polyuecte-第2章
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Marked this poor face； from which must Polyeucte fly；
Severus was his name：Ah！ memory
May spare love linked with death a tear； a sigh！
STRAT。
Say； is it he who； at the risk of life；
Saved Decius from his foes and endless strife？
Who； dying； dealt to Persia stroke of death；
And shouted 'Victory！' with his latest breath？
His whitening bones； amid the nameless brave；
Lie still unfound； unknown； without a grave；
Unburied lies his dust amid the slain；
While Decius rears an empty urn in vain！
PAUL。
Alas！ 'tis he； all Rome attests his worth；
Hide not his memory； kindly Mother Earth！
'Tis but his memory that I adore
The past is pastand I can say no more。
All gifts save one had heyes； Fortune held her hand；
And I； as Fortune's slave； obeyed my sire's command。
STRAT。
Ah！ I must wish that love the day had won！
PAUL。
Which duty lostthen had I been undone；
Though duty gave； yet duty healed； my pain；
Yet say not that my love was weak or vain！
Our tears fell fast； yet ne'er bore our distress
The fatal fruit of strife and bitterness。
Then； then； I left my hero； hope and Rome；
And； far from him； I found another home；
While he； in his despair； sought sure relief
In death； the only end to life's long grief！
You know the rest：you know that Polyeucte's eye
Was caught；his fancy pleased； his wife am I。
Once more by counsel of my father led；
To Armenia's greatest noble am I wed；
Ambition； prudence； policy his guide
Yet only duty made Pauline his bride；
Love might have bound me to Severus' heart；
Had duty not enforced a sterner part。
Yes； let these fears attest； all trembling for his life；
That I am his for ayehis faithful； loving wife。
STRAT。
Thy new love true and tender as the old：
But this thy dream？ No more thy tale withhold！
PAUL。
Last night I saw Severus： but his eye
With anger blazed； his port was proud and high；
No suppliant heno feeble； formless shade；
With dim； averted eye； no sword had made
My hero lifeless ghost。 Nor wound； nor scar
Marked death his only conqueror in war。
Nor spoil of death； nor memory's child was he；
His mien triumphant； full of majesty！
So might victorious Caesar near his home
To claim the key to every heart in Rome！
He spoke： in nameless awe I heard his voice；
'Give love； that is my due； to himthy choice；
But know； oh faithless one； ere day expires；
All vain these tears for him thy heart desires！'
Anon a Christian band （an impious horde）；
With shameful cross in hand； attest his word；
They vouch Severus' truthand； to complete
My doom； hurl Polyeucte beneath his feet！
I cried； 'O father； timely succour bear！'
He heard； he came； my grief was now despair！
He drew his daggerplunged it in the breast
Of him； my husband； late his honoured guest！
Relief came but from agony supreme
I shriekedI writhedI wokeit was a dream！
And yet my dream is true！
STRAT。
'Tis true your dream is sad；
But now you are awake； 'tis but a dream you had！
For horror's prey in darkness of the night
Is but our reason's sport in morning light。
How can you dread a shade？ How a fond father fear；
Who as a son regards the man you hold so dear？
To phantom of the night no credence yield；
For him and you he chose thy strength and shield。
PAUL。
You say /his/ words： at all my fears he smiles；
But I must dread these Christians and their wiles！
I dread their vengeance； wreaked upon my lord；
For Christian blood my father has outpoured！
STRAT。
Their sect is impious； mad； absurd and vain；
Their rites repulsive； as their cult profane。
Deride their altar； their weak frenzy ban；
Yet do they war with gods and not with man！
Relentless wills our law that they must die：
Their joyendurance； deaththeir ecstasy；
Judgedby decree； the foes of human race；
Meekly their heads they bowto court disgrace！
PAUL。
My father comesoh； peace！
（Enter Felix and Albin）
FELIX。
Nay； peace is flown！
Thy dream begets dull fears； till now unknown；
In part this dream is true； and for the rest
PAUL。
By what new fear； say； is thy heart opprest？
FELIX。
Severus lives！
PAUL。
Ah！ this no cause for fear！
FELIX。
At Decius' court； he； held in honour dear；
Risked life to save his Emperor from his foes；
'Tis to his saviour Decius honour shows！
PAUL。
Thus fickle Fortune bows her head to fate；
And pays the honour due； though all too late！
FELIX。
He comes！ Is near
PAUL。
The gods
FELIX。
Do all things well。
PAUL。
My dream fulfilled！ But how？ O father； tell！
FELIX。
Let Albin speak； who saw him face to face
With tribe of courtiers； all to him give place；
Unscathed in battle； all extol his fame；
Unstained； undimmed； his glory； life and name！
ALBIN。
You know the issue of that glorious fight：
The crowning glory hiswho； in despite
Of danger sore to life and liberty；
Became a slave to set his Emperor free：
Rome gave her honours to Severus' shade；
Whilst he； her ransomer； in a dungeon stayed。
His death they mourned above ten thousand slain；
While Persia held himyes； their tears were vain；
But not in vain his noble sacrifice！
The king released him： Rome grudged not the price；
No Persian bribe could tempt him from his home。
When Decius cried'Fight once again for Rome！'
Again he fightshe leadsall others hope resign；
But from despair's deep breast he plucks a star benign；
Thishope's fair fruit； contentment； plenty； ease；
Brings joy from grief； to crown a lasting peace。
The Emperor holds him as his dearest friend；
And doth Severus to Armenia send
To offer up to Mars； and mighty Jove；
'Mid feast and sacrifice； his thanks and love。
FELIX。
Ah； Fortune； turn thy wheel； else I misfortune meet！
ALBIN。
This news I learn'd from one of great Severus' suite：
Thence； swiftly here； the tale to tell I sped。
FELIX。
He who once vainly wooed； hopes now to wed。
The sacrifice； the offering； all are feigned；
All but the suit； which lightly I disdained。
PAUL。
Yes； this may be； for ah！ he loved me well！
FELIX。
What room for hope？ Such wrath is child of hell。
Before his righteous ire I shrink； I cower；
Revenge I dreadand vengeance linked with power
Unnerves me quite。
PAUL。
Fear not； his soul is great。
FELIX。
Thy comfort； oh my daughter； comes too late。
The thought to crush me down； to turn my heart to stone；
This； that I prized not worth for worth's dear sake alone！
Too well； Pauline； thou hast thy sire obeyed；
Thy heart was fond； but duty love betrayed。
How surely thy revolt had safety won！
'Tis thine obedience leaves us all undone。
In thee； in thee alone； one hope remains；
Love held him fast； relax not thou love's chains。
O Love； my sometime foe； forgive； be mine ally；
And let the dart that slew now bring the remedy！
PAUL。
Forbid it； Heaven！ One good yet mine；/my will/；
The dart that wounded has the power to kill。
One lesson woman learnsher feebleness；
Shame is the only grief without redress。
The traitor heart shall still a prisoner be；
For freedom were disgrace to thee and me！
/I will not/ see him！
FELIX。
But one word！ Be kind！
PAUL。
I will not； for I love！and love is blind。
Before his kingly eye my soul to unveil
Were shame and failure： and I will not fail：
/I will not/ see him！
FELIX。
One word more'Obey！'
Wouldst thou thy father and his weal betray？
PAUL。
I yield！ Come woe！come shame！come every ill！
My father thou！and I thy daughter still！
FELIX。
I know thee pure。
PAUL。
And pure I will remain；
But； crushed and bruised； the flower no guilt shall stain。
I fear the combat that I may not fly；
Hard…won the fight； and dear the victory。
Here； love； my curse！ Here； dearest friend； my foe！
Yet will I arm me！ Father； I would go
To steel my heartall weapons to embrace！
FELIX。
I too will go； the conqueror's march to grace！
Restore thy strength； ere yet it be too late；
And know that in thy hands thou hold'st our fate！
PAUL。
Go； broken heart； to probe thy wound； cut deep and do not spare！
Herselfthe crowning sacrificethe victim shall prepare！
ACT II
SEVERUS。 FABIAN
SEV。
Let Felix bow to Jove and incense pour；
I seek a dearer shrine； for I adore
Nor Jove； nor Mars； nor Fortunebut Pauline。
This fruit now ripening late my hand would glean：
You know； my friend； the god who wings my way；
You know the only goddess I obey：
What reck the gods on high our sacrifice and prayer？
An earthly worship mine； sole refuge from despair！
FABIAN。
Ah！ You may see her
SEV。
Blessed be thy tongue！
O magic word； that turns my grief to song！
Yet； if she now forget each fair； fond vow？
She loved me once；but does she love me now？
On that sweet face shall I but trouble see
Who hope for love undimmed； for ecstasy？
Great Decius gives her hand； but if her heart
Be mine no morethan let vain hope depart！
This mandate binds her father only； she
Shall give no captive handher heart is free：
No promise wrung； no king's command be mine to claim；
Her love the boon I crave； all else an empty name！
FABIAN。
Yes；you maysee her/see/ herthis you may
SEV。
Thy speech is haltingodious thy delay！
She loves no more？ I grope！ O give me light！
FABIAN。
O see her not； for painful were the sight！
In Rome each matron's kind！ In Rome all maids are fair！
Let lips meet other lipsseek for caresses there！
No stately Claudia will refuseno Julia proud disdain；
A hero captures every heart； from Antioch to Spain！
SEV。
To wed a queenan empresswere only loss and shame；
One heart for mePauline's！ One boastthat dearest name！
Her love was virgin gold！ O ne'er shall baser metal ring
From mine； who live her name to bless！ her peerless praise to sing！
O； words are naught； till that I see her face；
Then doubly naught till I my love embrace。
In every war my hope was placed in death；
Her name upon my lips at every breath：
My rank； my fame； now hers and hers alone；
What is not hers； hers onlyI disown！
FABIAN。
Once more； oh see her not； 'twere for thy peace！
SEV。
Thy meaning； knave； or let this babble cease！
Say； was she cold？ My love！ My only life！
FABIAN。
Nobutmy lord
SEV。
Say on！
FABIAN。
Another's wife！
SEV。
（Reels。）
Help！No； I will not blenchah； say you lie！
If this be true！ye godscan I be I？
FABIAN。
No； thou art changed。 Where is thy courage fled？
SEV。
I know not； Fabian。 Lost！ Gone！ Vanished！ Dead！
I thought my strength was oak'tis but a reed！
Pauline is wed； then am I lost indeed！
Hope hid beyond the cloud； yet still fond hope was there：
But now all hope is dead； lives only black despair！
Pauline another's wife？
FABIAN。
Yes； Polyeucte is her lord。
He came； he saw； he co
