The Project Gutenberg EBook of Plays of Gods and Men, by Lord Dunsany

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Title: Plays of Gods and Men

Author: Lord Dunsany

Release Date: February 29, 2004 [EBook #11283]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PLAYS OF GODS AND MEN ***

Produced by Tom Harris

Title: Plays of Gods and Men

Author: Lord Dunsany

[Note: this edition was prepared from the 1917 Unwin edition. Later
US editions had many minor changes and an additional page of dialogue
in "The Laughter of the Gods".]

Preface

Lest any idle person might think that I have had time to write plays
during the last few years I may mention that the first act of _The
Tents of the Arabs_ was written on September 3rd, and the second act on
September 8th, 1910.

The first and second acts of _The Laughter of the Gods_ were written on
January 29th, and the third act on February 2nd and 3rd, 1911. _A Night
at an Inn_ was written on January 17th, 1912, and _The Queen's Enemies_
on April 19, 20, 21, 24, 28, 29, 1913.

Dunsany, Captain
Royal Inniskilling Fusileers.

The Laughter of the Gods

A Tragedy in Three Acts

Dramatis Personae

King Karnos
Voice-of-the-Gods (a prophet)
Ichtharion
Ludibras
Harpagas
First Sentry
Second Sentry
One of the Camel Guard
An Executioner
The Queen
Tharmia (wife of Ichtharion)
Arolind (wife of Ludibras)
Carolyx (wife of Harpagas)
Attendants

Act I

Time: About the time of the decadence in Babylon.

Scene: The jungle city of Thek in the reign of King Karnos.

Tharmia:

You know that my lineage is almost divine.

Arolind:

My father's sword was so terrible that he had to hide it with a cloak.

Tharmia:

He probably did that because there were no jewels in the scabbard.

Arolind:

There were emeralds in it that outstared the sea.

* * * * * * * *

Tharmia:

Now I must leave you here and go down among the shops for I have not
changed my hair since we came to Thek.

Ichtharion:

Have you not brought that from Barbul-el-Sharnak?

Tharmia:

It was not necessary.