Morituri: Three One-Act Plays Part 5

Teja.

And thou, Euric?

Euric.

Sire, thou leadest us to destruction.

Teja.

Yea, verily. Said I anything else? Do ye believe me to be so untried in things of war that I know not that? Why then halt ye? When Totilas led us, we were more than a hundred thousand. Now we are but five. They all knew how to die, and can we, a miserable remnant, have forgotten it?

All.

Nay, King, nay!

Euric.

Sire, grant us time to accustom ourselves to that horrible thing.

Teja.

Horrible? What seemeth horrible to ye? I speak not indeed to Romans who reel from the ma.s.s to the lupanar, and from the lupanar to the ma.s.s.

Yet there is not one among ye whose breast is not covered with scars like an old stone with moss. These twenty years ye have made sport of death, and now it cometh in earnest, doth a Gothic man speak of "horrible"? What will ye? Will ye lie and hunger? Will ye devour one the other, like rats? Good. But I shall not do it with ye! Not I!

To-morrow, I take spear and shield, and go to gain on my own account the bit of death for which I long and languish like a thief since ye made me leader of your lost cause.--And thou at least, my old companion, thou comest with me--eh?

Ildibad (_falling down before him_).

I thank thee, Sire! Why ask whether I come!

All.

We too, King. We all, we all!

Theodemir.

Thou shouldst be praised, King, that thou hast pointed to us the way of happiness. And be not angry with us, if we were not able straightway to follow thee. Now I perceive clearly thy great thought. From grief and discord and despair, we rise, we do not go down to death.... Laughing, treadeth each on the other's corpse, in order laughing to sink down like him.... A light will go forth from us over the wide world.... Ah, that will be a draught from golden goblets--that will be a riot of exultant joy. Thank thee, my King. Often have I envied thee thy crown, now I venture to envy it no more.

Teja.

The thing will come to pa.s.s for the most part otherwise than thou dost imagine it, Theodemir. Yet I am glad that among the Goths, such inspiration still abideth.

Euric.

Also to me, King, grudge not a word; for I have indeed seen golden days.... Thou art not only the boldest, thou art also the wisest of all.... Had we now faltered, so should we all have fallen without defence, by the murderer's sword ... And not only we, but the sick--and the children--and the wives.

Teja.

Ay, indeed, the wives! Of them I had not thought at all.

Euric.

But now to-morrow, we shall stand in battle, and on the second and third day, if we hold out so long, so that astonishment and fear at the miracle will lay hold on the Byzantian and all the rabble of Huns and Suevians which he draggeth after him.... We cannot utterly destroy them, but we can bait them with our blood till they be weary.... And when no one on that side is able to hold spear and bow, then shall the hour come when the Eunuch will have it said: "Depart in peace." How many of ye are then still left? I fear not many----

Teja (_laughing_).

We, surely not!

All (_with cruel laughter_).

Nay, we surely not!

Euric.

Then shall they take wives and children into the midst of them, and, head high, with naked swords, descend straight through the Byzantian camp toward Naples, to buy a piece of bread. And I tell ye, with such fear shall they be gazed at, that not even once shall a dog of the Huns dare to bark at them.

Teja.

Wife and child! Wife and child! What have we to do with them?

Athanaric.

King, thou revilest the dearest of our possessions.

Teja.

Maybe!--I know only that there were too many mouths in the morning when the rations were divided. Otherwise we might have been able to support ourselves. And yet, this one thing I say to ye--and I shall enjoin it on the men without, upon their word as warriors--that none of the women know aught of our purpose. I will not that even one man be softened by the tears and cries of women.

Athanaric.

Sire, that is inhuman which thou requirest, to take no leave of our wives.

Teja.

Take leave of them, me notwithstanding, but remain dumb as ye do it. He that hath wife and child here, let him go to the Wagenburg, and provide himself food and drink, for the women delight to keep a remnant between their fingers. This let him share with the unmarried, and be joyful when he can.

Euric.

And what should they say to their wives, Sire, since already thou hast strictly forbidden communication?

Teja.

Say ye, it happens because of my marriage! Or the ships are there, if that sounds more worthy of belief. Say what ye will. Only that one thing, keep for yourselves.

Theodemir.

And wilt thou thyself nevermore see thy young wife?

Teja.