Plays of Gods and Men | Page 4

gone. No, the gods are no use to us; they were driven away by the decadence.
Harpagas:
We are not in the decadence here. Barbul-el-Sharnak is in a different age. The city of Thek is scarcely civilised.
Ichtharion:
But everybody lives in Barbul-el-Sharnak.
Harpagas:
The gods----
Ludibras:
The old prophet is coming.
Harpagas:
He believes as much in the gods as you or I do.
Ludibras:
Yes, but we must not speak as though we knew that.
[Voice-of-the-Gods (a prophet) walks across the stage.]
Ichtharion, Ludibras, and Harpagas: [rising]
The gods are good.
Voice-of-the-Gods:
They are benignant. [exit]
Ichtharion:
Listen! Let him prophesy to the King. Let him bid the King go hence lest they smite the city.
Ludibras:
Can we make him do it?
Ichtharion:
I think we can make him do it.
Harpagas:
The King is more highly civilised even than we are. He will not care for the gods.
Ichtharion:
He cannot ignore them; the gods crowned his forefather and if there are no gods who made him King?
Ludibras:
Why, that is true. He must obey a prophecy.
Ichtharion:
If the King disobeys the gods the people will tear him asunder, whether the gods created the people or the people created the gods.
[Harpagas slips out after the Prophet.]
Ludibras:
If the King discovers this we shall be painfully tortured.
Ichtharion:
How can the King discover it?
Ludibras:
He knows that there are no gods.
Ichtharion:
No man knows that of a certainty.
Ludibras:
But if there are----!
[Enter Prophet with Harpagas. Ichtharion quickly sends Ludibras and Harpagas away.]
Ichtharion:
There is a delicate matter concerning the King.
Voice-of-the-Gods:
Then I can help you little for I only serve the gods.
Ichtharion:
It also concerns the gods.
Voice-of-the-Gods:
Ah. Then I hearken.
Ichtharion:
This city is for the King, whose body is fragile, a very unhealthy city. Moreover, there is no work here that a King can profitably do. Also it is dangerous for Barbul-el-Sharnak to be long without a King, lest----
Voice-of-the-Gods:
Does this concern the gods?
Ichtharion:
In this respect it does concern the gods--that if the gods knew this they would warn the King by inspiring you to make a prophecy. As they do not know this----
Voice-of-the-Gods:
The gods know all things.
Ichtharion:
The gods do not know things that are not true. This is not strictly true----
Voice-of-the-Gods:
It is written and hath been said that the gods cannot lie.
Ichtharion:
The gods of course cannot lie, but a prophet may sometimes utter a prophecy that is a good prophecy and helpful to men, thereby pleasing the gods, although the prophecy is not a true one.
Voice-of-the-Gods:
The gods speak through my mouth; my breath is my own breath, I am human and mortal, but my voice is from the gods and the gods cannot lie.
Ichtharion:
Is it wise in an age when the gods have lost their power to anger powerful men for the sake of the gods?
Voice-of-the-Gods:
It is wise.
Ichtharion:
We are three men and you are alone with us. Will the gods save you if we want to put you to death and slip away with your body into the jungle?
Voice-of-the-Gods:
If you should do this thing the gods have willed it. If they have not willed it you cannot.
Ichtharion:
We do not wish to do it. Nevertheless you will make this prophecy--you will go before the King and you will say that the gods have spoken and that within three days' time, for the sake of vengeance upon some unknown man who is in this city, they will overthrow all Thek unless every man is departed.
Voice-of-the-Gods:
I will not do it, for the gods cannot lie.
Ichtharion:
Has it not been the custom since unremembered time for a prophet to have two wives?
Voice-of-the-Gods:
Most certainly. It is the law.
[Ichtharion holds up three fingers.]
What!
Ichtharion:
Three.
Voice-of-the-Gods:
Do not betray me. It was long ago.
Ichtharion:
You will be allowed to serve the gods no more if men know this. The gods will not protect you in this matter for you have offended also against the gods.
Voice-of-the-Gods:
It is worse that the gods should lie. Do not betray me.
Ichtharion:
I go to tell the others what I know.
Voice-of-the-Gods:
I will make the false prophecy.
Ichtharion:
Ah. You have chosen wisely.
Voice-of-the-Gods:
When the gods punish me who make them lie, they will know what punishment to give to you.
Ichtharion:
The gods will not punish us. It is long ago that the gods used to punish men.
Voice-of-the-Gods:
The gods will punish us.
Act II
[Same scene.]
[Same day.]
King Karnos: [pointing off L.]
Look at them now, are they not beautiful? They catch the last rays of the lingering sun. Can you say that the orchids are not beautiful now?
Ichtharion:
Your majesty, we were wrong, they are most beautiful. They tower up from the jungle to take the sun. They are like the diadem of some jubilant king.
King Karnos:
Ah. Now you have come to love the beauty of Thek.
Ichtharion:
Yes, yes, your Majesty, I see it now. I would live in this city always.
King Karnos:
Yes, we will live here always. There is no city lovelier than Thek. Am I not right?
Ludibras:
Your Majesty, no city is like it.
King Karnos:
Ah. I am always right.
Tharmia:
How beautiful is Thek.
Arolind:
Yes, it is like a god.
[Three notes are stricken on a sonorous gong.]
Whispers: