Complete Works of Henrik Ibsen (154 page)

FLORENTIUS.
Ah, then indeed naught can be lacking to complete Caesar’s happiness.

SEVERUS.
[Softly to
Florentius.] Incomprehensible! Then he is in the Emperor’s grace again!

FLORENTIUS.
[Softly.]
Oh, this unstable Emperor!

JULIAN.
You seem all to be struck dumb with astonishment. — They think the Emperor has done too much, good Decentius!

FLORENTIUS.
How can Caesar think such a thought?

SEVERUS.
Too much, noble Caesar? By no means. Who doubts that the Emperor knows how to set due bounds to his favour?

FLORENTIUS.
This is in truth a rare and remarkable distinction —

SEVERUS.
I should even call it beyond measure rare and remarkable —

FLORENTIUS.
And especially does it afford a striking proof that our august Emperor’s mind is free from all jealousy —

SEVERUS.
An unexampled proof, I venture to call it.

FLORENTIUS.
But then, what has not Caesar achieved in these few years in Gaul?

JULIAN.
A year-long dream, dear friends! I have achieved nothing. Nothing, nothing!

FLORENTIUS.
All this your modesty counts as nothing? What was the army when you took command? A disorderly rabble —

SEVERUS.
 
— without coherence, without discipline, without direction —

JULIAN.
You exaggerate, Severus!

FLORENTIUS.
And was it not with this undisciplined rabble that you took the field against the Alemanni? Did you not win battle after battle with these levies, till your victories transformed them into an invincible host? Did you not retake Colonia Agrippina — ?

JULIAN.
Come come, you see with the eye of friendship, my Florentius! — Or is it really so? Is it a fact, that I drove the barbarians out of the islands of the Rhine! That I placed the ruined Tres Tabernae in a posture of defence, making it a bulwark of the empire? Is it really so?

FLORENTIUS.
What, my lord! Can you be in doubt as to so great deeds?

JULIAN.
No, I cannot but think — And the battle of Argentoratum? Was I not there? I cannot but fancy that I defeated Knodomar. And after the victory — ; Florentius, have I dreamt it, or did I rebuild Trajan’s fortress, when we marched into German territory?

FLORENTIUS.
Noble Caesar, is there any man so mad as to deny you the honour of these exploits?

SEVF.RUS.
[To
Decentius.] I praise the destiny that has vouchsafed to my old age so victorious a leader.

FLORENTIUS.
[Also to the Tribune
.] I dare scarcely think what turn this inroad of the Alemanni might have taken, but for Caesar’s courage and conduct. —

MANY COURTIERS.
[Pressing forward.
] Yes, yes; Caesar is great!

OTHERS.
[Clapping their hands.]
Caesar is peerless!

JULIAN.
[Looks for a time alternately at
Decentius
and the others; thereupon breaks gut into a loud
,
short laugh
.] So blind is friendship, Decentius! So blind, so blind!
[He turns to the rest
,
and taps the roll of paper in his hand.
Here I read far other tidings! Listen and drink in the refreshing dew of knowledge. This is the Emperor’s despatch to all the proconsuls of the empire; — our excellent Decentius has brought me a copy of it. Here we learn that I have accomplished nothing in Gaul. It was, as I told you, a dream. Here we have the Emperor’s own words: it was under the Emperor’s happy auspices that the imminent danger to the empire was averted.

FLORENTIUS.
All the affairs of the empire flourish under the Emperor’s auspices.

JULIAN.
More, more. It is here set forth that it was the Emperor who fought and conquered on the Rhine; it was the Emperor who raised up the King of the Alemanni, as he lay grovelling before him. My name is not fortunate enough to find any place in this document, — nor yours, Florentius, nor yours, Severus! And here, in the description of the battle of Argentoratum — where was it? Yes, here it stands! — it was the Emperor who determined the order of battle; it was the Emperor himself who, at peril of his life, fought till his sword was blunted, in the forefront of the battle: it was the Emperor who, by the terror of his presence, put the barbarians to headlong flight — ; read, read, I tell you!

SEVERUS.
Noble Caesar, your word suffices.

JULIAN.
What mean you, then, by your deluding speeches, my friends? Would you, in your too great love for me, make me a parasite, to be fed with the leavings you have pilfered from my kinsman’s table? — What think you, Decentius? What say you to this? You see, in my own camp, I have to keep an eye on adherents who, in their blind zeal, are sometimes in danger of straying over the border-line of revolt.

FLORENTIUS.
[Hastily, to the Tribune.)
I assure you, my words have been sadly misconstrued if —

SEVERUS.
[Also to the Tribune.]
It could never enter my mind to —

JULIAN.
That is right, my brothers in arms; let us all agree to swallow our vainglory. I asked what was lacking to complete Caesar’s happiness. Now you know it. ‘Twas the recognition of the truth that was lacking in Caesar’s happiness. Your silver helmet will never be dimmed with the dust of the triumph, Florentius! The Emperor has already triumphed for us, in Rome. He therefore declares all festivities here to be superfluous. Go, Sintula, and see that the intended procession is countermanded. The Emperor wishes to give his soldiers a much-needed rest. ‘Tis his will that they remain in the camp outside the walls.
[The Master of the Horse
, Sintula,
goes out by the back.

JULIAN.
Was I not once a philosopher? They said so, at least, both in Athens and Ephesus. So weak is human nature in the hours of success; I had almost been false to philosophy. The Emperor has brought me to my senses. Thank him most humbly, Decentius. Have you more to say?

DECENTIUS.
One thing more. From all the Emperor has learnt, and especially from the letter you wrote him from Argentoratum, it appears that the great work of pacification in Gaul is happily accomplished.

JULIAN.
Most certainly; the Emperor, partly by his valour, partly by his magnanimous clemency —

DECENTIUS.
The Rhine frontier of the empire has been placed in security.

JULIAN.
By the Emperor, by the Emperor.

DECENTIUS.
In the Danubian provinces, on the contrary, affairs are going ill; and still worse in Asia — King Sapor makes constant progress.

JULIAN.
What audacity! Rumour has it that not even in this summer’s campaign has the Emperor been pleased to let his generals crush him.

DECENTIUS.
The Emperor intends to do so himself in the spring.
[Producing a roll of papers
.] Here he makes known his will, noble Caesar.

JULIAN.
Let us see, let us see!
[Reading.]
Ah!
[He reads again for a long time, with signs of deep inward emotion: then he looks up and says;
Then, ‘tis the Emperor’s will that —— ? Good, good, noble Decentius; the Emperor’s will shall be done.

DECENTIUS.
It must be done, this very day.

JULIAN.
This very day; of course. Come hither, Sintula! Where is he? — Ah, I remember! — Call Sintula back!
[A courtier goes out by the back;
Julian
retires to the window
,
and reads the papers through once more.

FLORENTIUS.
[In a low voice, to the Tribune.]
I implore you not to misinterpret what I said. When I gave Caesar the credit, of course I did mean to ——
 
—

SEVERÜS.
[In a low voice
.] It could never occur to me to doubt that it was the Emperor’s supreme and wise direction that —— A Courtier.
[On the other side of the Tribune
.] I beg you, noble sir, — put in a word for me at court, and release me from this painful position in the household of a Caesar who — ; well, he is the Emperor’s exalted kinsman, but ——

ANOTHER COURTIER.
I could tell you, alas! of things that indicate not only boundless vanity, but overweening ambition — Julian; This very day! Let me say one word, Decentius! It has long been my dearest wish to lay down this burden of responsibility.

DECENTIUS.
It shall be conveyed to the Emperor.

JULIAN.
I call heaven to witness that I never — ; Ah, here is Sintula; now we can —
[To the Tribune
.] You are going?

DECENTIUS.
I have affairs to transact with the generals, noble Caesar!

JULIAN.
Without my intervention?

DECENTIUS.
The Emperor commands me to spare his beloved kinsman.
[He goes out by the back
,
followed by the others, except
Sintula,
who remains standing at the door.

JULIAN.
Looking at him awhile.]
Sintula!

SINTULA.
Yes, noble master!

JULIAN.
Come nearer — Yes, by my faith, you look honest. Pardon me; I never thought you could be so attached to me.

SINTULA.
How know you that I am attached to you, my lord?

JULIAN.
[Pointing to the roll of paper.]
I can read it here, in this; it is written that you are to desert me.

SINTULA. I, my lord?

JULIAN.
The Emperor disbands the army of Gaul, Sintula!

SINTULA. Disbands — ?

JULIAN.
Yes, what is it but a disbanding? The Emperor needs reinforcements, both on the Danube, and against the Persians. Our Batavian and Herulian auxiliaries are to depart with all speed, in order to reach Asia in the spring. SlNTULA. But the thing is impossible, my lord. You have solemnly sworn to these very allies that they shall in no case be called upon to serve beyond the Alps.

JULIAN.
Just so, Sintula! The Emperor writes that I gave that promise over hastily, and without his consent. This is quite a new light to me; but here it stands. I am to be forced to break my word, dishonour myself in the eyes of the army, turn against me the unbridled rage of the barbarians, perhaps their murderous weapons.

SINTULA.
They cannot hurt you, my lord! The Roman legions will make their breasts your shield.

JULIAN.
The Roman legions. H’m; — my simple-minded friend! From every Roman legion three hundred men are to be drafted off, and are likewise to join the Emperor by the shortest route. SlNTULA. Ah! This is — ?

JULIAN. — Well planned, is it hot? Every branch of the army is to be set against me, that I may the more easily be disarmed.

SINTULA.
And I tell you, my lord, that not one of your generals will lend himself to such a design.

JULIAN.
My generals are not to be led into temptation. You are the man. SlNTULA. I, my Caesar!

JULIAN.
Here it is written. The Emperor commissions you to take all necessary measures and then to lead the chosen detachments to Rome. SlNTULA. This task assigned to me? With men here like Florentius and old Severus —

JULIAN.
You have no victories to your discredit, Sintula! Sintula. No, that is true. I have never been allowed an opportunity Of showing ——

JULIAN.
I have been unjust to you. Thanks for your fidelity.

SINTULA.
So great an imperial honour! My lord, may I see —

JULIAN.
What would you see? You surely would not lend yourself to such a design.

SINTULA.
God forbid that I should disobey the Emperor!

JULIAN.
Sintula, — would you disarm your Caesar?

SINTULA.
Caesar has ever undervalued me. Caesar has never forgiven me the fact of his having to endure about his person a Master of the Horse chosen by the Emperor.

JULIAN.
The Emperor is great and wise; he chooses well.

SINTULA.
My lord, — I long to set about my duty; may I beg to see the Emperor’s commission? Julian.
Handing him one of the papers.
] Here is the Emperor’s commission. Go, and do your duty.

MYRRHA.
[
Entering hastily from the right
.] Oh merciful Redeemer!