Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882). Complete Poetical Works. 1893.
Christus: A MysteryPart I. The Divine Tragedy. The Second Passover. VII. The Coasts of Cæsarea Philippi
That thou art John the Baptist; some, Elias;
And others Jeremiah.
Of the old Prophets is arisen again.
Thou art the Son of God!
Simon Barjona! Flesh and blood hath not
Revealed it unto thee, but even my Father,
Which is in Heaven. And I say unto thee
That thou art Peter; and upon this rock
I build my Church, and all the gates of Hell
Shall not prevail against it. But take heed
Ye tell to no man that I am the Christ.
For I must go up to Jerusalem,
And suffer many things, and be rejected
Of the Chief Priests, and of the Scribes and Elders,
And must be crucified, and the third day
Shall rise again!
This shall not be!
Thou savorest not the things that be of God,
But those that be of men! If any will
Come after me, let him deny himself,
And daily take his cross, and follow me.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it,
And whosoever will lose his life shall find it.
For wherein shall a man be profited
If he shall gain the whole world, and shall lose
Himself or be a castaway?
The Master lead us up into this mountain?
Above us on the summit of the hill!
His face shines as the sun! and all his raiment
Exceeding white as snow, so as no fuller
On earth can white them! He is not alone;
There are two with Him there; two men of eld,
Their white beards blowing on the mountain air,
Are talking with him.
If thou wilt, let us make three tabernacles;
For thee one, and for Moses and Elias!
It overshadows us. A golden mist
Now hides them from us, and envelops us
And all the mountain in a luminous shadow!
I see no more. The nearest rocks are hidden.
As from the burning bush He spake to Moses!
We see again. Behold! He is alone.
It was a vision that our eyes beheld,
And it hath vanished into the unseen.
Till the Son of Man be risen from the dead!
This rising from the dead?
Elias must first come?
Restoring all things. But I say to you,
That this Elias is already come.
They knew him not, but have done unto him
Whate’er they listed, as is written of him.
A crowd of people; coming, going, thronging
Round the disciples, that we left behind us,
Seeming impatient, that we stay so long.
That waits the Master’s coming to be healed.
As if an unclean spirit tormented him!
He is mine only child; a lunatic,
And sorely vexed; for oftentimes he falleth
Into the fire and oft into the water.
Wherever the dumb spirit taketh him
He teareth him. He gnasheth with his teeth,
And pines away. I spake to thy disciples
That they should cast him out, and they could not.
How long shall I be with you, and suffer you?
Bring thy son hither.
Seizes the boy, and tortures him with pain!
He falleth to the ground and wallows, foaming!
He cannot live.
Since this came unto him?
Oh, have compassion on us, Lord, and help us,
If thou canst help us.
For unto him that verily believeth,
All things are possible.
Help thou mine unbelief!
Come out of him, I charge thee, and no more
Enter thou into him!
He lieth there. No life is left in him.
His eyes are like a blind man’s, that see not.
The boy is dead!
And takes him by the hand; and lifts him up.
He is not dead.
But one touch of that hand, and he is healed!
Ah, why could we not do it?
Now thou art mine again. The unclean spirit
Shall never more torment thee! Look at me!
Speak unto me! Say that thou knowest me!
We could not cast him out?