第8节
h. itveredrethanthirteenacresofdeserthree tisaseasthatoupiedbythehofst. peter,thelargestedifihristianworld. duringtenwere busytheothersideofthe riverferryingthecrossthenilehoanaged todothis,innyinstances alongdistanrossthedesertandfinallyhoisting thentotheirrrectposition.butsohekings artheirtaskthatthenarrow passagebintheheartofthe stoerhasbeenpushedoutofshapebythe ofthosethousandsoftonsofstonehpressupon itfrollsides. thestoryofegypt theriseandfallofegypt theriveileoasionallyitwas ahardtaskster.ittaughtthepeoples bankstheof``teaeydependedupon eachothertobuildtheirirrigationtrenchesaheir dikesinrepair.inthisheyleaedhoogetalong utualbeassociationquite easilydevelopedintaate. thenonengreorepoostofhisneighbours andhebeunityandtheir nderinchiefheenviousneighboursofe asiaiheprosperousvalley.indueurseofti hebeediterranean totheuntainsofthe. butthesepoliticaladveheoldpharaohsthe eant``thenhebighouserarely iedthepatientandtoilingpeasantofthegrainfields. providedheoretaxestohisking thahoughtjust,heaeptedtheruleofpharaohashe aightyosiris. ite androbbedhifhispossessions.aftertyturiesof indepelife,asavagearabtribeofshepherds,calledthe hyksos,attackedegyptandforfivehundredyearstheywere thestersofthevalleyoftheheywerehighlyun popularahateforthehebrewswho catothelandofgoshentofindashelteraftertheirlong hroughthedesertandhefn usurperbyagashistaxgatherersandhiscivilservants. butshortlyaftertheyear1700b.c.thepeopleofthebes beganarevolutionandafteralongstrugglethehyksoswere drivenoutoftheuntryaore. athousandyearslater,onqueredallof epartoftheeireofsardanapalus. intheseventhorean indepeateheruleofakingwholivedin thecityofsaisiaoftheintheyear525 b.ayses,thekingofthepersians,tookpossessionof egyptandinthefourthturyb.quered byalexahegreat,egypttoobecaaian proviregainedaselanceofindependence selfupaskingofa neies, heyofalexandria. finally,intheyear89b.e.thelast egyptianqueera,triedherbesttosavetheuntry. herbeautyandan generalsthanhalfadozeianarrps.teshe an nquerors.butintheyear30b.c.,augustus,thenephew andheirofcaesar,landedinalexandria.hedidnotshare hislateunclesadrationforthelovelyprincess.hedestroyed herares,butsparedherlifethatheghtkeher rhistriuhaspartofthespoilsofwar.when cleopatraheardofthisplan,shekilledherselfbytakingpoison. abecaaronprovince. sopotaa sopotaathesereof eastecivilisation iaoingtotakeyoutothetopofthehighestpyrad andiaoingtoaskthatyouigineyourselfpossessed oftheeyesofahahedistance,far beyondtheyelloething greenandshiering.itisavalleysituatedbetwo rivers.itistheparadiseoftheoldtestant.itisthe landofsteryandia the``untrybetherivers. thenasofthetheeuphrateshe babylonianscalledthepurattuaigrishwas knoidstthe snoountainsofarniawherenoahsarkfound arestingpladsloheyflhthesouthe plainuntiltheyreachtheddybanksofthepersiangulf. theyperforveryusefulservice.theytuthearid regionsofeasiaintoafertilegarden. thevalleyofthenilehadattractedpeoplebecauseithad offeredtheooduponfairlyeasyter.the``laween theriversereason.itwasa untryfullofproseandboththeinhabitantsofthenorthe untainsaribesedthroughthe southedesertstriedtoclaihisterritoryastheirownand stexclusivepossessioantrivalrybethe untaineersandthedesertnodsledtoendlesswarfare. onlythestroandthebravestuldhopetosurviveand thatiabecathehoofavery strongraeningacivilisation portantasthatofegypt. thesurians thesuriannailers,lay tabletstellusthestoryofassyria andbabylonia,thegreatsetic ltingpot thefifteeurydisveries. luustriedtofindaotheislandofkathayand stuledupoi.anaustrian bishopequippedaionotraveleastward andfindthehoofthegranddukeofsvy,a voyagepletefailure,fors visitedbyenuntilageionlater.anwhile acertainveianbythenaofbarberohadexploredthe ruinsofost curiouslanguageherocksof thetelesofshirazandengraveduponendlesspiecesof bakedclay. buteuropeanyotherthingsanditwas notuntilthee ...