Hadrian & Antinous

ACT II - SCENE IV

SCENE IV - Enter PEASANTS into a Greek street. ANTINOUS hides in the shadows.

PEASANT I: Soon he shall come, for I know of his path,

As he gets through the day.

PEASANT II: Canst thou be sure of that?

PEASANTS III: What if his plans change?

YOUNG PEASANT: Silence, here comes the man.

(Enter LUCIUS.)

LUCIUS: Worried am I, I am worried that I,

Will fail my task, losing right to the rings.

What comes when I know, what seen by the eye,

Could Gaius say: "Kill him."? Oh, my fate stings.

Whomever this man, whichever lover.

I pray thee understands what is at stake.

My reasons for such a dark endeavor,

To save my life, so their life might I take.

Pray to Apollo, Lucius will now.

That Gaius will ask for just this man's name,

Then give Lucius rings, so he need not vow.

To end the life of an innocent lame.

Apollo, please, I am begging thou this,

Don't give torture to Lucius, but bliss.

PEASANT I: He speaks so divine; his quarrel is rough.

PEASANT II: Still not I will admit to any name.

PEASANT III: Neither will I, my limits are the same.

YOUNG PEASANT: Here comes he now, act but tame.

LUCIUS: Greetings, fellow citizens of Greece.

What a glorious day of which we all speak.

But I see only four, usually I see more.

Is one of thou missing from which I implore?

PEASANT I: Tis true, one is missing.

The fifth of our gang.

However, you say implore,

What dost thou desire?

LUCIUS: Which is missing, tis sad they are gone.

What is their name? Of what family belong?

PEASANT II: We know not of names,

We are but peasants that roam.

Through the streets in Greece.

PEASANT III: For it is our home.

LUCIUS: Surely address they in some sort of way,

How dost thou call the one missing today?

PEASANT I: The fifth of our gang, like I had said before.

PEASANT II: Why dost thou question, why dost thou implore?

PEASANT III: The fifth is no matter, no matter in thus,

YOUNG PEASANT: Thou all art silly, his name is Antinous!

LUCIUS: Antinous, oh, Antinous so.

I will allow this answer to go.

PEASANT I: (aside to YOUNG PEASANT.) Thou must stay silent, this man is vile.

PEASANT II: Tis too late, Antinous fate is beguiled.

PEASANT III: Leave must we hence, before we say more.

ALL PEASANTS: Thee has what thou wanted, yet we know not what for.

(All PEASANTS leave.)

LUCIUS: Antinous, Antinous, that name,

Will be my salvation, my darkness tamed.

Here comes a man, on from the side,

He walks straight this way, one Gaius with pride.

(Enter GAIUS.)

GAIUS: Before I saw thee as a coward,

But now I now thou are not.

For the peasants are bothered,

And I think a name thou has got.

LUCIUS: Tis true, tis true,

I have heard the name.

But what will come next?

What will now change?

GAIUS: Thee shall do as I say,

Or the rings I shall break.

What is this name?

That the peasants proclaim?

LUCIUS: Antinous, Antinous, that name.

GAIUS: Good, tis good news. Now from here we refrain.

(GAIUS guides LUCIUS offstage. ANTINOUS reveals himself.)

ANTINOUS: Antinous, Antinous, away!

How I wish I could rip the name from this

Body to which Hadrian's love is prey,

But keep his love for it is that of bliss.

Apollo guide me to where thou words save,

From Cupid's arrow and Venus's tug.

I can't escape this, of this stress I cave,

As my fate longs for a Hades death hug.

Must I now to the palace of my love,

To reveal what has happened here just now.

And I will hope answers Hadrian shove,

To protect our lovely and targeted vow.

Now I to him, to hope for assurance.

Apollo please now, gift thy endurance.