{"id":"01KG8AKSEMNQR12SEZFNAMEKEV","cid":"bafkreic55ikkogrtvlw25hdnqgq25kugyppvmgy3jyjd5gzjndtxm5yysi","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":10577,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:09.931Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 1","source_file":"01KG89J1954N2G0NAERBNJXEX9","start_line":10486,"text":"CHAPTER LXXVI.\r\nSome Pleasant, Shady Talk In The Groves, Between My Lords Abrazza And\r\nMedia, Babbalanja, Mohi, And Yoomy\r\n\r\n\r\nAbrazza had a cool retreat—a grove of dates; where we were used to\r\nlounge of noons, and mix our converse with the babble of the rills; and\r\nmix our punches in goblets chased with grapes. And as ever, King\r\nAbrazza was the prince of hosts.\r\n\r\n“Your crown,” he said to Media; and with his own, he hung it on a\r\nbough.\r\n\r\n“Be not ceremonious:” and stretched his royal legs upon the turf.\r\n\r\n“Wine!” and his pages poured it out.\r\n\r\nSo on the grass we lounged; and King Abrazza, who loved his antique\r\nancestors; and loved old times; and would not talk of moderns;—bade\r\nYoomy sing old songs; bade Mohi rehearse old histories; bade Babbalanja\r\ntell of old ontologies; and commanded all, meanwhile, to drink his old,\r\nold wine.\r\n\r\nSo, all round we quaffed and quoted.\r\n\r\nAt last, we talked of old Homeric bards:—those who, ages back, harped,\r\nand begged, and groped their blinded way through all this charitable\r\nMardi; receiving coppers then, and immortal glory now.\r\n\r\nABRAZZA—How came it, that they all were blind?\r\n\r\nBABBALANJA—It was endemical, your Highness. Few grand poets have good\r\neyes; for they needs blind must be, who ever gaze upon the sun. Vavona\r\nhimself was blind: when, in the silence of his secret bower, he said—“I\r\nwill build another world. Therein, let there be kings and slaves,\r\nphilosophers and wits; whose checkered actions—strange, grotesque, and\r\nmerry-sad, will entertain my idle moods.” So, my lord, Vavona played at\r\nkings and crowns, and men and manners; and loved that lonely game to\r\nplay.\r\n\r\nABRAZZA—Vavona seemed a solitary Mardian; who seldom went abroad; had\r\nfew friends; and shunning others, was shunned by them.\r\n\r\nBABBALANJA—But shunned not himself, my lord; like gods, great poets\r\ndwell alone; while round them, roll the worlds they build.\r\n\r\nMEDIA—You seem to know all authors:—you must have heard of Lombardo,\r\nBabbalanja; he who flourished many ages since.\r\n\r\nBABBALANJA—I have; and his grand Kortanza know by heart.\r\n\r\nMEDIA (_to Abrazza._)—A very curious work, that, my lord.\r\n\r\nABRAZZA—Yes, my dearest king. But, Babbalanja, if Lombardo had aught to\r\ntell to Mardi—why choose a vehicle so crazy?\r\n\r\nBABBALANJA—It was his nature, I suppose.\r\n\r\nABRAZZA—But so it would not have been, to me.\r\n\r\nBABBALANJA—Nor would it have been natural, for my noble lord Abrazza,\r\nto have worn Lombardo’s head:—every man has his own, thank Oro!\r\n\r\nABBRAZZA—A curious work: a very curious work. Babbalanja, are you\r\nacquainted with the history of Lombardo?\r\n\r\nBABBALANJA—None better. All his biographies have I read.\r\n\r\nABRAZZA—Then, tell us how he came to write that work. For one, I can\r\nnot imagine how those poor devils contrive to roll such thunders\r\nthrough all Mardi.\r\n\r\nMEDIA—Their thunder and lightning seem spontaneous combustibles, my\r\nlord.\r\n\r\nABRAZZA—With which, they but consume themselves, my prince beloved.\r\n\r\nBABBALANJA—In a measure, true, your Highness. But pray you, listen; and\r\nI will try to tell the way in which Lombardo produced his great\r\nKortanza.\r\n\r\nMEDIA—But hark you, philosopher! this time no incoherencies; gag that\r\ndevil, Azzageddi. And now, what was it that originally impelled\r\nLombardo to the undertaking?\r\n\r\nBABBALANJA—Primus and forever, a full heart:—brimful, bubbling,\r\nsparkling; and running over like the flagon in your hand, my lord.\r\nSecundo, the necessity of bestirring himself to procure his yams.\r\n\r\nABRAZZA—Wanting the second motive, would the first have sufficed,\r\nphilosopher?\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 1"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJW03Z0Q25AN0GF175AXF","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1954N2G0NAERBNJXEX9","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKSESXAQFWR0DFAB60R48","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:15.828Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:27.880Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}