the complete poetical works-第187节
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Where hast thou been to…day？ Thou comest late。
JASON。
Playing at discus with the other priests
In the Gymnasium。
ANTIOCHUS。
Thou hast done well。
There's nothing better for you lazy priests
Than discus…playing with the common people。
Now tell me； Jason； what these Hebrews call me
When they converse together at their games。
JASON。
Antiochus Epiphanes； my Lord；
Antiochus the Illustrious。
ANTIOCHUS。
O； not that；
That is the public cry； I mean the name
They give me when they talk among themselves；
And think that no one listens； what is that？
JASON。
Antiochus Epimanes； my Lord！
ANTIOCHUS。
Antiochus the Mad！ Ay； that is it。
And who hath said it？ Who hath set in motion
That sorry jest？
JASON。
The Seven Sons insane
Of a weird woman； like themselves insane。
ANTIOCHUS。
I like their courage； but it shall not save them。
They shall be made to eat the flesh of swine；
Or they shall die。 Where are they？
JASON。
In the dungeons
Beneath this tower。
ANTIOCHUS。
There let them stay and starve；
Till I am ready to make Greeks of them；
After my fashion。
JASON。
They shall stay and starve。
My Lord； the Ambassadors of Samaria
Await thy pleasure。
ANTIOCHUS。
Why not my displeasure？
Ambassadors are tedious。 They are men
Who work for their own ends； and not for mine
There is no furtherance in them。 Let them go
To Apollonius； my governor
There in Samaria； and not trouble me。
What do they want？
JASON。
Only the royal sanction
To give a name unto a nameless temple
Upon Mount Gerizim。
ANTIOCHUS。
Then bid them enter。
This pleases me； and furthers my designs。
The occasion is auspicious。 Bid them enter。
SCENE II。 ANTIOCHUS； JASON； THE SAMARITAN AMBASSADORS。
ANTIOCHUS。
Approach。 Come forward； stand not at the door
Wagging your long beards； but demean yourselves
As doth become Ambassadors。 What seek ye？
AN AMBASSADOR。
An audience from the King。
ANTIOCHUS。
Speak； and be brief。
Waste not the time in useless rhetoric。
Words are not things。
AMBASSADOR （reading）。 〃To King Antiochus；
The God； Epiphanes； a Memorial
From the Sidonians； who live at Sichem。〃
ANTIOCHUS。
Sidonians？
AMBASSADOR。
Ay； my Lord。
ANTIOCHUS。
Go on； go on！
And do not tire thyself and me with bowing！
AMBASSADOR （reading）。
〃We are a colony of Medes and Persians。〃
ANTIOCHUS。
No； ye are Jews from one of the Ten Tribes；
Whether Sidonians or Samaritans
Or Jews of Jewry； matters not to me；
Ye are all Israelites； ye are all Jews。
When the Jews prosper； ye claim kindred with them；
When the Jews suffer； ye are Medes and Persians：
I know that in the days of Alexander
Ye claimed exemption from the annual tribute
In the Sabbatic Year； because； ye said；
Your fields had not been planted in that year。
AMBASSADOR （reading）。
〃Our fathers； upon certain frequent plagues；
And following an ancient superstition；
Were long accustomed to observe that day
Which by the Israelites is called the Sabbath；
And in a temple on Mount Gerizim
Without a name； they offered sacrifice。
Now we； who are Sidonians； beseech thee；
Who art our benefactor and our savior；
Not to confound us with these wicked Jews；
But to give royal order and injunction
To Apollonius in Samaria。
Thy governor； and likewise to Nicanor；
Thy procurator； no more to molest us；
And let our nameless temple now be named
The Temple of Jupiter Hellenius。〃
ANTIOCHUS。
This shall be done。 Full well it pleaseth me
Ye are not Jews； or are no longer Jews；
But Greeks； if not by birth； yet Greeks by custom。
Your nameless temple shall receive the name
Of Jupiter Hellenius。 Ye may go！
SCENE III。 ANTIOCHUS； JASON。
ANTIOCHUS。
My task is easier than I dreamed。 These people
Meet me half…way。 Jason； didst thou take note
How these Samaritans of Sichem said
They were not Jews？ that they were Medes and Persians；
They were Sidonians； anything but Jews？
'T is of good augury。 The rest will follow
Till the whole land is Hellenized。
JASON。
My Lord；
These are Samaritans。 The tribe of Judah
Is of a different temper； and the task
Will be more difficult。
ANTIOCHUS。
Dost thou gainsay me？
JASON。
I know the stubborn nature of the Jew。
Yesterday； Eleazer； an old man；
Being fourscore years and ten； chose rather death
By torture than to eat the flesh of swine。
ANTIOCHUS。
The life is in the blood； and the whole nation
Shall bleed to death； or it shall change its faith！
JASON。
Hundreds have fled already to the mountains
Of Ephraim； where Judas Maccabaeus
Hath raised the standard of revolt against thee。
ANTIOCHUS。
I will burn down their city； and will make it
Waste as a wilderness。 Its thoroughfares
Shall be but furrows in a field of ashes。
It shall be sown with salt as Sodom is！
This hundred and fifty…third Olympiad
Shall have a broad and blood…red sea upon it；
Stamped with the awful letters of my name；
Antiochus the God； Epiphanes！
Where are those Seven Sons？
JASON。
My Lord； they wait
Thy royal pleasure。
ANTIOCHUS。
They shall wait no longer！
ACT II。
The Dungeons in the Citadel。
SCENE I。 THE MOTHER of the SEVEN SONS alone； listening。
THE MOTHER。
Be strong； my heart！
Break not till they are dead；
All； all my Seven Sons； then burst asunder；
And let this tortured and tormented soul
Leap and rush out like water through the shards
Of earthen vessels broken at a well。
O my dear children； mine in life and death；
I know not how ye came into my womb；
I neither gave you breath； nor gave you life；
And neither was it I that formed the members
Of every one of you。 But the Creator；
Who made the world； and made the heavens above us；
Who formed the generation of mankind；
And found out the beginning of all things；
He gave you breath and life； and will again
Of his own mercy； as ye now regard
Not your own selves； but his eternal law。
I do not murmur； nay； I thank thee； God；
That I and mine have not been deemed unworthy
To suffer for thy sake； and for thy law；
And for the many sins of Israel。
Hark！ I can hear within the sound of scourges！
I feel them more than ye do； O my sons！
But cannot come to you。 I； who was wont
To wake at night at the least cry ye made；
To whom ye ran at every slightest hurt；
I cannot take you now into my lap
And soothe your pain； but God will take you all
Into his pitying arms； and comfort you；
And give you rest。
A VOICE （within）。
What wouldst thou ask of us？
Ready are we to die； but we will never
Transgress the law and customs of our fathers。
THE MOTHER。
It is the Voice of my first…born！ O brave
And noble boy！ Thou hast the privilege
Of dying first； as thou wast born the first。
THE SAME VOICE （within）。
God looketh on us； and hath comfort in us；
As Moses in his song of old declared；
He in his servants shall be comforted。
THE MOTHER。
I knew thou wouldst not fail！He speaks no more；
He is beyond all pain！
ANTIOCHUS。 （within）。
If thou eat not
Thou shalt be tortured throughout all the members
Of thy whole body。 Wilt thou eat then？
SECOND VOICE。 （within）。
No。
THE MOTHER。
It is Adaiah's voice。 I tremble for him。
I know his nature； devious as the wind；
And swift to change； gentle and yielding always。
Be steadfast； O my son！
THE SAME VOICE （within）。
Thou； like a fury；
Takest us from this present life； but God；
Who rules the world； shall raise us up again
Into life everlasting。
THE MOTHER。
God； I thank thee
That thou hast breathed into that timid heart
Courage to die for thee。 O my Adaiah；
Witness of God！ if thou for whom I feared
Canst thus encounter death； I need not fear；
The others will not shrink。
THIRD VOICE （within）。
Behold these hands
Held out to thee； O King Antiochus；
Not to implore thy mercy； but to show
That I despise them。 He who gave them to me
Will give them back again。
THE MOTHER。
O Avilan；
It is thy voice。 For the last time I hear it；
For the last time on earth； but not the last。
To death it bids defiance and to torture。
It sounds to me as from another world；
And makes the petty miseries of this
Seem unto me as naught； and less than naught。
Farewell； my Avilan； nay； I should say
Welcome； my Avilan； for I am dead
Before thee。 I am waiting for the others。
Why do they linger？
FOURTH VOICE （within）。
It is good； O King；
Being put to death by men； to look for hope
From God； to be raised up again by him。
But thouno resurrection shalt thou have
To life hereafter。
THE MOTHER。
Four！ already four！
Three are still living； nay； they all are living；
Half here； half there。 Make haste； Antiochus；
To reunite us；
