Anthea Copyright © 1996 Nurmi Husa, All Rights Reserved.
Oh. (She looks at the body.) It's -- just that -- I'm sorry, sir, I --. It's just that --. (She looks at the body again.) Oh! No, sir, I'm going to be fine, sir.
It's just that I've never seen -- I've never seen a -- dead man -- well, a man who died like --. He is -- dead? He must be. Oh, I don't want to know!
Oh my -- . (She looks queasy.) Oh, sir, I'm think I'm -- I'm going to be --.
Yes, thank you, sir, I'd be grateful for your arm, thank you, yes.
Yes, yes, over there would be fine, yes.
Yes, here. Yes. Thank you, sir, thank you.
(He gets up to go after her begging bowl.) Oh, please, sir, NO! No, don't trouble yourself further -- it was only a few coppers. Not worth --. Not --. As you wish, sir. I'll just -- sit -- hereŠ
(He goes. He returns.)
Thank you again, sir, you needn't have --. Oh, sir, you're bleeding!
Yes, yes, you are! Here, sir, you sit. Yes, yes, sit right down and I'll see to your --. Don't argue with me. Sit. Sit!
Ah, yes, you are right, it is a scratch. A scratch. Amazing. Such a fight -- and him quite dead -- he is dead? -- and him quite dead, and you, sir, with just a scratch. A mighty and fierce fighter you are. Were you a soldier?
Why, yes, of course you must have been. Those arms. Oh, my! Such a scar! That blow must nearly have --. (She has embarassed him.) Ah, yes, I see. (Adoringly.) A mighty and fierce fighter, you are! Just like the Archangel Michael!
Why, yes. Yes, I am.
No, not born into it. Rather was I re-born through it, sir.
My husband, sir, yes. I met him, fell in love with him and with the Lord at the same time.
Oh, sir! That is a terrible, blasphemous thing to say! To even suggest --. But you're not a Christian, sir, are you? No. I thought not. So you wouldn't know, would you? I can't blame you. And you saving my life and all.
No, sir, it is something. It is a very great thing. To me. Oh, sir, there is so little I can do for you in return, except -- ? Perhaps you would permit me to share The Word with you? You have saved my poor miserable life -- perhaps you would permit me in my own small way to try to help save your eternal -- ?
Oh, I'm so clumsy about this. I've offended you.
You're very kind to say not, sir. But I can see it in your eyes, I have. I'm sorry, sir. I just wanted to share with you the wonderous --.
Talk with you? Just --?
About myself? Oh, I'm nothing --. Less than --.
No, sir, I'm nothing compared to The Word of the Lord. Please let me --.
My husband?
NO! No, he's not dead. No. Praise the Lord! No, he's -- he's away. He's away -- on the Lord's business.
Oh! You're very kind to say that, sir. And wouldn't I be wanting him with me, too. But he's been called to a far greater and far more important and far more wonderous --.
A pretty wife, sir? (Blushing at his praise.) No, no! You shouldn't be saying such things. It's not right, sir!
No, he didn't, sir! Oh no, sir, no. No, he didn't abandon me! No, sir. We talked -- we talked togetherand we agreed -- together. That's right. Micah and I, together.That's his name, you know. Micah. It means "He who is like unto Jehovah." His father, you know, was very angry that he talked to me about it. His father doesn't believe that women --. But Micah told his father right out -- right to his face -- he was so brave, sir. He told his father that he trusted me -- that he loved me and trusted me and knew that I loved and trusted the Lord. And he wouldn't be going without my blessing. It was wonderous! So you see, sir, I just had to give him my blessing, didn't I?
No, sir, no. Not far away at all. He sits inside a cave -- just a little hole in the cliffs, really, overlooking the desert -- a little ways south of town. It's only big enough for one person, if he crouches down. You know, he hasn't stood up straight for five months! Micah loves the Lord.
It's called Mortification of the Flesh, sir. He mortifies his flesh -- all flesh is evil, sir, and an awful temptation. He mortifies his flesh, and I bring him a little food every few days. That's why I beg, sir. To buy the food. He was angry at first. He was so determined to fast until he --. He's still awfully thin. Sometimes I just can't bear to see him -- he was so beautiful. But beauty is evil too. A temptation. He's right to mar it. But he mustn't die! I tell him that he must keep just well enough that when the Lord releases him from this glorious mortification, he can return to us, you know. To his son and his wife.
Oh, yes, a lovely baby. So sweet. So wonderous. Never a trouble. Never. Well, never on purpose. He' a bit sickly, you know. Feeds poorly. Perhaps it's my milk? I don't eat very well myself anymore. It doesn't seem quite right, you know. Not with Micah in the desert, and all. Perhaps the Lord is punishing me for begging him to eat just a nibble every now and then. That's what Father-in-law says. but I can't believe --. That's what he says is my problem. I don't believe strongly enough. But I do. I really do. Well, I try to. I even mortify my own flesh. See! I pray every day for many hours. And mortify my flesh every evening. I love the Lord as much as I love Micah. (Confused.) Well, more, actually. It's different.
I beg here in the marketplace as penance for my sins.
Oh, yes! We all have sins, sir. Each and every one of us. Horrible, dark, ugly, nasty sins, right here inside of us. But if we ask for forgiveness humbly -- ever so humbly -- sometimes -- sometimes it's granted. That's right. Even if you don't deserve it. Well, how could you? Yes, Forgiveness and even Mercy. They're wonderous things, sir.
Oh, yes. You're right about that, sir. No, I wasn't born to begging. My upbringing was -- well, it was soft. One might even say "decadent." Father-in-law does. And he knows about such things. He's a very wise man, my father-in-law. I had such beautiful things when I was growing up. Vain things, he calls them. And they were. Vain things. Just like me. I was a vain thing too. I was very beautiful. And proud. (Proudly.) Not anymore though. All that is quite gone, praise the Lord. But even so, my beauty wasn't all bad, I sometimes think. It led me to Micah, didn't it? And Micah led me to our Lord
My father? My father was -- is a merchant. A prosperous one, too. Olives and wine. But it is far easier for a needle to enter into the eye of a -- it is far easier for a camel to enter into the eye of a -- needle --. Oh, you know... I don't mean to judge, I don't, but --. I broke his heart by running off and marrying Micah --. We don't talk -- not anymore. My brother tried -- tries -- but I shouldn't talk of him. He's an evil man. He thinks he is doing good, of course. But he's evil. And filthy. "A filthy -- " Oh, I shouldn't use that word. Anyway, that's what Father-in-law says. No, I haven't talked to my family for a long time. They're not my family anymore. Micah is my family now.
I should tell you about Micah. Oh, yes, I must. Micah is so --. How can I describe Micah? How can I begin -- ?
Oh, yes, sir, I do. I love him very much. He's so strong. So firm. So sure of himself. So sure of his purpose in life. (Tears.) And I miss --. I miss having --. I'm sorry, sir, I shouldn't be telling you all this. It's not your --. I just --. I shouldn't --. (Control returns.)
You're very kind, sir.
You know, Micah's never seen our baby. No, he refuses to let me bring him with me. Says it would make him lose his --. Make him not want to stay in the cave. And the Lord has called him to stay in the cave. He knows that. There is no doubt in his heart.
Micah knows that the Lord called him personally -- as an example to all -- to mortify his flesh in that tiny hole looking out over the desert. Which is the desert that is human existence without the all-nourishing Light and Love of the Lord. He says that's why the baby was born sickly, you know. He was never supposed to be born at all, our baby. He says that he, Micah, was not supposed to marry. Not supposed to know a woman. He says that I have led him astray. Turned him from giving himself fully to his calling. That's what his father says, too. He beats me sometimes, his father does. Beats me something fierce. He's right to beat me, though. I do so want Micah. You know, sir, in that way. And I mustn't. No, I mustn't. No, my desire is all wrong and against the teachings of our Lord. Fleshly desire is a thing of the Devil, sir. And I know that. I agree with that. It is all wrong. Horribly wrong. I do so wish Father-in-Law could just beat it all out of me. And then I could love the Lord as strongly as he and Micah do. And as purely.
You're very kind, sir, I'm sure, to offer me your protection -- but it isn't necessary. It isn't really. Thank you. I must be getting back home. I mean, I shouldn't be -- we shouldn't --. Praise the Lord! Come sometime to one of our meetings. We meet near the ruins of old temple of the Jupiter -- the one we burnt down last year. (Conspiratorially.) You know, they still sacrificed animals in there. Even after the Emperor, the Blessed Constantine forbade them ever so long ago. It was horrible. I should know. I was born into that terrible and bloody worship -- and my soul withered in it, sir -- until my strong and beautiful and ever-so-wise and loving and wonderous Micah helped me to see The Light and to know The Truth. To join the Community. To become Part of the Family. I do so love the Lord and I pray that someday you will too.
I must be away. Thank you sir, for listening --. For saving --. For --. I will say prayers for that poor unfortunate man back there. It's so sad. He died without ever knowing the Lord -- well, how could he have? And still have tried to do what he did? No, of course not. To love the Lord is to love life and to respect it. Yes, well, I will pray for you, too.
I must be away. My -- my father-in-law -- he'll be worrying about me. And then there is the baby -- he'll be hungry. I would have brought him with me today -- when he's with me people are so much more generous, he such a blessing -- but Mother-in-Law forbade me to bring him -- he was sickly this morning. Just think, if I'd brought him, he might have been killed! Praise Jesus, Jesus must have made him sick that he might live -- Jesus saved my baby's life! Hallelujah, sir! Isn't it wonderous?! (As she runs away.) Thank you, sir -- and bless you! Don't forget, sir -- we meet near the ruins!
Chrysos, Apollonios and Anthea are excerpted from a larger piece, RHOMAIOI, a series of loosely related dramatic monologues and poems focusing on the experiences of ordinary people in Late Antiquity (roughly from the 2nd through the 6th century C.E.). It is a fascinating and tumultuous epoch of human experience - - a period which has bequeathed to the modern world much of our religious and political structure - - and yet for most people it is mysterious and misunderstood. It is in a very real sense mythological. "Rhomaioi" is Greek and means "Romans." It is the word the ordinary citizen of the "Roman" Empire would use to describe himself in the Greek-speaking East.