University of Virginia Library

SCENE V.

A cave of sepulchre dimly lighted.
Tertius, Pomponius, Saturninus, Secundulus, Testus, and others.
(They sing.)
Enter Saturus, Vivia, and Felicitas.

TERTIUS.
What voice ariseth like a flame amongst us?

SATURUS.
A fiery voice is calling from without,
The voice of danger.

SECUNDULUS.
Lo! our teacher comes.

SATURUS.
To bring a twofold gift—knowledge of peril,
And new example how to meet it bravely.
Say I aright?

VIVIA.
I will not fail.

REVOCATUS.
Know you?

FELICITAS.
Listen.

SATURUS.
My Christian brothers! Say we had a friend,
A friend ne'er seen, but whose surpassing love
So cleav'd to us, that he did live for us,
Did die for us, left legacy with us,—
A promise rich, of an enduring home
In a far, happy country; where the days
No more shall darken with the coming shadow
Of a toil-burden'd morrow; and our woes
Shall lay them down to never-waking sleep;
Where for this cavern dim, Death's treasury—
Who revels, grinning like a miser gaunt
Over his gotten dust,—we shall behold
Him, that dear friend, who gives at once to us
Life, light, and glorious immortality!—
Would not the fate be welcome, whatsoe'er
Would bear us to such home, to such a friend?

TERTIUS.
My son, be plain; these are but simple men.

SATURUS.
It was to simple men our Master spoke
In parables; I would but waken love—
Love, that disarmeth danger of his sting.

SATURNINUS.
The enemy are upon us! Let them come!
I would it were Christ's will that we might fight,
As those of old, the battles of the Lord
With sword and sinew.

TERTIUS.
Peace! my son.

POMPONIUS.
The edict!
They have proclaim'd—

SATURUS.
They have; e'en now I heard it
Read o'er a gleaming watch-fire in the Forum;
Mutter'd! the words came hurriedly and low,
Scarce taking aim beyond the speaker's ear.
Soldiers, with glittering eyes and ready arms,
Savage and grim, shew'd in the lurid light
As ready for their prey;—the place, the time,—
This dragging of the law from out its sleep,—
Betokens instant act.

TERTIUS.
Let us disperse!
Some take the eastern way, and some the west.

SATURUS.
Tarry!—nor fly ye like to timid sheep;
But meet the hour like men. Behold, my brothers,
Vivia Perpetua!—Lo! that fragile form
Roots firmly to the earth, as it would raise
An immortality from out dead dust!
E'en from the paleness of resolved brows,
Ye timorous, gather strength, and bid your own
Now fix with purpose of a settled soul.

VOICES.
What should we do?

SATURUS.
For Christ? Oh, what for him,
Who waits for us in heaven? To hear his voice
Say, “Come to me, ye blessed of my Father;
Well done, ye faithful servants of the Lord!”
What will ye do for Christ? Oh, what for him,
Ye whom he chose for his elect; ye poor,
Whose daily bread is earn'd by daily toil
(For ye he did elect to dwell amongst;
Ye poor, how rich by this election made!):
Not in high places, where the great resort,
(Save to proclaim, that of one blood are made
All nations and all families of earth),
Did he frequent, but with the lowly-born,
Himself the lowliest,—the manger-cradled!
What will ye do for Christ, ye wanderers?
He liv'd for you a wayside wanderer,
Who had not where to lay his head;—no rest,
Save when he drew apart, away from all,
In the Judæan mountains, there to seek
His spirit's peace in solitude with God,—
Thence to return (like the descending stream
That went along with him) to carry joy
Into the thirsty valleys! What for him,
Ye slaves, redeem'd to freedom evermore;—
A freedom charter'd in his book of life,
Sealed with his precious blood? Oh, what for him,
Who, though apart in mighty isolation
Of his most high supremacy with God,
Did yet draw nearer to us in his love
Than e'en the mothers who did give us birth.
Oh, answer! put your hearts into your speech,
And warrant both by act. Oh, what for him,
Our sovereign Lord, our Counsellor, our Friend!

SATURNINUS.
Or fight or die for him!

SECUNDULUS.
Or lay down life without one sigh for him,
As willingly as though it were his sleep,
Who, freed from toil or taunt, did lay him down
Under the willows, where the wind-swept harps
Still echoed true the praises of his God
By Babylon's sad waters. Rest—in him!

TERTIUS.
“A crown of glory is the hoary head!”
So spake the Psalmist. At the foot of Christ
I lay this earthly crown, praying of him
To grant a heavenly, even though the cost
Be martyrdom.

POMPONIUS.
And I these lustier limbs
And longer term of days. We die but once,
But through his grace we live for evermore.

FELICITAS.

REVOCATUS and FELICITAS.

SATURUS.
And Testus hath no voice?—he hath a life.

TESTUS.

SATURUS.
Keep to that tune when they would question thee.

TESTUS.
I'm poor of speech; there's nothing more to say.

SATURUS.
Now let us part;—perchance no more to meet
Till we are one in heaven with our Father.
Let us not hymnless go for the first time,
When we may mingle voices for the last!
Oh, give me this reward for all the care
Hath watch'd your growing souls,—for all the love
That still can only reckon it as joy;—
With unperturbed hearts, with souls resolv'd,
With voices steadied by a holy trust,—
Once more the hymn that we so oft have sung,
As now—when light was gaining on the darkness.
Brothers, once more! then all depart in peace.

[They all sing.
Part in peace! Christ's life was peace,—
Let us breathe our breath in him!
Part in peace! Christ's death was peace,—
Let us die our death in him!
Part in peace! Christ promise gave
Of a life beyond the grave,
Where all mortal partings cease.
Part in peace!
[They separate.
(Echo.)
“Peace!”