University of Virginia Library

ACT IV

Scene: A great Square before the temple of Isis. The House of Arbaces adjoining. Evening, gradually changing to night. A procession of Gladiators, returning from the arena, passes over the stage
Glad:
(Sing)

Exeunt singing, the sound gradually dying away in the distance
Enter Glaucus and Apaecides, followed by Calenus, who conceals himself behind a column of the temple, observing them
Glaucus:
Those fellows who stand daily face to face
With sudden death, have merry hearts, to sing
Just after leaving many a comrade dead
Within the bloody circus.

Apaecides:
Do not we,
We gladiators in the game of life,
Stand hourly also face to face with death?
Death is the one thing certain; and all else
Is wrapped in doubt.

Glaucus:
Apaecides, how now?
What gloom possesses you?

Apaecides:
Perhaps my soul
Hears the far footstep of approaching death.

Glaucus:
Death! why, you boy, you have not begun to live.

Apaecides:
But some are early marked, and all at last.
Let me not keep you, Glaucus; if you must,
Thus almost hourly, know my sister's house
Stands where it did. You overrate the fear,
I think; but love is reasonless. Go there,
And then return to me. I shall await
Your coming.

Glaucus:
Do so: I shall soon be back.
And then we will resume our broken thread
Of Plato 's thoughts about the triune Power,
And man 's immortal prospect. Sit you here;
And read the deathless stars above your head,
To help my argument.

Apaecides:
It needs no help.
There 's something, here, within me, cries aloud,
Like the gods' herald, man can never die!
Else then were death as great a curse as life.

Enter, from his house, Arbaces, who observes them
Glaucus:
Cheer up, my brother!

Apaecides:
When you come again,
I may be smiling. Who can say what fate
A single hour may bring?

Glaucus:
What happiness,
I trust you'll say, when we shall meet again. (Exit)


Apaecides seats himself
Apaecides:
Great flatterer of man, nature divine,
And, therefore, deathless, hast thou led astray
Our blind intelligence by fancies vast,
That make us dream ourselves eternal too,
Equal and like thee? [Are these soaring thoughts,
Of soul and spirit indestructible,
But the mere product of our vanity,
Faith in a hope that shall not be fulfilled;
As false and fleeting as the thousand dreams
We have of earthly things, that fade away,
The dream and dreamer, at the touch of death?
The child's design of what he'll be and do,
When he attains to man 's estate; alas!
Forgotten or impossible to him
On that attainment.]

Arbaces:
(Advancing)
Son, Apaecides,
Are you communing with the stars, my lore,
My faith, my guides?

Apaecides:
(Springing-up)
Insulting reprobate,
Have you the insolence to cross my path,
While the foul outrage to my sister's fame
Is fresh before my eyes? Go, if you hold
Your body 's safety dear! I cannot tell
What the mere sight of you may urge me to,
If we be long together.

Arbaces:
Pray, less heat,
Less heat, my son. I doubt not you have heard
A false report of me.

Apaecides:
Does Glaucus lie,
Ione lie, and Nydia? And are you
The single source of truth worth crediting!
Quack and imposter, I have known you long,
And filthy sensualist and debauchee;
But, villain, now you are a criminal,
Within the purview of our Roman law.
Flee, hide yourself from justice, ere you feel
The lictor 's hand upon your shoulder!

Arbaces:
Gods,
That one must meet injustice everywhere!

Apaecides:
'Tis not injustice that you have to fear,
But its reverse.

Arbaces:
Hear me, Apaecides!
Why, even the law would do me that much grace,
Before my condemnation.

Apaecides:
You were heard,
And judged, and sentenced, ere you came.

Arbaces:
I feared
That was the process. Can you reconcile
To mercy or to conscience your decree?
Now, as a priest of Isis—

Apaecides:
I am not.

Arbaces:
But you soon will be.

Apaecides:
Never! Should I be
A living fraud, a juggler, like yourself,
I could not see my image in a brook
Without a blush of shame. No, I shall wash
My conscience clean, from my degraded part
Of neophyte, before the people 's eyes,
Ere many days. Tell all I know, and all
I fairly may conjecture of the rites
And oracles of Isis. [For the way
Of man to truth lies over the discovered fraud
Of tolerated error.]

Arbaces:
You forget
Your vows of silence, and the penalty
Of such a perjury.

Apaecides:
No; for man 's behoof,
I'll draw the curse of Isis on myself.
Let her avenge her injuries, if she can.
I laugh at what a hollow stone can do,
With you her spirit, and Calenus tongue
To her absurd and childish mummeries.

Arbaces:
Then, in the name of Isis, I devote
Her perjured priest, a living sacrifice,
Before her desecrated shrine! (Stabs him)


Apaecides:
O wretch!
I see a hand stretched out to punish you,
There, in the heavens above. (Dies)


Arbaces:
Dreamer of dreams,
Sleep in that endless rest where dreams are not!
Isis, or rather thou, the inner Power,
Of which the gods are symbols, have I not
Done thee a duty?
Enter Glaucus looking for Apaecides
I must get me hence
Ere this poor shell be found.

Glaucus:
Apaecides!

Arbaces:
A better thought. 'Tis Glaucus back again.
O Isis, thou hast given into my hand
Full vengeance all at once. (He conceals himself)


Glaucus:
Apaecides!
Where is the boy? I left him sitting here.
Why, this is strange. He promised to remain.
What ho, Apaecides! No answer.

Arbaces:
Oh!— (Groans)


Glaucus:
What sound is that? A groan! and here about.
Could aught have happened?
(Searches about, and finds the body of Apaecides)
What's the matter, man?
Are you not well? Why are you lying here?
Speak to me, brother! Blood! what a sight is this!
(Lifts the body in his arms, and covers his garments with blood)
Not dead, I pray! Is there not life enough
To lengthen out thy being for a while?
How will Ione hear this dreadful news?
I left him to his fate: fool that I was;
And he in so much peril; with death 's hand
Hanging above him, as he said! Dead, dead!
Help, help!

Arbaces:
(Advancing)
Who calls so loud, and to what end?

Glaucus:
Glaucus of Athens. Pray you, gracious friend,
If you have skill in surgery, or know
What aid is needed, or can be obtained,
In this unhappy case—Arbaces!

Arbaces:
Yes;
Appeals to me sound strange from you.

Glaucus:
Alas!
You here, of all men! But forget our feud,
In this sad presence. O my Lord, look here!
Here is your ward, gentle Apaecides—
A man without a foe in all the world—
Murdered, I think. Oh! what a hideous tale
To bear his sister! Is he dead?

Arbaces:
(Examining the body)
Quite dead.

Glaucus:
Is there no hope?

Arbaces:
On this side of the grave,
His course is ended.

Glaucus:
Summon aid, I pray,
To bear him hence. He must not lie exposed
To the cruel night. Apaecides, my brother!

(Arbaces rushes off)
Arbaces:
(Within)
Help! murder! help!
Enter Arbaces, with Clodius, Sallust, Noblemen, Officers, Citizens and Gladiators, with torches. Calenus comes forward
This way, this way.

Citizens:
Who's this?

Calenus:
Apaecides, a priest of Isis.

Clodius:
What,
And murdered!

Sallust:
How he bleeds!

Arbaces:
(To Sallust)
'Tis ever thus;
In presence of the murderer, the corpse will bleed
After 'tis cold and stiff.

Glaucus:
Stand back, good friends:
I pray you, do not press on him, Now, men,
Obtain a litter from a neighboring house,
And bear him home.

Arbaces:
His sister 's house is nearer.

Glaucus:
No, no; not there. That were too terrible.

Enter an Aedile, Officer and guard. They form about the body. The others stand aside
Aedile:
The law has charge here. Is he dead?

Officer:
Yes, dead;
But the man's body is still warm.

Aedile:
The crime
Was recent then. Who is the murdered man?

Arbaces:
Apaecides, a priest of Isis.

Aedile:
So?
Murder and sacrilege in one. Who saw
Aught of this matter?

A Citizen:
When we came, we found
Glaucus of Athens by the body.

Aedile:
Then,
Glaucus, come forward.

Glaucus:
I am here.

Aedile:
You first
Made this discovery?

Glaucus:
So far as I know.
I was engaged to meet my murdered friend
Here, by yon column. Finding him not there,
I searched about for him. He must have been
Alive upon my coming; for I heard
A groan, which led me to the spot, where I
Beheld this awful sight.

Aedile:
Have you no more
To say? Who came the next?

Glaucus:
Arbaces. He
Called out for help, and brought the people here.

Aedile:
Stand forth, Arbaces.

Arbaces:
By your leave, I would
Far rather not be questioned.

Aedile:
I shall not
Consult your likings. Tell me what you know.

Arbaces:
I heard a cry for help, as I came forth
From Isis' house. I cannot say who called.
When I came hither, I beheld lord Glaucus
Holding the body in his arms. I judge
The blow was struck in passion, and the deed
Repented of at once.

Aedile:
So, then, you have
Some inkling of the murder?

Arbaces:
Do not press me.
Lord Glaucus is my friend—

Glaucus:
Since when?

Arbaces:
Ah, well!
He may deny my friendship; but I thank
The gods that I am no man's enemy!

Aedile:
Go on.

Arbaces:
Have I not answered?

Aedile:
To the point;
Speak out! What know you more?

Arbaces:
I heard a sound
Of quarrel in the square: that drew me forth:
The words I could not catch. I stood aloof;
For 'tis not safe to mix with angry men.
Then I heard this, “Die then!” and ere I could
Rush to the spot, the fatal blow was struck.

Glaucus:
Villain!

Arbaces:
(Pointing to Glaucus)
There stands the murderer of my ward,
Red with the spotted livery of his crime.

All:
Ha!—ha!

Arbaces:
I saw the blow struck.

Glaucus:
Boundless liar!

Arbaces:
Before the gods, I did.

Aedile:
Enough. Arrest
Glaucus of Athens. (Guards surround Glaucus)

You, Arbaces, must
Give bonds for your appearance at the trial.
Look to that, officer. Away with him.

Glaucus:
I pray you hear me, Aedile. I have friends
Among this throng, to whom I would not seem
To be the wretch that perjured villain's oath
Would make me. O, I loved Apaecides
As my own brother. I would not have laid
A feather 's weight upon his noble head,
If that annoyed him. And that here he lies,
Bathed in his youthful blood, is more to me,
More piercing sorrow, than the dreadful charge
Yon miscreant brings against me. Gladly, gladly,
Would I change places with my murdered friend,
To give him back to life, and to the eyes
Of his beloved sister. Hear me, friends!
Looking the synod of the sacred gods
Straight in their searching eyes, I here declare
That I am wholly innocent!

Aedile:
(To Guard)
Go on!

Noblemen:
And we believe you, Glaucus.

First Cit:
That's their way
They always stand up for their class.

Citizens:
Away,
Away with him!

Officer:
Stand back! Now, forward, men.

Exeunt Officer and guard with Glaucus; crowd following. Other Soldiers take up and exeunt with the body
Arbaces:
Indeed I am very sorry.

(Looking sadly after the body. To Clodius)
Clodius:
Keep your grief
For your own meditations. (Turns his back on Arbaces)


Sallust:
Hypocrite!

Exeunt Clodius, Sallust, Noblemen, Citizens and Gladiators. Arbaces enters his house
Enter Nydia, followed by Nydon
Nydon:
Where go you, Nydia, at this hour?

Nydia:
All hours
Are one to me. But stay by me, my Nydon.
There is a rumor—Have you heard of aught?
'Tis said Apaecides is slain.

Nydon:
Indeed?
But here Calenus comes. Ho, priest!

Nydia:
Calenus!

Calenus:
(Aside)
He shall pay roundly for my silence—pay
In talents this time; no mere bag of gold;
Or, by the gods, I'll take my chance of pay
From liberal Glaucus. Both ways I must gain.
Ha, Nydia, well met! How does your lady?
Is 't true, the rumor that she is betrothed
To Glaucus?

Nydia:
So 'tis said.

Calenus:
But is it true?

Nydia:
Yes, yes.

Calenus:
(Aside)
Another chance to fill my chest.
Then it must be a sorry time for her.

Nydia:
How so?

Calenus:
How so! Have you not heard the news?

Nydia:
Some rumor of Apaecides.

Calenus:
That all?
Apaecides was murdered hereabout.—
[Come, I can show his blood to you.

Nydia:
Nay, nay.

Calenus:
O, I forget your blindness. Well, 'tis true:]
And Glaucus is in custody, on charge
Of being the murderer.

Nydia:
Gods, preserve my wits!
But he is innocent.

Calenus:
Perhaps, perhaps.
Arbaces swears he is the murderer.
He saw the blow struck—as he says;
And I believe he did.

Nydia:
The chances, then,
Are that Arbaces is the murderer.

Calenus:
(Aside)
By Jove, the child is bright! She can see more,
With her blind eyes, than that dumb Aedile could,
And all his people. Nydia, look here:
If there were some one—say, a friend of mine—
Could prove that Glaucus, who's in mortal straits—

Nydia:
But he is innocent—

Calenus:
Well, grant that true.
There 's many a man, as innocent as he,
Has gone to death upon another's oath;
And so may Glaucus.

Nydia:
But the gods are just.

Calenus:
Sometimes they keep their justice to themselves,
And let their unjust creatures have their way;—
Hey, Nydia? Now, how think you, would it pay
My friend, who is so poor—so very poor—
Would it pay him—just as poor Glaucus seems
Caught in the net—to rise in open court,
And make his innocence as clear as day?
How would it pay, my girl?

Nydia:
In millions, man—
Talent on talent. Nay, 'twould pay as well
To do all that before the trial.

Calenus:
Hm!
That will bear thinking of. Well, meet me here—
No, no, not here—a little further off—
Say, at the corner of Ione's house,
Tomorrow morning.

Nydia:
At what hour?

Calenus:
The fourth.

Enter Arbaces with a torch. He searches about at the spot of the murder
Nydia:
Hist, hist!—

Arbaces:
Calenus! (Advancing, he extinguishes the torch)


Calenus:
(Approaching him)
Master, did you call?

Nydia and Nydon withdraw apart
Arbaces:
I heard your voice. With whom were you in talk?

Calenus:
Some people of the town, who wished to know
About the murder. Jove! how dark it grows!

Arbaces:
The clouds are gathering; we shall have a storm.

Nydia:
Is it dark?

Nydon:
Very.

Nydia:
How far can you see?

Nydon:
Eight or nine paces.

Nydia:
And no more?

Nydon:
No more.

Nydia:
Keep quiet, Nydon, until I return.

She throws herself on the ground, and creeps towards Arbaces and Calenus, listening intently
Arbaces:
'Tis late, for you.

Calenus:
Is it so late?

Arbaces:
(Looking at the sky)
Yes, see,
There 's Vega almost overhead. It is
Close upon midnight.

Calenus:
Hm!

Arbaces:
What brought you here?

Calenus:
And you?

Arbaces:
I lost my stylus in the crowd,
And came to seek it.

Calenus:
Ah? I picked it up,
And hid it in the temple. That 's to say,
One half of it. The point must yet remain
Wedged in the body. Glaucus broke it off,
When he withdrew it, I suppose.

Arbaces:
How so?
Then that was Glaucus' stylus.

Calenus:
Yes, perhaps,
With your cartouche engraved upon the knob:—
That is quite likely!

Arbaces:
Man, what mean you? I—
I saw the blow struck, as you heard me swear.

Calenus:
And so did I: but I have not sworn yet.

Arbaces:
Ha! where were you?

Calenus:
Close by—not ten steps off—
Watching Apaecides, as you commanded.

Arbaces:
Then you know all.

Calenus:
Is it all over yet?

Arbaces:
You mocking satyr, what is in your mind?

Calenus:
What I remember.

Arbaces:
Did I not do well?

Calenus:
Yes: as a priest of Isis, I must say
Quite well; but as a Roman citizen—

Arbaces:
Well, man?

Calenus:
That is another matter.

Arbaces:
Ha!
What do you want? more gold?

Calenus:
Yes, very much.
I am so poor, so very poor.

Arbaces:
(Aside)
He knows too much.
'Tis plain that I must stop his gabbling mouth,
Even though his ghost pursue Apaecides!
(Aloud)
Gold you shall have; enough to make you great
Among the little people of this place.

Calenus:
The gold, and not the greatness, is my need.

Arbaces:
Come to my treasury, and take your choice
Of silver, gold, and jewels. Dear Calenus,
You know how I have loved you.

Calenus:
Yes, I know.
And now you love me better than before.

Nydia creeps back to Nydon
Arbaces:
Why, truly, comrade. (Aside)
If you leave that vault
Alive, write fool, in characters of fire,
Upon my forehead. (Aloud)
Come, come, dear Calenus!

(Exeunt into Arbaces' house)
Nydia:
Nydon, I know my life is in my hand,
But I must follow.

Nydon:
Let me go with you.

Nydia:
No; that were forfeiting all outer help.
Stay till I come. If I should not return;
Tomorrow, when Arbaces is in Court,
Break in this house, and find me and Calenus.
Swear by the gods you will.

Nydon:
I swear.

Nydia:
(Patting his cheek)
Dear Nydon!
How many gladiators can you bring?

Nydon:
Enough to overpower a gang of slaves.

Nydia:
Bring picks and bars. Now you may kiss me, Nydon.
(He kisses her)
But wait; there 's something tells me I'll return.

(Exit into Arbaces' house)
Nydon:
She knows I love her; but I never dare
So much as whisper it, since she became
My lady 's lady; dropped the flower-girl 's gear,
And made me feel so far beneath her feet.
What she is aiming at, I do not know;
But since she does it, it must be all right—
At least for me, who would front burning Hades,
If she but crooked her finger. What was that?
Only the wind. I wonder if men 's ghosts
Walk, as 'tis said, the spots where crimes were done.
By Hercules, I wish the girl would come!
I do not like this darkness, and the breeze
Chills from the sea.

Enter Nydia from Arbaces' house
Nydia:
O Nydon! are you there?

Nydon:
Here, Nydia.

Nydia:
It was as I feared 'twould be.
Arbaces lured that miser to his gold;
Then struck him down, and left him in the vault.
I heard him mutter, as he issued forth,
And locked and barred the heavy iron doors:
“There blab my secret to the granite walls,
Till famine make your tongue too thick to talk.”
And then he laughed,—oh, horror! what a laugh!
Hell must have gaped to hear it!

Nydon:
Nydia,
What means all this? Why are you so concerned
About Calenus?

Nydia:
Simple Nydon! Say,
Can you not trust me? lend me all your might
When I have need of you?

Nydon:
You know.

Nydia:
Well, then,
Tomorrow you and I will save the life
Of Glaucus. Nydon, do you ever pray?

Nydon:
I use the gods to swear by chiefly, yet
If you will have it, I could pray for you.

Nydia:
Do so tonight, my Nydon. O ye gods,
Let my brain hold together; for my heart
Is well nigh broken. O to be a Man!
This stress and strain is far too much for me,
A feeble girl!

Nydon:
But, Nydia, I believe
You love this Glaucus.

Nydia:
(Laughing wildly)
Ha! ha! ha! why, yes,
As an owl loves the moon above her head,
She sings to so, so sweetly! Can 't you see,
I am as dirt beneath his noble feet,
As very dirt? Come, come! I shall go mad,
If thoughts like these besiege me. Help me, gods!

(She almost faints, weeping passionately. Exit supported by Nydon)
Curtain