No More Learning

Make it as cold and inaccessible
As the shrine of ice in which thy mother knelt
When Odin's prophecies thrilled through her lips !

Ehinoe. Iridion, pity me, — poor helpless orphan !

Iridion. Give C? esar no repose upon thy breast !
Startle him constantly with frightful cries
That the Preetorians arm. Patricians rise,
The People storm his gates, will murder him !
Affright him more and more each passing hour,
Suck the young life-blood from his girlish heart,
And drive his craven soul with terror mad.
Come, Elsinoe {He lays his hand upon her head), closer

to me cling,
Rest thy long sunny curls upon my heart.
In thirst of vengeance did thy life begin,
And in that hope hast thou reached womanhood.
Doomed from thy birth to ruin and disgrace !
Kneel, sister! kneel before Amphilochus,
While here I consecrate thee to his Shade: —
Father, behold and bless the innocent victim !

Elsinoe. Voices from Erebus are floating round !
The air is dark with shadows! Mother ! Come !
{The women surround Elsinoe and robe her. )

CHORUS OF WOMEN.

Why tremble thy white limbs as winds the veil?
Why pants thy heart beneath the purple bands
Girding its snow? Why clutch the bridal wreath
With grasp so wild and fierce ? Thy brow is broad,
Fit for an Empress in its regal sweep;
Why whiter than the lilies is its pallor?

Iridion. Help ! Help ! She faints !
Masinissa. Fear not, — she will not die !

26



298



IRIDION.



She but begins to live as she must live.
See how her lips writhe and foam with some strange pas-
sion !

Elsinoe. I leave the threshold of my sires ; but may
Not bear away with me my Fathers' gods !
{She crushes the my7-tle wreath. ') I crush my virgin

wreath, unsullied, pure,
In the dim ashes of the hearth of home !
My father doomed me ere my wretched birth ;
My brother drives me forth to infamy ;
Alas ! I never, never can return !
Haste, mother ! pray to Odin for thy child !
Ask not for life for the unfortunate,
But pray for inspiration, gift of prophecy !
Already whirls it through my burning brain !
No mortal children ever will be born
From this doomed breast. . . . O mother, show me

more !
The Future will be generated there, —
Rome trusting in my love, and sleeping in my arms !
(^Enter Eutychian, Prefect of the Prcetorians, leading a

band of Ethiopians in scarlet, who bear presents, which

they place at the feet of ElsinoJe. )

Eutychian. The holy, blessed Emperor, Augustus,
High-Priest and Tribune, Consul, greeting sends
To the son of great Amphilochus, the Greek.
To Elsinoe, the Divine, he sends
A hundred shells of purple, a hundred cups
Of amethyst, a hundred strings of pearls.

Elsifioe. Courage, O mother, in my martyrdom !

Jridion. All now is over !
{He takes Elsinoe by the hand and leads her to Eutychian. )
Bear my sister hence !

Eutychian. The ivory chariot waits for Fortune's
child!

Jridion. As gift to Caesar I will send my band
Of gladiators ; Elsinoe loves
To see their skill. Go ! they will follow her.
( The ivonicn surround Elsinoe and bear her aruay, escorted

by Eutychian and the Ethiopians. After their exit, Iri-



I RID I on: 299

dion strikes the shield. His band of gladiators enters.
They ivear black tunics edged with scarlet, their arms
and legs are bflre, atid they carry naked swords. )

CHORUS OF GLADIATORS.

Are there wild beasts to throttle, men to kill ?
Or Will thy sister need our deadly skill?

Iridion. Brothers, Barbarians and Greeks, whom I
Have rescued from the bloody jaws of Rome,
Go with the sunny-haired ; give life for her;
Be true until the Day of Vengeance dawns !

Euphorion {chief of the gladiators'). Until our bodies,
rolled in sand and blood,
Lie prostrate in the arena, gashed and scarred.
They're lithe, strong, active, sworn to serve thee, Greek !

Iridion. I trust my sister to your valiant arms, —
Obey her as you would Iridion !
Hear you the sound of the retreating steps?
O'ertake them, follow to the imperial hall.
And in the Emperor greet your present Lord.

( The gladiators retire, waving their swords. )

CHORUS OF GLADIATORS.

Gods, may he perish ! die before his hour !
Iridion ! Long live Iridion !

{Exeunt gladiators. )
Iridion. Ye murderers of Hellas, of the world,
Ye sons of falsehood and of perfidy,
I've sacrificed to you a spotless virgin !
Immortal Gods, wherever you may be,
Hearken my prayer ! Grant she may be the last.
Except myself, thrown to the Roman wolf!
Among so many miserable wretches
Driven by threats and tortures from their country,
Let me be last of all the writhing victims, —
Forgotten after death and martyrdom !

{Exeunt. )



300 IRIDIOAL

SCENE II. A hall in the palace of Heliogabalus.
Heliogabalus, Alexander Severus, Mammea, sol-
diers, retainers, slaves, etc. Heliogabalus is robed
with great splendor.

Heliogabalus {to Alexander^. Cousin, it is with me a
festal hour,
The Greek girl hither comes a bride this day.

Alexander {starting). What ! Elsinoe? Has she given
consent ?
I thought Iridion scorned and liated Rome.

Heliogabalus. Could she refuse ? Why, she will Em-
press be,
My senate name her Goddess — as she is !

Alexander {aside). My ears deceive me, or I hear
strange sounds ; —
The moans of shame, the sobs of wild despair,
Strife, tumult, death, seem floating in the air.

(EuTYCHiAN enters and bows before the Emperor. )
Eutychian. The gold-haired Greek is in the ivory
chariot
At your gate. By Mithras, how she queens it !
Her maidens she dismissed . . .

Heliogabalus. Escort her here !

She comes, my goddess, with her sunny hair.
{He moves joyously for^vard, as if to meet Elsinoe, but starts
back in surprise as the gladiators of Iridion, with draivn
swords, enter. They approach and salute the Emperor,
who clutches Eutychian in his sudden fright. )
Heliogabalus. Where is the Greek? Who are these

savage men ?
Eutychian {laughing hoarsely). A present from Iridion
to the Bride !
It seems our Empress loves to watch their skill ;
Her brother sends them greeting in her train.
{As he speahs, the entering ranks of gladiators open and El-
sinoe appears in their midst. She is magnificently attired
in the Greek costume, but bands of the imperial purple
cross her breast. She wears the ivreath of bridal roses,
but the long veil is throion backward, and the haughty



IRIDION.



301



face quite uncovered. The Ethiopians of Heliogabalus
file in after the gladiators. Elsino'c stands in their midst,
with perfect self-possession, but her eyelashes suddenly
droop on perceiving Alexander. )

Mainmea {aside to Alexander'). See how she stands,
like a Diana pale,

But shows no terror, no obeisance makes.

Ah ! now her fringing lashes fall to veil

The deep-blue eyes, unused to meet the gaze

Of men.

Heliogabalus. Fair daughter of Amphilochus,

Approach, and fill a throne worthy your charms !

Alexander {aside to Mammea'). Look, mother, now
the hot blood dyes her cheek !

How haughtily she lifts her golden head

As if already Empress ! See the flame

Indignant flashing from her dazzling eyes

As Caesar calls her to him ! She neither stirs

Nor speaks; as fierce and motionless as the Greek gods !

Ice flashing fire — fire curdling into ice !

Heliogabalus. Mammea, lead her to the inner room.

All unaccustomed to be seen by men.

Immured within the Gyneceum's bounds.

The maiden would have greater privacy ;

And I must seek to soothe this startled fawn.

Eutychian, marshal the prsetorian guard,

And house the gladiators with my slaves.

Fling the sestercii freely to the crowd,

And bid them shout the Emperor's coming bliss !

Good-night, fair friends ! the Empress will receive

You as befits her state to-morrow morn.

{Heliogabalus approaches Elsino'c, who remains haughtily
immovable, but accepts the proffered hand of Mammea.
The Ethiopians tnake a profound obeisance to the Empe-
ror as they leave the hall, preceded by Eutychian. ')

Euphorion {leader of the gladiators, kneelitig before Elsino'c).

Do we depart to rest, or watch near thee?

Elsino'c. Depart ! I'll learn to conquer fate alone !

{On a signal from Elsino'c, the gladiators follow Euphorion.
Exeunt Mammea, leading Elsino'c, Heliogabalus, Alex-
ander, slaves, and retainers. )
26*



302



IRIDION.



SCENE III. 77/1? hall of Amphilochus, as in Scene I.
Iridion is alone, reclining upon a couch.

Jriciion. My sister ! It is bitter to my soul, —
But Rome must perish, or all men be slaves !

Masinissa {entering). Still sighing, Sigurd ? Calm
thee, king of men !

Iridion (springing to his feet). Call me not Sigurd, or
give me the waves
Of the old sea-kings ! Give me but the men
Who fought with my brave ancestors of yore,
And not a shred remains of Caesar's purple !
But my path lies through Darkness ! If I stretch
My arm, it meets with barriers strong as iron,
Yet movable and lithe as serpents are;
And I must crawl among them, and not strike, —
Creep without force or life, — I scorn myself!

Masinissa. Trust in the baseness, weakness of man-
kind !
Fate brought you here, and placed you at the gates
Of crumbling Rome : use the new forms of power
To combat with the rotting Past, of which
You are no part. Now is the time to act !
There will be time to weep hereafter . . . time . . .

Iridion. Shame ! Shame upon the Nazarenes who fall
Like beasts, rather than fight and die like men !
They hold me back, and . . .

Masinissa.
Alexander is

Forever plotting with their subtle priests.
He will dethrone the Emperor, seize the crown,
Bring in the Christians, make their faith the law;
Then Rome will rule to the last centuries !

Iridion. By Odin, no ! He never shall be Caesar !

Masinissa. The catacombs decide the fate of Rome.
You bear the Christian seal upon your brow,
And feed with them upon their mysteries;
Inspire them with vengeance in the name
Of their own Crucified, still unavenged.
Ask where His altars arc, His reign o'er earth !
Fire, arm, and lead them ! When they wield the
sword



IRIDION.



303



Forbidden them, then, O my son, my spirit
Shall be with you !

{He approaches Iridion atid leans upon his shoulder. ')
Iridion, remember you the night
In which your dying father said to me :
" I trust my son to you, with my one thoughf^ ?
You swore to give up hope, love, happiness,
And live alone for vengeance.
Then bending over him, as now o'er you,
I said to him : " Amphilochus, when thou
Shalt meet the Shades to whom thou art descending,
And ask of Masinissa, they will tell thee.
He ne'er forsakes those he has sworn to follow ;
Once his, they are his forever !
Amphilochus ! Thyself, thy son, and I,
Will be united in a trinity
Which never can be parted ! "

Iridion. Yes, thus it passed ; he died in the same hour :
But Elsinoe was with me, and wept
Within my arms !

Masitiissa. Now I repeat to you
The words then said : " Believe and trust in me ! "
Together upon earth — in the Hereafter —
Before Rome's ruin — after its certain fall —
We will be one forever and forever !

Iridiofi. Waves of resolve stream from thy withered
breast
And give me force ! Give me thy hand, old man !
Together upon earth — in the iiereafter —
Before Rome's ruin — after her agony —
We will be one forever and forever 1

i^He throws hijfise/fai the base of the statue of Amphilochus. )
Yes, it befell in such an hour as this.
With Elsinoe weeping in my arms, — ■
Sad, large as setting stars, the dying eyes
Of Hermes gazed upon me, — then I swore . . .
{Shouting and acclaim heard without. ')
{He starts to his feet. )
Hark ! Hearest thou that frightful, brutal cry?
Caesar throws gold to keep his bridal feast ]



3^4



IRIDION.



They shout and share his rapture !
Innocent victim ! Elsinoe ! Gods !

{He wraps his head in the folds of his toga. ')
Away, old man ! I must be left alone
With the wild hell that rages in my heart !



ACT II.

SCENE I. A temple in the vaults beneath the capital.
A golden-rayed statue of Mithras. Music is heard
approaching, and again dying away in the distance.
Priests and augurs ? nove in procession. Heliogabalus,
robed as a High-Priest of the Sun, enters with Elsinoe.
After the passing of the procession they remain alone.

Heliogabalus. Thou seest my power, O haughty

nymph ! I hold
Communion with the God of Light, the Stars,
The Genii of the Night: the High-Priests of the East
Adore my gifts and wonder at my words.

Elsinoe. The daughter of the North, of clouds and

winds,
Feels naught but scorn for weak, voluptuous gods
Immersed in perfume, lulled by the soft lute,
Sprinkled with blood of d^er, or new-born babes.
Tlie diamond sun upon thy purple breast
Com|)ares not with the light of my own North
Flashing from ice and snow and javelined men.

Heliogabalus. Fair serpent whom I love, what wouldst

thou more ?
Elsinoe. Odin, my mother's god, lives in the North.
Fearless, immovable, he stands through storms.
Frost, winds, because he is of rock and glittering steel.
He holds in his strong hands a foaming cup
Filled with the blood of heroes.
His throne is set upon the craggy cliffs,
From whence he looks far o'er the Sea of the North,



IRIDION.



305



Whose icy mirror breaks beneath his feet.

He is the god of warriors, — not of trembling boys !

{She picks up a wreath of hyacinths afid throivs it upon

Heliogabahis. )
Go, withered flowers, and grace a marrowless stalk ! —
The child of the Cimbrian Priestess ne'er can love
A weak, effeminate son of luxury.

{She attempts to go. )

Heliogabalus. Stay ! By the mysteries of Baal, stay !
I am High-Priest ! The Delian Apollo is
Less beautiful than I. The legion chose
Me Caesar for my faultless face and form.
I am Augustus,' Antoninus, and
Aurelius, Lord of Rome, India, and Africa !
Why stand'st thou silent? Why that piercing look?
I've showered upon thee ear-rings, bracelets, gems,
Purple and precious sapphires; set thee feasts,
Richer than ever dreamed by the beloved
Of Sardanapalus ; a hundred lions fought
Before thee yesterday ; I've sent away
Thy rivals from my palace, — the fair nymphs
Who loved me, — yet thou art still immovable,
Colder than marble ; glittering, hard as steel !

Elsinoe. Boy, fed on peacocks' livers, brains of
birds,
Thou vexest me ! Valhalla is my home,
Where my bold fathers sit on steel-girt thrones;
Each foot placed on the coffin of a foe !
Thy childish words disturb my distant thoughts,
Arrest my mystic visions. What canst thou wish.
Or what require from me? The hour is late ;
'Twere better I should pray to my stern gods.
Farewell, Augustus ! Caesar ! Antonine !

Heliogabalus. O sunny-haired ! most lovely ! exqui-
site !
I do implore thee, stay ! I tremble, gasp ;
See how I die, shivering at thy cold feet !
Nor god nor goddess ever saw before
Such clouds of golden hair, such bosom fair,
Such deep-blue eyes, — I do entreat thee, stay !



3o6



IRIDION.



Ehitioe. Wild boy, be still ! I hear my mother's
voice :
It pierces through these vaults.

Heliogabalus. I'd lay me down

Upon the altar's steps to kiss the tips
Of thy white feet !

(ylle approaches Elsinoe, who repulses him. ^
Elsinoe. No. I want iron arms, and manly lips
That chant a fearful hymn of blood and death 1
Slave of the praetors, seek the praetorians !

Heliogabalus. Accursed nymph, bitter shall be thy
end !
I'll have thee nailed upon a cross, and ask
All Rome to see thee suffer, writhe and die ! . . •

goddess, if too beautiful for man,

If Caesar's self is not sufficient for thee,

Mithras shall have thee ! Thou shalt be the Bride

Of the great Sun Himself! I can do this,

For I am able to do all I will !

Stay but a moment with me, even if

Thou wilt no nearer come !

I'm happier if I may but see thy face.

1 am so wretched ! Still so fair and young.
So eager for delight, yet round me stand
Treason, blood, doom and death ! Already life
Disgusts, and Fate is maddening me ! The ends
Of the earth are mine ; yet they avail me nothing !
The consecrated incense, breath of flowers.

The light of Mithras, blood of beasts, of men,
Charm Heliogabalus no more !

Dost hear?
Say, wilt thou love, or wilt thou drive me mad?
Wilt see me die here at thy cold, soft feet ?
Come, Elsinoe, we are both so young.
So fair, so weary, so unfortunate!
Here near thee, I will with thee, hand in hand.
And cheek to cheek, now go to sleep !

Elsinoe. Then sleep, —

Sleej) till the centurions come to murder Cassar !
Unhappy boy ! What arms, what strength hast thou?
With these weak fingers, white and soft as wax.



IRIDION. 307

HoAv canst thon grasp the handle of a sword ?
Rest ! I will go and ask my gods if aid
May yet be found for thee.

{Exeiint Elsinoe. ')

Heliogahalus. Help ! Haste to me !

Eutychian, Priests, come, aid your Emperor !

{^Enter priests, augurs, <z»</ Eutychian. )

CHORUS OF PRIESTS.

Child of the Sun, what has befallen thee,
The Lord of mysteries and sacrifice?
Thy lips are white with foam, thy bosom pants.
The diamond star bursts from the purple bands
Across thy breast ! Thine eyes, dilated, roll
Wild in their sockets, while their wandering gaze
For pleasure seeks, and then asks blood, — then sink
They wearily as in eternal sleep !

Heliogabalus. The Furies tear my limbs ! I know, I

know . . .
Eutychian. Evoe Bacche ! my disciple is
As drunk as thou, when thou didst conquer India.

Heliogabalus. Alexian soon will draw the steel across
My breast, crying : " Caisar, reach me your throat ! "
Save me — and you shall have ten talents all !

Eutychian. Caesar himself I'd strike for that ten

talents !
Heliogabalus. Pity ! The Sun Himself is pledged to
avenge my death !

CHORUS OF PRIESTS.

Arouse thee, godlike Csesar ! Thou art our Lord,
And the whole earth belongs to thee alone.
Gods envious of thy fame torture thy soul
With horrid visions ! These phantoms melt away
In fires eternal, in Mithras' purest rays,
As the gray waves into the deep-blue sea,
The clouds into the sky, or the fair form
Of Semele into the light of Jupiter !

Heliogabalus {recovering himself). Give me your hands !
{Rising. ) What brought you hither, slaves?



3o8 IRIDION.

It is my will she shall come to my couch !
Let her fair body tremble in my arms,
Or you shall all — as many as stand here —
Be given to the claws of the new leopards !

Eutychian. Me Hercule ! I think that I at least
Deserve a lion !

Heliogabalus. Silence! I'll bear no jests !

Where is she, Priests ?

CHORUS OF PRIESTS.

Her tall form lights the dark. The stranger's god
Struggles with Mithras!

Heliogabalus. Silence ! My Greek girl comes !

(Elsinoe enters from the backgroufid, and stands o? i a stone

covered with hieroglyphics. )

Elsinoe. I've asked them all. At first they would not
speak,
Sleeping upon their thrones after their meal of blood.
The armor clashed of one who was awake,
Who raised the crimson skull to his calm lips.