2.3.2
“Who have we here? Rome's royal Queen, unfurnish'd of her well-beseeming troop?” Bastion spoke up when he
approached the Queen. As Queen, it was improper for her to travel alone without her ladies companions or personal
guards. He had seen the Queen with the other and it was considered improper for she was a Queen.
“Or is it Diana, habited like her, who hath abandoned her holy groves to see the general hunting in this forest?”
The Romans viewed Diana as a many-sided goddess associated with forests and hunting. Artists usually portrayed
her as a virgin hunter, often with a bow and quiver, accompanied by maidens, hunting dogs, or deer. As goddess of
childbirth, nursing, and healing—also called Lucina—Diana held an honored place among women. As goddess of
light, she represented the moon. As goddess of forests and hunting, she was considered to be pure and virginal. Yet
she could also be arrogant and vengeful. As goddess of the moon, she had a changeable, unpredictable nature.
“Saucy controller of our private steps!” Tamara accused the other of being gossiper. “Had I the power that some say
Diana had, thy temples should be planted presently with horns, as was Actaeon's; and the hounds should drive upon
thy new-transformed limbs. Unmannerly intruder as thou art!”
famous Theban hero. He fell to the fatal wrath of Artemis, but the surviving details of his transgression vary: "the
only certainty is in what Aktaion suffered, his pathos, and what Artemis did: the hunter became the hunted; he was
transformed into a stag, and his raging hounds, struck with a 'wolf's frenzy', tore him apart as they would a stag."
This is the iconic motif by which Actaeon was recognized.
“Under your patience, gentle Queen, 'This thought you have a goodly gift in horning; and to be doubted that your
Moor and you are singled forth to try experiments: Jove shield your husband from his hounds to-day! 'Tis pity they
should take him for a stag.” Lavinia mocked Tamara.
“Believe me, Queen, your swarth Cimmerian” Bastion compared the darker warrior to the barbarians of the high
cold mountains. “Doth make your honour of his body's hue.”
“Spotted, detested, and abominable’ Bastion detested the idea of fornicating outside of his own kind. “Why are you
sequester'd from all your train, dismounted from your snow-white goodly steed.”
It was a racist line aimed at the darker lady.
“And wander'd hither to an obscure plot”, Bastion looked at his surroundings. “Accompanied but with a barbarous
Moor, if foul desire had not conducted you?”
“And, being intercepted in your sport” Lavinia added in her sarcasm while looking at Lavinia. “Great reason that my
noble lord be rated for sauciness. I pray you, let us hence, let her joy her raven-colour'd love. This valley fits the
purpose passing well too.”
Lavinia embarrassed by Queen’ saucy thoughts. She was a lady and her indulgence will be with her lord and only in
his chamber, and not on some moss covered ground with little covers on all sides.
“I am no harlot …” Lavinia snapped back.
“The king my brother shall have note of this.” Bastion was aiming to protect his step-brother’s and his own love’s
honor.
“Ay, for these slips have made him noted long: Good leader, to be so mightily abused!”Lavinia sighed.
“Why have I patience to endure all this?” Tamara shrugged her shoulders. In her own land, no one dares to question
her. She was then reinforced by the arrival of her sons.
“Demetrius, Chiron. Come to your mother’s side.” Tamara called to them. They had been summoned by Aaron.
They were told the doe await them there which was they saw. Like any son, they looked to their mother first. She
held such influence over son.
“How now, dear sovereign, and our gracious mother!” Demetrius greeted his mother. “Why doth your highness look
so pale and wan?”
“Have I not reason, think you, to look pale?” Tamara explained herself. “These two have 'ticed me hither to this
place. A barren detested vale, you see it is; the trees, though summer, yet forlorn and lean, o'ercome with moss and
baleful mistletoe: here never shines the sun; here nothing breeds, unless the nightly owl or fatal raven.”
“And when they show'd me this abhorred pit, they told me, here, at dead time of the night, a thousand fiends, a
thousand hissing snakes, ten thousand swelling toads, as many urchins, would make such fearful and confused
cries.” Tamara made up a tale of horror for her son. “As any mortal body hearing it should straight fall mad, or else
die suddenly. No sooner had they told this hellish tale, but straight they told me they would bind me here unto the
body of a dismal yew, and leave me to this miserable death. And then they call'd me foul adulteress, Lascivious
Goth, and all the bitterest terms that ever ear did hear to such effect.”
If Hell could not be compared to the fury of a scorned woman, Tamara’ tale was only a fraction of her fury to be
seen yet.
“And, had you not by wondrous fortune come” Tamara sneered Lavinia. “This vengeance on me had they executed.
Revenge it, as you love your mother's life, or be ye not henceforth call'd my children.”
“This is a witness that I am thy son.” Demetrius ever the faithful rushed towards Bastion. Without a warning, he
swung his machete in his hands at Bastion’ face. The later fell back while the son of Tamara swung again his
machete to severe the neck of the Roman.
“And this for me, struck home to show my strength.” Chiron rushed forth to do his vile act on the wounded Roman.
The later died without a sound from his throat.
No comments:
Post a Comment