kingdom of nations

Chapter 142 On the Road to Apollo (7)

When people mention Damascus, the first thing that comes to mind is naturally those sharp swords with beautiful swirling patterns. The Saracens roamed the entire Arab peninsula, bringing its beauty and fear to their enemies. But if that were all, how could Damascus be called "the garden of heaven, paradise on earth"?

But besides these cold steel structures, Damascus also possesses an extremely precious and remarkable specialty—brocade. Poets have said that Damascus brocade embodies the spirit of animals, the shimmering luster of birds' feathers, and the fragrance of blooming roses.

On Damask brocade, you can see all the colors of the world; when you touch it, it laps against your palm like gentle ripples of water; and to wear it is to be like someone draped in clouds—either a worldly monarch or an agent of God.

To purchase these magnificent brocades, you could only use gold. Even so, when an exceptionally flawless brocade was woven, it was traded not merely for gold or silver coins, but for something far more valuable: a sultan's glance, a courtesan's smile, or even a life.

But would you say it's the most precious thing in Damascus? No, it's not. The most precious thing in Damascus is only one thing: knowledge.

Human beings have an insatiable thirst for knowledge, but sometimes fate sends rude fools to interrupt this process. This is exemplified by the barbarian sack of the ancient Roman Empire, where the most glorious culture was defeated by the most base desires. The learned were no longer respected, and everything was decided by the sword. People’s extremism and the resulting persecution became increasingly severe.

When Christianity took control of Alexandria, the death of the ancient Greek female scholar Hypatia can almost be seen as the final death knell tolling for the demise of the great Mediterranean civilization—after which the people of Europe entered a dark age, and the Church truly became a one-man show.

They monopolize the scriptures and the right to interpret them, forbidding people from thinking, analyzing, and debating. Their best people, as described in their scriptures, are creatures of folly, obedient like lambs, who should have no thoughts other than submission, but should only offer their own and their children's fur, milk, and flesh to the church without compensation.

But after centuries of arbitrary rule by the Church, not only the common people, but also nobles and kings, began to feel the suffocation and anguish brought by that behemoth. They tried to struggle, only to find that they could not see the way forward at all. Imagine, how could a knight who needed a priest by his side to sign even a simple autograph possibly break through the inescapable net woven by the Church?

So some insightful people came together, needing knowledge outside the church. But this knowledge, especially medicine, could only be found outside the church's sphere of influence, which was the territory of the pagans.

It can be said that the Saracens were able to inherit the vast collection of books left by the ancient Greek and Roman empires by chance.

Saracen culture emerged relatively late, as it wasn't until the 7th century AD that the Saracens were able to unite under the power of faith, leave the Arab peninsula, and establish a vast empire. In the process of expanding their territory, they were like a parched desert, eagerly absorbing the cultures of the outside world.

They didn't care at all whether the culture was ancient Greek, Persian, or Frankish.

As their scholars have said, the most beautiful adornment for humankind is knowledge. Although they were originally just ignorant herders, without even their own language and writing, as the former said, they adorned themselves with all the precious things they could gather and transformed them into a brilliance that belonged only to them.

Like classical Greek philosophy, geometry, Byzantine officialdom and systems, Christian doctrine, Roman law, Egyptian alchemy, Persian literature and art, Indian mathematics and astronomy—yes, the rudiments of Saracen numerals that we are familiar with originated in India, but it was Saracen merchants who spread them to various places, which is why we call them Saracen numerals.

In addition, in faraway China, they found artisans willing to travel thousands of miles to Samarkand to make paper for them. With a sufficient supply of paper, in the ninth century, many scholars, encouraged by the Caliph, were able to begin translating Egyptian, Persian, Greek, and Roman texts. Their reward was gold; the weight of the translated manuscript determined the weight of the gold they received.

Moreover, whether Caliph or Sultan, successive monarchs were happy to build a large number of schools and libraries during their reign. They even issued a decree that if a person mainly funded the construction of a library or school, then the position he obtained related to the library or school could be retained even after he left the army or the court.

Since the Abbasid Caliphate, the court and army have included a large number of Mamluks—officials and soldiers who were slaves. By law, they were considered the property of others and therefore could not own their own assets. Once they stepped down from their positions, their fate was usually quite tragic and desolate. However, since this new law, these people of slave origin, if they could fund the construction of libraries and schools, would have a place to live in the future.

Even today, women are actively involved in the construction. For example, the primary school that César and Joeffroy visited was funded by the daughter of a wealthy merchant, but it still has to be attached to a temple.

It has a spacious and bright courtyard and sheltered corridors and halls. Students usually attend classes and study in the courtyard, only taking shelter in the halls when it rains or is windy. There are no tables and chairs in the halls; students and teachers sit on the floor, and they also worship there.

The teacher noticed them. He was a typical Saracen with a high nose and deep-set eyes. Judging from the writing on the wooden board and the slates in the students' hands, he was teaching them the Saracen language.

Unlike the lessons Cesar learned with the prince when he was still in the Castle of Santa Cruz, the Saracens placed more emphasis on the proper use of knowledge by humankind.

Like the "servant system" prevalent among the knights of Christ, Saracen children also began their education at the age of six and continued until the age of fourteen, during which time they were to study scripture, language, and ethics.

But they have to choose their major when they turn fourteen.

In Christian countries and societies, the fate of the general public is almost fixed. Sometimes, people can tell what their father, grandfather, or even great-grandfather did from their first and last names, such as carpenter, baker, hunter, etc.

These occupational names later became some of the most familiar surnames. A carpenter's son would ultimately only become a carpenter. A blacksmith's son should only work as a blacksmith. If they were to deviate from this path and want to do other work, whether out of interest or a desire for money, they would be questioned. Of course, they could ask their fathers to send them to apprenticeships in trades that interested them. Leaving aside whether the harsh apprenticeship system would allow them to achieve their goals, countless children died during the long learning process, or rather, during the beatings and scoldings. Even if they finally learned some meager skills, they would not be able to leave their master and work for themselves until they were in their thirties or forties.

However, considering the average lifespan of people, especially the poor, during the Middle Ages, this period was undoubtedly quite short.

The Saracens were different. Their children could choose subjects they were interested in after the age of fourteen, such as reading, handicrafts, literature, medicine, mathematics, etc. Even Saracen priests—that is, "scholars"—were not intentionally prevented from rising to the next level. However, it was a long and difficult process to climb to that level, and it required talent. For example, "scholars" who served as guides for a tribe or city had to receive "revelation" from a prophet.

"Are those girls?" Geoffroy asked in surprise—the students here were all around eight or nine years old, and those wearing headscarves were all girls, making up at least a third of the total.

Christian women rarely received a formal education; their education was primarily provided by older women or their own mothers. Their learning consisted mainly of farming, sewing, cooking, and household chores. Noblewomen might incorporate subjects like poetry, dance, or musical instruments, but overall, they were expected to entertain their husbands or other men.

According to Heraclius, Saracen noblewomen could even study theology, mathematics, astronomy, and geography. Their knowledge could even surpass that of real scholars. Even so, they did not have to worry about being retaliated against or intimidated by men. On the contrary, people admired them greatly. There was once a noblewoman of exceptional talent who was even called a "scholar." Of course, this "scholar" was just a title. She could not enter the temple to receive "revelation," as no woman could.

The scholar met them and also saw the guides sent by Kamal—both of whom were quite famous in Damascus—and he immediately stood up to greet them.

But when he saw Cesar dressed as a Saracen beside him, even this usually composed and steady old man was momentarily taken aback.

Saracen aesthetics differ from Christian aesthetics, but sometimes these differences are negligible. The scholar even glanced at their guide with surprise, thinking he had brought a woman dressed as a man into the school. While the school may accept young female students, an older woman should not be exposed in public, especially since she was dressed as a man, which is something God does not allow.

Fortunately, before he could ask a question, he saw Cesar's Adam's apple. He couldn't help but shake his head, marveling at how all-powerful God truly is.

However, Cesar's identity still made him hesitant. According to Cesar's current height and shoulder width, he is already an adult, but if an experienced person observes him carefully, they will find that he still retains a childlike innocence, and he does not grow a beard.

In Saracens, when a man reaches adulthood, he must begin to grow a beard. They can groom their beards very short or very neatly, but they must have a beard for people to see him as a man, not a boy.

His gaze then fell on Geoffroy, and he frowned slightly. This man, who also did not have a beard, must be a Christian.

“It was Lord Kamal who asked me to show them around the city,” the guide immediately reminded him, implying that Kamal must hold a special place in the hearts of these people. At least the scholar showed no sign of disobeying him, nodding. “But what’s there to see in the schools? There are over a hundred schools here,” he said proudly, “Our children learn everything God needs them to know here.”

“I see it, it’s the most beautiful sight in the world,” Cesar said sincerely, adding that it even reminded him of a school in another world.

He looked around; the children were curiously observing the unexpected guests. They were all only eight or nine years old, a time when they were most curious and straightforward. If their teacher hadn't been a strict scholar, they probably would have already started whispering and murmuring among themselves.

“I won’t disturb your class any longer,” Cesar said politely, “but I’d like to go to the library.”

The library and the school were connected. Passing through the courtyard and hall, one arrives at the rear building, where patrolling guards and scholars discussing or contemplating in small groups can be seen. This scene is not much different from that of libraries in later generations.

The library even had librarians, and even though the Saracens had learned to make paper, books remained incredibly precious. Some books were so rare that not only could they not be taken out of the library, but even reading them required a certain qualification; those who were not scholars did not even have the opportunity to touch them.

"What would you like to see?" Since Kamal had already told the guide about Cesar's "purification" of the Sultan, he was exceptionally kind and polite to Cesar.

“I want to read some books about medicine,” Cesar said, lowering his eyes, “about leprosy.”

The guide hesitated for a moment. Being a scholar himself, he knew how rare these books were. Sure enough, they were refused entry. However, the librarian pointed them in a different direction: "As far as I know, the scholar Lazis once copied all the medical books in the Wisdom Palace (library). If you can persuade him to allow you to read or rent them..."

Do you know where Lazis is right now?

“It seems you’re in a real hurry,” the administrator said, glancing at the sky; it was almost dusk. “He’s been with ‘Glamorous’ Lyra these past few days, pursuing her, but without success.”

(End of this chapter)