the complete poetical works-第190节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Of my superior virtue； nor denied
The weakness of my nature； that hath made me
Subservient to the will of other men。
JUDAS。
Upon this day； the five and twentieth day
Of the month Caslan； was the Temple here
Profaned by strangers；by Antiochus
And thee； his instrument。 Upon this day
Shall it be cleansed。 Thou； who didst lend thyself
Unto this profanation； canst not be
A witness of these solemn services。
There can be nothing clean where thou art present。
The people put to death Callisthenes；
Who burned the Temple gates； and if they find thee
Will surely slay thee。 I will spare thy life
To punish thee the longer。 Thou shalt wander
Among strange nations。 Thou； that hast cast out
So many from their native land； shalt perish
In a strange land。 Thou； that hast left so many
Unburied； shalt have none to mourn for thee；
Nor any solemn funerals at all；
Nor sepulchre with thy fathers。Get thee hence！
（Music。 Procession of Priests and people；
with citherns； harps； and cymbals。 JUDAS
MACCABAEUS puts himself at their
head； and they go into the inner courts。）
SCENE III。 JASON； alone。
JASON。
Through the Gate Beautiful I see them come
With branches and green boughs and leaves of palm；
And pass into the inner courts。 Alas！
I should be with them； should be one of them；
But in an evil hour； an hour of weakness；
That cometh unto all； I fell away
From the old faith； and did not clutch the new；
Only an outward semblance of belief；
For the new faith I cannot make mine own；
Not being born to it。 It hath no root
Within me。 I am neither Jew nor Greek；
But stand between them both； a renegade
To each in turn； having no longer faith
In gods or men。 Then what mysterious charm；
What fascination is it chains my feet；
And keeps me gazing like a curious child
Into the holy places； where the priests
Have raised their altar？Striking stones together；
They take fire out of them； and light the lamps
In the great candlestick。 They spread the veils；
And set the loaves of showbread on the table。
The incense burns； the well…remembered odor
Comes wafted unto me； and takes me back
To other days。 I see myself among them
As I was then； and the old superstition
Creeps over me again！A childish fancy！
And hark！ they sing with citherns and with cymbals；
And all the people fall upon their faces；
Praying and worshipping！I will away
Into the East； to meet Antiochus
Upon his homeward journey； crowned with triumph。
Alas！ to…day I would give everything
To see a friend's face； or to hear a voice
That had the slightest tone of comfort in it！
ACT V。
The Mountains of Ecbatana。
SCENE I。 ANTIOCHUS； PHILIP； ATTENDANTS。
ANTIOCHUS。
Here let us rest awhile。 Where are we； Philip？
What place is this？
PHILIP。
Ecbatana； my Lord；
And yonder mountain range is the Orontes。
ANTIOCHUS。
The Orontes is my river at Antioch。
Why did I leave it？ Why have I been tempted
By coverings of gold and shields and breastplates
To plunder Elymais； and be driven
From out its gates； as by a fiery blast
Out of a furnace？
PHILIP。
These are fortune's changes。
ANTIOCHUS。
What a defeat it was！ The Persian horsemen
Came like a mighty wind； the wind Khamaseen；
And melted us away； and scattered us
As if we were dead leaves； or desert sand。
PHILIP。
Be comforted； my Lord； for thou hast lost
But what thou hadst not。
ANTIOCHUS。
I； who made the Jews
Skip like the grasshoppers； am made myself
To skip among these stones。
PHILIP。
Be not discouraged。
Thy realm of Syria remains to thee；
That is not lost nor marred。
ANTIOCHUS。
O； where are now
The splendors of my court； my baths and banquets？
Where are my players and my dancing women？
Where are my sweet musicians with their pipes；
That made me merry in the olden time？
I am a laughing…stock to man and brute。
The very camels； with their ugly faces；
Mock me and laugh at me。
PHILIP。
Alas！ my Lord；
It is not so。 If thou wouldst sleep awhile；
All would be well。
ANTIOCHUS。
Sleep from mine eyes is gone；
And my heart faileth me for very care。
Dost thou remember； Philip； the old fable
Told us when we were boys； in which the bear
Going for honey overturns the hive；
And is stung blind by bees？ I am that beast；
Stung by the Persian swarms of Elymais。
PHILIP。
When thou art come again to Antioch
These thoughts will be as covered and forgotten
As are the tracks of Pharaoh's chariot…wheels
In the Egyptian sands。
ANTIOCHUS。
Ah！ when I come
Again to Antioch！ When will that be？
Alas！ alas！
SCENE II ANTIOCHUS； PHILIP； A MESSENGER
MESSENGER。
May the King live forever！
ANTIOCHUS。
Who art thou； and whence comest thou？
MESSENGER。
My Lord；
I am a messenger from Antioch；
Sent here by Lysias。
ANTIOCHUS。
A strange foreboding
Of something evil overshadows me。
I am no reader of the Jewish Scriptures；
I know not Hebrew； but my High…Priest Jason；
As I remember； told me of a Prophet
Who saw a little cloud rise from the sea
Like a man's hand and soon the heaven was black
With clouds and rain。 Here； Philip； read； I cannot；
I see that cloud。 It makes the letters dim
Before mine eyes。
PHILIP （reading）。
〃To King Antiochus；
The God； Epiphanes。〃
ANTIOCHUS。
O mockery！
Even Lysias laughs at me！Go on； go on。
PHILIP （reading）。
〃We pray thee hasten thy return。 The realm
Is falling from thee。 Since thou hast gone from us
The victories of Judas Maccabaeus
Form all our annals。 First he overthrew
Thy forces at Beth…horon； and passed on；
And took Jerusalem； the Holy City。
And then Emmaus fell； and then Bethsura；
Ephron and all the towns of Galaad；
And Maccabaeus marched to Carnion。〃
ANTIOCHUS。
Enough； enough！ Go call my chariot…men；
We will drive forward； forward； without ceasing；
Until we come to Antioch。 My captains；
My Lysias； Gorgias； Seron； and Nicanor；
Are babes in battle； and this dreadful Jew
Will rob me of my kingdom and my crown。
My elephants shall trample him to dust；
I will wipe out his nation； and will make
Jerusalem a common burying…place；
And every home within its walls a tomb！
（Throws up his hands； and sinks into the
arms of attendants； who lay him upon
a bank。）
PHILIP。
Antiochus！ Antiochus！ Alas；
The King is ill！ What is it； O my Lord？
ANTIOCHUS。
Nothing。 A sudden and sharp spasm of pain；
As if the lightning struck me； or the knife
Of an assassin smote me to the heart。
'T is passed； even as it came。 Let us set forward。
PHILIP。
See that the chariots be in readiness
We will depart forthwith。
ANTIOCHUS。
A moment more。
I cannot stand。 I am become at once
Weak as an infant。 Ye will have to lead me。
Jove； or Jehovah； or whatever name
Thou wouldst be named；it is alike to me；
If I knew how to pray； I would entreat
To live a little longer。
PHILIP。
O my Lord；
Thou shalt not die； we will not let thee die！
ANTIOCHUS。
How canst thou help it； Philip？ O the pain！
Stab after stab。 Thou hast no shield against
This unseen weapon。 God of Israel；
Since all the other gods abandon me；
Help me。 I will release the Holy City。
Garnish with goodly gifts the Holy Temple。
Thy people； whom I judged to be unworthy
To be so much as buried； shall be equal
Unto the citizens of Antioch。
I will become a Jew； and will declare
Through all the world that is inhabited
The power of God！
PHILIP。
He faints。 It is like death。
Bring here the royal litter。 We will bear him
In to the camp； while yet he lives。
ANTIOCHUS。
O Philip；
Into what tribulation am I come！
Alas！ I now remember all the evil
That I have done the Jews； and for this cause
These troubles are upon me； and behold
I perish through great grief in a strange land。
PHILIP。
Antiochus！ my King！
ANTIOCHUS。
Nay； King no longer。
Take thou my royal robes； my signet…ring；
My crown and sceptre； and deliver them
Unto my son； Antiochus Eupator；
And unto the good Jews； my citizens；
In all my towns； say that their dying monarch
Wisheth them joy； prosperity； and health。
I who； puffed up with pride and arrogance；
Thought all the kingdoms of the earth mine own；
If I would but outstretch my hand and take them；
Meet face to face a greater potentate；
King DeathEpiphanesthe Illustrious！
＇Dies。
*****
MICHAEL ANGELO
Michel； piu che mortal； Angel divino。 ARIOSTO。
Similamente operando all' artista
ch' a l'abito dell' arte e man che trema。 DANTE； Par。 xiii。；
st。 77。
DEDICATION。
Nothing that is shall perish utterly；
But perish only to revive again
In other forms； as clouds restore in rain
The exhalations of the land and se
