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Who gave His Son to death that we might life embrace；
And thisChrist's sacrificecontinued day by day；
The Christ reveals and pleadsThe LifeThe TruthThe Way！
No more His mysteries to self…stopped ears
Will I disclose（he heedeth not nor hears。）
（Pointing to Felix。）
Pray then to these thy gods of wood and stone；
To gods who every deed of crime enthrone；
Who boast their malice； and their foul incest；
Vaunt theft and murderall that we detest。
This； their example；Paganfollow thou！
To Pluto bend； to Aphrodite bow！
For this I broke their altars； rased their shrine；
Yea； for those crimes that thou dost call divine！
And what I did； that would I do once more
Before SeverusDecius；nay； before
The eyes of all men；so would I proclaim
One God alone adored；one Holiest Name！
FELIX。
At last my bounties yield to wrath most stern； most just。
Die！ or the gods adore！
POLY。
A Christian I！
FELIX。
Thou must
Adore the gods I say！ Adore； or die！
POLY。
I am a Christian。
FELIX。
This is thy reply？
Ye Guards； do my behestprepare the knife！
PAUL。
Where goes he？
FELIX。
To his death！
POLY。
Ah； no to life！
（To Pauline。）
Remember me！ Farewell； Pauline； farewell！
PAUL。
Nay； I will follow theeto heaven or hell！
FELIX。
Begone！ For all our ills this one redress！
（Exeunt Pauline； Polyeucte and Guards。）
（Enter Albin）
O task ungrateful to my gentle mind！
Well did he say； 'Be cruel to be kind！'
The people I defy； ah； let them rage！
Severus may in war of words engage。
Yes； I have saved myselfI mean /the State/；
To wilful man there comes relentless fate；
My conscience pure of all reproach；for I
Have lied and stormed to shake his constancy。
To give his hot young blood due time to cool
I played the cowardnay； I played the fool！
Why did he thus assail the gods and me
With insult； and with horrid blasphemy？
But interest helped me； and resentment too。
Else had I found my duty hard to do！
ALBIN。
Soon mayst thou this thy dear…bought victory rue；
For thou hast done what thou canst ne'er undo！
Unworthy deed for Roman knight！ ah； me！
（Aside。）
I would that I could add； 'unworthy /thee/！'
FELIX。
Manlius and Brutus both a son have slain；
And neither did thereby his glory stain；
The part that is diseasedthat part we bleed；
So is the State from knaves and caitiffs freed。
ALBIN。
Revenge and pressing peril thee unman；
Elsecouldst thou bless a deed all men must ban？
When she； thy widowed daughter； comesthe air
Of heaven will echo to her deep despair！
FELIX。
Thou dost remind me she with Polyeucte went
I know not with what mind； with what intent：
But her despair awakes my fond alarm；
Go； Albin； go； and guard my child from harm！
She might the execution of the law
Impede： I would not that his death she saw。
Try to console herGo！ what dost thou fear？
（Enter Pauline）
ALBIN。
I need not go； for ahPauline is here！
PAUL。
Tyrant； why leave thy butchery half done？
Come； slay thy daughter； thou hast slain thy son！
For； hear！His villainyor worthis mine！
Why stay thy hand while I my neck incline？
Thy sword in me shall find a kindred food；
I too am new baptized； baptized in blood！
These drops that fell from off the murderous knife；
Have made the martyr's widow a true wife。
I see！I feel！I know！ My darkest night
Is o'erto break in purest heavenly light。
I too； at last； am Christ's： that word says all；
Those hands were pierced for meI hear His call：
Deathlovely deaththy beckoning hand I hail！
Oh； help my passage； or thy schemes may fail！
Dread Decius！ Fear Severus！ Fear thy fall！
Oh； speed me to my lordmy lovemy all！
My husband calls me to his happier land
See！there Nearchus at his side doth stand！
Lead me to thesethe gods by thee confest；
Some shrines spared Polyeucte； I will break the rest！
There； there the gods thou fearest I will brave；
Oh； bare thy knife！no other gift I crave。
/Thou/ hast my master been： another Lord
Claims my obedience now； yes； raise thy sword！
Revolt is holy when for Christ we fight；
My day has dawned； the day that knows no night！
Once more I cry'Christ only has my heart！'
Thy bliss and mine secure！ Let me depart！
Keep thou thy kingdom！ Safe its treasure hold！
My kingdom therewith Christwithin the fold！
（Enter Severus）
SEV。
Unnatural sire； whose craft leads to the grave；
The slaves of fear themselves alone enslave。
Yes； Polyeucte is slain； and slain by thee；
A sacrifice to greed and treachery。
I offered rescue from the opening tomb；
Base doubts enthralled thee； didst seal his doom；
I prayed； I threatened； thou wouldst not believe；
Deceiver thou； so must all men deceive。
Thou thoughtst me coward； liarthou shalt see
All oaths Severus swears fulfilled shall be。
Poor moth！ I might have saved theenay； I planned to save；
Thy perfidy the torch that marks thee for the grave。
Drench earth in blood；for Jove pour forth malignant zeal；
The strokes that thou hast dealt redoubled shalt thou feel！
I go： the storm shall break o'er this devoted land；
From Jove the bolt？maybebut I direct his hand。
FELIX。
Why lags that hand？ A willing victim I；
I choose to suffer for my perfidy；
My doubts； my fears unworthy； all I own；
I have offendedlet my death atone。
Take thou my honours； their poor lustre thine；
I kneel before another； nobler shrine。
The Power that moved me； groping through the night
Of wrong and darkness； wafts me to The Light！
I slew thee； Polyeucte； but thy pardoning hand
Shall guide thy murderer to the better land！
He prays for me； and by his sacrifice；
New…born upon his ashes I arise。
（To Pauline。）
Raised by his death from out the grave of sin；
Thou tread'st the path thy father shall begin；
By me his martyr…crown； as all my bliss
By him。 His Christ is mine； and I am his；
O； blessed Christian vengeance！ All my loss
Is turned to gain by the redeeming Cross！
Now； Pauline； am I thine； a Christian I；
That Death gives life by which alike we die！
（To Severus。）
Then slay us both！ Behold a willing prey！
PAUL。
（To Felix。）
Yes； mine for ever now！ Hail； glorious day；
That sees earth's loss transformed to endless gain！
FELIX。
The gain； the glory； Christ's！ By Him we reign。
SEV。
Now am I dumb； some miracle is here；
Their courage and their faith must I revere；
We slay them； yet； like Cadmus' seed； new…born
They sprout afresh； and laugh our scythe to scorn。
We give them cord and flame； they torture hail；
Friends fail them； but themselves they never fail。
We mow them down； fresh nurslings to unbare；
What moves the seed lies hid； but /it is there/。
They bless the world； though by the world accurst；
Their shield am Ilet Decius do his worst。
I yet may own their power； though now my will
That each to his own gods be faithful still；
Let each still search for truth； and truth adore。
（To Felix