The Philistine Warrior (6 page)

Delai were a great princess in her own right, whose marriage was meant to seal an alliance between
Philistia
and some foreign kingdom. But the Melek’s court isn’t foreign; nor is Prince Ekosh’s household, although he’s in the service of a semi-foreign king. Nor is Delai a great princess in her own right. For Delai to have an advisory staff might indeed offend the Prince, because it would imply that she has a function outside his household; such an impression would embarrass him in Egypt. If the Prince wants her to have advisors, he should himself choose them.”

Zaggi knitted his brows and clasped his hands. He saw clearly that his plan would be ill-received by Pai on general principles; worse, the High Priest was against it, and his advice weighed a lot on such a subject. The Sheren, of course, would try to arrange a compromise that would inevitably gut the essence of Zaggi’s plan; a plan whose intent I came to understand only much later.

“My concept,” the Chancellor explained, almost in weary fashion, “was to elevate Delai to high rank—not only through a large dowry, but also through inclusion in the hierarchy of the
Temple
of
Astarte
. In that way, she’d be an entirely appropriate ambassadress of Askelon. She’d be worthy of a small advisory staff, and could help

promote the interests of Askelon in
Gath
, and of
Philistia
in
Egypt
. Because of her youth, she’d require advice.” He paused. “Nevertheless, my Lords, like you I wish nothing which might appear unseemly or offensive. Therefore I retract my proposition. We’ll send only servants and perhaps a female companion. I maintain, however, that not only must the dowry be high—much beyond the bride-price—but also that she should be accorded a higher station in Askelon before departing for
Egypt
. I can think of nothing more appropriate than to make her a priestess.”

“That sounds reasonable to me,” Maoch said, relieved by Zaggi’s concession.

“And to me,” Amphimachus added. I merely nodded, lest I put my foot in my mouth again; and Warati grunted his approval, superfluous though it was.

“At the risk of argument,” Pai spoke up, “I will again point out that my projects must not be compromised by the cost of the dowry.”

Zaggi looked about ready to strike the poor man, but Sheren Maoch held up his hand: “The Chancellor is quite right about her dowry, Pai,” he said. “The dowry must come first. If necessary—to pay for your maritime projects—we might consider reducing the expeditionary force lent to Ekron. But not the dowry. I’d like each of you to prepare detailed estimates for next week’s meeting: expenses for dowry, maritime projects, Delai’s elevation to the priesthood, and for the expedition. The full military staff will have to be consulted.” Every one seemed—outwardly—content with that. “One more thing,” Maoch added, hoping to placate his brother: “Although Delai won’t have any advisors, it seems entirely appropriate to me that she should be sent to Gath with all due ceremony to pay her respects to the Melek; and then she should be escorted to Egypt by a high official, so as to impress Prince Ekosh with our regard…and to impress the Egyptians.” Pai winced, thinking of the cost, but he signaled his agreement. The Sheren continued: “Zaggi, I feel that, if you choose not to escort Delai yourself, you should at least have preponderant say in naming her escort.”

“My Lord, I shall be happy to escort her to
Gath
. But I don’t feel that I can spend months away from Askelon so as to take her to
Egypt
. I would be pleased if my Lord the High Priest would escort

her to
Egypt
, or have his assistant perform that duty.” Zaggi appeared relaxed at last.

“I myself would prefer that you not be absent from Askelon,” Maoch said to his brother. And then everyone turned to Amphimachus.

“I accept the commission with pride,” the High Priest said, all smiles. He winked at Maoch. “I only hope that by so doing I’ll not be thought of as unnecessary here in the Council!” We all hastened to assure him that his advice would be sorely missed, but that we had full confidence in the Assistant High Priest’s ability to carry on for such a short while, and so on, and so forth. And, besides, what grander, more venerable escort could be found for the bride?

I leapt in again with both feet to suggest that I should command an honor guard for the trip—and represent the family at Delai’s wedding.

“But can you be back again in time to lead our boys in the autumn campaign?” the Sheren asked, always worried about something.

“Yes, m’Lord. I’ll not dally in
Egypt
, but return at once. The trip up the
Nile
will be slow, because of Delai and all the official visits; but I can come back without any delay; there’ll be time.” Everyone thought that was a splendid idea—even Zaggi; after all, it might mean two months or so of Council meetings without me (or Amphimachus) present to make life difficult for him! I made the appropriate entry into my minutes.

“Any more business?” Maoch asked. Since there was none, he rose stiffly, and we all stood by our chairs as he left the table. “Having Council is so tiring,” he muttered, as his chamberlain appeared with a cloak; and then the Sheren of Askelon exited through the door with a sigh.

Immedieately after that, Zaggi and Warati left, the former in a very agitated mood. Pai started complaining to the High Priest about the Chancellor’s plans, and his influence over the Sheren; and I was left alone—as usual a little shaken up by the distressing manner in which the affairs of Askelon were settled—or half-settled, as the case might be.

Chapter
III
:

Farewell to Askelon

Settled there upon the plain, the Peoples of the Sea, the

Philistines, then ruled

The Canaanites, who came to have their iron tools worked

Anew, made sharp

In smithies of the lordly tribe which followed Nomion the

King.

Yet our borderlands were rent with strife:
Judaea
’s clans,

Canaanites, and more

All rose up, the worst was Dan, mountains

To the shore!

--the
Nomiad
, Stanza XXXVII

Chancellor Zaggi called me to his palace late that same afternoon. I arrived with more than my usual sense of ill-at-ease; yet I found him completely recovered from his frustrating experiences in Council, and he welcomed me again in his customary, self-confident way. He wanted me to see the draft reply to Melek Nasuy; and then he asked me to come with him when he broke the news to Delai.

We located her and her slave-girl, Rachel, enjoying the sun on Zaggi’s beach. I scuffed at the sand a bit while Zaggi chatted aimlessly with his niece until he finally decided to come to the point.

“Delai,” he began, “I’ve a very important announcement.” The girl looked quite puzzled, since her guardian was not in the habit of telling her anything of consequence—unless it was to criticize her behavior. She glanced at me, but I simply shrugged my shoulders. “Today,” Uncle Zaggi began again, “the Council received, and agreed to, a proposal from Melek Nasuy…for the marriage of Prince Ekosh and yourself!”

Delai looked toward me again, as if wondering whether I’d put our Uncle up to some very large joke. “Congratulations,” I said; and then, with less certainty: “Best wishes.” My smile and tone must have convinced her that it was all real.

“Thank you…” she just barely got out.

At that same moment, Uncle Zaggi added: “The Council, and I, myself, offer our congratulations.”

Delai took hold of the golden fish amulet she always wore, and looked up at her guardian. “Thank you,” she repeated; and then, more to herself: “Goddess, be with me!”

Rachel, I believe, was the first to grasp the situation fully: “Just think!” the slave girl squealed, “I shall be body servant to a
princess
!” (And, indeed, it wasn’t long before she became the envy of all the servants in Askelon.)

Zaggi’s little speech had been interrupted, but he rose to the occasion: “You should be grateful to God for this good fortune, Delai,” he admonished. “We hadn’t expected a higher marriage for you than the son of
Ashdod
’s House.”

At that, Delai’s nose came up: “What a bore that would’ve been!” she remarked, and Zaggi recoiled a bit.

“Um…yes,” he conceded. “But now you must prepare yourself…it will not be easy for you to become worthy of the Prince….”

Yet Delai’s initial look of terror had completely disappeared by now (although it would return from time to time), and, in its place, a determined pair of brown eyes turned on Zaggi, as if to say: the Melek has himself reposed conrfidence in me, so who are you to question my readiness, even my worth?

In that moment, I believe, both uncle and ward understood that their relationship must be, had already been, altered once and for all. Delai was now, like the Chancellor, a public figure.

The following weeks were hectic for Delai, and for all aristocratic Askelon. As word leaked out about the coming marriage, busy and happy turmoil spread throughout the city. Rachel was ecstatic because Delai had named her as the female “companion” which the Council had allowed her, and this meant that Rachel would help select a small troop of servants (of whom
she
would now be the supervisor), as well as take part in Delai’s shopping and packing.

Delai also went through the Council’s program for her self-improvement. She was invested with the title of Priestess of Astarte and taught the most secret and sacred rites of that fish-tailed Goddess-Queen. She shared a sacred meal of fish with the High Priest of Dagon and the High Priestess of Astarte, and then she got paraded through the streets of Askelon, finding herself the recipient of many gifts from envious members of the local aristocracy and business community, both Philistine and Canaanite.

A special tax got proclaimed to raise money for her dowry. This became necessary so as to preserve funds for Pai’s projects, and create funds for the expedition to Ekron’s hills. It wasn’t a very high tax, however, and the Sheren made the public happy by proclaiming at the same time a three-day period of festival to send Delai off to
Gath
. Visits by Philistine and Canaanite tourists during the festival helped to pour money into the private coffers of Askelon.

The sacred prostitutes of the
Temple
of
Astarte
offered their favors during the feast days, in order to pay for Delai’s elevation to the estate of Priestess. Delai herself presided over the opening ceremony of the temple prostitutes, and she looked very tiny in her official robes. I’m not particularly religious, of course, but ritual prostitution does seem to me to be an entirely worthwhile fashion in which to honor the Goddess; and so I happily made my contribution

to the
Temple
’s upkeep; paid my money down like all the rest. It was a bit ironic, I’ll admit, to honor a newly-installed—and virgin—priestess, Delai, by contracting for the services of a temple whore. Delai’s virginity, I should add, was beyond question, as I found out one afternoon when I asked Uncle Zaggi where she might be.