Daui Got loads back there. Cartloads. And all our friends. Strong, angry, vicious friends.

We just come on ahead. Out of respect.

Viridio Traders? Sleeping in the open? Hiding from a slave?

Conlag Yes, we’ll just go now. Take what we’ve got. There’s wine in the bag. Greek wine.

Viridio Greek wine from Ireland?

The brothers laugh.

Conlag We’re on our way –

Brac Where’s this wine, then?

Conlag hesitates, then picks up the bag and takes out a wineskin. Brac walks to him, takes the wineskin and drinks.

Conlag Got a load of wine back there. With our friends.

Strong –

He falters.

angry, vicious friends.

Brac Greek wine. It’s beautiful.

A silence.

Maybe they’re Romans.

Daui Ha! Ever seen a Roman, farmer boy?

The sun shines out of their navels. Two navels. And big, very big men. In metal. When they walk they clank.

You’ve never seen a Roman.

Marban Not Romans. (To Brac:) Give me your knife.

Brac gives Marban a knife.

Daui Now don’t take that attitude.

Marban They’re criminals.

Daui Now look, we’ve not got a disease or anything like that.

Marban Thrown out by their families. Scavenging.

Daui Look, we didn’t know we were near you, in the ark. We’ll go on our way. Stay in the woods. Move along the hills. Crawl away from your farms. Not steal your animals.

You’ll not know we’ve been past!

A silence.

All right. We’re criminals. All right we murdered a man and his wife. All right we were cursed off the land of our families. Our souls taken away by the priests, eh?

But that was in Ireland. A lot of the world away.

You’ve no cause, boys. To put our blood on your fields.

Viridio Hard luck, Irishman. (Indicating Marban). My brother here, is a priest.

A silence, Conlag and Daui taking a step back.

Daui I do have a disease.

The brothers rush at Daui.

I am a Roman come to fuck your mother –

They up-end Daui. Marban slits his throat. Conlag runs for it. Blood gushes from Daui’s mouth, Viridio holding his legs.

Brac, jumping up and down with excitement.

Brac Wonderful! Wonderful!

Viridio The other one!

Brac We’ll get the dogs!

Marban Hold him up! Keep him up!

Marban looks around.

Brac Get the dogs and go after him, all day, miles and miles!

Marban A stake. (To the Slave:) You. Your rope and your bowl.

The Slave stays still.

Now!

The Slave takes off a rope from round her tunic. She picks up the stave and bowl and holds them out.

We’ll get him right up! Upside down. Let the blood run into his throat.

Marban runs to the Slave and takes the rope, stave and bowl. He runs back and digs the end of the stave into the ground.

(To Brac.) Help, then!

Brac helps Marban to drive the stave in securely. Marban ties the rope round Daui’s ankles and knots the rope round the end of the stave. It bends under the dead weight, the corpse’s chest on the ground. He puts the bowl under the neck. This, as Brac speaks.