Charm, even to wonderment; that mighty hand Which dies the mountain's peak with rosy tints Sent from the rising sun, and to the barb'd, Destructive lightning gives its ruddy gleam, Grand and terrific, thus adorns even you! There is a father's full, unstinted love Display'd o'er all, and thus on all I gaze With the keen thrill of new-waked ecstasy. What voice is that so near me and so sweet? (Portia without, singing some notes of prelude, and then a Song.)
The lady in her early bower
Is blest as bee in morning flower; The lady's eye is flashing bright, Like water in the morning light; The lady's song is sweet and loud, Like skylark o'er the morning cloud; The lady's smiles are smiles that pass Like morning's breath o'er wavy grass. She thinks of one, whose harness'd car In triumph comes from distant war; She thinks of one, whose martial state Will darken Rome's imperial gate; She thinks of one, with laurel crown'd, Who shall with sweeter wreaths be bound. Voice, eye, and smiles, in mingled play, The lady's happy thoughts betray.
Cor. Her voice indeed, and this my favourite song!
It is that gentle creature, my sweet Portia I call her mine, because she is the image Which hath possess'd my fancy. Such vain
Must now give place. I will not linger here. This is the garden of Sulpicius;
How have I miss'd my path? She sings again. (Sings without, as before.) She wanders fitfully from lay to lay, But all of them some air that I have praised In happy hours gone by.
The kind heart speaks with words so kindly sweet, That kindred hearts the catching tones repeat; And love, therewith his soft sigh gently blending, Makes pleasing harmony. Thus softly sending Its passing cheer across the stilly main, Whilst in the sounding water dips the oar, And glad response bursts from the nearing shore, Comes to our ears the home-bound seamen's strain, Who from the lofty deck, hail their own land again. Cor. O gentle, sweet, and cheerful! form'd to be Whate'er my heart could prize of treasured love! Dear as thou art, I will not linger here.
Re-enter SULPICIUS and ORCERES, breaking out upon him, and ORCERES catching hold of his robe as he is going off.
Orc. Ha! noble Maro, to a coward turn'd, Shunning a spot of danger!
The fellest foe thou shalt contend with here, Is her thou call'st so gentle. As for me, I do not offer thee this hand more freely Than I will grant all that may make thee happy, If Portia has that power.
Cor. And dost thou mean, in very earnest mean,
Had not the execution of those Christians- (Pests of the earth, whom on one burning pile, With all their kind, I would most gladly punish,) Till now prevented me. Thy friend, Orceres- Thou owest him thanks-plead for thee powerfully, And had my leave. But dost thou listen to me? Thy face wears many colours, and big drops Burst from thy brow, whilst thy contracted lips Quiver, like one in pain.
Orc. What sudden illness racks thee? Cor. I may not tell you now: let me depart. Sul. (holding him.) Thou art my promised son; I have a right
To know whate'er concerns thee,-pain or pleasure. Cor. And so thou hast, and I may not deceive
If he, with hand press'd on his breast, will say, That he detests those hateful Nazarenes.
Cor. No; though my life, and what is dearer far My Portia's love, depended on the words, I would not, and I durst not utter them.
Sul. I see it well: thou art insnared and blinded By their enchantments. Demoniac power Will drag thee to thy ruin. Cast it off; Defy it. Say thou wilt forbear all intercourse With this detested sect. Art thou a madman? Cor. If I am mad, that which possesses nie Outvalues all philosophers e'er taught, Or poets e'er imagined.-Listen to me. Call ye these Christians vile, because they suffer All nature shrinks from, rather than deny What seems to them the truth? Call ye them sor
Because their words impart such high conceptions Of power creative and parental love,
In one great Being join'd, as makes the heart Bound with ennobling thoughts? Call ye them
Who daily live in steady strong assurance Of endless blessedness? O, listen to me!
Re-enter PORTIA, bursting from a thicket close to them.
Por. O, listen to him, father!
Sul. I will not betray him.
Por. Then all may yet be well; for our great
Whom Cæsar and his subject nations worship, Will not abandon Rome's best, bravest soldier To power demoniac. That can never be If they indeed regard us.
Orc. Were he in Parthia, our great god, the sun, Or rather he who in that star resides, Would not permit his power to be so thwarted,
Sul. Let go my robe, fond creature! Listen to For all the demonry that e'er exerted
The song of syrens were less fatal. Charms
Of dire delusion, luring on to ruin,
Are mingled with the words that speak their faith; They, who once hear them, flutter round destruction With giddy fascination, like the moth,
Which, shorn of half its form, all scorch'd and shrivell'd,
Still to the torch returns. I will not listen; No, Portia, nor shalt thou.
For if you listen to him, you may save him, And win him from his errors.
Its baleful influence on wretched men. Beshrew me for a thought gleams through my brain,
It is this God, perhaps, with some new name, Which these bewilder'd Nazarenes adore.
Sul. With impious rites, most strange and horri- ble.
Orc. If he, my friend, in impious rites hath join'd, Demons, indeed, have o'er the soul of man A power to change its nature. Ay, Sulpicius; And thou and I may, ere a day shall pass, Be very Nazarenes. We are in ignorance; We shoot our arrow in the dark, and cry,
Sul. Vain hope! vain hope! What is man's It is to wound a foe.' Come, gentle Portia ;
Opposed to demon subtlety? Cordenius!
Cordenius Maro! I adjure thee, go!
Be not so sad; the man thou lovest is virtuous, And brave, and loves thee well; why then despair? Por. Alas! I know he is brave and virtuous,
Leave me; why wouldst thou pull destruction on Therefore, I do despair.
On one who loved thee so, that though possess'd Of but one precious pearl, most dearly prized, Prized more than life, yet would have given it to thee.
I needs must weep: e'en for thyself I weep. Cor. Weep not, my kind Sulpicius! I will leave thee,
Albeit the pearl thou wouldst bestow upon me Is, in my estimation, dearer far
Than life, or power, or fame, or earthly thing. When these fierce times are past, thou wilt, per- haps,
Think of me with regard, but not with pity, How fell soe'er my earthly end hath been, For I shall then be blest. And thou, dear Portia, Wilt thou remember me? That thought, alas! Dissolves my soul in weakness.-
O, to be spared, if it were possible, This stroke of agony. Is it not possible, That I might yet- -Almighty God forgive me! Weak thoughts will lurk in the devoted heart, But not be cherish'd there. I may not offer Aught short of all to thee.-
Farewell, farewell! sweet Portia, fare thee well! (Orceres catches hold of him to prevent his going.) Retain me not: I am a Parthian now, My strength is in retreat.
Por. That noble mind! and must it then be ruin'd?
O save him, save him, father! Brave Orceres, Wilt thou not save thy friend, the noble Maro? Orc. We will, sweet maid, if it be possible. We'll keep his faith a secret in our breasts; And he may yet, if not by circumstances Provoked to speak, conceal it from the world. Por And you, my father?
Orc. In Nero's court, indeed, Such men are ever on the brink of danger, But wouldst thou have him other than he is? Por. O no! I would not; that were base and
Yet shed I tears, e'en like a wayward child Who weeps for that which cannot be attain'd,- Virtue, and constancy, and safety join'd.
I pray thee pardon me, for I am wretched, And that doth make me foolish and perverse. [EXEUNT.
SCENE I BEFORE THE GATE OF NERO'S PALACE: GUARDS WITH THEIR OFFICERS, DISCOVERED ON DUTY.
Enter to them another OFFICER, speaking as he enters to the SOLDIERS.
First Offi. Strike up some sacred strain of Roman triumph;
The Pontiff comes to meet the summon'd council. Omit not this respect, else he will deem We are of those who love the Nazarenes. Sing loud and clearly.
SACRED HYMN BY THE SOLDIERS
That chief, who bends to Jove the suppliant knee, Shall firm in power and high in honour be; And who to Mars a soldier's homage yields, Shall laurell'd glory reap in bloody fields; Who vine crown'd Bacchus, bounteous lord, adores, Shall gather still, unscath'd. his vintage stores; Who to fair Venus liberal offering gives, Enrich'd with love, and sweet affection lives. Then, be your praises still our sacred theme, O Venus. Bacchus. Mars, and Jove supreme!
Pon. I thank ye, soldiers! Rome, indeed, hath triumph'd,
Bless'd in the high protection of her gods, The sovereign warrior nation of the world; And, favour'd by great Jove and mighty Mars, So may she triumph still, nor meanly stoop To worship strange and meaner deities, Adverse to warlike glory. [EXIT, with his train. First Offi. The Pontiff seems disturb'd, his brow
Enter ORCERES, followed by SULPICIUS.
The Parthian prince, who will inform us truly. Orceres, is thy friend Cordenius coming? I have commanded him, and at this hour, To bring his guarded prisoner to the palace, Here to remain till the appointed time.
Orc. I know not; nor have I beheld Cordenius Since yesterday; when, at an early hour, Sulpicius and myself met him by chance:
Second Offi. Reproof and caution, mingled with But for the prisoner, he is at hand,
E'en at the palace gate; for as we enter'd
We saw him there, well circled round with guards, Though in the martial throng we saw not Maro. Nero. (To the Pontiff.) Said I not so?
(To an Officer.) Command them instantly To bring this wordy Grecian to our presence.
Third Offi. Ay, ay! the sacred chickens are in Sulpicius, thou hast known this Ethocles,
Second Offi. Sylvius is suspected, as I hear. First Offi. Hush! let us to our duty; it is time To change the inner guard.
[EXEUNT with music, into the gate of the palace.
SCENE II.-A COUNCIL CHAMBER IN THE PALACE, NERO WITH HIS COUNSELLORS DISCOVERED; NERO
Nero. Yes, Servius; formerly we have admitted, As minor powers, amongst the ancient gods Of high imperial Rome, the foreign deities Of friendly nations; but these Nazarenes Scorn such association, proudly claiming For that which is the object of their faith, Sole, undivided homage: and our altars, Our stately temples, the majestic forms Of Mars, Apollo, thundering Jove himself, By sculptor's art divine, so nobly wrought, Are held by these mad zealots in contempt. Examine, sayest thou shall imperial Cæsar Deign to examine what withstands his power? I marvel at thy folly, Servius Sillus.
Offi. The Pontiff, mighty Cæsar, waits without, And craves admittance.
Nero. Let him be admitted.
Pontiff, thy visage, if I read it well,
Says, that some weighty matter brings thee here: Thou hast our leave to speak.
Pon. Imperial Nero, didst thou not condemn That eloquent, but pestilential Nazarene, The Grecian Ethocles, whose specious words Wrap in delusion all who listen to him, Spreading his baleful errors o'er the world?
Nero. Did I condemn him! E'en this very day, He in the amphitheatre meets his doom; Having, I trust, no power of words to charm The enchafed lion, or the famish'd wolf.
Pon. I am inform'd, and I believe it true That this bold malefactor is enlarged.
Nero. It is impossible! Cordenius Maro Is sworn to guard the prisoner; or, failing, (How could he fail ?) to pay with his own life The forfeit. But behold his favourite friend,
Is he a madman or ambitious knave, Who sought on human folly to erect A kind of fancied greatness for himself? Sul. I know not which, great Nero. Nero. And didst thou not advise me earnestly To rid the state of such a pestilence?
Sul. And still advise thee, Nero; for this Greek Is dangerous above all, who, with their lives, Have yet paid forfeit for their strange belief. They come: the prisoner in foreign garb So closely wrapp'd, I scarcely see his face.
Enter PRISONER, attended.
Pon. If it in truth be he.
Nero. (To the Pontiff.) Dost thou still doubt? (To the Prisoner.) Stand forth, audacious rebel, to my will!
Dost thou still brave it, false and subtle spirit? Cor. (throwing off his Grecian cloak, and advancing to Nero.) I am not false, Au- gustus, but if subtle, Add to my punishment what shall be deem'd Meet retribution. I have truly sworn, Or to produce thy thrall, or, therein failing, To give my life for his; and here I stand. Ethocles, by a higher power than thine, Is yet reserved for great and blessed ends. Take thou the forfeit; I have kept my oath. Nero. I am amazed beyond the power of utter-
Grows it to such a pitch that Rome's brave captains Are by this wizard sorcery so charm'd ?
Then it is time, good sooth! that sweeping ven
Should rid the earth of every tainted thing Which that curst sect hath touch'd. Cordenius
Thou who hast fought our battles, graced our state, And borne a noble Roman's honour'd name, What, O what power could tempt thee to this shame ?
"Cor. I have been tempted by that mighty Power Who gave to Rome her greatness, to the earth Form and existence; yea, and to the soul Of living, active man, sense and perception : But not to shame, O Cæsar! not to shame! Nero. What, hast thou not become a Nazarene,
As now I apprehended? Say, thou hast not; And though thy present act is most audacious, Yet will I spare thy life.
First bind thyself by every sacred oath
To give this body to the flames, then hear me ;
O could I speak what might convince Rome's chief,
Cor. If thou wouldst spare my life, and to that Her senators, her tribes, her meanest slaves,
Nero. Thou art a Christian, then? Thou art a maniac!
Cor. I am a man, who, seeing in the flames Those dauntless Christians suffer, long'd to know What power could make them brave the fear of death,
Disgrace, and infamy. And I have learnt That they adore a God, one God, supreme, Who, over all men, his created sons, Rules as a father; and beholding sin, Growth of corruption, mar this earthly race, Sent down to earth his sinless, heavenly Son, Who left, with generous devoted love, His state of exaltation and of glory,
To win them back to virtue, yea, to virtue Which shall be crown'd with never-ending bliss. I've learnt that they with deep adoring gratitude Pay homage to that Son, the sent of God, Who here became a willing sacrifice To save mankind from sin and punishment, And earn for them a better life hereafter, When mortal life is closed.
Becoming well such creatures, so redeem'd.
Nero. Out on that dreaming madness?
Of Christ's most blessed truth, the fatal pile Would be to me a car of joyful triumph, Mounted more gladly than the laurell'd hero Vaults to his envied seat, while Rome's throng'd
Resound his shouted name. Within me stirs The spirit of truth and power which spoke to me, And will upon thy mind.- Nero. I charge thee cease! Orc. Nay, emperor ! might I entreat for him? Cor. (catching hold of Orceres eagerly.) Not for my life.
Orc. No; not for that, brave Maro!
(To Nero.) Let me entreat that he may freely speak.
Fear'st thou he should convince thee by his words? That were a foul affront to thine own reason,
Or to the high divinities of Rome.
Nero. Cease, Prince of Parthia! nor too far pre
Upon a noble stranger's privilege.
Pon. Shall words so bold be to mine ear august So freely utter'd with impunity?
Orc. Pontiff! I much revere thy sacred office, But scorn thy paltry words. Not freely speak! Not with impunity! Is this a threat?
The heart's deep ho- Let Rome's great master, or his angry slaves, Shed one drop of my blood, and or our plains Where heretofore full many a Roman corse, With Parthian arrows pierced, have vultures fed, Twice thirty thousand archers in array, Each with his bow strain'd for the distant mark, Shall quickly stand, impatient for revenge. Not with impunity!
To be the humble follower of Him,
Who left the bliss of heaven to be for us
A man on earth, in spotless virtue living
As man ne'er lived: such words of comfort speak- ing,
To rouse, and elevate, and cheer the heart, As man ne'er spoke; and suffering poverty, Contempt, and wrong, and pain, and death itself, As man ne'er suffer'd?-O, if this be madness, Which makes each generous impulse of my nature Warm into ecstasy, each towering hope Rise to the noblest height of bold conception; That which is reason call'd, and yet has taught you To worship different gods in every clime, As dull and wicked as their worshippers, Compared to it, is poor, confined, and mean, As is the Scythian's curtain'd tent, compared With the wide range of fair, expanded nature. Nero. Away, away! with all those lofty words! They but bewilder thee.
Cor. Yet hear them, Nero! O resist them not! Perhaps they are appointed for thy good, And for the good of thousands. When these hands Which have so oft done Rome a soldier's service, This tongue which speaks to thee, are turn'd to ashes,
What now appears so wild and fanciful, May be remembered with far other feelings. It is not life that I request of Nero,
Sul. Nay, nay, Orceres! with such haughty
Thou'lt injure him thou plead'st for. Noble Cæsar! Permit an aged man, a faithful servant,
To speak his thoughts. This brave deluded youth Is now, as I sincerely do believe, Beneath the power of strong and dire enchantment. Hear not his raving words, but spare his life, And when its power (for all delusion holds Its power but for a season) shall be spent, He will himself entreat your clemency, And be again the soldier of the state, Brave and obedient. Do not hear him now; Command him to retire.
Cor. I thank thee, good Sulpicius, but my life, For which thou plead'st, take no account of that; I yield it freely up to any death, Cruel or merciful, which the decree Of Cæsar shall inflict, for leave to speak E'en but a few short moments. Princely Nerc The strong enchantment which deludes my soul Is, that I do believe myself the creature, Subject and soldier, if I so may speak, Of an Almighty Father, King, and Lord, Before whose presence, when my soul shall be Of flesh and blood disrobed, I shall appear,
Although I said these hands have fought for Rome. There to remain with all the great and good
No; in the presence of these senators,
That e'er have lived on earth; yea, and with spirits
Higher than earth e'er own'd, in such pure bliss As human heart conceives not,-if my life, With its imperfect virtue, find acceptance From pardoning love and mercy; but, if otherwise, That I shall pass into a state of misery With souls of wicked men and wrathful demons. That I believe this earth on which we stand Is but the vestibule to glorious mansions, Through which a moving crowd for ever press; And do regard the greatest Prince, who now Inflicts short torment on this flesh, as one Who but in passing rudely rends my robe. And thinkest thou that I, believing this, Will shrink to do his will whom I adore? Or thinkest thou this is a senseless charm, Which soon will pass away?
Nero. High words, indeed, if resting on good proof!
A maniac's fancies may be grand and noble.
Cor. Ay, now thou listenest, as a man should listen,
With an inquiring mind. Let me produce The proofs which have constrain'd me to believe, From written law and well-attested facts ;- Let me produce my proofs, and it may be,
The Spirit of Truth may touch thy yielding heart, And save thee from destruction.
Nero. Ha! dost thou think to make of me a con
Away, weak fool! and most audacious rebel! Give proofs of thy obedience, not thy faith,
If thou wouldst earn thy pardon.
Cor. If thou condemn me in the flames to die
I will and must obey thee; if to live, Disgraced by pardon won through treachery
To God, my King supreme, and his bless'd Christ,
I am, indeed, thy disobedient rebel.
Orc. Noble Cordenius! can thy martial spirit Thus brook to be a public spectacle, Fighting with savage beasts, the sport of fools, Till thou shalt fall, deform'd and horrible, Mangled and piece-meal torn? It must not be.
Cor. Be not so moved, Orceres; I can bear it The God I worship, who hath made me humble, Hath made me dauntless too. And for the shame Which, as I guess, disturbs thee most, my Master, The Lord and Leader I have sworn to follow, Did as a malefactor end his days,
To save a lost, perverted race: shall I Feel degradation, then, in following him?
Orc. In this, alas! thou'lt follow him too surely But whither, noble Maro?
Cor. E'en to my destined home, my Father's house.
Orc. And where is that? O, canst thou tell me where?
Beyond the ocean or beneath the earth?
Be there more worlds than this, beyond our ken In regions vast, above the lofty stars? Could we through the far stretch of space descry E'en but the distant verge, though dimly mark'd, Of any other world, I would believe That virtuous men deceased have in good truth A destined place of rest.
Cor. Believe it-O, believe it, brave Orceres ! Orc. I'll try to do it. I'll become a Christian, Were it but only to defy this tyrant.
Cor. Thou must receive with a far different spirit The faith of Jesus Christ. Perhaps thou wilt. My heart leaps at the thought. When I am dead, Remain in Rome no longer. In the East Search thou for Ethocles, whom I have rescued; And if he shall convert thee, O, how richly He will repay all I have done for him!
Nero. And shall as such, most dearly pay the But, I would now withdraw a little space,
Out-take him from my presence till the time Of public execution.
Cordenius Maro, thou shalt fall this day By no ignoble foe;--a noble lion, Famish'd and fierce, shall be thy adversary. Ard dost thou smile and raise thy head at this, In stately confidence?
Cor. God will deliver me from every adversary. And thou too smilest.-Yes; he will deliver That which I call myself. For this poor form Which vests me round, I give it to destruction As gladly as the storm-beat traveller, Who, having reach'd his destined place of shelter, Drops at the door his mantle's cumbrous weight. Nero. (going.) Then to thy visionary hopes I leave thee,
Incorrigible man! Here, in this chamber Keep him secure till the appointed hour.
To pour my thoughts in prayer and thankfulness To Him, the great, the good, the wise, the just, Who holds man's spirit in his own high keeping, And now supports my soul, and will support it, Till my appointed task is done. In secret The hearts by Jesus taught, were bid to pray, And, if it be permitted, so will I.
(To the Guards, who advance as he speaks to them.)
My guards and, some time past, my fellow soldiers, Let me remain alone a little while,
And fear not my escape. If ye distrust me, Watch well the door, and bind my hands with chains.
First Offi. Yes, brave Cordenius, to another
Thou mayst retire, and we will watch without. But be thy person free: we will not bind, With felon cord or chain, those valiant hands (To the Officers, &c.) Which have so often for thy country fought, Until we are commanded.
Off, good Sulpicius! hang not on me thus ! Sul. O, mighty Cæsar! countermand your orders: Delay it but a month, a week, a day.
[EXEUNT Nero, Sulpicius, Senators, &c. Sulpicius still keeping close to Nero in the act of sup- plication.-Orceres, Cordenius, and Guards remain, the Guards standing respectfully at a distance in the back-ground.
Cor. I thank ye all, my friends, and I believe That I shall meet and thank ye too hereafter; For there is something in you God must love, And, loving, will not give to reprobation.
(To First Officer.) Codrus, thou once didst put thy life in hazard, And sufferedst much to save a helpless Greek
« ZurückWeiter » |