University of Virginia Library

Imperial tent—distant field of battle.
Eusebia. Ladies of her Court.
1ST LADY.
Where shall we fly?

2nd.
There's no escape.

3rd.
Oh, death!
Oh, worse than thousand deaths—where shall we fly?

1st.
I see some tossing helmets yonder—there.

2nd.
Are not those clashing swords? Hark!

1st.
Where 's the guard?
Agony, agony! no help is near:
They have left us in our feebleness.

EUSEBIA.
Alone?
Lone women left in war's extremity?
No hope? Why, then, no fear!

1st.
We 'll kneel to them—
We'll clasp their limbs, and weep and pray for life.

EUSEBIA.
We cannot live with honour.

3RD LADY.
Can we escape?

EUSEBIA.
I know but one way left—Lucretia!
(They shrink and gaze on each other.
Ay, death, death, death!

(As they retreat into the tent, enter Julian, borne in wounded. With him Nevitta and others.)
HORMISDAS.
Softly, he bleeds at every step—death's dew,
The clammy witness of these mortal pangs,
Stands cold upon his forehead. Hold—his eye
Within the half-shut lid looks dim and frozen;
The hand that held so fast relaxes: hold—
He dies.

NEVITTA.
Nay, let me look upon him—softly,
He is not dead: so, lay him down. The motion
Just gave a momentary faintness—see,
The ray is not extinguished in his eye—
There 's colour on the lip.

HORMISDAS.
He makes a sign—
Soldier, go fetch some water in your helmet—
See it be clear from blood.

EUSEBIA.
Where is the Emperor?
Where is my Julian?

HORMISDAS.
See him there!

EUSEBIA.
Woe, woe!
Look on me, look on me, Julian—hear me, hear me!
Julian! Augustus! Cæsar!

NEVITTA.
These are names
Breathed in a deaf ear: music that hath lost
All concord, all imagined harmony
For death's decaying intellect.

(Soldiers bring water. Julian drinks.
JULIAN.
Eusebia!
Art thou here too? Still greater than thy sex,
Thou com'st to view a sad and awful parting.
The spirit that deemed half the world too small,
Torn from its lordly habitation,
Crushed in its vigour, hurled from its high throne,
Cast naked on eternity—to stand
With common souls before the Judgment-seat!
(A distant shout heard, Julian starting on his feet.
Where am I? Bind me on my horse! to arms!
Slaves! shall I die upon a couch? A myriad
Of agonising thoughts throng in my brain.
Oh, for a bloody bank, a broken sword,
And banners drooping over me! Oh, vengeance,
Some vengeance yet! To horse! I say—upon them!
I tell ye I am strong. A lightning rushes
Through my hot veins would swell a thousand pulses.
(Sinks down exhausted.
Ha, ha, ha, ha! Look on these traitor limbs;
Oh, hear this braggard voice! Nevitta, thou
Hast seen this clod of earth true to its spirit?
I 've not been a vain boaster always?

NEVITTA.
Emperor,
I 've swam the gulphy Rhine with thee at midnight,
Beneath a canopy of fiery darts:
I 've plunged with thee into the tide of men
When every living wave was swoln with fate;
Yet never shrank before—'tis terrible.

(Julian leans forward with a fixed look.
JULIAN.
How many of ye stand around me? late
I saw but three.

EUSEBIA.
There are no more: Nevitta
Hormisdas, and myself.

JULIAN.
There is a fourth,
Look—don't you see him? shadowy—look—there, there—
He comes to me. Thou supernatural shape!
Vast, gloomy, silent, undefinable!
I saw thee at Eleusis. Thou didst look
Last night upon my troubled sleep: I heard
Thy rustling folds departing. Still and dark
Is the dread meaning of thine awful eye!
Art thou the Spirit of Judgment, that doth write
Man's doom upon the adamantine book?
Or, with thy basilisk presence dost thou come,
Wrath-executing Minister! to watch
Lost souls just flitting from the gates of life?
Speak to me—speak to me!

(He sinks back in a stupor.
NEVITTA.
His senses wander.
It is most awful. Saw you aught, my Lord?

HORMISDAS.
No, nothing: yet methinks a rustling passed us,
A swift division of the air—a sound,
As of departing wings.

JULIAN.
(recovering.
Eusebia!
Thou art the last tie that I have on earth:
I would look on thee once again—thy features
Remind me of past happiness:—no matter;
I fashioned my own fortunes. Turn me—so.
Turn me upon my side: 'tis well; I'm easier.
The blood flows freely now; my pains are deadened:
Come near. I'm somewhat numbed, and heavy, heavy—
Cold, very cold, and dark, Eusebia!
Give me some air—breath, breath—some air, some air.
Bear me—where I—can see—the sun:
(They bring Julian forward: he fixes his eye upward.
“Oh, Galilean! Thou hast conquer'd me!”

(He sinks through their arms and expires.