34
PARABLES
“You haven’t thought your plan through: it’s possible to disarm the
sentries guarding us, but the ruler will quickly send new ones, perhaps even
an entire army, and they’ll kill the rebellious slaves.”
“I’ve thought about that, too, old man. We’ll have to pick a time when
the army won’t be around. And that time is coming. We can all see they’re
readying the army for a campaign. They’re gathering provisions for a three-
month trip. That means that in three months, the army will arrive at its des-
tination and engage in combat. It will be weakened by the battle, but it will
emerge victorious and will seize a great number of new slaves. New barracks
are already being built for them. We will need to begin disarming the
sentries as soon as our ruler’s army enters into battle with the other army. It
will take messengers a month to deliver the message that they need to re-
turn immediately. It will take the weakened army no less than three months
to return. In the space of these four months we’ll be able to ready ourselves
to meet them. There will be no fewer of us than there are soldiers in the
army. When the captured slaves see what’s happened, they’ll want to side
with us. I’ve planned everything out just right, old man.”
The priest answered, now in an encouraging tone, “It’s true, young man,
with your plan and your thoughts, you can disarm the sentries and gain vic-
tory over the army.” And then he added, “But what will the slaves do next,
and what will happen to the rulers, the sentries and the soldiers?”
“I haven’t given that much thought. One thing has occurred to me so far:
all who were once slaves will be non-slaves. All who today are non-slaves
will be slaves,” Nard answered somewhat tentatively, as if thinking out
loud.
“And what about the priests? Tell me, young one, once you attain victory,
will you count the priests as slaves or non-slaves?”
“The priests? I haven’t given that much thought, either. But what I would
suggest at the moment is this: let the priests remain as they are. Slaves and
rulers alike listen to them. They may be difficult to understand at times, but
I think they’re harmless. Let them go ahead and tell us about the gods, but
we ourselves know the best way to live our lives.”
“The best way, that’s good,” the priest answered and pretended that he
