you realize this, Vasiliy?
Cardinal:-I understand, my ruler!
Emperor:-Vasiliy, do how I say! Not depending on the information Atanarkh gave about those unknown tribes, it is necessary to collect news about them. We need all the information.
Maybe (he thinks for a while) in future we shall be able to direct these tribes against our enemies. In the world everything can be bought and can be sold. Isn’t it right, Vasiliy?
At this time the head of watchmen is seen at the door:-Your Majesty, the king of Goths, Atanarkh, has come. May he come in by your permission and order?
Emperor:– Let him come in. I am tired of waiting for him. See, Vasiliy, the king of Goths has come Konstantinopol willingly.
The head of watchmen goes out
Cardinal:-Your Excellency! If you allow me I wouldn’t take part in this important talk.
Emperor:-What do you say, Vasiliy? Without fail, your participation is very necessary. Because in future the information given by Atanarkh will play special role in guarding the north borders of the empire.
Cardinal:-How you advise, Your Majesty!
Emperor :( smilingly) -I advise you to take part, Vasiliy! I wonder what information Atanarkh is going to tell us about this unknown tribes. It is very interesting for me, Vasiliy! Can you imagine, the king of Goths, who didn’t want to come to Byzantine is in Konstantinopol now.
Behind the curtain the voice of the head of watchmen is heard:– Excellency Atanarkh, the king of Goths!
Atanarkh, the king of Goths, dressed in barbarian form, crown on his head comes in the stage. Emperor Valent stands up, and goes forward his “old friend”. When the emperor stands up cardinal Vasiliy also stands up.
Emperor:( with forced smile on his face) – Hi, my old friend, it is very fine for me to see you in Konstantinopol. Now it is very happy moment for me. We had to meet here some years ago. It is pity it was impossible to carry out this.
Emperor takes some steps and comes nearer to him, gives Atanarkh a chance to embrace him. While embracing the emperor puts his hands on Atanarkh’s shoulder, says ironically: – The king of Goths, I am glad to see you in Konstantinopol.
Atanarkh:-Thank you, emperor! I am grateful to you for such a reception in Konstantinopol. (Pleasure is expressed on the face of Valent. It is felt that Atanarkh’s addressing him as
“emperor” is on his heart’s content.) But the situation changed and we had to meet in such a situation.
Emperor wants him to demonstrate that he is ruler and in order to sit he shows him a place on his right side. He sits down too.
Emperor:-I know, Atanarkh, I know. In the north part of the empire the situation becomes worse day after day. Those unknown tribes have oppressed you too much.
Atanarkh:-Yes, they not only oppressed us, they also obliged our tribes to become disgraceful. Our people can’t take except one bundle. All our animals, cattle, cornfields remained to them.
Even they don’t give a quarter to us to open our eyes. As if they are lightning, lit in a moment, burnt everything, then they disappear.
Emperor:-What does it mean that they disappeared in a moment?
Atanarkh:-It means that they are like a wind. They want to blow when they want, and they can stop blowing at any moment they want.
Emperor:-I think, these unknown tribes have frighten you too much. Is it right, Atanarkh?
Atanarkh:-Why do you say that they are unknown? If your people also would be suffered from their oppression they also would be in much worse situation than the Goths.
Emperor stands up. At this moment Atanarkh and Vasiliy also want to stand up. Emperor Valent hints them with his hand “to sit down”.
Emperor Valent:-What did you say? Why do I call them “unknown”?
Atanarkh:-It is right, Excellency Valent!
Vasiliy:-What do you want to say? You want to say that they aren’t “unknown” tribes? Do you know much about them? (Cardinal Valent and emperor Valent exchange glances.)
Atanarkh:-Of course, they aren’t unknown.
Vasiliy:-But who are they?
Atanarkh:-Twenty years ago they lived in the east of the peninsula of Kerch, but we lived in the west of the peninsula. Even we can be called kinsfolk too.
Vasiliy:-But I know that Iskits have been living there up present time.
Atanarkh:-They consider Iskits to be their forefathers and they speak in their language.
Emperor:-Do you want to say that they are Iskits?
Atanarkh:-No, my ruler! They don’t consider themselves to be Iskits. They consider themselves the followers of them and live with the rules of Iskits.
Vasiliy:-What does it mean?
Atanarkh:-For example, they build bath-houses for themselves. Their homes consist of the tents made of animal skin. I haven’t seen, but they say that within an hour they can pull down their homes and can build the homes in the distance of hundred kilometers.
Emperor:-But what about the bath-house you said before? Do they carry the bath-houses together with them too?
Atanarkh:-Yes, not depending on where they are going they build the bath-houses in that place.
Cardinal:– I wonder, is the bath-house important for them?
Atanarkh:-I don’t know, but my people say what they saw with their own eyes.
Emperor:-It appears that the Iskits want to oppress you and to drive you out of the territory of the empire.
Atanarkh:-I don’t think as you, ruler! According to the information I go they will come to your territory too.
Emperor:-I don’t understand anything. Why do they come to our territory?
Atanarkh:( behaves as if he is worried) -There is gossiping that they want to return to their forefathers’ lands.
Cardinal Vasiliy:( stands up) -Do you want to say that Konstantinopol is their Historical lands and they want to return to their historical lands?
Atanarkh:-According the information I got, they pretend to do thus. I got such information.
Cardinal:-But from where did they come?
Atanarkh:-They