.%. ^o-^ 
 
 *^*2; 
 
 IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3) 
 
 ^. 't^' 
 
 y- 
 
 1.0 
 
 1.1 
 
 1^ 1^ 12.0 
 
 2.2 
 
 1.8 
 
 1.25 
 
 1.4 
 
 III 
 
 m 
 
 ^ha 
 
 V2 
 
 /a 
 
 e. 
 
 n 
 
 e. 
 
 ^: 
 
 ^ 
 
 % 
 
 'V 
 
 w 
 
 .V 
 
 flw*-' .^ 
 
 '^i 
 
 c^ 
 
 HiGtographic 
 
 Sciences 
 Corporation 
 
 4? 
 
 \ 
 
 sSi^ 
 
 «^ 
 
 ^\ 
 
 rv 
 
 
 
 >«i ^. 
 
 -b 
 
 23 WEST MAIN STREET 
 
 WEBSTER, N.Y. MSSO 
 
 (716) 872-4S03 
 
4' 
 
 '^ 
 
 CIHM/ICMH 
 
 Microfiche 
 
 Series. 
 
 CIHM/ICMH 
 Collection de 
 microfiches. 
 
 Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microraproductions historiquas 
 
 m 
 
 y 
 
 \ 
 
 ^ 
 
 IQAA 
 
Technical and Bibliographic Notas/Notas tachniquas at bibiiographiquas 
 
 The Institute has attempted to obtain the best 
 original copy available for filming. Features of this 
 copy which may be bibliographically unique, 
 which may altar any of the images in the 
 reproduction, or which may significantly change 
 the usual method of filming, are checked below. 
 
 □ Coloured covers/ 
 Couvarture da couleur 
 
 I I Covers damaged/ 
 
 Couverture endommagAe 
 
 □ Covers restored and/or laminated/ 
 Couverture restaur^ et/ou pelliculAe 
 
 [J 
 
 D 
 D 
 
 D 
 D 
 
 n 
 
 Cover title missing/ 
 
 Le titre de couverture manque 
 
 I — 1 Coloured maps/ 
 
 D 
 
 Cartes g^ographiques en couleur 
 
 Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ 
 Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) 
 
 Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ 
 Planchea et/ou illustrations en couleur 
 
 Bound with other material/ 
 Rail* avec d'autres Jocumanta 
 
 Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion 
 along interior margin/ 
 
 La re liure serree peut cauver da I'ombre ou da la 
 distorsion !• long de la marge intirieure 
 
 Blank leaves added during restoration may 
 appear within the text. Whenever possible, these 
 have been omitted from filming/ 
 II se peut que certainee pages blanches ajoutiesi 
 lors d'uno restauration apparaissent dans le texte. 
 mats, lorsque cela ttait poswible, ces pages n'ont 
 pas M filmias. 
 
 Additional comments:/ 
 Commentaires supplimentaires: 
 
 L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur axemplaire 
 qu'il iui a it^ possible de se procurer. Las details 
 de cet cxemplaire qui sont peut-<itre uniques du 
 point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier 
 une image r«»produite, ou qui peuvent exiger une 
 modification dans la mithode normale de filmage 
 sont indiqute ci-dessous. 
 
 T 
 t« 
 
 I — I Coloured pages/ 
 
 D 
 D 
 
 Pfegea de couleur 
 
 Pages damaged/ 
 Pages endommagtes 
 
 □ Pages restored and/or laminated/ 
 Pages restaur^es ot/ou pelliculdes 
 
 Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ 
 Pages ddcolories, tacheties ou piqu^es 
 
 □Pages detached/ 
 Pages ditachies 
 
 EShowthrough/ 
 Transparence 
 
 □ Quality of print varies/ 
 Qualiti inigale de I'impression 
 
 □ Includes supplementary material/ 
 Comprend du materiel supplimentaire 
 
 T 
 
 P 
 
 
 
 fl 
 
 C 
 
 b 
 
 tl 
 s 
 a 
 
 fi 
 s 
 
 
 
 Only edition available/ 
 Seule Edition disponible 
 
 Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata 
 slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to 
 ensure the best possible image/ 
 Les pages totalement ou partiellement 
 obscurcies par un feuillet o'errata. une pelure, 
 etc.. cnt iti filmies i nouvvau de fapon d 
 obtenir la meilleure image possible. 
 
 1 
 
 s 
 7 
 
 V 
 
 ^ 
 
 d 
 
 a 
 fa 
 
 ri 
 ri 
 n 
 
 This item is filmed at the reduction ratio chscked below/ 
 
 Ce document est film^ au taux de riiduction indiqui ci-dessous. 
 
 10X 
 
 14X 
 
 18X 
 
 22X 
 
 26X 
 
 30X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 y 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12X 
 
 16X 
 
 20X 
 
 a4x 
 
 28X 
 
 32X 
 
ails 
 du 
 
 )difier 
 une 
 nags 
 
 Th« copy filmad h«r« has b««n i^roduc«d thanks 
 to tha ganarosity of: 
 
 D. B. Waldon Library 
 University of Wastam Ontario 
 (Ragional History Room) 
 
 Tha imagaa a.jpaarirtg hara ara tha bast qualtty 
 poscibia considaring tha condition and lagibiiity 
 of tha original copy and in Icaaping with tha 
 filming contract spaclicationa. 
 
 Original copiaa In printad papar covars ara filmad 
 baginning with tna front covar and anding on 
 tha last paga with a printad or illuatratad impraa- 
 sion, or tha bacic covar whan appropriata. All 
 othar original copiaa ara filmad baginning on tha 
 first paga with a printad or illustratad impraa- 
 sion, and anding en tha laat paga with a printad 
 or illuatratad Impraasion. 
 
 L'axamplaira filmA fut raproduit grAca A la 
 ginirositi da: 
 
 D. B. Waldon Library 
 Univarsity of Wastarn Ontario 
 (Ragional History Room) 
 
 Laa imagaa suh^antaa ont 4ti raproduitas avac la 
 plus grand soin, compta tanu da la condition ot 
 da la nattat* da l'axamplaira film*, at an 
 conformity avac las conditions du contrat da 
 fllmaga. 
 
 Laa axamplairaa originaux dont la couvartura an 
 papiar aat Imprim4a sont filmte an commandant 
 par Im pramiar plat at an tarminant soit par la 
 damiira pago qui comporta una amprainta 
 d'lmpraaaiort ou d'illustration, soit par la sacond 
 plat, salon la caa. Tous laa autras oxamplairas 
 originaux sont filmte an commandant par la 
 prami^io pogo qui comporta una amprainta 
 d'im^raaaion ou d'illustration at an tarminant par 
 29 darniira paga qui comporta una talla 
 amprainta. 
 
 Tha last racordad frama on aach mic'oficha 
 shall contain tha symbol — «» (moaning "CON- 
 TINUED"), or tha symbol V (maaning "END"), 
 whichavar applias. 
 
 Un daa symbolaa suivants apparaitra sur la 
 darniftra imaga da chaqua microficha, salon la 
 caa: la symbola — *• signifia "A SUIVRE ", la 
 symbols y signifia "FIN". 
 
 'rata 
 o 
 
 )«lure, 
 
 3 
 
 32X 
 
 Mnpa. plataa, charts, ate, may ba filmad at 
 diffarant raduction ratioa. Thoaa too larga to ba 
 antiraly includad in ona axpoaura ara filmad 
 baginning in tha uppar laft hand comar. laft to 
 right and top to bottom, aa many framaa aa 
 raquirad. Tha following diagrama illuatrata tha 
 mathod: 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 Laa cartaa. planchaa. tablaaux, ate. pauvant Atris 
 filmte A daa taux da rMuction diff Grants. 
 Lorsqua la documant ast trop grand pour Atra 
 raproduit an un saul clicMk. il aat film* i partir 
 da I'angla sup^riaur gaucha. da gaucha A droita, 
 at da haut on baa. an pranant la nombra 
 d'imagaa n^cassaira. Las diagrammas suivants 
 illustrant la mAthoda. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 S 
 
 6 
 
w 
 
 7^ 
 
 MATHATHIAS 
 
 A TRAGEDY. 
 
 (RE-PRINT FROM THE " MESSENGER.") 
 
 *>S-s^-H- 
 
 tSe*J 
 
 WOODSTOCK COLLEGE 
 1880. 
 
IS 
 
 tal 
 
 Cl( 
 
 ke 
 ha 
 ini 
 a s 
 an 
 th( 
 in! 
 th( 
 va 
 ha 
 ha 
 ni( 
 wh 
 he 
 

 The following attempt at verse-making that should bear immediate fruit, 
 is the joint work of teacher and pupils in a classical school. The matter is 
 taken from I Machabees, li., and an endeavour has been made to keep as 
 closely as possible to scriptural lan<niage and turns of thought. As more in 
 keeping with this, the form of some of the early Greek tragedies of ^schylus 
 has been followed, admitting, unlike the purer dramatic form, of almost un- 
 interrupted narrative, of much lyrical movement, all centring in the action of 
 a soul, mounting up through every trial from faith to the high resolve of firm 
 and unchanging hope. In the same way, the music, composed also by one of 
 the class, for the more impassioned parts of the chorus, has in great part sought 
 inspiration from the remains of that plaintive half-Greek, half-Eastern music, 
 that still breathes through the different seasons of the Church's year in the 
 varying moods of her plain-chant. As the piece, when brought out in the school- 
 hall before a gathering of friends, met with general acceptance, a few notes 
 have been subjoined, to explain its extremely simple scenic arrangement. It 
 may thus, perhaps, be made a more fitting representation of the Beautiful 
 which is the object of all art; the rather that this 'splendour of the True' is 
 here also the Good, since it is the very 'beauty of justice.' 
 

 MATHATHIAS: A TRAGEDY. 
 
 PERSONS. 
 
 Mathathias, Father of the Mmhabees, 
 
 Chorus of Princes and Ancients. 
 
 Judas Machabeus. 
 
 Simon. 
 
 Herald of Antiochus. 
 
 Israelite Messenger. 
 
 Chorus. 
 
 How hath the God of might in wrath laid low 
 
 Thy glory, Sion ! Princes of our race 
 
 And ancients, lift before His face 
 
 The prayer of woe. 
 
 Fallen is Sion— Sion, alas ! no more ; 
 
 For her towers have crumbled before the foe, 
 
 The pride of her strength is brought low, 
 
 Her hour of glory is o'er. 
 
 Woe to Jerusalem ! to God's city, woe ! 
 
 Her sins have mounted to His sight : 
 
 Heavy His hand of wrath, heavy and just His might. 
 
w 
 
 \ 
 
 MA THA THIAS : A TRA GED Y. 6 
 
 Holy, Lord, and with darkness veiled the might of Thy face ! 
 
 Holy and searching the heart the light of Thine eyes ! 
 
 Stricken in wrath lie the children of Israel's race : 
 
 From the dust to Thy throne uprise, 
 
 From the dust where in sack-cloth and ashes the strength of their 
 
 beauty low lies, 
 Voices of weeping, of wailing the voices, of anguish and sorrow 
 
 the cries. 
 
 Holy, O Lord, are Thine eyes, and pure and searching their light I 
 
 Sinful and dark are our deeds, the thoughts of the heart. 
 
 Sunk in the darkness our midday hath turned unto night : 
 
 We have seen the glad days depart ; 
 
 And the voice of the mother that croons to the babe, hath forgot- 
 ten its art : 
 
 High where the sun of our noon had been shining, Thy lightnings 
 in wrathfulness dart. 
 
 How hast tbou faithless proved, Israel, chosen of God ! 
 
 He hath turned thy feasts to mourning, to lamentation thy songs : 
 
 Now is thine evil hour, bend thee low under His rod, 
 
 That thy prayers and tears of fasting may right thy burden of 
 
 wrongs. 
 For the heathen hath entered the holy city ; 
 On the holy mount are his idols of pride ; 
 He hath slaughtered thy babes, he hath had no pity, 
 And thy happy ones are thy sons that have died. 
 Lift up our fathers' voice of tears 
 Unto our God on high, from woe and fears. 
 
MATHATHIAS: A TRAGEDY. 
 
 Weeping we sate from early morD, 
 Watching by Babylon's stream : 
 
 Until, with grief and sorrow worn, 
 We saw day's dying gleam. 
 
 On willows, weeping o'er the waves, 
 
 Our voiceless harps we hung : 
 How could we sing of Sion, slaves? 
 
 How could their chords be strung ? 
 
 How could we sing, O Lord, Thy songs, 
 
 Sion remembering not? 
 Sion, if we forget thy wrongs. 
 Our right hands be forgot ! 
 
 Remember, Lord, in Sion's day, 
 
 That Babel slew Thine own ; 
 Blest, who her little ones repay. 
 
 And dash them to the stone. 
 
 Mathathias. 
 
 My sons, behold the evils that befall 
 
 The chosen people ; for they have not feared 
 
 The God of justice, and. His solemn threats 
 
 Unheeded, have despised His law. 
 
 Then came the Heathen into the holy city 
 
 And struck it with great slaughter, and the blood 
 
 Of innocence was shed in the holy place. 
 
 There have they laid them up, and are become 
 
 The snare and evil spirit in Israel. 
 
MATHATHIAS: A TRAGEDY. 
 
 Their idols and their unclean sacrifice 
 
 Are in the Almighty's temple ; from their sight 
 
 Jerusalem hath seen her children flee, 
 
 Forsaking her, where strangers entered in. 
 
 Lonely her temple as the wilderness ; 
 
 Mourning her feasts ; and all her sabbaths shame ; 
 
 And all her glory to dishonour turned. 
 
 Woe, woe is me ! 
 
 Was I then only born that I might see 
 
 My people's ruin and the city's sin ? 
 
 City whose joy is o'er, 
 
 Holy of God no more, 
 
 Now that His enemies have citered in ? 
 
 Captive the vessels of her glory ; 
 
 Her temple as a man of shame ; 
 
 In her the holy places gory 
 
 With old men murdered and young men fallen : 
 
 Lost in her blood her beauty's jame. 
 She that was free is become a slave. 
 Why then, ray children, should we prize our lives? 
 Is it not better for God's name to die, 
 Than live in shame and die the eternal death ? 
 O God of nations, pity my gray hairs, 
 And in the face of such degenerate days 
 Permit me not, nor me nor aught of mine, 
 To wander ever from Thy holy way. 
 The nations, formerly so true to Thee, 
 Do now desert Thee ; and to gods of stone 
 
MATHATIIIAS: A TRAGEDY. 
 
 They give the worship which th / owo to Thee. 
 
 On nie, my sons, and brethren, turn Thine eyes. • 
 
 For me it is the 'yea' or 'iiay' to say, 
 
 That makes my nation treacherous or true. 
 
 O weakness of my nature ! How it weighs, 
 
 Enfeebling all my age ! To Thee alone 
 
 For strength and light I turn in days 'ike these. 
 
 The terror of Thy voice goes forth, the strength 
 
 Of Thy rebuke is heavy on Thy people. 
 
 In fear and tremblings, quenched is each dim spark 
 
 Of confidence in Thee, their fathers' God. 
 
 But back of all this shadowy death's confusion 
 
 With eyes that trust, I see Thy visage bright ; 
 
 Grant but Thy help, to seek Thee in the darkness. 
 
 And we shall burn again with zeal, and love. 
 
 But who comes here? A tool, as it would seem, 
 Of King Antiochus. — O make aie now 
 Great God, against their darts invulnerable, 
 And wary of their snares. 
 
 Herald. 
 
 Hail Mathathias! 
 Antiochus, our good and mighty king, 
 Sends health and peace to thee. 
 
 Mathathias. 
 
 Such words are vain ; 
 Make clear, I pray, the purport of thy message. 
 
MA Til A TH I A S : A THA GhW Y. 
 
 Herald. 
 
 O Mrtthathias, noble patriarch, 
 
 Ancient rmid a people virtuous, 
 
 A people noted ever for their love 
 
 Of goda and men, and most obsequious ; 
 
 Most honourable ruler of thy tribe, 
 
 Adorned with mm an honour to their sire, — 
 
 Most venerable, just and powerful, 
 
 Do I salute thee; thus rnv master bade. 
 
 Math^thias. 
 
 No more, 1 pray, of this thy empty talk ; 
 In words thou wrappest that thy heart belies. 
 Think not, dissembler, hypocrite, to win 
 The heart of Mathathias by skilled words. 
 The day is past— God knows if e'er it shone— 
 When Mathathias' n.ind was moved by praise 
 To hearken to the serpent's voice and tale 
 Of empty flattery, or, with pride puffed out, 
 But for one little instant to forget 
 The God of all, who made him what he is. 
 Enough of words ! What is thy master's wish ? 
 
 Herali^ 
 The King Antioohus, my master, thus 
 In fitting words, bade me recall to thee 
 The glory of thy name that shines to him ; 
 How, as a father, graced with many sons. 
 Thou rulest all thy brethren in thy walls : 
 
10 
 
 MATHATHIAS: A TRAGEDY. 
 
 \i 
 
 That thou, with wisdom as of patriarchs, 
 Might ^-'.ve the signal to thy faithful sons, 
 Thy brethreu dutiful, and all thy tribe. 
 And coming forth the first, as first in age. 
 Should show obedience to the king's command, 
 And offer sacrifice. So shall the gods and king 
 Look on thy people gladly ; peace shall reign 
 Throughout the land. 
 
 Mathathias. 
 
 O fool's request, and vain ! 
 Thou knowest well, thou and Antiochus 
 And all his ministers of impious pride, 
 That I have once thrown back his idol's gifts. 
 Have I not once for all made strong my soul 
 Never to bend unto thy king's command ? 
 
 Herald. 
 
 But all the nations since have sacrificed ; 
 The men of Juda and their many brethren 
 That dwell together in Jerusalem. 
 
 Mathathias. 
 Alas, too true. 
 
 Herald. 
 
 Wilt not thou then obey, 
 As these have done, who when thou last didst see 
 
 them 
 Held out with thee ''gainst the king's command? 
 
MATHATHIAS: A TRAGEDY. 
 
 11 
 
 . Mathathias. 
 
 Thou knowest me not ; thou knowest not ray God. 
 I must be mild with thee : but didst thou know 
 
 The God whom I adore, the same who now 
 Thus strengthens my gray hairs in days like these, 
 Thou wouldst not now endeavour thus to tempt me. 
 For know, if all the nations whom the sun 
 Shines on from morning rise till when at night 
 The stars appear, thy king's command obeyed, 
 And burnt their incense to his gods of stone, 
 Not Mathathias, not his seven sons, 
 Nor any of his brethren would cast off 
 The service of their fathers' fathers' God, 
 To bow low down to thine of wood and stone. 
 
 Herald. 
 
 Wilt thou then lose the favour of our king. 
 And set at nought the treasure which he proffers 
 To thee and to thy sons, if thou consent 
 To do this single act, alike most pleasing 
 To him and to the gods whom he adores ? 
 
 Mathatotas. 
 
 Thy presents like thine empty words are vain ; 
 They move me not ; for the base gold and silver 
 Of all the kings on earth, could not make good 
 The loss which I should suffer by obeying 
 Thy master's orders. For I thus should lose 
 
!2 
 
 MATHATHIAS: A TRAGEDY. 
 
 The friendship of the one and only God, 
 
 Who made the world, who me and mine gave life. 
 
 Herald. 
 
 I pray thee, mighty patriarch, speak not thus ; 
 Drive hence those thoughts of foolishness, for ill 
 Do they become thine age and thy renown. 
 Bring not upon thy sons and all thy people 
 The anger of our just and generous king. 
 Hear me! the king, to show in what esteem 
 He holds thyself, thy sons, thine ancient race. 
 Hither hath sent me, offering in his name — 
 
 Mathathias. 
 
 Hence, wicked man nor shame me with a price ! 
 
 I've borne thine importunities too long. 
 
 I fain would have dismissed thee peaceably 
 
 Unto thy master with my firm response ; 
 
 But thou dost still persist. — Go now, I charge thee. 
 
 Tell to thy king how thus— I cast him back 
 
 His praises and the treasures of his hand. 
 
 Let him destroy me from this present life, 
 
 Tearing my limbs asunder, scattering then) 
 
 To the four winds of heaven, nor leave a trace : 
 
 The God whom I adore shall gather all — 
 
 Though He do slay me, I will trust in Him,— 
 
 To add new beauty to this mangled frame, 
 
 And make my wounds with heavenly lustre shine, 
 
 I 
 
MA THA THIAS: A TEA GED Y. 
 
 Like to the sun. — Tempt me no further then, 
 But open to thy king our firm resolve. 
 
 Herald. 
 
 Thou wilt not hear the king's condition then ? 
 
 Mathathias. 
 
 Hence, vile seducer, say no more to rae : 
 Too long I listen to thy tempter's voice. 
 
 Judas Machabeus. 
 
 O fpther, save thy children from the wrath 
 
 Of our just God, that He strike not in His fury. 
 
 Lift up thy arm t^ avenge. Eftch messenger 
 
 Tells how the men of Juda turn away. 
 
 An Israelite even now defiles our eyes. 
 
 How valiantly, at first, he scorned the gold 
 
 Of king Antiochus, and all fair words ; 
 
 And boldly chid the heathen for his folly 
 
 In bidding men to worship wood and stone ! 
 
 But against threats and torture found less strong, 
 
 He offers incense to the heathen gods. 
 
 O now within our walls the smoke mounts up 
 
 To stranger gods. Save us then from the curse, 
 
 Lest quickly it consume us from the land. 
 
 Mathathias. 
 Be Thine, God, my strength— I fly to avenge I 
 
 Id 
 
14 
 
 m 
 
 MA THA THIAS: A TRA GED Y. 
 
 Chorus. 
 
 How long, O Lord, how long, O Lord, 
 Wilt thou forget Thy chosen ones : 
 How long shall Thy great enemy's sword 
 With threatening death hang o'er Thy sons ? 
 
 And thou wrap round Thy throne with clouds, 
 Nor look upon our sufiFering race. 
 Nor rend the darkening veil that shrouds 
 The gracious might of Thine own face ? 
 
 From morning's rise to evening's fall, 
 A swelling sorrow fills our breast ; 
 And with our tears for help we call : 
 Let help descend and bring us rest. 
 
 Above our heads our foes arise. 
 And pour in thousands all around ; 
 They seem to tread the exalted skies. 
 To trample us upon the ground. 
 
 How long, Lord, wilt Thou withhold. 
 The hand of wrath from off Thy foes ; 
 While they adore their gods of gold, 
 And still heap up our countless woes ? 
 
 On Thee, great Lord, on Thee we call ; 
 To heathen gods we ne'er shall bow : 
 Behold at Thy great name we fall ; 
 L<ei/ Lixy riguL uuiiu piuLcuL us uuw ; 
 
MATHATHIAS: A TRAGEDY. 
 
 Judas. 
 
 Behold the altar with its idols decked 
 
 My father hath thrown down : and there too lies 
 
 The worshipper of idols in his blood. 
 
 God is avenged ! 
 
 Mathathias. 
 
 Was I then to remain 
 In silence, when I saw my God despised 
 And men bow low, adoring wood and stone ? 
 O men and brethren, hear ye not the call ? 
 Why stand ye idle then the live-long day? 
 The very stones in shame would hide away, 
 To see us fearful in the cause of God. 
 O men of Israel, if such there be, 
 And who hath zeal for God's most holy law. 
 Let him now follow I But who cometh here ? 
 From face and eyes, belike, a tale of woe. 
 
 Israelite Messenger. 
 
 Hail ! From the mountains I alone am come, 
 From where our people found their^last recreat. 
 I, I alone escaped to cross in haste 
 The burnt-up plains, with weary body and mind, 
 Till ray heart fails me. 
 
 15 
 
16 
 
 MA TIT A THIAS : A TRA QED Y. 
 
 Mathathias. 
 
 Said I not the truth ? 
 O tale of woe ! And thou alone remainest 
 Of all who sought the mountain wilderness ? 
 
 Israelite Messenger. 
 
 Alas! the heathen on the Sabbath-day 
 Sent to us, saying: "Do you still resist? 
 Come forth and do according to the edict, 
 And you shall live ! " 
 
 Mathathias. 
 
 List, list, my brethren, now 
 The bright example. — What answer gave they back ? 
 
 Israelite Messenger. 
 
 "We will not come forth, nor yet profane 
 God's Sabbath." — Then they came in haste 
 To give us battle, but we answered not. 
 Nor downward cast a stone, nor stopped the way 
 To the fastness. But we said : "Let us all die 
 In innocence : and heaven and earth shall witness 
 Our wrongful death." 
 
 Mathathias. 
 
 O God ! and nought was done ! 
 
MATSATHIAS: a TnAC4EDY. 17 
 
 Israelite Messenger. 
 
 Then came they on, upon that Sabbath-day— 
 And all, with wives, and children, cattle, all, 
 The thousand, all were slain. 
 
 Chorus. 
 
 Now hath the tyrant's hand dropped heavily on the people : and 
 they fall as ripe grass before the sickle. 
 
 Alas! where is thy glory now, O Israel ! The light of thy face 
 hath vanished. 
 
 The heathen hath persecuted thy just ones : and his wrath hath 
 allowed them no restiog. 
 
 The day of unrighteousness hath come upon us: and the saints 
 dare not tread the highways. 
 
 No longer can Jerusalem protect them : no longer may the wil- 
 derness screen them. 
 
 O God, why hast Thou abandoned us to Thine enemies: and 
 withdrawn from us the help of Thy protection ? 
 
 How sickened our hearts within us at the sight of the slaughter ! 
 With silent eyes we gazed on the dying. 
 
 O God ! what soul had not swooned with bitterness : whose rage 
 had not then flamed forth ? 
 
 White haired sires with golden youth lay in death in the cavern : 
 blood held their locks to the ground, and the moon hal- 
 lowed the peace of their faces. 
 
 Why were they all slaughtered? Could never one be spared us? 
 
18 
 
 MA THA TBI AS : A TRA GED Y. 
 
 Let loose Thy anger on the bloody wronger : and in Thy wrath 
 
 spare not, O Lord I 
 Send down Thine angels and smite the foes of Thy chosen ones: 
 
 and let Thy rod be raised from off Thy children. 
 Thou hast been our refuge in every generation, God of Israel : 
 
 Thou art our hope in desolation, O God of Mercy! 
 
 Thus do God's people stand in fear and dread. 
 All their life centres in their leader's breast. 
 
 Mathathias. 
 
 My people grieve— their grief is mine ; this heart 
 Is filled to bursting with our common woe. 
 Yet, shall we all do as our brethren did, 
 Nor fight against the heathen for our lives? 
 Then shall they quickly root us from the earth. 
 
 Simon. 
 
 Is then man for the Sabbath? and may wrath 
 Not righteously from innocence turn on sin ? 
 Then quickly shall they root us from the earth. 
 
 Judas. 
 
 If they come up against us in their might 
 And we stan.l not, like to our brethren slain, 
 We all shall die. 
 
 Mathathias. 
 
 But we will not all die, 
 
MA THA THIAS : A TRA ED Y. 
 
 As did our brethren in their hiding-place. 
 And whoso on the Sabbath cornea against us, 
 We will withstand. 
 
 Simon. 
 
 Then all, from evils fled, 
 
 Shall gather to us. 
 
 Judas. 
 
 Then our wrath shall sky 
 The sinner, and the wicked man shall flee 
 Back to the nations. 
 
 Simon. 
 
 Then shall idols fall ; 
 The children of their pride be chased afar ; 
 The work of God shall prosper to our hand. 
 Not quickly shall they root us from the earth. 
 
 Chorus. 
 
 And the law of our God from the sinful nation 
 Returneth ; from heathen kings, our law : 
 And eyes that the sinner uplifted saw, 
 Shall see him hurled from his haughty station. 
 For the day of wrath is nigh, 
 Wrath of our God, and safety, nigh. 
 
 Mathathias. 
 
 Ere the days draw near that I die, 
 O may I see again the chastisement 
 
 19 
 
20 
 
 MATHATHIA8: A TRAGEDY. 
 
 Of pride that, now hath strength, as oft of old 
 
 When came the time of wrath and indignation. 
 
 O sons, be zealous for your fathers' law, 
 
 And give your lives therefor. Call now to raind 
 
 Your fathers' deeds which they so well have done 
 
 In every generation : 
 
 Abraham, found faithful in temptation ; 
 
 Joseph who kapt the commandment in distress ; 
 
 And Phinees, fervent in his zeal, 
 
 Made everlasting priest of righteousness ; 
 
 Josue the ruler ; Caleb, whom the seal 
 
 Of faithful witness gave inheritance ; 
 
 David his throne ; living Elias' chance ; 
 
 To the three children, fire as the sweet south ; 
 
 Daniel delivered from the lion's mouth ; 
 
 And thus through every generation. Think 
 
 How none that trust in Him, have failed in strength. 
 
 Fear not the words of sinful man ; 
 
 His glory, dung and worms ; 
 
 Today uplifted, and not found to-morrow, 
 
 Because unto his earth he is returned. 
 
 And his thought, empty, come to nothingness. 
 
 O sons, be manful then in the law ; thereby 
 
 Ye shall be glorious. And now, let all 
 
 Who observe the law, come to us ; and with us 
 
 Revenge our people's wrong ; and to the gentile 
 
 Render reward. And we take heed to the law, 
 
 

 MA TEA THIA S : A T RAG ED Y. 
 
 That 80 the Almighty's wrath no more raay lie 
 On Sion — city of our fathers' God. 
 
 Chorus. 
 
 How shall we sing, O Lord, Thy songs, 
 
 Sion remembering not ? 
 Sion, if we forget thy wrongs, 
 
 Our right hands be forgot. 
 
 21 
 
n 
 
 MA THA THIAS: A TRA GED Y. 
 
 NOTK.-The following plan was followe.! in the oriRinal reprenentation. 
 tt is perhapH comprehensive enougli for artJHtic purpoHOH, and anything more 
 elaborate might easily be le88 in keeping with the severe character of the 
 piece, and besides give no truer reality. 
 
 8CKNE— a caurt or open place among houscit (oriental). 
 
 CoSTVHEr-loosely flowing robes with girdles, of a single colour. 
 
 The extreme of variety would, perhaps, be black for the Chorus, white for 
 the Jewish characters, white with red girdle for Herald, who alone should be 
 covered, turban colour of I'obe. 
 
 The persons, except the Chorus who are always on the stage, make their 
 entrance or exit behind, or at one side. Tlie context of the play sufficiently 
 indicates the time : first, Mathathias, who at once addresses the Chorus ; then 
 Herald of Antiochus, who, as he goes cut, is passed by Judas Machabeus, who 
 in turn goes out with Mathatiiias, leaving only Chorus on the stage ; at the 
 pro,)er time he returns, followed shortly by his father, and soon after, by 
 Simon leading in the Israelite Messenger ; after wliich all remain till the close. 
 Much depends on the Chorus. They are ideal spectators, but of the real 
 action. Accordingly, they introduce and help on the narrative, and especially 
 contribute to the pathetic movement of the piece. However, they are in no 
 wise actors, and sln.uld not be placed as such. The following is the arrange- 
 ment that seems most eftective, and is certainly most conformable to Greek 
 
 models. 
 
 Position at beginning, resumed when other oluxr.cters leavo the stage : Prin- 
 ces on one hand. Ancients on other, foruauy «emic.rcle across the entire stage, 
 at the extremities of which, nearest the audience, stand the two choragi{lead- 
 ers.) When one of the characters is on the point of entering, the line breaks 
 in the centre, each part retiring backwards, until they form two parallel lines, 
 facing each other and leaving the stage free between. 
 
2d 
 
 MA TIT A Tin A S : A TRA VID Y. 
 
 •¥ 
 ♦ 
 ♦ 
 « 
 
 * 
 
 {lYmcetf l8t position. *{ArmenU) * 2d position.* 
 
 All the inovcMueptH of the C^horua nhould be made together. The leaders, in 
 the part that is Hung, take the nolo, Mul aim. all that is «p(.ken, altemati-.y as 
 far as possible. Thus the openiiiK is lo be spoken by the leader of Uie Princes, 
 the ckora,,uHoi the Ancients follown singing, the other in turn siags, then 
 lea<ler of Ancients speaks, full ( Ihorus sing, etc. In speaking or singing alone 
 a slow, rhythmic gesture might be made by the leaders, when demanded by 
 the sense, as raising the hands to h.aven. etc. The same gesture by the }uU 
 Chorus, when singing together, is effective. There sh.mld bo no instrumental 
 muHie beyond the aecompHniraent. The curtain renmins drawn throughout.