So, my belovéd, as ye have obeyed
Me ever, not as in my presence only
But in my absence now much more, work out
Your own salvation with much wholesome fear,
Awed in the thought that God Himself it is
That in you works alike to will and work
As seemeth in His holy pleasure good.
No murmurings and no questionings allow,
That ye may blameless be and void of guile,
Children of God, open to no rebuke,
Among a crooked people and perverse,
Full in the midst of whom ye shine as lights
Set in the darkness of a world of sin;
Steadfastly holding forth the word of life,
That in the day of Christ I may rejoice
As having not in vain run this my race,
And not in vain accomplished all my toil.
But, let it even be mine to be poured out,
As on an altar set for sacrifice,
A victim for the service of your faith,
Know I rejoice and with you all rejoice;
And for the selfsame cause rejoice all ye,
Yea, and in fellowship with me rejoice.'
From prison this, in face of martyrdom!
Whatever fell, Paul's victory was secure.
Such love, such faith, such hope, such power in Christ
Of joy, such hold on heaven, was to defeat
Present or future, harm or threat of harm—
From earth, from hell, aimed—inaccessible,
Safe as a star smiling above a storm.
So then Paul wrote, and such himself he was,
While those vain wicked wished to work him ill.
Though the twain listened with all courteous heed
To what Drusilla told and acted then,
Nor Nero nor Poppæa was deceived;
But both admired, and this Drusilla felt.
Having retrieved thus in some part her loss,
She heard demurely while the emperor said:
"Thou understandest, madam, this is not
A formal sitting of our court august.
I oft advise myself beforehand thus—
Though seldom, lady, so agreeably—
What the real merits of an issue are.
I have much enjoyed thy story—and thyself—
And I shall hope to see thee yet again.
Meantime, I pray thee, send thy Simon to me;
I might find use for such a man as he."
Poppæa, to play out her part of queen,
Added a gracious word: "And come thyself
To see me—by the emperor's leave assumed—
And teach me to be Jewess, such as thou.
It must be lovely beyond anything
To hate so and abide so beautiful!"
She had mixed a cunning bitter with her sweet;
Perhaps her Nero so would be forewarned!