New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-10-03


ruin his political position, cd Psuitne
shst 20 crafty his jealousy he VIII IL e1en
nfs ~ bPf husband ard ruin her happiness anu
me ,S Tic old rnau is accordingly IN g,ea. - ~
~ srcement but Pauline sill more 80, % - Lss m
ssspess about the safety of her nuspan ; Cor Sev.
Ssr,o GREAT struggle with her passion '3 -
W. Rut she Is womsn full OF PIinclps1 VI n'.uo
srd bonor and graphing boldly wltn her ueIce11 ~
stion. sie is determined TO De su aas hnahond
liver without being updutbul 10 her nusoanu
we .'--I.oe. nj. 10 Seyerus and his friend. His
IL, - bs Famine again is mlseraoly destroyed
~ ,hs r;sooanre of her marriage. An in'ervleT pc
,,yeen nm ard Pauline however taxes pace. Iauine
nobly arc frankly defines ner poson WI .o
P 70 90, S.verus whe is overwhelmed with SORROW,
"a rssser than live whouther, proposes to die But
h1Sore cs irving this proposition out, he has duty 10
SIsII 10 proceed TO the temples aud offer some nice
Iu Csrisan as sacrifice to Jupiter for victories
sIeved While old Felix and Pauline are full OF
=, ypsb and Severus is thrown into despair by his
SssnIo,ntmeLt in love, Polyeucte seems TO main
.sn biehly serene state of mind. Earthly passions
and concerns have only secondary interest with him.
Wrapped up altogether 10 religious enthusiasm he
watches with the fiery zeal peculiar TO Neophytes for
an opportunity 10 give striking proof OF the inten-
sity Of bis faith Now the arrival Of Severus aud the
solemn services and sacrifice in the Pagan temples to
which il gives place, afford him such an opportunity
He forges his wife, his father n-law his rivalry with
Severus AL be thinks Of is, that here Ia fine oppor:
tunity 10 raise the banner Of Christ IN the temple OF
Jupier 10 cestroy The idols, and TO put an end TO
Psasnism in Armenia AND be takes this opportunity
atbout even his friend Nearchus seems 10 be over
come by the audacity of his design.
ACT III opens with Pauline uttering the most
touching ard sorrowfu complaints about the unhappy
turn which things have taken, but her grief is changed
into tewlcerment and terror, on hearing OF her hus-
bands conversion, and the fearful sensation created
among the Pogans by bis proclamation OF his new
faith aud by his attempt at propagandsm in the
Temple CT Jupiter itef, and just at the time when
Seyerus and the Governor and the people of Armenia
were all engaged IN the most sacred business OF orng
ing sacrifice TO the gods Old Felix is in terrible
rage as 20 what may become of him and his position If
the EmI error he airs that he mas been feeding viper In
the boron Of bis own family; tsa his son-inliw has
turned Christian. Nearchus is at once put to death,
and PClyeuc'e is doomed to follow him unless he re-
tracts Pauline although her religious convictions as
Pagan are deeply outraged by her husbands con-
version iorgets, with the magnanimous disposltion
which is peculiar TO her, all her personal ieengsi sue
does not FOR one moment even indulge the sehsh
houpLt as her father does that the death OF her nus
band msy pave the way for happy life with her
lover Stverus-all that the lofty woman remembers
IA that Polyeuc'e is her husband and the danger OF
bis position makes him only dearer to her true womans
heart She still hopes TO briog him back to Pdgansn
and thus 10 save his life She stands, however, but
little chance. On seeing his friend die martyrs
DEATH POy euctes religious zeal has been tanned INTO
be widest enthusiasm.
Ac1Iv which opens in the prison of the enthusi-
sstic nan, corvinces u.s. by the imprisoned strains
of heavenly rapture with which he faces martyrs
fate that Paulines pains thro En away. lie is 50
full of hope in heaven that his case ia hopeless on
Garth But the controversy which in the prison,
takes place between him and Pauline Is highly inter-
esipg especially in iheolo Sical point of view. While
PsulDe strives to coax him back to the founders OF
Jupiter he endeavors TO open her mind to the divinity
Of Christ Round tits theological excitement the ap-
pearanoe OF Paulines lover throws exquisite flavor
Of ron ance. In fact Poly eucte has SEM for him TO
urge upon him the graceful request to take Pauloe for
vile after his death. Severos is first puzzled, but
eventually struck with admiration, and begins to
think higher of religion which inspires such great
self sacrifices Pauline however, indignantly spurns
the idea she is ready 10 stand by her husband, and
she tests the magnanimity of Severus by imploring
him to save mis- rvals life. And to the honor of Sew
us DO said he stands the test and promises to do
his best But in
pArT we find this high.minded attempt of the
noble Roman wrecked by the wretched mesuness Of
old Felix who cannot conceive even the high mo-
tive which inspires Severus, and looks upon his plead
Dg on behalf OF Polyeucte, simply as ruse to destroy
h in the eyes OF the Emperor, by convincing hun of
the damning fact OF having granted pardon 10 re-
bellous Christian. Not that old Felix has not ten
der regard for his son n-iaw, but he has far more
tender regard for his position, and as be cannot
realize the idea that Severus Is sincere IN his anxiety
10 save the life of his rival he dooms his son nlaw 10
death otherwise there mis Int be an end to the Gov
ernorship and old Felix might be left to 20 a-beggng
PoyeuCte dies behind the stage with thorough mar
fyrs 10Y: Pauline stands by him to the last, and
great is tie effect worked upon her mind by the sight
his heroic enthusiasm that the pagan darkness falls
from her eyes and before he expires she has caught his
faith ia Cnrlst,
".Je vols, je sails, js orcis,"
she excsims with such intensity of religious pathOs,
that shc actually performs a miracle, in moving the
soul Of old Felix himself. The Emperor Decus, the
sFoils of office, the intoxcaon OF Armenian politics,
all vanish in the Governors heart Nothing remains
but an old man. vanquishcd by the force of pure re-
Ggion,
Tie. tso. is converted and while he and Pauline
ush Cd to give becoming burial to the mortal re-
mains of Nesrchus and Poyeucte Severus is more and
mere moved by a relis ion which can produce fervor
like this, and takes solemn resolution TO intercede
Eith the Emperor make him relent in hiS persecu-
fons ssaI st the Christians.
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