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In the hour that is uncertain；
In the day of anguish and trouble；
He that stretcheth the heavens as a curtain
And spreadeth them out as a tent；
Shall blow upon you； and ye shall wither；
And the whirlwind shall take you away as stubble！
Repent！ repent！ repent！
PRIEST。
Who art thou； O man of prayer！
In raiment of camel's hair；
Begirt with leathern thong；
That here in the wilderness；
With a cry as of one in distress；
Preachest unto this throng？
Art thou the Christ？
JOHN。
Priest of Jerusalem；
In meekness and humbleness；
I deny not； I confess
I am not the Christ！
PRIEST。
What shall we say unto them
That sent us here？ Reveal
Thy name； and naught conceal！
Art thou Elias？
JOHN。
No！
PRIEST。
Art thou that Prophet； then；
Of lamentation and woe；
Who； as a symbol and sign
Of impending wrath divine
Upon unbelieving men；
Shattered the vessel of clay
In the Valley of Slaughter？
JOHN。
Nay。
I am not he thou namest！
PRIEST。
Who art thou； and what is the word
That here thou proclaimest？
JOHN。
I am the voice of one
Crying in the wilderness alone：
Prepare ye the way of the Lord；
Make his paths straight
In the land that is desolate！
PRIEST。
If thou be not the Christ；
Nor yet Elias； nor he
That； in sign of the things to be；
Shattered the vessel of clay
In the Valley of Slaughter；
Then declare unto us； and say
By what authority now
Baptizest thou？
JOHN。
I indeed baptize you with water
Unto repentance； but He；
That cometh after me；
Is mightier than I and higher；
The latchet of whose shoes
I an not worthy to unloose；
He shall baptize you with fire；
And with the Holy Ghost！
Whose fan is in his hand；
He will purge to the uttermost
His floor； and garner his wheat；
But will burn the chaff in the brand
And fire of unquenchable heat！
Repent！ repent！ repent！
II
MOUNT QUARANTANIA
I
LUCIFER。
Not in the lightning's flash； nor in the thunder；
Not in the tempest； nor the cloudy storm；
Will I array my form；
But part invisible these boughs asunder；
And move and murmur as the wind upheaves
And whispers in the leaves。
Not as a terror and a desolation；
Not in my natural shape； inspiring fear
And dread； will I appear；
But in soft tones of sweetness and persuasion；
A sound as of the fall of mountain streams；
Or voices heard in dreams。
He sitteth there in silence； worn and wasted
With famine； and uplifts his hollow eyes
To the unpitying skies；
For forty days and nights he hath not tasted
Of food or drink； his parted lips are pale；
Surely his strength must fail。
Wherefore dost thou in penitential fasting
Waste and consume the beauty of thy youth。
Ah； if thou be in truth
The Son of the Unnamed； the Everlasting；
Command these stones beneath thy feet to be
Changed into bread for thee！
CHRISTUS。
'T is written！ Man shall not live by bread alone；
But by each word that from God's mouth proceedeth！
II
LUCIFER。
Too weak； alas！ too weak is the temptation
For one whose soul to nobler things aspires
Than sensual desires！
Ah； could I； by some sudden aberration；
Lend and delude to suicidal death
This Christ of Nazareth！
Unto the holy Temple on Moriah；
With its resplendent domes； and manifold
Bright pinnacles of gold；
Where they await thy coming； O Messiah！
Lo； I have brought thee！ Let thy glory here
Be manifest and clear。
Reveal thyself by royal act and gesture
Descending with the bright triumphant host
Of all the hithermost
Archangels； and about thee as a vesture
The shining clouds； and all thy splendors show
Unto the world below！
Cast thyself down； it is the hour appointed；
And God hath given his angels charge and care
To keep thee and upbear
Upon their hands his only Son； the Anointed；
Lest he should dash his foot against a stone
And die； and be unknown。
CHRISTUS。
'T is written： Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God！
III
LUCIFER。
I cannot thus delude him to perdition！
But one temptation still remains untried；
The trial of his pride；
The thirst of power； the fever of ambition！
Surely by these a humble peasant's son
At last may be undone！
Above the yawning chasms and deep abysses；
Across the headlong torrents； I have brought
Thy footsteps； swift as thought；
And from the highest of these precipices；
The Kingdoms of the world thine eyes behold。
Like a great map unrolled。
From far…off Lebanon； with cedars crested；
To where the waters of the Asphalt Lake
On its white pebbles break；
And the vast desert； silent； sand…invested；
These kingdoms all are mine； and thine shall be；
If thou wilt worship me！
CHRISTUS。
Get thee behind me； Satan！ thou shalt worship
The Lord thy God； Him only shalt thou serve！
ANGELS MINISTRANT。
The sun goes down； the evening shadows lengthen；
The fever and the struggle of the day
Abate and pass away；
Thine Angels Miniatrant； we come to strengthen
And comfort thee； and crown thee with the palm；
The silence and the calm。
III
THE MARRIAGE IN CANA
THE MUSICIANS。
Rise up； my love； my fair one；
Rise up； and come away；
For lo！ the winter is past；
The rain is over and gone；
The flowers appear on the earth；
The time of the singing of birds is come；
And the voice of the turtle is heard in our land。
THE BRIDEGROOM。
Sweetly the minstrels sing the Song of Songs！
My heart runs forward with it； and I say：
Oh set me as a seal upon thine heart；
And set me as a seal upon thine arm；
For love is strong as life； and strong as death；
And cruel as the grave is jealousy！
THE MUSICIANS。
I sleep； but my heart awaketh；
'T is the voice of my beloved
Who knocketh； saying： Open to me；
My sister； my love； my dove；
For my head is filled with dew；
My locks with the drops of the night！
THE BRIDE。
Ah yes； I sleep； and yet my heart awaketh。
It is the voice of my beloved who knocks。
THE BRIDEGROOM。
O beautiful as Rebecca at the fountain；
O beautiful as Ruth among the sheaves！
O fairest among women！ O undefiled！
Thou art all fair； my love； there's no spot in thee！
THE MUSICIANS。
My beloved is white and ruddy；
The chiefest among ten thousand
His locks are black as a raven；
His eyes are the eyes of doves；
Of doves by the rivers of water；
His lips are like unto lilies；
Dropping sweet…smelling myrrh。
ARCHITRICLINUS。
Who is that youth with the dark azure eyes；
And hair； in color like unto the wine；
Parted upon his forehead； and behind
Falling in flowing locks？
PARANYMPHUS。
The Nazarene
Who preacheth to the poor in field and village
The coming of God's Kingd