary and made the best of his way towards the village but before he had got near a hundred yards he returned upon an outcry that was made by four couriers from Babylon they rode with full speed one of them spying the young widow cried out there she is that she she answers in every respect to the description we had of her they never took the least notice of her dead gallant but secured her directly oh sir cried she to Zadig again and again dear sir most generous stranger once more deliver me from a pack of villains I most humbly beg your pardon for my late conduct and unjust complaint of you do but stand my friend at this critical juncture and I'll be your most obedient vassal till death Zadig had now no inclination to fight for one so undeserving any more find some other to be your fool now madam you shan't impose upon me a second time I'll assure you madam I know better things besides he was wounded and bled so fast that he wanted assistance himself and is very probable that the sight of the Babylonian couriers who would dispatch from King Muabdar might discompose him very much he made all the hasty could towards the village not being able to conceive what should be the real cause of the young ladies being secured by those Babylonish officers and as much at a loss at the same time what to think of such a termigant and a cocket end of chapter 8 chapter 9 of Zadig this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Ezoa Zadig or the Book of Fate by Voltaire chapter 9 the captive no sooner was Zadig arrived at the Egyptian village before mentioned but he found himself surrounded by a crowd the people one and all cried out see see there's the man that ran away with the beautyous lady Misuf and murdered Kletofis gentlemen said he God forbid that I should ever entertain a thought of running away with the lady you speak of she's too much of a cocket and as to Kletofis I did not murder him but killed him in my own defense he endeavored all he could to take my life away because I entreated him to take some pity and compassion on the beautyous Misuf whom he beat most unmercifully I am a stranger who am fled hither for shelter and is highly improbable that upon my first entrance into a country where I came for safety and protection I should be guilty of two such enormous crimes as that of running away with another man's partner and that of clandestinely murdering him on her account the Egyptians at that time were just and humane the populace is true hered Zadig to the town jail but they took care in the first place to stop the bleeding of his wounds and afterwards examined the supposed delinquents apart in order to discover if possible the real truth they acquitted Zadig of the charge of willful and premeditated murder but as he had taken a subject's life away though in his own defense he was sentenced to be a slave as the law directed his two beasts were sold in open market for the service of the Hamlet what money he had was distributed amongst the inhabitants and he and his attendant were exposed in the market place to public sale an Arabian merchant, Cetok by name purchased them both but as the valet or attendant was a robust man and better cut out for hard labor than the master he fetched the most money there was no comparison to be made between them Zadig therefore was a slave subordinate to his valet they secured them both however by a chain upon their legs and so linked they accompanied their master home Zadig as they were on the road comforted his fellow slave and exhorted him to bear his misfortunes with patience but according to custom he made several reflections on the vicissitudes of human life I am now sensible Ceti that my impromptuous fortune has some malignant influence over thine every occurrence of my life either too has proved strangely odd and unaccountable in the first place I was sentenced to die at Babylon for writing a short panigeric on the king, my master in the next I narrowly escaped being strangled for the queen his royal consort speaking a little too much in my favor and here I am a joint slave with thyself because a turbulent fellow of a gallant would beat his lady however, comrade, let us march on boldly, let not our courage thus down all this may possibly have a happier issue than we expect it is absolutely necessary that this Arabian merchant should have slaves and why should not you and I as we are but men be slaves as thousands of others are this master of ours may not prove inexorable he must treat his slaves with some thought and consideration if he expects them to do his work this was his discourse to his comrade but his mind was more attentive to the misfortunes of the queen of Babylon two days afterwards Setok set out with his two slaves and his camels for Arabia Diserta his tribe lived near the desert of Horeb the way was long and tedious Setok during the journey paid a much greater regard to Zadik's valet than to himself because the former was the most able to load the camels and therefore what little distinctions were made they were in his favor it so happened that one of the camels died upon the road the load which the beast carried was immediately divided and thrown upon the shoulders of the two slaves Zadik had his share Setok couldn't forbear laughing to see his two slaves crouching under their burden Zadik took the liberty to explain the reason thereof and convinced him of the laws of the equilibrium the merchant was a little startled at his philosophical discourse and looked upon him with a more favorable eye than at first Zadik perceiving he had raised his curiosity redoubled it by instructing him in several material points which were in some measure advantageous to him in his way of business such as the specific weight of metals and other commodities of various kinds of an equal bulk the properties of several useful animals and the best ways and means to make such as were wild tame by degrees and fit for service in short Zadik was looked upon by his master as a perfect oracle Setok now thought the master the much better man of the two he used him cautiously and had no room to repent of his indulgence towards him being got to their journey's end the first step that Setok took was to claim a debt of 500 ounces of silver of a Jew who had borrowed it in the presence of two witnesses but both of them were dead and as the Jew was conscious he couldn't be cast for want of evidence appropriated the merchant's money to his own use and thanked God that it lay in his power for once to bite an Arabian with impunity Setok discovered to Zadik the unhappy situation of his case as he was now become his confidant where was it pray said Zadik that you lent this large sum to that ungrateful infidel upon a large stone saved the merchant at the foot of Mount Horeb what sort of a man is your debtor said Zadik oh he's as Aaron the rogue as ever breathed replied Setok that I take for granted but says Zadik is he a lively active man or is he a dull heavy-headed fellow he's one of the worst of paymasters in the world but the merriest most sprightly fellow I ever met with very well said Zadik let me be one of your counsel when your cause comes to be heard in short he summoned the Jew to attend the court where when the judge was set Zadik opened the case thou impartial judge of this court of equity I am come here in behalf of my master to demand of the defendant 500 ounces of silver which he refuses to pay and would fame traverse the debt have you friend your witness is ready to prove the loan save the judge no they are dead but there is a large stone still subsisting on which the money was deposited and if your excellence will be pleased to order the stone to be brought in court I don't doubt but the evidence it will give will be proof sufficient of the fact I hope your excellence will order that the Jew and myself shall be obliged to attend the court till the stone comes and I'll dispatch a special messenger to fetch it at my master's expense your request is very reasonable said the judge do as you propose and so called another cause when the court was ready to break up well said the judge to Zadig is your stone come yet the Jew with a snare replied your excellence may wait here till this time tomorrow before the stone will appear in court for it is above six miles off and it will require 15 men to remove it from its place it is well replied Zadig I told your excellence that the stone would be a very material evidence since the defendant can point out the place where the stone lies he tacitly confesses that it was upon that stone the money was deposited the Jew thus unexpectedly confuted was soon obliged to acknowledge the debt the judge ordered that the Jew should be tied fast to the stone without victuals or drink till he should advance the 500 ounces of silver which were soon paid accordingly and the Jew released the slave Zadig and this remarkable stone witness were in great repute all over Arabia end of chapter 9 chapter 10 of Zadig this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Erewit Zadig or The Book of Fate Chapter 10 The Funeral Pile Sitak transported with his good success of a slave made Zadig his favorite companion in confidant he found him as necessary in the conduct of his affairs as the king of Babylon had before done in the administration of his government and lucky it was for Zadig that Sitak had no wife and ordered that his master was in his temper benevolent, strictly honest and a man of good natural parts Zadig was very much concerned that one of so much sense should pay divine adoration to a whole host of created though celestial beings that is to say the sun, moon and stars according to the ancient custom of the Arabians he talked at first to his master with great precaution on so important a topic but at last told him in direct terms that they were created bodies as others though of less luster and that there was no more adoration due to them than to a stock or a stone but said Sitak they are eternal beings to whom we are indebted for all the blessings we enjoy they animate nature they regulate the seasons they are in a word at such an infinite distance from us that it would be downright impious not to adore them you are more indebted said Zadig to the waters of the Red Sea which transport so many valuable commodities into the Indies why pray may not they be deemed as ancient as the stars and if you are so fond of preying your adoration on account of their vast distance why don't you adore the land of the Gangerides which lies in the utmost extremities of the earth no said Sitak there is something so surprisingly more brilliant in the stars than what you speak of that a man must adore them whether he will or not at the close of the evening Zadig planted a long range of candles in the front of his tent where Sitak and he were to sup that night as soon as he perceived his patron to be at the door he fell prostrate on his knees before the wax lights O ye everlasting ever shining luminaries be always propitious to your votary said Zadig having repeated these words so loud as Sitak might hear them he sat down to table without taking the least notice of Sitak what said Sitak somewhat startled at his conduct and said to the supper I act just as inconsistently sir as you do I worship these candles without reflecting on their makers or yourself who are my most beneficent patron Sitak took the hint and was conscious of the reproof that was concealed so gentilly under a veil the superior wisdom of his slave enlightened his mind and from that hour he was less lavish than ever he had been of his incense to those created beings and for the future he paid his adoration to those who made them at that time there was a most hideous custom in high repute all over Arabia which came originally from Scythia but having met with the sanction of the begotten Brockmans threatened to spread its infection all over the east when a married man happened to die if his dearly beloved widow ever expected to be esteemed a saint she must throw herself headlong upon her husband's funeral pile this was looked upon as a solemn festival and was called the widow's sacrifice that tribe which could boast the greatest number of burnt widows was looked upon as the most meritorious an Arabian who was of the tribe of Sitak happened just to that juncture to be dead and his widow, Almona by name who was a noted devotee published the day, nay, the hour that she proposed to throw herself according to custom on her deceased husband's funeral pile and be attended by a concert of drums and trumpets Zadig remonstrated to Sitak what a shocking custom this was and how directly repugnant to human nature by permitting young widows almost every day to become willful self-meritorious when they might be of service to their country either by the addition of new subjects or by the education of such as demanded their maternal indulgence and, by arguing seriously with Sitak for some time he forced from him at last an ingenuous confession that the barbarous custom then subsisting ought, if possible, to be abolished "'Tis now,' replied Sitak above a thousand years since the widows of Arabia have been indulged with this privilege of dying with their husbands and how shall anyone dare to abrogate a law that has been established time out of mind is there anything more inviolable than even an ancient error but,' replied Zadig reason is of more ancient date than the custom you plead for do you communicate these sentiments to the sovereigns of your tribes and in the meanwhile all go to their husbands accordingly he paid her a visit and having insinuated himself into her favor by a few compliments on her beauty after urging what a pity it was that a young widow, mistress of so many charms should make away with herself for no other reason but to mingle her ashes with a husband that was dead he, notwithstanding, applauded her for her heroic constancy and courage "'I perceive, madam,' said he you was excessively fond of your deceased spouse not I, truly,' replied the young Arabian devotee he was a brute infected with a groundless jealousy of my virtue and, in short, a perfect tyrant but, notwithstanding all this I am determined to comply with our custom surely, then, madam there's a sort of secret pleasure in being burnt alive alas, with a sigh, cried Almona is a shock indeed to nature but must be complied with for all that I am a professed devotee and should I shoe the least reluctance my reputation would be lost forever all the world would laugh at me should I not burn myself on this occasion Zadig, having forced her ingenuously to confess that she parted with her life more out of regard to what the world would say of her and out of pride and ostentation than any real love for the deceased he talked to her for some considerable time so rationally and used so many prevailing arguments with her to justify her due regard for the life which she was going to throw away that she began to wave the thought in a secret affection for her friendly monitor pray, madam, tell me, Zadig how would you dispose yourself upon the supposition that you could shake off this vain and barbarous notion why, said Dame, with an amorous glance I think verily I should accept of yourself for a second bedfellow the memory of Astarte had made too strong an impression on his mind to clothe with this warm declaration he took his leave, however, that moment and waited on the chiefs he communicated to them the substance to their private conversation and prevailed with them to make it a law of the future that no widow should be allowed to follow victim to a deceased husband till after she had admitted some young man to converse with her in private for a whole hour together the law was passed accordingly and not one widow in all Arabia from that day to this ever observed the custom close to Zadig alone that the Arabian dames were indebted for the abolition in one hour of a custom so very inhuman that had been practiced for such a number of ages Zadig, therefore with the strictest justice was looked upon by all the fairest sects in Arabia at their most bountiful benefactor End of Chapter 10 Chapter 11 of Zadig This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Paradise Camouflage Zadig or the Book of Fate by Voltaire Chapter 11, The Evening's Entertainment Cetok, who would never stare out without his buzzing friend in whom alone as he thought all wisdom centered resolved to take him with him to Balzor Affair whether the richest merchants ran the whole Habital Globe used annually to resort Zadig was delighted to see such a concourse of substantial tradesmen from all countries assembled together in one place It appeared to him as if the whole universe was but one large family and all happily met together at Balzor Affair On the next day of the fair he sat down to table with an Egyptian an Indian that lived on the banks of the river Ganges an inhabitant of Kathie a Grecian, a Kelt and several other foreigners who by their frequent voyages towards the Arabian Gulf were so far conversant with the Arabic language as to be able to discourse freely and be mutually understood The Egyptian began to fly into a passion what a scandalous place is this Balzor said he where they refused to lend me a thousand ounces of gold upon the best security that can possibly be offered Pray said Scythok What may the commodity be that you were deposited as a pledge for the sum you mention Why the corpse of my deceased aunt said he who was one of the finest women in all Egypt She was my constant companion but unhappily died upon the road I have taken so much care that no mummy whatever can equal it and was I in my own country I could be furnished with what sum swerver I pleased where I disposed a mortgage it it is a strange thing that nobody here will advance so small a sum upon so valuable a commodity No sooner had he expressed his resentment but he was going to cut up a fine boiled pellet in order to make a meal on it when an Indian late hold of his hand was a deep concern cried out for God's sake what are you about Why said the Egyptian I designed to make a wing of this foal one part of my supper Pray good sir, consider what you are doing said the Indian it is very possible that the soul of the deceased lady may have taken its residence in that fowl and you wouldn't surely run the risk of eating up your aunt to boil a fowl is doubtless a most shameful outrage done to nature Pshha! you make about the boiling of a fowl and flying in the face of nature reply the Egyptian in a pit though we Egyptians pay divine adoration to the orcs yet we can make a hardy meal of a piece of roast beef for all that is it possible sir that your countrymen should act so absurdly as to pay an ox the tribute of divine worship said the Indian absurd as you think it said the other the ox has been the principal object of adoration all over Egypt for these 135,000 years and the most abandoned Egyptian has never been as yet so impious as to gain say it aye sir 135,000 years say you surely you must be out a little in your calculation it is but about 4,000 years since India was first inhabited sure I am the ancient people than you are and our Brahma prohibited the eating of beef long before your nation ever erected an altar in honor of the ox or ever put one upon a spit what a racket you make about your Brahma is he able to stand the least in competition with our eyepiece says the Egyptian let us here pray what mighty feats have been done by your boasted Brahma why? replied the Brahma he first taught his vautaries to write and read and tis to him alone all the world is indebted for the invention of the noble game of chess you are quite out sir in your notion said a chaldean who sat within hearing all these invaluable blessings were derived from the fish Wani and tis that alone to which the tribute of divine adoration is justly due all the world will tell you that was a divine being the tale was pure gold whose head resembled that of a man though indeed the features were much more beautiful and that he descended to visit the earth three hours every day for the instruction of mankind he had a numerous issue as is very well known and all of them were powerful monarchs I have a picture of it at home to which, as in duty I ought I say my prayers at night before I go to bed before I rise there is no harm sir as I can conceive in partaking of a piece of roast beef but doubtless tis a mortal sin a crime of the blackest dye to touch a piece of fish besides you cannot justly boast of so illustrious in origin and you are both of you mere moderns in comparison to us chaldeans you Egyptians lay claim for a thousand years and you Indians but of 80,000 whereas we have almanacs that are dated four thousand centuries backwards take my word for it I speak nothing but truth renounce your errors and I'll make each of you a present of a fine portrait of our guany a native of Camalu entering into the beat said I have a very great veneration not only for the Egyptians Chaldeans, Greeks and Keltai but for Brahma, Arpus and the Wani but in my humble opinion the Lee or his tis by some called the Kin is an object more deserving of divine adoration than any ox or fish how much swerver you may boast of their respective perfections all I shall say in regard to my native country tis a much greater extent than all Egypt Chaldea and the Indies put together I shall lay no stress on the antiquity of my country for I imagine tis of much greater importance to be the happiest people than the most ancient under the sun however, since you were talking of the almanacs I must beg the liberty to tell you that ours are looked upon to be the best all over Asia and that we had several very correct ones before the art of arithmetic was ever heard of in Chaldea you are all of you a parcel of illiterate ignorant bigots, cried the Grecian tis plain, you know nothing of the chaos and that the world as it now stands is owing wholly to matter and form the Rik ran on for a considerable time but was at last interrupted by Keltu having drank deep during the whole time of this debate, thought himself ten times wiser than any of his antagonists and rapping out a great oath insisted that all their gods were nothing if set in competition with the Teotath or the mistletoe on the oak and for my part said he I carry some of it always in my packer as to my ancestors they were Scythians and the only men worked talking of in the whole world tis true indeed they would now and then make a meal of their countrymen but that ought not to be urged as any objection to his country and in short if any one of you or all of you shall dare to say anything disrespectful of Teotath I'll defend its cause to the last drop of my blood the quarrel grew warmer and warmer and Scythok expressed that the table was set and that bloodshed would ensue Zadigu hadn't once opened his lips during the whole controversy at last rose up and addressed himself to the Kelt in the first place as being the most noisy and outrageous Sir said he your notions of this affair are very just good sir, oblige me with a bit of your mistletoe then turning about he expatiated on the eloquence in one word softened in the most artful manner all the contending parties he said but little indeed to the kathayim because he was more cool and sedate than any of the others to conclude he addressed them all in general terms to this or the like effect my dear friends you've been contesting all this while about an important topic in which tis evidence you are all honestly agreed agreed quosa they all cried in an angry tone how so pray why said he to the hot testy Kelt is it not true that you do not in effect adore this mistletoe but that being who created that mistletoe and the oak to which it is so closely united doubtless sir replied the Kelt said he to the egyptian you revere through your venerable apis the great author of every ox's being we do so said the egyptian the mighty one is though the sovereign of the sea continued he must give precedence to that power who made both the sea and every fish that dwells therein we allow it said the khaldein the indian ati and the kathayim the supreme being or one cause as well as you as to what the profound worthy gentleman the grecian had advanced is i must own a little above my weak comprehension but i am fully persuaded that he will allow there is a supreme being on whom his favours master and form are entirely dependent the grecian who was looked upon as a sage amongst them said in abundance of gravity that the grecian had made a very just construction of his meaning now gentlemen i appeal to you all said zadig whether you are not unanimous to a man in the debate upon the carpet and whether there are any just grounds for the least divisions or animosities amongst you the whole company cool at once caressed him and say so after he had sold off all his goods and merchandise at a round price took his friend zadig with him to the land of hohadeb zadig upon his first arrival was informed that a prosecution had been carried on against him during his absence and that the sentence pronounced against him was that he should be burnt alive before a slow fire end of chapter 11 recording by andy from infran