hurt at all: not a bit. Just one more. Just to show how the brave big lion can bear pain, not like the little crybaby Christian man. Oopsh! (_The thorn comes out. The lion yells with pain, and shakes his paw wildly_). That’s it! (_Holding up the thorn_). Now it’s out. Now lick um’s paw to take away the nasty inflammation. See? (_He licks his own hand. The lion nods intelligently and licks his paw industriously_). Clever little liony-piony! Understands um’s dear old friend Andy Wandy. (_The lion licks his face_). Yes, kissums Andy Wandy. (_The lion, wagging his tail violently, rises on his hind legs and embraces Androcles, who makes a wry face and cries_) Velvet paws! Velvet paws! (_The lion draws in his claws_). That’s right. (_He embraces the lion, who finally takes the end of his tail in one paw, places that tight around Androcles’ waist, resting it on his hip. Androcles takes the other paw in his hand, stretches out his arm, and the two waltz rapturously round and round and finally away through the jungle_). MEGAERA. (_who has revived during the waltz_) Oh, you coward, you haven’t danced with me for years; and now you go off dancing with a great brute beast that you haven’t known for ten minutes and that wants to eat your own wife. Coward! Coward! Coward! (_She rushes off after them into the jungle_). ACT I Evening. The end of three converging roads to Rome. Three triumphal arches span them where they debouch on a square at the gate of the city. Looking north through the arches one can see the campagna threaded by the three long dusty tracks. On the east and west sides of the square are long stone benches. An old beggar sits on the east side of the square, his bowl at his feet. Through the eastern arch a squad of Roman soldiers tramps along escorting a batch of Christian prisoners of both sexes and all ages, among them one Lavinia, a goodlooking resolute young woman, apparently of higher social standing than her fellow-prisoners. A centurion, carrying his vinewood cudgel, trudges alongside the squad, on its right, in command of it. All are tired and dusty; but the soldiers are dogged and indifferent, the Christians light-hearted and determined to treat their hardships as a joke and encourage one another. _A bugle is heard far behind on the road, where the rest of the cohort is following._ CENTURION. (_stopping_) Halt! Orders from the Captain. (_They halt and wait_). Now then, you Christians, none of your larks. The captain’s coming. Mind you behave yourselves. No singing. Look respectful. Look serious, if you’re capable of it. See that big building over there? That’s the Coliseum. That’s where you’ll be thrown to the lions or set to fight the gladiators presently. Think of that; and it’ll help you to behave properly before the captain. (_The Captain arrives_). Attention! Salute! (_The soldiers salute_). A CHRISTIAN. (_cheerfully_) God bless you, Captain. THE CENTURION. (_scandalised_) Silence!