Because their words impart such high conceptions
Of power creative and parental love,
In one great Being join'd, as makes the heart
Bound with ennobling thoughts? Call ye them

curst

Who daily live in steady strong assurance
Of endless blessedness? O, listen to me!

Re-enter PORTIA, bursting from a thicket close to them.

Por. O, listen to him, father!

Sul. I will not betray him.

Por. Then all may yet be well; for our great
gods,

Whom Cæsar and his subject nations worship,
Will not abandon Rome's best, bravest soldier
To power demoniac. That can never be
If they indeed regard us.

Orc. Were he in Parthia, our great god, the sun,
Or rather he who in that star resides,
Would not permit his power to be so thwarted,

Sul. Let go my robe, fond creature! Listen to For all the demonry that e'er exerted

him!

The song of syrens were less fatal. Charms

Of dire delusion, luring on to ruin,

Are mingled with the words that speak their faith;
They, who once hear them, flutter round destruction
With giddy fascination, like the moth,

Which, shorn of half its form, all scorch'd and
shrivell'd,

Still to the torch returns. I will not listen ;
No, Portia, nor shalt thou.

Por.

O, say not so!

For if you listen to him, you may save him,

And win him from his errors.

Its baleful influence on wretched men.
Beshrew me for a thought gleams through my
brain,

It is this God, perhaps, with some new name,
Which these bewilder'd Nazarenes adore.

Sul. With impious rites, most strange and horri

ble.

Orc. If he, my friend, in impious rites hath join'd,
Demons, indeed, have o'er the soul of man
A power to change its nature. Ay, Sulpicius;
And thou and I may, ere a day shall pass,
Be very Nazarenes. We are in ignorance;
We shoot our arrow in the dark, and cry,

Sul. Vain hope! vain hope! What is man's 'It is to wound a foe.' Come, gentle Portia ;

natural reason

Opposed to demon subtlety? Cordenius!

Cordenius Maro! I adjure thee, go!

Be not so sad; the man thou lovest is virtuous,
And brave, and loves thee well; why then despair?
Por. Alas! I know he is brave and virtuous,

Leave me; why wouldst thou pull destruction on Therefore, I do despair.
me?

On one who loved thee so, that though possess'd
Of but one precious pearl, most dearly prized,
Prized more than life, yet would have given it to
thee.

I needs must weep: c'en for thyself I weep.
Cor. Weep not, my kind Sulpicius! I will leave
thee,

Albeit the pearl thou wouldst bestow upon me
Is, in my estimation, dearer far

Than life, or power, or fame, or earthly thing.
When these fierce times are past, thou wilt, per-
haps,

Think of me with regard, but not with pity,
How fell soe'er my earthly end hath been,
For I shall then be blest. And thou, dear Portia,
Wilt thou remember me? That thought, alas!
Dissolves my soul in weakness.-

O, to be spared, if it were possible,
This stroke of agony. Is it not possible,
That I might yet-

-Almighty God forgive me!
Weak thoughts will lurk in the devoted heart,
But not be cherish'd there. I may not offer
Aught short of all to thee.

Farewell, farewell! sweet Portia, fare thee well!
(Orceres catches hold of him to prevent his going.)
Retain me not: I am a Parthian now,

Orc.
In Nero's court, indeed,
Such men are ever on the brink of danger,
But wouldst thou have him other than he is?
Por. O no! I would not; that were base and

sordid;

Yet shed I tears, e'en like a wayward child
Who weeps for that which cannot be attain'd,-
Virtue, and constancy, and safety join'd.

I pray thee pardon me, for I am wretched,
And that doth make me foolish and perverse.
[EXEUNT.

ACT III.

SCENE I-BEFORE THE GATE OF NERO'S PALACE:
GUARDS WITH THEIR OFFICERS, DISCOVERED ON
DUTY.

Enter to them another OFFICER, speaking as he enters to
the SOLDIERS.

First Offi. Strike up some sacred strain of Roman
triumph;

The Pontiff comes to meet the summon'd council.
Omit not this respect, else he will deem
We are of those who love the Nazarenes.
Sing loud and clearly.

Enter PONTIFF attended.

SACRED HYMN BY THE SOLDIERS.
That chief, who bends to Jove the suppliant knee,
Shall firm in power and high in honour be;
And who to Mars a soldier's homage yields,
Shall laurell'd glory reap in bloody fields;
Who vine-crown'd Bacchus, bounteous lord, adores,
Shall gather still, unscath'd, his vintage stores;
Who to fair Venus liberal offering gives,
Enrich'd with love, and sweet affection lives,
Then, be your praises still our sacred theme,
O Venus, Bacchus, Mars, and Jove supreme !

Pon. I thank ye, soldiers! Rome, indeed, hath
triumph'd,

Bless'd in the high protection of her gods,
The sovereign warrior nation of the world;
And, favour'd by great Jove and mighty Mars,
So may she triumph still, nor meanly stoop
To worship strange and meaner deities,
Adverse to warlike glory. [EXIT, with his train.
First Offi. The Pontiff seems disturb'd, his brow

is lowering.

Enter ORCERES, followed by SULPICIUS.

The Parthian prince, who will inform us truly.
Orceres, is thy friend Cordenius coming?
I have commanded him, and at this hour,
To bring his guarded prisoner to the palace,
Here to remain till the appointed time.

Ore. I know not; nor have I beheld Cordenius
Since yesterday; when, at an early hour,
Sulpicius and myself met him by chance:

Second Offi. Reproof and caution, mingled with But for the prisoner, he is at hand,

Because of late so many valiant soldiers

Have proselytes become to this new worship;

A worship too, as he insinuates,

Unsuited to the brave.

E'en at the palace gate; for as we enter'd
We saw him there, well circled round with guards,
Though in the martial throng we saw not Maro.
Nero. (To the Pontiff.) Said I not so?
(To an Officer.) Command them instantly
To bring this wordy Grecian to our presence.

[EXIT Officer.

Third Offi. Ay, ay! the sacred chickens are in Sulpicius, thou hast known this Ethocles,

danger.

Second Offi. Sylvius is suspected, as I hear. First Offi. Hush! let us to our duty; it is time To change the inner guard.

[EXEUNT with music, into the gate of the palace.

SCENE II-A COUNCIL CHAMBER IN THE PALACE,
NERO WITH HIS COUNSELLORS DISCOVERED; NERO
IN THE ACT OF SPEAKING.

Nero. Yes, Servius; formerly we have admitted,
As minor powers, amongst the ancient gods
Of high imperial Rome, the foreign deities
Of friendly nations; but these Nazarenes

Scorn such association, proudly claiming
For that which is the object of their faith,
Sole, undivided homage: and our altars,
Our stately temples, the majestic forms
Of Mars, Apollo, thundering Jove himself,
By sculptor's art divine, so nobly wrought,
Are held by these mad zealots in contempt.
Examine, sayest thou shall imperial Cæsar
Deign to examine what withstands his power?
I marvel at thy folly, Servius Sillus.

Enter an OFFICER.

Offi. The Pontiff, mighty Cæsar, waits without, And craves admittance.

Nero. Let him be admitted.

Enter PONTIFF.

Pontiff, thy visage, if I read it well,

Says, that some weighty matter brings thee here:
Thou hast our leave to speak.

Pon. Imperial Nero, didst thou not condemn
That eloquent, but pestilential Nazarene,
The Grecian Ethocles, whose specious words
Wrap in delusion all who listen to him,
Spreading his baleful errors o'er the world?

Nero. Did I condemn him! E'en this very day,
He in the amphitheatre meets his doom;
Having, I trust, no power of words to charm.
The enchafed lion, or the famish'd wolf.

Pon. I am inform'd, and I believe it true
That this bold malefactor is enlarged.

Nero. It is impossible! Cordenius Maro
Is sworn to guard the prisoner; or, failing,
(How could he fail?) to pay with his own life
The forfeit. But behold his favourite friend,

Is he a madman or ambitious knave,
Who sought on human folly to erect
A kind of fancied greatness for himself?
Sul. I know not which, great Nero.
Nero. And didst thou not advise me earnestly
To rid the state of such a pestilence?

Sul. And still advise thee, Nero; for this Greek
Is dangerous above all, who, with their lives,
Have yet paid forfeit for their strange belief.
They come : the prisoner in foreign garb
So closely wrapp'd, I scarcely see his face.

Enter PRISONER, attended.

Pon. If it in truth be he.

Nero. (To the Pontiff.) Dost thou still doubt?
(To the Prisoner.) Stand forth, audacious rebel, to
my will!

Dost thou still brave it, false and subtle spirit?
Cor. (throwing off his Grecian cloak, and
advancing to Nero.) I am not false, Au-
gustus, but if subtle,
Add to my punishment what shall be deem'd
Meet retribution. I have truly sworn,
Or to produce thy thrall, or, therein failing,
To give my life for his; and here I stand.
Ethocles, by a higher power than thine,
Is yet reserved for great and blessed ends.
Take thou the forfeit; I have kept my oath.
Nero. I am amazed beyond the power of utter-

ance !

Grows it to such a pitch that Rome's brave captains
Are by this wizard sorcery so charm'd ?

Then it is time, good sooth! that sweeping ven

geance

Should rid the earth of every tainted thing
Which that curst sect hath touch'd. Cordenius

Maro,

Thou who hast fought our battles, graced our state,
And borne a noble Roman's honour'd name,
What, O what power could tempt thee to this
shame ?

Cor. I have been tempted by that mighty Power,
Who gave to Rome her greatness, to the earth
Form and existence; yea, and to the soul
Of living, active man, sense and perception:
But not to shame, O Cæsar! not to shame!
Nero. What, hast thou not become a Nazarene,

As now I apprehended? Say, thou hast not;
And though thy present act is most audacious,
Yet will I spare thy life.

First bind thyself by every sacred oath

To give this body to the flames, then hear me ;
O could I speak what might convince Rome's chief,

Cor. If thou wouldst spare my life, and to that Her senators, her tribes, her meanest slaves,

grace

Add all the wealth of Rome, and all the power

Of Rome's great lord, I would not for the bribe
Be other than I am, or what I am

Basely deny.

Of Christ's most blessed truth, the fatal pile
Would be to me a car of joyful triumph,
Mounted more gladly than the laurell'd hero
Vaults to his envied seat, while Rome's throng'd

streets

Nero. Thou art a Christian, then? Thou art a Resound his shouted name. Within me stirs

maniac!

Cor. I am a man, who, seeing in the flames
Those dauntless Christians suffer, long'd to know
What power could make them brave the fear of
death,

Disgrace, and infamy.—And I have learnt
That they adore a God,-one God, supreme,
Who, over all men, his created sons,
Rules as a father; and beholding sin,
Growth of corruption, mar this earthly race,
Sent down to earth his sinless, heavenly Son,
Who left, with generous devoted love,
His state of exaltation and of glory,

To win them back to virtue, yea, to virtue
Which shall be crown'd with never-ending bliss.
I've learnt that they with deep adoring gratitude
Pay homage to that Son, the sent of God,
Who here became a willing sacrifice

To save mankind from sin and punishment,

And earn for them a better life hereafter,

The spirit of truth and power which spoke to me,
And will upon thy mind.-
Nero.
I charge thee cease!
Orc. Nay, emperor! might I entreat for him?
Cor. (catching hold of Orceres eagerly.) Not for
my life.

Orc. No; not for that, brave Maro!

(To Nero.) Let me entreat that he may freely
speak.

Fear'st thou he should convince thee by his words?
That were a foul affront to thine own reason,
Or to the high divinities of Rome.

Nero. Cease, Prince of Parthia! nor too far pre

sume

Upon a noble stranger's privilege.

Pon. Shall words so bold be to mine ear august So freely utter'd with impunity?

Orc. Pontiff! I much revere thy sacred office, But scorn thy paltry words. Not freely speak! Not with impunity! Is this a threat?

When mortal life is closed. The heart's deep ho- Let Rome's great master, or his angry slaves,

mage

Becoming well such creatures, so redeem'd.

Nero. Out on that dreaming madness?

Cor. Is it madness

To be the humble follower of Him,

Who left the bliss of heaven to be for us

A man on earth, in spotless virtue living

As man ne'er lived: such words of comfort speak-
ing,

To rouse,
and elevate, and cheer the heart,
As man ne'er spoke; and suffering poverty,
Contempt, and wrong, and pain, and death itself,
As man ne'er suffer'd ?—O, if this be madness,
Which makes each generous impulse of my nature
Warm into ecstasy, each towering hope
Rise to the noblest height of bold conception;
That which is reason call'd, and yet has taught you
To worship different gods in every clime,
As dull and wicked as their worshippers,
Compared to it, is poor, confined, and mean,
As is the Scythian's curtain'd tent, compared
With the wide range of fair, expanded nature.
Nero. Away, away! with all those lofty words!
They but bewilder thee.

Cor. Yet hear them, Nero! O resist them not!
Perhaps they are appointed for thy good,
And for the good of thousands. When these hands
Which have so oft done Rome a soldier's service,
This tongue which speaks to thee, are turn'd to
ashes,

What now appears so wild and fanciful,
May be remembered with far other feelings.
It is not life that I request of Nero,

Shed one drop of my blood, and on our plains
Where heretofore full many a Roman corse,
With Parthian arrows pierced, have vultures fed,
Twice thirty thousand archers in array,
Each with his bow strain'd for the distant mark,
Shall quickly stand, impatient for revenge.
Not with impunity!

Sul. Nay, nay, Orceres! with such haughty

words

Thou'lt injure him thou plead'st for. Noble Cæsar!
Permit an aged man, a faithful servant,

To speak his thoughts. This brave deluded youth
Is now, as I sincerely do believe,

Beneath the power of strong and dire enchantment.
Hear not his raving words, but spare his life,
And when its power (for all delusion holds
Its power but for a season) shall be spent,
He will himself entreat your clemency,
And be again the soldier of the state,
Brave and obedient. Do not hear him now;
Command him to retire.

Cor. I thank thee, good Sulpicius, but my life,
For which thou plead'st, take no account of that;
I yield it freely up to any death,
Cruel or merciful, which the decree

Of Cæsar shall inflict, for leave to speak
E'en but a few short moments. Princely Nero!
The strong enchantment which deludes my soul
Is, that I do believe myself the creature,
Subject and soldier, if I so may speak,
Of an Almighty Father, King, and Lord,
Before whose presence, when my soul shall be
Of flesh and blood disrobed, I shall appear,

Although I said these hands have fought for Rome. There to remain with all the great and good

No; in the presence of these senators,

That e'er have lived on earth; yea, and with spirits.

Higher than earth e'er own'd, in such pure bliss
As human heart conceives not,-if my life,
With its imperfect virtue, find acceptance
From pardoning love and mercy; but, if otherwise,
That I shall pass into a state of misery
With souls of wicked men and wrathful demons.
That I believe this earth on which we stand
Is but the vestibule to glorious mansions,
Through which a moving crowd for ever press;
And do regard the greatest Prince, who now
Inflicts short torment on this flesh, as one
Who but in passing rudely rends my robe.
And thinkest thou that I, believing this,
Will shrink to do his will whom I adore?
Or thinkest thou this is a senseless charm,
Which soon will pass away?

Nero. High words, indeed, if resting on good
proof!

A maniac's fancies may be grand and noble.

Cor. Ay, now thou listenest, as a man should
listen,

With an inquiring mind. Let me produce
The proofs which have constrain'd me to believe,
From written law and well-attested facts ;-
Let me produce my proofs, and it may be,

The Spirit of Truth may touch thy yielding heart,
And save thee from destruction.

Nero. Ha dost thou think to make of me a con-
vert?

Away, weak fool! and most audacious rebel!
Give proofs of thy obedience, not thy faith,

If thou wouldst earn thy pardon.

Cor. If thou condemn me in the flames to die

I will and must obey thee; if to live,
Disgraced by pardon won through treachery

To God, my King supreme, and his bless'd Christ,
I am, indeed, thy disobedient rebel.

Orc. Noble Cordenius! can thy martial spirit
Thus brook to be a public spectacle,
Fighting with savage beasts, the sport of fools,
Till thou shalt fall, deform'd and horrible,
Mangled and piece-meal torn? It must not be.

Cor. Be not so moved, Orceres; I can bear it
The God I worship, who hath made me humble,
Hath made me dauntless too. And for the shame
Which, as I guess, disturbs thee most, my Master,
The Lord and Leader I have sworn to follow,
Did as a malefactor end his days,

To save a lost, perverted race: shall I
Feel degradation, then, in following him?

Orc. In this, alas! thou'lt follow him too surely;
But whither, noble Maro?

Cor. E'en to my destined home, my Father's house.

Orc. And where is that? O, canst thou tell me where?

Beyond the ocean or beneath the earth?

Be there more worlds than this, beyond our ken
In regions vast, above the lofty stars?
Could we through the far stretch of space desery
E'en but the distant verge, though dimly mark'd,
Of any other world, I would believe
That virtuous men deceased have in good truth
A destined place of rest.

Cor. Believe it-0, believe it, brave Orceres!
Orc. I'll try to do it. I'll become a Christian,
Were it but only to defy this tyrant.

Cor. Thou must receive with a far different spirit
The faith of Jesus Christ. Perhaps thou wilt.
My heart leaps at the thought. When I am dead,
Remain in Rome no longer. In the East
Search thou for Ethocles, whom I have rescued;
And if he shall convert thee, O, how richly
He will repay all I have done for him!

Nero. And shall as such, most dearly pay the But, I would now withdraw a little space,

forfeit.

Out!-take him from my presence till the time
Of public execution.

Cordenius Maro, thou shalt fall this day

By no ignoble foe ;--a noble lion,
Famish'd and fierce, shall be thy adversary.
And dost thou smile and raise thy head at this,
In stately confidence ?

Cor. God will deliver me from every adversary.
And thou too smilest.-Yes; he will deliver
That which I call myself. For this poor form
Which vests me round, I give it to destruction
As gladly as the storm-beat traveller,
Who, having reach'd his destined place of shelter,
Drops at the door his mantle's cumbrous weight.
Nero. (going.) Then to thy visionary hopes I
leave thee,

Incorrigible man! Here, in this chamber
Keep him secure till the appointed hour.

To pour my thoughts in prayer and thankfulness
To Him, the great, the good, the wise, the just,
Who holds man's spirit in his own high keeping,
And now supports my soul, and will support it,
Till my appointed task is done. In secret
The hearts by Jesus taught, were bid to pray,
And, if it be permitted, so will I.

(To the Guards, who advance as he speaks to
them.)

My guards and, some time past, my fellow soldiers,
Let me remain alone a little while,

And fear not my escape. If ye distrust me,
Watch well the door, and bind my hands with
chains.

First Offi. Yes, brave Cordenius, to another
chamber

Thou mayst retire, and we will watch without.
But be thy person free: we will not bind,
With felon cord or chain, those valiant hands
(To the Officers, &c.) Which have so often for thy country fought,
Until we are commanded.

Off, good Sulpicius! hang not on me thus !
Sul. O, mighty Cæsar! countermand your orders:
Delay it but a month, a week, a day.

[EXEUNT Nero, Sulpicius, Senators, &c. Sulpicius
still keeping close to Nero in the act of sup-
plication. Orceres, Cordenius, and Guards
remain, the Guards standing respectfully at a
distance in the back-ground.

Cor. I thank ye all, my friends, and I believe That I shall meet and thank ye too hereafter; For there is something in you God must love, And, loving, will not give to reprobation.

(To First Officer.) Codrus, thou once didst put thy life in hazard, And sufferedst much to save a helpless Greek

Por. No, not this answer, Maro; not this an-
swer!

Cast not life from thee, dear, most dear Cordenius!
Life, too, which I should spend my life in cheering,
Cast it not from thee like a worthless thing.

Cor. Because it is not worthless but most pre-
cious,

Enter SULPICIUS on the front, meeting with another noble And now, when dear to thee, more precious far Than I have e'er esteem'd it, 'tis an offering More meet for God's acceptance;

ROMAN.

Sul. (eagerly.) Is he advancing?

Noble Rom.

Yes, and close at hand, Withheld from Him, not e'en thyself, sweet maid,
Couldst cheer its course, nor yet couldst thou be

Surrounded by a group of martial friends.
Oft have I seen him on a day of battle
March to the charge with noble, portly gait,
But now he treads the ground with buoyant steps
Which from its surface spring, as though he press'd
Substance of renovating power. His form
Seems stately and enlarged beyond its wont;
And in his countenance, oft turn'd to heaven,
There is a look as if some god dwelt in him.
Sul. How do the people greet him?
Noble Rom.

happy.

Por. Nay, but I could!-to see thee still alive, And by my side, mine own redeemed friend, Should I not then be happy?

Cor. I should be by thy side, dear love! but

thou,

With all thy excellence, couldst have no happiness,
Mated with one, whose living form alone
Could move upon the earth, whilst far adrift
Every face His mind would dwell, by ceaseless meditation,
In other worlds of blessedness or wo;
Lost to the one, and to the other link'd
By horrid sympathy, till his wrench'd nature
Should to a demon's fell and restless spirit
At last be changed.

Gazing upon him, turns, with transit quick,
Pity to admiration. Warlike veterans
Are shedding tears like infants. As he pass'd
The legion he commanded in Armenia,
They raised a shout as if a victor came,
Saluting him with long and loud applause
None daring to reprove them.

(Noise without of shoutings.)
Hark! he comes.

Enter CORDENIUS, followed by ORCERES and SYLVIUS,
and attended by other friends, with GUARDS, &c.
Sul. (advancing eagerly to meet him.) Cordenius,
O Cordenius! hear a friend,

A faithful, ancient friend; thy Portia's father!
At Nero's footstool she is pleading for thee,
And will not plead in vain, if thou wilt testify
A yielding mind, a willingness to live.

Por. Alas, alas! and dost thou then believe
That naught remains for thee but death or misery?
Cor. No, gentle Portia! firmly I believe
That I shall live in endless happiness,
And with the blest hereafter shall behold

Thy blessed self, with ecstasy of love,
Exceeding every thought of earth-born passion,
As the fair morning star in lovely brightness
Excels a night-fly, twinkling through the gloom.
Live in this hope, dear Portia! hold it fast;
And may his blessing rest upon thy head,
Who loves the loving and the innocent!
Farewell, in love and hope! farewell, in peace!

Cor. I am so pleased to die, and am so honour'd, Farewell, in quickening faith,-in holy joy!

In dying for the pure and holy truth,

That nature's instinct seems in me extinguish'd.
But if the emperor freely pardon me,
I shall believe it is the will of God

That I should yet on earth promote his service,
And, so believing, am content to live;
Living or dying, to his will resign'd.

Enter PORTIA on the front, and catching hold of CORDE-
NIUS with eagerness and great agitation.

Por. Cordenius, thou art pardoned. Nero spares

thee,

If thou wilt only say thou art a Roman,

In heart and faith as all thy fathers were,

Or but forbear to say thou art a Christian.

Por. (clasping his knees.) Nay, let me yet con-
jure thee!

Make me not wretched, me who once was happy,
Ay, happiest of all in loving thee.

Cor. This is mine anguish and my suffering!
O, good Sulpicius! bear her to her home.
Sul. (leading her gently away, while she still
clings to him.) Forbear, my child, thy
tears are all in vain.

Enter a LICTOR.

Lic. Cæsar forbids all further interruption
To his imperial sentence. Let Cordenius
Forthwith prepare him for the fatal fight.

Cor. Thanks, gentle Portia! life preserved by This is mine office, and I must perform it.

thee,

(Begins to disrobe Cordenius, while Portia shrieks