Act I

SCENE I.--Distant View of a City of Galatia.

As the curtain rises, Priestesses are heard singing in the Temple. Boy discovered on a pathway among Rocks, picking grapes. A party of Roman Soldiers, guarding a prisoner in chains, come down the pathway and exeunt.

Enter SYNORIX (looking round). Singing ceases.

SYNORIX. Pine, beech and plane, oak, walnut, apricot, Vine, cypress, poplar, myrtle, bowering in The city where she dwells. She past me here Three years ago when I was flying from My Tetrarchy to Rome. I almost touch'd her-- A maiden slowly moving on to music Among her maidens to this Temple--O Gods! She is my fate--else wherefore has my fate Brought me again to her own city?--married Since--married Sinnatus, the Tetrarch here-- But if he be conspirator, Rome will chain, Or slay him. I may trust to gain her then When I shall have my tetrarchy restored By Rome, our mistress, grateful that I show'd her The weakness and the dissonance of our clans, And how to crush them easily. Wretched race! And once I wish'd to scourge them to the bones. But in this narrow breathing-time of life Is vengeance for its own sake worth the while, If once our ends are gain'd? and now this cup-- I never felt such passion for a woman. [Brings out a cup and scroll from under his cloak. What have I written to her?

[Reading the scroll.

'To the admired Gamma, wife of Sinnatus, the Tetrarch, one who years ago, himself an adorer of our great goddess, Artemis, beheld you afar off worshipping in her Temple, and loved you for it, sends you this cup rescued from the burning of one of her shrines in a city thro' which he past with the Roman army: it is the cup we use in our marriages. Receive it from one who cannot at present write himself other than 'A GALATIAN SERVING BY FORCE IN THE ROMAN LEGION.'

[Turns and looks up to Boy.

Boy, dost thou know the house of Sinnatus?

BOY. These grapes are for the house of Sinnatus-- Close to the Temple.

SYNORIX. Yonder?

BOY. Yes.

SYNORIX (aside). That I With all my range of women should yet shun To meet her face to face at once! My boy, [Boy comes down rocks to him. Take thou this letter and this cup to Camma, The wife of Sinnatus.

BOY. Going or gone to-day To hunt with Sinnatus.

SYNORIX. That matters not. Take thou this cup and leave it at her doors. [Gives the cup and scroll to the Boy.

BOY. I will, my lord. [Takes his basket of grapes and exit.

Enter ANTONIUS.

ANTONIUS (meeting the Boy as he goes out). Why, whither runs the boy? Is that the cup you rescued from the fire?

SYNORIX. I send it to the wife of Sinnatus, One half besotted in religious rites. You come here with your soldiers to enforce The long-withholden tribute: you suspect This Sinnatus of playing patriotism, Which in your sense is treason. You have yet No proof against him: now this