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Ben Hur
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Ben Hur (1880) (edit title/settings)

A Tale of the Christ

by Lew Wallace (Author) (edit contributors)

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Description edit see section history

Judah Ben-Hur lives as a rich Jewish prince and merchant in Jerusalem at the beginning of the 1st century. His old friend Messala arrives as commanding officer of the Roman legions. They become bitter enemies. Because of an unfortunate accident, Ben-Hur is sent to slave in the mines while his... read more

Summary edit see section history

Via Amazon.com:

Judah Ben-Hur lives as a rich Jewish prince and merchant in Jerusalem at the beginning of the 1st century. His old friend Messala arrives as commanding officer of the Roman legions. They become bitter enemies. Because of an unfortunate accident, Ben-Hur is sent to slave... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

Via Amazon.com:

Judah Ben-Hur lives as a rich Jewish prince and merchant in Jerusalem at the beginning of the 1st century. His old friend Messala arrives as commanding officer of the Roman legions. They become bitter enemies. Because of an unfortunate accident, Ben-Hur is sent to slave in the mines while his family is sent to leprosy caves. As Messala is dying from being crushed in a chariot race, he reveals where Ben-Hur's family is. On the road to find them, Ben-Hur meets the Christ as he is on the road to Golgotha to be crucified. That day changes Ben-Hur's life forever, for that is the day he becomes a believer.

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Quotes edit see section history

  • “Knowledge leaves no room for chances”

Organizations edit see section history

  • Brahmin: A Brahmin (also Brahman; Brāhmaṇa) (Sanskrit: ब्राह्मण) <Note 1> is a member of the priestly class in the Indian subcontinent. Brahmins belong to the Upper Caste Society. According to ancient Hindu texts including the Manusmṛti, there are four "varnas", or spiritual classes, into which all persons can be divided, based on inherent temperament, and level of spiritual development achieved through many incarnations – the Brahmins (teachers, scholars and priests), the Kshatriyas (kings and warriors), the Vaishyas and Shudras (agriculturists, artisans and merchants), (service providers and laborers). Later, through corruption and misinterpretation of the sacred texts, this originally spiritual classification became a hereditary social system in India. Brahmins were charged with performing religious duties as priests and preaching Dharma (as "one who prays; a devout or religious man; a Brāhman who is well versed in Vedic texts; one versed in sacred knowledge"). The Brahmins held authority over interpretation of Vedic and Puranic spiritual texts like the Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita, and were the teachers of the Vedic period.<citation needed>Brahmins, as they have been seen in the caste system as it developed through the course of history, have been subjected to criticism for their important role in discrimination towards, and division and oppression of other castes and communities. They had deprived the lower castes of education, and what has been seen as their supremacist and conservative attitude, is said to have had a strong negative impact on Indian social structure. They had also added practices to Indian society that unduly benefited them in the name of their purported, divinely endowed, privilege and authority.The English word brahmin is an anglicised form of the Sanskrit word Brāhmana. Brahmins are also called Vipra ("inspired"),<1> or Dvija ("twice-born").<2>Due to the diversity in regional religious traditions and the Vedic schools which they belong to, Brahmins, in modern usage of the term, are further divided into various sub-castes. Not all Brahmins are priests; only a subset of brahmins are involved in the priestly duties, with vedic learning, ascetic and humble living. Brahmins have practised other professions from the late Vedic ages, becoming doctors, smiths, lawyers, engineers, warriors, writers, poets, landlords, ministers, etc. Many Brahmins have emigrated to other parts of the world in sizable numbers, particularly to the USA, UK, Canada and Australia. Via Wikipedia
  • Pharisee: The Pharisees (lat. pharisæ|us, -i; from heb. פרושים perushim/פרוש parush, meaning "set apart"<1>) were at various times a political party, a social movement, and a school of thought among Jews during the Second Temple period under the Hasmonean dynasty (140–37 BCE) in the wake of the Maccabean Revolt. Via Wikipedia
  • Jews: The Jews (Hebrew: יְהוּדִים‎ "Yehudim" IPA: jɛhuːdiːm), also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation. Via Wikipedia

First Sentence edit see section history

The Jebel es Zubleh is a mountain fifty miles and more in length, and so narrow that its tracery on the map gives it a likeness to a caterpillar crawling from the south to the north.

Table of Contents edit see section history

BOOK FIRST
1. Into The Desert
2. Meeting Of The Wise Men
3. The Athenian Speaks - Faith
4. Speech Of The Hindoo - Love
5. The Egyptian’s Story - Good Works
6. The Joppa Gate
7. Typical Characters At The Joppa Gate
8. Joseph And Mary Going To Bethlehem
9. The Cave At Bethlehem
10. The Light In The Sky
11. Christ Is Born
12. The Wise Men Arrive At Jerusalem
13. The Witness Before Herod
14. The Wise Men Find The Child

BOOK SECOND
1. Jerusalem Under The Romans
2. Ben-Hur And Messala
3. A Judean Home
4. The Strange Things Ben-Hur Wants To Know
5. Rome And Israel - A Comparison
6. The Accident To Gratus
7. A Galley Slave

BOOK THIRD
1. Quntus Arrius Goes To Sea
2. At The Oar
3. Arrius And Ben-Hur On Deck
4. “No. 60”
5. The Sea Fight
6. Arrius Adopts Ben-Hur

BOOK FORTH
1. Ben-Hur Returns East
2. On The Orontes
3. The Demand On Simonides
4. Simonides And Esther
5. The Grove Of Daphne
6. The Mulburries of Daphne
7. The Stadium In The Grove
8. The Fountain Of Castalia
9. The Chariot Race Discussed
10. Ben-Hur Hears Of Christ
11. The Wise Servant And His Daughter
12. A Roman Orgie
13. A Driver For Ilderim’s Arabs
14. The Dowar In The Orchard Of Palms
15. Balthasar Impresses Ben-Hur
16. Christ Is Coming - Balthasar
17. The Kingdom - Spiritual Or Political?

BOOK FIFTH
1. Messala Doffs His Chaplet
2. Ilderim’s Arabs Under The Yoke
3. The Arts Of Cleopatra
4. Messala On Guard
5. Ilderim And Ben-Hur Deliberate
6. Training The Four
7. Simonides Renders Account
8. Spiritual Or Political? - Simonides Argues
9. Esther And Ben-Hur
10. Posted For The Race
11. Making The Wagers
12. The Circus
13. The Start
14. The Race
15. The Invitation Of Iras
16. In The Palace Of Idernee

BOOK SIXTH
1. The Tower of Antonia - Cell No. VI
2. The Lepers
3. Jerusalem Again
4. Ben-Hur At His Father’s Gate
5. The Tomb Above The King’s Garden
6. A Trick Of Pilate’s - The Combat

BOOK SEVENTH
1. Jerusalem Goes Out To A Prophet
2. Nooning By The Pool - Iras
3. The Life Of A Soul
4. Ben-Hur Keeps Watch With Iras
5. At Bethabara

BOOK EIGHTH
1. Guests In The House Of Hur
2. Ben-Hur Tells Of The Nazarene
3. The Lepers Leave Their Tomb
4. The Miracle
5. Pilgrims To The Passover
6. A Serpent Of The Nile
7. Ben-Hur Returns To Esther
8. Gethsemane - “Whom Seek Ye?”
9. The Going To Calvary
10. The Crucifixion

Glossary edit see section history

  • duumvir: Dictionary.com: Duumvir - one of two officers or magistrates jointly exercising the same public function.

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

  • True Friendship: Ben Hur is betrayed by a man who was once a great friend. His life is changed forever due to one moment of the man giving in to feels of spite.
  • Religion and spirituality: Ben Hur finds himself compelled toward Christianity after witnessing the crucifixion of Christ

Series & Lists edit see section history

This book is in Readers Digest Press. (edition-based publisher list)
This is book 835 of 1271 in 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. (authoritative list)

Preceded by Bouvard and Pécuchet, and followed by Nana.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Lew Wallace (Author)

Other Contributors:

  1. Lloyd James (Reader)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Harper & Brothers
Country: United States
Publication Date: Nov 12 1880
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 560

Classification edit see section history

  • Library of Congress: PS3134 .B4
  • Dewey: 813.4

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Reading Level: Young Adults

Great read for teenagers and adults. Some advanced vocabulary for younger readers but story line is riveting and well written. Perfect for reading aloud!

Movie Connections edit see section history

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