polyuecte-第3章
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Of danger sore to life and liberty；
Became a slave to set his Emperor free：
Rome gave her honours to Severus' shade；
Whilst he； her ransomer； in a dungeon stayed。
His death they mourned above ten thousand slain；
While Persia held himyes； their tears were vain；
But not in vain his noble sacrifice！
The king released him： Rome grudged not the price；
No Persian bribe could tempt him from his home。
When Decius cried'Fight once again for Rome！'
Again he fightshe leadsall others hope resign；
But from despair's deep breast he plucks a star benign；
Thishope's fair fruit； contentment； plenty； ease；
Brings joy from grief； to crown a lasting peace。
The Emperor holds him as his dearest friend；
And doth Severus to Armenia send
To offer up to Mars； and mighty Jove；
'Mid feast and sacrifice； his thanks and love。
FELIX。
Ah； Fortune； turn thy wheel； else I misfortune meet！
ALBIN。
This news I learn'd from one of great Severus' suite：
Thence； swiftly here； the tale to tell I sped。
FELIX。
He who once vainly wooed； hopes now to wed。
The sacrifice； the offering； all are feigned；
All but the suit； which lightly I disdained。
PAUL。
Yes； this may be； for ah！ he loved me well！
FELIX。
What room for hope？ Such wrath is child of hell。
Before his righteous ire I shrink； I cower；
Revenge I dreadand vengeance linked with power
Unnerves me quite。
PAUL。
Fear not； his soul is great。
FELIX。
Thy comfort； oh my daughter； comes too late。
The thought to crush me down； to turn my heart to stone；
This； that I prized not worth for worth's dear sake alone！
Too well； Pauline； thou hast thy sire obeyed；
Thy heart was fond； but duty love betrayed。
How surely thy revolt had safety won！
'Tis thine obedience leaves us all undone。
In thee； in thee alone； one hope remains；
Love held him fast； relax not thou love's chains。
O Love； my sometime foe； forgive； be mine ally；
And let the dart that slew now bring the remedy！
PAUL。
Forbid it； Heaven！ One good yet mine；/my will/；
The dart that wounded has the power to kill。
One lesson woman learnsher feebleness；
Shame is the only grief without redress。
The traitor heart shall still a prisoner be；
For freedom were disgrace to thee and me！
/I will not/ see him！
FELIX。
But one word！ Be kind！
PAUL。
I will not； for I love！and love is blind。
Before his kingly eye my soul to unveil
Were shame and failure： and I will not fail：
/I will not/ see him！
FELIX。
One word more'Obey！'
Wouldst thou thy father and his weal betray？
PAUL。
I yield！ Come woe！come shame！come every ill！
My father thou！and I thy daughter still！
FELIX。
I know thee pure。
PAUL。
And pure I will remain；
But； crushed and bruised； the flower no guilt shall stain。
I fear the combat that I may not fly；
Hard…won the fight； and dear the victory。
Here； love； my curse！ Here； dearest friend； my foe！
Yet will I arm me！ Father； I would go
To steel my heartall weapons to embrace！
FELIX。
I too will go； the conqueror's march to grace！
Restore thy strength； ere yet it be too late；
And know that in thy hands thou hold'st our fate！
PAUL。
Go； broken heart； to probe thy wound； cut deep and do not spare！
Herselfthe crowning sacrificethe victim shall prepare！
ACT II
SEVERUS。 FABIAN
SEV。
Let Felix bow to Jove and incense pour；
I seek a dearer shrine； for I adore
Nor Jove； nor Mars； nor Fortunebut Pauline。
This fruit now ripening late my hand would glean：
You know； my friend； the god who wings my way；
You know the only goddess I obey：
What reck the gods on high our sacrifice and prayer？
An earthly worship mine； sole refuge from despair！
FABIAN。
Ah！ You may see her
SEV。
Blessed be thy tongue！
O magic word； that turns my grief to song！
Yet； if she now forget each fair； fond vow？
She loved me once；but does she love me now？
On that sweet face shall I but trouble see
Who hope for love undimmed； for ecstasy？
Great Decius gives her hand； but if her heart
Be mine no morethan let vain hope depart！
This mandate binds her father only； she
Shall give no captive handher heart is free：
No promise wrung； no king's command be mine to claim；
Her love the boon I crave； all else an empty name！
FABIAN。
Yes；you maysee her/see/ herthis you may
SEV。
Thy speech is haltingodious thy delay！
She loves no more？ I grope！ O give me light！
FABIAN。
O see her not； for painful were the sight！
In Rome each matron's kind！ In Rome all maids are fair！
Let lips meet other lipsseek for caresses there！
No stately Claudia will refuseno Julia proud disdain；
A hero captures every heart； from Antioch to Spain！
SEV。
To wed a queenan empresswere only loss and shame；
One heart for mePauline's！ One boastthat dearest name！
Her love was virgin gold！ O ne'er shall baser metal ring
From mine； who live her name to bless！ her peerless praise to sing！
O； words are naught； till that I see her face；
Then doubly naught till I my love embrace。
In every war my hope was placed in death；
Her name upon my lips at every breath：
My rank； my fame； now hers and hers alone；
What is not hers； hers onlyI disown！
FABIAN。
Once more； oh see her not； 'twere for thy peace！
SEV。
Thy meaning； knave； or let this babble cease！
Say； was she cold？ My love！ My only life！
FABIAN。
Nobutmy lord
SEV。
Say on！
FABIAN。
Another's wife！
SEV。
（Reels。）
Help！No； I will not blenchah； say you lie！
If this be true！ye godscan I be I？
FABIAN。
No； thou art changed。 Where is thy courage fled？
SEV。
I know not； Fabian。 Lost！ Gone！ Vanished！ Dead！
I thought my strength was oak'tis but a reed！
Pauline is wed； then am I lost indeed！
Hope hid beyond the cloud； yet still fond hope was there：
But now all hope is dead； lives only black despair！
Pauline another's wife？
FABIAN。
Yes； Polyeucte is her lord。
He came； he saw； he conquered thine adored。
SEV。
Her choice is not unworthyhis a name
Illustrious； from a line of kings he came
Cold comfort for a wound no cure can heal！
My cause is lost；foredoomed without appeal！
Malignant Jove； to drag me back to…day！
Relentless Fate； to quench hope's dawning ray！
Take back your gifts！ One boon alone I crave；
That only boon to none deniedthe grave。
Yet would I see her； breathe one last good…bye；
Would hear once more that voice before I die！
My latest breath would still my homage pay；
That memory mine； when lost to realms of day。
FABIAN。
Yet think； my lord
SEV。
Oh； I have thought of all；
What worser ill can dull despair befall？
She will not see me？
FABIAN。
Yes； my lord； but
SEV。
Cease！
FABIAN。
'Twill but enhance the grief I would appease。
SEV。
For hopeless ill； good friend； I seek no cure。
Who welcomes death can life's short pain endure！
FABIAN。
O lost indeed； if round her fatal light you hover！
The lover； losing all； speaks hardly like a lover！
While passion still is lordthe passion…swept is slave
From this last bitterness would I Severus save！
SEV。
That word； my friend； unsay； tho' grief this bosom tear；
The hand that wounds I kisslove vanquishes despair；
Fate only； not Pauline； the foe that I accuse；
No plighted faith she breaks who did this hand refuse。
Dutyher fatherFatethese willed； she but obeyed；
Not hers the woe； the strife that envious Ate made！
Untimely； Fortune's shower must drown me； not revive；
Too lavish and too late her fatal gifts arrive。
The golden apple falls； the gold is turned to dross：
When Fate at Fortune mocks； all gain is only loss！
FABIAN。
Yes； I will go to tell her thou hast drained
To the last drop the cup that Fate ordained。
She knows thee hero； but she feared that pain
Might prove thee also manby passion slain。
She feared Despair； who gains the victory
O'er o
