Act II. sc. 2.

And this, too, perfectly agrees with the power attributed to the superior spirits of quelling the demons by those indications of their quality which were not to be perceived by mortals: _per occultissimæ signa præsentiæ, quæ angelicis sensibus etiam malignorum spirituum, potius quam infirmitati hominum, possunt esse perspicua_. Civ. Dei, lib. ix.

The tragedy is too full of horrors; but this is a fault of which our ancestors were very tolerant.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

DIOCLESIAN, } MAXIMINUS, } _Emperors of Rome_. KING OF PONTUS. KING OF EPIRE. KING OF MACEDON. SAPRITIUS, _Governor of Cæsarea_. THEOPHILUS, _a zealous persecutor of the Christians_. SEMPRONIUS, _captain of_ SAPRITIUS' _guards_. ANTONINUS, _son to_ SAPRITIUS. MACRINUS, _friend to_ ANTONINUS. HARPAX, _an evil spirit, following_ THEOPHILUS _in the shape of a secretary_. ANGELO, _a good spirit, serving_ DOROTHEA _in the habit of a page_. JULIANUS, } GETA, } _servants of_ THEOPHILUS. PRIEST OF JUPITER. BRITISH SLAVE.

ARTEMIA, _daughter to_ DIOCLESIAN. CALISTA, } CHRISTETA, } _daughters to_ THEOPHILUS. DOROTHEA, _the Virgin-Martyr_.

_Officers and Executioners._

SCENE, Cæsarea.

THE VIRGIN-MARTYR.