let me do it. I don't want ashes behind me and ruins galore! I don't come with a torch, and a bag for loot, a thief. I will not rape your city and deport your populations. On the contrary, I will send home to Jerusalem all of you, with the blessing to build your own temple.'
"Enoch now stood up and laid down before us a scroll. I reached for it, and read it. It was a proclamation freeing all the Hebrews to go home. Jerusalem would be under Cyrus's benevolent protection.
" 'He is the Messiah,' said Enoch to me. And what a change of tone from the old man. Now that Cyrus the Great was talking to me, my own prophet was talking to me. Now, by Messiah he meant 'anointed one.' Later on the Christians made a big deal of this word, but that's all it meant then. But still, it was a strong word.
" 'Add to that proclamation,' said Cyrus, 'gold, gold beyond your imagining,' he said, 'and permission to take all that you possess with you, to reclaim your vineyards, your lands, and be loyal to a powerful empire that will let you build your Temple to Yahweh.'
"I looked at Marduk. Marduk sighed. 'He's speaking the truth, that's all I can tell you. He's going to conquer one way or another.'
" 'I can trust him, then?' I asked my god.
"Everyone was shocked. 'Yes,' said Marduk, 'but to what degree . . . keep listening. You have something they want, your life, there may be a way, who knows, for you yet to escape with it.'
" 'Ah no,' cried Asenath, 'God Marduk, you are wrong. There is but one path for him to escape and he should take it for it is better than life itself.'
"I realized she could see him, at least partially, and hear his words. "He turned to her. 'Let him be the judge. Death may be better than what you have in store for him.'
"Cyrus watched all this in amazement. Then he looked at the priests gathered all around, the High Priest of Marduk, and the wily Remath standing over by the pillar.
" 'I need the blessing of your god,' said Cyrus, 'you are right, you are more than right,' he said humbly, but also rather cleverly, since this was just what these priests wanted to hear.
" 'You see, Azriel,' said Cyrus, 'it's this simple. The priesthood is strong. The temple is strong. Your god, if he sits with us, and I must confess I am prepared to worship him, is strong. And they can turn the city of Babylon against me. All the rest of Babylonia, I hold, but this is the jewel, this is the Gate of Heaven.'
" 'But how could you hold all the rest!' I said. 'Our cities are safe and secure. We knew you were coming, but someone is always coming.'
" 'He's telling you the truth,' said Nabonidus, and when he spoke all eyes turned to him. He wasn't addled or stupid. Just very old and tired. 'The cities are taken, every one has collapsed into Cyrus's arms. The fire-signal towers have all fallen to him, and the signals being sent are sent by Cyrus's men, to lull Babylon, but the cities are fallen and the signals are false.'
" 'Look,' said Cyrus, 'I'll send back to those cities all the gods which have been sent here for refuge. I want your temples to thrive. Don't you see? I want to embrace you! I didn't lay waste Ephesus or Miletus! They are Greek cities still and their philosophers are arguing in the agora. I want Babylonia in my embrace, not her destruction.'
"He then turned sharply and stared at the 'empty' chair. 'But your god Marduk must take my hand,' he said, 'if I am to conquer this city without fire. And then I shall send home all the gods of Babylonia as
I promised.'
"Marduk, unseen by him, only listened to him and said nothing. But the High Priest lost his temper. 'There is no god in that chair!
Our god is neglected by our king and has gone into a deep sleep from which no one can wake him.'
" 'Look,' I said, 'why call me into this? What have I to do with it? You have right here in Esagila the statue of Marduk that you need for the procession. You ride with him on the great wagon, and you hold his hand, and he holds your hand and you are King