The queen was received at Babylon with all those transports of joy which
are ever felt on the return of a beautiful princess who hath been involved
in calamities. Babylon was now in greater tranquillity. The Prince of
Hircania had been killed in battle. The victorious Babylonians declared
that the queen should marry the man whom they should choose for their
sovereign. They were resolved that the first place in the world, that of
being husband to Astarte and King of Babylon, should not depend on cabals
and intrigues. They swore to acknowledge for king the man who, upon trial,
should be found to be possessed of the greatest valor and the greatest
wisdom. Accordingly, at the distance of a few leagues from the city, a
spacious place was marked out for the list, surrounded with magnificent
amphitheaters. Thither the combatants were to repair in complete armor.
Each of them had a separate apartment behind the amphitheaters, where they
were neither to be seen nor known by anyone. Each was to encounter four
knights, and those that were so happy as to conquer four were then to
engage with one another; so that he who remained the last master of the
field would be proclaimed conqueror at the games.
Four days after he was to return with the same arms and to explain the
enigmas proposed by the magi. If he did not explain the enigmas he was not
king; and the running at the lances was to be begun afresh till a man
would be found who was conqueror in both these combats; for they were
absolutely determined to have a king possessed of the greatest wisdom and
the most invincible courage. The queen was all the while to be strictly
guarded: she was only allowed to be present at the games, and even there
she was to be covered with a veil; but was not permitted to speak to any
of the competitors, that so they might neither receive favor, nor suffer
injustice.
These particulars Astarte communicated to her lover, hoping that in order
to obtain her he would show himself possessed of greater courage and
wisdom than any other person. Zadig set out on his journey, beseeching
Venus to fortify his courage and enlighten his understanding. He arrived
on the banks of the Euphrates on the eve of this great day. He caused his
device to be inscribed among those of the combatants, concealing his face
and his name, as the law ordained; and then went to repose himself in the
apartment that fell to him by lot. His friend Cador, who, after the
fruitless search he had made for him in Egypt, was now returned to
Babylon, sent to his tent a complete suit of armor, which was a present
from the queen; as also, from himself, one of the finest horses in Persia.
Zadig presently perceived that these presents were sent by Astarte; and
from thence his courage derived fresh strength, and his love the most
animating hopes.
Next day, the queen being seated under a canopy of jewels, and the
amphitheaters filled with all the gentlemen and ladies of rank in Babylon,
the combatants appeared in the circus. Each of them came and laid his
device at the feet of the grand magi. They drew their devices by lot; and
that of Zadig was the last. The first who advanced was a certain lord,
named Itobad, very rich and very vain, but possessed of little courage, of
less address, and hardly of any judgment at all. His servants had
persuaded him that such a man as he ought to be king; he had said in
reply, "Such a man as I ought to reign"; and thus they had armed him
cap-à-pie. He wore an armor of gold enameled with green, a plume of green
feathers, and a lance adorned with green ribbons. It was instantly
perceived by the manner in which Itobad managed his horse, that it was not
for such a man as he that Heaven reserved the scepter of Babylon. The
first knight that ran against him threw him out of his saddle; the second
laid him flat on his horse's buttocks, with his legs in the air, and his
arms extended. Itobad recovered himself, but with so bad a grace that the
whole amphitheater burst out a-laughing. The third knight disdained to
make use of his lance; but, making a pass at him, took him by the right
leg and, wheeling him half round, laid him prostrate on the sand. The
squires of the game ran to him laughing, and replaced him in his saddle.
The fourth combatant took him by the left leg, and tumbled him down on the
other side. He was conducted back with scornful shouts to his tent, where,
according to the law, he was to pass the night; and as he climbed along
with great difficulty he said, "What an adventure for such a man as I!"
The other knights acquitted themselves with greater ability and success.
Some of them conquered two combatants; a few of them vanquished three; but
none but Prince Otamus conquered four. At last Zadig fought him in his
turn. He successively threw four knights off their saddles with all the
grace imaginable. It then remained to be seen who should be conqueror,
Otamus or Zadig. The arms of the first were gold and blue, with a plume of
the same color; those of the last were white. The wishes of all the
spectators were divided between the knight in blue and the knight in
white. The queen, whose heart was in a violent palpitation, offered
prayers to Heaven for the success of the white color.
The two champions made their passes and vaults with so much agility, they
mutually gave and received such dexterous blows with their lances, and sat
so firmly in their saddles, that everybody but the queen wished there
might be two kings in Babylon. At length, their horses being tired and
their lances broken, Zadig had recourse to this stratagem: He passes
behind the blue prince; springs upon the buttocks of his horse; seizes him
by the middle; throws him on the earth; places himself in the saddle; and
wheels around Otamus as he lay extended on the ground. All the
amphitheater cried out, "Victory to the white knight!"
Otamus rises in a violent passion, and draws his sword; Zadig leaps from
his horse with his saber in his hand. Both of them are now on the ground,
engaged in a new combat, where strength and agility triumph by turns. The
plumes of their helmets, the studs of their bracelets, the rings of their
armor, are driven to a great distance by the violence of a thousand
furious blows. They strike with the point and the edge; to the right, to
the left, on the head, on the breast; they retreat; they advance; they
measure swords; they close; they seize each other; they bend like
serpents; they attack like lions; and the fire every moment flashes from
their blows.
At last Zadig, having recovered his spirits, stops; makes a feint; leaps
upon Otamus; throws him on the ground and disarms him; and Otamus cries
out, "It is thou alone, O white knight, that oughtest to reign over
Babylon!" The queen was now at the height of her joy. The knight in blue
armor and the knight in white were conducted each to his own apartment, as
well as all the others, according to the intention of the law. Mutes came
to wait upon them and to serve them at table. It may be easily supposed
that the queen's little mute waited upon Zadig. They were then left to
themselves to enjoy the sweets of repose till next morning, at which time
the conqueror was to bring his device to the grand magi, to compare it
with that which he had left, and make himself known.
Zadig though deeply in love, was so much fatigued that he could not help
sleeping. Itobad, who lay near him, never closed his eyes. He arose in the
night, entered his apartment, took the white arms and the device of Zadig,
and put his green armor in their place. At break of day he went boldly to
the grand magi to declare that so great a man as he was conqueror. This
was little expected; however, he was proclaimed while Zadig was still
asleep. Astarte, surprised and filled with despair, returned to Babylon.
The amphitheater was almost empty when Zadig awoke; he sought for his
arms, but could find none but the green armor. With this he was obliged to
cover himself, having nothing else near him. Astonished and enraged, he
put it on in a furious passion, and advanced in this equipage.
The people that still remained in the amphitheater and the circus received
him with hoots and hisses. They surrounded him and insulted him to his
face. Never did man suffer such cruel mortifications. He lost his
patience; with his saber he dispersed such of the populace as dared to
affront him; but he knew not what course to take. He could not see the
queen; he could not claim the white armor she had sent him without
exposing her; and thus, while she was plunged in grief, he was filled with
fury and distraction. He walked on the banks of the Euphrates, fully
persuaded that his star had destined him to inevitable misery, and
resolving in his own mind all his misfortunes, from the adventure of the
woman who hated one-eyed men to that of his armor. "This," said he, "is
the consequence of my having slept too long. Had I slept less, I should
now have been King of Babylon and in possession of Astarte. Knowledge,
virtue, and courage have hitherto served only to make me miserable." He
then let fall some secret murmurings against Providence, and was tempted
to believe that the world was governed by a cruel destiny, which oppressed
the good and prospered knights in green armor. One of his greatest
mortifications was his being obliged to wear that green armor which had
exposed him to such contumelious treatment. A merchant happening to pass
by, he sold it to him for a trifle and bought a gown and a long bonnet. In
this garb he proceeded along the banks of the Euphrates, filled with
despair, and secretly accusing Providence, which thus continued to
persecute him with unremitting severity.