Excerpt
CHARACTERS
EUDEMIUS, a Roman lord living in BritainVARIA, his daughterLIVINIUS, a Roman citizen, a boyhood friend of EudemiusMARIUS, his son, of the Roman legions in Gaul[Guests of Eudemius]MARCUS SILENUS POMPONIUS, Count of the Saxon ShoreAURELIUS MENOTUS, duumvir of AnderidaFELIX, his sonCAIUS JULIUS VALENS, a Roman citizen[Roman girls, daughters of the guests of Eudemius]JULIANIGIDIAPAULAGRATIANERISSA, nurse to VariaHITO, master of the household of EudemiusCHLORIS, of all nations, living upon Thorney[Inmates of her house] SADA, a Saxon EUNICE, a GreekELDRIS, a Briton, a convert to ChristianityWARDO, a Saxon, a slave in the house of EudemiusVALERIUS, a Roman, a soldier of fortuneTOBIAS, a Hebrew, a worker in ivoryRATHUMUS, a British peasant, bound to the soilSUSANNA, a Hebrew woman, his wifeNICANOR, a story-teller, their sonWULF, the Red, a Saxon free-lanceCEAWLIN, a Saxon chieftainFATHER AMBROSE, of the Christian churchNICODEMUS, the One-Eyed, a British freedmanMYLEIA, his wifeMARCUS, a slave in the house of EudemiusBALBUS, a convictJUNCINA, a fish-wife on ThorneySOSIA, her daughter
A flower-girl, a Saxon singer, slaves, trades-folk, soldiers of the military police; guards and overseers of the mines, and miners; Roman nobles and patrician women; Saxon men-at-arms, and men of the outland nations
Scene: Britain in the last days of Roman powerTime: between A.D. 410 and 446LIST OF TOWNS AND RIVERSWITH THEIR MODERN SITES AND NAMES
Abus Flumen Humber River. Ad Fines Broughing, Hertfordshire. Anderida Pevensey. Aquæ Solis Bath. Bibracte Unknown. Caledonia Scotland. Calleva Silchester. Corinium Cirencester. Cunetio Folly Farm, near Marlborough. Deva Chester. Dubræ Dover. Eboracum York. Gobannium Abergavenny. Glevum Gloucester. Isca Silurum Carleon. Leucarum Llychwr, county of Glamorgan. Londinium London. Noviomagus Holwood Hill, parish of Bromley. Pontes Staines Portus Magnus Porchester. Ratæ Leicester. Regnum Chichester. Rutupiæ Richborough Sabrina Flumen Severn River. Serica China. Tamesis Flumen Thames River. Tripontium Near Lilburne. Uriconium Wroxeter. Urus Flumen Ouse River.THE MANTLE OF MELCHIORBOOK I
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NICANOR:TELLER OF TALES
Book ITHE MANTLE OF MELCHIOR
I
Nicanor the story-teller was the son of Rathumus the wood-cutter, who was the son of Razis the worker in bronze, who was the son of Melchior the story-teller. So that Nicanor came honestly by his gift, and would even believe that his great-grandsire had handed it down to him by special act of bequest.
Now Rathumus the wood-cutter, tall and gaunt and fierce-eyed, coming home with his fagots on his shoulder in the gloam of the evening, when the fireflies twinkled low among the marshes, saw Nicanor on the side of the hill against the sky, sitting with hands clasped about his knees, crooning to the stars. Rathumus bowed his head and entered his house, and to Susanna, his wife, he said:
"The gift of our father Melchior hath fallen upon the child....