The Island of the Innocent; A Novel of Greek and Jew in the Time of the Maccabees

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1912 edition. Excerpt: ...into a cave and chained and starved. Is your High Priest going to destroy Ezekiel's imbecilities by killing me? He wanted Judith. Of course. Well, among your people is a saying that a thing is known by its fruits. By that standard is this man good? He has assassins everywhere--very probably, said Philemon, looking round him, one in this tavern now. He can have me slain any moment he wishes to--and would, I haven't the slightest doubt, but for the restraining hand of someone. Reuben's?--Melanie's?--yours? Mine. I wouldn't doubt it. Well, tell Menelaus for me that he's lower than the harlot who for a copper coin copulates with a goat. Tell him I said it. You know well enough, said Angela angrily, that I won't tell him. I'm a little drunk, said Philemon. I'm talking too much. But I'm glad to see you again because I love you. Here, wait till I get some wine. When a jar of wine was set before them he said: The reward of virtue in hades is perpetual drunkenness. Even Plato, that stiff selfrighteous fraud, thought a man ought to get drunk now and then.... Will you drink? No. Why not? I don't feel well. As your physician I'd say you look well. Depending on the predominating humor, said Hippocrates, a person is sanguine, phlegmatic, melancholic or choleric. You're a little melancholic tonight. Do you have hectic fever?--or putrid?--or bilious--or tertian? He reached out to clasp her ear but she struck his hand aside. Is it your digestion? Try aniseed cakes or a purge. Have you any pain in your belly? She was looking at him, her face weary and sad. They had a wise custom in Babylon, Philemon went on, hoping to talk her off-guard. As Herodotus tells it, they took a sick person to the market-place and laid him in full view;...