 | Timoleon |  |
Scene I.
—The Fens before Syracuse.1st Cor. Soldier.
'Tis very merciful of the gods and Hiketas to give us such good sport.
2nd Cor. Soldier.
The gods are indeed manifestly with us; for if this same Hiketas had not been fooled by them to go gadding after Timoleon out of Acradina into Catana, and if our good captain Neon had not thereupon leapt out of Ortygia into Acradina, and if the aforesaid Hiketas had not hereupon doubled and turned back from Catana, alwithstanding he was but three parts there, and too lag to save me Acradina—
1st Cor. Soldier.
Why then thou wouldst never have talked this lumping eel into a tangle with my hook; for at the third ‘if,’ being choleric at thy tediousness, I whips smartly up, and there a had him fast by the belly. 'Fore Zeus, 'tis a lively fellow, and wraggles like a Carthaginian.
How like a Carthaginian?
1st Cor. Soldier.
Thou art but a clod-poll to ask it. What! canst not by this time perceive that Mago doth suspect a taste of iron in the bait that Hiketas hath thrown him, and would fain extirpate himself, and off again to Carthage? But whereas this eel—may it perish foully—but ties itself the tighter by its kickings, our slippery friend yonder will dance himself off the barb to better purpose. I tell thee they are all sworn worshippers to the god of running away. Canst thou not prognosicate? Canst thou not smell the future?
2nd Cor. Soldier.
Nay, I was ever content with the living present, though to-morrow should be the death of me, come what will, as is like enough it may.
1st Cor. Soldier.
A shrewd answer: but certes, comrade, though thou art not learned of augury, nor hast the virtue of a reconnoitring nose, yet canst thou make shift to trust the hearing of thine own ears.
2nd Cor. Soldier.
Yea, by Pan, I will measure mine own ears with any
1st Cor. Soldier.
And if it be, are not thine ears tall enow to stand up
against it, and do they not look all ways together, being
moreover two to one? But see! here comes a party of
our good friends the enemy: now will I broach them,
and thou shalt suck wisdom—
[Enter Greek Mercenaries of Hiketas.
—Welcome, worthy antagonists! Is there to be no
knocking of heads together, no evacuation of the fleshly
fortress for a season?
1st Mercenary.
Ay, we be suffered to rest from killing for the nonce, an it please Timoleon.
1st Cor. Soldier.
Well, 'tis a fine day, and I grudge not that thou shouldst live it out. Fishing hath not half the peril of fighting, let alone the question of them that have no quarrel, and the same flesh and blood.
Sir, 'tis a parlous game and very pitiful; but a soldier lives to kill, and a must needs kill to live.
1st Cor. Soldier.
Ay, but not his own neighbours, look ye. If you that serve Hiketas take up against us that are Timoleon's men, you crack our crowns to-day and your own to-morrow.
1st Mercenary.
How prove ye that, by Bacchus?
1st Cor. Soldier.
Marry, are not all we Greeks and the natural friends of Greeks?
1st Mercenary.
Yea.
1st Cor. Soldier.
Are not all Carthaginians barbarians and the natural enemies of Greeks?
1st Mercenary.
Why, yea.
1st Cor. Soldier.
Therefore are ye helping your natural enemies against your natural friends—a swift conclusion, and yet quick to come at, that even a heavy-armed foot-soldier like thyself may follow and overtake it.
Nay, then, by the limp of the fire-god, your conclusion must be lame. But how if our natural enemies become unnaturally our friends? for in good sooth we serve Hiketas, and the Carthaginians fight for us, not we for them.
1st Cor. Soldier.
I pray the gods pardon them that made thee; since to forge so thick a pate, where there be no brains, is sheer wasting of a good skull. Dost thou with sincerity believe that all this host swam hither from the pillars of Heracles to set up Hiketas?
1st Mercenary.
Nay, that a cannot tell.
1st Cor. Soldier.
As like to set up thee. Harkee, friend, when they have conquered us with your help, they will cast you off without it, as thou shalt see me serve this fishing-gear anon, for all it hath helped me to a good belly-full.
2nd Mercenary.
By Hermes, 'twere a scurvy bargain, but I've heard it whispered.
1st Cor. Soldier.
Yea, and there's worse comes after; for verily, as our Captain saith, with those foreign rascals the word hath still been ‘left foot Sicily, right foot Hellas,’ and this
2nd Cor. Soldier.
Well, well, pity it were that a place made so excellent for our defence should fall into the hands of the barbarians.
2nd Mercenary.
So it were indeed, so it were.
1st Cor. Soldier.
Rather than give them Sicily, ye ought to wish there were many Sicilies 'twixt them and us.
1st Mercenary.
Marry and shall, by Artemis; 'tis very just.
1st Cor. Soldier.
Well then, do ye digest this matter, an ye can stomach the flavour on't, and serve out the like measure to your mates: Timoleon is a kind general no less than a victorious. Farewell; to-morrow mayhap we meet as comrades.
Mercenaries.
Very like, very like; farewell, we thank ye for your good fellowship.
[Exeunt Mercenaries.
1st Cor. Soldier.
So, wag tongues and work spell, suspicion sucks hither the power of Hiketas, and scares me home the wary Mago to Carthage and crucifixion.
| Timoleon | |