Oscar Wilde: The Complete Works. Knowledge house
in everything. God is in what is evil even as He is in what is good.
a fourth jew
That must not be said. It is a very dangerous doctrine. It is a doctrine that cometh from the schools at Alexandria, where men teach the philosophy of the Greeks. And the Greeks are Gentiles: They are not even circumcised.
a fifth jew
No one can tell how God worketh. His ways are very mysterious. It may be that the things ·35· which we call evil are good, and that the things which we call good are evil. There is no knowledge of any thing. We must needs submit to everything, for God is very strong. He breaketh in pieces the strong together with the weak, for He regardeth not any man.
first jew
Thou speaketh truly. God is terrible; He breaketh the strong and the weak as a man brays corn in a mortar. But this man hath never seen God. No man hath seen God since the prophet Elias.
herodias
Make them be silent. They weary me.
herod
But I have heard it said that Jokanaan himself is 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 the prophet Elias.
a nazarene
I am sure that he is the prophet Elias.
·36· the jew
Nay, but he is not the prophet Elias.
the voice of jokanaan
So the day is come, the day of the Lord, and I hear upon the mountains the feet of Him who shall be the Saviour of the world.
herod
What does that mean? The Saviour of the world.
tigellinus
It is a title that Cæsar takes.
herod
But Cæsar is not coming into Judæa. 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 explaining the title. It is one of Cæsar’s titles.
herod
But Cæsar 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 ·37· come. Howbeit, Cæsar is lord, he will come if he wishes. Nevertheless, I do not think he will come.
first nazarene
It was not concerning Cæsar that the prophet spake these words, sire.
herod
Not of Cæsar?
first nazarene
No, sire.
herod
Concerning whom then did he speak?
first nazarene
Concerning Messias who has come.
a jew
Messiah 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!
·38· 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 were seated before the Gate of Capernaum simply by touching them.
second nazarene
Nay, it was 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.
a sadducee
Not with angels.
·39· herodias
How these men weary me! They are ridiculous! [To the page] Well! my fan! [The page gives her the fan.] You have a dreamer’s look; you must not dream. It is only sick people who dream. [She strikes the page with her fan.]
second nazarene
There is also the miracle of the daughter of Jairus.
first nazarene
Yes, that is sure. No man can gainsay it.
herodias
These 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. He raised her from the dead.
herod
He raises the dead?
first nazarene
Yea, sire, He raiseth the dead.
·40· herod
I do not wish Him to do that. I forbid Him to do that. I allow 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?
second nazarene
He is in every place, my lord, but it is hard to find Him.
first nazarene
It is said that He is now in Samaria.
a jew
It is easy to see that this is not Messias, if He is in Samaria. It is not to the Samaritans that Messias shall come. The Samaritans are accursed. They bring no offerings to the Temple.
second nazarene
He left Samaria a few days since. I think that at the present moment He is in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem.
first nazarene
No; He is not there. I have just come from Jerusalem. For two months they have had no tidings of Him.
herod
No matter! But let them find Him, and tell Him from me, I will not allow him to raise the ·41· dead! To change water into wine, to heal the lepers and the blind…. He may do these things if He will. I say nothing against these things. In truth I hold it a good deed to heal a leper. But I allow no man to raise the dead. It would be terrible if the dead came back.
the voice of jokanaan
Ah! the wanton! The harlot! Ah! the daughter of Babylon with her golden eyes and her gilded eyelids! Thus saith the Lord God. Let there come up against her a multitude of men. Let the people take stones and stone her….
herodias
Command