[To Zophernes.] There is no other doorway. That is well.
Zophernes:
Why, no, there is not. Yet what is that great hole that is full of darkness?
Rhadamandaspes:
Only one man at a time could come that way. We are safe from man or beast. Nothing could enter that way for our swords.
Queen:
I pray you be seated.
[They seat themselves cautiously, she standing watching them.]
Zophernes:
There are no servitors.
Queen:
Are there not viands before you, Prince Zophernes, or are there too few fruits that you should blame me?
Zophernes:
I do not blame you.
Queen:
I fear you blame me with your fierce eyes.
Zophernes:
I do not blame you.
Queen:
O my enemies, I would have you kind to me. And indeed there are no servitors, for I know what evil things you think of me--
A Duke of Ethiopia:
No, Queen, indeed we think no evil of you.
Queen:
Ah, but you think terrible things.
Priest of Horus:
We think no evil of you, Illustrious Lady.
Queen:
I feared that if I had servitors you would think... you would say, "This wicked Queen, our enemy, will bid them attack us while we feast."
[First Duke of Ethiopia furtively hands food to his Slave
standing behind him, who tastes it.]
Though you do not know how I dread the sight of blood, and indeed I would never bid them do such a thing. The sight of blood is shocking.
Priest of Horus:
We trust you, Illustrious Lady.
[He does the same with his Slave.]
Queen:
And for miles around this temple and all along this river I have said, "Let there be no man." I have commanded and there are not. Will you not trust me now?
[Zophernes does the same and all the guests, one by one.]
Priest of Horus:
Indeed, we trust you.
Queen:
And you, Prince Zophernes, with your fierce eyes that so frighten me, will you not trust me?
Zophernes:
O Queen, it is part of the art of war to be well prepared when in an enemy's country, and we have been so long at war with your Captains that we perforce remember some of the art. It is not that we do not trust you.
Queen:
I am all alone with my handmaid and none will trust me! O Ackazarpses, I am frightened: what if my enemies should slay me and carry me up, and cast my body into the lonely Nile.
Ackazarpses:
No, no, Illustrious Lady. They will not harm you. They do not know how their fierce looks distress you. They do not know how delicate you are.
Priest of Horus: [to Ackazarpses]
Indeed we trust the Queen and none would harm her.
[Ackazarpses soothes the Queen.]
Rhadamandaspes: [to Zophernes]
I think we do wrong to doubt her, seeing she is alone.
Zophernes: [to Rhadamandaspes]
Yet I would that the banquet were over.
Queen: [to Ackazarpses and the Priest of Horus, but audible to all]
Yet they do not eat the food that I set before them.
Duke of Ethiopia:
In Ethiopia when we feast with queens it is our custom not to eat at once but to await the Queen till she has eaten.
Queen: [Eats.]
Behold then, I have eaten.
[She looks at the Priest of Horus.]
Priest of Horus:
It has been the custom of all that held my office, from the time when there went on earth the children of the Moon, never to eat till the food is dedicate, by our sacred signs, to the gods. [He begins to wave his hands over the food.]
Queen:
The King of the Four Countries does not eat. And you, Prince Rhadamandaspes, you have given royal wine unto your slave.
Rhadamandaspes:
O Queen, it is the custom of our dynasty... and has indeed long been so,... as many say,... that the noble should not feast till the base have feasted, reminding us that our bodies even as the humble bodies of the base--
Queen:
Why do you thus watch your slave, Prince Rhadamandaspes?
Rhadamandaspes:
Even to remind myself that I have done as our dynasty doth.
Queen:
Alas for me, Ackazarpses, they will not feast with me, but mock me because I am little and alone. O I shall not sleep to-night, I shall not sleep. [She weeps.]
Ackazarpses:
Yes, yes, Illustrious Lady, you shall sleep. Be patient and all shall be well and you will sleep.
Rhadamandaspes:
But Queen, Queen, we are about to eat.
Duke of Ethiopia:
Yes, yes, indeed we do not mock you.
King of Four Countries:
We do not mock you, Queen.
Priest of Horus:
They do not mean to mock you.
Queen:
They... give my food to slaves.
Priest of Horus:
That was a mistake.
Queen:
It was... no mistake.
Priest of Horus:
The slaves were hungry.
Queen: [still weeping]
They believe I would poison them.
Priest of Horus:
No, no, Illustrious Lady, they do not believe that.
Queen:
They believe I would poison them.
Ackazarpses: [comforting her]
O hush, hush. They do not mean to be so cruel.
Priest of Horus:
They do not believe you would poison them. But they do not know if the meat was killed with a poisonous arrow or if an asp may have inadvertently bitten the fruit. These things may happen, but they do not believe you would poison them.
Queen:
They believe I would poison them.
Rhadamandaspes:
No; Queen, see, we eat.
[They hastily whisper to slaves.]
1st Duke of Ethiopia:
We eat your viands, Queen.
2nd Duke of Ethiopia:
We drink your wine.
King of Four Countries:
We eat your good pomegranates and Egyptian grapes.
Zophernes:
We eat.
[They all eat.]
Priest of Horus: [smiling affably]
I too eat of your excellent banquet, O Queen.
[He peels a fruit slowly, glancing constantly at the others.
Meanwhile the catches in the Queen's breath grow fewer, she
begins to dry her eyes.]
Ackazarpses: [in her ear]
They eat.
[Ackazarpses lifts her head and watches them.]
Queen:
Perhaps the wine is poisoned.
Priest of Horus:
No, no, Illustrious Lady.
Queen:
Perhaps the grape was cut by a poisoned arrow.
Priest of Horus:
But indeed... indeed...
[Queen drinks from his cup.]
Queen:
Will you not drink my wine?
Priest of Horus:
I drink to our continued friendship.
[He drinks.]
A Duke of Ethiopia:
Our continued friendship!
Priest of Horus:
There has been no true enmity. We misunderstood the Queen's armies.
Rhadamandaspes: [to Zophernes]
We have wronged the Queen. The wine's not poisoned. Let us drink to her.
Zophernes:
So be it.
Rhadamandaspes:
We drink to you, Queen.
Zophernes:
We drink.
Queen:
The flagon, Ackazarpses.
[Ackazarpses brings it. The Queen pours it into her cup.]
Fill up your goblets from the flagon, princes. [She drinks.]
Rhadamandaspes:
We wronged you, Queen. It is a blessed wine.
Queen:
It is an ancient wine and grew in Lesbos, looking from Mytelene to the South. Ships brought it overseas and up this river to gladden the hearts of man in holy Egypt. But to me it brings no joy.
Duke of Ethiopia:
It is a happy wine, Queen.
Queen:
I have been thought a poisoner.
Priest of Horus:
Indeed, none has thought that, Illustrious Lady.