Often, using this or that popular expression, a person does not even think about the source from which it came to us. Among these is the “feast of Belshazzar”, which initially describes an event of a biblical theme and only then rethought and acquired a new, figurative meaning. Let's get acquainted with the legend itself, its embodiment in art and the modern understanding of the catchphrase.
Identity of the king
Before considering the legend of the feast of Belshazzar, let's briefly get acquainted with the personality of the hero himself, who, as historians believe, could well exist in reality. Belshazzar is one of the rulers of Babylon who occupied the royal throne during the absence of his father, King Nabonidus.
Belshazzar's father was known for his love of mysticism, antiquities, so he very often left Babylon and shifted the duties of government to his son. However, the Bible says that the father of the legendary king was the no less famous Nebuchadnezzar, andBelshazzar himself, the prince and co-ruler in reality, is referred to in Holy Scripture as “the last Chaldean king.”
The feast itself
Let's consider how the feast of King Belshazzar took place according to biblical sources. There are two reasons to explain the reason for the feast:
- The king knew that his city was under siege by the Persians and decided to have a farewell feast.
- After the death of Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, who took his place, decided to richly celebrate this event.
So, the feast of Belshazzar began, it was attended by royal nobles, their spouses and even concubines. Wanting to further impress the guests with his we alth, the king ordered to bring the sacred vessels of pure gold, which Nebuchadnezzar had once brought from the Jerusalem temple.
Sacrilege
However, Belshazzar's feast went down in history not for its luxury, but as a desecration of Christian values. They began to drink wine from the sacred golden vessels, and not only the monarch himself, but also his entourage and their concubines. They also glorified their gods, idols made of gold and jewels.
Further, the legend of the feast of Belshazzar says that in the midst of the fun, a human brush appeared on the wall, which brought incomprehensible letters. The king was very frightened, the desire to have fun instantly disappeared from him, he realized that he had done something bad and for this a terrible retribution awaited him. However, what does the inscription say?
Interpretation
None of the wise men in Babylon couldread the mysterious inscription, which frightened the young king even more. However, his mother suggested that there was another wise man, a certain Daniel, who was respected by Nebuchadnezzar and was even appointed by him as the chief among the fortune-tellers. This man was found and brought to the king, ordering him to decipher the mysterious inscription.
Daniel coped with the task, but Belshazzar did not like his answer. The sage reproached the king that, like his father, he could not let God into his heart, lived a sinful life, but the last straw was the desecration of the sacred bowls of Yahweh and the praise of invented idols. Like Nebuchadnezzar, his son turned out to be proud and arrogant, for which he will suffer severe punishment.
The king, promising rich gifts to the sage, asked him to read what is written on the wall with an invisible hand, what is the meaning of the symbols that have appeared. Daniel refused gifts, but translated and explained three words written in a mysterious hand:
- Calculated. This word means that the young ruler lived his life unrighteously, although he had before his eyes the example of his father, Nebuchadnezzar, who kept neighboring states in fear, did not honor God and suffered from excessive pride.
- Weighed. Belshazzar himself continued the unrighteous path of his father, all his deeds were evaluated and weighed, so he is doomed to death.
- Split. The sage told the king that the Medes and Persians would divide his kingdom between them.
This is the meaning of the secret message that Daniel was able to read to the frightened king.
Death of Babylon
On the same night, the city was attacked, the walls of Babylon were destroyed, and the king himself died. However, in history it is generally accepted that the destruction of the city took place according to a different scenario.
The expression "Belshazzar's feast" has survived and continues to be used. It means fun, a feast on the eve of death or the onset of some terrible, negative event.
Contradictions
Let's consider some disagreements between the biblical story and real historical facts. Some have already been mentioned:
- Belshazzar's father was actually Nabonidus, while in the Bible it becomes Nebuchadnezzar, most likely as the more famous Babylonian monarch.
- The hero of our material himself was not a king, he served as co-ruler and ruled in Babylon only during the absence of Nabonidus.
- The walls that surrounded the city were so thick that it seems impossible for scientists to take it in one night. No wonder historians call Babylon a fortress city: it was surrounded by three rows of powerful walls and a moat. Enemies also could not make a tunnel, since the walls of the city went down at least 10 meters. The width of the fortification, according to surviving data, was at least 5 meters.
- King Belshazzar could not have been unaware that an enemy army had gathered under his walls, because there were observation towers with battlements on the walls. If we assume that he was in the know, understood the danger and decided to “meet death cheerfully”, arrange a grand farewell feast, then his fear afterthe appearance of a mysterious message. Why fall into despair, try to find an explanation, if death is already a foregone conclusion?
Finally, it is not clear why Babylon will be divided between the Medes and Persians, why are they better than the idolater Belshazzar and his subjects? During the reign of this king, both nationalities remained pagans, then they converted to Islam, that is, they had nothing to do with the Christian God, so the question remains open - why were equally unrighteous people chosen to punish the unrighteous king?
Subject in art
The feast of Belshazzar has become a favorite subject of literary and pictorial works. Here are some examples:
- Rembrandt's painting of the same name was created in 1635. Now the work of art can be viewed at the London National Gallery.
- Surikov's painting "The Feast of Belshazzar", 1874. There are a large number of characters on the canvas and emotions are worked out in detail.
- Works for choir performance, oratorios such as George Handel's Belshazzar.
These are the main works in which the last, according to the biblical canons, the king of the great Babylon appears.
Catchword
What does "Belshazzar's feast" mean figuratively? This is a stable phrase that is customary to use in a situation of unrestrained fun before some kind of trouble, and the celebrating people do not yet realize that they will soon have to face a problem. In general, in a catchphrasethe biblical story has not been completely rethought, but the expression can be used not only in relation to the feast, but also in connection with any fun that takes place on the eve of the tragedy.
The scale of the disaster itself can be any, not necessarily the collapse of an entire city or a catastrophe, an event may be the most insignificant for the world, but significant for a specific person. For example, saying "they made a feast for Belshazzar" is quite appropriate in relation to students who, on the eve of the exam, decided to celebrate a birthday, rather than prepare, referring to the fact that it is impossible to master the entire course in one evening.
