Marquino monologue (Act 2) — Numantia

'Tis well; the fitting season is in bloom, Announced before by each propitious sign, To summon from the nether realms of gloom The fallen spirits, fearsome and malign. Now to my verses give attentive ear: Fierce Pluto, thou, whom Fate hath called to reign Within the wide domain of darkness drear, Amongst the ministers of souls in pain, Cause that my wishes be respected here, However much they go against the grain; And in this dire extreme delay not long, Nor wait a second summons from my tongue. I wish that to the corpse, interred by us, The soul that gave it life thou shouldst restore. Though Charon yonder, fierce and rigorous, Should hold it fast upon the blackened shore; Though, in the triple throat of Cerberus The grim, it lies ensconced in anguish sore; Forth let it come to seek our world of light, Then quick return unto thy realms of night. Since come it must, let it instructed come, Anent the issue of this bloody fray. In _no_ point let the wretched soul be dumb, Nor aught conceal, but in the plainest way, Without ambiguous phrase, rehearse the sum, Lest doubt and dim confusion win the day. Now send it forth. Why keep me waiting here, Or must I make my meaning still more clear? Ye faithless ones, why turn ye not the stone? Tell me, false ministers, what keeps ye back? How? Have ye not sufficient portents shown, That ye will aid me in the thing I lack? Say, have ye mischievous designs alone? Or wish ye I should put upon the track, This very moment, my enchanting arts, To soften down your fierce and stony hearts? Well then, ye rabble vile, with falsehood rife, Prepare yourselves for words of harder grain; Know that my voice hath power upon your life, To give you double fury, double pain! Tell me, thou traitor, husband of the wife Who six months yearly, to her sweetest gain, Remains without thee, cuckold as thou art, Why art thou dumb, when I speak out my heart? This iron point, bedewed with water clear Which never touched the ground in month of May, Will strike this stone, and straightway will appear The strength and potency of my assay.