The Hammer: A Story of the Maccabean TimesChurch, Alfred John
History
The Hammer: A Story of the Maccabean Times
Church, Alfred John
Jewish fiction; Jews -- History -- To 70 A.D. -- Fiction; Maccabees -- Fiction
“Of course,” the King went on—“of course he did not acknowledge the
priesthood of Jason or Menelaüs; he has told me so himself twenty times.
He could not think otherwise, and he was as honest as the day. I only wish
that he had left another as honest behind him. Zeus and all the gods of
heaven and hell confound me if I do not avenge him to the uttermost. Tell
me,” he cried, turning to the captain of the Cilicians, who stood by
dismayed at his master’s rage—“tell me where you have buried him.”
The captain described the place.
“I will see him once more, and these villains shall see him too,” he said,
pointing to the trembling pair, Andronicus and his creature the judge.
He went on foot, his royal dress discarded for a mourner’s cloak. His
courtiers followed him, and a guard of soldiers behind brought with them
the guilty viceroy and judge.
“Open the grave,” he said, when he reached the spot.
It was soon done, for the murderers had hurried their victim into a
shallow tomb. In a few minutes the body of the dead man was exposed to
view. Decay had not commenced, and death had given fresh depth and beauty
to the serenity which had been their habitual expression in life.
Antiochus gazed awhile at the face; then, dropping on his knees, covered
his head with his mantle, and burst into a passion of tears.
In a few minutes he rose to his feet. Grief had given place to rage, and
his eyes blazed with fury.
“Bind that wretch!” he cried, pointing to the wretched Andronicus.
He was bound, and stood waiting his doom.
“He is not worth the blow of an honest sword,” cried the King; “strangle
him, as if he were a dog. But first make him look at the man whom he has
murdered.”
Andronicus was forced to the edge of the grave and compelled to look at
the dead. A halter was thrown round his neck, and the next moment he was a
corpse. The judge shared his fate. “And you, sir,” said the King, turning
to the captain who had administered the poison—“you, sir, though you are a
barbarian, and know no better, must learn that you cannot rob the world of
one who was worth a thousand such brutes as you. You are captain no more;
that is your successor,” and he pointed to an officer in his train. “You
can groom his horses, if you don’t want to starve. And think that you are
lucky that you keep your head.”
So the good Oniah was avenged.
CHAPTER V.
THE WRATH TO COME.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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