the complete poetical works-第143节
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HELEN。
Happier was I in Tyre。
Oh； I remember how the gallant ships
Came sailing in； with ivory； gold； and silver；
And apes and peacocks； and the singing sailors；
And the gay captains with their silken dresses；
Smelling of aloes； myrrh； and cinnamon！
SIMON。
But the dishonor； Helen！ Let the ships
Of Tarshish howl for that！
HELEN。
And what dishonor？
Remember Rahab； and how she became
The ancestress of the great Psalmist David；
And wherefore should not I； Helen of Tyre；
Attain like honor？
SIMON。
Thou art Helen of Tyre；
And hast been Helen of Troy； and hast been Rahab；
The Queen of Sheha； and Semiramis；
And Sara of seven husbands； and Jezebel；
And other women of the like allurements；
And now thou art Minerva； the first Aeon；
The Mother of Angels！
HELEN。
And the concubine
Of Simon the Magician！ Is it honor
For one who has been all these noble dames；
To tramp about the dirty villages
And cities of Samaria with a juggler？
A charmer of serpents？
SIMON。
He who knows himself
Knows all things in himself。 I have charmed thee；
Thou beautiful asp： yet am I no magician；
I am the Power of God； and the Beauty of God！
I am the Paraclete； the Comforter！
HELEN。
Illusions！ Thou deceiver； self…deceived！
Thou dost usurp the titles of another；
Thou art not what thou sayest。
SIMON。
Am I not？
Then feel my power。
HELEN。
Would I had ne'er left Tyre！
He looks at her； and she sinks into a deep sleep。
SIMON。
Go； see it in thy dreams； fair unbeliever！
And leave me unto mine； if they be dreams；
That take such shapes before me； that I see them；
These effable and ineffable impressions
Of the mysterious world； that come to me
From the elements of Fire and Earth and Water；
And the all…nourishing Ether！ It is written；
Look not on Nature； for her name is fatal！
Yet there are Principles； that make apparent
The images of unapparent things；
And the impression of vague characters
And visions most divine appear in ether。
So speak the Oracles； then wherefore fatal？
I take this orange…bough； with its five leaves；
Each equidistant on the upright stem；
And I project them on a plane below；
In the circumference of a circle drawn
About a centre where the stem is planted；
And each still equidistant from the other；
As if a thread of gossamer were drawn
Down from each leaf； and fastened with a pin。
Now if from these five points a line be traced
To each alternate point； we shall obtain
The Pentagram； or Solomon's Pentangle；
A charm against all witchcraft； and a sign；
Which on the banner of Antiochus
Drove back the fierce barbarians of the North；
Demons esteemed； and gave the Syrian King
The sacred name of Soter； or of Savior。
Thus Nature works mysteriously with man；
And from the Eternal One； as from a centre；
All things proceed； in fire； air； earth； and water；
And all are subject to one law； which； broken
Even in a single point； is broken in all；
Demons rush in； and chaos comes again。
By this will I compel the stubborn spirits；
That guard the treasures； hid in caverns deep
On Gerizim； by Uzzi the High…Priest；
The ark and holy vessels； to reveal
Their secret unto me； and to restore
These precious things to the Samaritans。
A mist is rising from the plain below me；
And as I look； the vapors shape themselves
Into strange figures； as if unawares
My lips had breathed the Tetragrammaton；
And from their graves； o'er all the battlefields
Of Armageddon； the long…buried captains
Had started； with their thousands； and ten thousands；
And rushed together to renew their wars；
Powerless； and weaponless； and without a sound！
Wake； Helen； from thy sleep！ The air grows cold；
Let us go down。
HELEN； awaking。
Oh； would I were at home！
SIMON。
Thou sayest that I usurp another's titles。
In youth I saw the Wise Men of the East；
Magalath and Pangalath and Saracen；
Who followed the bright star； but home returned
For fear of Herod by another way。
O shining worlds above me！ in what deep
Recesses of your realms of mystery
Lies hidden now that star？ and where are they
That brought the gifts of frankincense and myrrh？
HELEN。
The Nazarene still liveth。
SIMON。
We have heard
His name in many towns； but have not seen Him。
He flits before us； tarries not； is gone
When we approach； like something unsubstantial；
Made of the air； and fading into air。
He is at Nazareth； He is at Nain；
Or at the Lovely Village on the Lake；
Or sailing on its waters。
HELEN。
So say those
Who do not wish to find Him。
SIMON。
Can this be
The King of Israel； whom the Wise Men worshipped？
Or does He fear to meet me？ It would seem so。
We should soon learn which of us twain usurps
The titles of the other； as thou sayest。
They go down。
THE THIRD PASSOVER
I
THE ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM
THE SYRO…PHOENICIAN WOMAN and her DAUGHTER on the house…top at
Jerusalem。
THE DAUGHTER； singing。
Blind Bartimeus at the gates
Of Jericho in darkness waits；
He hears the crowd；he hears a breath
Say； It is Christ of Nazareth！
And calls； in tones of agony；
＇Greek text＇！
The thronging multitudes increase：
Blind Bartimeus； hold thy peace！
But still； above the noisy crowd；
The beggar's cry is shrill and loud；
Until they say； he calleth thee！
＇Greek text＇！
Then saith the Christ； as silent stands
The crowd； What wilt thou at my hands？
And he replies； Oh； give me light！
Rabbi； restore the blind man's sight！
And Jesus answers； ＇Greek text＇！
Ye that have eyes； yet cannot see；
In darkness and in misery；
Recall those mighty voices three；
＇Greek text＇！
＇Greek text＇！
＇Greek text＇！
THE MOTHER。
Thy faith hath saved thee！ Ah； how true that is！
For I had faith； and when the Master came
Into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon； fleeing
From those who sought to slay him； I went forth
And cried unto Him； saying： Have mercy on me；
O Lord； thou Son of David！ for my daughter
Is grievously tormented with a devil。
But he passed on； and answered not a word。
And his disciples said； beseeching Him：
Send her away！ She crieth after us！
And then the Master answered them and said：
I am not sent but unto the lost sheep
Of the House of Israel！ Then I worshipped Him；
Saying： Lord help me！ And He answered me；
It is not meet to take the children's bread
And cast it unto dogs！ Truth； Lord； I said；
And yet the dogs may eat the crumbs which fall
From off their master's table； and he turned；
And answered me； and said to me： O woman；
Great is thy faith； then be it unto thee
Even as thou wilt。 And from that very hour
Thou wast made whole； my darling！ my delight！
THE DAUGHTER。
There came upon my dark and troubled mind
A calm； as when the tumult of the City
Suddenly ceases； and I lie and hear
The silver trumpets of the Temple blowing
Their welcome to the Sabbath。 Still I wonder；
That one who was so far away from me
And could not see me； by his thought alone
Had power to heal me。 Oh that I could see Him！
THE MOTHER。
Perhaps thou wilt； for I have brought thee here
To keep the holy Passover； and lay
Thine offering of thanksgiving on the altar。
Thou mayst both see and hear Him。 Hark！
VOICES afar off。
Hosanna！
THE DAUGHTER。
A crowd comes pouring through the city gate！
O mother； look！
VOICES in the street。
Hosanna to the Son
Of David！
THE DAUGHTER。
A great multitude of people
Fills all the street； and riding on an ass
Comes one of noble aspect； like a king！
The people spread their garments in the way；
And scatter branches of the palm…trees！
VOICES。
Blessed
Is he that cometh in the name of the Lord！
Hosanna in the highest！
OTHER VOICES。
Who is this？
VOICES。
Jesus of Nazareth！
THE DAUGHTER。
Mother； it is he！
VOICES。
He hath called Lazarus of Bethany
Out of his grave； and raised him from the dead！
Hosanna in the highest！
PHARISEES。
Ye perceive
That nothing we prevail。 Behold； the world
Is all gone after him！
THE DAUGHTER。
What majesty；
What power is in that care…worn countenance！
What sweetness； what compassion！ I no longer
Wonder that he hath healed me！
VOICES。
Peace in heaven；
And glory in the highest！
PHARISEES。
Rabbi！ Rabbi！
Rebuke thy followers！
CHRISTUS。
Should they hold their peace
The very stones beneath us would cry out！
