Edgar Allan Poe

The Works of Edgar Allan Poe

"Let us hurry to the walls," said Abel-Phittim to Buzi-Ben-Levi and Simeon the Pharisee, on thetenth day of the month Thammuz, in the year of the world three thousand nine hundred and fortyone-"let us hasten to the ramparts adjoining the gate of Benjamin, which is in the city of David, and overlooking the camp of the uncircumcised; for it is the last hour of the fourth watch, beingsunrise; and the idolaters, in fulfilment of the promise of Pompey, should be awaiting us with thelambs for the sacrifices."Simeon, Abel-Phittim, and Duzi-Ben-Levi were the Gizbarim, or sub-collectors of the offering, inthe holy city of Jerusalem."Verily," replied the Pharisee; "let us hasten: for this generosity in the heathen is unwonted; andfickle-mindedness has ever been an attribute of the worshippers of Baal.""That they are fickle-minded and treacherous is as true as the Pentateuch," said Buzi-Ben-Levi,"but that is only toward the people of Adonai. When was it ever known that the Ammonites provedwanting to their own interests? Methinks it is no great stretch of generosity to allow us lambs for thealtar of the Lord, receiving in lieu thereof thirty silver shekels per head!""Thou forgettest, however, Ben-Levi," replied Abel-Phittim, "that the Roman Pompey, who isnow impiously besieging the city of the Most High, has no assurity that we apply not the lambs thuspurchased for the altar, to the sustenance of the body, rather than of the spirit.""Now, by the five corners of my beard!" shouted the Pharisee, who belonged to the sect calledThe Dashers (that little knot of saints whose manner of dashing and lacerating the feet against thepavement was long a thorn and a reproach to less zealous devotees-a stumbling-block to less giftedperambulators)-"by the five corners of that beard which, as a priest, I am forbidden to shave!-have we lived to see the day when a blaspheming and idolatrous upstart of Rome shall accuse us ofappropriating to the appetites of the flesh the most holy and consecrated elements? Have we lived tosee the day when-""Let us not question the motives of the Philistine," interrupted Abel-Phittim, "for to-day weprofit for the first time by his avarice or by his generosity; but rather let us hurry to the ramparts, lestofferings should be wanting for that altar whose fire the rains of heaven can not extinguish, andwhose pillars of smoke no tempest can turn aside.