The Two Lovers of Heaven: Chrysanthus and Daria - Pedro Calderón de la Barca (microsoft ebook reader TXT) 📗

it the white freshness Of the snows that from the mountains Ever in its waves are melted, Stands almost a skeleton; The sole difference it presenteth To the tree-trunks near it is, That it moves as well as trembles, Slow and gaunt, a living corse. Oh! thou venerable elder Who, a reason-gifted tree, Mid mere natural trees here dwelleth.-

CARPOPHORUS. Wo! oh! wo is me!-a Roman! (At seeing Chrysanthus, he attempts to fly.)

CHRYSANTHUS. Though a Roman, do not dread me: With no evil end I seek thee.

CARPOPHORUS. Then what wouldst thou have, thou gentle Roman youth? for thou hast silenced My first fears even by thy presence.

CHRYSANTHUS. 'T is to ask, what now I ask thee, Of the rocks that in this desert Gape for ever open wide In eternal yawns incessant, Which is the rough marble tomb Of a living corse interred here? Which of these dark caves is that In whose gloom Carpophorus dwelleth? 'T is important I speak with him.

CARPOPHORUS. Then, regarding not the perils, I will own it. I myself Am Carpophorus.

CHRYSANTHUS.
Oh! let me, Father, feel thy arms enfold me.

CARPOPHORUS. To my heart: for as I press thee, How, I know not, the mere contact Brings me back again the freshness And the greenness of my youth, Like the vine's embracing tendrils Twining round an aged tree: Gallant youth, who art thou? tell me.

CHRYSANTHUS. Father, I am called Chrysanthus, Of Polemius, the first member Of the Roman senate, son.

CARPOPHORUS. And thy purpose?

CHRYSANTHUS.
It distresses Me to see thee standing thus: On this bank sit down and rest thee.

CARPOPHORUS. Kindly thought of; for, alas! I a tottering wall resemble: At the mouth of this my cave Let us then sit down together. [They sit down. What now wouldst thou have, Sir Stranger?

CHRYSANTHUS. Sir, as long as I remember, I have felt an inclination To the love of books and letters. In my casual studies lately I a difficulty met with That I could not solve, and knowing No one in all Rome more learn`ed Than thyself (thy reputation Having with this truth impressed me) I have hither come to ask thee To explain to me this sentence: For I cannot understand it. 'T is, sir, in this book.

CARPOPHORUS.
Pray, let me See it then.

CHRYSANTHUS.
'T is at the beginning; Nay, the sentence that perplexes Me so much is that.

CARPOPHORUS.
Why, these Are the Holy Gospels! Heavens!

CHRYSANTHUS. What! you kiss the book?

CARPOPHORUS.
And press it To my forehead, thus suggesting The profound respect with which I even touch so great a treasure.

CHRYSANTHUS. Why, what is the book, which I By mere accident selected?

CARPOPHORUS. 'T is the basis, the foundation Of the Scripture Law.

CHRYSANTHUS.
I tremble With an unknown horror.

CARPOPHORUS.
Why?

CHRYSANTHUS. Deeper now I would not enter Into the secrets of a book Which are magic spells, I 'm certain.

CARPOPHORUS. No, not so, but vital truths.

CHRYSANTHUS. How can that be, when its verses Open with this line that says (A beginning surely senseless) "In the beginning was the Word, And it was with God": and then it Adds: this Word itself was God; Then unto the Word reverting, Says explicitly that IT "Was made flesh"?

CARPOPHORUS.
A truth most certain: For this first evangelist Here to us our God presenteth In a twofold way: the first As being God, as Man the second.

CHRYSANTHUS. God and Man combined together?

CARPOPHORUS. Yes, in one eternal Person Are both natures joined together.

CHRYSANTHUS. Then, for this is what more presses On my mind, can that same Word When it was made flesh, be reckoned God?

CARPOPHORUS.
Yes, God and Man is Christ Crucified for our transgressions.

CHRYSANTHUS. Pray explain this wondrous problem.

CARPOPHORUS. He is God, because He never Was created: He is the Word, For, besides, He was engendered By the Father, from both whom In eternal due procession Comes the Holy Ghost, three Persons, But one God, thrice mystic emblem!- In the Catholic faith we hold In one Trinity one God dwelleth, And that in one God is also One sole Trinity, ever bless`ed, Which confounds not the three Persons, Nor the single substance severs. One is the person of the Father, One the Son's, beloved for ever, One, the third, the Holy Ghost's. But though three, you must remember That in the Father, and in the Son, And in the Holy Ghost . . .

CHRYSANTHUS.
Unheard of Mysteries these!

CARPOPHORUS.
There 's but one God, Equal in the power exerted, Equal in the state and glory; For . . .

CHRYSANTHUS.
I listen, but I tremble.

CARPOPHORUS. The eternal Father is Limitless, even so unmeasured And eternal is the Son, And unmeasured and eternal Is the Holy Ghost; but then Three eternities are not meant here, Three immensities, no, but One, Who is limitless and eternal. For though increate the three, They are but one Uncreated. First the Father was not made, Or created, or engendered; Then engendered was the Son By the Father, not created; And the Spirit was not made Or created, or engendered By the Father or the Son, But proceeds from both together. This is God's divinity Viewed as God alone, let 's enter On the human aspect.

CHRYSANTHUS.
Stay: For so strange, so unexpected Are the things you say, that I Need for their due thought some leisure. Let me my lost breath regain, For entranced, aroused, suspended, Spell-bound your strong reasons hold me. Is there then but one sole God In three Persons, one in essence, One in substance, one in power, One in will?

CARPOPHORUS.
My son, 't is certain.

(Enter Aurelius and Soldiers.)

AURELIUS to the Soldiers. Yonder is the secret cavern Of Carpophorus, at its entrance See him seated with another Reading.

A SOLDIER.
Why delay? Arrest them.

AURELIUS. Recollect Polemius bade us, When we seized them, to envelope Each one's face, that so, the Christians, Their accomplices and fellows, Should not know or recognize them.

A SOLDIER. You 're our prisoners. [A veil is thrown over the head of each.]

CHRYSANTHUS.
What! base wretches . . .

AURELIUS. Gag their mouths.

CHRYSANTHUS.
But then I am . . .

AURELIUS. Come, no words: now tie together Both their hands behind their backs.

CHRYSANTHUS. Why I am . . .

CARPOPHORUS.
Oh! sacred heaven! Now my wished-for day has come.

A VOICE FROM HEAVEN. No, not yet, my faithful servant:- I desire the constancy Of Chrysanthus may be tested:- Heed not him, as for thyself, In this manner I preserve thee. [Carpophorus disappears.

(Enter Polemius.)

POLEMIUS. What has happened?

AURELIUS.
Oh! a wonder.- We Carpophorus arrested, And with him this other Christian; Both we held here bound and fettered, When from out our hands he vanished.

POLEMIUS. By some sorcery 't was effected, For those Christians use enchantments, And then miracles pretend them.

A SOLDIER. See, a crowd of them there flying To the mountains.

POLEMIUS.
Intercept them, And secure the rabble rout; This one I shall guard myself here:- [Exeunt Aurelius and soldiers. Miserable wretch! who art thou? Thus that I may know thee better, Judging from thy face thy crimes, I unveil thee. Gracious heaven! My own son!

CHRYSANTHUS.
Oh! heavens! my father!

POLEMIUS. Thou with Christians here detected? Thou here in their caverns hidden? Thou a prisoner? Wherefore, wherefore, O immense and mighty Jove, Are thy angry bolts suspended?

CHRYSANTHUS. 'T was to solve a certain doubt Which some books of thine presented, That I sought Carpophorus, That I wandered to these deserts, And . . .

POLEMIUS.
Cease, cease; for now I see What has led to this adventure: Thou unhappily art gifted With a genius ill-directed; For I count as vain and foolish All the lore that lettered leisure Has in human books e'er written; But this passion has possessed thee, And to learn their magic rites Here, a willing slave, has led thee.

CHRYSANTHUS. No, not magic was the knowledge I came here to learn-far better- The high mysteries of a faith Which I reverence, while I dread them.

POLEMIUS. Cease, oh! cease once more, nor let Such vile treason find expression On thy lips. What! thou to praise them!

AURELIUS (within). Yonder wait the two together.

POLEMIUS. Cover up thy face once more, That the soldiers, when they enter, May not know thee, may not know How my honour is affected By this act, until I try Means more powerful to preserve it.

CHRYSANTHUS (aside). God, whom until now I knew not, Grant Thy favour, deign to help me: Grant through suffering and through sorrow I may come to know Thee better.

(Enter Aurelius and Soldiers.)

AURELIUS. Though we searched the whole of the mountain, Not one more have we arrested.

POLEMIUS. Take this prisoner here to Rome, And be sure that you remember All of you my strict commands, That no hand shall dare divest him Of his veil:- [Chrysanthus is led out.