But the thoughts of man can be counted, like the years of
his life. The wisdom of the Magi is the greatest of all wisdoms on
earth, because it knows its own ignorance. And that is the secret of
power. We keep men always looking and waiting for a new sunrise. But we
ourselves know that the darkness is equal to the light, and that the
conflict between them will never be ended."
"That does not satisfy me," answered Artaban, "for, if the waiting must
be endless, if there could be no fulfilment of it, then it would not be
wisdom to look and wait. We should become like those new teachers of
the Greeks, who say that there is no truth, and that the only wise men
are those who spend their lives in discovering and exposing the lies
that have been believed in the world. But the new sunrise will
certainly dawn in the appointed time. Do not our own books tell us that
this will come to pass, and that men will see the brightness of a great
light?"
"That is true," said the voice of Abgarus; "every faithful disciple of
Zoroaster knows the prophecy of the Avesta and carries the word in his
heart. 'In that day Sosiosh the Victorious shall arise out of the
number of the prophets in the east country. Around him shall shine a
mighty brightness, and he shall make life everlasting, incorruptible,
and immortal, and the dead shall rise again.
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