O Crux, ave, spes, unica: Hoc Passiónis témpore, Auge piis justítiam Reisque dona veniam.
Te summa Deus Trínitas, Collaudet omnis spiritus: Quos per Crucis mystérium Salvas, rege per sæcula.
During this chant, the dim revellers beneath bow their bodies more low.
And now, to faint organ music, the Cloudy Curtains, parting, reveal the INNER STAGE hung like an early Christian shrine in a catacomb—with primitive tapestries of dusky blue and gold. Against these in the glow of candles, an image of haloed Saint Agnes holds a white lamb, which silent shepherds are adoring. This group remains motionless as a tableau.
Then silently from either side two priests come forth with swinging censers. Passing forward and down the steps to the ground-circle, they are followed in the dim light by the Roman revellers, who rise and pass off through the Interlude gates.
Last of all rises Caligula, who pauses hesitant, looking back where Miranda still kneels, now grouped about by her Muses.
As he stoops to lift his crown from the earth, two Figures in the INNER SCENE—a Shepherd Boy, and a Shepherd wrapt in a hide mantle—stir from the still picture and come forward in a circle of light, while
THE CLOUDY CURTAINS CLOSE
behind them, and above the white cross vanishes.
Speaking from the place of light to the Emperor’s form in shadow, the Shepherd calls to him:]