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The Gods of Pegāna · Chapter

Of How Imbaun Spake of Death to the King explained

In Aradec, a pestilence causes the King to fear his own mortality.

What happens

In Aradec, a pestilence causes the King to fear his own mortality. He summons the High Prophet of All the gods save One, who confirms that the King will die. The King responds by asserting his power over the lives of his people until his own death, and has the prophet led away. Thereafter, prophets in Aradec avoid speaking of death to kings.

Themes in this chapter

  • Suffering and Death

    The chapter centers on the King's confrontation with mortality as pestilence sweeps Aradec, and the prophet's blunt affirmation of death's inevitability.

  • The Illusion of Religious Authority

    The King silences the prophet who speaks truth about death, and subsequent prophets learn to avoid the topic, revealing the subjugation of religious truth to royal power.

Characters to notice

  • Imbaun

    The High Prophet of All the gods save One, summoned by the King to speak of death.

  • Kabok

    Referred to as the High Prophet, likely Kabok, who is brought before the King.

Key passages

  • “There trod such pestilence in Aradec that the King as he looked abroad out of his palace saw men die.”

    A deadly plague spread through Aradec, and from his palace the King watched people dying.

    Sets the scene of widespread death that triggers the King's fear.

  • “And when the King saw Death he feared that one day even the King should die.”

    Seeing death all around him, the King became afraid that he too would eventually die.

    Reveals the King's personal terror of mortality.

  • “O Prophet of All the gods save One, shall I indeed die?”

    Prophet of all the gods except one, will I truly die?

    The King's direct question to the prophet, seeking reassurance.

  • “O King! thy people may not rejoice forever, and some day the King will die.”

    Your people cannot be happy forever, and one day you, the King, will die.

    The prophet's honest and unwelcome answer.

  • “This may be so, but certainly thou shalt die. It may be that one day I shall die, but till then the lives of the people are in my hands.”

    That might be true, but you will definitely die. Perhaps I will die someday, but until then I hold power over the lives of my people.

    The King's retort, asserting his authority and condemning the prophet.

  • “And there arose prophets in Aradec who spake not of death to Kings.”

    From then on, prophets in Aradec avoided telling kings about death.

    The consequence of the King's reaction: self-censorship among prophets.

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