There lived at Babylon, in the reign1 of King Moabdar, a young man named Zadig, of a good natural disposition2, strengthened and improved by education. Though rich and young, he had learned to moderate his passions; he had nothing stiff or affected3 in his behavior, he did not pretend to examine every action by the strict rules of reason, but was always ready to make proper allowances for the weakness of mankind.
It was matter of surprise that, notwithstanding his sprightly4 wit, he never exposed by his raillery those vague, incoherent, and noisy discourses5, those rash censures6, ignorant decisions, coarse jests, and all that empty jingle7 of words which at Babylon went by the name of conversation. He had learned, in the first book of Zoroaster, that self love is a football swelled8 with wind, from which, when pierced, the most terrible tempests issue forth9.
Above all, Zadig never boasted of his conquests among the women, nor affected to entertain a contemptible10 opinion of the fair sex. He was generous, and was never afraid of obliging the ungrateful; remembering the grand precept11 of Zoroaster, “When thou eatest, give to the dogs, should they even bite thee.” He was as wise as it is possible for man to be, for he sought to live with the wise.
Instructed in the sciences of the ancient Chaldeans, he understood the principles of natural philosophy, such as they were then supposed to be; and knew as much of metaphysics as hath ever been known in any age, that is, little or nothing at all. He was firmly persuaded, notwithstanding the new philosophy of the times, that the year consisted of three hundred and sixty-five days and six hours, and that the sun was in the center of the world. But when the principal magi told him, with a haughty12 and contemptuous air, that his sentiments were of a dangerous tendency, and that it was to be an enemy to the state to believe that the sun revolved13 round its own axis14, and that the year had twelve months, he held his tongue with great modesty15 and meekness16.
Possessed17 as he was of great riches, and consequently of many friends, blessed with a good constitution, a handsome figure, a mind just and moderate, and a heart noble and sincere, he fondly imagined that he might easily be happy. He was going to be married to Semira, who, in point of beauty, birth, and fortune, was the first match in Babylon. He had a real and virtuous18 affection for this lady, and she loved him with the most passionate19 fondness.
The happy moment was almost arrived that was to unite them forever in the bands of wedlock20, when happening to take a walk together toward one of the gates of Babylon, under the palm trees that adorn21 the banks of the Euphrates, they saw some men approaching, armed with sabers and arrows. These were the attendants of young Orcan, the minister’s nephew, whom his uncle’s creatures had flattered into an opinion that he might do everything with impunity22. He had none of the graces nor virtues23 of Zadig; but thinking himself a much more accomplished25 man, he was enraged26 to find that the other was preferred before him. This jealousy27, which was merely the effect of his vanity, made him imagine that he was desperately28 in love with Semira; and accordingly he resolved to carry her off. The ravishers seized her; in the violence of the outrage29 they wounded her, and made the blood flow from her person, the sight of which would have softened30 the tigers of Mount Imaus. She pierced the heavens with her complaints. She cried out, “My dear husband! they tear me from the man I adore.” Regardless of her own danger, she was only concerned for the fate of her dear Zadig, who, in the meantime, defended himself with all the strength that courage and love could inspire. Assisted only by two slaves, he put the ravishers to flight and carried home Semira, insensible and bloody31 as she was.
On opening her eyes and beholding32 her deliverer. “O Zadig!” said she, “I loved thee formerly33 as my intended husband; I now love thee as the preserver of my honor and my life.” Never was heart more deeply affected than that of Semira. Never did a more charming mouth express more moving sentiments, in those glowing words inspired by a sense of the greatest of all favors, and by the most tender transports of a lawful34 passion.
Her wound was slight and was soon cured. Zadig was more dangerously wounded; an arrow had pierced him near his eye, and penetrated35 to a considerable depth. Semira wearied Heaven with her prayers for the recovery of her lover. Her eyes were constantly bathed in tears; she anxiously awaited the happy moment when those of Zadig should be able to meet hers; but an abscess growing on the wounded eye gave everything to fear. A messenger was immediately dispatched to Memphis for the great physician Hermes, who came with a numerous retinue36. He visited the patient and declared that he would lose his eye. He even foretold37 the day and hour when this fatal event would happen. “Had it been the right eye,” said he, “I could easily have cured it; but the wounds of the left eye are incurable38.” All Babylon lamented39 the fate of Zadig, and admired the profound knowledge of Hermes.
In two days the abscess broke of its own accord and Zadig was perfectly40 cured. Hermes wrote a book to prove that it ought not to have been cured. Zadig did not read it; but, as soon as he was able to go abroad, he went to pay a visit to her in whom all his hopes of happiness were centered, and for whose sake alone he wished to have eyes. Semira had been in the country for three days past. He learned on the road that that fine lady, having openly declared that she had an unconquerable aversion to one-eyed men, had the night before given her hand to Orcan. At this news he fell speechless to the ground. His sorrow brought him almost to the brink41 of the grave. He was long indisposed; but reason at last got the better of his affliction, and the severity of his fate served to console him.
“Since,” said he, “I have suffered so much from the cruel caprice of a woman educated at court, I must now think of marrying the daughter of a citizen.” He pitched upon Azora, a lady of the greatest prudence42, and of the best family in town. He married her and lived with her for three months in all the delights of the most tender union. He only observed that she had a little levity43; and was too apt to find that those young men who had the most handsome persons were likewise possessed of most wit and virtue24.
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1
reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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2
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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3
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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4
sprightly
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| adj.愉快的，活泼的 | |
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5
discourses
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| 论文( discourse的名词复数 )； 演说； 讲道； 话语 | |
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6
censures
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| v.指责，非难，谴责( censure的第三人称单数 ) | |
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7
jingle
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| n.叮当声，韵律简单的诗句；v.使叮当作响，叮当响，押韵 | |
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8
swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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9
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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10
contemptible
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| adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的 | |
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precept
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| n.戒律；格言 | |
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haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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13
revolved
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| v.（使）旋转( revolve的过去式和过去分词 )；细想 | |
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14
axis
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| n.轴，轴线，中心线；坐标轴，基准线 | |
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15
modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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16
meekness
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| n.温顺，柔和 | |
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17
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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18
virtuous
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| adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的 | |
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passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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20
wedlock
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| n.婚姻，已婚状态 | |
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21
adorn
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| vt.使美化，装饰 | |
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impunity
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| n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除 | |
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23
virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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24
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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25
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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26
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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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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28
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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29
outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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30
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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31
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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32
beholding
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| v.看，注视( behold的现在分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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33
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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34
lawful
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| adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的 | |
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35
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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36
retinue
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| n.侍从；随员 | |
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37
foretold
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| v.预言，预示( foretell的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
incurable
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| adj.不能医治的，不能矫正的，无救的；n.不治的病人，无救的人 | |
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39
lamented
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| adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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41
brink
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| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿 | |
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42
prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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43
levity
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| n.轻率，轻浮，不稳定，多变 | |
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