the complete poetical works-第157节
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MARY。
Who is it speaketh in this place；
With such a gentle voice？
GABRIEL。
The Lord of heaven is with thee now！
Blessed among all women thou；
Who art his holy choice！
MARY； setting down the pitcher。
What can this mean？ No one is near；
And yet； such sacred words I hear；
I almost fear to stay。
Here the ANGEL； appearing to her； shall say：
GABRIEL。
Fear not； O Mary！ but believe！
For thou； a Virgin； shalt conceive
A child this very day。
Fear not； O Mary！ from the sky
The Majesty of the Most High
Shall overshadow thee！
MARY。
Behold the handmaid of the Lord！
According to thy holy word；
So be it unto me！
Here the Devils shall again make a great noise； under the stage。
III。 THE ANGELS OF THE SEVEN PLANETS； BEARING THE STAR OF
BETHLEHEM
THE ANGELS。
The Angels of the Planets Seven；
Across the shining fields of heaven
The natal star we bring！
Dropping our sevenfold virtues down
As priceless jewels in the crown
Of Christ； our new…born King。
RAPHAEL。
I am the Angel of the Sun；
Whose flaming wheels began to run
When God Almighty's breath
Said to the darkness and the Night；
Let there he light！ and there was light！
I bring the gift of Faith。
ONAFIEL。
I am the Angel of the Moon；
Darkened to be rekindled soon
Beneath the azure cope！
Nearest to earth； it is my ray
That best illumes the midnight way；
I bring the gift of Hope！
ANAEL。
The Angel of the Star of Love；
The Evening Star； that shines above
The place where lovers be；
Above all happy hearths and homes；
On roofs of thatch； or golden domes；
I give him Charity！
ZOBIACHEL。
The Planet Jupiter is mine！
The mightiest star of all that shine；
Except the sun alone！
He is the High Priest of the Dove；
And sends； from his great throne above；
Justice； that shall atone！
MICHAEL。
The Planet Mercury； whose place
Is nearest to the sun in space；
Is my allotted sphere！
And with celestial ardor swift
I hear upon my hands the gift
Of heavenly Prudence here！
URIEL。
I am the Minister of Mars；
The strongest star among the stars！
My songs of power prelude
The march and battle of man's life；
And for the suffering and the strife；
I give him Fortitude！
ORIFEL。
The Angel of the uttermost
Of all the shining； heavenly host；
From the far…off expanse
Of the Saturnian； endless space
I bring the last； the crowning grace；
The gift of Temperance！
A sudden light shines from the windows of the stable in the
village below。
IV。 THE WISE MEN OF THE EAST
The stable of the Inn。 The VIRGIN and CHILD。 Three Gypsy Kings；
GASPAR； MELCHIOR； and BELSHAZZAR； shall come in。
GASPAR。
Hail to thee； Jesus of Nazareth！
Though in a manger thou draw breath；
Thou art greater than Life and Death；
Greater than Joy or Woe！
This cross upon the line of life
Portendeth struggle； toil； and strife；
And through a region with peril rife
In darkness shalt thou go！
MELCHIOR。
Hail to thee； King of Jerusalem！
Though humbly born in Bethlehem；
A sceptre and a diadem
Await thy brow and hand！
The sceptre is a simple reed；
The crown will make thy temples bleed；
And in thine hour of greatest need；
Abashed thy subjects stand！
BELSHAZZAR。
Hail to thee； Christ of Christendom！
O'er all the earth thy kingdom come！
From distant Trebizond to Rome
Thy name shall men adore！
Peace and good…will among all men；
The Virgin has returned again；
Returned the old Saturnian reign
And Golden Age once more。
THE CHILD CHRIST。
Jesus； the Son of God； am I；
Born here to suffer and to die
According to the prophecy；
That other men may live！
THE VIRGIN。
And now these clothes； that wrapped Him； take
And keep them precious； for his sake；
Our benediction thus we make；
Naught else have we to give。
She gives them swaddling…clothes and they depart。
V。 THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT
Here JOSEPH shall come in； leading an ass； on which are seated
MARY and the CHILD。
MARY。
Here will we rest us； under these
O'erhanging branches of the trees；
Where robins chant their Litanies
And canticles of joy。
JOSEPH。
My saddle…girths have given way
With trudging through the heat to…day；
To you I think it is but play
To ride and hold the boy。
MARY。
Hark！ how the robins shout and sing；
As if to hail their infant King！
I will alight at yonder spring
To wash his little coat。
JOSEPH。
And I will hobble well the ass；
Lest； being loose upon the grass；
He should escape； for； by the mass；
He's nimble as a goat。
Here MARY shall alight and go to the spring。
MARY。
O Joseph！ I am much afraid；
For men are sleeping in the shade；
I fear that we shall be waylaid；
And robbed and beaten sore！
Here a band of robbers shall be seen sleeping； two of whom shall
rise and come forward。
DUMACHUS。
Cock's soul！ deliver up your gold！
JOSEPH。
I pray you； sirs； let go your hold！
You see that I am weak and old；
Of wealth I have no store。
DUMACHUS。
Give up your money！
TITUS。
Prithee cease。
Let these people go in peace。
DUMACHUS。
First let them pay for their release；
And then go on their way。
TITUS。
These forty groats I give in fee；
If thou wilt only silent be。
MARY。
May God he merciful to thee
Upon the Judgment Day！
JESUS。
When thirty years shall have gone by；
I at Jerusalem shall die；
By Jewish hands exalted high
On the accursed tree；
Then on my right and my left side；
These thieves shall both be crucified；
And Titus thenceforth shall abide
In paradise with me。
Here a great rumor of trumpets and horses； like the noise of a
king with his army； and the robbers shall take flight。
VI。 THE SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS
KING HEROD。
Potz…tausend！ Himmel…sacrament！
Filled am I with great wonderment
At this unwelcome news！
Am I not Herod？ Who shall dare
My crown to take； my sceptre bear；
As king among the Jews？
Here he shall stride up and down and flourish his sword。
What ho！ I fain would drink a can
Of the strong wine of Canaan！
The wine of Helbon bring
I purchased at the Fair of Tyre；
As red as blood； as hot as fire；
And fit for any king！
He quaffs great goblets of wine。
Now at the window will I stand；
While in the street the armed band
The little children slay；
The babe just born in Bethlehem
Will surely slaughtered be with them；
Nor live another day！
Here a voice of lamentation shall be heard in the street。
RACHEL。
O wicked king！ O cruel speed！
To do this most unrighteous deed！
My children all are slain！
HEROD。
Ho； seneschal！ another cup！
With wine of Sorek fill it up！
I would a bumper drain！
RAHAB。
May maledictions fall and blast
Thyself and lineage to the last
Of all thy kith and kin！
HEROD。
Another goblet！ quick！ and stir
Pomegranate juice and drops of myrrh
And calamus therein！
SOLDIERS； in the street。
Give up thy child into our hands！
It is King Herod who commands
That he should thus be slain！
THE NURSE MEDUSA。
O monstrous men！ What have ye done！
It is King Herod's only son
That ye have cleft in twain！
HEROD。
Ah； luckless day！ What words of fear
Are these that smite upon my ear
With such a doleful sound！
What torments rack my heart and head！
Would I were dead！ would I were dead；
And buried in the ground！
He falls down and writhes as though eaten by worms。 Hell opens；
and SATAN and ASTAROTH come forth and drag him down。
VII。 JESUS AT PLAY WITH HIS SCHOOLMATES
JESUS。
The shower is over。 Let us play；
And make some sparrows out of clay；
Down by the river's side。
JUDAS。
See； how the stream has overflowed
Its banks； and o'er the meadow road
Is spreading far and wide！
They draw water out of the river by channels and form little
pools。 JESUS makes twelve sparrows of clay； and the other boys do
the same。
JESUS。
Look！ look how prettily I make
These little sparrows by the lake
Bend down their necks and drink！
Now will I make them sing and soar
So far； they shall return no more
Unto this river's brink。
JUDAS。
That canst thou not！ They are but clay；
They cannot sing； nor fly away
Above the meadow lands！
JESUS。
Fly； fly！ ye sparrows！ you are free！
And while you live； remember me；
Who made you with my hands。
Here JESUS shall clap his hands； and the sparrows shall fly away；
chirruping。
JUDAS。
Thou art a sorcerer； I know；
Oft has my mother told me so；
I will not play with thee！
He strikes JESUS in the right side。
JESUS。
Ah； Juda
