“Thou hast played at ball, and thou hast been temperate,” said Zadig; “know that there is no such thing in nature as a basilisk; that temperance and exercise are the two great preservatives of health; and that the art of reconciling intemperance and health is as chimerical as the philosopher’s stone, judicial astrology, or the theology of the magi.”

Ogul’s first physician, observing how dangerous this man might prove to the medical art, formed a design, in conjunction with the apothecary, to send Zadig to search for a basilisk in the other world.  Thus, having suffered such a long train of calamities on account of his good actions, he was now upon the point of losing his life for curing a gluttonous lord.  He was invited to an excellent dinner and was to have been poisoned in the second course, but, during the first, he happily received a courier from the fair Astarte.  “When one is beloved by a beautiful woman,” says the great Zoroaster, “he hath always the good fortune to extricate himself out of every kind of difficulty and danger.”

THE COMBATS

The queen was received at Babylon with all those transports of joy which are ever felt on the return of a beautiful princess who hath been involved in calamities.  Babylon was now in greater tranquillity.  The Prince of Hircania had been killed in battle.  The victorious Babylonians declared that the queen should marry the man whom they should choose for their sovereign.  They were resolved that the first place in the world, that of being husband to Astarte and King of Babylon, should not depend on cabals and intrigues.  They swore to acknowledge for king the man who, upon trial, should be found to be possessed of the greatest valor and the greatest wisdom.  Accordingly, at the distance of a few leagues from the city, a spacious place was marked out for the list, surrounded with magnificent amphitheaters.  Thither the combatants were to repair in complete armor.  Each of them had a separate apartment behind the amphitheaters, where they were neither to be seen nor known by anyone.  Each was to encounter four knights, and those that were so happy as to conquer four were then to engage with one another; so that he who remained the last master of the field would be proclaimed conqueror at the games.

Four days after he was to return with the same arms and to explain the enigmas proposed by the magi.  If he did not explain the enigmas he was not king; and the running at the lances was to be begun afresh till a man would be found who was conqueror in both these combats; for they were absolutely determined to have a king possessed of the greatest wisdom and the most invincible courage.  The queen was all the while to be strictly guarded:  she was only allowed to be present at the games, and even there she was to be covered with a veil; but was not permitted to speak to any of the competitors, that so they might neither receive favor, nor suffer injustice.