The time now arrived for celebrating a grand festival, which returned
every five years. It was a custom in Babylon solemnly to declare at the
end of every five years which of the citizens had performed the most
generous action. The grandees and the magi were the judges. The first
satrap, who was charged with the government of the city, published the
most noble actions that had passed under his administration. The
competition was decided by votes; and the king pronounced the sentence.
People came to this solemnity from the extremities of the earth. The
conqueror received from the monarch's hand a golden cup adorned with
precious stones, his majesty at the same time making him this compliment:
"Receive this reward of thy generosity, and may the gods grant me many
subjects like to thee."
This memorable day being come, the king appeared on his throne, surrounded
by the grandees, the magi, and the deputies of all nations that came to
these games, where glory was acquired not by the swiftness of horses, nor
by strength of body, but by virtue. The first satrap recited, with an
audible voice, such actions as might entitle the authors of them to this
invaluable prize. He did not mention the greatness of soul with which
Zadig had restored the envious man his fortune, because it was not judged
to be an action worthy of disputing the prize.
He first presented a judge who, having made a citizen lose a considerable
cause by a mistake, for which, after all, he was not accountable, had
given him the whole of his own estate, which was just equal to what the
other had lost.
He next produced a young man who, being desperately in love with a lady
whom he was going to marry, had yielded her up to his friend, whose
passion for her had almost brought him to the brink of the grave, and at
the same time had given him the lady's fortune.
He afterwards produced a soldier who, in the wars of Hircania, had given a
still more noble instance of generosity. A party of the enemy having
seized his mistress, he fought in her defense with great intrepidity. At
that very instant he was informed that another party, at the distance of a
few paces, were carrying off his mother; he therefore left his mistress
with tears in his eyes and flew to the assistance of his mother. At last
he returned to the dear object of his love and found her expiring. He was
just going to plunge his sword in his own bosom; but his mother
remonstrating against such a desperate deed, and telling him that he was
the only support of her life, he had the courage to endure to live.
The judges were inclined to give the prize to the soldier. But the king
took up the discourse and said: "The action of the soldier, and those of
the other two, are doubtless very great, but they have nothing in them
surprising. Yesterday Zadig performed an action that filled me with
wonder. I had a few days before disgraced Coreb, my minister and favorite.
I complained of him in the most violent and bitter terms; all my courtiers
assured me that I was too gentle and seemed to vie with each other in
speaking ill of Coreb. I asked Zadig what he thought of him, and he had
the courage to commend him. I have read in our histories of many people
who have atoned for an error by the surrender of their fortune; who have
resigned a mistress; or preferred a mother to the object of their
affection; but never before did I hear of a courtier who spoke favorably
of a disgraced minister that labored under the displeasure of his
sovereign. I give to each of those whose generous actions have been now
recited twenty thousand pieces of gold; but the cup I give to Zadig."
"May it please your majesty," said Zadig, "thyself alone deservest the
cup; thou hast performed an action of all others the most uncommon and
meritorious, since, notwithstanding thy being a powerful king, thou wast
not offended at thy slave when he presumed to oppose thy passion." The
king and Zadig were equally the object of admiration. The judge, who had
given his estate to his client; the lover, who had resigned his mistress
to a friend; and the soldier, who had preferred the safety of his mother
to that of his mistress, received the king's presents and saw their names
enrolled in the catalogue of generous men. Zadig had the cup, and the king
acquired the reputation of a good prince, which he did not long enjoy. The
day was celebrated by feasts that lasted longer than the law enjoined; and
the memory of it is still preserved in Asia. Zadig said, "Now I am happy
at last;" but he found himself fatally deceived.