We shall drive them before us like sheep. They have grown soft in the houses of the women, and their king has never worn harness.
A Voice
That is false.
The Warrior
Who says it is false?
The Voice
I say so. I have been in Babylon and I have seen Nebuchadnezzar. He is a mighty man of valor, and his soldiers have no equals.
Voices
Wretch, you praise our foes.—He is sold to the enemy.—His wife is a Chaldean.—She has gone a-whoring with all the men of Babylon.—Traitor!
The Warrior
[Approaching the speaker] Do you mean to say that we cannot beat them?
The Voice
I say that the Chaldeans are mighty men.
The Warrior
[Pressing closer] Look upon my fist, and say once more that they are better than the men of Israel.
Voices
Say it again.—Tear him to pieces.—Traitor.—Traitor.
The Speaker
[Encircled by a threatening mob, loses courage] I did not say that. All I meant to say was that they are many in number.
Abimelech
Always have our foes been many, and always have we laid them low.
Voices
Who can stand against us?—We have overthrown all our enemies.—None can withstand us.—Death to him who despises our power.
[Messengers hasten from the palace]
The Crowd
[Thronging round them] Whither so fast?—What news do you bear?—Whom do you seek?—What’s afoot?
A Messenger
The king has summoned the council.
Voices
War.—He decides for war.—War.
Abimelech
Whom has he summoned?
The Messenger
Imre, the oldest burgher; Nahum, the steward. To you also the summons goes forth.
Abimelech
Waverers and wiseacres are to be my fellow councilors; men who weigh their words overmuch and shrink from deeds. But I have my sword with me, and I will cast it from me if I may not draw it against Ashur. Yours is the hour, people of Jerusalem; I fight in your behalf.
The Crowd
Hail Abimelech.—Hail Abimelech, hail soldier of God.—Hail!
[Abimelech hastens into the palace]
Baruch
Follow him, follow him! The king shall hear our voices. Let us thunder our will beneath the windows of his palace.
Zebulon
I shall disown you if you do not hold your peace. The king has summoned a council, and there must be no clamor to disturb its deliberations.
Baruch
He shall not deliberate. Let him decide! Let him decide for war! We are all for war.
Voices
Yes, all of us.—All of us.—Shout that the king may hear us.
A Voice
Nay, I am not for war, I am not for war.
Voices
Silence.—Traitor.—Another spy.—Who are you?—Down with him.—Who are you?
The Speaker
I am a peasant, and in peace only will my land bear fruit. War comes trampling across my fields. No war for me, I am against it.
Baruch
[Savagely] Shame upon you! May you rot amid your fields and be choked with your fruits! Cursed be he whose courage is measured by his gains, and cursed be he who values his own pitiful life more than the welfare of his country! Israel is our land for tillage. We will manure it with our blood. Are we not happy, brothers, to die for the one God?
The Peasant
Die, then, and let me live. I love the land. This, too, is God’s, and he has given it to me for my own.
Baruch
Nothing is given to us for our own. We hold everything in trust from the living God, and must restore everything when the call comes. Now has the call sounded; let us hearken to it gladly. The signs are fulfilled. Where are they who should reveal his words? Where are they who disclose his spirit, who can spur on the slothful and make the deaf hear? Where are the priests, and where the prophets? Why are their voices silent at this hour in Jerusalem?
Voices
Yes.—The prophets.—Where are the priests?
Baruch
To the temple! Nothing must be done without God’s word! Let the men of God decide.
Voices
Yes, where are our shepherds? In them is the truth.—Hananiah—Pashur—where are they? Open the temple.—Open the gates.—Hananiah.—Pashur.
[Some of the crowd race up the steps and knock upon the brazen gates. The gates open and Hananiah appears. He is received with fierce acclamations]
Baruch
Hananiah, messenger of God, the people thirst for your speech. Let your words pour forth to kindle our hearts, to make fruitful our wrath, and to direct our aim. The fate of Jerusalem is in your hands.
The Crowd
Pour forth God’s word over us.—Reveal the promise.—Say, shall we fight?—Let us know God’s will.—Teach the people, messenger of the Lord, teach the king.—Give utterance to the promise.—Look upon our weakness.—Awaken our courage.
Hananiah
[Standing before the threshold of the temple, speaks with strong emotion] Blessed your questions, blessed your voices, blessed are you, people of Jerusalem, who at length hearken to the cry. For sleep had fallen upon you, Jerusalem; you had been passive in the chains of slavery. The nations have been marching over you as over a drunken man; they have been spitting upon your garments; they have mocked your nakedness. But a call has summoned the sleepers; a message has roused the dreamers; and I will testify to you, now that God has awakened you.
The Crowd
[Breaking into fanatical cries] Listen to him!—We are awakened!—It is true that we have been sleeping.—Tell us, master, is it time?—Say, has the hour struck?
Hananiah
How long will you refrain from deeds, now that God hath awakened you? How long will you remain passive, now that the Lord hath summoned you? God is athirst, for his pitchers are empty; God is anhungered, for his altars are broken; God is cold, for the hangings of the temple have been stolen; God suffers, for the priests of Baal and the servants of Ashtaroth heap scorn upon him! Cast off the yoke, break your chains, raise hosannas, unsheathe your swords. God has awakened you; fight for the Lord!
Baruch
Let hosannas sound! Up, Israel; up Jerusalem, and break the yoke!
The Crowd
Let us break the yoke.—Down with Ashur.—To arms against Nebuchadnezzar.—Unfurl the flag.—Tell us, is it time to start?—War against Ashur.—Say, shall the victory be ours?