ARCHITRICLINUS. 
And the tall figure standing close behind them,
Clad all in white, with lace and beard like ashes,
As if he were Elias, the White Witness,
Come from his cave on Carmel to foretell
The end of all things?

PARANYMPHUS. 
                    That is Manahem
The Essenian, he who dwells among the palms
Near the Dead Sea.

ARCHITRICLINUS. 
            He who foretold to Herod
He should one day be King?

PARANYMPHUS. 
                     The same.

ARCHITRICLINUS. 
                           Then why
Doth he come here to sadden with his presence
Our marriage feast, belonging to a sect
Haters of women, and that taste not wine?

THE MUSICIANS. 
My undefiled is but one,
The only one of her mother,
The choice of her that bare her;
The daughters saw her and blessed her;
The queens and the concubines praised her;
Saying, Lo! who is this
That looketh forth as the morning?

MANAHEM aside. 
The Ruler of the Feast is gazing at me,
As if he asked, why is that old man here
Among the revellers?  And thou, the Anointed! 
Why art thou here?  I see as in a vision
A figure clothed in purple, crowned with thorns;
I see a cross uplifted in the darkness,
And hear a cry of agony, that shall echo
Forever and forever through the world!

ARCHITRICLINUS. 
Give us more wine.  These goblets are all empty.

MARY to CHRISTUS. 
They have no wine!

CHRISTUS. 
               O woman, what have I
To do with thee?  Mine hour is not yet come.

MARY to the servants. 
Whatever he shall say to you, that do.

CHRISTUS. 
Fill up these pots with water.

THE MUSICIANS. 
Come, my beloved,
Let us go forth into the field,
Let us lodge in the villages;
Let us get up early to the vineyards,
Let us see if the vine flourish,
Whether the tender grape appear,
And the pomegranates bud forth.

CHRISTUS. 
                     Draw out now
And bear unto the Ruler of the Feast.

MANAHEM aside. 
O thou, brought up among the Essenians,
Nurtured in abstinence, taste not the wine! 
It is the poison of dragons from the vineyards
Of Sodom, and the taste of death is in it!

ARCHITRICLINUS to the BRIDEGROOM. 
All men set forth good wine at the beginning,
And when men have well drunk, that which is worse;
But thou hast kept the good wine until now.

MANAHEM aside.