Gallicanus

Argument

The conversion of Gallicanus, Commander-in-Chief. On the eve of his departure for a campaign against the Scythians, Gallicanus is betrothed to the Emperor Constantine’s daughter, Constance, a consecrated virgin.

When threatened with defeat in battle, Gallicanus is converted by John and Paul, Grand Almoners to Constance. He is immediately baptized and takes a vow of celibacy.

Later he is exiled by order of Julian the Apostate, and receives the crown of martyrdom. John and Paul are put to death by the same prince and buried secretly in their own house. Not long after, the son of their executioner becomes possessed by a devil. He is cured after confessing the crime committed by his father. He bears witness to the merits of the martyrs, and is baptized, together with his father.

Characters

Characters in Part I

  • The Emperor Constantine

  • Gallicanus

  • Constance,
    daughter of Constantine.

  • Artemia,
    daughter of Gallicanus.

  • Attica,
    daughter of Gallicanus.

  • John,

    Grand Almoner to Constance.

  • Paul,

    Grand Almoner to Constance.

  • Lords of the Court

  • Bradan,

    King of the Scythians.

  • Tribunes

  • Roman soldiers

  • Scythian soldiers

  • Helena,

    Mother of Constantine.

Characters in Part II

  • Julian the Apostate

  • Gallicanus

  • Terentianus

  • John

  • Paul

  • Consuls

  • Christians

  • Soliders

Part I

Scene I

Constantine Gallicanus, this tries my patience. You have delayed the offensive against the Scythians too long. The only nation which boldly resists our power and refuses to make peace with Rome! You know well enough that you were chosen because of your energy in your country’s service.
Gallicanus Most noble Constantine, I have served you hand and foot, ungrudgingly, devotedly, and have always striven to repay your trust in me with deeds. I have never shirked any task.
Constantine Is there any need to remind me? As if your great services were not always in mind! I spoke, not to reproach you, but to urge you to act quickly.
Gallicanus I will set out at once.
Constantine I am rejoiced to hear it.
Gallicanus I am ready to obey your orders if it costs me my life.
Constantine Your zeal pleases me. I appreciate your devotion.
Gallicanus As both are immense should they not be rewarded on the same scale?
Constantine That is only fair.
Gallicanus It is easier for a man to undertake a difficult enterprise when he is sustained by the knowledge that his reward is sure.
Constantine Naturally.
Gallicanus I beg you then to promise me now my prize for this dangerous undertaking. In hard and strenuous fighting, when it seems as if I must be defeated, the thought of this reward will give me new strength.
Constantine The reward deemed by the Senate the most glorious a man can desire has never been withheld from you, and never shall be. You enjoy the freedom of my court, and the highest honour among those who surround me.
Gallicanus I know, but I am not thinking of that.
Constantine If you have other ambitions, you must tell me.
Gallicanus I have.
Constantine What are they?
Gallicanus Dare I tell you?
Constantine Of course!
Gallicanus You will be angry.
Constantine Not at all!
Gallicanus You are sure?
Constantine Quite sure.
Gallicanus We shall see. I say you will be indignant.
Constantine Your fears are groundless. Come! Speak!
Gallicanus Since you command me, I will. I love Constance. I love your daughter.
Constantine That is well. You do right to love the daughter of your sovereign. Your love honours her.
Gallicanus You say this to cut me short.
Constantine Not so.
Gallicanus I wish to marry her. Will you give your consent?
Constantine He asks no small thing, my lords. This is an honour of which none of you have ever dreamed.
Gallicanus Alas! I foresaw this. He scorns me. (To the Lords) Intercede for me, I implore you.
The Lords Most illustrious Emperor, we beg you to be generous. Remember his services, and do not turn a deaf ear to his request.
Constantine I have not done so, but it is my duty first to make sure that my daughter consents.
The Lords That is only reasonable.
Constantine I will go to her, and, if such is your wish, Gallicanus, I will lay the project before her.
Gallicanus It is my wish.

Scene II

Constance Our Lord the Emperor approaches. He looks strangely grave and sad. What can it mean?
Constantine Constance, my child, come nearer. I wish to speak to you.
Constance I am here, my lord. Command me.
Constantine I am in great distress of mind. My heart is heavy.
Constance As you came in I saw that you were sad, and without knowing the reason I was troubled.
Constantine It is on your account.
Constance On my account?
Constantine Yes.
Constance You frighten me. What is it, my lord?
Constantine The fear of grieving you ties my tongue.
Constance You will grieve me more by keeping silence.
Constantine Gallicanus, my General, whose victories have won him the first place among the princes of my realm⁠—Gallicanus, whose sword is necessary for the defence of the Empire⁠—Gallicanus⁠—
Constance What of him?
Constantine He wants to make you his wife.
Constance Me?
Constantine Yes.
Constance I would rather die.
Constantine I knew that would be your answer.
Constance It cannot surprise you, as it was with your consent and approval that I consecrated myself to God.
Constantine I have not forgotten.
Constance I will keep my vow inviolate. Nothing can ever force me to break it.
Constantine I know you are right, and the greater my difficulty. For if, as is my duty as your father, I permit you to be faithful to your vow, as a sovereign I shall suffer for it. Yet were I to oppose your resolution⁠—which God forbid!⁠—I should deserve eternal punishment.
Constance If I despaired of divine help I should be more wretched than you.
Constantine That is true.
Constance But a heart which trusts in God’s goodness is armed against sorrow.
Constantine You speak well, my Constance.
Constance My lord, if you will deign to listen to my advice, I can show you how to escape this double danger.
Constantine Oh, that you could!
Constance You must pretend that you are willing to grant Gallicanus what he asks when the war has been won. Make him believe that I agree. Persuade him to leave with me during his absence at the war his two daughters, Attica and Anemia, as pledges of the bond of love which is to unite us. Tell him that in return I will send with him on his expedition my two Almoners, John and Paul.
Constantine And if he should return victorious? What then?
Constance We must pray the Father of us all that he will change his mind.
Constantine My daughter, my daughter! Your sweet words have softened the harshness of your father’s grief! Henceforth I will not give way to anxiety.
Constance There is no need.
Constantine I will return to Gallicanus and satisfy him with this promise.
Constance Go in peace, my lord.

Scene III

Gallicanus O princes, I die of impatience to learn what has come of this long conference between our august sovereign and his daughter.
The Lords He promised to plead your cause.
Gallicanus Oh, that his arguments may prevail!
The Lords Maybe they will.
Gallicanus Peace! Silence all of you! The Emperor comes. His face is not anxious as when he left us, but serene and glad.
The Lords A good omen!
Gallicanus It is said that the face is the mirror of the soul. If this be true, the calm joy in his reflects a kindly mood.
The Lords We trust so.

Scene IV

Constantine Gallicanus!
Gallicanus What did he say?
The Lords Forward, forward. He is asking for you.
Gallicanus Now the good gods help me!
Constantine Gallicanus, set out for the war with an easy mind. On your return you shall receive the reward you covet.
Gallicanus This is not a jest?
Constantine How can you ask?
Gallicanus I should be happy indeed if I could know one thing.
Constantine What may that be?
Gallicanus Her answer.
Constantine My daughter’s answer?
Gallicanus Yes. What did she say?
Constantine It is unreasonable to expect a young maid to answer in so many words. Events will prove that she consents.
Gallicanus If I could be assured of that, I should trouble little about the manner of her answer.
Constantine You want proof?
Gallicanus I hunger for it.
Constantine Then listen. She has given orders that her Almoners, John and Paul, shall stay with you until the day of your nuptials.
Gallicanus And her reason?
Constantine That by constant intercourse with them you may learn to know how she lives⁠—her habits and her tastes.
Gallicanus An excellent plan, and one that pleases me beyond measure.
Constantine She would like you in return to allow your two young daughters to live with her for the same period. She thinks she can learn from them how to please you.
Gallicanus Oh, joy, joy! All things are falling out as I wished.
Constantine Send for your daughters without delay.
Gallicanus Are my soldiers still there? Come, fellows, hasten! Run to my daughters and bring them to their sovereign’s presence.

Scene V

Soldiers Most noble Constance, the illustrious daughters of Gallicanus are here. They are beautiful, wise and virtuous, and in every way worthy of your friendship.
Constance They are welcome. They are introduced with ceremony.6 O Christ, lover of virginity and fount of chastity! Thou Who through the intercession of Thy holy martyr Agnes hast preserved my body from stain and my mind from pagan errors! Thou Who hast shown me as an example Thy Mother’s virgin bed where Thou didst manifest Thyself true God! Thou Who before time began wast born of God the Father, and in the fullness of time wast born again true man, of a mother’s womb⁠—I implore Thee, true Wisdom, co-eternal with the Father, the Creator, Upholder and Governor of the Universe, to grant my prayer! May Gallicanus, who seeks to gain the love which I can give only to Thee, be turned from his unlawful purpose. Take his daughters to Thyself, and pour the sweetness of Thy love into their hearts that they may despise all carnal bonds, and be admitted to the blessed company of virgins who are consecrated to Thee!
Artemia Hail, most noble Constance! Imperial highness, hail!
Constance Greeting, my sisters, Artemia and Attica. Stand up, stand up! No, do not kneel. Salute me rather with a loving kiss.
Artemia We come joyfully to offer you our homage, lady. We are ready to serve you with our whole hearts, and we seek no reward but your love.
Constance We have one Lord Who is in heaven. He alone should be served like that. We owe Him a love and fidelity which must be shown not only with whole hearts but with whole bodies. That is if we would enter His kingdom with the virgin’s palm.
Artemia We do not question this. You will find us eager to obey you in all things, but never so eager as when you exhort us to confess our faith and keep our vow of purity.
Constance That is a good answer, and one worthy of a noble mind. I see that through divine grace you already have the faith.
Artemia How could we poor idolators have any good thought if light had not been given us from above?
Constance The strength of your faith makes me hope that Gallicanus too will believe some day.
Artemia He has only to be taught. Then he must believe.
Constance Send for John and Paul.

Scene VI

John You sent for us, Highness. We are here.
Constance Go at once to Gallicanus and attach yourselves to his person. Instruct him little by little in the mysteries of our faith. Perhaps God means to make us the instruments of winning him to His service.
Paul God give us success! We shall do all we can.

Scene VII

Gallicanus You are welcome, John⁠—and you, Paul. I have awaited your coming with impatience.
John As soon as we received our lady’s commands we hastened at once to put ourselves at your service.
Gallicanus Your offer to serve me gives me a pleasure that nothing else could give.
Paul That is natural, for, as the saying goes, “The friends of our friends are our friends.”
Gallicanus A true saying.
John The love our lady bears you assures us of your goodwill.
Gallicanus You can rely on it. Come, tribunes and centurions, assemble the troops. Soldiers in my command, I present to you John and Paul, for whose arrival our departure has been delayed.
Tribunes Lead us on. The tribunes gather round Gallicanus.7
Gallicanus We must first go to the Capitol, and visit the temples to propitiate the gods with the customary sacrifices. That is the way to obtain success for our arms.
Tribunes That is certain.
John Let us withdraw for a time.
Paul We cannot do otherwise.

Scene VIII

John The General is leaving the temple. Let us mount our horses and ride to meet him.
Paul This moment.
Gallicanus I noticed you were not with us. Where have you been?
John We were seeing to our baggage. We have sent it on ahead that we may ride with you unencumbered.
Gallicanus Well planned!

Scene IX

Gallicanus By Jupiter, tribunes, I see the legions of an immense army advancing! The diversity of their arms is enough to make the stoutest heart tremble.
Tribunes By Hercules, the enemy!
Gallicanus Let us resist with courage, and show them we are men!
Tribunes It is useless to attempt resistance to such a host.
Gallicanus What, then, do you propose?
Tribunes Surrender.
Gallicanus Apollo forbid!
Tribunes By Pollux, we must surrender! See, we are surrounded on every side⁠—we are being mown down⁠—we perish!
Gallicanus Ye gods! What will happen if the tribunes refuse to obey me, and surrender?
John Promise you will become a Christian, and you will conquer.
Gallicanus I swear! And I will keep my vow.
One of the Enemy Woe to us, King Bradan! Fortune, who but now promised us victory, was mocking us. Our men are weakening, their strength is exhausted⁠—they have lost heart and are giving up the struggle.
Bradan I am uncertain what to do. A strange faintheartedness has seized me also. There is but one course⁠—we must surrender.
The Enemy There is nothing else to do.
Bradan Gallicanus, do not destroy us! Be merciful! Spare our lives and do with us what you will.
Gallicanus Have no fear. There is no need to tremble. Give me hostages, acknowledge yourselves tributaries of the Emperor, and you shall live happy under a Roman peace.
Bradan You have only to name the number and rank of the hostages, and the tribute to be exacted.
Gallicanus Soldiers, lay down arms. Slay no one, wound no one, but embrace as friends these men whom you had to fight as enemies of the Empire.
John How much more powerful is one fervent prayer than all the pride of man!
Gallicanus That is true indeed.
Paul What mighty succour God in His mercy sends to those who humbly trust in Him!
Gallicanus I have had good proof of it.
John But the promise made when the storm was raging must be kept now it is calm.
Gallicanus I agree. It is my wish to be baptized as soon as possible, and to devote the rest of my life to the service of God.
Paul You are right.

Scene X

Gallicanus Look! That vast crowd of citizens has gathered to see our entry into Rome! See how they flock to acclaim us, bearing according to custom the symbols of victory!
John It is only natural.
Gallicanus Yet the glorious victory was not won by my valour nor by the help of their gods.
John No, assuredly; the glory belongs to the one true God.
Gallicanus That being so, we must pass the temples without going in.
John A wise decision.
Gallicanus And instead make a humble confession of faith in the Church of the Apostles.
Paul O happy man! And most happy thought! In this you show yourself a true Christian.

Scene XI

Constantine I am greatly astonished, soldiers, that Gallicanus should be so long in presenting himself before his sovereign.
Soldiers The moment he arrived in Rome he went to the Church of Saint Peter, and, prostrating himself on the ground, gave thanks to the Almighty for giving him the victory.
Constantine Gallicanus?
Soldiers It is true.
Constantine Impossible!
Soldiers Here he comes. You can ask him yourself.

Scene XII

Constantine Welcome, Gallicanus! I have awaited your arrival with impatience. I long to hear from your own lips how the battle went and how it ended.
Gallicanus I will tell you the whole story.
Constantine Wait a moment, for even the battle is of small importance compared with the one thing which I want most to hear.
Gallicanus What may that be?
Constantine On your departure for the war you visited the temple of the gods; on your return you went to the Church of the Apostles. Why?
Gallicanus You ask that?
Constantine Have I not told you, man, that I wish to know above all things!
Gallicanus I will explain.
Constantine Proceed, I beg you.
Gallicanus Most Sacred Emperor, I confess I visited the temples on my departure, as you have said, and humbly sought the help of gods and demons.
Constantine According to the old Roman custom.
Gallicanus To my thinking, a bad custom.
Constantine I am of the same mind.
Gallicanus Then the tribunes arrived with their legions and we began our march.
Constantine You set out from Rome with great pomp.
Gallicanus We pushed on, met the enemy, engaged them, and were defeated.
Constantine Romans defeated!
Gallicanus Routed.
Constantine When was such a disaster ever known in our history!
Gallicanus Once again I offered those hideous sacrifices, but what god came to my help? The fury of the enemy redoubled, and great numbers of my men were slain.
Constantine I am amazed.
Gallicanus It was then that the tribunes, disregarding my orders, began to surrender.
Constantine To the enemy?
Gallicanus To the enemy.
Constantine And what did you do?
Gallicanus What could I do but take to flight?
Constantine Impossible!
Gallicanus It is true.
Constantine What anguish for a man of your courage!
Gallicanus The sharpest.
Constantine And how did you escape?
Gallicanus My faithful companions, John and Paul, advised me to make a vow to the Creator.
Constantine Good advice.
Gallicanus I found it so. Hardly had I opened my lips to make the vow than I received help from heaven.
Constantine How?
Gallicanus A young man of immense stature appeared before me carrying a cross on his shoulder. He bade me follow him sword in hand.
Constantine This young man, whoever he was, was sent from heaven.
Gallicanus So it proved. At the same moment I saw at my side some soldiers whose faces were strange to me. They promised me their help.
Constantine The host of Heaven!
Gallicanus I am sure of it. Following in the steps of my guide, I advanced fearlessly into the midst of the enemy until I came face to face with their King, by name Bradan. Suddenly overcome by the strangest terror he threw himself at my feet, surrendered with his whole army, and promised to pay tribute in perpetuity to the ruler of the Roman world.
Constantine Now praise be to Him Who gave us this victory. Those who put their trust in Him will never be confounded.
Gallicanus My experience witnesses to it.
Constantine And now I should like to know what became of the treacherous tribunes?
Gallicanus They hastened to implore my forgiveness.
Constantine And you showed them mercy?
Gallicanus I show mercy to men who had abandoned me in the hour of peril and surrendered to the enemy against my orders! No, assuredly!
Constantine What did you do?
Gallicanus I offered to pardon them on one condition.
Constantine What condition?
Gallicanus I told them that those who consented to become Christians would be allowed to retain their rank, and might even receive fresh honours, but that those who refused would not be pardoned, and would be degraded.
Constantine A fair proposition, and honourable to the leader who made it.
Gallicanus For my own part, purified in the waters of baptism, I have surrendered myself completely to the will of God. I am ready to renounce even your daughter, whom I love more than anything in the world. I wish to abstain from marriage that I may devote myself wholly to the service of the Virgin’s Son.
Constantine Come near, nearer yet, and let me fold you in my arms! Now, Gallicanus, the time has come for me to tell you what up to now I have been obliged to keep secret.
Gallicanus What is it?
Constantine My daughter, and your own two also, have chosen the same holy path which you yourself wish to follow.
Gallicanus I rejoice to hear it.
Constantine Their desire to keep their vow of virginity is so ardent that neither entreaties nor threats can alter their resolution.
Gallicanus God help them to persevere!
Constantine Come, let us go to their apartments.
Gallicanus Lead on. I will follow.
Constantine They are coming here. Look, they hasten to greet us, and my glorious mother, noble Helena, is with them. They all weep for joy.

Scene XIII

Gallicanus Be at peace, most holy virgins. Persevere in the fear of God, and preserve untouched the treasure of your virginity. Then you will be worthy of the embraces of the eternal King.
Constance We shall keep our vows with more joy now we know that you are on our side.
Gallicanus Have no fear that I shall put any obstacle in your way. Far from it! I consent gladly, and desire nothing better than to see you fulfil your vow, my Constance, you, for whom I was eager to risk life itself.
Constance I see the hand of the Most High in this change in you.
Gallicanus If I had not changed, and for the better, I could never have consented to renounce you.
Constance The Lover of virginal purity and the Author of all good resolutions made you renounce me because He had already claimed me for His own. May He Who has separated us in the body on earth unite us in the joys of eternity.
Gallicanus So be it! So be it!
Constantine And now, since we are united in the bond of Christ’s love, you shall live with us in our palace, and be treated with as much honour as though you were our own son.
Gallicanus What temptation is to be feared more than the lust of the eyes?
Constantine None, I know.
Gallicanus Then is it right that I should see her too often? As you know, I love her more than my own kin, more than my life, more than my soul!
Constantine You must do what you think best.
Gallicanus Thanks to our Lord Christ and to my labours, your army was never so strong as now. Give me leave, then, to transfer my service to that Emperor through Whose power I have returned victorious, and to Whom I owe any success I have won in life.
Constantine To Him be praise and glory. All creatures should serve Him.
Gallicanus Above all those whom He has generously helped in time of need.
Constantine That is true.
Gallicanus I am giving to my daughters the portion of my property which is theirs by right. Another I am devoting to the support of pilgrims. With the remainder I propose to enrich my slaves⁠—whom I have freed⁠—and to relieve the poor.
Constantine You are disposing of your wealth wisely, and you will be rewarded.
Gallicanus As for me, I long to go to Ostia and become the disciple of the holy man, Hilarion. In his brotherhood I hope to spend the rest of my life praising God and helping the poor.
Constantine May the Divine Being to Whom all things are possible bring your plans to a happy issue! May you always do the will of Him Who lives and reigns in the Unity of the Trinity, and at last attain eternal joy!
Gallicanus Amen.

Part II

Scene I

Julian The cause of the unrest in our Empire is clear enough. These Christians enjoy too much liberty. Their claim that they obey laws made in the time of Constantine is false.
Consuls It would be a disgrace to tolerate it.
Julian I do not intend to tolerate it.
Consuls Those words are worthy of you.
Julian Soldiers, arm yourselves and strip the Christians of all they possess. Remind them of these words of their Christ: “He who does not renounce all that he possesses for my sake cannot be my disciple.”
Soldiers We will carry out your orders instantly.

Scene II

Consuls The soldiers have returned.
Julian Is all well?
Soldiers Well indeed.
Julian Why have you returned so soon?
Soldiers We will tell you. We had planned to seize Gallicanus’s castle and occupy it in your name. But no sooner did one of us set foot on the threshold than he was straightway stricken with leprosy or madness.
Julian Return and force Gallicanus to quit the realm or sacrifice to the gods.

Scene III

Gallicanus Do not waste your breath, fellows. Your advice is useless. I hold all that exists beneath the sun as nothing compared with eternal life. Banished for Christ’s sake, I shall retire to Alexandria, where I hope to win the martyr’s crown.

Scene IV

Soldiers Gallicanus, exiled by your orders, fled to Alexandria. He was arrested in that city by the Governor, Ratianus, and has perished by the sword.
Julian That is well.
Soldiers But John and Paul still defy you.
Julian What are they doing?
Soldiers Travelling up and down the country giving away the fortune Constance left them.
Julian Bring them before me.
Soldiers They are here.

Scene V

Julian John and Paul, from the cradle you have been attached to the Emperor’s household. You served my predecessor.
John That is so.
Julian Then what could be more fitting than that you should serve me also in this palace where you were brought up?
Paul We will not serve you.
Julian You refuse?
John We have said it.
Julian Do you deny that I am Augustus?
Paul No, but we say you are Augustus with a difference.
Julian How do I differ from my predecessors?
John In your religion and your virtue.
Julian What do you mean?
Paul We mean that those most famous and glorious princes, Constantine, Constantius and Constance, whom we served, were very Christian rulers who were zealous in the service of God.
Julian I know, but in this I do not choose to follow their example.
Paul You follow worse examples. They frequented the churches and, laying their diadems on the ground, adored Jesus Christ on their knees.
Julian And you think that I should imitate them?
John You are not made of the same stuff.
Paul By doing homage to the Creator they elevated the Imperial dignity⁠—yes, they transfigured it with the splendour of their virtue and their holy lives. So they deserved the success which crowned their enterprises.
Julian As I do.
John In a very different way, for the divine grace was with them.
Julian Absurd! Once I too was fool enough to believe in these meaningless practices. I was a priest of your Church.
John Do you hear, Paul? How do you like this priest?
Paul Very well⁠—as the devil’s chaplain.
Julian But when I found that there was nothing to be gained from it, I turned to the worship of the true Roman gods, thanks to whom I have been raised to the highest pinnacle of power.
John You cut us short with this boast to avoid hearing the righteous praised.
Julian What is it to me?
Paul Nothing; but we would add something which does concern you. When the world was no longer worthy of those princes, they were summoned to the choir of angels, and this unhappy realm fell under your power.
Julian Why unhappy?
John Because of the character of its ruler.
Paul Have you not renounced the true religion and adopted the superstitions of idolatry? Because of this we have shunned you and your court.
Julian You show yourselves greatly wanting in the respect due to me, yet I am ready to pardon your presumption and raise you to the highest office in my palace.
John You waste your breath, apostate! We shall yield neither to blandishments nor threats.
Julian I will give you ten days’ grace, in the hope that you will come to your senses and repent. If you do, you will regain our Imperial favour. If not, I shall do what I have to do. You shall not make a mock of me.
Paul What you have to do, do now, for you can never make us return either to your court, your service, or your gods.
Julian You are dismissed. Leave me, but heed my warning.
John We willingly accept the respite you have granted us, but only that we may spend the time consecrating all our faculties to heaven, and commending ourselves to God in prayer and fasting.
Paul This is all we have to do now.

Scene VI

Julian Go, Terentianus. Take with you a few trusted soldiers and compel John and Paul to sacrifice to Jupiter. If they persist in their refusal, let them be put to death, not publicly, but with the greatest possible secrecy, since they once held office in this palace.

Scene VII

Terentianus Paul and John, the Emperor Julian, my master, of his clemency sends you this gold statue of Jupiter, and commands you to burn incense before it. Refuse, and you will be put to death.
John Since Julian is your master, live at peace with him, and enjoy his favour. But we have no master except our Lord Jesus Christ, for Whose love we ardently desire to die that we may the more quickly taste the joys of eternity.
Terentianus Soldiers, why do you delay? Draw your swords and strike these traitors to the gods and to their Emperor. When they have breathed their last bury them secretly in this house and remove every trace of blood.
Soldiers And if questions are asked, what are we to say?
Terentianus Say they have been banished.
John To Thee, O Christ, Who reigneth with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, we raise our voices in this dreadful hour! In death as in life we praise Thee.
Paul O Christ, receive our souls, which for Thy sake are being driven from this dwelling of clay!

Scene VIII

Terentianus Christians, Christians, what ails my son?
Christians He grinds his teeth, foams at the mouth, and rolls his eyes like a madman. He is sure possessed by a devil.
Terentianus Woe to his father! Where was he stricken?
Christians Before the tomb of the martyrs John and Paul. He writhes on the ground, and cries out that they are the cause of his torments.
Terentianus Mine the fault! Mine the crime! It was at my command that the wretched boy laid his impious hands on those holy martyrs.
Christians Since you were the partner of his guilt, it is right that you should share his sufferings.
Terentianus I did but obey the wicked commands of my master, the Emperor Julian.
Christians He himself has been struck down by the divine wrath.
Terentianus I know, and am the more terrified. I see that no enemy of those servants of God can escape punishment.
Christians You are right there.
Terentianus What if in expiation of my crime I threw myself on my knees before the holy tombs?
Christians You would win pardon if you were first cleansed by baptism.

Scene IX

Terentianus Glorious witnesses of Christ, John and Paul, follow the example and commandment of your Master, and pray for your persecutors. Have compassion on the anguish of a father who fears to lose his child! Have pity on the sufferings of the son! Succour us both, and grant that, purified in the waters of baptism, we may persevere in the faith.
Christians Dry your tears, Terentianus. Here is balm for your anguish. Look! Your son has recovered his health and his reason through the intercession of the martyrs.
Terentianus Praise to the Eternal King Who covers His servants with such glory! Not only do their souls rejoice in heaven, but in the depths of the sepulchre their lifeless bones work astounding miracles, testifying to their sanctity and to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ Who liveth and reigneth!