the great drama Il Profeta. Its theme Levi describes in his introduction as follows: "I intend to hold a mirror before my contemporaries, in which they may see their errors, faults, and mistakes, and thereby learn to despise them; at the same time placing before them a high ideal, which they should strive to live up to." To this end he selected the story of Jeremiah. The drama treats in five acts of the war between Zedekiah and Nebuchadnezzar. Jeremiah foresees the fall of Jerusalem, if the people do not give up their worship of Baal, repent of their sins, and return to the only true God. Jeremiah the prophet and Ananias, the priest of Baal, respectively exhort and try to persuade the king and the Jews to follow them. Ananias is successful; Jeremiah is thrown into prison; and Jerusalem falls when attacked by the invading army. The Temple is destroyed, and the Jews are led into captivity. Jeremiah's prophecy is fulfilled. When Jeremiah is thrown into prison his daughter Rachel falls into the hands of Ananias, who tries to win her for himself. His suit proving unsuccessful, he orders her to be sacrificed to Moloch, when God intercedes. Lightning kills Ananias, and Rachel is liberated by her lover, Emanuel. The last words of Ananias are: "Uno Infinito hai vinto" (end of Act 3). Emanuel joins the ranks of the defender of Jerusalem, is mortally wounded, and dies in the arms of his beloved. Spiritually Jewdom has conquered over heathendom, and Rachel has returned pure to her lover; but physically Jewdom is defeated. Rachel loses her lover and must go into exile; this exile will, however, purify not the Jews alone, but through them the world, and will prepare man for a better future. The dialogue which follows the drama in the 1884 edition has very little connection with it. It is sustained by Emanuel, the representative of prophetism, and by Ahasuerus, the representative of mankind, and treats mainly of Rome. Honors Knight of the order of Italian Crown. Official of the order of Italian Crown. Commander of the order of Italian Crown. Great Official of the order of Italian Crown References Jewish Encyclopedia Bibliography S. H. Margulies, Dichter und Patriot, Berlin, 1896; Levi's own works, Vita di Pensiero and Vita d'Azione, Berlin, 1896. 1816 births 1898 deaths University of Parma alumni University of Pisa alumni Italian politicians 19th-century Italian