"Dunsany, Lord - Plays of Gods and Men" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dunsany Lord)

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: