Something of this was known to Plutarch, who advises his readers to imitate one who, "when he knows himself far superior to his brother, calls for his help and advice, whether it be the business of a rhetorician, a magistrate, or a friend; in a word, he that neglects or leaves him out in no honorable employment or concern, but joins him with himself in all his noble and worthy actions, employs him when present, waits for him when absent, and makes the world take notice that he is as fit for business as himself, but of a more modest and yielding disposition, and all this while he has done himself no wrong, and has bravely advanced his brother. "This same old heathen author, indeed, who speaks so commendably of brotherly honor and help, has a great deal more to say in the same vein, which makes one see that fine family feeling, if not universal with the ancients, was yet by no means confined to our later day; and one can not but be struck at the advice he gives a young man in relation to a married brother, adjuring him, to "have the highest esteem and honor for his brother's wife, respecting and honoring her as the most sacred of all his brother's sacred treasures, and thus to do honor to him; condoling with her when she is neglected, and appeasing her when she is angered; if she have a little offended, to intercede and sue for her peace; if there have been any private difference between himself and his brother, to make his complaint before her in order to reconcilement When he has children, let him express his affection and respect to both parents with the greater ardency. Let him love the children equally with his own, but be more favorable and indulgent to them, that, if it chance that they commit some of their youthful faults, they may not run away and hide themselves among naughty acquaintances through fear of their parents' anger, but may have in their uncle a recourse and refuge where they will be admonished lovingly, and will find an intercessor to make their excuse and get their pardon."
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| The stiff, prim likeness of some grandam. |
If all this were in accordance with advice and custom among the best in heathen times, how much further should fraternal feeling go now, led along in the gentle paths of Christianity! Yet although great things are sometimes more easily done than small ones, we doubt if there are, in our own virtuous days, any better instances of brotherly love than that between two Eastern brothers whose dust has for thousands of years been a portion of the common earth, "in a question," to quote our good old Plutarch again, "not concerning a little patch of land, nor a few servants or cattle, but no less than the kingdom of Persia. When Darius was dead, some were for Ariamenes' succeeding to the crown, as being eldest son; others were for Xerxes, who was born to Darius of Atossa, the daughter of Cyrus, in the time of his reign over Persia. Ariamencs, therefore, came from Media, in no hostile posture, but very peaceably, to hear the matter determined. Xerxes, being there, used the majesty and power of a king. But when his brother was come he laid down his crown and other royal ornaments, went and, meeting, greeted him. And sending him presents, he gave a charge to his servants to deliver them with these words: 'With these presents your brother Xerxes expresses the honor he has for you; and if by the judgment and suffrages of the Persians I be declared king, I place you next to myself. ' Ariamenes replied: ' I accept your gifts, but presume the kingdom of Persia to be my right. Yet for all my younger brethren I shall have an honor, but for Xerxes in the first place. ' The day of determining who should reign being come, the Persians made Artabanus, brother to Darius, judge. Xerxes excepting against him. confiding most in the multitude, his mother, Atossa, reproved him, saying: 'Why, son, are you so shy of Artabanus, your uncle, and one of the best men among the Persians? And why should you dread the trial where the worst you can fear is to be next the throne, and to be called the King of Persia's brother?' Xerxes, at length submitting, after some debate Artabanus adjudged the kingdom to Xerxes. Ariamenes presently started up and went and showed obeisance to his brother, and taking him by the hand, placed him in the throne. And from that time, being placed himself by Xerxes next in the kingdom, he continued the same affection to him, insomuch that, for his brother's honor engaging himself in the naval fight at Salamis, he was killed there."
It is not every crowned Christian that in the years since Salamis has rivaled the behavior of these brothers. It is not every one in private life that rivals them today. For, however the blood may run in our veins, neither natural affection nor family feeling is always quite sufficient to carry us through all the temptations and trials and small annoyances of daily life without constant use of the Golden Rule, without hourly remembrance of that Divine love which shadows forth all family love.
It is true that the jest concerning the man who, in settling the estate left him by his brother, had so much trouble with it that he "almost wished he hadn't a' died," is still for some households more a literal interpretation of the prevailing spirit there than anything hyperbolic and absurd. But we thank Heaven that we are able to believe such households are not many; that, so far as domestic happiness and union go, most of our homes are as full of peace as the House Beautiful; that our land is one long succession of such homes; and that few of us need to learn a lesson in these high morals from such a people as the Persians, or from such a man as Xerxes.
But although doing their whole duty to the living, there are many people who are unable to feel an interest in those of their race who have passed from earth, beyond at furthest the last two generations. Perhaps they have half a sensation that these people are strangers, they are so remote they would not care for them, so why should they do more?
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