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Updated: May 8, 2025
They came and seized me at once and bound my arms. The great dog wanted me to speak to him again, but I was hurried away. KING ARGIMENES You should have made obeisance. ZARB The great dog seemed so friendly that I forgot he was the King's great dog. KING ARGIMENES But tell me more. Was he hurt, or is it a sickness? ZARB They say that it is a sickness. KING ARGIMENES Ah.
But will they throw him to us? Will so honourable a brute as the King's dog be thrown to us? ZARB When he is dead his honours are taken away. Even the King when he is dead is given to the worms. Then why should not his dog be thrown to us? KING ARGIMENES We are not worms! ZARB You do not understand, Argimenes. The worms are little and free, while we are big and enslaved.
KING ARGIMENES There will be nothing more to hope for when we have eaten the King's dog. ZARB Why you might find gold in the earth while you were digging. Then you might bribe the commander of the guard to lend you his sword; we would all follow you if you had a sword.
Look at your digging. KING ARGIMENES How do the guards know we are speaking because we look at one another? ZARB You are very witless. Of course they know. KING ARGIMENES Zarb. ZARB What is it? KING ARGIMENES How many guards are there in sight? ZARB There are six of them over there. They are watching us. KING ARGIMENES Are there other guards in sight of these six guards? ZARB No.
The slaves and King Argimenes kneel with their foreheads to the ground as he passes across the stage. Mine arm is stiff with three years' slavery and remembers not the sword. But guide thy sword till I have slain six men and armed the strongest slaves, and thou shalt have the sacrifice every year of a hundred goodly oxen.
Some of my selections, those that I have called 'A Miracle' and 'The Castle of Time' are passages from stories of some length, and I give but the first act of 'Argimenes, a play in the repertory of the Abbey Theatre, but each selection can be read I think with no thoughts but of itself.
KING ARGIMENES Have you any god? ZARB We may not have a god because he might make us brave and we might kill our guards. He might make a miracle and give us swords. KING ARGIMENES Ah, you have no hope then. ZARB I have a little hope. Hush, and I will tell you a secret The King's great dog is ill and like to die. They will throw him to us. We shall have beautiful bones then. KING ARGIMENES Ah!
KING ARGIMENES If Illuriel could be cast down as my god was cast down perhaps King Darniak could be overcome as I was overcome in my sleep? ZARB If Illuriel were cast down all the people would utter a cry and flee away. It would be a fearful portent. KING ARGIMENES How many men are there in the armoury at the palace? ZARB There are ten men in the palace armoury when all the slave-guards are out.
ZARB No, Argimenes. KING ARGIMENES Why would they not follow me? ZARB Because you look like a slave. They will never follow a slave, because they are slaves themselves, and know how mean a creature is a slave. If you looked like a king they would follow you. KING ARGIMENES But I am a king. They know that I am a king. ZARB It is better to look like a king. It is looks that they would go by.
THE KING'S OVERSEER The slave-guard saw you. KING ARGIMENES I did but pray to Illuriel to make me a good slave, to teach me to dig well and to pull the rounded stone, and to make me not to die when the food is scarce, but to be a good slave to my master, the great King. THE KING'S OVERSEER Who art thou to pray to Illuriel? Dogs may not pray to an immortal god. The guards are watching us.
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