Abisag by Aroslav Vrchlický (1897)
King David lies dying on his royal couch in Jerusalem, motionless and cold, while four watchers—Sadok the priest, Banahash the army commander, and courtiers Semej and Rej—keep vigil around him amid smoking bronze incense braziers. They await the prophet Nathan, who has been sent to find a young virgin to warm the king's body. Nathan arrives with Lamek of the tribe of Issaher and Lamek's veiled daughter, Abisag of Sunnam. Lamek admits he seeks payment—enough to buy a vineyard—and reveals his daughter has a poor, landless suitor who has told her he will wait by the palace's outer door until sunset; if she does not come to him by then, he will leave forever. Sadok negotiates with Lamek, filling his arms with gold bars, silver cups, jeweled rings, and armlets from a royal treasure chest until the Hebrew is satisfied. Abisag is bathed and adorned, then led trembling to David's bed, where she embraces the cold king like a daughter embracing a dying father, while Nathan kneels in prayer. Unseen by the old men, Solomon appears briefly in the doorway and glimpses Abisag's beauty before withdrawing, and from that moment loses his peace. He ignores the revelry of Adonias, son of Hagith, whom followers have proclaimed king, and withdraws to his pleasure palace at Baalhamon. There Banahash brings word that David has spoken again and urges Solomon to return for his anointing, crediting Abisag with reviving the king. Solomon agrees and is anointed with little enthusiasm while Adonias flees to the mountains. Returning to David's chamber, Solomon sits with Banahash and hopes to see Abisag again, but David has died. Banahash discovers the king's stillness with a bronze mirror and moves to announce the death, but Solomon stops him, asking for a night's delay and swearing devotion; in exchange he extracts Banahash's cooperation and whispers David's dying charge against Joab and against Semej the "magician," whom David had sworn not to kill by the sword but wished dealt with nonetheless. That same night, unaware David has died, Abisag ascends the couch as before and falls asleep, dreaming of a cold, monotonous desert that transforms into a fragrant cedar forest with fountains, narcissus blossoms, and a golden bird singing of love as strong as death. She wakes to find not the dead king beside her but a young, beautiful man in white—Solomon. Terrified, she flees the room as crowds outside proclaim Solomon king, David's death having been announced only at dawn. Abisag remains in the palace. Learning that Adonias has been slain at Solomon's command by Banahash, she goes out, finds his body, and weeps over it, kissing it, while Solomon simultaneously receives the Queen of Sheba with great pomp. That same day, Joab and Semej the magician are also put to death, fulfilling David's last wishes.
By Aroslav Vrchlický · First published 1897 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Political Drama · 4,437 words
First lines
King David lay upon a royal couch of cypress wood. From the ceiling / swung huge receptacles carved of bronze, from which the smoke of / burning perfumes rose, and whose dim, wavering light, showed carven / cedarn walls and a ceiling starred with plaques of gold.
What this Textopian page supports
Abisag is listed on Textopian as a short story by Aroslav Vrchlický, dated 1897 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Aroslav Vrchlický
- Date: 1897 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Political Drama, Tragedy, Literary Fiction
- Length: 4,437 words
- Structure: 1 section, 94 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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- Work identity for Abisag by Aroslav Vrchlický
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Genres
- Historical Fiction — The narrative is grounded in biblical history, featuring King David's deathbed, Abisag the Sunnamite maiden, and Solomon's succession as depicted in the Books of Kings, providing a fictionalized account of actual historical and religious events.
- Romance — Solomon's passionate obsession with Abisag forms the emotional core of the narrative, driving his internal conflict and decisions, creating a love story intertwined with political and dynastic concerns.
- Political Drama — Court intrigue, succession struggles between Solomon and Adonias, and strategic manipulation by figures like Sadok and Nathan create a central thread of political conflict and power dynamics.
- Tragedy — Multiple deaths of key figures, Abisag's displacement and emotional loss, and the young man's abandonment create a tragic arc characterized by sacrifice, moral ambiguity, and the inevitable consequences of human desires.
Tags
historical fiction · biblical adaptation · unrequited love · romance · tragedy · power dynamics · devotion · sacrifice · age and youth · coming of age · emotional depth · character study