The Deserts of Arabia—Sedentary Arabs and Bedouins—Physical Characteristics of the Bedouins—Remarkable1 acuteness of their Senses—Their Manners—Their intense Patriotism2 and Contempt of the dwellers3 in Cities—The Song of Maysunah—Their Wars—Their Character softened4 by the Influence of Woman—Their chivalrous6 Sentiments—The Arab horse—The Camel—Freedom of the Arabs from a Foreign and a Domestic Yoke7—The Bedouin Robber—His Hospitality—Mode of Encamping—Death Feuds8—Blood-money—Amusements—Throwing the Jereed—Dances—Poetry—Story-telling—Language—The Bedouin and the North American Indian.
Though Arabia possesses some districts of remarkable fertility which enjoy a succession of almost perpetual verdure, yet the greater part of that vast peninsula consists of burning deserts lying under a sky almost perpetually without clouds, and stretching into immense and boundless10 plains where the eye meets nothing but the uniform horizon of a wild and dreary11 waste. These naked deserts are encircled or sometimes intersected by barren mountains, which run in almost continuous ridges12 and in different directions from the borders of Palestine to the shores of the Indian Ocean. Their summits105 tower up into rugged13 and insulated peaks, but their flinty bosoms14 supply no humidity to nourish the soil; they concentrate no clouds to screen the parched15 earth from the withering16 influence of a tropical sky. Instead of the cooling breezes periodically enjoyed in other sultry climates, hot winds frequently diffuse17 their noxious18 breath, alike fatal to animal and vegetable life. The steppes of Russia and the wilds of Tartary are decked by the hand of Nature with luxuriant herbage, but in the Arabian deserts vegetation is nearly extinct. The sandy plains give birth to a straggling and hardy19 brushwood, while the tamarisk and the acacia strike their roots into the clefts20 of the rocks, and draw a precarious21 nourishment22 from the nightly dews.
Were it not for the wadys, or verdant23 spots lying here and there among the hills, and the various wells or watering stations supplied by periodical rains, the greater portion of Arabia must have remained unpeopled, and for ever impervious24 to man. In a country like this, where whole years occasionally pass away without a refreshing25 shower, the possession of a spring is not unfrequently the most valuable property of a tribe. There are large tracts26, however, where the luxury of water, as it may well be called, is unknown, and where the desert extends for many a day’s journey without affording the traveller the welcome sight of a single well.
This extraordinary land is inhabited by a no less extraordinary people, divided into two great classes, widely different in their pursuits: the inhabitants of cities and towns, who live by tillage and commerce, and the natives of the desert, who follow a pastoral and predatory life, and consider the former as a separate and inferior race. Through all antiquity27 this characteristic distinction has remained inviolate28, and as it is founded in the nature of the soil is even now as strongly marked as it was in the times of Abraham or Isaac.
In personal appearance, the wandering Arabs or Bedouins are of the middle size, lean and athletic29. The legs though fleshless are well made, the arms thin, with muscles like whipcords. Deformity is checked among this nomadic30 race by the circumstance that no weakly infant can live through the hardships of a Bedouin life. The complexion32 varies from the deepest Spanish to a chocolate hue33, and its varieties are106 attributed by the people to blood. The black hair is either closely shaved, or hanging down in ragged34 elf-locks to the breast. Most popular writers describe the Arab eye as large, ardent35, and black, but, according to Captain Burton, who, on his adventurous36 pilgrimage to Meccah, had full opportunity for observing many tribes, it is generally dark brown or green-brown, small, round, restless, deep-set, and fiery37, denoting keen inspection38, with an ardent temperament39 and an impassioned character. The habit of pursing up the skin below the orbits, and half-closing the lids to prevent dazzle, plants the outer angles with premature41 crow’s-feet. Another peculiarity42 is the sudden way in which the eye opens, especially under excitement. This, combined with its fixity of glance, forms an expression now of lively fierceness, then of exceeding sternness. The look of a chief is dignified43 and grave even to pensiveness44, yet there is not much difference in the expression of the eye between men of the same tribe, who have similar pursuits which engender45 similar passions. ‘Expression,’ as Captain Burton well remarks, ‘is the grand diversifier of appearance among civilised people; in the desert it knows few varieties.’ The bushy black eyebrows46 are crooked47 and bent48 in sign of thoughtfulness. The forehead is high, broad, and retreating. The temples are deep, the cheek-bones salient, which combined with the lantern-jaw often gives a death’s-head appearance to the face. The nose is pronounced, generally aquiline49, the ears small and well-cut, the mouth irregular, the teeth, as usual among Orientals, white, even, short, and broad. According to Chateaubriand, no sign would betray the savage50 in the Arab’s countenance51, if he constantly kept his mouth closed; it is when he shows his teeth, of a dazzling whiteness like those of the jackal, that his wild nature shows itself. In this he differs from the American Indian, whose ferocity appears in the eye, while the mouth has a mild expression. Some tribes trim their moustaches according to the practice derived52 from the Prophet; others shave them, or allow them to hang, Persian-like, over the lips. The beard is represented by two tangled53 tufts upon the chin, and where the whiskers should be, the place is either bare or thinly covered with straggling hair. The temperament of the Bedouins is either nervous or bilious54, rarely sanguine55, never107 phlegmatic56. They are not seldom subject to attacks of melancholy57, which make them dislike the sound of the human voice and long for solitude58.
From living constantly in the open air, the nomadic Arabs acquire a remarkable acuteness in all their senses. Their powers of vision and of hearing improve by continual exercise, and as their piercing eye sweeps over the desert it distinguishes objects at an incredible distance. Their sense of smelling, too, is extremely nice. The true Bedouin, when in the tainted60 atmosphere of towns, is always known by bits of cotton in his nostrils61, or his kerchief tightly drawn62 over his nose, a heavy frown marking extreme disgust. Declining the shelter of a house when business calls him to visit crowded cities, he passes the night in a garden or public square, rather than breathe the confined air of an apartment. One of his most singular faculties63 is the power of distinguishing the footsteps of men and beasts on the sand, in the same manner as the American Indians discover impressions made upon the grass. From inspecting the footsteps, an Arab can tell whether the individual belonged to his own or some neighbouring tribe, and is thus able to judge whether he be a stranger or a friend. He likewise knows from the faintness or depth of the impression whether the person carried a load or not, whether he passed the same day or several days before. From examining the intervals64 between the steps, he judges whether or not he was fatigued65, as the pace becomes then more irregular and the intervals unequal, hence he calculates the chances of overtaking him. Every Arab can distinguish the footmarks of his own camels from those of his neighbours; he knows whether the animal was pasturing or loaded, or mounted by one or more persons; and can often discover from marks in the sand certain defects or peculiarities67 of formation that serve him as a clue to ascertain68 the owner. This sagacity, which enables the Arab to read in the sands of the desert as in a printed volume, becomes extremely useful in the pursuit of fugitives69, or in searching after stolen cattle. Instances occur of camels being traced by their masters to the residence of the thief at the distance of five or six days’ journey; and, incredible as it may seen, a Bedouin shepherd can track his own camel in a sandy valley, when108 thousands of other footsteps cross the road in all directions. Thus the proverbially unstable71 and fugitive70 sands reveal many a secret to the practised glance of the Arab; and every footstep becomes a witness recording72 the offender73’s guilt74.
Of their wonderful acuteness in hearing, some well-attested anecdotes75 are told of those who act as pilots in the Red Sea. They know very nearly the time when ships from India may be expected, and going down to the water’s edge every night and morning, they lay their ear close to the surface for three or four minutes, and if the ship is not more than 120 miles distant, they can hear the report of the signal gun, or feel the ground shake, upon which they immediately set off in their pilot boat.
The manners of the Bedouins are free and simple; vulgarity and affectation, awkwardness and embarrassment76, are weeds of civilised growth, unknown to the people of the desert. Yet their manners are sometimes dashed with a strange ceremoniousness. When two friends meet, they either embrace or both extend the right hands, clapping palm to palm; their foreheads are either pressed together, or their heads are moved from side to side, whilst for minutes together mutual77 inquiries78 are made and answered. It is a breach79 of decorum, even when eating, to turn the back upon a person; and when a Bedouin does it, he intends an insult. When a friend approaches an encampment, those who catch sight of him shout out his name, and gallop80 up, saluting81 with their lances or firing matchlocks in the air.
The patriotism of the nomadic Arab is intense. As the Scottish Highlander82 wherever he roams turns with fond regret to his heath-clad hills, or the exiled Swiss pines for his snow-peaked Alps, thus his sterile83 sands are dearer to the wandering son of the desert than the fairest regions of the earth. It is in the lonely wilderness84 that all his attachments86 centre, for there alone he can enjoy the independence which in all ages has been his cherished possession. The very wildness of this inhospitable scenery constitutes in his eyes its principal charm, and were these features destroyed, the spell would be broken that associates them in his mind with the romantic freedom of his condition. Disdaining87 the peaceful and mechanical arts, he looks down with contempt upon all those who109 are fixed88 in local habitations, or engaged in the pursuits of industry, and proud of being a ‘dweller in tents,’ which he can pitch and transplant at pleasure, stigmatises them as ‘dwellers in houses made of clay.’ His tent he regards as the nursery of every noble quality, and the desert as the only residence worthy90 of a man who aspires91 to be the unfettered master of his actions. Vain of his birth and freedom, he divides the world into two great bodies; first, the Arabs, and secondly92, ‘Ajemi,’ all that are not Arabs; and boasts of the four precious gifts that Allah has bestowed94 on his nation: ‘turbans instead of diadems95, tents in place of walls and bulwarks96, swords instead of intrenchments, and poems instead of written laws.’
The deep attachment85 of the Arab to his native wilds is well expressed in the celebrated97 song of Maysunah, the beautiful wife of the Caliph Muawijah. The pomp and splendour of an Imperial court could neither reconcile her to the luxuries of the harem nor make her forget the homely98 charms of her fatherland. Her solitary99 hours were consumed in melancholy musings, and her greatest delight was in singing the simple pleasures she had enjoyed in the desert. The following translation gives of course but a faint idea of the beauties of the original song, the recital100 of which fills the Bedouin with delight:
‘Oh take these purple robes away, Give back my cloak of camel’s hair, And bear me from this towering pile To where the Black Tents flap i’ the air. The camel’s colt with faltering101 tread, The dog that bays at all but me, Delight me more than ambling102 mules103, Than every art of minstrelsy.’
Tradition reports that Muawijah overhearing the song, and perhaps tired of the singer, sent her back to her beloved wilds; but we are not told whether in the desert she did not after all sometimes regret the magnificence of Damascus.
Among the best traits of the Bedouins’ character, we must cite their gentleness and generosity104. Usually they are a mixture of worldly cunning and great simplicity105; fond of a jest, yet solemn and dignified; easily managed by a laugh and a soft word, and pliable106 after passion, though madly revengeful after injury. Though reckless when their passions are thoroughly110 roused, their valour is tempered by cautiousness. Their wars are a succession of skirmishes, in which 500 men will retreat after losing a dozen of their number. In this partisan107 fighting the first charge secures a victory, and the vanquished108 fly till covered by the shades of night. Then passion or shame prompts them to reprisals110, which will probably end in the flight of the former victor. Gain and revenge draw the Arab’s sword; yet, unlike the Irishman who fights for the mere111 fun of fighting, he must have the all-powerful stimulants112 of honour and fanaticism113 to become desperate. The habit of danger in raids and blood feuds, the continual uncertainty114 of existence, the desert, the chase, his hard life, and the practice of martial115 exercises, habituate him to look death in the face like a man, and powerful motives116 will make him a hero.
The ferocity of Bedouin life is softened by his intercourse117 with the ‘dwellers in houses made of clay,’ who frequently visit and entrust118 their children to the people of the Black Tents, that they may be hardened by the discipline of the desert. This laudable custom is generally followed by the Sherifs or the descendants of the Prophet residing in Meccah, and even the late Pacha of Egypt gave one of his sons in charge of the Anijah tribe near Akhba, that he might receive a Bedouin education and grow up into a man.
The mild influence of the fair sex likewise tends to soften5 the nomadic Arab’s character, and to inspire him with chivalrous feelings. In pastoral life tribes often meet for a time, live together whilst pasturage lasts, and then separate perhaps for a generation. Under such circumstances youths will become attached to maidens120 whom possibly by the laws of the clan121 they may not marry, and then the lovers have recourse to flight. The fugitives must brave every danger; for revenge, at all times the Bedouin’s idol122, now becomes the lode-star of his existence. But the Arab lover will dare all consequences, and stake his life on the possession of her he loves.
Women, indeed, are regarded as inferior beings by their lords and masters, and to them exclusively all the labour and menial offices in the tent are assigned; but in troublous times and in the hour of need, they raise themselves to the level of the stronger sex by physical as well as moral courage. In the early days of Islam, if history be credible59, Arabia had111 many heroines, and within the last century Ghalujah, the wife of a Wahabi chief, opposed Mohammed Ali himself in many a bloody123 field. After a lost battle a retreating tribe has not unfrequently been again led on to victory by the taunts124 of its women, and Arab poets praise not only female beauty, but also female faith, purity, and affection.
From ancient periods of the Arab’s history, we find him practising knight125-errantry, the wildest but most exalted126 form of chivalry127. The fourth Caliph is fabled128 to have travelled far, redressing129 the injured, punishing the injurer, preaching to the infidel, and especially protecting women—the chief end and aim of knighthood. The Caliph El Mutasen heard, in the assembly of his courtiers, that a woman of the Sayyid family had been taken prisoner by a ‘Greek barbarian’ of Ammoria. The man on one occasion struck her, when she cried, ‘Help me, O Mutasen!’ and the fellow said derisively130, ‘Wait till he cometh upon his pied steed.’ The chivalrous prince arose, sealed up the wine cup which he held in his hand, took oath to do his knightly131 duty, and on the morrow started for Ammoria with 70,000 men, each mounted on a piebald charger. Having taken the place he entered it, exclaiming, ‘Here am I at thy call!’ He struck off the caitiff’s head, released the lady with his own hands, ordered the cup-bearer to bring the sealed bowl, and drank from it, exclaiming, ‘Now, indeed, wine is good!’ A Knight of the Round Table could have done no better.
It is the existence of this noble spirit which makes the society of Bedouins so delightful132 to the traveller, who, after enjoying it, laments133 at finding himself in the ‘loathsome company’ of Persians, or among Arab townpeople, whose ‘filthy134 and cowardly minds’ he contrasts with the ‘high and chivalrous spirit of the true Sons of the Desert.’
While over the vast continent of America no effort has ever been made by the aboriginal135 tribes to establish a dominion136 over the useful animals, with the single exception of the Llama in the Peruvian highlands, we find the Arab shepherd from time immemorial in the absolute possession of the horse and the camel—of a faithful friend, and a laborious137 slave. Although the high steppes of Central Asia are probably the genuine and original country of the horse, yet in Arabia that generous animal attains138 the highest degree of spirit and swiftness.112 Such is the estimation in which it is held, that the honours and the memory of the purest race are preserved with superstitious139 care, the males are sold at a high price, but the females are seldom alienated140, and the birth of a noble foal is esteemed141 among the tribes as a subject of joy and mutual congratulation. A colt at the moment of birth is never allowed to drop upon the ground; they receive it in their arms, washing and stretching its tender limbs, and caressing142 it as they would a baby. The tender familiarity with which the horses are treated, trains them in the habits of gentleness and attachment. When not employed in war or travelling they loiter about the tents, often going over heaps of children lying on the ground, and carefully picking their steps lest they should hurt them. They are accustomed only to walk and to gallop; their sensations are not blunted by the incessant143 abuse of the spur and the whip; their powers are reserved for the movement of flight and pursuit, but no sooner do they feel the touch of the hand and the stirrup, than they dart144 away with the swiftness of the wind, and if their friend be dismounted in the rapid career they instantly stop till he has recovered his seat.
The noble steed of the desert pines and languishes145 in the crowded town. Its head droops146 mournfully, it seems the very image of despondency and sloth147. And as the animal, so its master. He also appears, not as the bold energetic nomad31, but as a listless apathetic148 wanderer; and, were it not for the glowing eye which restlessly rolls and flashes under its thick brow, you might be inclined to prefer the servile fellah to the sullen149 child of the desert. But now the Bedouin mounts his horse, and, as if touched by an electric spark, they both of them raise their heads and stretch their sinewy150 limbs. Slowly they leave the dusty streets, and reach the confines of the desert. Now at length both are at home; now rider and horse melt into one like the fabled Centaurs151 of old; now, first, the real Bedouin and the real Arabian horse stand before you. Like an arrow ‘shot by an archer152 strong’ the steed flies towards his master’s tent, his light hoof153 scarcely leaves a print on the sand; the white burnous of the rider flies about in the wind; with a firm hand he guides the noble animal, and in a few minutes both are lost to sight in the desert.
Though the Arabs justly boast of their horses, it is a common113 error to suppose them very abundant in that country. In the sacred writings and down to the time of Mohammed, they are seldom mentioned, camels being mostly used both in their predatory and warlike excursions. The breed is limited to the fertile pasture grounds, and it is there that they thrive, while the Bedouins who occupy arid154 districts rarely have any.
In the sands of Arabia the camel is a sacred and precious gift. That strong and patient beast of burthen not only supplies the wandering Arab with the greater part of his simple wants: it serves also to secure his immemorial independence by placing the desert between the enemy and himself. Thus the Bedouin has ever been indomitable, and while in other parts of the world we find that the fatal possession of an animal—the sable155, the sea-otter—has entailed156 the curse of slavery upon whole nations, the dromedary in Arabia appears as the instrument of lasting157 freedom. With temporary or local exceptions, the body of the nation has escaped the yoke of the most powerful monarchies158; the arms of Sesostris and Cyrus, of Pompey and Trajan, could never achieve the conquest of Arabia, and while the false glory of the scourges159 of mankind that have so often thrown the East into bondage160 has passed away like a fleeting161 shadow, one century after another bears testimony162 to the noble independence of the Arab. The manly163 spirit of this energetic race renders them worthy of the freedom they enjoy under the protection of their arid wastes. Many ages before Mohammed, who, stimulating164 their valour by fanaticism, made them one of the great conquering nations of the earth, their intrepidity165 had been severely166 felt by their neighbours. ‘The patient and active virtues167 of a soldier,’ says Gibbon, ‘are insensibly nursed in the habits and discipline of pastoral life. The care of the sheep and camels is abandoned to the women of the tribe, but the martial youth, under the banner of the emir, is ever on horseback and in the field, to practise the exercise of the bow, the javelin168, and the scymetar. The long memory of their independence is the firmest pledge of its perpetuity, and succeeding generations are animated169 to prove their descent and to maintain their inheritance. When they advance to battle, the hope of victory is in the front; in the rear, the assurance of a retreat. Their horses and camels, who in eight or ten days can perform114 a march of 500 miles, disappear before the conqueror170; the secret waters of the desert elude171 his search, and his victorious172 troops are consumed with thirst, hunger, and fatigue66, in the pursuit of an invisible foe173, who scorns his efforts, and safely reposes175 in the heart of the burning solitude.
‘The slaves of a despotic rule may vainly boast of their national independence; but the Arab is as free from a domestic as from a foreign yoke. In every tribe superstition176 or gratitude177 or traditional respect has exalted a particular family above the heads of their equals. The dignities of sheik and emir invariably descend119 in this chosen race; but the order of succession is loose and precarious, and the most worthy or aged89 of the noble kinsmen178 are preferred to the simple though important office of composing disputes by their advice and guiding valour by their example. If an emir abuses his power he is quickly punished by the desertion of his subjects. Their independent spirit disdains179 a base submission180 to the will of a master, their steps are unconfined, the desert is open and the tribes and families are held together by a mutual and voluntary compact. Accustomed to a life of danger and distress181, the breast of the wandering Arab is fortified182 with the austere183 virtues of courage, patience, and sobriety; the love of liberty prompts him to exercise the habits of self-command, and the fear of dishonour184 guards him from the meaner apprehension185 of pain, of danger, and of death. The self-respect which independence inspires shows itself in the dignity of his outward demeanour: his speech is slow, weighty, and concise186; he is seldom provoked to laughter; his only gesture is that of stroking his beard, the venerable symbol of manhood.’
Unfortunately the Bedouin too often tarnishes187 his liberty by crime, and, accustomed to confound the ideas of stranger and enemy, endeavours to justify188 by casuistry the base pursuits of a robber. He pretends that in the division of the earth the rich and fertile climates were assigned to the other branches of the human family, and that the posterity189 of the outlaw190 Ismael is entitled to recover by fraud or force the portion of inheritance of which he has been unjustly deprived. Equally addicted191 to theft and merchandise, he ransoms192 or pillages193 the caravans194 that traverse his native desert, and armed against mankind, makes the inoffensive traveller the victim of his rapacious115 spirit. And yet by one of those strange contradictions, belonging to the mysterious nature of man, this same Arab, the terror of the desert, embraces without enquiry or hesitation195, the stranger who dares to confide196 in his honour and enter his tent. His treatment is kind and respectful, he shares the wealth or the poverty of his host, and, after a needful repose174, he is dismissed on his way with thanks, with blessings197, and perhaps with gifts.
Now here, now there, the Bedouin’s home is as wide as the desert, and as movable as its drifting sands. The mode of encamping differs according to circumstances. When the tents are but few, they are pitched in a circle; if the number is considerable they extend in a straight line, in rows three or four deep. The sheik’s is always on the side where danger is apprehended198, or where travellers are expected;—it being his particular business to oppose the former and to honour the latter. Every chief sticks his lance into the ground in front of his tent, to which he ties his horse or camel; the pack-saddles forming the couch on which he and his guests recline. When wandering in search of water or pasture, they move in parties, slowly over the sandy plain. The armed horsemen ride foremost, the flocks with their young follow, and behind come the beasts of burden, loaded with the women and children, tents, baggage and provisions.
Among pastoral tribes the possession of a well, of a few date-palms, or of a piece of pasture ground, easily leads to quarrels, and, as rude nations generally prefer settling their disputes by the right of the stronger, to sanguinary feuds and wars. Besides the causes of hostility199 arising from disputed property, the natural jealousy200 and fiery temperament of the Arab have always proved a source of the most implacable enmity among themselves. They betray the quickest sensibility to any affront201 or injury, and instances might be multiplied where a contemptuous word, an indecent action, or even the most trifling202 violation203 of etiquette204 can only be expiated205 by the blood of the offender. If one sheik say to another, ‘Thy bonnet206 is dirty,’ or ‘The wrong side of thy turban is out,’ it is considered a mortal offence. To spit on the beard of another, even accidentally, is an insult scarcely to be forgiven, and such is their patient inveteracy207 that they expect whole months and years the opportunity116 of revenge. A fine or compensation for murder is familiar to the barbarians208 of every age, but in Arabia the kinsmen of the dead are at liberty to accept the atonement, or to exercise with their own hands the law of retaliation209. If the offer is deemed unsatisfactory, the homicide and all his kin40 comprised within the law of vengeance210, make their escape to some friendly tribe. A sacred custom allows the fugitives three days and four hours during which their enemies abstain211 from the pursuit; the exiles are permitted to return as soon as a reconciliation212 can be effected. The fine for a murdered man varies among the different tribes. Among the Beni-Harb in Hedjaz the price of blood is rated at 800 dollars, or rather that sum imperfectly expressed by live stock. All the blood relations of the slayer213 assist to make up the required amount, rating each animal at three or four times its proper value. On such occasions violent scenes arise from the conflict of the Arab’s two darling passions, avarice214 and revenge. He longs to cut the foe’s throat, but on the other hand he is equally desirous to increase his own possessions. He has always a project of buying a new dromedary, or of investing capital in some promising215 colt. The consequence is that he is insatiable. Still he receives blood money with a feeling of shame, as a man who has made some sacrifice of duty or fine feeling for the sake of filthy lucre216. Hence this mode of arrangement is not common among the more wealthy tribes, and most of the great sheiks would deem themselves dishonoured217 by compromising in any degree for the slaughter218 of their relations. The matter being finally settled, a she camel is brought to the tent of the adversary219 and there killed that blood may be expiated by blood. The parties now reconciled feed upon the flesh of the animal, and at parting the homicide flourishes a white handkerchief on his lance as a public notification that he is free from blood.
The simple unvaried life of the Bedouin must often cause time to hang heavy on his hands. To relieve this weariness and want of novelty he has recourse to various amusements which serve to fill up his vacant hours. A rover or a warrior220, his favourite sports are those that imitate war. Throwing the jereed is a kind of rude tournament, which he frequently practises. This is a blunt spear, made of heavy wood, and about a yard long. The object of the game, in which the117 players evince the most astonishing dexterity221, is for one party to pursue, and the other to fly, and try to elude being struck by the weapon. Sometimes they amuse themselves with sham109 fights; and nothing can be more picturesque222, than to see a group of these wild men huddled223 together in the greatest apparent confusion, with drawn swords and couched lances.
The more domestic pastimes are chess, draughts224, dancing, singing, the reciting of poetry and story-telling, for which they have a singular passion. Captain Burton, who witnessed one of their war dances, describes it as wild in the extreme, resembling rather the hopping225 of bears than the inspirations of Terpsichore. The dancers raised both arms high above their heads, brandishing226 a dagger227 or some other small weapon. They followed each other by hops228 on one or both feet; sometimes indulging in the most demented leaps, whilst the by-standers accompanied them with clapping of hands and various motions of the body. There is a species of song, common all over the desert, in which the youths of both sexes join in the chorus. It is called the mesamer, and is the only opportunity which the lover has of serenading his mistress; the verses are often composed extempore, and relate, of course, to the beauty and qualities of the beloved object, who is sometimes apostrophized in epithets229 that sound rather oddly to European ears: ‘O Ghalia! if my father were a jackass, I would sell him to purchase Ghalia.’
During their long marches through the desert, the Bedouins likewise have recourse to singing, both to enliven their camels, for it is well known that that animal never moves with so much ease as when he hears his master sing, and to while away the tediousness of the road. Monotonous230 and droning as it is, their song has yet an artless plaintiveness231 which admirably suits the singer and the scenery. If you listen to the words you will surely hear allusions232 to bright verdure, cool shades, bubbling rills, or something which the son of the desert hath not, and yet which his soul desires. A common entertainment among the Bedouins, is the reciting of tales after the manner of the ‘Arabian Nights,’ those enchanting233 fictions which rival even ‘Robinson Crusoe’ in the affections of childhood. Assembled after a tedious march round the blazing fire which cooks their simple meal of dhourra or sour camel’s milk and flour, and quaffing234 the soothing235 fumes236 of tobacco, they learn to forget118 their own hardships and fatigue in the captivating narrative237 of ideal adventures, and become for a time the happiest of men.
Next to the practice of hospitality and expertness in the use of arms, the Arabs value no accomplishments238 more highly than eloquence239 and poetry, and in these the roving hordes240 of the desert, living amidst the solitary grandeur241 of nature, excel their more civilized242 brethren. Metrical orations243 are particularly esteemed, for it is an old Arab saying that fine sentiments delivered in prose are like gems244 scattered245 at random246; but when confined in verse they resemble strings247 of pearls.
In former times the poet ranked with the warrior among the noblest possessions a tribe could boast of, and assemblies of different kinds were held where rival bards248 and orators249 disputed the palm of victory. In loud and impassioned strains the contending poets addressed the multitude by turns, extolling250 the superior glory of their own tribe, recounting the names of their eminent251 warriors252, and challenging their opponents to produce their equals. As from the fierce spirit of the Bedouins, and the well-known influence of songs over the martial virtues of a barbarous people, these intellectual tournaments frequently ended in good earnest battles, they were expressly abolished by the Koran; but the old spirit of poetry is still as alive as ever among the Bedouins, who, though no longer equalling them, are passionately253 fond of their ancient bards. Thus when Burckhardt read portions of the famous romance of Antar to a Bedouin auditory they were in ecstasies254 of delight, but at the same time so enraged255 at his bad pronunciation, that they tore the book out of his hands.
To the advantages of a genius for poetry, and a lively fancy, the Bedouins add the possession of a rich and harmonious256 language capable of expressing every shade of meaning and every variety in the aspects of nature. Its copiousness10 may be inferred from the fact that it can boast of no less than eighty expressions for honey, two hundred for a serpent, five hundred for a lion, and, characteristic of a warlike race, above a thousand for a sword. Fastidious critics have admitted the remarkable delicacy257 of the Arabic tongue, and its energetic sublimity,119 equally adapted to the simple pathos258 of love and elegy259, the piquancy260 of satire261 or the loftiest efforts of popular oratory262.
In casting a retrospective view over the manners and habits of the Bedouins we are struck with the strange contradictions they exhibit both in their social and moral character. The spirit of patriotism among them is strong and universal, yet they have no home but the pathless waste and wretched tent. They are a nation of brothers, yet live continually at war, jealous of their honour and yet stooping to the meanness of theft; fierce and sanguinary in their temper, and yet alive to the virtues of pity and gratitude; covetous263 and by no means of good faith in pecuniary264 transactions, yet true to their pledged word and charitable to the needy265.
Their religious character is marked by the same irreconcilable266 extremes. Their fanaticism is coupled with a lax observance of the precepts267 and ceremonies of Islam. In a pleasant indifference268 about the precepts of the Koran, they remark that the religion of Mohammed never could have been intended for them. ‘In the desert,’ say they, ‘we have no water; how, then, can we make the prescribed ablutions? We have no money, and how can we bestow93 alms? Why should we fast in the Rhamadan since the whole year with us is one continual abstinence; and if the world is the house of Allah why should we go to Meccah to adore him?’
The almost absolute independence of the Arabs and of that noble race, the North American Indians of a former generation, has produced many similarities between them. ‘Both,’ says Captain Burton, ‘have the same wild chivalry, the same fiery sense of honour, and the same boundless hospitality; love elopements from tribe to tribe, the blood feud9 and the vendetta269. Both are grave and cautious in demeanour, and formal in manner—princes in rags or paint. The Arabs plunder270 pilgrims, the Indians backwood settlers; both glory in forays, raids, and cattle-lifting, and both rob according to certain rules. Both are alternately brave to desperation and shy of danger. Both are remarkable for nervous and powerful oratory, and for the use of figurative language. Both, addicted to war and to the chase, despise all sedentary occupations. But the Bedouin claims the superiority over the red Indian by his treatment of women, his greater development of intellect, and the grand page of history which he has filled.’
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1
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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patriotism
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| n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义 | |
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dwellers
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| n.居民，居住者( dweller的名词复数 ) | |
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softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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soften
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| v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和 | |
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chivalrous
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| adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
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yoke
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| n.轭；支配；v.给...上轭，连接，使成配偶 | |
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feuds
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| n.长期不和，世仇( feud的名词复数 ) | |
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feud
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| n.长期不和；世仇；v.长期争斗；世代结仇 | |
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boundless
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| adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的 | |
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dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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ridges
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| n.脊( ridge的名词复数 )；山脊；脊状突起；大气层的)高压脊 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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bosoms
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| 胸部( bosom的名词复数 )； 胸怀； 女衣胸部（或胸襟）； 和爱护自己的人在一起的情形 | |
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parched
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| adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干 | |
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withering
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| 使人畏缩的，使人害羞的，使人难堪的 | |
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diffuse
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| v.扩散；传播；adj.冗长的；四散的，弥漫的 | |
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noxious
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| adj.有害的，有毒的；使道德败坏的，讨厌的 | |
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hardy
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| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
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clefts
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| n.裂缝( cleft的名词复数 )；裂口；cleave的过去式和过去分词；进退维谷 | |
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precarious
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| adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的 | |
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nourishment
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| n.食物，营养品；营养情况 | |
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verdant
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| adj.翠绿的，青翠的，生疏的，不老练的 | |
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impervious
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| adj.不能渗透的，不能穿过的，不易伤害的 | |
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refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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tracts
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| 大片土地( tract的名词复数 )； 地带； （体内的）道； （尤指宣扬宗教、伦理或政治的）短文 | |
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antiquity
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| n.古老；高龄；古物，古迹 | |
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inviolate
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| adj.未亵渎的，未受侵犯的 | |
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athletic
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| adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的 | |
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nomadic
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| adj.流浪的；游牧的 | |
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nomad
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| n.游牧部落的人，流浪者，游牧民 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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hue
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| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
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ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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adventurous
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| adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的 | |
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fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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premature
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| adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的 | |
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peculiarity
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| n.独特性，特色；特殊的东西；怪癖 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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pensiveness
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| n.pensive（沉思的）的变形 | |
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engender
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| v.产生，引起 | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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aquiline
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| adj.钩状的，鹰的 | |
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50
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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51
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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52
derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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53
tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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54
bilious
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| adj.胆汁过多的；易怒的 | |
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55
sanguine
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| adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的 | |
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phlegmatic
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| adj.冷静的，冷淡的，冷漠的，无活力的 | |
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57
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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59
credible
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| adj.可信任的，可靠的 | |
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60
tainted
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| adj.腐坏的；污染的；沾污的；感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏 | |
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61
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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62
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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peculiarities
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| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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68
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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70
fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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unstable
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| adj.不稳定的，易变的 | |
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72
recording
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| n.录音，记录 | |
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73
offender
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| n.冒犯者，违反者，犯罪者 | |
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74
guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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75
anecdotes
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| n.掌故，趣闻，轶事( anecdote的名词复数 ) | |
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76
embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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78
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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79
breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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80
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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81
saluting
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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82
highlander
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| n.高地的人，苏格兰高地地区的人 | |
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83
sterile
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| adj.不毛的，不孕的，无菌的，枯燥的，贫瘠的 | |
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84
wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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85
attachment
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| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
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attachments
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| n.（用电子邮件发送的）附件( attachment的名词复数 )；附着；连接；附属物 | |
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disdaining
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| 鄙视( disdain的现在分词 )； 不屑于做，不愿意做 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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aspires
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| v.渴望，追求( aspire的第三人称单数 ) | |
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secondly
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| adv.第二，其次 | |
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bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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95
diadems
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| n.王冠，王权，带状头饰( diadem的名词复数 ) | |
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bulwarks
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| n.堡垒( bulwark的名词复数 )；保障；支柱；舷墙 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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homely
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| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
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99
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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101
faltering
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| 犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的 | |
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102
ambling
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| v.（马）缓行( amble的现在分词 )；从容地走，漫步 | |
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103
mules
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| 骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者 | |
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104
generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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105
simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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106
pliable
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| adj.易受影响的；易弯的；柔顺的，易驾驭的 | |
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107
partisan
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| adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒 | |
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108
vanquished
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| v.征服( vanquish的过去式和过去分词 )；战胜；克服；抑制 | |
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109
sham
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| n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的) | |
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reprisals
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| n.报复（行为）( reprisal的名词复数 ) | |
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111
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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112
stimulants
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| n.兴奋剂( stimulant的名词复数 )；含兴奋剂的饮料；刺激物；激励物 | |
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113
fanaticism
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| n.狂热，盲信 | |
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114
uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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115
martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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116
motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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117
intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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118
entrust
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| v.信赖，信托，交托 | |
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119
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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120
maidens
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| 处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球 | |
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121
clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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122
idol
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| n.偶像，红人，宠儿 | |
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123
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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124
taunts
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| 嘲弄的言语，嘲笑，奚落( taunt的名词复数 ) | |
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125
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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126
exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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127
chivalry
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| n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤 | |
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128
fabled
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| adj.寓言中的，虚构的 | |
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129
redressing
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| v.改正( redress的现在分词 )；重加权衡；恢复平衡 | |
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130
derisively
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| adv. 嘲笑地，嘲弄地 | |
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131
knightly
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| adj. 骑士般的 adv. 骑士般地 | |
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132
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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133
laments
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| n.悲恸，哀歌，挽歌( lament的名词复数 )v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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134
filthy
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| adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的 | |
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135
aboriginal
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| adj.（指动植物）土生的，原产地的，土著的 | |
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136
dominion
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| n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图 | |
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137
laborious
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| adj.吃力的，努力的，不流畅 | |
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138
attains
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的第三人称单数 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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139
superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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140
alienated
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|
| adj.感到孤独的，不合群的v.使疏远( alienate的过去式和过去分词 )；使不友好；转让；让渡（财产等） | |
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141
esteemed
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| adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为 | |
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142
caressing
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| 爱抚的，表现爱情的，亲切的 | |
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143
incessant
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| adj.不停的，连续的 | |
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144
dart
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| v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲 | |
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145
languishes
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| 长期受苦( languish的第三人称单数 )； 受折磨； 变得（越来越）衰弱； 因渴望而变得憔悴或闷闷不乐 | |
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146
droops
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| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的名词复数 ) | |
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147
sloth
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| n.[动]树懒；懒惰，懒散 | |
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148
apathetic
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| adj.冷漠的，无动于衷的 | |
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149
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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150
sinewy
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| adj.多腱的，强壮有力的 | |
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151
centaurs
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| n.（希腊神话中）半人半马怪物( centaur的名词复数 ) | |
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152
archer
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| n.射手，弓箭手 | |
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153
hoof
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| n.(马，牛等的)蹄 | |
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154
arid
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| adj.干旱的；(土地)贫瘠的 | |
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155
sable
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| n.黑貂；adj.黑色的 | |
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156
entailed
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| 使…成为必要( entail的过去式和过去分词 )； 需要； 限定继承； 使必需 | |
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157
lasting
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| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
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158
monarchies
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| n. 君主政体, 君主国, 君主政治 | |
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159
scourges
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| 带来灾难的人或东西，祸害( scourge的名词复数 )； 鞭子 | |
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160
bondage
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| n.奴役，束缚 | |
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161
fleeting
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| adj.短暂的，飞逝的 | |
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162
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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163
manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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164
stimulating
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| adj.有启发性的，能激发人思考的 | |
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165
intrepidity
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| n.大胆，刚勇；大胆的行为 | |
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166
severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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167
virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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168
javelin
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| n.标枪，投枪 | |
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169
animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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170
conqueror
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| n.征服者，胜利者 | |
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171
elude
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| v.躲避，困惑 | |
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172
victorious
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| adj.胜利的，得胜的 | |
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173
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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174
repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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175
reposes
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| v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的第三人称单数 ) | |
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176
superstition
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| n.迷信，迷信行为 | |
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177
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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178
kinsmen
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| n.家属，亲属( kinsman的名词复数 ) | |
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179
disdains
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| 鄙视，轻蔑( disdain的名词复数 ) | |
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180
submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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181
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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182
fortified
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| adj. 加强的 | |
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183
austere
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| adj.艰苦的；朴素的，朴实无华的；严峻的 | |
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184
dishonour
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|
| n./vt.拒付（支票、汇票、票据等）；vt.凌辱，使丢脸；n.不名誉，耻辱，不光彩 | |
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185
apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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186
concise
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| adj.简洁的，简明的 | |
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187
tarnishes
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| 污点，瑕疵，无光泽( tarnish的名词复数 ) | |
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188
justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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189
posterity
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| n.后裔，子孙，后代 | |
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190
outlaw
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| n.歹徒，亡命之徒；vt.宣布…为不合法 | |
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191
addicted
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| adj.沉溺于....的，对...上瘾的 | |
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192
ransoms
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| 付赎金救人，赎金( ransom的名词复数 ) | |
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193
pillages
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| n.抢劫，掠夺( pillage的名词复数 )；掠夺者v.抢劫，掠夺( pillage的第三人称单数 ) | |
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194
caravans
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| （可供居住的）拖车（通常由机动车拖行）( caravan的名词复数 )； 篷车； （穿过沙漠地带的）旅行队（如商队） | |
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195
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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196
confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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197
blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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198
apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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199
hostility
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| n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争 | |
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200
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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201
affront
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| n./v.侮辱，触怒 | |
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202
trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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203
violation
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| n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯 | |
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204
etiquette
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| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
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205
expiated
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| v.为（所犯罪过）接受惩罚，赎（罪）( expiate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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206
bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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207
inveteracy
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| n.根深蒂固，积习 | |
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208
barbarians
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| n.野蛮人( barbarian的名词复数 )；外国人；粗野的人；无教养的人 | |
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209
retaliation
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| n.报复，反击 | |
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210
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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211
abstain
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| v.自制，戒绝，弃权，避免 | |
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212
reconciliation
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| n.和解，和谐，一致 | |
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213
slayer
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| n. 杀人者，凶手 | |
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214
avarice
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| n.贪婪；贪心 | |
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215
promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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216
lucre
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| n.金钱，财富 | |
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217
dishonoured
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| a.不光彩的，不名誉的 | |
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218
slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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219
adversary
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| adj.敌手，对手 | |
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220
warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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221
dexterity
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| n.(手的)灵巧，灵活 | |
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222
picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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223
huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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224
draughts
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| n. <英>国际跳棋 | |
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225
hopping
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| n. 跳跃 动词hop的现在分词形式 | |
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226
brandishing
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| v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 )；炫耀 | |
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227
dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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228
hops
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| 跳上[下]( hop的第三人称单数 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花 | |
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229
epithets
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| n.（表示性质、特征等的）词语( epithet的名词复数 ) | |
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230
monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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231
plaintiveness
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232
allusions
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| 暗指，间接提到( allusion的名词复数 ) | |
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233
enchanting
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| a.讨人喜欢的 | |
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234
quaffing
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| v.痛饮( quaff的现在分词 )；畅饮；大口大口将…喝干；一饮而尽 | |
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235
soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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236
fumes
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| n.(强烈而刺激的)气味，气体 | |
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237
narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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238
accomplishments
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| n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就 | |
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239
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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240
hordes
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| n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 )；部落 | |
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241
grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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242
civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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243
orations
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| n.（正式仪式中的）演说，演讲( oration的名词复数 ) | |
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244
gems
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| growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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245
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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246
random
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| adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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247
strings
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| n.弦 | |
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248
bards
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| n.诗人( bard的名词复数 ) | |
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249
orators
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| n.演说者，演讲家( orator的名词复数 ) | |
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250
extolling
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| v.赞美( extoll的现在分词 )；赞颂，赞扬，赞美( extol的现在分词 ) | |
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251
eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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252
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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253
passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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254
ecstasies
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| 狂喜( ecstasy的名词复数 )； 出神； 入迷； 迷幻药 | |
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255
enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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256
harmonious
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| adj.和睦的，调和的，和谐的，协调的 | |
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257
delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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258
pathos
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| n.哀婉，悲怆 | |
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259
elegy
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| n.哀歌，挽歌 | |
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260
piquancy
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| n.辛辣，辣味，痛快 | |
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261
satire
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| n.讽刺，讽刺文学，讽刺作品 | |
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262
oratory
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| n.演讲术；词藻华丽的言辞 | |
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263
covetous
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| adj.贪婪的，贪心的 | |
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264
pecuniary
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| adj.金钱的；金钱上的 | |
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265
needy
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| adj.贫穷的，贫困的，生活艰苦的 | |
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266
irreconcilable
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| adj.（指人）难和解的，势不两立的 | |
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267
precepts
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| n.规诫，戒律，箴言( precept的名词复数 ) | |
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268
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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269
vendetta
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| n.世仇，宿怨 | |
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270
plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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