No More Learning

CHORUS.

Whence comest thou so late, and all alone,
With wild disheveled hair?

(^Metella stops near the tomb where Iridio7i stands. )
Simeofi. Greek, finish quickly what thou hast begun !
Iridion {to Metella). Dost recognize rae ? Remem-
berest thou my words ?

{She sees him and shrieks. )
A Man. Heard you that piercing shriek ?
Other Voices. It fills our hearts with awe !

Iridion. Silence ! she speaks !
Metella. Thou didst reveal Thyself!

Thy wings were swords on which the angels rode !
Thy mighty words came crashing through my ears ;
Since then I run forever to and fro

And cry as angels bid {turning to the people) : To arms !
to arms !
Iridion {aside). Through thee I conquer, Masinissa !
{Addressing the people. ) Hear !
A woman's spirit has divined before you
The mysteries of Heaven ! wash off the shame
In the hot blood of the idolaters !

{He places his hand on the head of Metella. )
Become the living voice of promised glory !
Before our people lift the veil of time !

Metella. I saw him armed with dazzling lightning . . .
He went forth conquering, and to conquer all . . .
I looked into his face, and grew immortal . , .

CHORUS OF THE OLD.

Is it a vision ? Hast thou a spirit seen ?
Has it yet vanished, or is it present still?



IRIDION.



' 371



Metella. I saw him armed with lightning . . . he
marched and fought,
And triumphed everywhere . . . naught could resist

him . . .
The arrows from his bow compassed the earth . . .
Terror surrounds him as a cloak a king . . .
And when he moves, pale Death accompanies him !
{She hurries onward. )

A Voice. Her long hair floats and flutters like a mist
Amid this surging sea of heads and torches !

Iridion. Where wilt thou go ? Metella, answer me !

Metella. Where the light cannot pierce, my voice
shall reach :
To arms ! to arms !

Simeon. To arms !

All. To arms ! To arms !

Metella. O Darkness, rend your walls before my cry !
Dead rocks remove, — bear witness to the Lord !

Simeon. Urged by the spirit on, she disappears.

Many Voices. And we will follow her to victory !

Iridion. You know the Palace of Amphilochus ;
Whoe'er shall there present himself and say:
"Sigurd, the son of Crimhild," shall receive
Immediately a javelin, sword, and helmet.
Remember: "Sigurd, son of Crimhild. "

First Barbarian. Was Crimhild, Odin's priestess,
child of Sigurd,
Once famous in the distant Chersonesus ?

Second Barbarian. Our sires invoked that name with
love and awe.

Third Barbarian. Our kinsmen from the cold sea of
the North
Chanted to us in the dense Saxon woods
Her funeral hymn. She was from Silver-Land.

Iridion. She was my mother ! Ye are all ray brothers !

{He comes down from the tomb, and moves among the Bar-
barians. )
Give me your hands ! We have abandoned all
Our ancient errors ; let the errors still,
Once common to our fathers, weave new ties



372 ■ IRIDION.

Between their sons !

In the name of Christ, be faithful to me, Brothers !

CHORUS OF BARBARIANS.

Oh, son of Crimhild ! Son of Silver-Land !
From freemen come free pledges never broken !
The blue-eyed, fair-haired, sturdy sons of the North
Will not betray thee ! To thee they give their bodies,
As they have given their souls to their new God !

Iridion. The son of Sigurd thanks his faithful breth-
ren !

CHORUS OF BARBARIANS.

'Tis centuries since Herminius began

The combat against Rome, — the southern elephant !

His bones rest in the woods of Irminsul.

On ! on ! Before a wandering spirit drove us forth

From our dark pines, we had already heard

Our Bards announce the ruin of proud Rome.

Iridion our Herminius shall be !

Lead us to battle ! Lead us to destroy

The palaces of treacherous Italy !
{Subterranean noises are heard. A wild storm rages, ac-
companied by an earthquake. )

Simeon. Why ragest thou, O Earth ? thou mother of
Dead bodies, not of living souls?

Iridion. Earth's voice

Announces judgment on the idolaters !

CHORUS OF THE OLD.

O Simeon ! hear'st thou not the voice of God
In anger, in these dreadful thunderings?

Simeon. The wrath of God is here announced, — I
bless it !
The Almighty rises — the Abyss cries mercy !
{Subterranean fioises increase, with consequent alarm and

confusion. )
The very rocks are shuddering in affright,
And the winds hiss like serpents ! The Furies send
Tempests before them, as they haste to claim



IRIDION. 373

Their ancient worshipers ! Their dead lie here !
Their graves are yawning wide and bottomless !
Hosanna ! See, the Day of Judgment dawns !

CHORUS OF THE YOUNG.

Now keep thy promise, Hieronymus !

The will of Christ reveals itself through thee !

Iridion. Mithras and Jove go thundering down to-
gether,
As we, the faithful Christians, march to plant
The Holy Cross upon the Capitol !
My treasures all are yours ! My blood to its last drop !
Swear then to follow me !

CHORUS OF THE OLD.

Swear not ! Woe ! woe !

CHORUS OF THE YOUNG.

We swear ! We swear it in the name of Christ !

Iridion. You'll know no rest, no prayers, nor feed upon
The Body of the Lord, until you plant
His sacred Cross upon the Capitol !

CHORUS OF THE YOUNG.

We swear !

BARBARIANS.

We swear !

CHORUS OF THE OLD.

Earth yawns to swallow sacrilege !

( The tumult continues to increase. Crashing and subter-
ranean noises ; torches flicker and go out; mounds,
stones, and pillars totter; the old graves of the pagans
yawn; groups of Christians are srvallowed up; fires
break from the earth and panic prevails. ')
Iridion. Thus will Rome fall in ashes 'neath our

swords !

32*



374



IRIDION.



Voices. The torches flicker ! Beware ! they will go

out !
Men runving back. Fire ! Fire ! Earth opens, sends

forth flame and smoke !

CHORUS OF BARBARIANS.

Room ! Let us make a way across this crowd !
Up ! up ! where javelins glance and keen blades shine
In the light of day ! Why should the sons of ice
Stay here to perish in this realm of fire ?

Simeon. Friends, follow me ! He whom I bear before
you
Once stilled the storm-waves of a raging sea.

Voices. Back ! back ! Before us flames rise from the

earth !
Iridion. Here ! here ! This Christian tomb is safe
enough.
The Furies play with earthquakes in these graves!
Wild terror blinds you! Cease not to be men !

Simeon. This stone is tottering — throws me at your

feet !
Iridion. Come, lean on me! {^Pointing to his breast.
)

This rock has never trembled !
Simeofi. Where are the men who followed after me?
Iridion. All vanished ! . . . I never saw so wild a
night.
How few remain of all our thousand torches !

Simeon. And they, like dying stars, are going out;
First one, and then another. We will be left
In utter darkness in these awful vaults !

Many Voices. It is the hour of death ! Forgive our

sins !
Simeon {to Iridion). Hold your torch high above this

sea of darkness !
Iridion. I hold it firmly, but it throws no light.
Simeon (seizing Iridion). Hear you that frightful crash?
The tumult drowns
The voices of the dying ! all is lost !

{Earth opens, and a group of men is swallowed. )



IRIDION. 375

Iridion. I hear the voices of the living there below !
To me ! to me ! ye who still breathe and move !

Simeon. Oh ! where are they who bnt a moment since
Stood at our side, and called on God for aid?

Iridion. God has already judged them. {Addressing
the voices. ) This way ! To me !

CHORUS OF BARBARIANS.

Through fire and darkness we still wander on,
Pursued by earthquakes, thunder, lightning, flame,
But our strong hearts beat calm as on our sea
Of ice, sleet, hail, whirlwinds, and mist and snow.

Iridion. Look to your steps ! Your torches here ! I
know
The way, can lead you safely to the light.

Voices in the distance. Burn Earth, until the Day of

the Last Judgment !
Simeon. I hear the tramp of feet ; the sound of voices ;
Our brethren on their way to Eloim;
They're safe ! Let us rejoin them !

Iridion. Heard you that cry ?

CHORUS.

On ! On !

Iridion. Fly ! Fly !

A Voice {approaching ever nearer). To arms ! To
arms ! To arms !

{Iridion flies forward. )

CHORUS OF THE OLD.

Stop ! stop ! It is the Father of all lies,
Who calls you to destruction !

Iridion. Metella's voice !

Simeon {retaining Iridion). I will not let you go, Hier-

onymus !
Iridion. If I remain, who is to guide them out? {He
moves on, repulsing Simeon. )
I call upon you, O Amphilochus,
Humble these flames of Erebus before me !



376



IRIDION.



Voice of Metella. Near thee, my crown shall be of stars

immortal !
Iridion. O Christ, in whom she trusts, save the un-
fortunate !
{It groivs lighter. Flames break from the earth, Metella
appears in their midst, Iridion rushes forward to save
her. )

CHORUS OF BARBARIANS.

The helmet of our hero flashes lightning !
It disappears in darkness.

Simeon. Hieronymus !

Baj'barian. Sigurd ! our Sigurd, come !

Voice of Iridion. I hasten to you !

(^He returns bearing Metella in his arms. )
Lower the torches ! this way ! follow me !
{Barbarians, Simeon, Christians, etc. , follow Iridion, who,

winding through graves and mounds, bears off Metella

in his arms. The flames fall before him, and the scene

is left in darkness. )

CHORUS OF RETREATING BARBARIANS.

Save us, O Son of man, and Rome shall be
Thrice ruined, burned ! First that she is the foe
Of the gay children of the sunny South,
Of the strong freemen of the frozen North,
And of the human race in every clime !

A Voice in the darkness. Storms, go to rest in these
old pagan graves !
You ashes of the ancients, sleep once more !
{New flames rise from the earth and stand like pillars of
fire. Masinissa appears in their inidst. )

CHORUS OF INFERNALS.

Look ! At thy voice how peaceful we become,
Burning like lamps before a sanctuary !
We, (. lamned, who are to burn eternally,
Immortal victims of immortal woes !



I RID I ON. 377

Masinissa. The hour will come when earth shall be
your prey !
Await it ! . . . Your work to-day must finish here !
You must no farther go.

CHORUS OF INFERNALS.

O victory!
AVe will not live forever in despair,
In night eternal ! We will wreak revenge !
The spirits of the Light will one day ask :
Where is the Earth, our sister? Blotted out !
And He who saved her, cry: Where is my Bride?
For answer we will fling her ashes back.
And they will fly beyond the farthest star !

Masinissa. Peace, O my sons ! The moment of revenge
Still sleeps in the depths of your eternity !
Thousands of human generations stand
Between you and that happy, longed-for hour.
Your power must increase with myriads won ;
Men must have worn out much of present force ;
All creeds must first be deeply dyed in blood,
Then given up as false ; every negation
Be covered o'er with slime, then deified !
Men first must drive their God from his own throne,
Then strive to fill it with their dying forms !
Wait till their pride and nothingness are full,
Till their maturity is only folly,
Till power with them means naught but cruelty !

Jnfernals. And they shall perish !

Masinissa. We must possess their soaring intellect.
Seize on the godlike thought which rests in them,
Make them create worlds farther from the truth,
Extinguish in their souls that spark divine
Which they have ravished from celestial spheres;
Must crown their brows with the meteor gleam of science;
Must put ephemeral sceptres in their hands ;
And make of them the autocrats of earth.

Infernals. And they shall perish !

Masinissa (^going up and down among the flames).
Faith, Hope, and Love, eternal Trinity !
I've broken Thee asunder in the hearts



378 I RID ION.

Of thy most faithful children, even the sons

Of Benediction, — wrung Thy blessing from them !

Thou fillest not with them the vacant thrones

Once filled by us in splendor, light, and bliss !

Thou' It never find such glorious sons again,

Great Enemy, who hast Thyself put out

The blazing stars which were Thy proper glory !

Infenials. Our brilliant Thrones shall ever empty stand !
Our hymns of glory no more fill the sky !
His Psalm-singers shall perish at His feet !

Masinissa. This very night begins your ruin, men !
You, puny souls, shall never fill our thrones !
You will abandon God, as we have Him abandoned !

I/ifernals. And they will come at last to eat our bread,
To dwell in our dark homes, and drink our cups of fire !

Masinissa. How canst Thou love them, deadly Enemy?
They've gone astray from the first spring of earth !
No day has ever passed since they were made
In which, disputing of Thy Nature, Substance,
They have not dimmed Thy Name with sterile questions !
In Thy Great Name they torture, murder, burn !
In Thy Great Name they go forth to oppress !
Through all their knowledge, all their ignorance,
Their reason or their folly, anguish, bliss.
Humility, or pride, their crimes, or virtues.
Their lowly prayers, or blasphemies of pride, —
Thou'rt ever pierced and crucified anew!
Great Foe ! on Heaven's heights Thou yet shalt drain
The cup of gall they held to Thy wrung lips
In Thy last sigh of love for them on earth.
Until, in Thy turn, Thou shalt also curse them,
Until in the midst of all Thy power, glory,
The pangs of baffled love and useless mercy
Shall teach Thee grief . '
Then Thou shalt know what our Hell truly is !

Jnfcrnals. Glory to Him who glitters in the fires
Of reprobation, bright as He once shone
When girded by Heaven's rainbows, fed on Light !
Glory to Him ! and glory unto us !

Masinissa. With His own hand He covereth His
brow,



I RID ION. 379

Furrowed with Heaven's lightning ! In the depths

Of the abyss He nourisheth a Thought

For the war of the last days when ends this world !

Glory to Him !

Our light transmutes to heat, and darkness comes

To overshadow me.

Depart in silence, Brothers !



ACT IV.



SCENE I. A scene in the camp of Alexander, without the
walls of the city. Aristomachus and Lucius Tubero
are in the foreground, while in the background Alexan-
der Severus and Domitian are seefi reclining upon
couches, and conversing in a low tone with each other.
Iridion enters.

Iridiofi. Romans, I seek you in your master's name !
Make your complaints, and I will listen ; answer
To each according to the will of Caesar.

Aristomachus. If you desire to know what we com-
plain of,
You should have come at least a year ago.
We would have told you then ; /'tis now too late ;
For men who take up arms complain no more ;
They threate^i, not obey ; command what they require.
You've seen our soldiers armed, prepared to march : —
You have my answer, Greek.

Iridion. Is this the answer too of Lucius Tubero ?

Tubero. Although my associate is excitable.
More skillful Avith his sword than with his words,
Yet I can add but little to his speech.