SCENE V - ANTINOUS wakes up in the bedroom, HADRIAN remains asleep.
ANTINOUS: (Whispering) My love, Hadrian, art thou now asleep?
What doth thou dream of, and art thee at peace?
Dost Apollo make thee dream of the deep
Green shores of the Nile? Now I release
Myself from thy bedroom, just for a bit.
And get what thou dreams of thanks to the land.
I hope in thine dreams there's a place that fits
Me to thy likings, as I would like a stand.
Give wilt I now, in real life, the best plants.
Flowers of Egypt, and put them by thee.
And then awake! Thou wilt smell them and grant,
A kiss for me, and I'll be once more free.
Antinous loves his Hadrian so,
To the shores of the Nile must he go.
(ANTINOUS leaves to go to the shore, singing softly the next line.)
Give me thy guidance, give me thine eye.
Apollo is welcome, Venus is light,
Offer me guidance, offer me time,
To make this errand sweeter than wine .
(LUCIUS appears, startling ANTINOUS.)
LUCIUS: The lover of Greece, let me now guide thee,
Thy life in danger, hurry, go back.
ANTINOUS: I know thy face, thee to kill did agree.
I trust not thee, of whom appeared from black.
LUCIUS: Antinous, turn home, I heard movement.
In the woods I heard some footsteps advance.
ANTINOUS: Oh, of comfort thy have proved truant,
Return thyself, have I confident stance!
LUCIUS: Thee knows not of danger that lurks in woods,
Egypt will haunt thee if thou remains here.
ANTINOUS: Egypt has only proven to be good,
Unlike Greece, of which only gave me fear.
(Movement in the woods, both ANTINOUS and LUCIUS look.)
LUCIUS: See not thee danger over there on rocks?
ANTINOUS: I did, strange man, what of this shock?
(GAIUS appears, charges at ANTINOUS. LUCIUS stops him halfway.)
LUCIUS: Thou art but too mad Gaius, leave him alone!
Antinous, hurry, return back to home!
(ANTINOUS tries to leave but GAIUS escapes from LUCIUS's grip. GAIUS goes over and stabs ANTINOUS.)
ANTINOUS: Ay me! What of this attack?!
(ANTINOUS falls.)
GAIUS: Die, you monster, to hell you go back!
(GAIUS gets on top of ANTINOUS, goes to stab again. LUCIUS stops him.)
LUCIUS: Leave him, oh Hades, banish thy demon!
(GAIUS pushes LUCIUS away, stabs ANTINOUS again.)
ANTINOUS: Heavens, welcome my soul-
LUCIUS: No! Gaius, your anger's much too bold!
(GAIUS gets up from ANTINOUS, goes for LUCIUS.)
GAIUS: These rings are not yours, thee failed at thy task.
If had I more time, thee too would be dying fast.
LUCIUS: Thy demon, murderer! Leave here right now,
I'll scream for the guards; of that I vow.
GAIUS: Ha! Antinous will die in minutes I swear,
But the blood will be on thee, look at what thou did dare.
(GAIUS throws blade toward LUCIUS, escapes back to the woods.)
LUCIUS: Antinous, no! Antinous, please!
(Scream) Somebody help, the lover boy bleeds!
ANTINOUS: Fetch me Hadrian, before my soul is released...
LUCIUS: (Shout) Hadrian! For thee Antinous pleads!
Die not so quick, keep thine eyes alert.
Or else fate will alter and on me go berserk!
ANTINOUS: My mind is slipping, tell my love this-
I love Hadrian, and will live on in our kiss...
(ANTINOUS dies, sounds in the distance are heard.)
LUCIUS: I wilt tell him, please, die not quite yet.
Oh fortune mistakes me for what murderer's get!
Hadrian wilt think I'm the one who is vile,
Who killed his love on the shores of the Nile!
HADRIAN: (In thedistance getting closer.) Antinous?! ANTINOUS?!
YOU ARE READING
Hadrian & Antinous
Historical FictionExplore the love affair of the Ancient Greek Emperor Hadrian and his lover, a Greek man named Antinous, in this classically-written, full-length stage play. Based on a true story, the play also fills in the details lost to history with author Anthon...
