Second Voice.
He is Lord of Heaven's high kingdom.
First Voice.
Shun the lightnings of his wrath.
Second Voice.
Seek the waves of his forgiveness. [The Figures disappear.
Chrysanthus.
Oh! what darkness, what confusion,
In myself I find here pitted
'Gainst each other! Spirits twain
Struggle desperately within me,
Spirits twain of good and ill,—
One with gentle impulse wins me
To believe, but, oh! the other
With opposing force resistless
Drives me back to doubt: Oh! who
Will dispel these doubts that fill me?
Polemius (within).
Yes, Carpophorus must pay
For the trouble that this gives me.—
Chrysanthus.
Though these words by chance were spoken
As an omen I 'll admit them:
Since Carpophorus (who in Rome
Was the most renowned, most gifted
Master in all science), now
Flying from the emperor's lictors,
Through suspect of being a Christian,
In lone deserts wild and dismal
Lives a saintly savage life,
He will give to all my wishes
The solution of these doubts:—
And till then, O restless thinking
Torture me and tease no more!
Let me live for that! [His voice gradually rises.
Escarpin (within).
Within there
My young master calls.
Claudius (within).