Had you but seen how he took leave of life You’d call’t a holy thing, this awed recoil That sanctions not the mere touch of your garment, Till I have done this thing for him. There’s none Had more o’ the rich world’s goods than he, and yet He went therefrom as others come therein. RHOD. If with such noble soul he trod the way To dusky death, that realm where none renews The stain of sin, then with a glow at heart I’ll meet him, though no more than on the threshold. Yea, I will stoop and make my hands a cup To draw for him from Lethe; but myself Shall never taste the beatific drink. But you--I warn you--make an end! GYGES. So be it. Yet this I swear to thee, beloved Shade, I shall away as soon as e’er ’tis done. RHOD. I too have sworn to do a thing. GYGES. O Queen, The man whose hand defers a cup so brimming With every bliss, as mine does now, though but For one short hour, that man has won it well. RHOD. Hush, hush! Your feet are in a holy place! [_They walk to the altar._ O Hestia, Thou Guardian of the Flame Whose fire consumes the thing it cannot cleanse, I give this youth my thanks that once again I dare appear before thy countenance. And as the folk exalteth him to King, Be witness thou, I raise him to my lord. [_She gives_ GYGES _her hand_. And you--regard as wedding-gift the crown Now flinging from your head its lordly sparkle, But give to me the Dead Man’s Ring for pledge. GYGES. Nay, that the King still bears upon his finger. RHOD. Already then it has its fitting place. [_She frees_ GYGES’ _hand_. And now step back. Be faithful to your vow As I keep faith with mine. My stain is purged, For none has seen me save for whom ’twas meet. But now I disunite me (_stabs herself_) thus from you! HEROD AND MARIAMNE A TRAGEDY IN FIVE ACTS TRANSLATED BY L. H. ALLEN DRAMATIS PERSONÆ KING HEROD. MARIAMNE, _his Queen_. ALEXANDRA, _her Mother_. SALOME, _Sister of the King_. SOEMUS, _Governor of Galilee_. JOSEPH, _Viceregent in the absence of_ HEROD. SAMEAS, _a Pharisee_. TITUS, _a Roman Captain_. JOAB, _a Courier_. JUDAS, _a Jewish Captain_. ARTAXERXES } MOSES } _Servants; also other Servants_. JEHU } SILO, _a Citizen_. ZERUBABEL } _Galileans_. PHILO, _his Son_ } A ROMAN COURIER. AARON and five other JUDGES. THREE KINGS FROM THE EAST, _afterwards given the added title of “holy” by the Christian Church_. PLACE: Jerusalem. TIME: The Birth of Christ.