Plays

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!

Dulcitius

Argument

The martyrdom of the holy virgins Agape, Chionia, and Irena. The Governor Dulcitius seeks them out in the silence of the night with criminal intent, but hardly has he entered their dwelling than he becomes the victim of a delusion, under which he mistakes for the objects of his passion the saucepans and frying-pans in the kitchen. These he embraces and covers with kisses until his face and clothes are black with soot and dirt. Later, by order of Diocletian, he hands the maidens over to the care of Sisinnius, who is charged with their punishment. Sisinnius in his turn is made the sport of the most strange delusions, but at length succeeds in getting Agape and Chionia burnt, and Irena shot to death with arrows.

Characters

• The Emperor Diocletian

• Agape

• Chionia

• Irena

• Dulcitius,
  governor of Thessalonica.

• Soldiers

• Sisinnius

• Wife to Dulcitius

• Ushers of the Imperial Palace

• Ladies-in-Waiting on the Wife of Dulcitius

Dulcitius

Scene I

Diocletian	The pure and famous race to which you belong and your own rare beauty make it fitting that you should be wedded to the highest in our court. Thus we decree, making the condition that you first promise to deny your Christ and sacrifice to the gods.
Agape	We beg you not to concern yourself about us, and it is useless to make preparations for our marriage. Nothing can make us deny that Name which all should confess, or let our purity be stained.
Diocletian	What does this madness mean?
Agape	What sign of madness do you see in us?
Diocletian	It is clear enough.
Agape	In what way are we mad?
Diocletian	Is it not madness to give up practising an ancient religion and run after this silly new Christian superstition?
Agape	You are bold to slander the majesty of Almighty God. It is dangerous.
Diocletian	Dangerous? To whom?
Agape	To you, and to the state you rule.
Diocletian	The girl raves. Take her away.
Chionia	My sister does not rave. She is right.
Diocletian	This maenad seems even more violent than the other! Remove her also from our presence, and we will question