[_Her tire-women attend her and her men stand looking expectantly off right. SIMON enters from right. He is a Negro of majestic bearing, with a sad, severe countenance. He is dressed as a soldier._] SIMON Egypt! BATTUS [_Rushing joyfully toward SIMON._] Simon, Simon. SIMON Battus, Royal Battus. [_He embraces the boy._] BATTUS You have been long away. SIMON Not so long as to have forgotten Battus. BATTUS And have you forgotten Cyrene and Egypt and our kingdom of the free? [_ACTE hushes the boy, looking apprehensively about._] SIMON No, Battus. ACTE [_To her ATTENDANTS._] Take the boy deeper in the garden. Wait there till I call him. [_The ATTENDANTS lead BATTUS off left._] ACTE [_Moving swiftly to SIMON._] You are in danger here. What sorcery called you back? SIMON Where is the wife of Pilate? ACTE She is asleep—or she listens to the harp. SIMON Why are you here? ACTE I came to meet you. Why did you return? SIMON Messengers from the wife of Pilate reached me. ACTE What spell is on you, you who were never trapped? This is the wolf’s own mouth. You tempt it to close upon you. SIMON The tiger’s blood is never lapped by wolves. ACTE Many can pull down one. Go back. SIMON When is the Nazarene to be tried by Pilate? ACTE So, I have found the hunter that has snared you. SIMON When is he to be tried? ACTE Who knows? Tomorrow. Perhaps never. SIMON Today, the message said. ACTE Perhaps this afternoon. Oh, Simon, wake. Shake off this net of dreams. How were you taken in it? SIMON I am not taken. ACTE You have seen this Nazarene? SIMON I saw him. ACTE When? SIMON Two nights ago. ACTE After you left me. SIMON Afterward. I had summoned to a garden The bravest of the slaves to help them plan A new sedition that would free Barabbas. There as I roused the jungles against Rome I saw lights in another part of the garden, I saw men come with torches and seize a man. I hurried near and through the olive leaves His eyes looked into mine, His eyes burned into mine. I have seen them since, Waking or sleeping. ACTE You followed him? SIMON No, and none saw me. I turned back through the shadows and joined my men. ACTE And did you plot again that night? SIMON My thoughts went wide. My words were broken. I told the slaves to wait till my next coming. Then, before dawn, I set out for the sea. ACTE Oh, my Cyrenian, where is that fierce blood That poured out from your heart fires to burn Rome? SIMON My spirit is fiercer than it was before, The groans of the oppressed louder than ever. ACTE Then why have you turned back? SIMON I have seen the whole world’s sorrow in one man’s eyes. ACTE What does it mean? You are changed. SIMON There as I looked upon him in the garden A wound came in my side like a spear’s thrust, Bleeding for him. ACTE Is this all you know of him?