Act I - Page 2

pious cup Is passport to their house, and open arms To him who gave it; and once there I warrant I worm thro' all their windings.

ANTONIUS. If you prosper, Our Senate, wearied of their tetrarchies, Their quarrels with themselves, their spites at Rome, Is like enough to cancel them, and throne One king above them all, who shall be true To the Roman: and from what I heard in Rome, This tributary crown may fall to you.

SYNORIX. The king, the crown! their talk in Rome? is it so? [ANTONIUS nods. Well--I shall serve Galatia taking it, And save her from herself, and be to Rome More faithful than a Roman. [Turns and sees CAMMA coming. Stand aside, Stand aside; here she comes! [Watching CAMMA as she enters with her Maid.

GAMMA (to Maid). Where is he, girl?

MAID. You know the waterfall That in the summer keeps the mountain side, But after rain o'erleaps a jutting rock And shoots three hundred feet.

CAMMA. The stag is there?

MAID. Seen in the thicket at the bottom there But yester-even.

GAMMA. Good then, we will climb The mountain opposite and watch the chase. [They descend the rocks and exeunt.

SYNORIX (watching her). (Aside.) The bust of Juno and the brows and eyes Of Venus; face and form unmatchable!

ANTONIUS. Why do you look at her so lingeringly?

SYNORIX. To see if years have changed her.

ANTONIUS (sarcastically). Love her, do you?

SYNORIX. I envied Sinnatus when he married her.

ANTONIUS. She knows it? Ha!

SYNORIX. She--no, nor ev'n my face.

ANTONIUS. Nor Sinnatus either?

SYNORIX. No, nor Sinnatus.

ANTONIUS. Hot-blooded! I have heard them say in Rome. That your own people cast you from their bounds, For some unprincely violence to a woman, As Rome did Tarquin.

SYNORIX. Well, if this were so, I here return like Tarquin--for a crown.

ANTONIUS. And may be foil'd like Tarquin, if you follow Not the dry light of Rome's straight-going policy, But the fool-fire of love or lust, which well May make you lose yourself, may even drown you In the good regard of Rome.

SYNORIX. Tut--fear me not; I ever had my victories among women. I am most true to Rome.

ANTONIUS (aside). I hate the man! What filthy tools our Senate works with! Still I must obey them. (Aloud.) Fare you well. [Going.

SYNORIX. Farewell!

ANTONIUS (stopping). A moment! If you track this Sinnatus In any treason, I give you here an order [Produces a paper. To seize upon him. Let me sign it. (Signs it.) There 'Antonius leader of the Roman Legion.' [Hands the paper to SYNORIX. Goes up pathway and exit.

SYNORIX. Woman again!--but I am wiser now. No rushing on the game--the net,--the net. [Shouts of 'Sinnatus! Sinnatus!' Then horn. Looking off stage.] He comes, a rough, bluff, simple-looking fellow. If we may judge the kernel by the husk, Not one