The feast shall be spread And the world shall be there, But set at the head Our invisible chair. Ay, the banquet is ours, For our dishes make room! Each baked by the fires Of a smouldering home, Of a smouldering home. We are deep, we are deep Beneath your swift feet That pass and yet pass With unfaltering beat; But life has no sound That can deaden our moans, And no measure of ground Can bury our bones, Can bury our bones. [_Curtain_] THE SIEGE A DRAMA IN FIVE ACTS CHARACTERS OF THE PLAY DIONYSIUS, _the Younger, tyrant of Syracuse_ DION, _a Syracusan noble_ ARISTOCLES, _the Athenian friend of Dion_ OCRASTES, _a young lord, attached to Dion_ HERACLIDES, _admiral of Syracuse_ PHILLISTUS, _an ambitious courtier_ CALLORUS, ÆGISTHUS, _friends of Heraclides_ SPEUSIPPUS, _from Athens, friend of Aristocles_ PANTHUS, _captain of Dion's Grecian guards_ DOMENES, _captain of the tyrant's guards_ TIMOLEON, ASCANDER, _lords of Syracuse_ GYLIPPUS, MENODES, DRACON, _citizens_ BRENTIO, _slave to Dion_ TICHUS, _slave to Aristocles_ ARATEA, _wife of Dion_ NAURESTA, _a noble lady_ THEANO, _daughter of Nauresta_ METHONE, _woman to Nauresta_ _Soldiers_, _citizens_, _messengers_, _dancers_, _&c._ SCENE: _Syracuse, Sicily_ TIME: 356 _B.C._ ACT I SCENE 1. _A pavilion in vineyard near Dion's house. Enter Dion and Aristocles, followed by Brentio and Tichus._ _Dion._ That Dionysius bends the neck of pomp To do you honor, shows an eye yet false To your true merit. _Aris._ But 'tis better, Dion, Than to have found his frowning archers planted Point to our landing ship. _Dion._ He'd not have dared To greet you so, but this vain, strutting show Wrongs you no less. _Aris._ Himself far more. _Dion._ Ay, friend. The mines of earth into one coffer poured Would not enrich a spendthrift or insure Him linen for a shroud. If you can not Prevail with him--If? Nay, you will. All ifs Lie down before your wooing argument. _Aris._ I knew his father when the years had stripped His agued soul, and his untutored age Looked from a crabbed eye upon the world. For him I would not have a second time Foregone Athenian groves, but youth that keeps An open door to Wisdom as to Folly, May even of Virtue make at last a guest.