Judith of Bethulia

1
From the Apocrypha and the poetical tragedy
of "Judith of Bethulia" by Thomas Bailey
Aldrich.

			By permission
		Houghton Mifflin & Company

2
This production is, in part, a dramatization 
of the narrative in the apocrypha. Though
it contains characters, situations and passages 
from the apocryphal episode, our efforts have 
been confined expressly to the drama.

3
           CAST
Judith .......    Blanche Sweet
Holofernes ..... Henry Walthall
Naomi ........        Mae Marsh 
Nathan ......     Robert Harron
The young mother...Lillian Gish
Crippled beggar ...Dorothy Gish 
Judith's maid ...... Kate Bruce

Servants, Guards, Natives, Warriors,
          Dancers, Slaves

4
JUDITH ... Widow of Manasses

	.... BLANCHE SWEET

5
HOLOFERNES ... Captain of the Assyrians

		.... HENRY WALTHALL

6
NAOMI ... Beloved by Nathan

		.... MAE MARSH

7
In those days the walled city of Bethulia 
was situated in the hill country, so that it 
guarded the passages of Jerusalem.

8
Outside the city walls were the wells 
where the inhabitants went for water

9
NATHAN ... Beloved by Naomi

	.... ROBERT HARRON

10
   And the stout walls of Bethulia were 
fifty cubits thick

11
   The market-place within the walls of
Bethulia

12
  In Bethulia in those days dwelt Judith the
devout, widow of Manasses, held in great 
reverence by all the inhabitants.

13
   At the great gate Naomi parted from 
Nathan and again repaired to the well 
for water.

14
In the eighteenth year of his reign 
Nebuchodonosor, King of the Assyrians, 
sent forth Prince Holofernes with the
army of Assur to lay waste all the 
countries of the West -

15
---- and the army of Assur by command of 
Holofernes took the wells wherefrom the 
inhabitants of Bethulia had all their water.

16
Nathan could scarce be refrained from 
   going to the succor of Naomi

17
They pitched the tent of Holofernes 
    in the midst of his army

18
Not one Assyrian had gained entrance 
     within the walls ----

19
Naomi was among the captives that day

20
---- while Holofernes reveled in his 
      bacchanalian festivities

21
The army of Assur stormed the walls 
     by night and by day ----

22
---- while Judith watched and prayed 
        by her window ----

23
---- and Holofernes waited within his tent

24
  Yet Holofernes could not batter down 
the brazen gates nor make a single breach

25
  Then Holofernes took counsel of his 
captains, and sat down with his army to 
wait for famine to reduce the city

26
  For water and food within the walls 
were all but spent

27
   And Judith's heart bled at the distress 
of her people for they were perishing of 
hunger and thirst

28
And a vision came from the Lord

29
"Hear me and I will do a thing which
 shall go through all generations"

30
  And Holofernes visited vengeance on 
all cowards within his camp

31
  Then Julia put on sackcloth and fell 
upon her face and put ashes upon her head

32
  And she put on her garments of glad-
ness and decked herself bravely to allure 
the eyes of all men that should see her

33
So Judith, with her handmaid Marah, 
went forth to overcome Holofernes, the 
dread Bull of Assur

34
This was the punishment meted out 
   to all who betrayed him

35
"For I am Holofernes"

36
  And Judith spoke cunningly unto Holo-
fernes, promising to deliver all Judea into 
his hands

37
  And his heart was ravished with her so 
that he gave her free passage in the camp 
and a tent for her abode and his chief 
eunuch to wait upon her

38
- while the inhabitants prayed for 
   the safe return of Judith

39
   Then did Judith wrestle with her heart, 
for Holofernes now seemed noble in her
eyes

40
While the Assyrians taunted the famished 
     city for its lack of water

41
  Then a young captain of Bethulia led 
a brave dash for water at the wells

42
   But the crafty guards of Assur lay by 
in ambush and fell upon them with chariot 
and horse

43
  Now Holofernes in his tent had thoughts 
only for Judith ... and he gave no heed unto 
the Dance of the Fishers, by the artful women 
from the great Temple of Nin

44
  Again Judith faltered for the love of 
Holofernes --- yet struggled to cast away
the sinful passion

45
"Strengthen me, O, Lord God of Israel"

46
  "Come thou with me to Nineveh, the 
city of the Gods"

47
"Let me be thy hand maid alone for to-night"

48
  And Judith pressed wine upon Holofernes 
so that he drank deeply

49
 Now they within the city cried aloud 
to give it up for many were dying of 
thirst and famine

50
  And the captains of Assur without their 
Prince were as men bereft


__________________________________________________________
Slightly different, set of intertitles from another print:


1
This production is in part a
dramatication of the narrative
in the apocrypha. Though
it contains characters, sit-
uations and passages from
the apocryphal episode, our
efforts have been confined
expressly to the drama.

2
Judith - Widow of Manasses

	- Blanche Sweet.

3
Holofernes - Captain of 
the Assyrians

	- Henry Walthall.

4
Naomi - Beloved by Nathan

	- Mae Marsh.

5
In those days the walled 
city of Bethulia was sit-
uated in the hill country,
so that it guarded the 
passages of Jerusalem.

6
Outside the city walls
were the wells where
the inhabitants went 
for water.

7
At the threshing.

8
Nathan - Beloved by Naomi

	- Robert Harron.

9
And the stout walls 
of Bethulia were
fifty cubits thick.

10
The market-place
within the walls of
Bethulia.

11
In Bethulia in those
days dwelt Judith the
devout, widow of
Manasses, held in
great reverence by all
the inhabitants.

12
At the great gate Naomi
parted from Nathan and
again repaired to the 
well for water.

13
In the eighteenth year of his
reign Nebuchodonosor, King
of the Assyrians, sent forth
Prince Holofernes with the
army of Assur to lay
waste all the countries of
the West -

14
- and the army of Assur
by command of Holofernes
took the wells wherefrom
the inhabitants of Bethulia
had all their water.

15
Nathan could scarce be
refrained from going to
the succor of Naomi.

16
Not one Assyrian had
gained entrance within
the walls -

17
- then the inhabitants
armed themselves for
defense.

18
They pitched the tent of 
Holofernes in the midst
of his army.

19
Naomi was among the 
captives that day.

20
- while Holofernes reveled
in his bacchanalian festiv-
ities.

21
The army of Assur
stormed the walls by 
night and by day -

22
- while Judith watched 
and prayed by her 
window -

23
- and Holofernes waited
within his tent.

24
Yet Holofernes could
not batter down the
brazen gates nor make
a single breach.

25
Then Holofernes took
counsel of his captains,
and sat down with his 
army to wait for famine 
to reduce the city.

26
For water and food 
within the walls were
all but spent.

27
And Judith's heart bled
at the distress of her
people, for they were
perishing of hunger and
thirst.

28
And Holofernes visited
vengeance on all cowards
within his camp.

29
This was the punishment 
meted out to all who 
betrayed him.

30
"Hear me and I will do
a thing which shall go
through all generations."

31
Then Julia put on
sackcloth and fell up-
on her face and put
ashes upon her head.

32
And she put on her 
garments of gladness
and decked herself
bravely to allure the
eyes of all men that
should see her.

33
So Judith, with her
hand maid, Marah, went
forth to overcome
Holofernes, the dread
Bull of Assur.

34
"For I am Holofernes."

35
And Judith spoke cunningly
unto Holofernes, promising
to deliver all Judea into his
hands.

36
And his heart was rav-
ished with her so that
he gave her free passage 
in the camp and a tent
for her abode and his
chief eunuch to wait upon
her.

37
- while the inhabitants 
prayed for the safe 
return of Judith.

38
Then did Judith wrestle with 
her heart, for Holofernes
now seemed noble in her 
eyes.

39
Then a young captain
of Bethulia led a brave
dash for water at the 
wells.

40
While the Assyrians
taunted the famished
city for its lack of
water.

41
But the crafty guards of 
Assur lay by in ambush
and fell upon them with
chariot and horse.

42
Now Holofernes in his 
tent had thoughts only
for Judith - and he
gave no heed unto the
Dance of the Fishers,
by the artful women
from the great Temple
of Nin.

43
Again Judith faltered for
the love of Holofernes -
yet struggled to cast away
the sinful passion.

44
"Strengthen me, O, Lord
God of Israel."

45
"Come thou with me
to Nineveh, the city
of the Gods."

46
"Let me be thy 
hand maid alone
for to-night."

47
And Judith pressed wine
upon Holofernes so that
he drank deeply.

48
Now they within the 
city cried aloud to give
it up for many were
dying of thirst and
famine.

49
And the captains of
Assur without their
Prince were as men
bereft.