The Tragedy of Aurelio ‘ja Lagavlin: Act III, Scene 4
Hey, what are you doing?
Karey ‘ja Ioanna’s 577 AE performance as Aurelio ‘ja Lagavlin is the standard by which all others are judged.
An excerpt from the early classic by Willa Cawley
[Enter AURELIO, MAGDA, and HABIB, with a flourish.] AURELIO: To feel such pain and bear such brunt of scorn Maketh me wonder what the glory be In serving such a callow populace Knowing not itself from anarchy. HABIB: Sir, The people do not deserve you, nor do you deserve these people. Come! Let us begone. Let us abandon the palace, home of the snapping teeth of liars, and abscond from Amalcross, city of the fickle fingers of ingrates. AURELIO: My concubine speaks gravely out of turn For what knoweth he of vital station Having been so born of low concern? MAGDA: My liege! Our bedfellow does speak plainly Albeit speak he of shared desire. Away, we must get — away! AURELIO: What is this That mine lovers plea desertion? Oh gods, Rarely ever do they agree at all Unless the setting be of heightened odds. MAGDA: The teeth doth sharpen daily, hungering After the ripening meat of your back, Lusting for thine power wielded wisely So they may wield it harshly. HABIB: ‘Tis true, my lord. The council has grown famished. AURELIO: By council mean you Wayne Devore? My loves, The jester’s mummeries have riled you. Advisor Wayne bears no traitorous gloves Against me. His loyalties are true! Stead'ly he bows to mine diamond scepter. Here comes he now. Wayne, allay such whispers. [Enter WAYNE with AMALGUARDS.] WAYNE: Send off your bedmates, old man. AURELIO: The sudden cheek. Rectify thine haughty— WAYNE: Your words glitter with impotence. Neither I nor the council will stand for your weakness. All of Amal buckles from the weight of an imbecile. AURELIO: The affront! Guards, strike him down before me! Let us reveal who suffers impotence. WAYNE: Let us revel in it. AURELIO [to AMALGUARDS]: Go on! Strike him down before me! WAYNE [to AMALGUARDS]: Go on. [An AMALGUARD strikes at AURELIO, but HABIB leaps in front of the blow.] HABIB: Alack! I am struck! AURELIO: Treachery! MAGDA: Treachery! Treachery! HABIB: Flee! My Emperor, find thine children — and flee! [HABIB dies.] AURELIO [to MAGDA]: Our children! Defend them from— MAGDA: Treachery! [Exit MAGDA, pursued by AMALGUARDS.] WAYNE: Yield, old man, and your children may yet live. AURELIO: I shall not— WAYNE: I say again, old man: Yield. AURELIO: —I yield not to a traitor. WAYNE: So it is. [WAYNE strikes AURELIO.] AURELIO: Alack! I curse thee, Wayne. I curse Amal. [AURELIO dies.] WAYNE: At last rests the reign of ‘ja Lagavlin. Now to ensure the end of his children. [Exit WAYNE.]
