He grabbed the two nearest girls by their hands and helped them to their
feet. They blushed and lowered their eyes.
"Come, all of you!" Forrester shouted. "We are about to begin the
revels!"
The girls rose and Forrester gestured them in closer. Then, surrounded
by all seven, he threw back his head again.
"A revel to make history!" he roared. "A revel beyond the imagination of
man! A revel fit for your God!"
The crowd cheered wildly. Forrester picked up one of the girls, tossed
her into the air and caught her easily as she descended. He set her on
her feet and put his hands solidly on his hips.
"My cup!" he shouted. "Fill you my cup!"
Behind the stage was a corps of Priests guarding a mountainous golden
hogshead of wine, adjudged the finest wine produced during the year.
"We shall have drink!" Forrester shouted. "We shall let the revels roar
on!"
Two priests came forward, staggering under the weight of a gigantic
crystal goblet containing fully two gallons of the clear purple liquid.
They bore it to Forrester with great pomp, and before them came a dozen
players on the gahoon and the contra-gahoon, making Forrester's ears
ring with deafening fanfares.
Forrester took the great goblet in one hand and held it with ease. Then
he lifted it into the air with a wordless shout, filled his lungs and
laughed. He put the goblet to his lips and drained it in a single long
motion. A mighty hurrah shook the trees and rocks of the park.
Forrester waved the goblet. "Again. Fill you my cup once more!" He
embraced the seven girls with one sweeping gesture of his arms. "My
little beauties must have drink! Fill you the cup!"
He passed it back to the Priests carefully. They received it and went
back to where the others were waiting to fill it. Then they staggered
forward again and Forrester picked up the brimming goblet. He held it
for the girls, each of whom tried to outdrink the others. But it was
still more than half-full when they were finished.
Forrester raised it again. The crowd shouted. "Observe your God!"
Forrester roared. "Observe his powers!" He threw his head back and
emptied the goblet. Then, holding it in one hand, he faced the
assemblage and delivered himself of one Godlike belch.
The crowd shrieked its approval. Forrester had the goblet filled once
more and put three of the girls in charge of it. Then he came down the
steps from the platform and began the long march back to the
Temple-on-the-Green.
The shouting, carousing revelers followed him joyfully. Halfway back,
one of them stumbled forward and caught at the trailing edge of his
robe. There was an immediate crackle and burst of static electricity,
and the stumbler fell back yelping and shaking his arms. The Myrmidons
came and took him away.
Dionysus couldn't be touched by anyone except those authorized to do
so--the seven girls and the Priests. But Forrester barely noticed the
accident; he was too happy on top of his world, laughing and hugging the
girls close to him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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