[_As the curtain rises PROCULA is discovered upon the steps of her house. She is in an extreme state of agitation. Her attendants are in the garden. The sound of a mob, with cries of “Crucify him,” “To the Place of the Skull,” “On to Golgotha,” etc. is heard at the rise of the curtain and at intervals throughout the play._] PROCULA Go! Go, send more messengers. Ah, Hera, help me. [_A MESSENGER runs into the garden from the right and kneels before her, breathless._] PROCULA Has Simon the Cyrenian been found? MESSENGER The swiftest horseman reached him. He is nearing the city. PROCULA Hasten him. Bring him. Your freedom for it. [_The MESSENGER hurries out._] PROCULA [_To ATTENDANTS._] Is there no news yet? ATTENDANT One messenger has not returned. He who was sent to the royal woman of Egypt. PROCULA Send others after him, take wings. [_DRUSUS enters the garden from the left._] Drusus! Help me draw him swiftly. DRUSUS The wife of Pilate speaks. Whom shall I send to her? PROCULA Too late, too late. I speak foolishly. I have already sent. DRUSUS You are tormented. PROCULA Are mine the only eyes that see the doom unrolling? DRUSUS You speak strangely. PROCULA The Furies whip me. DRUSUS Tell me your secret. PROCULA This Jesus the Nazarene— DRUSUS You need not fear him. He is in Pilate’s hands. PROCULA Out of that is my agony. Ah, my dream. DRUSUS Dreams?— PROCULA Did you feel the earth heave last night? DRUSUS I was drinking at Herod’s palace. PROCULA Trees groaned, the statues shuddered, the fountains dried, the walls sweated, a red dew fell in the gardens. DRUSUS I felt nothing. I saw nothing. PROCULA I saw—I cannot tell it. Horror was heaped on horror. DRUSUS You dreamed of this Nazarene? PROCULA Of him. He must not die. I begged his life of Pilate but he fears the Jews. Help me. DRUSUS Help you? How? PROCULA Bring Simon the Cyrenian. DRUSUS That tiger? PROCULA I heard many voices in my dream and one voice cried, “Simon the African shall bear the burden.” DRUSUS You have not felt his claws. PROCULA Then you too believe him dangerous? DRUSUS The most dangerous man in the empire. PROCULA Dangerous to Romans, it may be, but— DRUSUS [_Scornfully._] The friend of slaves! Wherever he goes insurrection follows him. He was the secret leader of last year’s armed uprising in Rome when thirty thousand perished. He hollows out the empire with sedition. PROCULA A stronger man than Rome. DRUSUS His influence spreads through the provinces. He plans world empire, undermining Rome. Cæsar has been warned of him, but is afraid or listless. PROCULA [_Half to herself._] Surely such power should avail to save one life. DRUSUS There is a rumour that he was here two nights ago to renew the insurrection of Barabbas. We had spies set upon him. PROCULA