Hadrian & Antinous

ACT III - SCENE III

SCENE III - Emperor's bedroom, HADRIAN rests.

HADRIAN: Tonight to escape, Egypt doth await.

For Antinous soon, for him it bows.

Of their beauties, Antinous I state,

Is as glorious as my Greece allows.

Sleep will we on fine Egyptian cotton,

And every night will be lively and bright.

Now no more words be of something rotten,

We will be alive despite our Greek fright.

I pray Apollo watch over our trip,

And make it so we no longer have to hide.

Let us on finest Egyptian wine then sip,

Wash not this vacation out with the tide.

Egypt, prepare, for soon I shall invade,

Not with Greek troops, but with a great parade.

(Enter ANTINOUS.)

ANTINOUS: My lord, my love, do beware of Egypt!

Evil will soon follow us to its shores.

I just heard news from thy twisted Bishop,

That all and I are victims he implores.

HADRIAN: What words dost thou speak, what news has thou heard?

What man doth caused thee to grow so worried?

Tell me, Antinous, as thee offered,

Thy heart to my watch, I see thou art hurried.

ANTINOUS: Gaius, of whom loves thy wife Empress,

Hast hired a man to take from me breath.

Gaius, Vibia's new lover address,

Is coming for our love, such an unrest.

HADRIAN: Gaius loves Vibia? Can it be true?

To think I knew someone, to think I knew.

ANTINOUS: Vibia is unfaithful, as Gaius untrue.

HADRIAN: He will be banished; she will be shrewed.

ANTINOUS: What has thou said? Speak once again.

HADRIAN: Not any Greek can touch thee, except Hadrian.

I will order my guards to send Gaius away.

ANTINOUS: And of that man, whom was ordered take my life?

HADRIAN: Dost thou know his name?

ANTINOUS: No, not I, not I.

HADRIAN: Will we investigate in Egypt.

For now, I wilt order my guards to protect thee.

ANTINOUS: What wilt thou do with that Empress Vibia?

HADRIAN: Lock her in some room, until she is shrewed.

She can either leave me to have thee,

Or stay with me, and run our country.

ANTINOUS: Do what thou must, as long as love is with me.

HADRIAN: I couldn't do anything else then what thou did speak.

ANTINOUS: Must then I go, to investigate for a name.

In the shadows of town, as a man cursed with fame.

HADRIAN: Be careful my love, and tonight we will sail.

Egypt awaits, and our love will prevail.

ANTINOUS: One last kiss wilt I offer to thee till then,

For in my horror, thine lips will defend.

(They kiss, ANTINOUS leaves.)

HADRIAN: Vibia's heart has grown equally cold,

To the former love we long ago shared.

Gaius's hands have been proven too bold,

He threatens my love, hunt him down he dares.

To guards will I now to enforce new rules.

Vibia locked away, Gaius banished.

They will teach a lesson to these two fools.

My trust and respect in both has vanished.

While this is done, my love and I will run,

Through Egyptian fields of barley and wheat.

And in the brightness of Apollo sun,

We will thrive, on me he will find a seat.

Egypt, I swear, thou art closer to Gods.

With that, and this, my love's in good odds.

(Exit.)