The Wonder-Working Magician Part 2

CYPRIAN. Yes, 'tis true.

DEMON. And what is in it So abstruse?

CYPRIAN. I cannot find Such a G.o.d as Plinius figures.

If he be the highest good, Then is Jupiter deficient In that attribute; we see him Acting like a mortal sinner Many a time,--this, Danae, This, Europa, too, doth witness.

Can then, by the Highest Good, All whose actions, all whose instincts, Should be sacred and divine, Human frailty be committed?

DEMON. These are fables which the learned First made use of, to exhibit Underneath the names of G.o.ds What in truth was but a hidden System of philosophy.

CYPRIAN. This reply is not sufficient, Since such awe is due to G.o.d, None should dare to Him attribute, None should stain His name with sins, Though these sins should be fict.i.tious.

And considering well the case, If the highest good is figured By the G.o.ds, of course, they must Will what is the best and fittest; How, then, can some G.o.ds wish one thing, Some another? This we witness In the dubious responses Which are by their statues given.

Here you cannot say I speak of Learned abstractions of the ideal.

To two armies, if two shrines Promise give of being victors, One, of course, must lose the battle: The conclusion is so simple,-- Need I say it? that two wills, Mutually antagonistic, Cannot lead unto one end.

They being thus in opposition, One we must consider good, One as bad we must consider.

But an evil will in G.o.d Would imply a contradiction: Then the highest good can dwell not Among G.o.ds who know division.

DEMON. I deny your major, since These responses may be given, By the oracles, for ends Which our intellectual vision Cannot reach: 'tis providence.

Thus more good may have arisen To the loser in that battle Than its gain could bring the winner.

CYPRIAN. Granted; but that G.o.d ought not, For the G.o.ds are not malicious, To have promised victory;-- It would have been quite sufficient, Without this most false a.s.surance, The defeat to have permitted.

Then if G.o.d must be all sight, Every G.o.d should see distinctly With clear vision to the end; Seeing THAT, he erred in fixing On a false conclusion; then Though the deity may with fitness Be divided into persons, Yet His essence must be single In the smallest circ.u.mstance.

DEMON. It was needful for this business, That the oracle should rouse The two hosts alike.

CYPRIAN. If fitting, There were genii that could rouse them (Good and bad, as they're distinguished By the learned), who are, in fact, Spirits who among us mingle, And who good and evil acts, Evil thoughts, suggest and whisper, A convincing argument For the immortal soul's existence: Of these ministers could G.o.d Have made use, nor thus exhibit He was capable of a lie To effect his ends?

DEMON. Consider, That these seeming contradictions Cannot our firm faith diminish In the oneness of the G.o.ds, If in things of higher import They know naught of dissonance.

Take man's wondrous frame, for instance, Surely that majestic structure Once conception doth exhibit.

CYPRIAN. If man's maker then were one He some vantage must have given him O'er the others; and if they All are equal,--'tis admitted That they are so, from the fact Of their mutual opposition To each other,--when the thought Of creating man was hinted By one G.o.d, another could Say, "No, no, I do not wish it."

Then if G.o.d must be all hands, Time might come when they would differ, One creating, one undoing, Ere the other's work was finished, Since the power of each was equal, But unequal were their wishes.

Which of these two powers would conquer?

DEMON. On impossible and false issues There can be no argument;-- But your premises admitting, Say what then?

CYPRIAN. That there must be One sole G.o.d, all hands, all vision, Good Supreme, supreme in grace, One who cannot err, omniscient, One the highest, none can equal, Not beginning, yet the Beginner, One pure essence, one sole substance, One wise worker, ozone sole willer;-- And though He in one or two Or more persons be distinguished, Yet the sovereign Deity Must be one, sublime and single, The first cause of every cause, The first germ of all existence.

DEMON. How can I deny so clear, [They rise.

So conclusive a position?

CYPRIAN. Do you feel it?

DEMON. Who would not Feel to find another quicker In the rivalry of wit?-- And though I am not deficient In an answer, I restrain it, Hearing steps approaching hither Through the wood; besides 'tis time I proceeded to the city.

CYPRIAN. Go in peace.

DEMON. Remain in peace.-- [Aside.

So involved in study IS he, That I now must wean him from it, Weaving round him the bewitchment Of rare beauty. Since I have leave To attempt my fires to kindle In Justina's breast, one stroke, Thus, two vengeances shall give me.

[Exit.

CYPRIAN. Never saw I such a man.

But since still my people linger, I, the cause of so much doubt, Will now strive to reconsider.

[He resumes his reading, without perceiving the approach of those who enter.

SCENE IV.

Enter LELIUS and FLORUS.--CYPRIAN.

LELIUS. Further let us not proceed; For these rocks, these boughs so thickly Interwoven, that the sun Cannot even find admittance, Shall be the sole witnesses Of our duel.

FLORUS. Then, this instant Draw your sword; for here are deeds, If in words elsewhere we've striven.

LELIUS. Yes, I know that in the field, While the tongue is mute, the glitter Of the sword speaks thus.

[They fight.

CYPRIAN. What's this?

Hold, good Florus! Lelius, listen!-- Here until your rage is calmed, Even unarmed I stand betwixt ye.

LELIUS. Thus to interrupt my vengeance, Whence, O Cyprian, have you risen Like a spectre?

FLORUS. A wild wood-G.o.d, Have you from these tree-trunks issued?

SCENE V.

Enter MOSCON and CLARIN.

MOSCON. Yonder, where we left our master, I hear sword-strokes; run, run quickly.

CLARIN. Well, except to run away, I am anything but nimble;-- Truly a retiring person.

MOSCON and CLARIN. Sir....

CYPRIAN. No more: your gabble irks me.-- How? What's this? Two n.o.ble friends, Who in blood, in birth, in lineage, Are to-day of Antioch all Its expectancy, the city's Eye of fashion, one the son Of the Governor, of the princely House Colalto, one the heir, Thus to peril, as of little Value, two such precious lives To their country and their kindred?

LELIUS. Cyprian, although respect Which on many grounds I give thee, Holds my sword suspended thus In due deference for an instant,-- To the scabbard's calm repose It hath got no power to win it.

Thou of science knowest more, Than the duel, pretermitting This, that when two n.o.bles meet In the field, no power can link them Friends again, save this, that one Must his life give as a victim.