MYRRHINA: Did he heal them?
SECOND MAN: No. They had committed some sin: it was for that
reason they were lepers. Their hands and faces were like salt. One
of them wore a mask of linen. He was a king's son.
MYRRHINA: What is the voice that speaks to him at night time in his
cave?
FIRST MAN: We do not know whose voice it is. We think it is the
voice of his God. For we have seen no man enter his cavern nor any
come forth from it.
MYRRHINA: Honorius.
HONORIUS (from within). Who calls Honorius?
MYRRHINA: Come forth, Honorius.
My chamber is ceiled with cedar and odorous with myrrh. The pillars
of my bed are of cedar and the hangings are of purple. My bed is
strewn with purple and the steps are of silver. The hangings are
sewn with silver pomegranates and the steps that are of silver are
strewn with saffron and with myrrh. My lovers hang garlands round
the pillars of my house. At night time they come with the flute
players and the players of the harp. They woo me with apples and on
the pavement of my courtyard they write my name in wine.
From the uttermost parts of the world my lovers come to me. The
kings of the earth come to me and bring me presents.
When the Emperor of Byzantium heard of me he left his porphyry
chamber and set sail in his galleys. His slaves bare no torches
that none might know of his coming. When the King of Cyprus heard
of me he sent me ambassadors. The two Kings of Libya who are
brothers brought me gifts of amber.
I took the minion of Caesar from Caesar and made him my playfellow.
He came to me at night in a litter. He was pale as a narcissus, and
his body was like honey.
The son of the Praefect slew himself in my honour, and the Tetrarch
of Cilicia scourged himself for my pleasure before my slaves.
The King of Hierapolis who is a priest and a robber set carpets for
me to walk on.
Sometimes I sit in the circus and the gladiators fight beneath me.
Once a Thracian who was my lover was caught in the net. I gave the
signal for him to die and the whole theatre applauded. Sometimes I
pass through the gymnasium and watch the young men wrestling or in
the race. Their bodies are bright with oil and their brows are
wreathed with willow sprays and with myrtle. They stamp their feet
on the sand when they wrestle and when they run the sand follows
them like a little cloud. He at whom I smile leaves his companions
and follows me to my home. At other times I go down to the harbour
and watch the merchants unloading their vessels. Those that come
from Tyre have cloaks of silk and earrings of emerald. Those that
come from Massilia have cloaks of fine wool and earrings of brass.
When they see me coming they stand on the prows of their ships and
call to me, but I do not answer them. I go to the little taverns
where the sailors lie all day long drinking black wine and playing
with dice and I sit down with them.
I made the Prince my slave, and his slave who was a Tyrian I made my
lord for the space of a moon.
I put a figured ring on his finger and brought him to my house. I
have wonderful things in my house.
The dust of the desert lies on your hair and your feet are scratched
with thorns and your body is scorched by the sun. Come with me,
Honorius, and I will clothe you in a tunic of silk.
