The Emperor — Volume 02 by Georg Ebers
page 31 of 77 (40%)
page 31 of 77 (40%)
![]() | ![]() |
|
to exclude the Jews, if possible, from all the processions and games."
"They are perfectly right." "But allow me to ask you whether it is just to prohibit half the population of Alexandria doing honor to their Emperor!" "Oh! Hadrian will, with pleasure, dispense with the honor. Our conquering heroes have thought it redounded to their glory to be called Africanus, Germanicus and Dacianus, but Titus refused to be called Judaicus when he had destroyed Jerusalem." "That was because he dreaded the remembrance of the rivers of blood which had to be shed in order to break the fearfully obstinate resistance of that nation. The besieged had to be conquered limb by limb, and finger by finger, before they would make up their minds to yield." "Again you are speaking half poetically, or have these people elected you as their advocate?" "I know them and make every effort to secure them justice, just as much as any other citizen of this country which I govern in the name of the Empire and of Caesar. They pay taxes as well as the rest of the Alexandrians; nay more, for there are many wealthy men among them who are honorably prominent in trade, in professions, learning and art, and I therefore mete to them the same measure as to the other inhabitants of this city. Their superstition offends me no more than that of the Egyptians." "But it really is above all measure. At Aelia Capitolina which Hadrian |
|