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A Greek Slave
Dialogue Following Song No. 16 — Act II
(Enter Iris)
Iris: (Aside to princess) Well, Princess, has anything come of it?
Antonia: No, he looks the same god-like man he was yesterday. But he has no heart.
Iris: Perhaps the sculptor forgot to put one in!
Antonia: I am beginning to fear that he has given it away to some-one else. Here, Manlius —
(Enter Manlius)
Antonia: Conduct my lord to his apartment.
(Diomed rises, bows and follows Manlius)
Iris: (To Diomed) You haven't kept it up very well.
Diomed: I have dome more than I ought. I have kept up the imposition I loathe, because I promised Maia to do so.
(Exit Diomed and Manlius)
Antonia: (Rising to go) And Iris, send someone at once with a hundred slaves to bring the necromancer to me — I want him to commune again with Eros and make him more human. (on Exit) It's very nice to think of a god as a lover, but for a husband a girl wants something more real.
(Exit Antonia)
Iris: (Aloud) Send a hundred slaves for the necromancer! One can do that work. He and Maia have been prowling about the grounds ever since we came to Baiae — I'll soon find them. (Looks about)
(Heliodorus' head appears above the parapet. He whistles. IRIS turns to him)
Iris: Oh there you are, Heliodorus! Well, you're wanted.
(Heliodorus disappears. Iris leans over parapet)
Iris: You needn't be afraid. Antonia only wants you to put more life into Eros. You've left too much of the marble in his system.
(Enter Heliodorus, climbing over parapet)
Heliodorus: (looking nervously around) I thought she was satisfied. She has a beautiful young man. He's much more useful about the house than a god.
Iris: Girls of high position don't expect a man to be of use about the house, and she's beginning to find out that this one is no use as a husband. Besides, Maia isn't satisfied.
Heliodorus: No, and she says that if I don't give her back her lover, she'll tell Antonia how we deceived her. I'm the victim of two disappointed women. I think I'd better go and confess to the Prefect.
Iris: He'll have you cut up into little bits — to please Antonia.
Heliodorus: Then I'll go myself and confess to her.
Iris: She'll have you flogged into little bits to please herself.
Heliodorus: Oh dear!
(He goes to parapet and leans there in despair as he sings the first lines...
)
Page created 19 November 2001
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