罗杰·扬

quot;赫拉的女祭司阿尔克墨涅惹恼了天神宙斯，宙斯化身为她的丈夫安菲特律翁，使她怀有了身孕先知预言阿尔克墨涅将生下双胞胎儿子，其中一个是宙斯的儿子，那正是赫拉克勒斯。赫拉克勒斯长大成人后，并未显现出过人之处，常常受到王子们的嘲笑。在马人喀戎的教导和潜心苦炼后，终于显出天生神力和勇猛的一面，杀死了双头蛇许德拉后，他成为了底比斯人景仰的英雄，然而潜藏在他身边的危机却步步紧逼，让他无路可退。赫拉克勒斯中了墨伽拉和阿尔克墨涅的计，失手杀死了自己的三个儿子。为了寻找救赎，他听从德尔菲神谕的指引，为欧律斯透斯和墨伽拉完成六件差事。凭借过人的勇气和力量，历尽艰险与困境，赫拉克勒斯一次又一次完成了任务，赢得了民心，成了百姓心中的大英雄。

quot;赫拉的女祭司阿尔克墨涅惹恼了天神宙斯，宙斯化身为她的丈夫安菲特律翁，使她怀有了身孕。先知预言阿尔克墨涅将生下双胞胎儿子，其中一个是宙斯的儿子，那正是赫拉克勒斯。赫拉克勒斯长大成人后，并未显现出过人之处，常常受到王子们的嘲笑。在马人喀戎的教导和潜心苦炼后，终于显出天生神力和勇猛的一面，杀死了双头蛇许德拉后，他成为了底比斯人景仰的英雄，然而潜藏在他身边的危机却步步紧逼，让他无路可退。赫拉克勒斯中了墨伽拉和阿尔克墨涅的计，失手杀死了自己的三个儿子。为了寻找救赎，他听从德尔菲神谕的指引，为欧律斯透斯和墨伽拉完成六件差事。凭借过人的勇气和力量，历尽艰险与困境，赫拉克勒斯一次又一次完成了任务，赢得了民心，成了百姓心中的大英雄。

quot;赫拉的女祭司阿尔克墨涅惹恼了天神宙斯，宙斯化身为她的丈夫安菲特律翁，使她怀有了身孕先知预言阿尔克墨涅将生下双胞胎儿子，其中一个是宙斯的儿子，那正是赫拉克勒斯。赫拉克勒斯长大成人后，并未显现出过人之处，常常受到王子们的嘲笑。在马人喀戎的教导和潜心苦炼后，终于显出天生神力和勇猛的一面，杀死了双头蛇许德拉后，他成为了底比斯人景仰的英雄，然而潜藏在他身边的危机却步步紧逼，让他无路可退。赫拉克勒斯中了墨伽拉和阿尔克墨涅的计，失手杀死了自己的三个儿子。为了寻找救赎，他听从德尔菲神谕的指引，为欧律斯透斯和墨伽拉完成六件差事。凭借过人的勇气和力量，历尽艰险与困境，赫拉克勒斯一次又一次完成了任务，赢得了民心，成了百姓心中的大英雄。

quot;赫拉的女祭司阿尔克墨涅惹恼了天神宙斯，宙斯化身为她的丈夫安菲特律翁，使她怀有了身孕先知预言阿尔克墨涅将生下双胞胎儿子，其中一个是宙斯的儿子，那正是赫拉克勒斯。赫拉克勒斯长大成人后，并未显现出过人之处，常常受到王子们的嘲笑。在马人喀戎的教导和潜心苦炼后，终于显出天生神力和勇猛的一面，杀死了双头蛇许德拉后，他成为了底比斯人景仰的英雄，然而潜藏在他身边的危机却步步紧逼，让他无路可退。赫拉克勒斯中了墨伽拉和阿尔克墨涅的计，失手杀死了自己的三个儿子。为了寻找救赎，他听从德尔菲神谕的指引，为欧律斯透斯和墨伽拉完成六件差事。凭借过人的勇气和力量，历尽艰险与困境，赫拉克勒斯一次又一次完成了任务，赢得了民心，成了百姓心中的大英雄。

quot;赫拉的女祭司阿尔克墨涅惹恼了天神宙斯，宙斯化身为她的丈夫安菲特律翁，使她怀有了身孕。先知预言阿尔克墨涅将生下双胞胎儿子，其中一个是宙斯的儿子，那正是赫拉克勒斯。赫拉克勒斯长大成人后，并未显现出过人之处，常常受到王子们的嘲笑。在马人喀戎的教导和潜心苦炼后，终于显出天生神力和勇猛的一面，杀死了双头蛇许德拉后，他成为了底比斯人景仰的英雄，然而潜#8230;

quot;赫拉的女祭司阿尔克墨涅惹恼了天神宙斯，宙斯化身为她的丈夫安菲特律翁，使她怀有了身孕。先知预言阿尔克墨涅将生下双胞胎儿子，其中一个是宙斯的儿子，那正是赫拉克勒斯。赫拉克勒斯长大成人后，并未显现出过人之处，常常受到王子们的嘲笑。在马人喀戎的教导和潜心苦炼后，终于显出天生神力和勇猛的一面，杀死了双头蛇许德拉后，他成为了底比斯人景仰的英雄，然而潜藏在他身边的危机却步步紧逼，让他无路可退。　　赫拉克勒斯中了墨伽拉和阿尔克墨涅的计，失手杀死了自己的三个儿子。为了寻找救赎，他听从德尔菲神谕的指引，为欧律斯透斯和墨伽拉完成六件差事。凭借过人的勇气和力量，历尽艰险与困境，赫拉克勒斯一次又一次完成了任务，赢得了民心，成了百姓心中的大英雄。

David,nowanoldman,isstillkingofIsrael.Amonghissons,theambitiousAdonijahandthecleverSolomon.Thetwoyoungmenarefiercerivals,sincebotharerosectiveheirstothethroneandonlyonecanbesuccessful.Duringahuntingexedition,AdonijahchallengeshisyoungerotherSolomontoachariotrace.WhileSolomon,thoughave,stillretainsamodicumofcaution,thedaredevilAdonijahiseagertowinatallcosts--andlosescontrolofhischariot.SolomontakestheseriouslyinjuredAdonijahbacktoJerusalem.OnthewaytheretheymeettheattractiveAbishag,whodesiteheryouthisversedintheuseofhealingherbs.Sheactuallysucceedsinhelingtherince.AdonijahfallsinlovewithAbishag--butBathshebaarrangesthingssothatsheworksforDavid,hoingthatheryouth,herbeautyandherhealingowerswillsoothetheoldking’ssuffering.SeveralmembersoftheinfluentialriesthoodandalsotheresectedarmygeneralJoab,whoservedDavidloyallyformanyyears,suortAdonijah’sclaimtothethrone--eventhoughDavidhasstillnotmadeanydecisionwithregardtoaotentialsuccessor.Thebattle-exeriencedJoaegardsSolomonasanindecisiveweakling,underwhoseleadershithekingdomwouldsoonfallaart.WhentherohetNathanfindsoutaboutAdonijah’sconsiracyheinformsBathshebaandSolomon,whourgeDavidtotakeimmediateaction.AndsoitcomestoassthatrearationstoanointthefuturekingofIsraelaremadebothattheSringofEnrogel,whereAdonijahandhismenareencamed,aswellasinJerusalem.ThefestiverocessionforAdonijahhasalreadybeenassembledandtheeoleenticedwithdeliciousdelicaciestocheerhimon,whenthenewsofSolomon’scoronationreachesEnrogel.TheeoleromtlyacknowledgethewillofKingDavidandstreamofftoJerusalemintheirhordestogreetSolomon,theirfutureruler.Adonijahremainsbehindwithahandfulofloyalfollowers.Herealizesthathehaslost--forthetimebeing.Humblyhelaceshislifeinhisother’shands.Adonijahisforgivenononecondition:thathealwaysremainsloyaltohisotherSolomon.ThegreatKingDavidisdead,andhissonSolomonhassucceededhimastherightfulrulerofIsrael.AdonijahnowhasarequesttomakeofBathsheba:hewantstomarryAbishag.Solomonhearsaboutthisseeminglyinnocentwish,andrecognizesitasarenewedloyonbehalfofhisothertoreclaimthethrone--Adonijah’smarriagetothelastwomantoshareKingDavid’sbedwouldstrengthenhisoliticalositionconsiderably.Solomonknowsthathehastoactquicklyanddecisivelyifheistosecurehisownower.HehashisotherAdonijahandthelatter’sclosestassociateJoabexecuted.Afterthisradicaldecision,Solomonwithdrawstoresentsacrifices.InadreamtheLordaearstohimandgrantshimthefulfillmentofawish,whateveritmaybe.Solomonmerelyasksforwisdom--inordertobecomeagoodrulerandjudge.WarwithEgytislooming.Toarmhiskingdomagainsttheterritorialambitionsofitsowerfulneighbors,Solomonnotonlyintroducesseveralreformsbutalsodecidestomarrythedaughteroftheharaoh.TheEgytianrincessdoesnotremainSolomon’sonlywife,however:astimegoesbythekingmarriesnumerousnoblewomenfrommanydifferentcountriesforoliticalandeconomicreasons.Inthiswayhereserveseaceforhiseole,andcreatesgreatroserity.ByallowingthewomentocontinueracticingtheirdomesticcustomsandreligiousritualsinJerusalemaswell,hecomesintoregularconflictwiththeriesthood,whoseetheforeignreligionsasendangeringIsrael’ssolecovenantwiththeLord.ThewisdomgrantedtoSolomonbyGodbecomesfullyevidentwhenthekingsitsinjudgment.Onedaytwoharlotseachclaimtobemotherofthesamebaby.Solomon’sdecisionseemsutterlycruel:hesaysthatthechildshouldbecutintwosothateachwomanreceiveshalf.Solomoncannowdeterminewhotherealmotherisfromherreaction:shewillnotallowherchildtobeharmed.Solomonhandsthechildbacktoitstruemotheramidcheersofaroval.OneofthemostimortanttaskshandeddowntoSolomonbyhisfatherDavidisbuildingthegreatTemletohousetheArkoftheCovenant.Ithastobelargerandmoremagnificentthanallothertemlesintheworld,andSolomonnowsetsaboutfulfillinghisfather’swish.HelacesJeroboaminchargeoftheIsraeliteworkersaschiefoverseer.Sevenyearslater,theworkiscomleted.Theexensiveconstructionmaterialshavebeenoughtfromfar-offlands,andtheeoleofIsraelhaveaidexceedinglyhightaxeswithoutcomlaintinordertofinancetheconstructionwork.TheArkoftheCovenantcannowfinallybetakentotheTemleinatriumhantrocession.Aftersomanyyearsofwandering,theIsraelites’mostsacredossessionnowhasafixedhomeofitsown.PeolestreamtoJerusalemfromacrosstheentirecountrytoceleatethegreatday.Abishag,nowmarried,comestooandingsherfamily.Solomonhasdecidedtomingleamongtheeoleindisguise,andheandAbishagareoverjoyedwhentheyaccidentallymeetagainaftersomanyyears.TheTemlemakesJerusalemanditskingfamousthroughouttheworld.Eventhedark-skinnedQueenofShebasetsoffwithalargeretinuetovisitthewiseandcultivatedSolomonandadmirehismagnificentcity.Theadmirationturnsouttobemutual:Solomon,cativatedbyherbeauty,fallsdeelyinlovewithher.Thetwoofthemhaveachild,Menelik,butonedaytheQueenofShebadecidestoleave.ShedoesnotwantMeneliktobederivedoftheregaldignityawaitinghiminhishomecountry.Solomonstaysbehind,withaheavyheart.Thekinghasnowachievedeverythinghesethishearton,butwiththeassingoftheyearsthewiseSolomongraduallybecomesamelancholy,sketicaloldmanwhoregularlyquestionshisveryexistence.Materialthingsseemtoreresenttheonlyrealityforhim.Healsorefusestoadotanykindofsteadyolicy,eseciallyinreligiousmatters.Withhisforeignwives,Solomonsacrificestoforeigngods,andthisincursthewrathoftheriesthood.TheloyalJeroboamaealstohisking’sconscience,buttonoavail.DuringoneofSolomon’ssortiesindisguiseamonghiseole,asimlefarmerremindshimofthefirstoftheTenCommandmentsrevealedbytheLordtoMoses:quot;Youshallhavenoothergodsbeforeme.quot;Atanotherdecisivemoment,GodHimselfseakstoSolomonandannouncestheunishmentforhissinfulness:thekingdomwillcollaseafterSolomon’sdeath.Thekinghasgrownoldandweary.HehaslosttouchwiththeeoleofIsrael,whoaresufferingfromheavytaxationandforcedlabor.Solomonhastreatedhislong-standingcomanionJeroboam,towhomheentrustedtheadministrationofthenortherntribes,withmurderousangereversincearohetredictedthedivisionofthekingdomtohim.Thekingnolongerhasthestrengthtochangethings--hejustleavesthemastheyare.Theconsequencesofthisbecomeclearshortlyafterhisdeath.Solomon’ssonandsuccessorRehoboamtreatsthecountry’sleaderswitharrogance,androvokesthedivisionofthekingdomintotwoarts:theonlytribestillloyaltohimisthatofJudah,whilealltheothersuniteunderJeroboam.Therohecyhasbeenfulfilled.ThekingdomthatSolomonreceivedfromhisfatherDavid,andinvestedwithsuchmightandmagnificence,isnowdivided.