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That was by Moses given unto our fathers。
And thou； O godless man； that of all others
Art the most wicked； be not lifted up；
Nor puffed up with uncertain hopes； uplifting
Thy hand against the servants of the Lord；
For thou hast not escaped the righteous judgment
Of the Almighty God； who seeth all things！
ANTIOCHUS。
He is no God of mine； I fear him not。
SIRION。
My brothers； who have suffered a brief pain；
Are dead； but thou； Antiochus； shalt suffer
The punishment of pride。 I offer up
My body and my life； beseeching God
That he would speedily be merciful
Unto our nation； and that thou by plagues
Mysterious and by torments mayest confess
That he alone is God。
ANTIOCHUS。
Ye both shall perish
By torments worse than any that your God；
Here or hereafter； hath in store for me。
THE MOTHER。
My Sirion； I am proud of thee！
ANTIOCHUS。
Be silent！
Go to thy bed of torture in yon chamber；
Where lie so many sleepers； heartless mother！
Thy footsteps will not wake them； nor thy voice；
Nor wilt thou hear； amid thy troubled dreams；
Thy children crying for thee in the night！
THE MOTHER。
O Death； that stretchest thy white hands to me；
I fear them not； but press them to my lips；
That are as white as thine； for I am Death；
Nay； am the Mother of Death； seeing these sons
All lying lifeless。Kiss me； Sirion。
ACT III。
The Battle…field of Beth…horon。
SCENE I。 JUDAS MACCABAEUS in armor before his tent。
JUDAS。
The trumpets sound； the echoes of the mountains
Answer them； as the Sabbath morning breaks
Over Beth…horon and its battle…field；
Where the great captain of the hosts of God；
A slave brought up in the brick…fields of Egypt；
O'ercame the Amorites。 There was no day
Like that； before or after it； nor shall be。
The sun stood still； the hammers of the hail
Beat on their harness； and the captains set
Their weary feet upon the necks of kings；
As I will upon thine； Antiochus；
Thou man of blood！Behold the rising sun
Strikes on the golden letters of my banner；
Be Elohim Yehovah！ Who is like
To thee； O Lord； among the gods！Alas！
I am not Joshua； I cannot say；
〃Sun； stand thou still on Gibeon； and thou Moon；
In Ajalon！〃 Nor am I one who wastes
The fateful time in useless lamentation；
But one who bears his life upon his hand
To lose it or to save it； as may best
Serve the designs of Him who giveth life。
SCENE II JUDAS MACCABAEUS； JEWISH FUGITIVES。
JUDAS。
Who and what are ye； that with furtive steps
Steal in among our tents？
FUGITIVES。
O Maccabaeus；
Outcasts are we； and fugitives as thou art；
Jews of Jerusalem； that have escaped
From the polluted city； and from death。
JUDAS。
None can escape from death。 Say that ye come
To die for Israel； and ye are welcome。
What tidings bring ye？
FUGITIVES。
Tidings of despair。
The Temple is laid waste； the precious vessels；
Censers of gold； vials and veils and crowns；
And golden ornaments； and hidden treasures；
Have all been taken from it； and the Gentiles
With revelling and with riot fill its courts；
And dally with harlots in the holy places。
JUDAS。
All this I knew before。
FUGITIVES。
Upon the altar
Are things profane； things by the law forbidden；
Nor can we keep our Sabbaths or our Feasts；
But on the festivals of Dionysus
Must walk in their processions； bearing ivy
To crown a drunken god。
JUDAS。
This too I know。
But tell me of the Jews。 How fare the Jews？
FUGITIVES。
The coming of this mischief hath been sore
And grievous to the people。 All the land
Is full of lamentation and of mourning。
The Princes and the Elders weep and wail；
The young men and the maidens are made feeble；
The beauty of the women hath been changed。
JUDAS。
And are there none to die for Israel？
'T is not enough to mourn。 Breastplate and harness
Are better things than sackcloth。 Let the women
Lament for Israel； the men should die。
FUGITIVES。
Both men and women die； old men and young：
Old Eleazer died： and Mahala
With all her Seven Sons。
JUDAS。
Antiochus；
At every step thou takest there is left
A bloody footprint in the street； by which
The avenging wrath of God will track thee out！
It is enough。 Go to the sutler's tents；
Those of you who are men； put on such armor
As ye may find； those of you who are women；
Buckle that armor on； and for a watchword
Whisper； or cry aloud； 〃The Help of God。〃
SCENE III。 JUDAS MACCABAEUS； NICANOR。
NICANOR。
Hail； Judas Maccabaeus！
JUDAS。
Hail！Who art thou
That comest here in this mysterious guise
Into our camp unheralded？
NICANOR。
A herald
Sent from Nicanor。
JUDAS。
Heralds come not thus。
Armed with thy shirt of mail from head to heel；
Thou glidest like a serpent silently
Into my presence。 Wherefore dost thou turn
Thy face from me？ A herald speaks his errand
With forehead unabashed。 Thou art a spy sent by Nicanor。
NICANOR。
No disguise avails！
Behold my face； I am Nicanor's self。
JUDAS。
Thou art indeed Nicanor。 I salute thee。
What brings thee hither to this hostile camp
Thus unattended？
NICANOR。
Confidence in thee。
Thou hast the nobler virtues of thy race；
Without the failings that attend those virtues。
Thou canst be strong； and yet not tyrannous；
Canst righteous be and not intolerant。
Let there be peace between us。
JUDAS。
What is peace？
Is it to bow in silence to our victors？
Is it to see our cities sacked and pillaged；
Our people slain； or sold as slaves； or fleeing
At night…time by the blaze of burning towns；
Jerusalem laid waste； the Holy Temple
Polluted with strange gods？ Are these things peace？
NICANOR。
These are the dire necessities that wait
On war； whose loud and bloody enginery
I seek to stay。 Let there be peace between
Antiochus and thee。
JUDAS。
Antiochus？
What is Antiochus； that he should prate
Of peace to me； who am a fugitive？
To…day he shall be lifted up； to…morrow
Shall not be found； because he is returned
Unto his dust； his thought has come to nothing。
There is no peace between us； nor can be；
Until this banner floats upon the walls
Of our Jerusalem。
NICANOR。
Between that city
And thee there lies a waving wall of tents；
Held by a host of forty thousand foot；
And horsemen seven thousand。 What hast thou
To bring against all these？
JUDAS。
The power of God；
Whose breath shall scatter your white tents abroad；
As flakes of snow。
NICANOR。
Your Mighty One in heaven
Will not do battle on the Seventh Day；
It is his day of rest。
JUDAS。
Silence； blasphemer。
Go to thy tents。
NICANOR。
Shall it be war or peace？
JUDAS。
War； war； and only war。 Go to thy tents
That shall be scattered； as by you were scattered
The torn and trampled pages of the Law；
Blown through the