The Garden.
Aphranius.
Posting #1.
“Why am I so stifled,
why am I so bored?
I am getting utterly cold to
a dream…”
K. Balmont. Why Am I So
Stifled?
Working
on my chapter The Garden and using
Marina Tsvetaeva’s memoirs for that purpose, I saw clearly and distinctly that
the character of Pontius Pilate in Bulgakov’s novel Master and Margarita is written in the image and likeness of the
Russian Symbolist poet Valery Yakovlevich Bryusov.
This
led me to contemplate more and more on the character of Aphranius, Head of
Roman Secret Service in Judea. (I have already written a lot about Aphranius in
many other places, such as, for instance, in my chapter Cats, see Posting CXXII, etc.)
But
having suddenly even for myself discovered that Pontius Pilate’s prototype is
none other than the Russian poet Bryusov, I could not possibly disregard the
additional information contained in Tsvetaeva’s memoirs, proving priceless for
the understanding of Bulgakov’s works.
Most
of all I was struck by Tsvetaeva’s words:
“...Balmont, Bryusov, they were both reigning then. As you see, in
other worlds [sic!], contrary to ours, diarchy is possible.”
Considering
that Aphranius is by the nature of his work directly connected to the
Procurator of Judea, we can say the same thing about these two personages.
In
Chapter 25 How the Procurator Tried to
Save Judas from Kyriath, Bulgakov writes:
[Pontius Pilate:] “Your colossal
merits in the most difficult job as Head of Secret Service under [sic!] the
Procurator of Judea provide me with the pleasant opportunity to report about
this at Rome.”
Aphranius
supports this praise with the following words:
“I am happy to serve under
your command, Igemon.”
Do
not forget that Marina Tsvetaeva wrote this:
“Bryusov, though, was obeyed. There was something of the Stone
Guest [Pushkin’s Commendatore] in his appearances at the feasts of young poetry
– of [Don] Juan. The wine turned to ice in the glasses. Under the hand of
Bryusov there was bending without love, and his yoke was heavy. Magus, Sorcerer. Not about the
enchanting Balmont. Not about the magic Blok. Not about the born black magician
Vyacheslav [Ivanov]. – Only about Bryusov, that fearless master of [poetry]
lines.”
In
the next 26th chapter of Master
and Margarita: The Burial Bulgakov explains the collaboration of these two
great virorum with an even greater
clarity. –
“The Procurator’s guest found himself in great ado… He descended
the staircase and approached the military barracks situated on the grounds of
the palace. These barracks housed the two centurias [of the Lightning Legion] that
had come to Yershalaim with the Procurator, and also the Secret Guard of the
Procurator, commanded by this very guest [Aphranius].
In
other words, the “Secret Service” is at the same time the “Secret Guard” of the
Procurator.
[The Procurator to Aphranius:] “Sit
down, Chief of Secret Service.”
While
using Marina Tsvetaeva’s memoirs, Bulgakov nevertheless goes with N. S. Gumilev
in this matter, giving Bryusov superiority over Balmont as a “poet,” yet
ascribing a very high position to the latter: that of the Chief of Secret
Service.
Bulgakov
does this in order to connect the two poets in a very important story of
Crucifixion, that is, a Crucifixion of two outstanding Russian poets, one
(Gumilev) executed by a firing squad, the other (Blok) hounded to death.
It
becomes particularly clear in the following dialog between Pilate and Aphranius
in the aftermath of Yeshua’s execution. When I was reading this passage in the
past, it always seemed to me that I was missing something. It always seemed to
me that Aphranius was playing some kind of game with Pontius Pilate.
And
indeed, M. A. Bulgakov uses this conversation to bring to light the exceptional
bravery of N. S. Gumilev. This whole dialog is written on the strength of a
single phrase: “To die being burned by
the sun.”
This
phrase has an unmistakable connection to N. Gumilev’s short story The Golden Knight. [See my chapter Mr. Lastochkin in the Swallow’s Nest of Luminaries.]
***
In
Chapter 25 of M. Bulgakov’s Master and
Margarita: How the Procurator Tried
to Save Judas from Kyriath, we find a great lot of interesting material for
researchers. Here, though, I’d like to draw the reader’s attention to one
particular dialog, which had always caught my attention. As I said before, it
always seemed to me as though Aphranius was playing a cat-and-mouse game with
his superior Pontius Pilate.
[Pontius Pilate:] “And now
tell me about the execution, – said the Procurator.”
[Aphranius:] “What exactly is
of interest to the Procurator?”
I
was primarily surprised by the fact that Aphranius does not seem to have a
ready report on this matter here. Pilate has to ask him along detailed lines,
leaving the most important question for the last:
“...Were there any attempts
at incitement on the part of the crowd? … Have you personally established that
death had taken place?”
And
only now does Pontius Pilate ask the question that interests him the most:
“And now tell me, did they
give them the beverage before hanging them on the poles?”
Aphranius’
answer struck me the first time I read it:
“Yes, but he [sic!] –
here the guest [Aphranius] closed his eyes – declined to drink it.”
Naturally,
Pontius Pilate is disingenuous when he asks: “Who was it?” He has to know, of
course, that they are talking about the only person of interest to the
Procurator, and that is Yeshua.
“Forgive me, Igemon! –
exclaimed the guest. – I did not say?
Ha-Nozri.”
From
the very first time I was convinced that there is some riddle here. Bulgakov is
playing out a different scene here. It is not Ha-Nozri, but N. S. Gumilev that
they are really talking about here. I understood that having disclosed his
character in my chapter Mr. Lastochkin.
“Madman! – said Pilate,
grimacing for some reason. A little vein was pulsating under his left eye. – To die being burned by the sun! [sic!] Why
refuse what is being offered by law? What were the exact words of his refusal? –
He said, – replied the guest, once
again closing his eyes, – that he is
grateful and does not blame [sic!] for taking away his life.”
Before
being executed by a firing squad, prisoners in Russia were usually given a
glass of vodka. By the same token, as I have already written elsewhere, Russian
soldiers and officers were given vodka before battle as well. In the United
States of America, according to Dr. James Tyler Kent, MD, soldiers were given Gelsenium before battle, to boost
bravery. Gumilev’s interrogation has a written record of the investigative
officer, a former officer of the Russian Army. According to the exchange
between Pontius Pilate and Aphranius (corresponding to Bryusov and Balmont in
Bulgakov), it becomes clear that N. S. Gumilev refused vodka offered to him
before his execution.
To
be continued…
***
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