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NEAR。
Thou woo'st thy death！
POLY。
Is this poor life so dear？
NEAR。
Ah； I must own my heart is slave to fear。
The rack！ The cross！ I might my Lord disown！
POLY。
From Him our help； our strength； from Him alone！
Who fears denial does at heart deny；
Who doubts the power of faith makes faith a lie！
NEAR。
Who leans upon a reed shall find distress。
POLY。
His staff will guide； support my feebleness。
Thou wert my staff； to show the Truth； the Way；
Must I now urge thee to the realms of day？
Thou fearest death？
NEAR。
The Christ once feared to die！
POLY。
Yet drained the bitter cup of agony！
The way that thou hast shownthat way He trod；
His way be ours to lead man's soul to God
For heathen shrineto rear His altar fair；
The deathless hope alone can kill despair！
Thou said'st： 'If Him thou wilt for pattern take；
Then leave wife； wealth； home； all for His dear sake！'
Alas； that love of thine； now weak and poor；
Glows yet within my breastand shall endure；
Ah； must the dawn of this my perfect day
Find thy full light beclouded； dimmed； astray？
NEAR。
Baptismal waters yet bedew thy brow；
The grace that once was mine； that grace hast thou。
No worldly thought has checked the flow； no guilty act has stained；
Thy wings are strong； while mine are weak； thy love is fresh； ungeigned；
To these； thy heights； I cannot soar； held down by sense and sin；
How can I storm the citadel？the traitor lurks within！
Forsake me not； my God！ Thy spirit pour！
Oh； make me true to Him whom I adore！
With Thee I rise；the flesh； the world； defy；
Thou； who hast died for me； for Thee I die！
Yes； I will go！ With heaven…born zeal I burn；
I will be free；all Satan's lures I spurn；
Death； torture； outrage； these will I embrace；
To nerve my heart and arm； Heaven grant me grace！
POLY。
On eagle wings of faith and hope ascend！
I hail my masterrecognise my friend；
The old faith wanes；we light her funeral pyre；
Her ashes fall before our holy fire；
Come； trample under foot the gods that men have wrought；
The rotten； helpless staff is broke； is goneis naught。
Their darkness felt they own； but let them see the light！
Their gods of stone； of clay； but vampires of the night！
Their dust shall turn to dust；shall moulder with the sod；
Ours for His name to fight：the issue is with God。
NEAR。
The cause is just； is trueO coward heart； be still！
I lived to doubt His wordI die to do His Will！
ACT III
PAULINE
PAUL。
Caresclouded and confusedoppress； obscure
In changeful forms； my eye； my heart； my mind：
My soul finds room for every guest save one；
Fair hope has flown；no star can pierce my night：
Each tyrant rages 'gainst opposing foe
In deadly fightyet brings to light no friend：
In travail sore hope comes not to the birth
Fear hydra…headed terror still begets；
All fancies grim I see； and straight embrace；
At hope I clutch； who still eludes my grasp；
Her rainbow hues adored are but a frame
That serve by contrast to make fear more dark。
Severus haunts meoh； I know his love；
Yet hopeless love must mate with jealousy；
While Polyeucte； who has won what he has lost；
Can meet no rival with an equal eye。
The fruit of rivalry is ever hate
And envy； both must still engender strife：
One sees that rival hand has grasped his prize；
The other yearns for prize himself has missed。
Weak reason naught； when headlong passion reigns；
For valour seeks a sword； and loverevenge。
One fears to see the prize he gained impaired；
The other would that wrested prize regain；
While patience； duty； conscience； vail their heads
'Fore obstinate defence and fierce attack。
Such steeds no charioteer controlsfor they
Mistake both curb and reign for maddening whip。
Ah！ what a base； unworthy fear is mine！
How ill I read these fair； these noble souls；
Whose virtue must all common snares o'erleap！
Their gold unstained by dross or mean alloy！
As generous foes so will theymust they meet！
Yet are they rivalsthis the thought that kills！
Not even hereat homeis Polyeucte safe；
The eagle wings of Rome reach over all。
Oh； if my father bow to Roman might；
If he repent the choice that he hath made；
At this one thought hope's flame leaps up to die！
Orif new…borndies ere she see the light。
Hope but deceived；my fear alone I trust；
Heaven grant such confidence be falsebe vain！
（Enter Stratonice。）
Nay； let me know the worst！ What； girl！no word？
The rites are o'er？ What hast thou seenwhat heard？
They met in amity？In peace they part？
STRAT。
Alas！ Alas！
PAUL。
Nay； soothe my aching heart！
I would have comfort；but this face of woe
A quarrel？
STRAT。
PolyeucteNearchusgo
The Christians
PAUL。
What of them？
STRAT。
Ah； how to speak
PAUL。
They on my father would their vengeance wreak？
STRAT。
Oh； fear whate'er thou wiltthat fear too small！
PAUL。
The Christians rise？
STRAT。
Oh； would that this were all！
Thy dream； Pauline； is true； Polyeucte is
PAUL。
Dead？
STRAT。
Ah； no； he livesyet every hope is fled；
That courage once so high； that noble name
Sunk in the mire of everlasting shame！
He lives；who once was lovely in thy sight
As monster foulhis every breath a blight；
The foe of Heaven； of Jove； of all our race；
His kisses poison； and his lovedisgrace！
Wretch； coward； miscreant； steeped in infamy；
O worse than every name！a Christian he！
PAUL。
Nay； that one word's enough！ There needed not abuse。
STRAT。
My words fit well their guilt；with evil make no truce。
PAUL。
If /he/ be /Nazarene/he must an outcast be！
But insult to my lord is insult unto me！
STRAT。
Think only that he hails the Cross； the badge of shame。
PAUL。
My plighted faith； my troth； my duty still the same！
STRAT。
When twined about thy breast； the hideous serpent slay！
Who mocks the Gods on high will his own wife betray！
PAUL。
If he be false； yet I will still be true；
The ties that bind me I will ne'er undo：
Let fateSeveruspassionall combine
Against him！I am his； and he is mine。
Yes； mine to guide； lead； win； forgive； and save！
I seek his honour tho' he court the grave。
Let Polyeucte be Christ's slave！For woe； for weal；
He is my lord； the bond I owe I seal；
I fear my father；all his vengeance； dread。
STRAT。
Fierce burns his rage o'er that devoted head；
Yet embers of old love still faintly glow；
And through his wrath some weak compassion show；
'Gainst Polyeucte biting words alone he speaks
But on Nearchus fullest vengeance wreaks！
PAUL。
Nearchus lured him on？
STRAT。
The tempter he；
Such friendship leads to death； or infamy。
Oh； cursed friend； who； in dear love's despite；
Has torn him from thine armshis neophyte！
He dragged him to the front；baptized； annealed
He fights for Christ！The secret is revealed。
PAUL。
Which I would know