Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, FRAGMENTS OF SACRED DREAMS: 3, by ROYALL TYLER


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

FRAGMENTS OF SACRED DREAMS: 3, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Antonius, 'tis said that you, even you
Last Line: May we then meet in safety, & in joy --
Alternate Author Name(s): Old Simon; S.
Subject(s): Julian The Apostate (331-363)


Julian. Antonius.

JULIAN. Antonius, 'tis said that you, even you,
My bosom friend, the bravest of my generals,
Before whose conquering arm the barbarous Gaul,
And late victorious children of the Sun
Have fled disheartened -- that you, even you,
Have bowed before that impious Nazarene
Whose dastard followers dare despise the Gods
Yet shrink dismayed & trembling from the field
Of victory or death.

Ant. My Lord, 'tis true.
Your once proud general fears to draw the sword,
And kneels before that lowly Nazarene,
Yet feels more proud, more highly priviledged
Than when he basked in royal Julian's favor
And led your conquering legions on to battle.

Julian. Antonius,
It ill becomes your Sov'reign & your judge
To hold familiar converse with a thing
So fallen as thou art. But the softening charm
Of former friendship, & the glorious record
Of thy heroic deeds, have brought me here,
That my persuasion, condescending mercy
May do what torture cannot do, & lead you back
From loathsome dungeons & the verge of death
To honor & to life. Renounce this mad impiety
This frenzied desperation, & every gift
Which royalty can heap on fortune's favorite,
Riches, honor, beauty, all are yours --
Reject my favor -- & a raging multitude,
Who cry for vengeance on your guilty head,
Shall soon be gratified.

Ant. That raging multitude Shall find me ready,
The follower of Jesus dans [deigns] to scorn your Gods
And shrinks from fields of carnage. Yet my Lord,
The Christian martyr does not fear to die.
He meets your fiercest tortures with a smile,
And 'mid his glorious death-pangs breathes a prayer
That He who rules on high will pardon you.

Julian. This is th' extreme of folly.
It cuts me to the very heart, Antonius,
To see your noble nature so degraded.
To hear you spurn the gifts of fortune, & traduce
The immortal Gods whose favoring auspices
Have led the Roman eagle on to conquests.

Ant. My Lord, hear me.
You will remember when by your command
A band of Christians here were massacred.

Julian. Aye, our violated Gods, & oft insulted fanes
Enjoyed a sweet revenge.

Ant. By your command, my trusty legions stood
To guard your royal person from assault.
When gathering thousands thronged the market place.

Julian. And 'twas a glorious sight, Antonius,
To see my loyal subjects crowd to view
The fearful vengeance of the Gods.

Ant. The Christians came, led by a pale old man,
Whose mild blue eye, & calm majestic pace,
Bespoke a mind at peace. He blest me as he passed.
There followed on a melancholy train --
Matrons, & youth, & feeble tottering age,
The manly stride, & fair-pained beauty's step,
Moved slowly round & round the broard [sic] arena.
As their sweet hymn to Jesus rose to heaven
Amid the deafening shouts of countless multitudes.
My Savage heart rejoiced, rejoiced to think
How soon an ignominious death would stop
That low, & solemn Song.

Julian. You once were worthy of the name of Roman.

Ant. First died a venerable man, whose hoary head
Was whitened by the past of ninety years.
His aged limbs assumed a momentary strength,
As if to meet the death he loved & coveted.
Next came a sturdier man. I knew him well.
I had seen him foremost in the ranks of war
The first to scale, to plunder, to destroy;
I had seen him drive his furious javelin
Through mother's heart, & hurl her helpless babe
Among devouring flames, & here he stood
Calm as an unruffled lake, & peaceable
As lamb for Sacrifice. He died --
A pale & beautious maiden followed next,
She raised her meek & radiant eyes to heaven,
Then bowed her ivory neck to meet her death,
Calm as an infant's slumbers -- They died -- all died --
Calling upon God to pardon & to change
The savage hearts that murdered them.
My Lord, my heart was softened. From that hour
I longed to die as they did. I longed to find
That inward peace, that sweet, & heavenly calm,
Which shone so brightly round the martyr's block --
I sought -- I found -- & now my Lord, I gladly go,
And yield my life before that raging populace,
A witness for the truth I once despised.

Jul. Your hardenned guilt shall meet its due reward.
Prepare to die -- Tomorrow's Sun shall view the fate
Of him who dares to brave the Gods, & spurn
The proffered mercy of his King.

Ant. I thank you, & tomorrow's glorious Sun
Shall see me joying in the death you [give?] me.

Jul. The fiercest tortures which inventive malice
Has e'er devised shall tell th' immortal Gods
And all assembled Ephesus, my deadly hate
To all which bear the name of Christian.

Ant. Wrapped in the mantel of my Savior's love
I scorn your Gods, your tortures, & your wrath.
The light which beams from heaven can brightly cheer
The darkest scenes of earthly misery --
Can make the circling flames more soft, more dear
Than young affection's fond embrace, more sweet
Than beauty's bower --

Jul. Unhappy man! I leave you to your fate.

Ant. My Lord, farewell! & when the lowly Nazarene
Shall stand triumphant mid dissolving worlds
May we then meet in Safety, & in Joy --





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