Death of Augustine of Canterbury
Augustine of Canterbury, the first Archbishop of Canterbury and a key figure in the Christianization of Anglo-Saxon England, lies on his deathbed in Canterbury Cathedral. Monks and converts gather aro
Setting
The interior of Canterbury Cathedral, a modest stone structure with wooden beams, dimly lit by tallow candles and the faint light filtering through small, high windows. The space is simple yet solemn, with a stone altar at the center and rough-hewn wooden pews arranged in rows.
Characters
Augustine of Canterbury
primary
A gaunt, elderly man with deep-set eyes and a prominent Roman nose. His pallid skin clings tightly to his bones, and his thinning white hair is matted with sweat. His hands, folded over his chest, are veined and trembling slightly.
Monk Eadbald
primary
A gaunt but sturdy man in his late fifties with deep-set blue eyes and a tonsured head of silver-streaked brown hair. His face bears the lines of years spent in contemplation and service, with a prominent nose and thin lips that often press together in solemnity. His hands, though calloused from labor, move with precise grace when performing rituals.
Convert Eadgyth
secondary
A woman in her late 30s with a sturdy peasant's build, her sun-browned face lined from years of outdoor toil. Dark blonde hair escapes her headrail in wispy strands, sticking to tear-streaked cheeks. Calloused hands clutch at her simple woolen shawl.
Acolyte Wulfric
secondary
A slender young man in his late teens, with close-cropped brown hair and pale skin untouched by the sun. His hands are delicate from years of copying manuscripts, and his face still bears the softness of youth. His gray eyes are wide with reverence.
Guard Captain
background
A burly Saxon warrior in his late 30s, standing at least six feet tall with broad shoulders and muscular arms. His face is weathered from years of outdoor service, with a thick blond beard and a prominent scar running from his left temple to cheekbone. His pale blue eyes remain alert and focused.
Dialog
Augustine of Canterbury
Per istam sanctam unctionem... indulgeat tibi Dominus... quidquid deliquisti...
Monk Eadbald
Amen, pater. The Shepherd calls His lamb home now. Yet who shall tend the flock when the crook falls from thy hand?
Convert Eadgyth
Nay, nay! The holy father cannot leave us! Who'll teach us the prayers when the black spirits come whispering? Thee were so good, so good to us...
Augustine of Canterbury
Eadgyth... remember Matthew's word... ecce ego vobiscum sum... unto the ending of the world...
Monk Eadbald
Shall I send for King Æthelberht? Even kings must kneel before such passing.
Augustine of Canterbury
Non est opus... Let the ploughman... finish his furrow... in peace...
Convert Eadgyth
I'll fetch the holy water! The wise women say... nay, forgive me Father, but the old ways sometimes...