SCENE 2

_The Temple of Hestia. Evening: torches are lit. In the centre a statue of the goddess._ RHODOPE _appears from the right in solemn procession, with her_ LESBIA, HERO, _and_ KARNA.

RHODOPE.

Karna, the funeral-pyre--’tis being built?

KARNA.

’Tis built ere now.

[RHODOPE _paces into the temple and kneels before the statue of the goddess_.

HERO.

She speaks of funeral-pyres Instead of bridal-chambers?

LESBIA.

What, amazed? There must be first one dead within this place Or ever in this place there be a bride.

HERO.

I tremble, Lesbia. She questioned me, When I was tiring her, if in our garden Were growing poison-berries----

LESBIA.

What?

HERO.

And if I might not go and bring her some of them, For every one she said she’d give a pearl Though there should be a hundred; but with speed It must be done.

LESBIA.

And you?

HERO.

I answered no, And thereupon she smiled and said, “I’m like To think it. I shall show you them to-morrow.” And yet I thought it strange.

LESBIA.

And strange it is.

HERO.

Thereon she sent me from her, but I spied And saw her take a poniard fine of point As though for test, no other word could name it, And scratch her arm.

LESBIA.

Hero!

HERO.

’Tis true. There came Red blood as well.

LESBIA.

Oh horror!

HERO.

Sooth it is She honours equally with ours strange gods We have no knowledge of; and so perchance ’Tis some dark rite.

LESBIA.

No, no! Where sounds the flute And where the pipe? Who sings the song of Hymen? Where is the band of dancers? I was blind! She has gone forth to turn her home no more. Queen, hearken to my prayer--relent!... And is A feast prepared?

HERO.

No. Oh, to be in the dark!

LESBIA.

Then curses on the pride of heart that held me, This very day of all, so far from her! And now--O Goddess, she is Thine this hour, Incline her heart, I cannot do so more!

HERO.

Yes, Pure and Chaste and Holy, do this thing ... And is’t not strange as well that she should choose No more the ever-blithesome Aphrodite For witness, but the stern-faced Hestia Before whose gaze the greenest garland dries?

LESBIA.

Oh, oh, it means the Thing most dread of all!

[_Enter_ GYGES.

HERO.

Gyges!

LESBIA.

Oh take him! Only--do it not!

GYGES.

I feel as though myself had lost the blood That streamed from out his veins. I am death-cold.

HERO.

How pale his seeming is!

GYGES.

There is the altar-- But at another have I sought for her---- And there her maids are standing--there is she---- What means it all?

[_Enter_ THOAS.

THOAS.

I offer you the crown.

GYGES.

It passes to the Lydians, not to me.

THOAS.

I brought it to the Lydians ere to you, And as their herald stand before you now.

THE PEOPLE (_without_).

Hail, Gyges, Hail!

[RHODOPE _rises and turns round_.

THE PEOPLE (_pressing in_).

Gyges, our King, all hail!

THOAS.

This shouting is no thing for pride. The neighbours Have fallen on the land, and ’tis your task To lead them.

GYGES.

What?

THOAS.

’Twas just as I had thought. He was too mild; there’s not a soul that feared him, And now they’re here.

[GYGES _puts on the crown_.

GYGES.

’Tis I that pay his debt.

RHOD. (_who has been slowly approaching_ GYGES).

Gyges, your own is first to pay.

GYGES.

O Queen, Be you the prize that draws me with its lure When far and wide I’ve crushed my foes in rout.

RHOD.

Nay, nay! You gain no hour of grace from me. We cannot go before my Father’s presence; Then come with me and stand at Hestia’s altar, And give to me before her countenance The hand’s eternal bond I give to you.

GYGES.

Had you but seen how he took leave of life You’d call’t a holy thing, this awed recoil That sanctions not the mere touch of your garment, Till I have done this thing for him. There’s none Had more o’ the rich world’s goods than he, and yet He went therefrom as others come therein.

RHOD.

If with such noble soul he trod the way To dusky death, that realm where none renews The stain of sin, then with a glow at heart I’ll meet him, though no more than on the threshold. Yea, I will stoop and make my hands a cup To draw for him from Lethe; but myself Shall never taste the beatific drink. But you--I warn you--make an end!

GYGES.

So be it. Yet this I swear to thee, beloved Shade, I shall away as soon as e’er ’tis done.

RHOD.

I too have sworn to do a thing.

GYGES.

O Queen, The man whose hand defers a cup so brimming With every bliss, as mine does now, though but For one short hour, that man has won it well.

RHOD.

Hush, hush! Your feet are in a holy place!

[_They walk to the altar._

O Hestia, Thou Guardian of the Flame Whose fire consumes the thing it cannot cleanse, I give this youth my thanks that once again I dare appear before thy countenance. And as the folk exalteth him to King, Be witness thou, I raise him to my lord.

[_She gives_ GYGES _her hand_.

And you--regard as wedding-gift the crown Now flinging from your head its lordly sparkle, But give to me the Dead Man’s Ring for pledge.

GYGES.

Nay, that the King still bears upon his finger.

RHOD.

Already then it has its fitting place.

[_She frees_ GYGES’ _hand_.

And now step back. Be faithful to your vow As I keep faith with mine. My stain is purged, For none has seen me save for whom ’twas meet. But now I disunite me (_stabs herself_) thus from you!

HEROD AND MARIAMNE

A TRAGEDY IN FIVE ACTS

TRANSLATED BY

L. H. ALLEN

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ

KING HEROD.

MARIAMNE, _his Queen_.

ALEXANDRA, _her Mother_.

SALOME, _Sister of the King_.

SOEMUS, _Governor of Galilee_.

JOSEPH, _Viceregent in the absence of_ HEROD.

SAMEAS, _a Pharisee_.

TITUS, _a Roman Captain_.

JOAB, _a Courier_.

JUDAS, _a Jewish Captain_.

ARTAXERXES } MOSES } _Servants; also other Servants_. JEHU }

SILO, _a Citizen_.

ZERUBABEL } _Galileans_. PHILO, _his Son_ }

A ROMAN COURIER.

AARON and five other JUDGES.

THREE KINGS FROM THE EAST, _afterwards given the added title of “holy” by the Christian Church_.

PLACE: Jerusalem. TIME: The Birth of Christ.

HEROD AND MARIAMNE