The following is a fragment of a theatre play, washed ashore in one of our provinces. For the sake of preserving the diversity of Hieronica's cultural heritage, the venerable Council decided to publish it (not regretting the considerable costs of scribe and papyrus):
...
A military camp in a coastal province. Playful tide caresses the glittering sand in the background, sun shines brightly on a cloudless sky. Groups of horribly starved troops are scattered across the scene. Some are trying to catch fish in the ocean, some are shooting at birds with little success, some are chewing grass and leather belts, while majority of them is lying on the sand, too tired to move. In front, a group of philosophers are eating from private supplies, obviously untouched and unaffected by overall atmosphere of despair permeating the whole camp.
Kleptipedes (recites, assuming a dramatic pose):
... for life is but a fleeting dream,
no matter how vivid it may seem,
toss doubts aside, and chew your fill,
the Sea of Time stands never still...
Polyarchos: Splendid! The last metaphor was particularly ... juicy (stuffs his mouth full of olives in brine)
A group of horribly malnourished elephants crosses the scene in the background, following a foreign-looking nobleman.
Fuliandros: ... and the problems of the State, as I see them, come all from the obsolete idea of centralised power that must decide on everything - taxes, prices, laws, et cetera. Yet with centralisation inevitably comes inefficiency and corruption, while a self-regulating system based on ... say low-level economic relations of demand and supply, could in fact prove far more robust, adaptable and efficient. I would call it... Free Bazaar, or something like that...
Meniptides: (laughs while chewing a roasted lamb): Fuliandros, you never cease to surprise. I thought you were an idealist, but you are much worse than that. No change in the system will change human nature, which is based on feral greed, deception and lust for pleasures of the flesh. Only those, who...
A scout rides into the camp, shouting: Tien Chi troops are coming! Get ready for battle!
Chaos erupts in the camp, but most troops are too weak to even stand.
Fuliandros: You see, Meniptedes? That's the mentality of the common man, always focusing on irrelevant details, scurrying around like frightened animals, instead of trusting in the self-regulating power of the Free Bazaa..aaaarrghhh! (catches an arrow in the neck and falls over)
Arrow start to whistle through the air, one of them hits Kleptipedes in the chest, but he miraculously manages to maintain his dramatic pose.
Kleptipedes:
... then sunset comes with crimson tide,
and Fate finds fools who try to hide,
Sunrays like arrrggh...ows pierce forest shades
what seemed so real suddenly fades
... (pauses, looks on the arrow in his chest)...
'tis I who bleed?
Oh yes, indeed...
(faints and falls to the ground)
Arrows are becoming more and more dense, hitting disorganised, scattered infantry, the scene ends with Tien-chi cavalry arriving.
(Curtain)
