Apart from Angelo, Harpax seems to advance in his malignant work. When the daughters of Theophilus express their zeal for paganism, he "grows fat to see his labours prosper;" yet he cannot look forward to the defeat of those labours in their approaching conversion, though on some occasions we find he could "see a thousand leagues" in his master's service. And this agrees with the doctrine, that when some signal triumph of the faith was at hand, the evil spirits were abridged of their usual powers. Again, when Harpax expects to meet Angelo, he thus expresses the dread of his presence, and the effect which it afterwards produced on him: "--------I do so hate his sight, That, should I look on him, I should sink down." Act II. sc. 2. And this, too, perfectly agrees with the power attributed to the superior spirits of quelling the demons by those indications of their quality which were not to be perceived by mortals: _per occultissimæ signa præsentiæ, quæ angelicis sensibus etiam malignorum spirituum, potius quam infirmitati hominum, possunt esse perspicua_. Civ. Dei, lib. ix. The tragedy is too full of horrors; but this is a fault of which our ancestors were very tolerant. DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. DIOCLESIAN, } MAXIMINUS, } _Emperors of Rome_. KING OF PONTUS. KING OF EPIRE. KING OF MACEDON. SAPRITIUS, _Governor of Cæsarea_. THEOPHILUS, _a zealous persecutor of the Christians_. SEMPRONIUS, _captain of_ SAPRITIUS' _guards_. ANTONINUS, _son to_ SAPRITIUS. MACRINUS, _friend to_ ANTONINUS. HARPAX, _an evil spirit, following_ THEOPHILUS _in the shape of a secretary_. ANGELO, _a good spirit, serving_ DOROTHEA _in the habit of a page_. JULIANUS, } GETA, } _servants of_ THEOPHILUS. PRIEST OF JUPITER. BRITISH SLAVE. ARTEMIA, _daughter to_ DIOCLESIAN. CALISTA, } CHRISTETA, } _daughters to_ THEOPHILUS. DOROTHEA, _the Virgin-Martyr_. _Officers and Executioners._ SCENE, Cæsarea. THE VIRGIN-MARTYR. ACT I. SCENE I. _The Governor's Palace._ _Enter_ THEOPHILUS _and_ HARPAX. _Theoph._ Come to Cæsarea to-night! _Harp._ Most true, sir. _Theoph._ The emperor in person! _Harp._ Do I live? _Theoph._ 'Tis wondrous strange! The marches of great princes, Like to the motions of prodigious meteors, Are step by step observed; and loud-tongued Fame The harbinger to prepare their entertainment: And, were it possible so great an army, Though cover'd with the night, could be so near, The governor cannot be so unfriended Among the many that attend his person, But, by some secret means, he should have notice Of Cæsar's purpose;--in this, then, excuse me, If I appear incredulous. _Harp._ At your pleasure.