Complete Works of Henrik Ibsen (171 page)

JULIAN.
Man, you lie! Where is he?

AMMIAN.
Fled!

JOVIAN.
Vanished like a shadow —

NEVITA.
Fled!

JOVIAN.
His guards protest that he disappeared almost under their very eyes.

AMMIAN.
His horse, too, is gone from its pen; the Persian must have fled over the plains.

JULIAN.
Quench the fire, Nevita!

NEVITA.
Impossible, my Emperor!

JULIAN.
Put it out, I say. It shall be possible!

NEVITA.
Nothing could be more impossible. All the cables are cut; the rest of the ships are all drifting down upon the burning wrecks.

PRINCE HORMISDAS.
[Coming from among the tents
.] Curses upon my countrymen! Oh sire, how could you give ear to that deceiver?

CRIES FROM THE CAMP.
The fleet on fire! Cut off from home! Death before us!

THE SOLDIER AGATHON.
False god, false god, — bid the storm to cease! bid the flames die down!

JOVIAN.
The storm increases. The fire is like a rolling sea — . —

MAXIMUS.
Whispers
.] Beware of the Phrygian regions.

JULIAN.
[Shouts
to the army
.] Let the fleet burn! Within seven days you shall burn Ctesiphon.

ACT FIFTH
.

SCENE FIRST.

A barren
,
stony desert, without trees or grass. To the right, the Emperor s tent. Afternoon. Exhausted soldiers lie in knots on the plain. Detachments now and again pass by from left to right. Outside the tent are the philosophers
Priscus
and
Kytron,
with several others of the Emperor s suite, waiting in restless anxiety. The captain of the bodyguard,
Anatolus,
stands with soldiers before the opening of the tent.

KYTRON.
Is it not incredible that this council of war should last so long?

PRISCUS.
Ay, truly; one would think there were only two courses to choose between: to advance or to retire.

KYTRON.
‘Tis utterly incomprehensible — Tell me, good Anatolus, why, in the name of the gods, do we not advance?

PRISCUS.
Yes, why alarm us by halting here in the middle of the desert?

ANATOLUS.
See you the quivering air on the horizon, to the north, east, and south?

KYTRON.
Of course, of course; that is the heat —

ANATOLUS.
It is the desert burning.

PRISCUS.
What say you? The desert burning?

KYTRON.
Do not jest so unpleasantly, good Anatolus! Tell us, — what is it?

ANATOLUS.
The desert burning, I tell you. Out yonder, where the sand ceases, the Persians have set the grass on fire. We can make no progress till the ground cools.

KYTRON.
Oh is not this appalling! What barbarians! To have recourse to such means — !

PRISCUS.
Then there is no choice left us. Without provisions, without water — ; why do we not retreat?

ANATOLUS.
Over the Tigris and Euphrates?

KYTRON.
And the fleet burnt! What way is this to conduct the war? Oh, why does not the Emperor think more of his friends! How shall I get home again?

ANATOLUS.
Like the rest of us, friend!

KYTRON.
Like the rest? Like the rest! That is a fine way to talk. With you it is quite another matter. You are soldiers. ‘Tis your calling to endure certain hardships to which I am not at all accustomed. I did not join the Emperor’s suite to go through all this. Here am 1 tortured with gnats and poisonous flies; —— look at my hands

PRISCUS.
Most certainly we did not come for this. We consented to accompany the army in order to compose panegyrics on the victories the Emperor intended to win. What has come of these victories? What has been achieved during the six toilsome weeks since the fleet was burnt? We have destroyed a few deserted towns of the sorriest kind. A few prisoners have been exhibited in the camp, whom the advance-guard are said to have taken — truly I know not in what battles! The prisoners, methought, looked more like poor kidnapped shepherds and peasants —

KYTRON.
And to think of burning the fleet! Said I not from the first that it would be a source of disaster?

ANATOLUS.
I did not hear you say so.

KYTRON.
What? Did I not say so? Oh Priscus, did you not hear me say it?

PRISCUS.
Truly, I do not know, friend; but I know that I myself in vain denounced that luckless measure. Indeed I may say that I opposed the whole campaign at this time of year. What rash haste! Where were the Emperor’s eyes? Is this the same hero who fought with such marvellous success upon the Rhine? One would think he had been struck with blindness or some spiritual disease.

ANATOLUS.
Hush, hush; — what talk is this?

KYTRON.
‘Twas indeed no fitting way for our Priscus to express himself. Yet I, too, cannot deny that I observe a deplorable lack of wisdom in many of the crowned philosopher’s recent proceedings. How precipitate to set up his busts in the camp, and claim worship as if he were a god! How imprudent so openly to scoff at that strange teacher from Nazareth, who undeniably possesses a peculiar power, which might have stood us in good stead in these perilous conjunctures. Ah! here comes Nevita himself. Now we shall hear — [Nevita
comes out of the tent. In the opening he turns and makes a sign to some one within. The physician
Oribases
immediately comes out.

NEVITA.
[Drawing him aside.]
Tell me openly, Oribases, — is there anything amiss with the Emperor’s mind?

ORIBASES.
What should make you think that, sir?

NEVITA.
How else can I interpret his conduct?

ORIBASES.
Oh my beloved Emperor — !

NEVITA.
Oribases, you must hide nothing from me.

KYTRON.
[Drawing near
.] Oh valiant general, if it be not indiscreet ——

NEVITA.
Presently, presently!

ORIBASES.
[To
NEVITA.]Do not fear, sir! No misfortune shall happen. Eutherius and I have promised each other to keep an eye upon him.

NEVITA.
Ah, you do not mean to say that — ?

ORIBASES.
Last night he had well nigh shortened his life. Fortunately Eutherius was at hand — ; oh speak of it to no one!

NEVITA.
Do not lose sight of him.

PRISCUS.
[Drawing near
.] It would greatly relieve our minds to hear what the council of war — ?

NEVITA.
Pardon me; I have weighty matters to attend to.
[He goes out behind the tent. At the same moment
JOVIAN
enters from the opening.

JOVIAN.
[Speaking
into the tent.]
It shall be done, my gracious Emperor!

KYTRON.
Ah, most excellent Jovian! Well? Is the retreat decided on?

JOVIAN.
I would not counsel any one to call it a retreat.
[He goes out behind the tent.

KYTRON.
Oh these soldiers! A philosopher’s peace of mind is nothing to them. Ah!
[The
EMPEROR JULIAN
comes out of the tent; he is pale and haggard. With him come the Chamberlain
EUTHERIUS
and several officers; the latter go off over the plain to the right.

JULIAN.
[To the philosophers.]
Rejoice, my friends! All will soon be well now.

KYTRON.
Ah, gracious Emperor, have you discovered an expedient?

JULIAN.
There are expedients enough, Kytron; the only difficulty is to choose the best. We will slightly alter the line of advance —

PRISCUS.
Oh, praise be to your wisdom!

JULIAN.
This eastward march — it leads to nothing.

KYTRON.
NO, no, that is certain!

JULIAN.
Now we will turn northward, Kytron!

KYTRON.
What, sire, — northward?

PRISCUS.
Not westward?

JULIAN.
Not westward. Not by any means westward. That might be difficult on account of the rivers. And Ctesiphon we must leave till another time. Without ships we cannot think of taking the city. It was the Galileans who brought about the burning of the fleet; I have noted one thing and another. Who dares call this northward movement a retreat? What know you of my plans? The Persian army is somewhere in the north; of that we are now pretty well assured. When I have crushed Sapor — one battle will finish the matter — we shall find abundant supplies in the Persian camp, When I lead the Persian king as my captive through Antioch and the other cities, I would fain see whether the Citizens will not fall at my feet.

CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS.
[Pass
singing over the plain.
Doomed is the world’s proud cedar-tree, The axe shall its roots dissever; The palm He planted on Calvary, Blood-watered, shall bloom for ever.

JULIAN.
[Following them with his eyes.]
The Galileans are always singing. Songs about death and wounds and pain. Those women whom I brought with me to tend the sick — they have done us more harm than good. They have taught the soldiers strange songs, such as I have never heard before. But hereafter I will punish no one for such things. It does but lead them deeper into error. Know you, Priscus, what happened of late, in the case of those mutineers who refused to show due reverence to the imperial busts?

PRISCUS.
Of late, sire?

JULIAN.
When, wishing to beget a wholesome dread in their companions in error, I ordered some of these men to be executed, the oldest of them stepped forward with loud cries of joy, and begged to be the first to die. — Look you, Priscus — when I heard that yesterday —

PRISCUS.
Yesterday? Oh, sire, you are mistaken. That happened forty days ago.

JULIAN.
So long? Yes, yes, yes! The Hebrews had to wander forty years in the wilderness. All the older generation had to die out. A new generation had to spring up; but they — mark that! — they entered into the promised land.

EUTHERIUS.
‘Tis late in the day, sire; will you not eat?

JULIAN. — Not yet, my Eutherius. ‘Tis good for all men to mortify the flesh. Yes, I tell you, we must make haste to become a new generation. I can do nothing with you as you are. If you would escape from the desert, you must lead a pure life. Look at the Galileans. We might learn more than one lesson from these men. There are none poverty-stricken and helpless among them; they live together as brethren and sisters, — and most of all now, when their obstinacy has forced me to chastise them. These Galileans, you must know, have something in their hearts which I could greatly desire that you should emulate. You call yourselves followers of Socrates, of Plato, of Diogenes. Is there one of you who would face death with ecstasy for Plato’s sake? Would our Priscus sacrifice his left hand for Socrates? Would Kytron, for Diogenes’ sake, let his ear be cut off? No, truly! I know you, whited sepulchres! Begone out of my sight; — I can do nothing with you!
[The philosophers slink away; the others also disperse, whispering anxiously. Only

ORIBASES
and
EUTHERIUS
remain behind with the Emperor.
ANATOLUS,
the officer of the guard, still stands with his soldiers outside the lent.

JULIAN.
How strange! Is it not inconceivable unfathomable? Oribases, — can you rede me this riddle?

ORIBASES.
What riddle do you mean, my Emperor?

JULIAN.
With twelve poor ignorant fishermen, he founded all this.

ORIBASES.
Oh sire, these thoughts exhaust you.

JULIAN.
And who has held it together until this day? Women and ignorant people, for the most part —

ORIBASES.
Yes, yes, sire; but now the campaign will soon take a happy turn —

JULIAN.
Very true, Oribases; as soon as fortune has taken a turn, all will be well. The dominion of the carpenter’s son is drawing to its close; we know that. His reign is to last as many years as the year has days; and now we have —

EUTHERIUS.
My beloved master, would not a bath refresh you?

JULIAN.
Do you think so? — You may go, Eutherius! Go, go! I have something to say to Oribases. [EUTHERIUS
goes off behind the tent. The Emperor draws
ORIBASES
over to the other side.

JULIAN.
Has Eutherius told you aught this morning?

ORIBASES.
No, sire!

JULIAN.
Has he told you nothing about last night — ?

ORIBASES.
No, my Emperor — nothing at all. Eutherius is very silent.

JULIAN.
If he should tell you anything, do not believe it. The thing did not happen at all as he pretends. ‘Tis he who is seeking my life.

ORIBASES.
He, — your old and faithful servant!

JULIAN.
I shall keep an eye on him.

ORIBASES.
I too.

JULIAN.
We will both keep an eye on him.

ORIBASES.
Sire, I fear you had but little sleep last night.

JULIAN.
Very little. [Oribases is
on the point of saying something, but changes his mind.

JULIAN.
Know you what kept me from sleeping?

ORIBASES.
No, my Emperor.

JULIAN.
The victor of the Milvian Bridge was with me.