Iridion
{holding
her in his arms).
Krasinski - The Undivine Comedy
Eutychian {rushing in). Godlike ! Divine ! they
threaten holy Caesar !
The people rise and drive the soldiers from
The senate gates ; the senators rush in ;
They seat themselves in solemn conclave there ;
Loved Anubis, on what do they debate?
Upon the death of the godlike Emperor !
Iridion. Haste, Caesar ! haste !
Heliogabalus {to Eutychian). Give me your arm, old
friend !
i^He leans upon his shoiclder. ) As oft in happier days, I
lean on you,
And love you well as in our sunnier hours.
The censer oft we have together swung
In Mithras' brilliant courts ; together drunk
The ripe juice of the grape ; together poured
Libations to the god of bliss ! Ah ! happy hours !
The parrots' livers and the maidens' lips
Are less delicious than they used to be !
The sky of Rome is harsh, old friend, and we
Must brave the storms of Fate ever together I
Oh, stay with me ! . . . and give the Greek your sword !
Let him be Prefect of the Praetorians !
388
IRIDION.
Eutychiaji. They want my head — and this Greek
wants my power :
But what becomes of me without a head or sword ?
Silvius' last cup I have prepared for thee,
Godlike, and . . .
Heliogabalus. Be silent ! give !
Eutychian {handing the sword to Iridioti). Greek,
spare my child !
Safe in its copper cradle it has hung
Forever round my loins.
Messenger {entering hastily). Great Caesar ! I
This moment in disguise escaped the senate,
And as I left, heard Canulejus cry
That thou shouldst die the death of Nero, and
Thy brother should be chosen Emperor !
Heliogabalus. They too conspire against me, seek my
life !
Iridion. Fear nothing ! (TJ? the messenger. ') Soldier,
run through the lower halls
Of the court ; collect the praetorians ; bid them wait
For me within Domitian's atrium ;
Then seek my palace, where in the command
Of Scipio you'll find my gladiators
Armed and ready for the fight. Bid them
Without delay march to the temple where
The senate sit in counsel ; as they pass
The palace bid them shout : Iridion !
Haste and be prudent ; — great will be your gain !
{^Exit messenger. )
Hark, son of Soemias ! I will drive away
These babblers, to arrive at whom I'll fling
Aside the people, as a sturdy swimmer
Breaks through the waves thronging to overwhelm him.
To conquer Alexander — I need more !
Heliogabalus. What need you more ?
Iridion. It is too late to name
Me in the presence of the troops and people
As representative of all thy powers : —
Lend me the ring of Empire, that all Rome
May know in me thy chosen delegate
And join our force if faithful still to thee !
IRIDION. 389
Heliogabalus. I dare not, Greek ! Dost thou not
surely know
The Genius of the Roman Empire lives
Within this ring? The Emperor who would
Intrust it into foreign hands would be
Guilty of treason, doomed to instant death !
EutycJiian. Give 1 Give it to Iridion, I pray.
Stay thou to comfort me, — let him be Caesar !
Heliogabalus. Slave ! jest not at thy Lord !
{He shows him a poniard. ^
Look at this joke
With double edge, dipped in Getulian poison; —
I'm half inclined to plant it in thy heart !
Eutychian (kneeli/jg). A blade of gold ! — Thy servant
ne'er feared gold !
{As Heliogabalus advances upon him^) Thou knowest
that in the temple of Osiris,
The Syrian Seer was wont to prophesy
That thou would'st live but three days after me !
Heliogabalus {etubracing Eutychian). What say'st thou,
friend ? Support my weary head
Upon thine arm ! Thou knowest that I love thee !
Eutychian. Yes, as the drunken Macedonian loved
Old Clitus!
Iridion. I tell you I must have the ring !
Heliogabalus. Never ! I will not give the god buried
in diamonds.
With the two golden serpents interlaced to guard it !
Take all my treasures, goblets, vases, gems, —
Enough ! Enough ! I will not give the ring !
{Noise and tumult are heard without. ')
Iridion. Hear'st thou that chant of triumph for
Severus ?
Elsinoe. Obey the son of Odin's priestess, Crimhild!
Heliogabalus {wringing his hands). Ah ! Elsinoe !
( The noise increases. )
Iridion. Dost hear? Give me the ring!
{Attempts to seize his hajid. )
Heliogabalus. I will not give my hand ! I will myself
390
IRIDION.
From the finger of Heliogabalus take it off!
Wait, Greek! Perhaps I'll fight myself,
As I once fought with the legions of Macrinus.
The day was hot and bright; my silver car
Rolled over corpses; with my own hand I threw
My golden javelins, flashing like rays of Mithras.
Give me my arms! I'll fight again to-day . . .
i^A sudden change comes over him ; he starts back in affright. )
Gods! gods! . . . Look there! Behind the tripod . . .
look! . . .
'Tis gone . . . I breathe! . . . No! there he comes
again !
He stands before this pillar ! See, he moves !
He leans upon my couch ! . . . He beckons me !
He wears the purple dyed in his own blood !
Father ! I come !
{He falls fainting in the arms of EutychianJ)
My friends, all's ill with me!
My breast, like a deserted temple, crashes in.
{^Iridion seizes his hand. ') Wrench not my hand so vio-
lently, Greek!
It is high treason against majesty !
Iridion. Where power is, must be its forceful symbol !
{He tears off the ring. ) Now go to sleep, and when the
flames blaze high,
I will awake you.
Heliogabalus. Alas ! He now is Caesar ! . . .
Lead me, Eutychian! Come, and sit by me
Upon my violets. Thou shalt hold before me
My newest shield, that I may see myself
In its bright steel once more by the blazing flames
The Greek has promised should consume the city.
Oh ! Heliogabalus grows so cold ! so cold !
All grows so black before his aching eyes!
He cannot see . . . Come, Elsinoe . . . Come !
Elsino'e. Spare me one moment with Iridion !
Eutychian. Son of Amjihilochus, thou shalt eat dust,
And drink thine own hot blood ! then know 'twas cooked
By Eutychian, whom thou wilt recollect
Was cook to the Syrian !
IRIDION,
391
{Elsinoe leads Heliogabahis, accompanied by Ejttychiafi, to
his couch. She unclasps the curtain which falls over the
recess, and joins Iridion on the front of the stage. ^
Elsinoe. Poor wretch ! He stands upon the brink of
Erebus
Shivering with fear! As his companion, I
Have given him madness ! . . .
Have I yet more to do?
To-morrow, nay, to-night, the prsetors may rush in,
Or Rome will be in flames — or my heart break, —
My bosom, tired of suffering, refuse to breathe
Longer the scathing air of this dread world !
Iridion. Sister, watch over him till my return;
Then thou must leave these walls accursed forever !
Elsinoe. What will become of him?
Iridion. It matters not !
I care not for his life — nor for his death !
That which he was, now glitters on my hand;
{Shows the ring. ')
That which he is, is scarcely worth a thought.
Elsinoe. If that be so — come near, — ay, nearer still:
Iridion, dost thou hear my failing voice?
Iridion {holding her in his arms). What is it, sister?
What can I do for thee?
Thy small hand throbs in mine with veins of fire.
And the quick bounds of thy wrung heart beat wild
Against my breastplate! Elsinoe, speak!
Elsinoe. The eyes whose fires withered my virgin
soul . . .
Must die out in their sockets! . . .
And the two arms which once embraced my neck . . .
Must fall like mangled vipers! . . .
The lips which once have dared to rest on mine . . .
Must crumble in the flames ! . . .
Iridion. Yes. He and Alexander both shall burn
Upon one funeral pyre !
Elsinoe. Unsay ! Unsay !
Hear my last wish ! I have a right to speak I
Have I not given all, — for more than life?
Because I know the power of thy hand,
392
IRIDION.
I bare to thee the last, the only wish
Which pulses in my heart, Iridion !
Spare Alexander on the battle-field !
Let no stroke fall on his broad Grecian brow !
For he alone divines . . .
Why dost thou turn
Thy face away from me, Iridion?
Iridion. Think not of him! 'Tis he alone keeps
Rome
From falling in the clutches of my hate,
And the Gods grudge him to humanity.
His doom is sealed, — the deadliest foe of Greece !
Elsinoe. Then press thy sister once more to thy breast.
Son of Amphilochus, we meet no more!
Dost feel how wildly throbs my wretched heart?
Ere thy return, I know that it will break!
Remember Elsinoe asks no blood from thee:
Let them all live ! The Syrian, the Accursed,
He too must live ! Spare Alexander, brother!
****** ,
The close of this Aveird sacrifice is near;
The virgin victim must not leave a stain
Of blood on her pure hands, her robes of snow!
Ah ! long upon the altar she has stood ;
The fires consumed her slowly; night and day
Flamed high her maiden dreams, her spring, her love,
Upon the shrine! The victim's heart is dead!
Her life is flickering fast; the fire dies out;
A fitful smoke will soon remain alone! . . .
The sacrifice is o'er; the hour draws nigh
When from the body the soul is sundered.
Like a cothurnus' easily-loosened band !
Of Elsinoe, nothing will remain
Save bitter memories, and her vexed soul,
Which will become an immortal, wandering Shade!
Voices without the Palace. Iridion, the G reek ! Iridion !
Iridion. Away! thy sorrow is insensate, when
Nemesis in both hands holds crowns of vengeance!
The victory is mine! . . . That noise, those cries,
Embody the sole thought of my whole life!
I am reborn ; and thou canst wish for death I •
I RID ION. 393
Be proud and happy, sister, that the day
For which thy father lived, thy country prayed,
Comes in the lightning's flash, the thunder's roar!
{Loud crashing heard without. )
Hear'st thou that crash? it is the doom of Rome !
And thou wouldst perish now with vengeance won !
Voices. Iridion ! Iridion !
Iridion. Farewell !
Elsinoc. Go, brother, go ! Be famous, happy, great !
And if thou ever floatest o'er the waves
Of our blue sea, and drawest near the coast,
Then throw a handful of my ashes on
Chiara's shore ! Farewell, Iridion !
{She presses him to her heart, and retires within the cur-
tain as he disappears. )
SCENE III. Tlie highest terrace of Iridion s palace, sur-
rounded by balustrades and statues of the Grecian gods.
Masinissa is seated upon a stool of ivory ; behind him
stand the slaves, barbarians, and soldiers of Iridion.
Masinissa. Slave, look again !
Pilades. Strange things are" going on
Around the temple ; what they are, the Sphinx
Alone can tell ! The arch of Septimius
Looks like a child, playing upon the sand ;
The Capitol alone looms out in all its grandeur.
Barbarian. At full two hundred paces I can strike
A nut-branch and transfix it with my arrow;
But that cursed Forum is so far, I can
Discover nothing.
Masinissa. Age weighs upon my eyelids;
The burning suns of years weaken my pupils;
I still see farther than the youngest here !
I see the vulture on Iridion's helmet ;
It floats above the crowd ; I see the gleam
Of Scipio's sword before him ; behind him are
The dark heads of your brethren.
Second Barbarian. I thought 'twas they !
Pilades. Is it a dream, or do I really hear
The distant death-cry of a thousand voices !
34
394
IRIDION.
A Young Barbarian. List to that shout !
Masinissa. I see him ! he is safe !
He pushes through the throng, — enters the peristyle, —
The gladiators sit upon the senate-steps, —
The people surge against the palace base
Like an o'erwearied sea sinking to calm.
Ho ! Verres !
Verres. Here.
Alasinissa. How many men have you?
Verres. I have with me the slaves from Sicyon ;
The Germans too from the Cisalpine legions,
Who joined us yesterday.
Masinissa. When Hesperus appears,
March with them quickly to the Samnile gate;
Wait there tlie signal ! When you see a flame
Rise from this terrace, throw your firebrands ;
Begin at the villa of Rupilius,
And kindle flames until you reach the Forum !
Verres. Rely on me as on a Catiline !
Masinissa. 1 trust you, as old patrician.
To leave no drop undrained in the cup of vengeance !
Verres. And fill it up again to the very brim.
Masinissa. A 1 bo in !
Alboin. Son of the Desert, give command !
Masinissa. Say rather. Father ! Where are the He-
ruli ?
Alboin. They've just returned, having cut one aque-
duct,
Stopped Galba's fountain, Manlius' springs.
Masinissa. At twilight take your post at Nero's pond ;
Be faithful to your task !
Alboin. I need no spur.
Caracalla burned upon the Rhine
The homes and villages of all my tribe.
Made me his slave : this day shall pay my service !
I'll drive away all who ap]M-oacii the pond.
From the blind, tottering gray head with his buckets,
To the child who stretches out his little hand
For a drop of water !
Masinissa. Ay, Alboin, that is right.
The blessing of an old man cannot hurt you !
IRIDION.
395
Verres {to Masinissd). Pray, look again ! My heart
burns with anxiety I
Masinissa. Hold ! . . . I see Scipio flying on his
horse !
All. From whence comes he?
Masinissa. From the Hostilian court.
There! there! . . . He disappears behind the palace.
Pilades. I think we ought to go to aid our Lord 1
Masinissa. Do you hear nothing?
Alboin. I hear a distant sound.
Masinissa. It is the trampling of a horse !
Verres. I hear it !
Filades. Look! Look! 'tis he ! He dashes swiftly
on !
Verres. The portico, the obelisk now hide him.
Alboin. See, like a dart he passes to the temple !
Masinissa {calling). Scipio !
The voice of Scipio. Victory !
All. All hail to Africanus !
