FIRST MAN. We do not know whose voice it is. We think it is the voice
of his God. For we have seen no man enter his cavern nor any come forth
from it.

MYRRHINA. Honorius.

HONORIUS (from within). Who calls Honorius?

. . . . .

MYRRHINA. Come forth, Honorius.

. . . . .

My chamber is ceiled with cedar and odorous with myrrh. The pillars of
my bed are of cedar and the hangings are of purple. My bed is strewn
with purple and the steps are of silver. The hangings are sewn with
silver pomegranates and the steps that are of silver are strewn with
saffron and with myrrh. My lovers hang garlands round the pillars of my
house. At night time they come with the flute players and the players of
the harp. They woo me with apples and on the pavement of my courtyard
they write my name in wine.

From the uttermost parts of the world my lovers come to me. The kings of
the earth come to me and bring me presents.

When the Emperor of Byzantium heard of me he left his porphyry chamber
and set sail in his galleys. His slaves bare no torches that none might
know of his coming. When the King of Cyprus heard of me he sent me
ambassadors. The two Kings of Libya who are brothers brought me gifts of
amber.

I took the minion of Caesar from Caesar and made him my playfellow. He
came to me at night in a litter. He was pale as a narcissus, and his
body was like honey.

The son of the Praefect slew himself in my honour, and the Tetrarch of
Cilicia scourged himself for my pleasure before my slaves.

The King of Hierapolis who is a priest and a robber set carpets for me to
walk on.

Sometimes I sit in the circus and the gladiators fight beneath me. Once
a Thracian who was my lover was caught in the net. I gave the signal for
him to die and the whole theatre applauded. Sometimes I pass through the
gymnasium and watch the young men wrestling or in the race. Their bodies
are bright with oil and their brows are wreathed with willow sprays and
with myrtle. They stamp their feet on the sand when they wrestle and
when they run the sand follows them like a little cloud. He at whom I
smile leaves his companions and follows me to my home. At other times I
go down to the harbour and watch the merchants unloading their vessels.
Those that come from Tyre have cloaks of silk and earrings of emerald.
Those that come from Massilia have cloaks of fine wool and earrings of
brass. When they see me coming they stand on the p