Voltaire's Romances, Complete in One VolumeVoltaire
Philosophy
Voltaire's Romances, Complete in One Volume
Voltaire
French fiction -- Translations into English
The two champions made their passes and vaults with so much agility,
they mutually gave and received such dexterous blows with their lances,
and sat so firmly in their saddles, that every body but the queen wished
there might be two kings in Babylon. At length, their horses being tired
and their lances broken, Zadig had recourse to this stratagem: He passed
behind the blue prince; springs upon the buttocks of his horse; seizes
him by the middle; throws him on the earth; places himself in the
saddle, and wheels around Otamus as he lay extended on the ground. All
the amphitheatre cried out, "Victory to the white knight!" Otamus rises
in a violent passion, and draws his sword; Zadig leaps from his horse
with his sabre in his hand. Both of them are now on the ground, engaged
in a new combat, where strength and agility triumph by turns. The plumes
of their helmets, the studs of their bracelets, and the rings of their
armor are driven to a great distance by the violence of a thousand
furious blows. They strike with the point and the edge; to the right, to
the left; on the head, on the breast; they retreat; they advance; they
measure swords; they close; they seize each other; they bend like
serpents; they attack like lions; and the fire every moment flashes from
their blows. At last Zadig, having recovered his spirits, stops; makes a
feint; leaps upon Otamus; throws him on the ground and disarms him; and
Otamus cries out:
"It is thou alone, O white knight, that oughtest to reign over Babylon!"
The queen was now at the height of her joy. The knight in blue armor,
and the knight in white, were conducted each to his own apartment, as
well as all the others, according to the intention of the law. Mutes
came to wait upon them, and to serve them at table. It may be easily
supposed that the queen's little mute waited upon Zadig. They were then
left to themselves to enjoy the sweets of repose till next morning, at
which time the conqueror was to bring his device to the grand magi, to
compare it with that which he had left, and make himself known.
Zadig, though deeply in love, was so much fatigued that he could not
help sleeping. Itobad, who lay near him, never closed his eyes. He arose
in the night, entered his apartment, took the white arms and the device
of Zadig, and put his green armor in their place. At break of day, he
went boldly to the grand magi, to declare that so great a man as he was
conqueror. This was little expected; however, he was proclaimed while
Zadig was still asleep. Astarte, surprised and filled with despair,
returned to Babylon. The amphitheatre was almost empty when Zadig awoke;
he sought for his arms but could find none but the green armor. With
this he was obliged to cover himself, having nothing else near him.
Astonished and enraged, he put it on in a furious passion and advanced
in this equipage.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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