Show THE OF A DAY of all my wives said king ninus to semiramis Semi ramia it is you I 1 love best none have charms and graces like you and for you I 1 would willingly resign them all let the king consider well what he says replied seam se ni amis ramis what if I 1 were to take him at his word do so replied the monarch while beloved by yoi yo i I 1 am to others so then if I 1 asked it said semiramis you yol wo dd banish all other wives and love me alone alo I 1 should bo be alone your consort the partaker of your power and queen of assyria of assyria are you yon not so already said ninus since you reign by your beauty over its king I 1 no no answered his lovely mistress 1 I am at present only a slave whom you love I 1 reign reiga not I 1 merely charm W when h e n I 1 give an order you are c consulted 0 before I 1 am obeyed b y e d I 1 and aird to reign then do you think it so great a pleasure iea yes to one who has never experienced i and do you wish then to experience lt it would you like to reign a few dys in my place take care 0 king do not offer too much no I 1 repeat i ii saw said the captivated monarch would gou like for one whole day to be sovereign mistress of assyria assria if y you would I 1 consent to it and will all which I 1 command com maud then be executed yes I 1 will resign to you for one entire day my and my g golden aden sceptre tre and when shall this be tomorrow to morrow if you yoa ilk like 1 I do said semiramis and she let her head bead fall upon I 1 the shoulder of the king like a beautiful woman asking pardon for some caprice which has been yielded to the next morning semiramis called her women and commanded them to dress her magnificently on 0 a herstead she wore a crown of precious stones and appeared thus before ninus who enchanted with her I 1 apauty b auty ordered all the officers of the palace to assem able als in the state chamber and the golden sceptre to be brought from the treasury ho he then entered the chamber leading semiramis by the hand all pros grated themselves vs before the aspect of the king who I 1 conducted semiramis to the throne and seated her upon it then ordering the whole assembly to rise he announced to the ourt court that they were to obey during the whole day semiramis as himself so saying he took up the golden sceptre seep tre and placed it in the hands of semiramis 1 Q icon said he 1 I commit to you the emblem of I 1 sacred power take it and command with bovere sovere sovereign ign authority all here are your slaves and I 1 myself am nothing more than your servant for the whole 0 of f this day whoever shall be remiss in executing your you t orders let him be punished bif A if he had disobeyed the commands of the king having thus spoken spoke the king knelt down before is semiramis e m aramis who gave him with a smile her hand to k kiss the courtiers then passed fai m succession each making oath to exec ite blindly the orders of semiramis when the ceremony was finished the K king ng made her his compliments and asked her how she mian managed aged to go through with it with so grave and maest jes est icil an air while they were promising to obey me said i 1 ca I was ih thinking inking what I 1 should command each of them to do I 1 have but bat one day of power sud nd I 1 will employ it well I 1 the king laughed at this reply semiramis Senti ramis appeared more pi and amiable than anan eve r t r I 1 11 let us see said mid blaus how bow you will continue tour our part by what orders will you begin i kletthe secretary ome king approach my throne aid d semiramis in a loud voice the secretary approached two slaves placed a alit lit k fh A mm I 1 1 write BM semiramis under r penally of adeath death 0 governor of the citadel of babylon bab alon is ordered to i beld ld up the command of the citadel to fo him who shall I 1 ear to him this order ordee fold this order seal it with 1 ie e kin kings I 1 seal and beiver tome to me this decee dec ee write ow I 1 under ader penalty of death de the governor of the aves besof of the palace is ordered to resign the command i the slaves into the hands of the person who shall resent to him this order older fold it seal it with the ings as seal and deliver to me this decree write piu a und under er penalty of death the general of the I 1 my encamped under the walls of babylon is order d to resign the command of the army my to him who lall all be the bearer of this order fold seats seal and liver eliver this decree to me she took the three orders thus dictated and put kem em in in her bosom the whole court was struck hh consternation the king himself was surprised listen sad s iid i Semi runis in two hours hence t all the officers of the state come and offer me to pe as is the custom on the accession of new prin aps and let a festival fesi ival be prepared for this evening vow ow let all depart let my faithful servant ninus done remain 1 have to consult cor insult him upon affairs of state 6 when all the rest had gone you see said se 0 ramis that I 1 know how to play tile the queen kin in us laughed my beautiful queen said he you play your art ton to astonishment butia but if your servant may dare e 9 question what would you do with the orders you ave e dictated I 1 1 I should be no longer queen wera I 1 obliged to ive e account ea 0 my actions nevertheless this ras as my motive I 1 have a vengeance to execute a 1 1 bi nat the three officers whom these orders menace vengeance ancel and wherefore where forti the first the governor of the citadel is one once eyed nd d frightens me every time I 1 meet him the second lit ie e chief of the slaves I 1 hate because tie be threatens 1 c with rivals the third the general of the army derives deives f me too of often ten of your company you are coo COD antly in the camp 4 this reply in which caprice and flattery were i linked enchanted ninus good p said he be Lug laughing hing here are the first 1 ree iree officers of the ahe empire dismissed for very bent nt reasons the the ge men of tue the court now came to present i their air gifts gif is to the he queen some gave precious stones ahers her of a lower rank flowers and fruits and the laves aves having nothing to give gave nothing noth ng among hase ese last were three young brothers who had come rom om ane caucasus with semiramis Semi and had rescued he e caravan in which the women were from an normous tiger when they passed the throne and you said she to the three brothers have ou 1 no present to make your queen 1 l no other replied the first zo paire than my I 1 ife e to defend her aj none other the second artaban than by y sabre against her enemies none ol 01 her replied the third assar than the I 1 respect and admiration which her presence inspires slaves I 1 said tit it is 13 you who have made me the most valuable presents of the whole court and I 1 will not be ungrateful you who have I 1 off rea me your sword against my enemies enemies take this ling order carry it to the general of the he t army encamped under the walls of babylon give it to him and see what he will do for my defence take this thia order to the governor of the citadel and see what he will w i I 1 do for you and you who offer ne me the respect and adm admiration ration which my presence inspires take this wier to the commandant of the palace and see what will be the result never had bad semiramis displayed so much folly ao 0 o i inich grace and never was ninus so captivated nor were her charms lessened in his eyes when a lave not having executed prop properly erly an insignificant riler ril cr she commanded his bis head to lo be struck off which was immediately done dom 1 without bestowing a boight on Ws trivial matter ninus still continua conti continued nuu to converse with semiramid Semi ramia nimis wl till the evening arrived arrive 4 when she en 1 the saloon which had been prepared for the occasion a slave arc brought aught her a plate in which was the llie head of the decapitated eunuch 11 well said a she e after havi having ng examined it rP place lace it on a stake in the court of the palace they a all I 1 I 1 may see it and be you there on the sad spot t to pro I 1 r 1 aim to every one that the man to whom wh t that hat head bp longed blon bloused sed lived three hours ago but that having dis SOL I 1 obeyed my will his bis head was separated from his body was magnificent a sumptuous was prepared m in the gardens and semiramis received the homage bogige ot of all with a grace and majesty perfectly regal she continually turned to and conversed with ninus rendering him the most distinguished honor you are 21 said she a foreign king come to visit me in my palace I 1 roust must make your visit agreeable to you shortly after the banquet was served semiramis confounded and reversed all ranks ninus was placed at the bot bottom of the table he was the first to laugh at this caprice and the court following his examples example allowed themselves to be placed without murmuring according to the will of the queen she seated herself near the three brothers from the caucasus 94 are my orders exec executed buted she demanded of them yes they replied th ef ete was vei deiy y gay A slave having by the force of habit served the king jing first semiramis Semi ranua had bad him beaten joetten with rods his cries mingled with the laughter of the guests every one was inclined to merriment it was a comedy in which each played his part toward the end of the repast when wine had added to the general gaiety caiet semiramis rose roae from her elev elevated a seat and said my lords the treasurer of the empire has read me a list of those who this morning have brought me their gifts of congratulation on my joyful accession to the throne one grandee alone of the court has failed to bring his gift who is it cried ninus kinus he must be severely ap it is yourself my lord you who speak what have you given to the queen this morning ninus ninas rose and came with a smiling countenance to whisper something in the ear of the queen the quen queen is insul insulted tea by her servant exclaimed semiramis ramis 1 I embrace byoir knees hees to ob obtain lain my pardon pardon me beautiful queen 2 said he 44 pardon me and he added in a lower tone ton 1 I 1 would that the fete were fin finished shed 11 you wish then that I 1 abili abdicate catel said semiramis but bat no 1 I have still two hours to reign and at the same time she withdrew her hand winch wh the king was coveting covering with kisses I 1 pardon not said she in a loud voice such an insult on the part ofa of a slave slave prepare thyself to die silly child that ti thou utu art 2 said ninus still on his knees yet I 1 give way to thy folly b but ut pat patience irnee thy reign will soon b be over you will not then be angry ay M said she in a whisper at something I 1 am going to order at this moment momi eral I 1 no said he slaves said she aloud seize this man that ninus ninus smiling put himself into the hand band of the alai blaes es take make him out of the saloon lead him into the court of the seraglio prepare everything for death and await my orders the slaves obeyed and ninus followed them laughing into the court of the seraglio they passed by tiie head of ue the disobeying eunuch taeg tae semiramis placed herse ifon a balcony ninus had suffered his binds to be tied hasten to t the h e fortress Zoph irp ire you to the c camp amp artaban assar do you secure all the gates in the palace 21 these orders were given in a whisper and executed immediately beautiful queen I 1 said ninus laughing this comedy only wants its denow denouement ment pray pray let it be a prompt tone 1 I will said semiramis slaves recollect the aan kp t thy rl otal 6 TF 1 arll I 1 luy I 1 cry when en his head fell ell upon the pavement the smile was still upon his lips lipa enow now I 1 am q queen of A assyria exclaimed semiramis and perish every one like the eunuch and like ninus who dare dam disobey my orders men margain may gain king kingdom dome and place the crown on woman it if they choose he who has wisdom er enough kauh to win a crown ought to have wisdom enough to wear it on his own head in in righteousness and not suffer the blindness of a blind love to mind blind his blind eye so as to resign all the power lie he has of dong doing good to one who is more blind to justice than himself and all because of his blind love for woman remember poor ninus served him right almost ed |