希罗底︰让他们闭口。我听得十分厌烦。

希律王︰但我听人说，那位约翰就是你们的先知伊莱贾。

犹太人︰不可能。先知伊莱贾在世的时候，距今已超过三百年了。

希律王︰有些人说这个人就是先知伊莱贾。

拿撒勒人︰我确信他就是先知伊莱贾。

犹太人︰不，他不可能是先知伊莱贾。

约翰的声音︰那个日子来临了，主降临的日子到了，我在山顶，在祂的脚下听见他的传道，祂是世界的救主。

希律王︰他指的是什么？世界的救主？

提格利奴斯︰那是西泽的称号。

希律王︰但西泽并不到犹太王国来。昨天我才收到罗马方面的来信。他们不在意这边的事情。而你，提格利奴斯，去年冬天你待在罗马，你听到这方面的消息吗？

提格利奴斯︰陛下，我完全未曾听说。我只解释这个称号。那是西泽所用的头衔之一。

希律王︰西泽不会来这儿。他患有痛风。据说他的脚与大象一般粗。此外还有各领地的事务。他一离开罗马城，就永远失去了罗马。他不会来这儿的。尽管如此，西泽是我们的主人，他可以随心所欲来这儿。虽然，我并不认为他会来。

第一拿撒勒人︰先知所说的话与西泽无关，陛下。

希律王︰与西泽无关？

第一拿撒勒人︰无关，陛下。

希律王︰那他所指的是谁？

第一拿撒勒人︰指的是即将来到的弥赛亚。

犹太人︰弥赛亚没有来。

第一拿撒勒人︰祂已经来了，祂在各地行神迹。

希罗底︰呵！呵！神迹！我不信神迹。我看过太多了。〔向侍从〕扇子拿来！

第一拿撒勒人︰这人行真的神迹。于是，在加利利的小镇婚礼中，祂将水变成了酒。许多出席的人都对我提过这件事。另外祂还治好了两个坐在迦百农(Capernaum)门前的痲疯病人，祂只不过用手碰触了他们。

第二拿撒勒人︰不，祂在迦百农治好的是盲人。

第一拿撒勒人︰不；他们是痲疯病人。但祂也治好了盲人，另外祂还坐在山顶上与天使交谈。

撒都该人︰天使并不存在。

法利赛人︰天使存在，但我不相信这个人能和他们交谈。

第一拿撒勒人︰有非常多人见到祂与天使交谈。

撒都该人︰那不是天使。

希罗底︰这群人太嘈杂了！他们太荒唐了！〔向侍从〕喂！我的扇子！〔待从交扇子给她〕你有梦想家的眼光；你不应再作梦。只有生病的人才作梦。〔她用扇子敲打侍从。〕

第二拿撒勒人︰还有睚鲁(Jairus)女儿的神迹。

第一拿撒勒人︰是，那是确定的。无人能反驳。

希罗底︰这些人疯了。他们看了太多月光。命令他们闭嘴。

希律王︰睚鲁女儿的神迹是怎么回事？

第一拿撒勒人︰睚鲁的女儿死了。祂令她从死里复活。

希律王︰祂令她复活？

第一拿撒勒人︰是的，陛下。祂让死人复活。

希律王︰我不希望祂这样做。我禁止祂这样做。我不允许任何人复活。必须找到这个人，告诉祂，我禁止祂让死人复活。这个人现在何处？

HERODIAS

Make them be silent. They weary me.

HEROD

But I have heard it said that Iokanaan is in very truth your prophet Elias.

THE JEW

That cannot be. It is more than three hundred years since the days of the prophet Elias.

HEROD

There be some who say that this man is Elias the prophet.

A NAZARENE

I am sure that he is Elias the prophet.

THE JEW

Nay, but he is not Elias the prophet.

THE VOICE OF IOKANAAN

Behold the day is at hand, the day of the Lord, and I hear upon the mountains the feet of Him who shall be the Saviour of the world.

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HEROD

What does that mean? The Saviour of the world?

TIGELLINUS

It is a title that C?sar adopts.

HEROD

But C?sar is not coming into Jud?a. Only yesterday I received letters from Rome. They contained nothing concerning this matter. And you, Tigellinus, who were at Rome during the winter, you heard nothing concerning this matter, did you?

TIGELLINUS

Sire, I heard nothing concerning the matter. I was but explaining the title. It is one of C?sars titles.

HEROD

But C?sar cannot come. He is too gouty. They say that his feet are like the feet of an elephant. Also there are reasons of state. He who leaves Rome loses Rome. He will not come. Howbeit, C?sar is lord, he will come if such be his pleasure. Nevertheless, I think he will not come.

FIRST NAZARENE

It was not concerning C?sar that the prophet spake these words, sire.

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HEROD

How? -- it was not concerning C?sar?

FIRST NAZARENE

No, my lord.

HEROD

Concerning whom then did he speak?

FIRST NAZARENE

Concerning Messias, who hath come.

A JEW

Messias hath not come.

FIRST NAZARENE

He hath come, and everywhere He worketh miracles!

HERODIAS

Ho! ho! miracles! I do not believe in miracles. I have seen too many. [To the Page.]

My fan.

FIRST NAZARENE

This Man worketh true miracles. Thus, at a marriage which took place in a little town of Galilee, a town of some importance, He changed water into wine. Certain persons who were present related it to me. Also He healed two lepers that

-39-

were seated before the Gate of Capernaum simply by touching them.

SECOND NAZARENE

Nay; it was two blind men that He healed at Capernaum.

FIRST NAZARENE

Nay; they were lepers. But He hath healed blind people also, and He was seen on a mountain talking with angels.

A SADDUCEE

Angels do not exist.

A PHARISEE

Angels exist, but I do not believe that this Man has talked with them.

FIRST NAZARENE

He was seen by a great multitude of people talking with angels.

HERODIAS

How these men weary me! They are ridiculous! They are altogether ridiculous! [To the Page.]

Well! my fan? [The Page gives her the fan.]

You have a dreamers look. You must not dream. It is only sick people who dream. [She strikes the Page with her fan.]

-40-

SECOND NAZARENE

There is also the miracle of the daughter of Jairus.

FIRST NAZARENE

Yea, that is sure. No man can gainsay it.

HERODIAS

Those men are mad. They have looked too long on the moon. Command them to be silent.

HEROD

What is this miracle of the daughter of Jairus?

FIRST NAZARENE

The daughter of Jairus was dead. This Man raised her from the dead.

HEROD

How! He raises people from the dead?

FIRST NAZARENE

Yea, sire; He raiseth the dead.

HEROD

I do not wish Him to do that. I forbid Him to do that. I suffer no man to raise the dead. This Man must be found and told that I forbid Him to raise the dead. Where is this Man at present?