Libyssa, eastern shore of the sea of marmara, there a deserted military outpost.
In a room with sparse belongings, Enter Hannibal.
Hannibal: In
this yeasty age, harrowed I am of being chased like a hare by the Roman hounds.
I didst flee, wherever a semblance or a vestige of Roman hatred blossomed in a
king’s court. I faced them all, the entire gamut of receptions ranging from
apathy to warmth, ridicule to admiration, yet Rome prevailed! Thus as evening
casts a forlorn pall yonder, and the ships to their docks return, so should men
who have toiled hard to their loving homes. But I, the self-styled vagabond on
a self-imposed exile, have nowhere to return. Hated by the oligarchs, chased by
the Romans, I am but a shadow of my former self. Made frail with age, I possess
not the passion or zeal to take on the Romans. As I see the birds take flight
to their lovely homes, I too feel a longing to leave this world for I feel that
slowly I am becoming a ghost or a shade! But hark! What noise is that?
A distant note of thunder, then gusts of wind followed my mist which engulfs the room.
Enter Ghosts of Hamilcar, Hasdrubal the Fair, Hasdrubal and Mago.
Ghost of
Hamilcar: Nay son, not thee, but ‘tis me who is the apparition hither, along
with thy dead brethren!
Ghost of
Hasdrubal the Fair: ‘Tis been a long time since we’ve met, and grown yea have I
see! Hurry now, the Romans are near.
Ghost of Hasdrubal:
Brother, quick flee this place or join us!
Ghost of Mago:
Now dear brother, now, do it, now!
Hannibal [startled]: Hark! Truly
thou canst not be real, but are just the fragments o’th’tired mind of an old
and wearied homesick traveller, which doth conjure images from his past to draw
comfort. Yet methinks ye are come to find me to tell me of an impending danger!
Speak!
Ghost of
Hamilcar: Son, I am hither to warn thee of a Roman assault hither, as betrayed
thou art. Soon make thy choice and drink to it!
Others: Come
Brother, flee or use the Ring! Use the Ring! Use the Ring!
Ghost of
Hamilcar: Time is short for we can no longer stay hither, soon surrounded thou
shallst be! Choose now!
[Exeunt the Ghosts
Hannibal: What
devilry was this? Did I hallucinate or were such visions palpable enough to
warn me of danger? I hear noises without, truly the Romans are near, I see it
[looking outside the window and spotting approaching figures] Well then ‘tis
time to follow the advice and swallow the gall I had with me for some time now,
yet, it had escaped my mind!
He opens his ring, which looks like a shining piece of stone to the untrained eye, and is but a container of vile, and pours the liquid into a chalice of water.
With this
poison I shall end my struggle for it shallst relieve the Romans of the anxiety they have so long
experienced, since they think it tries their patience too much to wait for an
old man's
death! Soon brothers and dearest father, thou shallst be joined by me! Romans
failed thou have, Ha! ‘Tis hither that my tale shallst come to its end!
Drinks the poison and writhes in pain for a while, and then dies.
Alarum. Enter Roman troops.
1st Soldier: Thither he is, hie, for we must take him ere he
may die!
2nd Soldier [approaches]: ‘Tis too late, for he is
slain; from the poison from this ring, I doth gather! Go pronounce this news to
the Captain!
[Exeunt a few soldiers
1st Soldiers: Rest of you, help me carry him out!
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