freemasonry of the ancient Egypt 24

freemasonry of the ancient Egypt 24

First Tableau — A grand subterranean hall with pillars. To the right a verti-

cal well whose shaft projects from the floor, and of which the top is not openly seen. An

airhole debouches upon a landing place, descended by some steps near a grating situated

on the third plane, at the middle of the scene. There are some mummies, the dead bodies

lying in open coffins are ranged near the water abutting on the edge of this grating. An-

other grating on the second plane to the left. A lamp suspended from the ceiling which is

not visible. Scarcely half daylight, and the ground is obscure.

 

 

 

Scene First

 

 

 

Three Priests.

 

 

 

first priest: It appears, my Brothers, that the Initiation of this most

eminent disciple of Socrates will be very brilliant; they say that the

King will assist.

 

SECOND priest: They say, in effect, and they add that our Sages arc

marvelling at the great intelligence of the Neophyte, the illustrious

Plato.

 

THIRD priest: He has made amongst them, in a single year, most ex-

traordinary progress. (He goes to open a peephole in the wall, looks out and re-

turns .)

 

second priest: But this swan of the Academy, as his Master calls

him, is above everything a man of imagination; will he have sufficient

strength of soul to support the rude trials which commence from this

moment?

 

 

 

214 .

 

 

 

 

INITIATION OF PLATO

 

 

 

Du i priest: Ii would be a great injury if so valuable a man were to

 

umb; he would be condemned to pass his days in these somber gal-

 

I. ii. and employed in decorating the coffins and the bandages of the

mummies.

 

Mi ONI) PRIEST: Without such condemnation, cruel without doubt,

bm necessary, our secret s would be divulged by those presumptuous

..ii. .. who would come from afar to solicit those trials, which they

would be incapable of sustaining.

 

iiusi priest: Yes, such captivity is still necessary; but a time will come

when our treasures of science will be the heritage of all men. Then

mankind, freed from the errors which divide them and the evils which

• I. voui them, will live long and happily. They will bless our memories.

 

i him i> priest: My Brother, the Neophyte, if he has escaped the abyss,

iv almost ready to penetrate here. (He returns to open the peephole , and after

liking out closes it discreetly .)

 

mr m priest: I believe that he is one of those rare men who will be

spoken of in the world for long ages.

 

i HiRD priest: Behold him!

 

(The three Priests hide in the shade.)

 

 

 

Scene Second

 

 

 

pi. a to: (Alone. He puts his lamp across the airhole, and passes through head first. Ris-

ing, he looks around .) Into what place have I descended so painfully? (He

 

• 215 •

 

 

 

INITIATION OF PLATO

 

 

 

advances to the grating and opens it, after he has passed it closes with an extraordinary

noise.') How can this door, closing of itself, produce so great a noise?

 

 

 

Scene Third

 

First Priest, Plato.

 

first PRIEST ( appearing ): What dost thou seek here?

plato: Wisdom.

 

first priest: It is impossible, without much science, for man to inter-

pret the grand hieroglyphics of the universe. What is science?

 

plato: It is the comprehension of causes and their effects, when the

spirit of God descends into the bosom of man.

 

first priest: And wisdom?

 

plato: The knowledge of good and evil, justice and injustice; it is the

love of the one and the hatred of the other.

 

first priest: In order to reach it, know thou thyself.

 

(He goes out and a flame rises behind him.)

 

 

 

Scene Fourth

 

 

 

plato: I aspire to comprehend, O Sage! Why disappear thus? Know

thou thyself! This profound sentence of the King Scsostris is graven

 

 

 

INITIATION OF PLATO

 

upon the Temple of Delphos, I am charged not to forget it, the divine

Socrates incessantly recalled it to us.

 

i Some extraordinary monsters leap or pass near him, uttering savage and/right/ul

, nes Thunder is heard, then a great noise of chains rattling in the distance; some lights

pass on the scene; suddenly there is absolute silence.)

 

I he horrors of this place; these noises and the profound silence which

succeed them, may well cause the flesh to creep, but they can neither af-

fright nor trouble my spirit.

 

a voice: Doth thy heart fail thee; hast thou need of assistance?

plato: No!

 

( The place is enlivened by the rays of the moon; it represents a palace in ruins , portions

of columns , and others thrown down, lie about ; some tombs. Plato places his lantern

upon a coffin .)

 

Ruins, tombs, sublime dust, shades of my kind; is it you, then, who

will reveal to me the secret of life? Is it you, O ye dead! Who will teach

me to live?

 

 

 

Scene Fifth

 

 

 

Second Priest. Plato.

 

second priest: Perhaps! Is not the past the lesson of the future?

plato: I know chat in the physical order and in the moral order, all that

 

 

 

. 2/6 .

 

 

 

. 2/7 .

 

 

 

INITIATION OF PLATO

 

 

 

which has been accomplished can be done again, notwithstanding

those differences which the incessant labors of matter introduce, and

the progress of conscience, or rather of the human spirit.

 

second priest (indicating the ruined palace ): If they do not practice

justice, the sole providence of empires, what remains of the most pow-

erful kings of the earth? A handful of ashes and the scorn of posterity.

 

plato: The benevolent and modest man leaves at least a respectful re-

membrance, sympathetic regrets, a noble example. It is consoling, also,

that man by his labors may prolong his existence through the centuries,

and speak, so to say, from the foot of his tomb, to all generations that

may come after him.

 

second priest: It is beautiful, without doubt, to live honored in the

memory of men, and it is the noble ambition of great hearts. But know

that life and death succeed each other, as do night and day. Everything

changes, transforms itself unceasingly; the ephemera in an hour; man

in a century, more or less; the stars in millions of years. Even the innu-

merable suns, which roll over our heads, have had also, as we, their

birthdays. Each instant which passes sees some extinguished and others

setting out anew at incalculable distances! But it is given to man alone

to contribute understanding to the universal harmony by doing good.

 

plato: The sentiments of such grandeur ought to be proudly im- pressed on all mans most beautiful works.