the complete poetical works-第146节
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Arose among these Jews； because their Law
Forbids the making of all images！
They threw themselves upon the ground with wild
Expostulations； bared their necks； and cried
That they would sooner die than have their Law
Infringed in any manner； as if Numa
Were not as great as Moses； and the Laws
Of the Twelve Tables as their Pentateuch！
And then； again； when I desired to span
Their valley with an aqueduct； and bring
A rushing river in to wash the city
And its inhabitants；they all rebelled
As if they had been herds of unwashed swine！
Thousands and thousands of them got together
And raised so great a clamor round my doors；
That； fearing violent outbreak； I desisted；
And left them to their wallowing in the mire。
And now here comes the reverend Sanhedrim
Of lawyers； priests； and Scribes and Pharisees；
Like old and toothless mastiffs； that can bark
But cannot bite； howling their accusations
Against a mild enthusiast； who hath preached
I know not what new doctrine； being King
Of some vague kingdom in the other world；
That hath no more to do with Rome and Caesar
Than I have with the patriarch Abraham！
Finding this man to be a Galilean
I sent him straight to Herod； and I hope
That is the last of it； but if it be not；
I still have power to pardon and release him；
As is the custom at the Passover；
And so accommodate the matter smoothly；
Seeming to yield to them； yet saving him；
A prudent and sagacious policy
For Roman Governors in the Provinces。
Incomprehensible； fanatic people！
Ye have a God； who seemeth like yourselves
Incomprehensible； dwelling apart；
Majestic； cloud…encompassed； clothed in darkness！
One whom ye fear； but love not； yet ye have
No Goddesses to soften your stern lives；
And make you tender unto human weakness；
While we of Rome have everywhere around us
Our amiable divinities； that haunt
The woodlands； and the waters； and frequent
Our households； with their sweet and gracious presence！
I will go in； and； while these Jews are wrangling；
Read my Ovidius on the Art of Love。
VII
BARABBAS IN PRISON
BARABBAS； to his fellow…prisoners
Barabbas is my name；
Barabbas； the Son of Shame；
Is the meaning； I suppose；
I'm no better than the best；
And whether worse than the rest
Of my fellow…men； who knows？
I was once； to say it in brief；
A highwayman； a robber…chief；
In the open light of day。
So much I am free to confess；
But all men； more or less；
Are robbers in their way。
From my cavern in the crags；
From my lair of leaves and flags；
I could see； like ants； below；
The camels with their load
Of merchandise； on the road
That leadeth to Jericho。
And I struck them unaware；
As an eagle from the air
Drops down upon bird or beast；
And I had my heart's desire
Of the merchants of Sidon and Tyre；
And Damascus and the East。
But it is not for that I fear；
It is not for that I am here
In these iron fetters bound；
Sedition！ that is the word
That Pontius Pilate heard；
And he liketh not the sound。
What think ye； would he care
For a Jew slain here or there；
Or a plundered caravan？
But Caesar！ah； that is a crime；
To the uttermost end of time
Shall not be forgiven to man。
Therefore was Herod wroth
With Matthias Margaloth；
And burned him for a show！
Therefore his wrath did smite
Judas the Gaulonite；
And his followers； as ye know。
For that cause and no more；
Am I here； as I said before；
For one unlucky night；
Jucundus； the captain of horse；
Was upon us with all his force；
And I was caught in the flight；
I might have fled with the rest；
But my dagger was in the breast
Of a Roman equerry；
As we rolled there in the street；
They bound me； hands and feet
And this is the end of me。
Who cares for death？ Not I！
A thousand times I would die；
Rather than suffer wrong！
Already those women of mine
Are mixing the myrrh and the wine；
I shall not be with you long。
VIII
ECCE HOMO
PILATE； on the tessellated pavement in front of his palace。
Ye have brought unto me this man； as one
Who doth pervert the people； and behold！
I have examined him； and found no fault
Touching the things whereof ye do accuse him。
No； nor yet Herod； for I sent you to him；
And nothing worthy of death he findeth in him。
Ye have a custom at the Passover；
That one condemned to death shall be released。
Whom will ye； then； that I release to you？
Jesus Barabbas； called the Son of Shame；
Or Jesus； Son of Joseph； called the Christ？
THE PEOPLE； shouting。
Not this man； but Barabbas！
PILATE。
What then will ye
That I should do with him that is called Christ？
THE PEOPLE。
Crucify him！
PILATE。
Why； what evil hath he done？
Lo； I have found no cause of death in him；
I will chastise him； and then let him go。
THE PEOPLE； more vehemently。
Crucify him！ crucify him！
A MESSENGER； to PILATE。
Thy wife sends
This message to thee；Have thou naught to do
With that just man； for I this day in dreams
Have suffered many things because of him。
PILATE； aside。
The Gods speak to us in our dreams！ I tremble
At what I have to do！ O Claudia；
How shall I save him？ Yet one effort more；
Or he must perish！
Washes his hands before them。
I am innocent
Of the blood of this just person； see ye to it！
THE PEOPLE。
Let his blood be on us and on our children！
VOICES； within the palace。
Put on thy royal robes； put on thy crown；
And take thy sceptre！ Hail； thou King of the Jews！
PILATE。
I bring him forth to you； that ye may know
I find no fault in him。 Behold the man！
CHRISTUS is led in with the purple robe and crown of thorns。
CHIEF PRIESTS and OFFICERS。
Crucify him！ crucify him！
PILATE。
Take ye him；
I find no fault in him。
CHIEF PRIESTS。
We have a Law；
And by our Law he ought to die； because
He made himself to be the Son of God。
PILATE； aside。
Ah！ there are Sons of God； and demigods
More than ye know； ye ignorant High…Priests！
To CHRISTUS。
Whence art thou？
CHIEF PRIESTS。
Crucify him！ crucify him！
PILATE； to CHRISTUS。
Dost thou not answer me？ Dost thou not know
That I have power enough to crucify thee？
That I have also power to set thee free？
CHRISTUS。
Thou couldst have no power at all against me
Except that it were given thee from above；
Therefore hath he that sent me unto thee
The greater sin。
CHIEF PRIESTS。
If thou let this man go；
Thou art not Caesar's friend。 For whosoever
Maketh himself a King； speaks against Caesar。
PILATE。
Ye Jews； behold your King！
CHIEF PRIESTS。
Away with him！
Crucify him！
PILATE。
Shall I crucify your King？
CHIEF PRIESTS。
We have no King but Caesar！
PILATE。
Take him； then；
Take him； ye cruel and bloodthirsty priests；
More merciless than the plebeian mob；
Who pity and spare the fainting gladiator
Blood…stained in Roman amphitheatres；
Take him； and crucify him if ye will；
But if the immortal Gods do ever mingle
With the affairs of mortals； which I doubt not；
And hold the attribute of justice dear；
They will commission the Eumenides
To scatter you to the four winds of heaven；
Exacting tear for tear； and blood for blood。
Here； take ye this inscription； Priests； and nail it
Upon the cross； above your victim's head：
Jesus of Nazareth； King of the Jews。
CHIEF PRIESTS。
Nay； we entreat！ write not； the King of the Jews！
But that he said： I am the King of the Jews！
PILATE。
Enough。 What I have written； I have written。
IX
ACELDAMA
JUDAS ISCARIOT。
Lost！ Lost！ Forever lost！ I have betrayed
The innocent blood！ O God！ if thou art love；
Why didst thou leave me naked to the tempter？
Why didst thou not commission thy swift lightning
To strike me dead？ or why did I not perish
With those by Herod slain； the innocent children；
Who went with playthings in their little hands
Into the darkness of the other world；
As if to bed？ Or wherefore was I born；
If thou in thy foreknowledge didst perceive
All that I am； and all that I must be？
I know I am not generous； am not gentle；
Like other men； but I have tried to be；
And I have failed。 I thought by following him
I should grow like him； but the unclean spirit
That from my childhood up hath tortured me
Hath been too cunning and too strong for me；
Am I to blame for this？ Am I to blame
Because I cannot love； and ne'er have known
The love of woman or the love of children？
It is a curse and a fatality；
A mark that hath been set upon my forehead；
That n
