[Far away, beside the graves of the martyrs.
Ye gods of the nations, of silver and gold,
Ye shall crumble to mould!
ACT FOURTH
SCENE FIRST.
The eastern frontier of the empire. A wild mountain landscape. A deep valley separates the high foreground from the mountains behind.
The Emperor Julian, in military dress, stands on the edge of a rocky promontory, and looks into the depths. A little way from him, to the left, stand Nevita, the Persian prince Hormisdas, Jovian, and several other generals. To the right, beside a roughly-built stone altar, crouch the soothsayer, Numa, and two other Etruscan soothsayers, examining the entrails of the sacrifices for omens. Further forward sits Maximus the Mystic on a stone, surrounded by Priscus, Kytron, and other philosophers. Small detachments of light-armed men now and then pass over the height from left to right.
Julian.
[Pointing downwards.] See, see—the legions wind like a scaly serpent through the ravine.
Nevita.