Chapter 21: The Riddles
Original French
Les énigmes.
Zadig hors de lui-même, et comme un homme auprès de qui est tombé le tonnerre, marchait au hasard. Il entra dans Babylone le jour où ceux qui avaient combattu dans la lice étaient déjà assemblés dans le grand vestibule du palais pour expliquer les énigmes, et pour répondre aux questions du grand-mage. Tous les chevaliers étaient arrivés, excepté l'armure verte. Dès que Zadig parut dans la ville, le peuple s'assembla autour de lui; les yeux ne se rassasiaient point de le voir, les bouches de le bénir, les coeurs de lui souhaiter l'empire. L'Envieux le vit passer, frémit, et se détourna; le peuple le porta jusqu'au lieu de l'assemblée. La reine, à qui on apprit son arrivée, fut en proie à l'agitation de la crainte et de l'espérance; l'inquiétude la dévorait: elle ne pouvait comprendre, ni pourquoi Zadig était sans armes, ni comment Itobad portait l'armure blanche. Un murmure confus s'éleva à la vue de Zadig. On était surpris et charmé de le revoir; mais il n'était permis qu'aux chevaliers qui avaient combattu de paraître dans l'assemblée.
J'ai combattu comme un autre, dit-il; mais un autre porte ici mes armes; et en attendant que j'aie l'honneur de le prouver, je demande la permission de me présenter pour expliquer les énigmes. On alla aux voix: sa réputation de probité était encore si fortement imprimée dans les esprits, qu'on ne balança pas à l'admettre.
Le grand-mage proposa d'abord cette question: Quelle est de toutes les choses du monde la plus longue et la plus courte, la plus prompte et la plus lente, la plus divisible et la plus étendue, la plus négligée et la plus regrettée, sans qui rien ne se peut faire, qui dévore tout ce qui est petit, et qui vivifie tout ce qui est grand?
C'était à Itobad à parler. Il répondit qu'un homme comme lui n'entendait rien aux énigmes, et qu'il lui suffisait d'avoir vaincu à grands coups de lance. Les uns dirent que le mot de l'énigme était la fortune, d'autres la terre, d'autres la lumière. Zadig dit que c'était le temps: Rien n'est plus long, ajouta-t-il, puisqu'il est la mesure de l'éternité; rien n'est plus court, puisqu'il manque à tous nos projets; rien n'est plus lent pour qui attend; rien de plus rapide pour qui jouit; il s'étend jusqu'à l'infini en grand; il se divise jusque dans l'infini en petit; tous les hommes le négligent, tous en regrettent la perte; rien ne se fait sans lui; il fait oublier tout ce qui est indigne de la postérité, et il immortalise les grandes choses. L'assemblée convint que Zadig avait raison.
On demanda ensuite: Quelle est la chose qu'on reçoit sans remercier, dont on jouit sans savoir comment, qu'on donne aux autres quand on ne sait où l'on en est, et qu'on perd sans s'en apercevoir?
Chacun dit son mot: Zadig devina seul que c'était la vie. Il expliqua toutes les autres énigmes avec la même facilité. Itobad disait toujours que rien n'était plus aisé, et qu'il en serait venu à bout tout aussi facilement, s'il avait voulu s'en donner la peine. On proposa des questions sur la justice, sur le souverain bien, sur l'art de régner. Les réponses de Zadig furent jugées les plus solides. C'est bien dommage, disait-on, qu'un si bon esprit soit un si mauvais cavalier.
Illustres seigneurs, dit Zadig, j'ai eu l'honneur de vaincre dans la lice. C'est à moi qu'appartient l'armure blanche. Le seigneur Itobad s'en empara pendant mon sommeil: il jugea apparemment qu'elle lui siérait mieux que la verte. Je suis prêt à lui prouver d'abord devant vous, avec ma robe et mon épée, contre toute cette belle armure blanche qu'il m'a prise, que c'est moi qui ai eu l'honneur de vaincre le brave Otame.
Itobad accepta le défi avec la plus grande confiance. Il ne doutait pas qu'étant casqué, cuirassé, brassardé, il ne vînt aisément à bout d'un champion en bonnet de nuit et en robe de chambre. Zadig tira son épée, en saluant la reine qui le regardait, pénétrée de joie et de crainte. Itobad tira la sienne, en ne saluant personne. Il s'avança sur Zadig comme un homme qui n'avait rien à craindre. Il était prêt à lui fendre la tête: Zadig sut parer le coup, en opposant ce qu'on appelle le fort de l'épée au faible de son adversaire, de façon que l'épée d'Itobad se rompit. Alors Zadig saisissant son ennemi au corps le renversa par terre; et lui portant la pointe de son épée au défaut de la cuirasse: Laissez-vous désarmer, dit-il, ou je vous tue. Itobad, toujours surpris des disgrâces qui arrivaient à un homme comme lui, laissa faire Zadig, qui lui ôta paisiblement son magnifique casque, sa superbe cuirasse, ses beaux brassards, ses brillants cuissards; s'en revêtit, et courut dans cet équipage se jeter aux genoux d'Astarté. Cador prouva aisément que l'armure appartenait à Zadig. Il fut reconnu roi d'un consentement unanime, et surtout de celui d'Astarté, qui goûtait, après tant d'adversités, la douceur de voir son amant digne aux yeux de l'univers d'être son époux. Itobad alla se faire appeler monseigneur dans sa maison. Zadig fut roi, et fut heureux. Il avait présent à l'esprit ce que lui avait dit l'ange Jesrad. Il se souvenait même du grain de sable devenu diamant. La reine et lui adorèrent la Providence. Zadig laissa la belle capricieuse Missouf courir le monde. Il envoya chercher le brigand Arbogad, auquel il donna un grade honorable dans son armée, avec promesse de l'avancer aux premières dignités s'il se comportait en vrai guerrier, et de le faire pendre s'il fesait le métier de brigand.
Sétoc fut appelé du fond de l'Arabie, avec la belle Almona, pour être à la tête du commerce de Babylone. Cador fut placé et chéri selon ses services; il fut l'ami du roi, et le roi fut alors le seul monarque de la terre qui eût un ami. Le petit muet ne fut pas oublié. On donna une belle maison au pêcheur. Orcan fut condamné à lui payer une grosse somme, et à lui rendre sa femme; mais le pêcheur, devenu sage, ne prit que l'argent.
Ni la belle Sémire ne se consolait d'avoir cru que Zadig serait borgne, ni Azora ne cessait de pleurer d'avoir voulu lui couper le nez. Il adoucit leurs douleurs par des présents. L'Envieux mourut de rage et de honte. L'empire jouit de la paix, de la gloire, et de l'abondance: ce fut le plus beau siècle de la terre; elle était gouvernée par la justice et par l'amour. On bénissait Zadig, et Zadig bénissait le cielᵃ.
ᵃ C'est-ici que finit le manuscrit qu'on a retrouvé de l'histoire de Zadig. On sait qu'il a essuyé bien d'autres aventures qui ont été fidèlement écrites. On prie messieurs les interprètes des langues orientales de les communiquer, si elles parviennent jusqu'à eux.
Musean translation
Complete machine-assisted Musean translation made directly from Voltaire’s French in Beuchot’s 1829 edition: Approbation, dedicatory epistle and all twenty-one chapters, including The Dance and Blue Eyes. Voltaire’s notes are retained; later editors’ notes are omitted. Source-language review is recorded with the source witness.
The Riddles.
Beside himself, like a man near whom a thunderbolt has fallen, Zadig walked at random. He entered Babylon on the day when the men who had fought in the tournament were already assembled in the palace's great vestibule to solve the riddles and answer the chief magus's questions. All the knights had arrived except the green armor. As soon as Zadig appeared in the city, the people gathered around him: their eyes could not look at him enough, their mouths could not bless him enough, their hearts could not wish him the empire enough. The Envious Man saw him pass, shuddered, and turned away; the people carried him to the place of assembly. The queen, told of his arrival, was tossed between fear and hope and devoured by anxiety. She could understand neither why Zadig was without armor nor how Itobad came to wear the white suit. A confused murmur rose at the sight of Zadig. Everyone was astonished and delighted to see him again, but only knights who had fought were allowed to appear in the assembly.
"I fought like any other," he said, "but another man here is wearing my armor. Until I have the honor of proving it, I ask permission to present myself to solve the riddles." The matter was put to a vote. His reputation for integrity was still so deeply impressed on their minds that they did not hesitate to admit him.
The chief magus first proposed this question: "Of all things in the world, what is the longest and the shortest, the swiftest and the slowest, the most divisible and the most extensive, the most neglected and the most regretted; without which nothing can be done, which devours all that is small and gives life to all that is great?"
It was Itobad's turn to speak. He answered that a man like him understood nothing of riddles, and that it was enough to have won with mighty strokes of his lance. Some said the answer was fortune, others the earth, others light. Zadig said it was time. "Nothing is longer," he added, "since it measures eternity; nothing shorter, since there is never enough for all our plans; nothing slower for those who wait, nothing swifter for those who enjoy themselves. It extends infinitely in greatness and divides infinitely in smallness. Everyone neglects it; everyone regrets its loss. Nothing is done without it. It consigns to oblivion whatever is unworthy of posterity and makes great things immortal." The assembly agreed that Zadig was right.
The next question was: "What do we receive without thanks, enjoy without knowing how, give to others when we do not know what we are doing, and lose without noticing?"
Everyone offered an answer; Zadig alone guessed that it was life. He solved all the other riddles just as easily. Itobad kept saying that nothing could be simpler, and that he would have managed just as well had he cared to take the trouble. Questions were proposed about justice, the highest good, and the art of ruling. Zadig's answers were judged the soundest. "What a pity," people said, "that so fine a mind should belong to so poor a horseman."
"Illustrious lords," Zadig said, "I had the honor of winning the tournament. The white armor belongs to me. Lord Itobad took it while I slept; he apparently judged that it would suit him better than the green. I am ready to prove to him before you, here and now, with my robe and sword against all that fine white armor he stole from me, that I am the man who had the honor of defeating the brave Otame."
Itobad accepted the challenge with the greatest confidence. He had no doubt that, equipped with helmet, breastplate, and armguards, he would easily overcome a champion in a nightcap and dressing gown. Zadig drew his sword, saluting the queen, who watched him filled with joy and fear. Itobad drew his own without saluting anyone. He advanced on Zadig like a man with nothing to fear. He was about to split his head open when Zadig parried, setting what is called the strong of his blade against the weak of his opponent's, so that Itobad's sword broke. Then Zadig seized his enemy around the body, threw him to the ground, and, placing his sword point in a gap in the breastplate, said, "Let yourself be disarmed, or I will kill you." Itobad, still astonished at the misfortunes befalling a man like him, let Zadig have his way. Zadig calmly removed his magnificent helmet, his splendid breastplate, his handsome armguards, and his gleaming thigh armor; put them on himself; and in this attire ran to throw himself at Astarté's knees. Cador easily proved that the armor belonged to Zadig. He was recognized as king by unanimous consent, above all Astarté's: after so many adversities, she tasted the sweetness of seeing her lover worthy in the eyes of the whole world to be her husband. Itobad went home to have himself called "my lord." Zadig became king and was happy. He kept the words of the angel Jesrad present in his mind. He even remembered the grain of sand that had become a diamond. He and the queen adored Providence. Zadig let the beautiful, capricious Missouf roam the world. He sent for the robber Arbogad and gave him an honorable rank in his army, promising to advance him to the highest dignities if he behaved like a true warrior, and to have him hanged if he practiced the robber's trade.
Sétoc was summoned from the depths of Arabia with the beautiful Almona to take charge of Babylon's commerce. Cador was given a position and cherished in proportion to his services. He became the king's friend, and the king was then the only monarch on earth who had a friend. The little mute was not forgotten. The fisherman was given a handsome house. Orcan was ordered to pay him a large sum and return his wife; but the fisherman, grown wise, took only the money.
The beautiful Sémire could not console herself for having believed that Zadig would be one-eyed, nor could Azora stop weeping for having wanted to cut off his nose. He softened their grief with gifts. The Envious Man died of rage and shame. The empire enjoyed peace, glory, and abundance: it was the finest age the earth had known, and the earth was ruled by justice and love. People blessed Zadig, and Zadig blessed heavenᵃ.
ᵃ Here ends the manuscript of the history of Zadig that has been recovered. It is known that he met with many other adventures, which have been faithfully recorded. The gentlemen who interpret Oriental languages are asked to communicate them if they should come into their hands.
Plain English translation
Complete machine-assisted Plain English translation made independently and directly from the French, in separate source-only translation tasks, not from the Musean edition or a published English translation. Same complete scope and author’s notes; later editors’ notes are omitted. Source-language review is recorded with the source witness.
The Riddles.
Beside himself, like a man next to whom lightning has struck, Zadig wandered at random. He entered Babylon on the day when those who had fought in the tournament were already gathered in the palace's great entrance hall to solve the riddles and answer the high priest's questions. All the knights had arrived except the one in green armor. As soon as Zadig appeared in the city, the people gathered around him. Their eyes couldn't get enough of seeing him, their mouths of blessing him, or their hearts of wishing him the empire. The Envious Man saw him pass, shuddered, and turned away. The people carried Zadig to the meeting place. When the queen heard he had arrived, she was torn between fear and hope. Anxiety consumed her. She couldn't understand why Zadig had no armor or how Itobad had come to wear the white suit. A confused murmur rose at the sight of Zadig. Everyone was surprised and delighted to see him again. But only knights who had fought were allowed into the gathering.
"I fought like the others," he said. "But someone else here is wearing my armor. Until I have the honor of proving it, I ask permission to come forward and solve the riddles." They put it to a vote. His reputation for honesty was still so firmly fixed in everyone's mind that they admitted him without hesitation.
The high priest began with this question: "Of all things in the world, what is the longest and the shortest, the fastest and the slowest, the most easily divided and the most far-reaching, the most neglected and the most regretted, without which nothing can be done, which devours everything small and gives life to everything great?"
It was Itobad's turn to speak. He answered that a man like him understood nothing about riddles, and that it was enough to have won with mighty blows of his lance. Some said the answer was fortune, others the earth, and others light. Zadig said it was time. "Nothing is longer," he added, "since it measures eternity. Nothing is shorter, since we never have enough for our plans. Nothing moves more slowly for someone waiting, or more quickly for someone enjoying himself. It stretches infinitely far and can be divided into infinitely small parts. Everyone neglects it, and everyone regrets losing it. Nothing is done without it. It makes everything unworthy of future generations' attention fade from memory, and makes great things immortal." The gathering agreed that Zadig was right.
Next they asked, "What do we receive without giving thanks, enjoy without knowing how, give to others when we don't know what we're doing, and lose without noticing?"
Everyone offered an answer. Only Zadig guessed that it was life. He solved all the other riddles just as easily. Itobad kept saying that nothing could be easier, and that he would have solved them just as easily if he had wanted to take the trouble. They asked questions about justice, the highest good, and the art of ruling. Zadig's answers were judged the soundest. "What a shame," people said, "that such a fine mind belongs to such a poor horseman."
"Distinguished lords," Zadig said, "I had the honor of winning in the tournament. The white armor belongs to me. Lord Itobad took it while I was asleep. Apparently he thought it would suit him better than the green. I'm ready to prove here and now, before you, with my robe and my sword against all that fine white armor he took from me, that I was the one who had the honor of defeating the brave Otame."
Itobad accepted the challenge with complete confidence. Wearing a helmet, breastplate, and arm guards, he had no doubt he would easily defeat a champion in a nightcap and dressing gown. Zadig drew his sword and saluted the queen, who watched him, filled with joy and fear. Itobad drew his own sword without saluting anyone. He advanced on Zadig like a man with nothing to fear. He was about to split his head open. Zadig blocked the blow, setting what is called the strong part of his blade against the weak part of his opponent's, so that Itobad's sword broke. Then Zadig grabbed his enemy around the body and threw him to the ground. Placing his sword point at a gap in the breastplate, he said, "Let me disarm you, or I'll kill you." Still amazed at the misfortunes that kept happening to a man like him, Itobad let Zadig do as he pleased. Zadig calmly removed his magnificent helmet, his splendid breastplate, his fine arm guards, and his shining thigh guards. He put them on himself and ran, dressed this way, to fall at Astarté's knees. Cador easily proved that the armor belonged to Zadig. Everyone agreed to recognize him as king, especially Astarté. After so much adversity, she enjoyed the sweetness of seeing her lover worthy in the eyes of the whole world to become her husband. Itobad went home to have himself called "my lord." Zadig became king and was happy. He kept what the angel Jesrad had told him in mind. He even remembered the grain of sand that had become a diamond. He and the queen worshiped Providence. Zadig let the beautiful, unpredictable Missouf roam the world. He sent for the robber Arbogad and gave him an honorable rank in his army. He promised to promote him to the highest positions if he behaved like a true soldier, and to hang him if he went back to robbery.
Sétoc was summoned from deep in Arabia, with the beautiful Almona, to take charge of Babylon's trade. Cador received a position and affection worthy of his services. He was the king's friend, and the king was then the only monarch on earth who had a friend. The little mute servant wasn't forgotten. The fisherman was given a beautiful house. Orcan was ordered to pay him a large sum and give him back his wife. But the fisherman had grown wiser and took only the money.
The beautiful Sémire couldn't get over having believed Zadig would be one-eyed. Azora never stopped weeping over having wanted to cut off his nose. He eased their sorrows with gifts. The Envious Man died of rage and shame. The empire enjoyed peace, glory, and plenty. It was the finest age the earth had ever known. The earth was ruled by justice and love. The people blessed Zadig, and Zadig blessed heavenᵃ.
ᵃ Here ends the manuscript of Zadig's story that has been found. We know he had many other adventures that were faithfully recorded. We ask the gentlemen who interpret Eastern languages to share them if they come into their hands.
About this section
Chapter 21: The Riddles is part of Zadig, or Destiny by Voltaire. This page sets the French original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is chapter 23 of 23 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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