{"id":"01KG8AKMFJ91S2M2X2M738DPE7","cid":"bafkreig3n7viwxagdxkssqjngfrqibksx7z2mbnbfq5ef7fzih2us2twua","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":8602,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:09.931Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 2","source_file":"01KG89J1954N2G0NAERBNJXEX9","start_line":8531,"text":"screaming.\r\n\r\nOut from those depths up rose a stream.\r\n\r\nThe land lay basking in the world’s round torrid brisket, hot with\r\nsolar fire.\r\n\r\n“No need here to land,” cried Yoomy, “Yillah lurks not here.”\r\n\r\n“Heat breeds life, and sloth, and rage,” said Babbalanja. “Here live\r\nbastard tribes and mongrel nations; wrangling and murdering to prove\r\ntheir freedom.—Refill, my lord.”\r\n\r\n“Methinks, Babbalanja, you savor of the mysterious parchment, in\r\nVivenza read:—Ha? Yes, philosopher, these are the men, who toppled\r\ncastles to make way for hovels; these, they who fought for freedom, but\r\nfind it despotism to rule themselves. These, Babbalanja, are of the\r\nrace, to whom a tyrant would prove a blessing.” So saying he drained\r\nhis cup.\r\n\r\n“My lord, that last sentiment decides the authorship of the scroll.\r\nBut, with deference, tyrants seldom can prove blessings; inasmuch as\r\nevil seldom eventuates in good. Yet will these people soon have a\r\ntyrant over them, if long they cleave to war. Of many javelins, one\r\nmust prove a scepter; of many helmets, one a crown. It is but in the\r\nwearing.—Refill, my lord.”\r\n\r\n“Fools, fools!” cried Media, “these tribes hate us kings; yet know not,\r\nthat Peace is War against all kings. We seldom are undone by spears,\r\nwhich are our ministers.—This wine is strong.”\r\n\r\n“Ha, now’s the time! In his cups learn king-craft from a king. Ay, ay,\r\nmy lord, your royal order will endure, so long as men will fight. Break\r\nthe spears, and free the nations. Kings reap the harvests that wave on\r\nbattle-fields. And oft you kings do snatch the aloe-flower, whose slow\r\nblossoming mankind watches for a hundred years.—Say on, my lord.”\r\n\r\n“All this I know; and, therefore, rest content. My children’s children\r\nwill be kings; though, haply, called by other titles. Mardi grows\r\nfastidious in names: we royalties will humor it. The steers would burst\r\ntheir yokes, but have not hands. The whole herd rears and plunges, but\r\nsoon will bow again: the old, old way!”\r\n\r\n“Yet, in Porpheero, strong scepters have been wrested from anointed\r\nhands. Mankind seems in arms.”\r\n\r\n“Let them arm on. They hate us:—good;—they always have; yet still we’ve\r\nreigned, son after sire. Sometimes they slay us, Babbalanja; pour out\r\nour marrow, as I this wine; but they spill no kinless blood. ’Twas\r\njustly held of old, that but to touch a monarch, was to strike at\r\nOro.—Truth. The palest vengeance is a royal ghost; and regicides but\r\nfather slaves. Thrones, not scepters, have been broken. Mohi, what of\r\nthe past? Has it not ever proved so?”\r\n\r\n“Pardon, my lord; the times seem changed. ’Tis held, that demi-gods no\r\nmore rule by right divine. In Vivenza’s land, they swear the last kings\r\nnow reign in Mardi.”\r\n\r\n“Is the last day at hand, old man? Mohi, your beard is gray; but,\r\nYoomy, listen. When you die, look around; mark then if any mighty\r\nchange be seen. Old kingdoms may be on the wane; but new dynasties\r\nadvance. Though revolutions rise to high spring-tide, monarchs will\r\nstill drown hard;—monarchs survived the flood!”\r\n\r\n“Are all our dreams, then, vain?” sighed Yoomy. “Is this no dawn of day\r\nthat streaks the crimson East! Naught but the false and flickering\r\nlights which sometimes mock Aurora in the north! Ah, man, my brother!\r\nhave all martyrs for thee bled in vain; in vain we poets sang, and\r\nprophets spoken? Nay, nay; great Mardi, helmed and mailed, strikes at\r\nOppression’s shield, and challenges to battle! Oro will defend the\r\nright, and royal crests must roll.”\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 2"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJVBMF0M3PVJ9JF0CFPA8","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1954N2G0NAERBNJXEX9","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKMFDV278BKW8WKV8DG2Y","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AKMFJMZDSDE6NV4XA0XW4","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:10.738Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:26.410Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}