A Greek Slave Dialogue Following Song No. 6

A Greek Slave
Dialogue Following Song No. 6 — Act I

(Maia opens Oracle box and comes out. Enter Heliodorus)

Maia:

Well, it is stuffy work being an oracle! He'll love them each in turn and none for long. (Laughs) What fools women in love do make of themselves, to be sure! Well, father, I gave them the same prophecies as usual! They went away wondering what I meant, but quite satisfied. You are peased with me, aren't you?

Heliodorus:

Yes. You are useful enough in the business. But it's a business that comes naturally to a women.

Maia:

Never mind that! You've grown right out of it, and I have been clever and done most of the work.

Heliodorus:

Bah! You're not so clever— the customers are so stupid. The fates have endowed some people with wealth and other with the sense to take it from them.

Maia:

Anyhow, I have helped you to get it. And now I want you to do something to please me.

Heliodorus:

Of course I will, dear. I have ordered two dozen peacocks' tongues for supper.

Maia:

(Shaking her head) No, father, that's not what I want.

Heliodorus:

Well, we had cuckoos' livers last night—

Maia:

I wasn't thinking of anything to eat.

Heliodorus:

Weren't you now? Well, then, I'll buy you a rope of pearls long enough to go three times around you.

Maia:

But I don't want pearls.

Heliodorus:

Doesn't want pearls! What an unwomanly woman!

Maia:

No, father — I'll tell you what I want — I want — a slave.

Heliodorus:

A slave! Of course, you shall have the most beautiful slave in the establishment. Summon all the maidens and take your choice.

Maia:

(Eyes down, coyly) But, father, it isn't a women slave I want — it's — I want you to give me Diomed, the Greek —

Heliodorus:

A man slave! What do you want a man slave for?

Maia:

Because — because — I'm in love with him, and I want to marry him! There!

Heliodorus:

Marry a Greek slave! (Aside) Not if I know it! (Aloud) Don't you think it is rather unusual for a girl to marry her father's slave?

Maia:

It's done sometimes without a father's consent

Heliodorus:

WHAT?

Maia:

But of course I wouldn't disobey you.

Heliodorus:

(Aside) No, and I don't mean you to.

Maia:

(arms around Heliodorus' neck, coaxing )Well, father, is it yes?

Heliodorus:

(patting her cheek )Well! Well! A girl in love must have her own way (Aside) if it's her father's way, too. (Aloud) I suppose you are not an any hurry to marry?

Maia:

Not in any more hurry than a well brought up girl ought to be, father. But the sooner it's over the better — don't you think so?

Heliodorus:

Certainly, my dear. But I wouldn't tell Diomed just yet. (Aside) I'llmake him a present to his native Athens and see that he gets home quickly.

(Exit Heliodorus)

Maia:

Ah, ti's my mission to tell other lovers their fortunes. They believe in all my omens — I wish I could — But no — I can trust the fates to tell me my own fortune. I dare not try them, for I shouldn't trust their prophecies unless they meet that I should wed my Diomed.

(Enter MELANOPS hurriedly)

Melanopis:

Oh, Master, Master! Run away — run quickly! (Enter HELI hurriedly)

Heliodorus:

What is the matter?

Melanopis:

It's all up with us. The Prefect of Rome is here!

(Exit Melanopis)

Heliodorus:

Now I'm in for it

Maia:

The Prefect of Rome! Why has he come here?

Heliodorus:

To ruin us all! I'm in a pretty mess. You want to marry beneath you and the Prefect wants to cut my head off. I look like having a pleasant day.

(Enter Melanopis hurriedly)

(Enter two Lictors)

Melanopis:

Marcus Pomponius — Prefect of Rome

(Enter Marcus)

Marcus:

Are you Heliodorus — who pretends to be a fortune-teller? (Maia hides)

Heliodorus:

(To MARCUS) Marcus Pomponius, Prefect of Rome!

Marcus:

(Sarcastically) Oh, so you are Heliodorus the Persian! You are a wonderful necromancer, aren't you?

Heliodorus:

(Humbly) The gods have gifted me, noble Prefect

Marcus:

You can turn people into trees and wild beasts, and all that sort of thing, can't you?

Heliodorus:

When the gods so will it, Great Prefect.

Marcus:

Well, I'll try you out — I'm sick of being Prefect. Turn me into a tree or a wild beast, I don't care which.

Heliodorus:

Never, Peerless Prefect! You are too valuable in your present form. Rome would perish without Marcus Pomponius, the Prefect.

Marcus:

Trees are valuable, too — to hang humbugs on. And wild beasts are useful to tear miscreants into little bits.

Heliodorus:

(Aside)I t's coming now! — I'm doomed.

Marcus:

(Sitting down) Now you know it's my duty to rid Rome of all malefactors. I've got a nasty way of throwing people down rugged rocks with spiky corners on them. Would you like that, do you think?

Heliodorus:

No, I should hate it, noble Prefect. I'd rather retire form business altogether.

Marcus:

Have you ever been bitten in the stomach by wild monkeys? It's very amusing to look on at.

Heliodorus:

You won't torture me, Prefect?

Marcus:

I'm not sure. Now look here — soothsayer or whatever you call yourself — you can't take me in. I know that you are a canting, double-faced fraud, and deserve punishment, I'll try and think out some fantastic torture that will make the populace laugh.

(Maia appears again)

Marcus:

As you have made a fortune selling luck charms to gamblers and love potions to women, you must be a clever rascal, so instead of getting rid of you at once, I might make use of you (Sees Maia) Hallo! Who's this?

Heliodorus:

My daughter, noble Prefect. She helps me in the business. She's head of the lover's department.

Marcus:

Oh! Another gifted being! Well, listen to me, both of you. I don't believe in your Fates and I don't believe in your magic. Your cunning may be useful. It happens that your fame or your imfamy — whichever you like to call it — has reached the ears of the Lady Antonia.

Maia:

And you are in love with her!

Marcus:

Now how in the name of Erebus did you know that?

Heliodorus:

The Fates —

Marcus:

Hang the Fates! Well, I want to marry the Lady Antonia, and she has refused me — me, Marcus Pomponius, Prefect of Rome! What do you think of that?

Maia:

Oh, how could any woman refuse such a delicious fate?

Marcus:

it's remarkable, isn't it?

Heliodorus:

The princess is flying in the face of Providence.

Marcus:

Precisely, and that's not the only folly she's committing. She is coming to consult you as to her future.

Maia:

The Oracle is always on the side of power and manly beauty.

Heliodorus:

(Cunningly) The will of the Prefect shall direct the replies of the Oracle.

Marcus:

Exactly. You have caught my meaning to a nicety.

Heliodorus:

The Oracle shall tell the Lady Antonia that her future happiness lies with a tall, elegant dark gentleman, who occupies a high Government position. The oracle shall say that with him her life will be a procession of popular triumphs lighted up by a blaze of connubial bliss: That with anyone else she will suffer the direct degradataion and disaster.

Marcus:

Oh yes, I know the sort of rubbish fortune-tellers talk and women believe

Heliodorus:

Anyhow, she shall believe that she'll be blessed if she marries you, and she'll be damned if she doesn't.

Maia:

I can't understand even a lady of Caesar's family refusing you, Prefect. Oh, look at those eyes! What a perfect Roman nose! What grandeur of figure!

Marcus:

You describe all my prefections with commendable accuracy, girl. I am quite conscious of them myself. But I want Antonia to appreciate them as you do. Tell her your views — and Mine.

Maia:

That's not the way to win a girl. It's no use trying to force her. We must find some better plan.

Marcus:

How?

Maia:

Let us try to humble her pride firs, thenk, when she is cast down and miserable, she'll marry anything. The plan succeeded in a precisely similar case.

Marcus:

Did it now? Where?

Page created 7 October 2001