the complete poetical works-第137节
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The Lord； and said； rejoicing： A great Prophet
Is risen up among us！ and the Lord
Hath visited his people！
PETER。
A great Prophet？
Ay； greater than a Prophet： greater even
Than John the Baptist！
PHILIP。
Yet the Nazarenes
Rejected him。
PETER。
The Nazarenes are dogs！
As natural brute beasts； they growl at things
They do not understand； and they shall perish；
Utterly perish in their own corruption。
The Nazarenes are dogs！
PHILIP。
They drave him forth
Out of their Synagogue； out of their city；
And would have cast him down a precipice；
But； passing through the midst of them； he vanished
Out of their hands。
PETER。
Wells are they without water；
Clouds carried with a tempest； unto whom
The mist of darkness is reserved forever。
PHILIP。
Behold； he cometh。 There is one man with him
I am amazed to see！
ANDREW。
What man is that？
PHILIP。
Judas Iscariot； he that cometh last；
Girt with a leathern apron。 No one knoweth
His history； but the rumor of him is
He had an unclean spirit in his youth。
It hath not left him yet。
CHRISTUS； passing。
Come unto me；
All ye that labor and are heavy laden；
And I will give you rest！ Come unto me；
And take my yoke upon you and learn of me；
For I am meek； and I am lowly in heart；
And ye shall all find rest unto your souls！
PHILIP。
Oh； there is something in that voice that reaches
The innermost recesses of my spirit！
I feel that it might say unto the blind：
Receive your sight！ and straightway they would see！
I feel that it might say unto the dead；
Arise！ and they would hear it and obey！
Behold； he beckons to us！
CHRISTUS to PETER and ANDREW。
Follow me！
PETER。
Master； I will leave all and follow thee。
VII
THE DEMONIAC OF GADARA
A GADARENE。
He hath escaped； hath plucked his chains asunder；
And broken his fetters； always night and day
Is in the mountains here； and in the tombs；
Crying aloud； and cutting himself with stones；
Exceeding fierce； so that no man can tame him！
THE DEMONIAC from above； unseen。
O Aschmedai！ O Aschmedai； have pity！
A GADARENE。
Listen！ It is his voice！ Go warn the people
Just landing from the lake！
THE DEMONIAC。
O Aschmedai！
Thou angel of the bottomless pit； have pity！
It was enough to hurl King Solomon；
On whom be peace！ two hundred leagues away
Into the country； and to make him scullion
In the kitchen of the King of Maschkemen！
Why dost thou hurl me here among these rocks；
And cut me with these stones？
A GADARENE。
He raves and mutters
He knows not what。
THE DEMONIAC； appearing from a tomb among the rocks。
The wild cock Tarnegal
Singeth to me； and bids me to the banquet；
Where all the Jews shall come； for they have slain
Behemoth the great ox； who daily cropped
A thousand hills for food； and at a draught
Drank up the river Jordan； and have slain
The huge Leviathan； and stretched his skin
Upon the high walls of Jerusalem；
And made them shine from one end of the world
Unto the other； and the fowl Barjuchne；
Whose outspread wings eclipse the sun； and make
Midnight at noon o'er all the continents！
And we shall drink the wine of Paradise
From Adam's cellars。
A GADARENE。
O thou unclean spirit！
THE DEMONIAC； hurling down a stone。
This is the wonderful Barjuchne's egg；
That fell out of her nest； and broke to pieces
And swept away three hundred cedar…trees；
And threescore villages！Rabbi Eliezer；
How thou didst sin there in that seaport town
When thou hadst carried safe thy chest of silver
Over the seven rivers for her sake！
I too have sinned beyond the reach of pardon。
Ye hills and mountains； pray for mercy on me！
Ye stars and planets； pray for mercy on me！
Ye sun and moon； oh pray for mercy on me！
CHRISTUS and his disciples pass。
A GADARENE。
There is a man here of Decapolis；
Who hath an unclean spirit； so that none
Can pass this way。 He lives among the tombs
Up there upon the cliffs； and hurls down stones
On those who pass beneath。
CHRISTUS。
Come out of him；
Thou unclean spirit！
THE DEMONIAC。
What have I to do
With thee； thou Son of God？ Do not torment us。
CHRISTUS。
What is thy name？
THE DEMONIAC。
Legion； for we are many。
Cain； the first murderer； and the King Belshazzar；
And Evil Merodach of Babylon；
And Admatha； the death…cloud； prince of Persia
And Aschmedai the angel of the pit；
And many other devils。 We are Legion。
Send us not forth beyond Decapolis；
Command us not to go into the deep！
There is a herd of swine here in the pastures；
Let us go into them。
CHRISTUS。
Come out of him；
Thou unclean spirit！
A GADARENE。
See how stupefied；
How motionless he stands！ He cries no more；
He seems bewildered and in silence stares
As one who； walking in his sleep； awakes
And knows not where he is； and looks about him；
And at his nakedness； and is ashamed。
THE DEMONIAC。
Why am I here alone among the tombs？
What have they done to me； that I am naked？
Ah； woe is me！
CHRISTUS。
Go home unto thy friends
And tell them how great things the Lord hath done
For thee； and how He had compassion on thee！
A SWINEHERD； running。
The herds！ the herd！ O most unlucky day！
They were all feeding quiet in the sun；
When suddenly they started； and grew savage
As the wild boars of Tabor； and together
Rushed down a precipice into the sea！
They are all drowned！
PETER。
Thus righteously are punished
The apostate Jews； that eat the flesh of swine；
And broth of such abominable things！
GREEKS OF GADARA。
We sacrifice a sow unto Demeter
At the beginning of harvest and another
To Dionysus at the vintage…time。
Therefore we prize our herds of swine； and count them
Not as unclean； but as things consecrate
To the immortal gods。 O great magician；
Depart out of our coasts； let us alone；
We are afraid of thee。
PETER。
Let us depart；
For they that sanctify and purify
Themselves in gardens； eating flesh of swine。
And the abomination； and the mouse；
Shall be consumed together； saith the Lord！
VIII
TALITHA CUMI
JAIRUS at the feet of CHRISTUS。
O Master！ I entreat thee！ I implore thee！
My daughter lieth at the point of death；
I pray thee come and lay thy hands upon her；
And she shall live！
CHRISTUS。
Who was it touched my garments？
SIMON PETER。
Thou seest the multitude that throng and press thee；
And sayest thou： Who touched me？ 'T was not I。
CHRISTUS。
Some one hath touched my garments； I perceive
That virtue is gone out of me。
A WOMAN。
O Master！
Forgive me！ For I said within myself；
If I so much as touch his garment's hem；
I shall be whole。
CHRISTUS。
Be of good comfort； daughter！
Thy faith hath made thee whole。 Depart in peace。
A MESSENGER from the house。
Why troublest thou the Master？ Hearest thou not
The flute players； and the voices of the women
Singing their lamentation？ She is dead！
THE MINSTRELS AND MOURNERS。
We have girded ourselves with sackcloth！
We have covered our heads with ashes！
For our young men die； and our maidens
Swoon in the streets of the city；
And into their mother's bosom
They pour out their souls like water！
CHRISTUS； going in。
Give place。 Why make ye this ado； and weep？
She is not dead； but sleepeth。
THE MOTHER； from within。
Cruel Death！
To take away front me this tender blossom！
To take away my dove； my lamb； my darling！
THE MINSTRELS AND MOURNERS。
He hath led me and brought into darkness；
Like the dead of old in dark places！
He hath bent his bow； and hath set me
Apart as a mark for his arrow！
He hath covered himself with a cloud；
That our prayer should not pass through and reach him！
THE CROWD。
He stands beside her bed！ He takes her hand！
Listen； he speaks to her！
CHRISTUS； within。
Maiden； arise！
THE CROWD。
See； she obeys his voice！ She stirs！ She lives！
Her mother holds her folded in her arms！
O miracle of miracles！ O marvel！
IX
THE TOWER OF MAGDALA
MARY MAGDALENE。
Companionless； unsatisfied； forlorn；
I sit here in this lonely tower； and look
Upon the lake below me； and the hills
That swoon with heat； and see as in a vision
All my past life unroll itself before me。
The princes and the merchants come to me；
Merchants of Tyre and P
