Mime IV: Offerings and Sacrifices

KYNNO

Hail, King Paieon, that art sovran of Tricca and hast gotten braw Cos and Epidaurus as thine habitaunce, and Koronis withal that bare thee and Apollo I cry hail, and Hygieia whom thou touchest with thy right hand, and those whose honoured shrines are here, Panace and Epio and Ieso and Podalirius and Machaon that sack’d house and walls of Leomedon, physickers of fell sickneses, and all gods or goddeses, father Paieon, that inhabit thine hearth : hither come graciously to accept as side-dish this cock, herald of the walls of my habitaunce whom I sacrifice. For small and scanty are our sources : els might no cock but some ox or sow crammed with mochell fat be our guerdon for physicking of those sickneses which thou, O King, hast brushed away by laying on of gentle hands. Kokkale, set the picture by the right hand of Hygieia.

KOKKALE

Lo! Kynno deare, what fayre statues: what artificer, prithee, made this stone, and who was it that did set it here ?

KYNNO

The children of Praxiteles : seest not yon letters on the base? And Euthies son of Prexon set it up.

KOKKALE

Gracious be Paion unto these and Euthies for their fayre werkes. See deare, yon child looking up toward the apple: woldest not say that, an she get not the apple, she will expire forthwith? Aye and yon old man, Kynno! Lo, ’a Fates’ name how the babe doth throttle the goose. Were it not at close quarters of stone, the werke, motest say, wolde speke. La! time will be when man shall wot to put life e’en into stones! This image of Batale, daughter of Myttes, seest not, Kynno, its gait? None that had seen not Batale but only glaunced at this likenes wolde need the other.

KYNNO

Follow, deare, and I will shew you a fayre thynge such as hast not seen in thy life. Kydilla, go and cry lowd to the sacristan. Speke I not to thee that starest hither and thither? La! no reke hath she of what I say, but standeth goggling at me more agape than a crab. Go, I repeat, and cry lowd to the sacristan. Thou gluttonry, ne close ne common clepes thee werthy, but algates art thou held naught. Kydilla, I call this god to witnes that thou flamest me albeit I wolde not rage : god be witnes, I repeat : day shall tide when thou shalt scratch this fowl noddle of thine.

KOKKALE

Lay not all things to heart readily, Kynno: she is a slave, and slaves ears are choked with slombrihed.

KYNNO

But ‘tis day, and the pres increaseth. So bide thou: for the door is oped, and the sanctuary is free of ingate.

KOKKALE

See’st not, Kynno deare? What werkes! In sooth motest say ‘twas Athena did chisell the fayre thynges—Lady I cry mercie. This bare boye, an I scratch him, wolde he not be wounded, Kynno? For his flesh lieth on him in the picture as with right warm pulsaciouns; and the silvern fire-box—an Myellos or Pataikiskos see it, wolde not their eyne fall out for belief ’twere in sooth silvern ywrought? And the ox and his leader and her that followeth, and this man of hooked nose, and this of heyre erect. are not day and livelihed in their eyne? An I demed not I sholde defame my sex, I sholde have cryed out for feare the ox mote do me an hurt: so askaunce looketh he with one eye.

KYNNO

Yea, deare, for true are the hands of Apelles of Ephesus in all paintings ne motes say ‘ Yon man looked on one thynge, and gave no thought to another,’ but all that was his of wit or inspiracioun, he was fain to assay: and whoso examine not him ors werkes with judicious ocillades, may he hang by the foot in fullers house.

SACRISTAN

Full fayre, dames, are your meat-offerings, and fayrer their significaunce : none hath ere found moe favour in Paieons eyne than ye. Hail, hail Paieon; mayst be propitious for fayre offerings to these and any that be their spouses or near sybbe. Hail, hail, Paieon. Amen.

KYNNO

Amen, most mighty, and may we return anon in goodly health, bearing withal larger offerings, with husbands and children.—Kokkale, take hede fayrly to cutte the leg of the fowl and give it to the sacristan, and silently set the cake in the snakes den, and dip the wafer: of the rest shall we make feast in the seats of our habitaunce, and don’t forget to give him some too of the health-offering: for soothly in sacrifices a health-offering is sorer loss than the portion.