He has
deceived
you all !
Krasinski - The Undivine Comedy
Where are our temples, churches, kingdom, power?
Can unseen men control the visible world?
Victor. Corintliian sophist, whom would you deceive?
"My kingdom is not of this world," said Christ.
Simeon. Ah ! wherefore did I leave my burning sands?
There the Creator I adored ; and here
I hate the creature !
Victor. Son !
Simeon. A voice I hear
Often at night urges me ever on !
Can such things be but lying prophecies?
Victor. A sliort time since, and you were of the elect,
One of the chosen children of the church : —
And will you crucify your Lord anew?
IRIDION. 405
Metella. Bow low your heads ! I hear his footsteps
ring
As they descend the golden stairs from Heaven !
{Enter Iridion. )
Immortal youth is on his glorious brow !
{She throws herself at his feet. )
I told them, Lord, that thou wouldst surely come !
CHORUS OF PRIESTS {to Iridioti).
Go ! Heretic!
Victor. The brimming cup of mercy
Once by thy angel held, is now exhausted.
Iridion. I'll fill it up anew with Roman blood !
Who swore to come, and broke his plighted oath?
Simeon of Corinth, — perjured before God !
Who let their arms fall from their sinewy hands,
Licking the dust, feeding on broken vows?
You, Brothers ! . . . Yet at this hour proud Caesar falls,
And all the gods of the idolaters
Wait but the resurrection of the saints
To vanish from the face of earth forever !
Ha ! Are ye men? Then leave the old, the dead,
To sit among their tombs till time is o'er; —
Men, follow me, and you shall surely conquer 1
Strike boldly, and proclaim the triune God !
Come ! You shall see the star seen by the kings
When Christ was born, — it leads to victory I
Christ will be born anew in thousand souls
Which else would never know Him ! You shall hear
Again the archangel's song, ringing through Heaven !
Sifneon. I stretch my arms to thee, Hieronymus !
CHORUS.
Beg Victor !
Iridion. Father !
Victor. Nay, this day you have lost
Your Heavenly Father I
Iridion. Old man !
Victor. You'll never live
To reach my age !
35
4o6 IRIDION.
Metella {to Iridion). Forgive the old man, Lord !
He knows not what he says ! To arms ! To arms !
Iridion. Thou only hast remained still faithful to me ;
But fate this hour forsakes thee too, Metella !
Victor. My sons ! A sign from Heaven will be given,
That you may turn from sin and be forgiven,
Saved by the intercession of your Shepherd.
{To Metella. ') Thou who wert ever wont to be the first
At the Lord's table, though to-day the last.
Approach, that I may place my hands upon thy brow !
Metella. Metellus' daughter once was dear to thee;
Father, she comes, — what wouldst thou with her now?
Victor {elevating the chalice). Metella, kneel before
the Blood of the Lord !
Metella {turning round and kneeling before Iridion).
Father, I kneel before the Lord Himself!
{A priest hands holy zvafer to Victor. )
Victor. Spirit ! proceeding from the Father, Son !
Deign to renew thy dwelling in this soul
Wandering from Thee ! . . . As in the hour of baptism,
{He makes the sign of the Cross upon Metella'' s broiu. )
Again I bless thee, consecrate thy brow !
CHORUS.
Sleep overcomes the virgin ! Her head sinks,
And the long lashes droop so \vearily !
Victor {to the priests). Surround ! support her in your
arms ! She faints !
Metella. To arms ! To arms !
Victor. Be silent, evil spirit
Wlio speakest through her voice, and drivest her mad !
I bind thee by tlie mighty sign of the Cross,
And with the strong word, Jesus, I command
Thee, Liar, Fiend, wliatever be thy name
Or power, — release her soul, and quit her body !
Metella. A hundred sighs are wailing through my
breast !
A hundred curses, — none of them my own !
Victor. Yield, Demon ! Go !
Metella. Save me I oh, save !
I RID ION. 407
Iridioti. Here ! Here !
Within my arms !
Metella. Earth, open 'neath my feet !
Hide me forever from his fatal gaze !
Iridion. Metella, thou art mine ! Mine ! only
mine !
Metella. Where is Metella? . . . Do not call her
thus ! . . .
She loved and trusted thee . . . is lost forever ! . . .
I hear wild laughter ! . . . laughter which tears the
earth ! . . .
Black phantoms hover, — circle round my head !
Back ! Back !
Iridion {making his way through the priests). Out of
my way ! Give her to me !
Brothers, we'll tear the maid from the hands of her mur-
derers !
Metella. Whose voice is that ? . . . Ah ! I have
heard it oft ! . . .
Yes, she was mild and so sincere ! She loved
Thee once so well ! Thou wert so beautiful !
Calledst her "unfortunate"! . . . Thy voice was
sweet . . .
Thou saidst to her, " My glory shall be thine ! "
Victor. Apage Satanas !
Metella {to Iridioii). Approach me not !
Fly from me ! Fly ! Thousands of dusky wings
Float over thee ! . . .
Where is the Lord, my God?
Victor {holding the crucifix before her). Here, daughter !
Here!
Metella. Press it upon my lips ! {She kisses the cruci-
fix. ) Forgive ! Forgive !
Victor. Dost thou renounce the evil spirit ? . . . Speak !
Metella. Yes, I renounce him! {She falls. ) He has
deceived me, Brothers !
He has deceived you all !
CHORUS.
Thou grow'st so pale !
White Rose, thou sink'st to earth, to rise no more 1
4o8 IRIDION.
Metella. The Judgment of the Lord is now upon
me ! . . .
I die . . . but hark ! I die . . . die in the Lord !
{She drags herself on to the feet of Victor. ^
Bless me, my Father ! Press me to thy heart !
Father, defend thy agonizing child !
It grows so cold ! so wild ! so terrible !
So dark ! Father, I cannot see thee more !
Victor. Daughter, depart in peace! Thy penitence
Hath saved thee !
Iridion. Oh ! tear thyself away, my love,
From that cold breast in which there throbs no heart !
Metella, come to me !
Metella {turning her face to Iridion). Ah ! I forgive
thee all !
Adore Christ only, Hieronymus !
Victor {leaning over her). Dost thou still hear me,
daughter? Answer me !
Metella. I breathe the breath of roses, — violets . . .
{She dies. )
CHORUS OF CHRISTIANS.
Father, pray for us to the Invisible !
Whate'er thou loosest on earth, is loosed in Heaven !
He who deceived us totters and turns pale!
Iridion. Shame ! Were a woman's words your only
trust ?
Did you take up the sword at her command?
Because these miserable dotards here
Have killed her, will you then forsake our cause,
Desert me, and your God? What, silent all?
Shame lays a weiglit as heavy on your lips
As stones upon the dead ! Follow me, men !
Simeon. I tear my clothing, ])ierce my heart to find
The truth ! Let my life perish with my dream I
Iridion. Slave of these dotards, dar'st thou speak to
me?
Accursed ! 'twas thou betrayedest her to these priests I
Victor. I excommunicate thee from the church !
Whoe'er shall touch thy hand will be unclean !
And he who listens to thy dangerous words
IRIDION. 409
Shall have no place at the table of the Lord !
Go ! Go ! Thy name was Hieronymus !
{Enter a messenger. ')
CHORUS OF PRIESTS {Jo messenger).
The Lord be with thee !
A Priest. Julian, thou bringest news?
Messenger {kneeling before Victor'). Mammea begs your
prayers ! Her son has pressed
Into the city ; fights upon the Forum.
Iridion. Time has outstripped me— men betrayed —
and gods deceived !
{He tears a Cross from under his armor. )
Take back your symbol of eternal life !
Who that has lived on earth would live again ?
{He dashes the Cross on the steps of the altar. )
Look ! how it shatters on the altar's steps !
Cowards, live on !
{He goes. ^
Barbarians. Stop ! stop ! we will be true !
We'll march with you,— Jesus may judge us after !
Iridion. Then cry aloud: "Odin and Crimhild! "
Come !
{Exeunt Iridion and Barbarians. ')
Victor. Christians, put up your prayers for Alexander !
He will be Csesar.
SCENE V. The street of tombs along the walls of Rome.
Enter soldiers of Iridion, bearing in Verres, wounded.
Scattered groups of men are seen from time to time flying
across the background.
Verres. Your torch seems tripled by my swimming
eyes :
Greek, read the inscription on this monument !
Soldier {reads). Diis manibus Attilii Verres bis con-
sulis . . .
Verres. Enough ; lay me beside my ancestor !
35*
4IO
IRIDION.
Bid me good-night, for though the dawn is near,
Verres will never see the sun again !
(Iridion appears on the opposite side, asce7iding from the
catacombs. He is first seen amid the ruins of a large
monument, accofnpanied by the Barbariafis. )
Iridion. The hues of morning mock me, painting flame
And fire upon the sky, — Rome yet unscathed !
{To the barbarians. ) Unbrace the axes from your gir-
dles, friends !
(Zr<? moves forward. ) Speak ! who art thou supported by
this tomb?
Verres. Is it a dying dream, or do I hear
Iridion's voice. Say, is it dream or truth?
Iridion. Truth. I am here. I hope you are not
hurt !
Verres. Approach ! You know a sign was promised
me ;
I waited for it like a famished wolf;
It never came, — and I began without it.
Behind yon pyramid, 'midst smoke and embers,
I met Rupilius, throttled him in the ashes.
The people fell upon us shouting " Severus ! "
And I received the wound from which I die.
Atropos' shears cut rapidly my life-thread !
The dawn grows brighter — but my life goes out —
I am the last of the Verres — Rome still stands —
{He dies. )
Iridion. All efforts to restore him are in vain ;
His debt to Fate is paid ! The last of the Verres !
Revenge him. Brothers ! Join with the troops I bring !
{A slave rushes by. )
Halt ! tell us whence you fly so rapidly ?
Slave. Last from the Forum. Do not stop me,
pray !
Iridion. In other days I gave you to my sister ;
You sang blind Homer to me when a boy.
But yesterday you clasped my chlamys for me
In Caisar's Hall — and yet you do not know me !
Slave. My noble Lord 1 {He kneels. )
Iridion. I left you with my sister.
IRIDION. 411
Whom you swore to defend with your own life.
Spare me no anguish ! tell me quickly all !
Slave. Scarce had the stars shone down through half
the night,
When suddenly the legions of Severus,
Shouting, plunged down upon the Palatine.
The livelong night with fury Scipio fought 3
I heard him raging like an angry wolf,
His men defending, driving back the foe.
You know you stationed me in Caesar's room.
Eutychian, pale with fear, ran to and fro
Without cessation. Thy sister came but once:
" Euphorion ? " she said. I answered her:
" Command ! I will obey ! O Elsinoe ! "
She made me no reply, gliding away
Divinely calm and beautiful as ever !
A melancholy splendor lit her brow,
Unearthly light, like midnight strewn with stars,
As if already floating o'er the waves of Styx !
Without, the cries grew ever more tumultuous.
Eutychian could bear his fright no longer;
Shivering, he rushed into the Hall of Porphyry,
And, leaning o'er the balustrade, he cried :
" The Greek betrays us ! Ay ! He has betrayed us !
His sister is a traitor ! She betrays us ! "
Maddened with terror then I heard him cry:
" The Emperor and Greek will burn the city !
Pardon me, Romans ! I am not in fault ! "
Aristomachus thundered from afar
Of Alexander's magnanimity.
Of recompense, forgiveness, and rewards ;
But when he ceased to speak, wild groans arose
Under the flashing of his keen-edged sword !
When his blade rested, he again deceived
Our people with his treacherous promises !
The praetorians then revolted, would obey
Neither centurions nor tribunes more : —
The threats of Scipio were hurled in vain ;
The fight ceased in the gardens, and they rushed
Precipitately in, storming the palace!
Then I ran to thy sister ; I had sworn
412
IRIDION.
To defend her with my life, to die for her !
Caesar, with haggard looks, leaned on his couch ;
He had attached his pendants as High-Priest
To his imperial diadem: he held
In the one hand the knife of sacrifice,
A jeweled cup of poison in the other.
But without courage to destroy himself.
He heaved long sighs, lamented, sobbed and wept;
Sometimes was silent; suddenly would break
Into voluptuous songs, as rocked in rapturous dreams.
Upon a throne of gold thy sister sat,
Glittering with gems and robed in royal purple,
In utter silence, and divinely calm.
The first — the second door are rudely shattered —
The third door crashes in — voices and tumult —
The tramp of men — the clash of ringing steel —
I cover Elsinoe with my body —
Iridion. Your hand !
Eiipho7-ioti. Hundreds of lances tear away
The separating curtains, — troops rush in,
Led by Aristomachus, crying loudly :
"Murder and rob! Vengeance for all our wrongs! "
The Emperor springs upon them like a tiger, —
Soon running o'er with blood, retreats — back — back —
And falls at last among his cherished roses!
A living wall of swords obstructs my sight —
I cannot see him through the glittering veil —
I hear the blades break through his shattered breast!
When the wall falls — I see his jeweled hands —
Severed — there lies his diadem-crowned head!
