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Article SEMIRAMIS. ← Page 2 of 6 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Semiramis.
Summon all your whims and caprices , for you shall have absolute power . " . " And when shall this be ? " demanded the petitioner , a smile of triumph lighting up her countenance . "To-morrow , if you wish it . " "To-morrow , " replied the queen . Semiramis sweetly bent toward Ninusletting her head fall upon
, his shoulder ; she had the air of a pretty woman begging pardon for a little caprice after it had been ceded to her . Never hacl she been so pleasing—never had Ninus been more happy . In the morning his first words to Semiramis were , " hail , Queen of Assyria !" Semiramis called her women and made them dress her magnificently . She placed upon her head a crown of precious gems , and appeared with it in presence of her husband , who , enchanted with her beauty ,
commanded all the officers of state and guards to repair to the great hall , and that they should take from his treasury the sceptre and bring it to him . When this was done , and all were assembled before the throne , in the expectation of some great event , he repaired , with Semiramis , to the hall , and placed her upon the imperial seat , and ordered that every one should , for the space of four-and-twenty hours , obey her as himself . Taking the golden sceptre from the hands of the
chief slave , he gave it to the queen , saying , " behold the sign of sovereign power—take it , use it , and command as queen ; you have here only slaves , and I , myself , during the whole of this day am but one of them ; whoever are slow to obey your orders , let them be most severely punished , as if they had disobeyed the king . " Having thus spoken , he knelt before the queen , who , smilingly , gave him her hand to kiss . The whole court then passed in review before the throne of Semiramis ,
who touched each officer with the imperial sceptre , and received an oath from each to obey most implicitly her commands . She received their oaths with a majesty which the infatuated Ninus admired . When the ceremony was ended , and the court withdrawn , he complimented her upon it , and asked her "how she obtained her grave and majestic air r "
" Because , while they were swearing obedience , answered Semiramis , " I was thinking what I should command each of them to do ; I have only one day of power , and I would employ it well . " The king laughed heartily at the seriousness of this answer , and thought her more amiable and lovely . " Let us see , " thought he , " how she will act her part , and with what commands she will begin . " " Let the secretary of the king approach my throne , " exclaimed the queen in a loud voice . The secretary drew near , while two slaves placed before him a small table .
" Write—on pain of death it is commanded , that the governor of the citadel of Babylon do give up the government of thc citadel to him who shall present this ordre ; seal it with the king ' s seal , and hand me the order . Write , " she continued , smiling at the half expression of surprise on the countenance of Ninus , " that it is commanded , upon pain of death , that the governor of the palace do give up the government of the slaves to him who shall present this order . " Similar orders were written to the general commanding the armies ; when sealed , she received them from the hands of the astonished secretary and put them in her bosom .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Semiramis.
Summon all your whims and caprices , for you shall have absolute power . " . " And when shall this be ? " demanded the petitioner , a smile of triumph lighting up her countenance . "To-morrow , if you wish it . " "To-morrow , " replied the queen . Semiramis sweetly bent toward Ninusletting her head fall upon
, his shoulder ; she had the air of a pretty woman begging pardon for a little caprice after it had been ceded to her . Never hacl she been so pleasing—never had Ninus been more happy . In the morning his first words to Semiramis were , " hail , Queen of Assyria !" Semiramis called her women and made them dress her magnificently . She placed upon her head a crown of precious gems , and appeared with it in presence of her husband , who , enchanted with her beauty ,
commanded all the officers of state and guards to repair to the great hall , and that they should take from his treasury the sceptre and bring it to him . When this was done , and all were assembled before the throne , in the expectation of some great event , he repaired , with Semiramis , to the hall , and placed her upon the imperial seat , and ordered that every one should , for the space of four-and-twenty hours , obey her as himself . Taking the golden sceptre from the hands of the
chief slave , he gave it to the queen , saying , " behold the sign of sovereign power—take it , use it , and command as queen ; you have here only slaves , and I , myself , during the whole of this day am but one of them ; whoever are slow to obey your orders , let them be most severely punished , as if they had disobeyed the king . " Having thus spoken , he knelt before the queen , who , smilingly , gave him her hand to kiss . The whole court then passed in review before the throne of Semiramis ,
who touched each officer with the imperial sceptre , and received an oath from each to obey most implicitly her commands . She received their oaths with a majesty which the infatuated Ninus admired . When the ceremony was ended , and the court withdrawn , he complimented her upon it , and asked her "how she obtained her grave and majestic air r "
" Because , while they were swearing obedience , answered Semiramis , " I was thinking what I should command each of them to do ; I have only one day of power , and I would employ it well . " The king laughed heartily at the seriousness of this answer , and thought her more amiable and lovely . " Let us see , " thought he , " how she will act her part , and with what commands she will begin . " " Let the secretary of the king approach my throne , " exclaimed the queen in a loud voice . The secretary drew near , while two slaves placed before him a small table .
" Write—on pain of death it is commanded , that the governor of the citadel of Babylon do give up the government of thc citadel to him who shall present this ordre ; seal it with the king ' s seal , and hand me the order . Write , " she continued , smiling at the half expression of surprise on the countenance of Ninus , " that it is commanded , upon pain of death , that the governor of the palace do give up the government of the slaves to him who shall present this order . " Similar orders were written to the general commanding the armies ; when sealed , she received them from the hands of the astonished secretary and put them in her bosom .