Atto

 1 1|         forged by vain alarms?~ ~POLY. I know that dreams are
 2 1|         then, untended—dies!~40~ POLY. You know me ill,—’tis mine,
 3 1|          obeys another voice!~ ~ POLY. Who loves thy Christ—say,
 4 1|         plea—a woman’s tears!~ ~ POLY. I know thy heart! It is
 5 1|        NEAR. Be bold! O come!~ ~ POLY. Yes, let thy faith be mine!~ ~
 6 1|            O come, they wait!~ ~ POLY.Appease her fear! Ah, this~ ~
 7 1|           105~ NEAR.Then fly!~ ~ POLY.I cannot!~ ~ NEAR.To deny~ ~
 8 1|         PAULINE and STRATONICE~~ POLY. I needs must go, Pauline!
 9 1|          thou for thy life?~115~ POLY. For more, a thousandfold!~ ~
10 1|        PAUL.Great Gods above!~ ~ POLY. Thou hast my heart! Let
11 1|         the dreary mystery!~120~ POLY. I love thee more than self—
12 1|       turn my night to day!~125~ POLY. Oh, dreams are naught!~ ~
13 1|           for I love! Ah, me!~ ~ POLY. Take courage, dear one, ’
14 2|         POLYEUCTE and NEARCHUS~~ POLY. The source of tears is
15 2|          thought him dead!~ 240~ POLY. I know it! Let no tear
16 2|       more,—this grace I had.~ ~ POLY. What? Thinkest thou that
17 2|     defeat,—and combat shame!~ ~ POLY. Oh, true thy shield, thy
18 2|        our rites to share.~ 270~ POLY. Go, we do follow thee!~ ~
19 2|       Severus holds thy fate!~ ~ POLY. A foe so great, so noble,
20 2|       NEAR. Where go’st thou?~ ~ POLY.To the temple is the call.~
21 2|        and canst thou forget?~ ~ POLY. Canst thou, who fore mine
22 2|          Not mine their gods!~ ~ POLY.He calls me! I must go!~
23 2|           I fly their altars!~ ~ POLY.I would overthrow!~ ~Not
24 2|       moderation temper zeal!~ ~ POLY. His—His alone am I! His
25 2|        In love with death?~ 300~ POLY.For Him I love I die!~ ~
26 2|      NEAR. Thy flesh is weak!~ ~ POLY.Yet He will make me bold!~ ~
27 2|         And if thou waver?~ 305~ POLY.He will me uphold!~ ~ NEAR.
28 2|          God were an offence.~ ~ POLY. He is my shield—hence!
29 2|      faith must be confessed.~ ~ POLY. The offering grudged is
30 2|       own self-will prepares!~ ~ POLY. A crown I seek, which every
31 2|      well that crown can win.~ ~ POLY. The purest life on earth
32 2|     flock, so sore oppressed.~ ~ POLY. Example be their friend,
33 2|        Thou woo’st thy death!~ ~ POLY.Is this poor life so dear?~ ~
34 2|         might my Lord disown!~ ~ POLY. From Him our help, our
35 2|       shall find distress.~ 330~ POLY. His staff will guide, support
36 2|        once feared to die!~ 335~ POLY. Yet drained the bitter
37 2|     Heaven grant me grace!~ 360~ POLY. On eagle wings of faith
38 4|        CLEON. Three Other GUARDS~POLY. What is thy will?~ ~ CLEON.
39 4|    Pauline would see my lord.~ ~ POLY. Ah, how my heart quails
40 4|           my lord, do I obey.~ ~ POLY. Severus must this kindly
41 4|         retire to background.~ ~ POLY. The fount is pure, yet
42 4| wherewith thy death to court?~ ~ POLY. I think of more than this;
43 4|        her who has the right!~ ~ POLY. Ah, for my country I would
44 4|            PAUL. Which God?~140~ POLY. Hush! hush! Pauline; the
45 4|       heart, but say no word!~ ~ POLY. What! Can I call Jove and
46 4|          his kindness show!~150~ POLY. Another Father mine! His
47 4|          happiness unknown!~180~ POLY. Alas!~ ~ PAUL.O! that ‘
48 4|        thy reluctant tears.~185~ POLY. These tears I shed! O,
49 4|     these? Thou dost desire——~ ~ POLY. To snatch thee from a never-ending
50 4|       fire.~ ~ PAUL. Or else?~ ~ POLY.O God, I trust to Thy control,~
51 4|     leave illusions! Love me!~ ~ POLY.Thee I love~ 210~Far more
52 4|          listen to my prayer!~ ~ POLY. For love’s dear sake—await
53 4|       wouldst seduce my soul!~ ~ POLY. Heaven is scarce Heaven
54 4|         PAUL. O fancy—fooled!~ ~ POLY.Nay, led by heavenly light!~ ~
55 4|       Thy faith is blindness!~ ~ POLY.Faith is more than sight!~ ~
56 4|          wife’s pure love!~ 220~ POLY. This world our rival with
57 4|        Thou lov’dst me never!~ ~ POLY. Go, seek the world! and
58 4|         o’er a prostrate foe?~ ~ POLY. Unworthy thee the thought,
59 5|        to cast away thy life?~ ~ POLY. I never hated life, or
60 5|      abyss of depth unknown!~80~ POLY. No, trust to Holy Cross!
61 5|        judge may me require!~85~ POLY. Nay, laugh not, Felix!
62 5|       will protect the flock!~ ~ POLY.Nay, rather be~ ~A goad,
63 5|         would a Christian be!~ ~ POLY. In thy hard heart alone
64 5|           This Roman knight——~ ~ POLY. (aloud).Severus, thou wouldst
65 5|        feign;—let him depart!~ ~ POLY. ’Tis thus thou wouldst
66 5|           from death refrain!~ ~ POLY. To swine no more my holy
67 5|        loss were death to me!~ ~ POLY. This loss can be repaired—
68 5|          speed the suicide!~125~ POLY. I thought the gods were
69 5|      thou, at last, must die!~ ~ POLY. Incense might but incense;
70 5|    PAULINE turns to POLYEUCTE~ ~ POLY.Severus wed!~ ~ PAUL. Ah,
71 5|        Rather strike me dead!~ ~ POLY. Oh, dearer than myself
72 5|          a word—I thee adore!~ ~ POLY. Once have I said—yet now
73 5|        that ill thyself undo!~ ~ POLY. Arise, old man, from knees
74 5|         or the gods adore!~ 245~ POLY.A Christian I!~ ~ FELIX.
75 5|         I say! Adore, or die!~ ~ POLY. I am a Christian.~ ~ FELIX.
76 5|           FELIX.To his death!~ ~ POLY.Ah, no to life!~ ~(To PAULINE.)