Hearken, old ruffian, and be warned by Naboth.
He cursed his God and King here in my presence,
Breaking the kingdom’s laws of blasphemy.
I, who uphold this kingdom’s laws, gave order
That he should be arraigned for blasphemy.
Do I conclude that there are still some men
Who do their ruler’s bidding in this kingdom?
Ahab.
He was arraigned, condemned, and stoned?
Prophet.
He was.
Jezebel.
So perish all such breakers of the law.
Prophet.
Easily spoken words for King and Queen;
And easy laws for King and Queen to keep,
Living in purple in the ivory room;
And useful laws for killing enemies.
But there are other laws which do persist
After the enemies are killed. For Naboth
We left his body lying on its face,
And the wild dogs slink in and lick his blood;
And the bald birds that watch in heaven for deaths
Settle, and wait until the dogs have done.
But ... as those dogs and buzzards come to Naboth,
The dogs and kites of vengeance come to you.
I tell you this ...
Since you have sold yourself thus to work evil,
I will bring evil on you, take away
All your posterity, and make your house
Like Jeroboam’s house,
And like the accursed house, Baasha’s house.
Those of your house that die within the city
The dogs shall eat, and those that die afield
The fowls of the air shall eat; and Jezebel ...
Dogs shall eat Jezebel by the city wall.
Now royal rottenness in purple hedged,
I call a great cry from the Spirit of God.
Come all you dogs and vultures,
Come on your noiseless wings out of great Heaven,
Come upon padding footsteps stealthily.
Follow your victims in the hearts of men,
And by the ways of men, and take their blood
As they took his, as they took his, as they
Took his, upon the stones; blood, blood, that shrieks.
(The spirit passes out of him. He swoons.)