Callimachus
Argument
The resurrection of Drusiana and Callimachus.
Callimachus cherishes a guilty passion for Drusiana, not only while she is alive but after she has died in the Lord. He dies from the bite of a serpent, but, thanks to the prayers of Saint John the Apostle, he is restored to life, together with Drusiana, and is born again in Christ.
Characters
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Callimachus
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Friends to Callimachus
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Drusiana
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Andronicus
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Fortunatus
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The Apostole John
Callimachus
Scene I
| Callimachus | My friends, a word with you. |
| Friends | We are at your service as long as you please. |
| Callimachus | I should prefer to speak with you apart from the crowd. |
| Friends | What pleases you, pleases us. |
| Callimachus | Then we will go to some quieter place where no one will interrupt us. |
| Friends | Just as you like. |
Scene II
| Callimachus | For a long time now I have been in great trouble. I hope that by confiding in you I shall find relief. |
| Friends | When a man tells his friends of his sufferings it is only fair that they should try to share them. |
| Callimachus | I would to heaven that you could lighten this load upon my heart! |
| Friends | Well, tell us precisely what is wrong. We will grieve with you, if we must. If not, we can do our best to distract your mind. |
| Callimachus | I love— |
| Friends | What do you love? |
| Callimachus | A thing of beauty, a thing of grace! |
| Friends | That is too vague! How can we tell from this what is the object of your love? |
| Callimachus | Woman. |
| Friends | Ah, now you say “woman” we all understand! |
| Callimachus | By woman, I mean a woman. |
| Friends | Clearer still! But it is impossible to give an opinion on a subject until the subject is defined. So name the woman. |
| Callimachus | Drusiana. |
| Friends | What? The wife of Prince Andronicus? |
| Callimachus | Yes. |
| Friends | Nothing can come of that. She has been baptized. |
| Callimachus | What do I care, if I can win her love? |
| Friends | You cannot. |
| Callimachus | What makes you say so? |
| Friends | You are crying for the moon. |
| Callimachus | Am I the first to do so? Have I not the example of many others to encourage me? |
| Friends | Now listen. This woman you sigh for is a follower of the holy Apostle John, and has devoted herself entirely to God. They say she will not even go to the bed of Andronicus although he is a devout Christian. Is it likely that she will listen to you? |
| Callimachus | I came to you for consolation, and instead you drive me to despair! |
| Friends | We should be poor friends if we consoled and flattered you at the expense of the truth. |
| Callimachus | Since you refuse to advise me, I will go to her and pour out my soul in words that would melt a heart of stone! |
| Friends | Fool! It is hopeless! |
| Callimachus | I defy the stars! |
| Friends | We shall see. |
Scene III
| Callimachus | Drusiana, listen to me! Drusiana, my deepest heart’s love! |
| Drusiana | Your words amaze me, Callimachus. What can you want of me? |
| Callimachus | You are amazed? |
| Drusiana | I am astounded. |
| Callimachus | First I want to speak of love! |
| Drusiana | Love! What love? |
| Callimachus | That love with which I love you above all created things. |
| Drusiana | Why should you love me? You are not of my kin. There is no legal bond between us. |
| Callimachus | It is your beauty. |
| Drusiana | My beauty? |
| Callimachus | Yes. |
| Drusiana | What is my beauty to you? |
| Callimachus | But little now—it is that which tortures me—but I hope that it may be much before long. |
| Drusiana | Not a word more. Leave me at once, for it is a sin to listen to you now that I understand your devilish meaning. |
| Callimachus | My Drusiana, do not kill me with your looks. Do not drive away one who worships you, but give back love for love. |
| Drusiana | Wicked, insidious words! They fall on deaf ears. Your love disgusts me. Understand I despise you! |
| Callimachus | You cannot make me angry, because I know that you would own my passion moves you if you were not ashamed. |
| Drusiana | It moves me to indignation, nothing else. |
| Callimachus | That feeling will not last. |
| Drusiana | I shall not change, be sure of that. |
| Callimachus | I would not be too sure. |
| Drusiana | You frantic, foolish man! Do not deceive yourself! Why delude yourself with vain hopes? What madness leads you to think that I shall yield? I have renounced even what is lawful—my husband’s bed! |
| Callimachus | I call heaven and earth to witness that if you do not yield I will never rest from the fight for you. I will be as cunning as the serpent. I will use all my skill and strength to trap you. |
Scene IV
| Drusiana | O Lord Jesus, what use is my vow of chastity? My beauty has all the same made this man love me. Pity my fears, O Lord. Pity the grief which has seized me. I know not what to do. If I tell anyone what has happened, there will be disorder in the city on my account; if I keep silence, only Thy grace can protect me from falling into the net spread for me. O Christ, take me to Thyself. Let me die swiftly. Save me from being the ruin of a soul! |
| Andronicus | Drusiana, Drusiana! Christ, what blow has fallen on me! Drusiana is dead. Run one of you and fetch the holy man John. |
Scene V
| John | Why do you weep, my son? |
| Andronicus | Oh, horrible! O Lord, that life should suddenly become so hateful! |
| John | What troubles you? |
| Andronicus | Drusiana, your disciple, Drusiana— |
| John | She has passed from the sight of men? |
| Andronicus | Yes. And I am desolate. |
| John | It is not right to mourn so bitterly for those whose souls we know rejoice in peace. |
| Andronicus | God knows I do not doubt that her soul is in eternal joy, and that her incorrupt body will rise again. What grieves me so |
