Улісс
Chapter 4
—Whywillyoujewsnotacceptourculture,ourreligionandourlanguage?Youareatribeofnomadherdsmen:weareamightypeople.Youhavenocitiesnornowealth:ourcitiesarehivesofhumanityandourgalleys,triremeandquadrireme,ladenwithallmannermerchandisefurrowthewatersoftheknownglobe.Youhavebutemergedfromprimitiveconditions:wehavealiterature,apriesthood,anagelonghistoryandapolity.
Nile.
Child,man,effigy.
BytheNilebankthebabemarieskneel,cradleofbulrushes:amansuppleincombat:stonehorned,stonebearded,heartofstone.
—Youpraytoalocalandobscureidol:ourtemples,majesticandmysterious,aretheabodesofIsisandOsiris,ofHorusandAmmonRa.Yoursserfdom,aweandhumbleness:oursthunderandtheseas.Israelisweakandfewareherchildren:Egyptisanhostandterribleareherarms.Vagrantsanddaylabourersareyoucalled:theworldtremblesatourname.
Adumbbelchofhungerclefthisspeech.Heliftedhisvoiceaboveitboldly:
—But,ladiesandgentlemen,hadtheyouthfulMoseslistenedtoandacceptedthatviewoflife,hadhebowedhisheadandbowedhiswillandbowedhisspiritbeforethatarrogantadmonitionhewouldneverhavebroughtthechosenpeopleoutoftheirhouseofbondage,norfollowedthepillarofthecloudbyday.HewouldneverhavespokenwiththeEternalamidlightningsonSinai’smountaintopnoreverhavecomedownwiththelightofinspirationshininginhiscountenanceandbearinginhisarmsthetablesofthelaw,graveninthelanguageoftheoutlaw.
Heceasedandlookedatthem,enjoyingasilence.
