Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Volume 5).djvu/165

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act iii.]
caesar's apostasy.
129

Leontes.

[Taking a purple robe from one of his attendants.] Noble Caesar, deign to array yourself——

Julian.

Red! Away with it! Was it this he wore at Pola——?

Leontes.

This comes fresh from Sidon.

Julian.

[With a look at Maximus.] From Sidon! The purple robe——!

Maximus.

Apollinaris's vision!

Gregory.

Julian! Julian!

Leontes.

See, this is sent to you by your kinsman, the Emperor. He bids me tell you that, childless as he is, he looks to you to heal this the deepest wound of his life. He wishes to see you in Rome. Afterwards, it is his will that you should go, as Caesar, to Gaul. The border tribes of the Alemanni have passed the Rhine, and made a dangerous inroad into the empire. He builds securely on the success of your campaign against the barbarians. Certain things have been revealed to him in dreams, and his last word to me at my departure was that he was assured you would succeed in establishing the empire.