Hadrian & Antinous

ACT V - SCENE I

SCENE I - LUCIUS is seen holding ANTINOUS's body, HADRIAN draws nearer.

LUCIUS: Revenge; a land where the innocent is slain,
There killed is the dream of forgiving all debts.
Where the past becomes the sting of bitter chains.
Where light of hope dies as soon as it is met.
There meaning of hate overrules that of life,
There cries of mercy die and there where breath take
As if only through death can one end their strife.
And live in peace knowing decided their fate.
Lucius, the victim of belief his own.
Now receives his fate, in his thoughts now lost.
Stranded be him, who will wish now to have known.
Now to the world turns he, but this debt much cost.
In days of his dusk, for forgiveness he'll seek,
But know how so he will not, and soon die weak.

(HADRIAN appears.)

HADRIAN: What of this, who are thee?

Why are you holding onto my love?

LUCIUS: He hath been attacked,

But feels not any pain,

Not anymore, his soul is above.

HADRIAN: Dar'st thou speak such a fate?

Move, thy ungrateful swine.

Who did this to my love,

Of whom shall I hate?

Tell me, unless thou art the unholy mind.

LUCIUS: Tis was not I, but Gaius of Greece,

Banished from home, he found his way here.

Then ran doth he, into the trees.

To escape the wrath of when the lover would see...

(LUCIUS moves to give HADRIAN room by ANTINOUS.)

HADRIAN: Antinous now, Antinous please!

The damn'ed demon cut thy youth in twain,

Now wake thee quick, I will fall to my knees,

Or here I will last, oh here I'll remain.

Canst I live within enteral regret?

Knowing that I breathe the air we once shared?

Hadrian cries, for his nightmares are met.

The sun rises without thee, without care.

The sworn evil witch who stole what we had,

And her accomplice who ran toward the trees,

They will be tried, and be proclaimed mad,

For everything they have taken from thee.

Antinous now, Antinous reigns,

Greece has thee in heart, for you it remains.

LUCIUS: Antinous spoke before he joined the angels.

HADRIAN: What did he say?

LUCIUS: Quote I before it I forget,

The words he spoke were:

"My mind is slipping, tell my love this-

I love Hadrian, and will live on in our kiss..."

HADRIAN: Live on, live on, oh Antinous must.

Live on through me, live on through all of us.

LUCIUS: I tried to save, but failed in my course.

Gaius took his life, and now we remorse.

HADRIAN: My fallen love, I bear this throne for you.

And our empire, where the sun never sets.

The witch of whom had claimed our love untrue.

Will burn in hell as long as Hades lets.

I'll roam our land till I met you once more,

Teaching our song to the children that play.

And to that man, to that devil, be sure-

He'll feel my wrath till my last dying day.

And on that day, when my life on Earth ends,

I pray Zeus lets thee allow me to him.

We'll walk through his gate; my hand I will lend.

And our love will thrive as Olympians.

Antinous, my love, all hail to thy name.

Hadrian will bow, our hearts are the same.

(Exit.)