No man is a Prophet In his own country, and among his kin. In his own house no Prophet is accepted. I say to you, in the land of Israel Were many widows in Elijah's day, When for three years and more the heavens were shut, And a great famine was throughout the land; But unto no one was Elijah sent And to a woman there that was a widow. The Prophet, and yet none of them was cleansed, Save Naaman the Syrian! A PRIEST. Say no more! Thou comest here into our Synagogue And speakest to the Elders and the Priests, As if the very mantle of Elijah Had fallen upon thee! Art thou not ashamed? A PHARISEE. We want no Prophets here! Let him be driven From Synagogue and city! Let him go AN ELDER. The world is changed. We Elders are as nothing! We are but yesterdays, that have no part Or portion in to-day! Dry leaves that rustle, That make a little sound, and then are dust! A PHARISEE. A carpenter's apprentice! a mechanic, Whom we have seen at work here in the town Day after day; a stripling without learning, Shall he pretend to unfold the Word of God To men grown old in study of the Law? CHRISTUS is thrust out. VI THE SEA OF GALILEE PETER and ANDREW mending their nets. PETER. Never was such a marvellous draught of fishes Heard of in Galilee! The market-places Both of Bethsaida and Capernaum Are full of them! Yet we had toiled all night And taken nothing, when the Master said: Launch out into the deep, and cast your nets; And doing this, we caught such multitudes, Our nets like spiders' webs were snapped asunder, And with the draught we filled two ships so full That they began to sink. Then I knelt down Amazed, and said: O Lord, depart from me, I am a sinful man. And he made answer : Simon, fear not; henceforth thou shalt catch men! What was the meaning of those words? ANDREW. I know not. But here is Philip, come from Nazareth. What tidings dost thou bring? PHILIP. Most wonderful! As we drew near to Nain, out of the gate Upon a bier was carried the dead body Of a young man, his mother's only son, And she a widow, who with lamentation Bewailed her loss, and the much people with her ; And when the Master saw her he was filled With pity; and he said to her: Weep not! And came and touched the bier, and they that bare it ANDREW. PHILIP. Listen! It is his voice! Go warn the people What man is that? Just landing from the lake! THE DEMONIAC. O Aschmedai! Thou angel of the bottomless pit, have pity! Come out of him, The wild cock Tarnegal Thou unclean spirit! Singeth to me, and bids me to the banquet, have slain THE DEMONIAC. What have I to do With thee, thou Son of God? Do not torment us. CHRISTUS. What is thy name? THE DEMONIAC. Legion; for we are many. Cain, the first murderer; and the King Belshazzar, And Evil Merodach of Babylon, And Aschmedai, the angel of the pit, CHRISTUS. Come out of him, Thou unclean spirit! A GADARENE. See, how stupefied, When thou hadst carried safe thy chest of How motionless he stands! He cries no silver Over the seven rivers for her sake! I too have sinned beyond the reach of pardon. Ye hills and mountains, pray for mercy on me! THE MINSTRELS AND MOURNERS. He hath led me and brought into darkness, THE CROWD. I look upon this raiment that I wear, Only as cerements wrapped about my limbs ! I look upon these rings thick set with pearls, He stands beside her bed! He takes her Whose odors bring the swift remembrance hand! Listen, he speaks to her! CHRISTUS, within. THE CROWD. back Of the unhallowed revels in these cham bers! But yesterday, and yet it seems to me Maiden, arise! Something remote, like a pathetic song Sung long ago by minstrels in the street, But yesterday, as from this tower I gazed, Over the olive and the walnut trees Upon the lake and the white ships, and wondered See, she obeys his voice! She stirs ! She Her mother holds her folded in her arms! Whither and whence they steered, and who A fisher's boat drew near the landing-place Came up from it, and passed beneath the Close under me. In front of them, as leader, Walked one of royal aspect, clothed in white, |