Nabuco

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

25312

Title

Nabuco

Language

it

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Ferdinando Fontana's 'Nabuco' is a dramatic poem set in ancient Babylon, exploring the psychological descent of King Nabopolassar's son, Nabuco, as he pursues forbidden knowledge to conquer the stars. Blending mythic ambition with anti-war propaganda, the work critiques the brutality of permanent armies and champions a citizen-militia ideal, ultimately portraying the tragic cost of hubris and the redemptive power of love.

Summary up to 500 words

Set against the ancient backdrop of Babylon, Ferdinando Fontana's *Nabuco* presents a dramatic poem that intertwines a mythic narrative with a fervent political manifesto. The story centers on Nabuco, the great king of Babylon and son of Nabopolassar, who, after conquering Jerusalem, becomes arrogant and attempts to rival the divine by seeking to conquer the stars themselves. His journey leads him to consult a blind Hebrew prophet, Jeroboam, who guides him toward forbidden esoteric sciences. The narrative follows Nabuco's obsession as he abandons his royal duties and his beloved, Daera, to pursue this impossible quest. He seeks to ascend to the heavens, believing that intellect and will can dominate the cosmos. However, his pursuit leads to madness; he hallucinates, attacks his own guards, and eventually collapses, driven insane by the 'fever' of his ambition. Amidst this personal tragedy, the text serves as a preface to a collection titled 'L'orrenda Macchia,' dedicated to the abolition of war. Fontana argues that modern civilization is paralyzed by the existence of massive standing armies, which force all political parties into lies and prevent true social progress. He contrasts the permanent, aggressive armies of Europe with the militia systems of Switzerland and the United States, where citizens defend their own rights without seeking conquest. The author posits that true strength lies in a people armed for defense, not for aggression, and that the abolition of standing armies is a historical necessity for human moral and physical perfection. The drama concludes with Nabuco's realization that his mission was to bring bloodshed, a fatal task that has now been completed. He renounces his quest for glory, choosing to flee Babylon alongside Daera and the loyal guard Afraisab, leaving behind the throne and the madness of empire. The work stands as a critique of militarism and a plea for peace, framed within a poetic structure that Fontana defends as uniquely suited to the Italian temperament.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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data/epubs/pg25312.epub

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Categories

• Classics
• Drama