Legate Yes, General.

Caesar Look, send this knife to your sister, as a present form me. Tell her – (He toys with the knife.) to guard with this knife, what I would enter as a knife.

Legate I –

Caesar gives the knife to the Legate.

Caesar She reads Terence, she’ll understand. (Caesar takes the knife back.) I’ll have it cleaned up. A box made. Maybe a human pelt to wrap it in, eh?

Legate Thank you, Gaius Julius.

The Legate hesitates, then walks away and off the stage. Caesar watches him for a while then turns away.

Caesar The politics of the Roman dinner table are with us, even on the filthy marshes of the edge of the world, eh Asinus?

Asinus Yes.

Caesar I want him killed. An auxiliary, pissed. A slave with the grievance. Anything – (An angry gesture.) trivial. Arrange it.

Asinus Yes. Do you want to see something odd?

Caesar Odd?

Asinus makes a sign. Two Soldiers come on with Marban, still naked, bound. Caesar looks at him.

Well?

Asinus This Celt talks Latin.

Caesar (to Marban) Do you? (Nothing from Marban) Soldier, go and gut the head off the body of that woman.

The Soldier moves.

Marban No!

Caesar stills the Soldier with a sign.

Caesar Why not?

Because then I would own her soul?

Marban (low) Fitness of things.

Caesar What?

Soldier Speak up to the General rubbish!

Marban It would be against the fitness of things!

A silence.

Caesar How clumsy your obscene superstitions sound in my language, Druid.

Which is what you are. No?

Nothing from Marban.

Soldier Speak up rubbish!

Caesar (to the Soldier) No no. (To Asinus:) We know Druids on the mainland speak Greek. Even write it. It’s no surprise to find a little Druid in Britain, talking Latin.

Asinus All the tools of civilisation. And they keep their people in ignorance.

Caesar Hunh. Let him go.

The Soldiers push Marban forward. He stands, still bound, shivering. Caesar, with disgust.

Look at the way they live.

A silence.

I’m going to let you run back into the woods, little Druid.

Caesar takes a pendant from his neck.

Tie that round his neck. Tight.

The Soldier does so, Marban writhing.

Let him go in the woods. Still bound. His fellow priests will find Venus around his neck. (Suddenly fierce.) Listen listen to me! On the mainland I burn your temples. Your priests that will not serve the Roman Gods – I kill. I desecrate their bodies. Desecration according to your beliefs. The head off and burnt, etcetera. Because there are new Gods now. Do you understand? The old Gods are dead.

Nothing from Marban.

Yes, you understand. We are both religious men. (To the Soldiers:) Give him fifty lashes before you let him go. To make the point.

Soldier Yes General.

Caesar waves them away. The Soldiers take Marban off.

Caesar What did we come to this island for, Asinus?

Asinus Fresh water pearls –

Caesar So we did. Leave me.