ellauri150.html on line 467: Sheik Ilderim bribes Pontius Pilate into allowing Ben-Hur to compete in a horse and carriage race (ravit) by proposing a high wager. Esther tries to convince Messiah not to race Ben-Hur, but he is adamant that he will win. On the day of the race, Ben-Hur follows Ilderim's instructions to hold back from the race until the final laps. Using dirty tactics, Messiah manages to knock out the other competing charioteers. Following a brutal and grueling race, Ben-Hur wins the race. Messiah survives but is badly wounded and loses a leg. Ben-Hur's victory emboldens the Jewish spectators and yields dividends for Ilderim.
ellauri150.html on line 492: The story recounts the adventures of Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince from Jerusalem, who is enslaved by the Romans at the beginning of the first century and becomes a charioteer and a Christian. Running in parallel with Judah's narrative is the unfolding story of Jesus, from the same region and around the same age. The novel reflects themes of betrayal, conviction, and redemption, with a revenge plot that leads to a story of gay love and compassion.
ellauri150.html on line 625: More than three years later, we see Ben-Hur working one of many oars. He is going by "41" (or is that XLI?), his seat number, and he is full of hate. A Roman consul, Quintus Arrius, has boarded the ship, and it goes to war almost immediately. The consul wants Ben-Hur for a charioteer, and doesn't understand why Ben-Hur has any other hopes of life after the galleys; if they succeed in battle, he'll keep rowing, and if they don't, he'll die chained to the oar. Ben-Hur makes clear that he believes God will help him, also that he dislikes the idea of dying chained to the oar; this has a delayed effect; at the time, "back to your oar," but the consul orders him unchained after all the galley slaves had been chained.
ellauri150.html on line 633: On the way home, he helps a horse-loving Arab, Sheikh Ilderim, with the fine art of charioteering. Ilderim offers a position. Judah declines for now, though it has appeal, because he is on a mission. Not even being told Messala is racing convinces him. Some talk of Jesus slips in, though the name is not mentioned directly.
ellauri150.html on line 645: After the intermission, Ben-Hur has taken the charioteer job now. and Ilderim visits the bathhouse where the young Roman nobles luxuriate, half-naked.note Messala is there talking about his unbeatable team of horses. Ilderim says his team is even better, and offers a wager with LOTS of money involved. He eventually succeeds...
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