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Who preacheth to the poor in field and village
The coming of God's Kingdom。
ARCHITRICLINUS。
How serene
His aspect is！ manly yet womanly。
PARANYMPHUS。
Most beautiful among the sons of men！
Oft known to weep； but never known to laugh。
ARCHITRICLINUS。
And tell me； she with eyes of olive tint；
And skin as fair as wheat； and pale brown hair；
The woman at his side？
PARANYMPHUS。
His mother； Mary。
ARCHITRICLINUS。
And the tall figure standing close behind them；
Clad all in white； with lace and beard like ashes；
As if he were Elias； the White Witness；
Come from his cave on Carmel to foretell
The end of all things？
PARANYMPHUS。
That is Manahem
The Essenian； he who dwells among the palms
Near the Dead Sea。
ARCHITRICLINUS。
He who foretold to Herod
He should one day be King？
PARANYMPHUS。
The same。
ARCHITRICLINUS。
Then why
Doth he come here to sadden with his presence
Our marriage feast； belonging to a sect
Haters of women； and that taste not wine？
THE MUSICIANS。
My undefiled is but one；
The only one of her mother；
The choice of her that bare her；
The daughters saw her and blessed her；
The queens and the concubines praised her；
Saying； Lo！ who is this
That looketh forth as the morning？
MANAHEM aside。
The Ruler of the Feast is gazing at me；
As if he asked； why is that old man here
Among the revellers？ And thou； the Anointed！
Why art thou here？ I see as in a vision
A figure clothed in purple； crowned with thorns；
I see a cross uplifted in the darkness；
And hear a cry of agony； that shall echo
Forever and forever through the world！
ARCHITRICLINUS。
Give us more wine。 These goblets are all empty。
MARY to CHRISTUS。
They have no wine！
CHRISTUS。
O woman； what have I
To do with thee？ Mine hour is not yet come。
MARY to the servants。
Whatever he shall say to you； that do。
CHRISTUS。
Fill up these pots with water。
THE MUSICIANS。
Come； my beloved；
Let us go forth into the field；
Let us lodge in the villages；
Let us get up early to the vineyards；
Let us see if the vine flourish；
Whether the tender grape appear；
And the pomegranates bud forth。
CHRISTUS。
Draw out now
And bear unto the Ruler of the Feast。
MANAHEM aside。
O thou； brought up among the Essenians；
Nurtured in abstinence； taste not the wine！
It is the poison of dragons from the vineyards
Of Sodom； and the taste of death is in it！
ARCHITRICLINUS to the BRIDEGROOM。
All men set forth good wine at the beginning；
And when men have well drunk； that which is worse；
But thou hast kept the good wine until now。
MANAHEM aside。
The things that have been and shall be no more；
The things that are； and that hereafter shall he；
The things that might have been； and yet were not；
The fading twilight of great joys departed；
The daybreak of great truths as yet unrisen；
The intuition and the expectation
Of something； which； when come； is not the same；
But only like its forecast in men's dreams；
The longing； the delay； and the delight；
Sweeter for the delay； youth； hope； love； death；
And disappointment which is also death；
All these make up the sum of human life；
A dream within a dream； a wind at night
Howling across the desert in despair；
Seeking for something lost it cannot find。
Fate or foreseeing； or whatever name
Men call it； matters not； what is to be
Hath been fore…written in the thought divine
From the beginning。 None can hide from it；
But it will find him out； nor run from it；
But it o'ertaketh him！ The Lord hath said it。
THE BRIDEGROOM to the BRIDE； on the balcony。
When Abraham went with Sarah into Egypt；
The land was all illumined with her beauty；
But thou dost make the very night itself
Brighter than day！ Behold； in glad procession；
Crowding the threshold of the sky above us；
The stars come forth to meet thee with their lamps；
And the soft winds； the ambassadors of flowers；
From neighboring gardens and from fields unseen；
Come laden with odors unto thee； my Queen！
THE MUSICIANS。
Awake； O north…wind；
And come； thou wind of the South。
Blow； blow upon my garden；
That the spices thereof may flow out。
IV
IN THE CORNFIELDS
PHILIP。
Onward through leagues of sun…illumined corn；
As if through parted seas； the pathway runs；
And crowned with sunshine as the Prince of Peace
Walks the beloved Master； leading us；
As Moses led our fathers in old times
Out of the land of bondage！ We have found
Him of whom Moses and the Prophets wrote；
Jesus of Nazareth； the Son of Joseph。
NATHANAEL。
Can any good come out of Nazareth？
Can this be the Messiah？
PHILIP。
Come and see。
NATHANAEL。
The summer sun grows hot： I am anhungered。
How cheerily the Sabbath…breaking quail
Pipes in the corn； and bids us to his Feast
Of Wheat Sheaves！ How the bearded； ripening ears
Toss in the roofless temple of the air；
As if the unseen hand of some High…Priest
Waved them before Mount Tabor as an altar！
It were no harm； if we should pluck and eat。
PHILIP。
How wonderful it is to walk abroad
With the Good Master！ Since the miracle
He wrought at Cana； at the marriage feast；
His fame hath gone abroad through all the land；
And when we come to Nazareth； thou shalt see
How his own people will receive their Prophet；
And hail him as Messiah！ See； he turns
And looks at thee。
CHRISTUS。
Behold an Israelite
In whom there is no guile。
NATHANAEL。
Whence knowest thou me？
CHRISTUS。
Before that Philip called thee； when thou wast
Under the fig…tree； I beheld thee。
NATHANAEL。
Rabbi！
Thou art the Son of God； thou art the King
Of Israel！
CHRISTUS。
Because I said I saw thee
Under the fig…tree； before Philip called thee；
Believest thou？ Thou shalt see greater things。
Hereafter thou shalt see the heavens unclosed；
The angels of God ascending and descending
Upon the Son of Man！
PHAIRISEES； passing。
Hail； Rabbi！
CHRISTUS。
Hail！
PHARISEES。
Behold how thy disciples do a thing
Which is not lawful on the Sabbath…day；
And thou forbiddest them not！
CHRISTUS。
Have ye not read
What David did when he anhungered was；
And all they that were with him？ How he entered
Into the house of God； and ate the shew…bread；
Which was not lawful； saving for the priests？
Have ye not read； how on the Sabbath…days
The priests profane the Sabbath in the Temple；
And yet are blameless？ But I say to you；
One in this place is greater than the Temple！
And had ye kn