SOCRATES

Tell him what it is.

ACASTOS

Oh dear – I mean when you go to services, rituals, acts of worship.

SERVANT

I don’t know what is that –

SOCRATES

Don’t use difficult words.

ACASTOS

When you sing hymns, you sing –

SERVANT cheering up

Oh, yes, sing hymns, yes, and music, noise, yes, beat, your heart beat, and your feet – [ he moves a few steps ].

ACASTOS as they all smile

So you believe in God, you think that perhaps there is a God?

SERVANT

Oh no–

TIMONAX

Fun, but no God. Hooray!

SERVANT

Not like that – I don’t think – I know there is God.

ANTAGORAS

Ask him what he’s like.

ACASTOS

What is your God like?

SERVANT

I don’t understand. Everybody knows that, sir.

ANTAGORAS

Well, we don’t, so please tell us.

ACASTOS with an encouraging gesture

Go on.

SERVANT

How can I say, he is everywhere, he knows all things, he made all things, he is God, he is here in this room –

ANTAGORAS

I can’t see him. [ Socrates checks him with a gesture. ]

ACASTOS

How do you know about God?

SERVANT

I have always known, sir, ever since I was a tiny baby, my first words were about God. I knew him at once.

ACASTOS

You mean your mother taught you?

SERVANT

My mother– [assenting gesture ] but I know it already, he was there, in my little body, in all I see when I open my eyes, when I was a child, and now, in my heart and my soul – so is God in all men.

ACASTOS

And you worship God.

SERVANT

I don’t know – He is with me always, I sing to him, I laugh to him, I cry to him. And when I die I shall go to God. That makes me happy. Whatever happen, I am happy man.

TIMONAX

Lucky old you!

ACASTOS

You pray to God sometimes?

SERVANT scornful

Not sometimes, all the time! I talk to him, I tell him my life, I tell him all troubles, all what I want.

ACASTOS

Does he give you what you want?

SERVANT

He knows best, oh he knows best. He knows what is my good. I am humble man, small man. But God blesses me.

ACASTOS

So you love him because he is kind?

SERVANT

Not therefore! I love him because he is God. Even if he kill me, I love him. I love him more than anything, not anybody more I love than God.

ACASTOS

But why?

SERVANT who thinks this is obvious

He loves me, he made me to be, he keeps me to be. Like little fish in sea am I in God’s love! All I eat, sleep, work, do, inside his love. Because I exist there is God. Without his love I become small like – like this – and wither away, and become – no thing [ gestures ].

ANTAGORAS

Gift of language these fellows have.