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Yet there are Principles; that make apparent

The images of unapparent things;

And the impression of vague characters

And visions most divine appear in ether。

So speak the Oracles; then wherefore fatal?

I take this orange…bough; with its five leaves;

Each equidistant on the upright stem;

And I project them on a plane below;

In the circumference of a circle drawn

About a centre where the stem is planted;

And each still equidistant from the other;

As if a thread of gossamer were drawn

Down from each leaf; and fastened with a pin。

Now if from these five points a line be traced

To each alternate point; we shall obtain

The Pentagram; or Solomon's Pentangle;

A charm against all witchcraft; and a sign;

Which on the banner of Antiochus

Drove back the fierce barbarians of the North;

Demons esteemed; and gave the Syrian King

The sacred name of Soter; or of Savior。

Thus Nature works mysteriously with man;

And from the Eternal One; as from a centre;

All things proceed; in fire; air; earth; and water;

And all are subject to one law; which; broken

Even in a single point; is broken in all;

Demons rush in; and chaos comes again。

By this will I compel the stubborn spirits;

That guard the treasures; hid in caverns deep

On Gerizim; by Uzzi the High…Priest;

The ark and holy vessels; to reveal

Their secret unto me; and to restore

These precious things to the Samaritans。

A mist is rising from the plain below me;

And as I look; the vapors shape themselves

Into strange figures; as if unawares

My lips had breathed the Tetragrammaton;

And from their graves; o'er all the battlefields

Of Armageddon; the long…buried captains

Had started; with their thousands; and ten thousands;

And rushed together to renew their wars;

Powerless; and weaponless; and without a sound!

Wake; Helen; from thy sleep!  The air grows cold;

Let us go down。



HELEN; awaking。

           Oh; would I were at home!



SIMON。

Thou sayest that I usurp another's titles。

In youth I saw the Wise Men of the East;

Magalath and Pangalath and Saracen;

Who followed the bright star; but home returned

For fear of Herod by another way。

O shining worlds above me! in what deep

Recesses of your realms of mystery

Lies hidden now that star? and where are they

That brought the gifts of frankincense and myrrh?



HELEN。

The Nazarene still liveth。



SIMON。

                        We have heard

His name in many towns; but have not seen Him。

He flits before us; tarries not; is gone

When we approach; like something unsubstantial;

Made of the air; and fading into air。

He is at Nazareth; He is at Nain;

Or at the Lovely Village on the Lake;

Or sailing on its waters。



HELEN。

                        So say those

Who do not wish to find Him。



SIMON。

                         Can this be

The King of Israel; whom the Wise Men worshipped?

Or does He fear to meet me?  It would seem so。

We should soon learn which of us twain usurps

The titles of the other; as thou sayest。



They go down。







THE THIRD PASSOVER



I



THE ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM



THE SYRO…PHOENICIAN WOMAN and her DAUGHTER on the house…top at 

Jerusalem。



THE DAUGHTER; singing。

Blind Bartimeus at the gates

Of Jericho in darkness waits;

He hears the crowd;he hears a breath

Say; It is Christ of Nazareth!

And calls; in tones of agony;

'Greek text'!



The thronging multitudes increase:

Blind Bartimeus; hold thy peace!

But still; above the noisy crowd;

The beggar's cry is shrill and loud;

Until they say; he calleth thee!

'Greek text'!



Then saith the Christ; as silent stands

The crowd; What wilt thou at my hands?

And he replies; Oh; give me light!

Rabbi; restore the blind man's sight!

And Jesus answers; 'Greek text'!



Ye that have eyes; yet cannot see;

In darkness and in misery;

Recall those mighty voices three;

'Greek text'!

'Greek text'!

'Greek text'!



THE MOTHER。

Thy faith hath saved thee!  Ah; how true that is!

For I had faith; and when the Master came

Into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon; fleeing

From those who sought to slay him; I went forth

And cried unto Him; saying: Have mercy on me;

O Lord; thou Son of David! for my daughter

Is grievously tormented with a devil。

But he passed on; and answered not a word。

And his disciples said; beseeching Him:

Send her away!  She crieth after us!

And then the Master answered them and said:

I am not sent but unto the lost sheep

Of the House of Israel!  Then I worshipped Him;

Saying: Lord help me!  And He answered me;

It is not meet to take the children's bread

And cast it unto dogs!  Truth; Lord; I said;

And yet the dogs may eat the crumbs which fall

From off their master's table; and he turned;

And answered me; and said to me: O woman;

Great is thy faith; then be it unto thee

Even as thou wilt。  And from that very hour

Thou wast made whole; my darling! my delight!



THE DAUGHTER。

There came upon my dark and troubled mind

A calm; as when the tumult of the City

Suddenly ceases; and I lie and hear

The silver trumpets of the Temple blowing

Their welcome to the Sabbath。  Still I wonder;

That one who was so far away from me

And could not see me; by his thought alone

Had power to heal me。  Oh that I could see Him!



THE MOTHER。

Perhaps thou wilt; for I have brought thee here

To keep the holy Passover; and lay

Thine offering of thanksgiving on the altar。

Thou mayst both see and hear Him。  Hark!



VOICES afar off。

                 Hosanna!



THE DAUGHTER。

A crowd comes pouring through the city gate!

O mother; look!



VOICES in the street。

                      Hosanna to the Son

Of David!



THE DAUGHTER。

          A great multitude of people

Fills all the street; and riding on an ass

Comes one of noble aspect; like a king!

The people spread their garments in the way;

And scatter branches of the palm…trees!



VOICES。

                               Blessed

Is he that cometh in the name of the Lord!

Hosanna in the highest!



OTHER VOICES。

                        Who is this?



VOICES。

Jesus of Nazareth!



THE DAUGHTER。

                  Mother; it is he!



VOICES。

He hath called Lazarus of Bethany

Out of his grave; and raised him from the dead!

Hosanna in the highest!



PHARISEES。

                       Ye perceive

That nothing we prevail。  Behold; the world

Is all gone after him!



THE DAUGHTER。

                     What majesty;

What power is in that care…worn countenance!

What sweetness; what compassion!  I no longer

Wonder that he hath healed me!



VOICES。

                     Peace in heaven;

And glory in the highest!



PHARISEES。

                      Rabbi!  Rabbi!

Rebuke thy followers!



CHRISTUS。

         Should they hold their peace

The very stones beneath us would cry out!



THE DAUGHTER。

All hath passed by me like a dream of wonder!

But I have seen Him; and have heard his voice;

And I am satisfied!  I ask no more!





II



SOLOMON'S PORCH



GAMALIEL THE SCRIBE。

When Rabban Simeonupon whom be peace!

Taught in these Schools; he boasted that his pen

Had written no word that he could call his own;

But wholly and always had been consecrated

To the transcribing of the Law and Prophets。

He used to say; and never tired of saying;

The world itself was built upon the Law。

And ancient Hillel said; that whosoever

Gains a good name gains something for himself;

But he who gains a knowledge of the Law

Gains everlasting life。  And they spake truly。

Great is the Written Law; but greater still

The Unwritten; the Traditions of the Elders;

The lovely words of Levites; spoken first

To Moses on the Mount; and handed down

From mouth to mouth; in one unbroken sound

And sequence of divine authority;

The voice of God resounding through the ages。



The Written Law is water; the Unwritten

Is precious wine; the Written Law is salt;

The Unwritten costly spice; the Written Law

Is but the body; the Unwritten; the soul

That quickens it and makes it breathe and live。

I can remember; many years ago;

A little bright…eyed school…boy; a mere stripling;

Son of a Galilean carpenter;

From Nazareth; I think; who came one day

And sat here in the Temple with the Scribes;

Hearing us speak; and asking many questions;

And we were all astonished at his quickness。

And when his mother came; and said: Behold

Thy father and I have sought thee; sorrowing;

He looked as one astonished; and made answer;

How is it that ye sought me?  Wist ye not

That I must be about my Father's business?

Often since then I see him here among us;

Or dream I see him; with his upraised face

Intent and eager; and I often wonder

Unto what manner of manhood he hath grown!

Perhaps a poor mechanic like his father;

Lost in his little Galilean village

And toiling at his craft; to die unknown

And he no more remembered among men。



CHRISTUS; in the outer court。

The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat;

All; therefore; whatsoever they command you;

Observe and do; but follow not their works

They say and do not。  They bind heavy burdens

And very grievous to be borne; and lay them

Upon men's shoulders; but they move them not

With so much as a finger!



GAMALIEL; looking forth。

                         Who is this

Exhorting in the outer courts so loudly?



CHRISTUS。

Their works they do for to he seen of men。

They make broad their phylacteries; and enlarge

The borders of their garments; and they love

The uppermost rooms at feasts; and the chief seats

In Synagogues; and greetings in the markets;

And to be called of all men Rabbi; Rabbi!



GAMALIEL。

It is that loud and turbulent Galilean;

That came here at the Feast of Dedication;

And stirred the people up to break the 

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