Hadrian & Antinous

ACT IV - SCENE III

SCENE III - HADRIAN and ANTINOUS walk down the shore of the Nile.

HADRIAN: Speak not of the traitor, and not of the wench.

For Egypt is beautiful, and our trouble prevent.

ANTINOUS: Silence on them, my mind is at ease.

Open my eyes to accept the light breeze.

HADRIAN: When I did see thee first, I thought I was mad.

ANTINOUS: When was this? And mad, for what reason?

HADRIAN: When I spoke at the opening of Venus's temple,

Thou was there, in but beggar's cloths.

Yet still beautiful, I forgot my speech,

And made up the rest on the spot.

ANTINOUS: Ha, remember that I. I memorized thine words.

At first I thought I dreamt them, such thought absurd.

Recite will I now, so thee know what thee spoke,

And how on my heart your words evoke:

"Though Venus loves all, she does tempt us so,

She clenches and grasps till pleasure unfolds.

We watch it inflate, until we must go.

Wherever we must, to reach a new hold."

I stared at thy face, frozen in awe.

My brain couldn't process what I thought or saw.

HADRIAN: So those were my words, Venus spoke through me.

ANTINOUS: Yes, she did, and for all to see.

HADRIAN: You ran from it hence, after you put me in trance.

Why did thou leave momentarily?

ANTINOUS: I left because my body was warm,

I couldn't believe it, so away did I storm.

HADRIAN: But then thou did return after Vibia left,

Leaving my heart at the door, of which thou did get.

ANTINOUS: And when thou looked to me,

My heart took its place.

Cupid guided our two hearts on tour,

Thine heart to my chest, my heart to thine core.

HADRIAN: I heard what thou spoke once inside the chamber,

Recite it will I, for its warmer than amber-

ANTINOUS: Nay thee! Leave my words to the air.

Sprinkled like dust, without knowledge or care.

HADRIAN: But thy words intoxicate me, thy words are full!

ANTINOUS: Fine, as long as no one hears such bull.

HADRIAN: Believe I it went, though much better said:

"Does match this feeling of a dreamer's dream?"

Then paused, doth thee, with my heart beating.

"Though swore I this dream never would be felt?"

As my passion inside began sprinting.

"Or return shall I to logical themes,"

I cried inside 'Please, remain in thy dream!'

"And assume from there that my thoughts will melt?"