ࡱ> 5@ sbjbj22 XX@2:::::::N 8  N     3K Wgiiiiii$R:_/3__::  _": : g_g$::3  ' f ""S0""D3NN:::::3 _______NN2 dNN2  THE LABYRINTH by David Calcutt CAST Cretan Chorus 1-6 Athenian Chorus 1-6 Minos, King of Crete Ariadne, Minos elder daughter Phaedre, Minos younger daughter Androgeus, Minos son Nurse, woman who looks after Minos children Midwife, old woman who works for Minos Cretan Sea-Captain Asterius, The Minotaur Aegeus, king of Athens Aethra, Theseus Mother Theseus, son of Aegeus Daedalus, craftsman and inventor from Athens Talos, the ghost of Daedalus nephew The Pythoness, a priestess at Delphi Perphetes, thug on the road to Athens Sinis, thug on the road to Athens Cercyon, thug on the road to Athens Sciron, thug on the road to Athens Procrustes, thug on the road to Athens Sow, wild beast on the road to Athens PART ONE 1 THE CITY OF KNOSSOS, ON CRETE THE CRETAN CHORUS ENTER. THEY SPEAK TO THE AUDIENCE CRETAN 1: Once there was a king. CRETAN 2: Minos, king of Crete. CRETAN 3: This lovely land set in the wine-dark sea. CRETAN 4: In the city of Knossos lay his palace and throne. CRETAN 5: From there he ruled the wide waters. CRETAN 6: Supreme king, lord of the mountains and plains. MINOS ENTERS. HE STANDS IN FRONT O F THE CHORUS, AND HE TOO SPEAKS TO THE AUDIENCE. HIS MANNER ARROGANT AND EMOTIONALLY COLD MINOS: Zeus is my father. The blood of god runs in my veins, and in the veins of my children. I command great armies, a vast fleet of ships. I rule ninety cities. Theres no need for high walls around my city. The sea is my fortress. I have nothing to fear. I am Minos the king, and my is word law. HE REMAINS STANDING CENTRAL AS THE CHORUS CONTINUE CRETAN 1: But on a night of wind and storm CRETAN 2: When lightning cracked over the mountains CRETAN 3: When thunder boomed its drum of doom CRETAN 4: And when waves went crashing over the clifftops CRETAN 5: On a night of omens and dark portents CRETAN 6: Fear went rumbling through the heart of the city. MINOS CALLS OUT, MORE ANNOYED THAN AFRAID MINOS: What is it? Why this terrible storm? For what reason does this tempest strike my city? Can anyone tell me? Does anyone know? CRETAN 1: We knew why. CRETAN 2: Us, the people of Crete. CRETAN 3: We knew the reason, and we told him. THE CHORUS NOW SPEAK TO MINOS CRETAN 4: Its because of the bull that came from the sea. CRETAN 5: A white bull, a year ago, walking out of the waves. CRETAN 6: A gift from Poseidon, the god of the sea. MINOS SPEAKS TO THE CHORUS MINOS: I remember it. I remember the day I first saw it. Pure white. Gleaming in the sunlight so bright it hurt my eyes. Horns shining like gold. Salt-water still streaming off its back. Id never seen anything like it. CRETAN 1: But the only reason the god gave this gift CRETAN 2: Was for you to make sacrifice to him. CRETAN 3: He wanted its throat cut, its flesh burned. CRETAN 4: The smoke from that burning flesh rising to heaven. CRETAN 5: Because, although youre a king, hes a god. CRETAN 6: And gods always take first place above kings. MINOS: But I couldnt do it! I couldnt kill such a beautiful creature. Much better to let it roam free among my own herds. I sacrificed another. That was my wish. And Poseidon may be the god of the sea, but I am the son of Zeus, chief of all the gods, and king of heaven. CRETAN 1: And thats why Poseidon is angry. CRETAN 2: Thats why hes sent this storm. CRETAN 3: Because you denied him his gift, and because of your pride. CRETAN 4: And so hes decided to punish you. THE CHORUS SPEAK TO THE AUDIENCE AGAIN CRETAN 5: Thats what we told him, the people of Crete. CRETAN 6: But he didnt listen. MINOS: So hes angry with me! Whats he going to do? Smash the foundations of my city with his storm? Impossible! Sink the whole island of Crete beneath the waves? Ridiculous! Let him rave and spout and rumble and roar. I dont fear him! What can Poseidon do to harm me? MINOS GOES. THE CHORUS SPEAK TO THE AUDIENCE CRETAN 1: Something far worse. CRETAN 2: Thats what Poseidon had planned. CRETAN 3: Far worse than thunder and lightning CRETAN 4: Than high winds and high waves CRETAN 5: Something that would strike deep into Minos heart CRETAN 6: Deep into the heart of the whole kingdom. CRETAN 1: Because that very night CRETAN 2: The night of the storm CRETAN 3: In a room in the palace, a child was being born. CRETAN 4: Minos child, to his wife, Pasiphae. CRETAN 5: And Poseidon intended to put his mark on that child. CRETAN 6: A mark that no one would ever forget. THE MIDWIFE ENTERS, DISTRESSED MIDWIFE: Wheres the king? THE CHORUS SPEAK THE AUDIENCE CRETAN 1: Pasiphaes midwife, she came running from the palace. MIDWIFE: Has anyone seen him? CRETAN 2: She found us here, spoke to us. MIDWIFE: I must find the king - CRETAN 3: With a look on her face, not of joy, but terror. MIDWIFE: Do you know where he is? CRETAN 4: And a note in her voice that made us fearful. MIDWIFE: If you know, tell me. CRETAN 5: As if some horrible disaster had happened. MIDWIFE: I have news CRETAN 6: And she was the one who must carry the message. THE MIDWIFE SPEAKS TO HERSELF, FEARFULLY MIDWIFE: But will he want to hear it? The news I have. And when he does hear it what will my life be worth? Nothing! Not that! Best to keep silent. Not say a word. I could go back. Take the creature wrap it in a shawl up to the mountainside. Its been done before. And for less. A mercy, it would be. Yes. A mercy for us all - SHE TURNS, STARTS TO GO, STOPS, TURNS BACK. No no, I cant cant go back there, not even for that seeing it again and her Ill run away, then! Yes! Leave here, never come back but where would I go? What would I do? Been here all my life theres nowhere else its no good Ill have to stay pluck up the courage go and tell him SHE STARTS TO MOVE OFF IN ANOTHER DIRECTION. THE CHORUS SPEAK TO HER CRETAN 1: Tell him what? THE MIDWIFE STARTS, AS IF SHE HADNT KNOWN THE CHORUS WAS THERE CRETAN 2: King Minos youre after, is it? MIDWIFE: The king yes CRETAN 3: You have some news for him MIDWIFE: News? How did you know? CRETAN 4: You asked us where the king was CRETAN 5: You said MIDWIFE: What? What did I say? CRETAN 6: Nothing nothing we can understand anyway MIDWIFE: (relieved) Good SHE MAKES TO GO ONCE MORE, BUT THE CHORUS STOP HER AGAIN CRETAN 1: Something about a child, is it? THE MIDWIFE STARTS AGAIN MIDWIFE: A child - ? CRETAN 2: Isnt that what you were talking about? CRETAN 3: And what other news would you have for the king? CRETAN 4: Pasiphaes given birth to a child MIDWIFE: Has she, now? And how would you know? CRETAN 5: We heard a cry CRETAN 6: A childs cry MIDWIFE: (to herself) A cry yes but a child? Can you call it a child -? theres no name no name for a creature like that CRETAN 1: What is it, old woman? CRETAN 2; Whats the matter? CRETAN 3: Whats wrong? MIDWIFE: Did I say something was wrong? CRETAN 4: The way youre speaking CRETAN 5: The words you say CRETAN 6: They fill us with fear MIDWIFE: Fear, yes fear has come its here, now, on Crete CRETAN 1: Theres something wrong. CRETAN 2: Tell us is it Pasiphae? CRETAN 3: Is the queen dead? MIDWIFE: No shes not dead though I think perhaps she wishes she was poor woman - when she saw it - she pushed it from her, wouldnt have it near her, then took it in her arms again and cried aloud, weeping CRETAN 4: It must be the child, then - CRETAN 5: If its not the queen - CRETAN 6: The child must have been born dead - MIDWIFE: No its not dead it lives he lives but when Minos sees it hell wish it didnt wish it had never been born - the best thing they can do is to take it out to the mountain let the wolves have the beast and put it out of its misery CRETAN 1: Beast, did you say? THE MIDWIFE REALISES SHE HAS SAID TOO MUCH MIDWIFE: What? CRETAN 2: You said beast. MIDWIFE: Did I? CRETAN 3: What did you mean beast? MIDWIFE: Nothing CRETAN 4: This child a beast? CRETAN 5: What kind of beast? CRETAN 6: What is this beast? THE MIDWIFE CRIES OUT IN FEAR MIDWIFE: I cant say Ive said too much youll find out youll soon know and then youll wish you didnt - ! SHE RUSHES OFFSTAGE CHORUS SPEAK TO THE AUDIENCE CRETAN 1: That was how the news first came to us. CRETAN 2: On that night of storms and portents. CRETAN 3: When the wind shrieked through the streets of the city - CRETAN 4: And thunder roared above the mountain CRETAN 5: The voice of god announcing his presence CRETAN 6: The crack of the lightning proclaiming his truth CRETAN 1: And the truth was this. CRETAN 2: That the child born to Pasiphae that night CRETAN 3: Minos son, marked by Poseidon CRETAN 4: Was nothing more or less than a monster CRETAN 5: Human body and animal head CRETAN 6: A child with horns, the head of a bull DURING THE FOLLOWING, THE CHORUS GRADUALLY HUDDLE TOGETHER IN ONE CORNER OF THE STAGE, AS IF IN FEAR CRETAN1: This was the horror CRETAN 2: This was the terror CRETAN 3: This was the nightmare born into Crete CRETAN 4: The nightmare from which we could not awaken CRETAN 5: That fell like a shadow upon our lives CRETAN 6: Across the whole country, a horned shadow. 2 THE CITY OF TROEZEN, ON MAINLAND GREECE THE CRETAN CHORUS ARE SEATED, HUDDLED, ON ONE SIDE OF THE STAGE. THEY REMAIN THERE AS THE ATHENIAN CHORUS ENTER, FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDE, AND TAKE UP A POSITION ACROSS THE WHOLE STAGE. THEY SPEAK TO THE AUDIENCE ATHENIAN 1: Once there was a king. ATHENIAN 2: Aegeus, king of Athens. ATHENIAN 3: That shining city built on a high rock. ATHENIAN 4: Above the plain where the olive trees grow. ATHENIAN 5: City of the grey-eyed goddess, Athena. ATHENIAN 6: Beset by trouble, a city under siege. AEGEUS ENTERS AND SPEAKS TO THE AUDIENCE AEGEUS: I fought hard to secure this throne. But now Im surrounded by many enemies. My brothers sons plot against me, wait for their chance to rise and cast me down. If I had a son Id feel more secure. But no wife that Ive married has borne any children. It seems Im cursed to be childless. Why have the gods forsaken me? ATHENIAN 1: So one night, as the city slept ATHENIAN 2: In secrecy, under cover of darkness ATHENIAN 3: Aegeus, king of Athens, left Athens ATHENIAN 4: Slipped out of its gates like an outlaw or beggar ATHENIAN 5: Robed and hooded he took to the road ATHENIAN 6: Seeking an answer among the far, craggy peaks. AEGEUS: Of Mount Parnassus. Delphi, the place of the oracle. There Apollo, god of prophecy, speaks. There, he who sees all that will be and all that is to come, will surely speak to me, and tell me how I may get a son. DURING THE FOLLOWING, THE CHORUS CLOSE IN AROUND AEGEUS, CREATING A HALF-CIRCLE TO REPRESENT THE CAVE AT DELPHI. THE ATMOSPHERE BECOMES ONE OF AWE AND MYSTERY ATHENIAN 1: He entered the cave - ATHENIAN 2: The cave that lay at the foot of the mountain - ATHENIAN 3: That led deep into the earths dark - ATHENIAN 4: Lit by the light of a flickering flame ATHENIAN 5: Thick with smoke and the smell of burning leaves ATHENIAN 6: Where the Pythoness waited, the voice of Apollo. THE PYTHONESS ENTERS AN IMPOSING FIGURE, DRESSED IN A BLACK ROBE HUNG WITH FEATHERS AND ANIMAL BONES, HER FACE MASKED. SHE SPEAKS TO AEGEUS. PYTHONESS: Who comes here? Who seeks his future? Here, in this place of doom and foretelling, Who would hear the voice of the god? AEGEUS: I would. I am Aegeus, king of Athens. I seek my future, and the future of my city. I wish to know how I may have a son, an heir to rule when I am gone. ATHENIAN 1: Then the Pythoness stiffened. ATHENIAN 2: Her back arched, her eyes closed. ATHENIAN 3: The flame flared up - ATHENIAN 4: Smoke filled the cave - ATHENIAN 5: As her whole body filled with the gods spirit - ATHENIAN 6: And Apollos words spoke through her mouth. PYTHONESS: Before you return to Athens, Aegeus, First travel south to the city of Troezen Where your old friend, Pittheus, is king. Who has a daughter, lovely Aethra - Shell be your bride, shell bear you a son A son to be proud of, wholl take your crown, Rise where you fall, a son to be feared. AS THE CHORUS SPEAK, THE PYTHONESS LEAVES ATHENIAN 1: Then she was silent. ATHENIAN 2: The god had spoken, and now he left her, ATHENIAN 3: The flame died, the cave grew dark. ATHENIAN 4: Aegeus returned to the light. ATHENIAN 5: He saw the sun shining above the mountain. ATHENIAN 6: And his heart leapt, and he rejoiced. AEGEUS: At last! I thank the god for this. Ill go to Troezen straight away. Theres no time to be lost. Well marry in secret, of course. And the child will have to be raised in secret too. If my enemies find out about him, theyll try to kill him. But then, when hes grown, hell come to Athens, make himself known, and Ill proclaim him my heir. And, as Apollo said, Ill have a son to be proud of indeed! AEGEUS GOES. THE CHORUS RETURN TO THEIR ORIGINAL PLACES AS THEY SPEAK ATHENIAN 1: A son to be proud of, yes. But also a son to beware. ATHENIAN 2: It seems he forgot that bit of the prophecy. ATHENIAN 3: The ominous part, the sting in the tail. ATHENIAN 4: For the gods dont give anything away for nothing. ATHENIAN 5: Theres always a price, always a catch. ATHENIAN 6: And the price for Aegeus was to be his death. AETHRA ENTERS AND SPEAKS TO THE AUDIENCE AETHRA: The first time I saw him I hated him. The grand king of Athens, honoring us and all Troezen with his presence. Greeting my father as an old friend but I could see the contempt in his eyes for my father, for our small town, and for me. Contempt even as he asked that I should marry him not asked, demanded! A royal command that must be obeyed. But I was no bride simply a womb to bear his son. And my father owed Aegeus a favour and I was the price the great king demanded. And later, that night, as I lay beside my husband, I would have killed him. Sunk a knife between his sleeping ribs. It would have been no matter. But thenthen I seemed to dreama dream so like waking, so like being more than awake, a dream so sharp and clear, that even now it seems the only real thing in the world. ATHENIAN 1: And this is Aethras dream - ATHENIAN 2: The dream she told to us, the people of Athens ATHENIAN 3: Many years later, long after it had happened ATHENIAN 4: When she was an old woman living in Athens ATHENIAN 5: And all her future had already taken place ATHENIAN 6: And all that remained was this story. AETHRA: I woke to dark night. For a long time I lay, listening to the sea. Then I rose, and left the house, I walked out of the town, away from the town, until I came to the shore and the lands edge. ATHENIAN 1: A little way off there was an island. ATHENIAN 2: The holy island of Sphaeria. ATHENIAN 3: Where there was a shrine to the goddess Athena. ATHENIAN 4: And the island was shining in the moonlight. ATHENIAN 5: And the whispering of the sea was like a voice calling to her. ATHENIAN 6: And she stepped from the shore and walked towards the island. AETHRA: I could feel the waves lapping over my feet, rising over my legs, covering my arms and my chest. It was cold and dark and glittering with the starlight, and I closed my eyes to feel its coldness. It was as if the sea had entered my body, as if I was filled with the whole, rolling ocean, the deep sea swell sweeping within me. As if I had become the sea myself. ATHENIAN 1: Then she waded ashore. ATHENIAN 2: Salt-water streamed from her skin and hair. ATHENIAN 3: She stood on the island, shivering in the night. ATHENIAN 4: A small flame flickered in the shrine nearby. ATHENIAN 5: The flame ever-burning in honour of the goddess. ATHENIAN 6: And she drew near to the flame, to feel its warmth. AETHRA: And as I did, the flame began to grow. Flickering red and orange and gold, it rose higher, burned brighter, so bright it seemed to be burning the darkness away. And I could see something in the heart of the flame, like a tiny, glowing jewel. And this jewel shone even brighter than the flame. And as I watched, the jewel became a figure, the figure of a woman, and the woman stepped out of the flame and stood before me. ATHENIAN 1: It was Athena. ATHENIAN 2: Athena the goddess, daughter of Zeus. ATHENIAN 3: She stood before her, flame-lit, shimmering. ATHENIAN 4: And she spoke to Aethra, and this is what she said: ATHENA ENTERS AND SPEAKS TO AETHRA ATHENA: You will have a son. Already he grows inside you. And this son will become a great hero, he will be favoured by the gods, perform wondrous deeds. But remember this. Although you are his mother, Aegeus is not his father. The sea is his father, and he is the seas child. He will carry the power the ocean within him, and the strength of the waves and the seas might. And one day your son will bring death to Aegeus, and on that day you shall have your revenge. ATHENA GOES ATHENIAN 5: And, having spoken, the goddess returned to the flame. ATHENIAN 6: And the flame died, and Aethra stood alone on the island. AETHRA: I left the island and went back across the sea. I returned to my bed, where Aegeus lay. I slept, and when I woke in the morning I remembered my dream of the night before. And wondered then if it had been a dream, and I wonder still. Because it was the most real thing thats ever happened to me. {SHE SMILES) And everything that I was told came true. AEGEUS ENTERS TO AETHRA. WHEN THEY SPEAK, AETHRAS WORDS ARE SHORT AND CLIPPED, HIDING ALL EMOTION AEGEUS: Aethra. Its time for me to return to Athens. ATHENIAN 1: So said Aegeus, a little while later. AETHRA: But I shant be coming with you. AEGEUS: It wont be safe, neither for you nor our child. I have enemies there wholl try to kill you both. ATHENIAN 2: They stood on the road just outside of Troezen, the long road that led to Athens. AETHRA: So, I shall remain here. With our son. AEGEUS: Yes. Bring him up But in secret. No one must know Im your husband, or the boys father. AETHRA: No one shall know. I promise you that. ATHENIAN 3: And by the side of the road was a rock, a large, red rock, the height of a man. ATHENIAN 4: And Aegeus drew his sword ATHENIAN 5: And lifted the rock ATHENIAN 6: And placed his sword beneath it. AEGEUS: When my when our sons grown, bring him here. Tell him to lift the rock and take the sword beneath it. Then he must come with the sword to Athens. Ill know him, then, and claim him as my own. AEGEUS TURNS AND GOES AS THE CHORUS SPEAK, THEY MOVE BACK TO FORM A SMALL GROUP AT THE SIDE OF THE STAGE ATHENIAN 1: And those were the last words they spoke to each other. ATHENIAN 2: Aegeus took ship, returned to Athens, and she never saw him alive again. ATHENIAN 3: She never even watched him go. She remained by the rock, and thought of her son. ATHENIAN 4: The son that was growing inside her. ATHENIAN 5: Her child, the seas child, strong as the oceans swelling. ATHENIAN 6: And there at the roadside she gave him his name. AETHRA: Theseus. I name him Theseus, king of Athens. AETHRA GOES 3 THE PALACE OF KING MINOS, IN KNOSSOS THE CRETAN CHORUS NOW SPEAK CRETAN 1: And from Athens to Crete came Daedalus the craftsman. CRETAN 2: The master-builder, maker of miracles. CRETAN 3: To this land of fear and secrets he came. CRETAN 4: With his tools and his plans and his bag of tricks. CRETAN 5: And his mind as crooked as an underground maze. CRETAN 6: To Knossos he came, the court of King Minos. MINOS ENTERS FROM ONE SIDE OF THE STAGE, ACCOMPANIED BY HIS DAUGHTERS PHAEDRE AND ARIADNE, AND HIS SON, ANDROGEUS. THEIR NURSE IS ALSO WITH THEM. THE CRETAN CHORUS TAKE ON THE ROLE OF COURTIERS AT THE PALACE, BOWING TO MINOS AND HIS FAMILY AS THEY ENTER, AND LISTENING WITH INTEREST TO WHAT FOLLOWS FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STAGE, DAEDALUS ENTERS, CARRYING A BAG OR SACK. HE IS SMOOTH AND CONFIDENT, NOT AT ALL IN AWE OF MINOS. MINOS, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS RATHER RESERVED, AND SHOWS SOME SUSPICION OF DAEDALUS. DAEDALUS SPEAKS IMMEDIATELY TO MINOS UPON ENTERING DAEDALUS: Im here to offer my services to your royal majesty and to your charming children. MINOS: Were highly honoured. Everyones heard of you, of course. Your fame comes here ahead of you. DAEDALUS: Thats very kind. And, by way of making myself even more welcome, I have some gifts here for your son and daughters. PHAEDRE: Gifts! For us? ARIADNE: What are they? ANDROGEUS: Lets see them. DAEDALUS: (to Minos) May I? MINOS: (unsmiling, still suspicious) Of course. DURING THE FOLLOWING, DAEDALUS TAKES THE GIFTS OUT OF HIS SACK AND GIVES THEM TO THE CHILDREN. HE SPEAKS TO PHAEDRE DAEDALUS: You first. Whats your name? NURSE: This is Phaedre. The kings youngest daughter. DAEDALUS: Phaedre. Thats a pretty name. This is your gift. HE TAKES OUT A MIRROR AND HANDS IT TO PHAEDRE THE CHORUS, IN THEIR ROLE AS COURTIERS, SPEAK AMONG THEMSELVES CRETAN 1: He gives her a mirror. CRETAN 2: But no ordinary mirror. CRETAN 3: One that does not mist or blur or distort. CRETAN 4: A mirror whose surface is so highly polished CRETAN 5: As to make an almost perfect reflection CRETAN 6: To show the face without stain or blemish DAEDALUS: The only face you wish to see. PHAEDRE GAZES AT HERSELF, ENTRANCED. PHAEDRE: Im beautiful! DAEDALUS TURNS TO ANDROGEUS DAEDALUS: Now, young man. What do they call you? NURSE: This is Androgeus - ANDROGEUS: Prince Androgeus! DAEDALUS: Androgeus. A good, strong name. This gift is for you, Androgeus. HE TAKES OUT A GLOVE PUPPET AND GIVES IT TO ANDROGEUS. ANDROGEUS STARES AT IT BLANKLY AND DAEDALUS SHOWS HIM HOW TO WORK IT AS THE CHORUS SPEAK CRETAN 1: He gives him a doll. CRETAN 2: No ordinary doll. CRETAN 3: A doll that moves - CRETAN 4: A doll that leaps and runs and dances - CRETAN 5: Drawing its movement from the movement of your hand - CRETAN 6: Its life from your life DAEDALUS: A doll that lives, or dies, at your command. ANDROGEUS PUTS THE PUPPET ON HIS HAND ANDROGEUS: Look! I can make it move! I can make it do anything I want! Im like a god! DAEDALUS TURNS TO ARIADNE. DAEDALUS: And now the other princess NURSE: This is ARIADNE: (interrupting the Nurse) Im Ariadne. DAEDALUS: Ariadne. A proud name. This, Ariadne, is for you. HE TAKES A WINGED FIGURE OUT OF HIS BAG AS THE CHORUS SPEAK CRETAN 1: He gives her a carved figure. CRETAN 2: No ordinary carved figure. CRETAN 3: A winged boy that looks almost real. CRETAN 4: Head lifted, wings raised in the uprush of flight CRETAN 5: Each barb of each feather sleek and shining - CRETAN 6: As if already piercing the skys upper limit. DAEDALUS: Unfortunately he doesnt fly. I havent quite perfected that yet. But I am working on it, and one day ARIADNE: It doesnt matter. I think hes wonderful. MINOS: These are fine gifts, Daedalus. We thank you for them. ARIADNE: Are you going to let him stay, father? MINOS: Perhaps ARIADNE: Please, you must! MINOS: Ill decide whether he stays or not. Off you go, now, all of you. Go and play with your new toys (He speaks to the Nurse) Nurse. Take charge of them. NURSE: (bowing to Minos) Yes, your majesty. (To the children) Come on, now. You heard your father. But before you go, thank the gentleman for your gifts PHAEDRE AND ANDROGEUS IGNORE HER AND GO. BUT ARIADNE GOES TO DAEDALUS ARIADNE: Thankyou. Thankyou very much. DAEDALUS: Youre most welcome. ARIADNE GOES WITH THE NURSE MINOS: It seems that Athens loss may be our gain. But I wonder why it is youve decided to deprive that city of your services. DAEDALUS: The Athenians are savages! They have no appreciation of fine workmanship. A superior craftsman like myself needs to work in a situation altogether more cultured and refined. MINOS: Such as Crete. DAEDALUS: Such as Crete. Here, I know, my work will be truly appreciated. MINOS: And is this the only reason for your coming here? DAEDALUS: What other might there be? MINOS: We have heardrumours. DAEDALUS: (innocently) Rumours? THE CHORUS, STILL AS COURTIERS, SPEAK AMONG THEMSELVES CRETAN 1: Rumours. Weve heard them. CRETAN 2: Scandal travels fast. CRETAN 3: How hed had to leave Athens in a hurry. CRETAN 4: Fled from there under some kind of shadow. CRETAN 5: Crossed the sea an outlaw, a fugitive. CRETAN 6: Has come to Crete as a criminal, in fact. DAEDALUS LOOKS ROUND AT THE COURTIERS, BUT IS NOT DISCONCERTED. HE SHRUGS DAEDALUS: Its true. I wont deny it. I was accused there. But being accused doesnt make you guilty. And of the charges the Athenians brought against me, I am completely innocent. MINOS: And what were these charges? What is the crime youre innocent of? DAEDALUS: I have a feeling you already know. MINOS: Perhaps I do. But Id like to hear it from your own lips. DAEDALUS: Very well. Ive nothing to hide. Seeing as the charges are without foundation. MINOS: And these foundationless charges were? AGAIN THE COURTIERS SPEAK AMONG THEMSELVES CRETAN 1: Murder. CRETAN 2: Thats what wed heard. CRETAN 3: That was the story that was going round. CRETAN 4: Hed killed someone, back there in Athens. CRETAN 5: And had had to flee in fear of his life. CRETAN 6: And he was nothing more or less than a common murderer. DAEDALUS: (indignant) Im not common! (suddenly remembering himself) And I take exception to the word murderer. MINOS: But did you kill someone? DAEDALUS: If you mean by that, did I bring about someones death, then I wont lie to you. Yes, I did. But it was entirely by accident. And you will admit theres the world of difference between accidental death and murder. MINOS: And who was this person whose death you brought about accidentally? DAEDALUS: Someone I loved most dearly. Thats what makes the charge of murder so ridiculous. Why should I murder someone I loved? Why should I kill a member of my own family? CRETAN 1: His nephew, thats who it was. CRETAN 2: A young man called Talos. CRETAN 3: Daedalus sisters son. CRETAN 4: And Talos, like Daedalus, was also a craftsman. DAEDALUS: He was indeed. I taught him myself. CRETAN 5: And, some said, superior to his uncle. DAEDALUS: He thought he was superior. There is a difference. CRETAN 6: And that was the reason that Daedalus killed him. DAEDALUS: But its not true! I didnt kill him. I told you, it was an accident. If anything killed Talos it was his own arrogance. That was his problem all along. Nobody could teach him anything. The things he made, they were too intricate, too complex. They never worked properly. They kept breaking down and falling apart. One step at a time, I used to say to him. You have to walk before you can run. But even running was too slow for Talos. He wanted to fly. MINOS: To fly? DAEDALUS: Thats right. He made a pair of wings and said he was going to fly. I told him they wouldnt work. But would he listen? He insisted on trying them out. Early one morning he climbed a rock that stands above the city. I saw him and went up after him. I thought I might he able to stop him, but it was too late. He was standing at the rocks edge with the wings on his arms. I called out, tried to, tried to pull him back. But he leapt off the rock before I could get to him. I looked over the edge. I saw him falling, tumbling, trying to flap those useless wings. They just fell to pieces. The rocks high. I think he was dead before he reached the bottom. CRETAN 1: Thats what Daedalus told the people of Athens. CRETAN 2: When he stood before them, accused of murder. CRETAN 3: And they listened in silence. CRETAN 4: They heard him out. CRETAN 5: And when hed finished his story CRETAN 6: This is what the Athenians said: THE ATHENIAN CHORUS RISE AS A BODY AND SPEAK TO DAEDALUS ATHENIAN 1: With all respect, Daedalus, we think youre a liar. ATHENIAN 2: A liar, and a murderer. ATHENIAN 3: Your nephews death was no accident. ATHENIAN 4: You pushed him from the rock. ATHENIAN 5: You threw him down. ATHENIAN 6: We find you guilty of the murder of Talos. THE ATHENIAN CHORUS SIT. THE CRETAN CHORUS SPEAK TO DAEDALUS. CRETAN 1: On what evidence did they find you guilty? DAEDALUS: (Coldly) An eyewitness report. CRETAN 2: An eyewitness? What? Somebody saw you? DAEDALUS: So they said. But it was a trick a trick, you see - CRETAN 3: Who was the witness? DAEDALUS: (Sarcastically) They called up the ghost of Talos to speak. AMAZEMENT AMONG CRETAN COURTIERS. CRETAN 4: The ghost of Talos spoke at your trial? DAEDALUS: A trick by jealous enemies. CRETAN 5: What did he say? DAEDALUS: Only a gullible fool would have fallen for it! CRETAN 6: What did he say? DAEDALUS: You cant expect me to repeat such rubbish. MINOS: (Bellowing) What did he say? IN THE SILENCE WHICH FALLS ON MINOSS WORDS, TALOS STEPS SUDDENLY INTO CENTRE STAGE. TALOS: I am Talos, the spirit of Talos, his wraith called up from Deaths Dark Halls. Hear the voice of the dead who cannot lie. (Pointing at Daedalus) That man murdered me. Daedalus killed me. COURTIERS REACT IN HORROR. My uncle pretended to be thrilled with my invention. He encouraged me, was eager for me to try it out. We climbed the rock in the morning together. He spoke of the wonder it would be, to see a boy flying above the city. I fastened the wings to my arms. He secured the straps, then said all was ready. I leapt from the height. And then realised how he had betrayed me. Instead of tightening the straps hed loosened them. The wings fell from my arms, and I dropped to my death. Killed by him. I come now seeking vengeance. I come to accuse. Him! My uncle. Daedalus. The murderer. TALOS TURNS AND LEAVES. THE COURTIERS STARE AT HIM, HORRIFIED. MINOS WATCHES CALMLY, ARMS FOLDED. MINOS: And now you offer your services to us? DAEDALUS SAYS NOTHING. MINOS CONTINUES TO WATCH HIM COLDLY. AT LAST HE SPEAKS. MINOS: Do you think it matters to me if you killed your nephew or not? Or if the Athenians found you guilty? A crime in Athens is no crime here. And I have no love for the Athenians. As I said, their loss is our gain. You can stay. DAEDALUS: Thankyou MINOS: Im sure Ill have need to call upon your remarkable skill and craftsmanship. And not just for the making of childrens toys. DAEDALUS: Anything, your majesty. Any service you require thats within my power. Anything I can make or design or build you only have to ask. MINOS: I know, Daedalus. And I shall. MINOS GOES THE CRETANS STEP OUT OF THEIR ROLES AS COURTIERS, AND SPEAK TO THE AUDIENCE AS CHORUS AGAIN. CRETAN 1: And that was how Daedalus came to Crete - CRETAN 2: Country of fear and shadows and secrets - CRETAN 3: How he found himself here, a stranger in our land CRETAN 4: With the tools of his trade and his bag of tricks - CRETAN 5: Running from one nightmare into another - CRETAN 6: A nightmare that spoke with the voice of a bull. OFFSTAGE, WE HEAR A LOW, DEEP SOUND, LIKE THE DISTANT BELLOWING OF A BULL. DAEDALUS STIFFENS WHEN HE HEARS IT, THEN PICKS UP HIS BAG, AND GOES. END OF PART ONE PART TWO 1 THE CITY OF ATHENS, ON MAINLAND GREECE THE ATHENIAN CHORUS SPEAK TO EACH OTHER ATHENIAN 1: Have you heard the news? ATHENIAN 2: Its all over the city. ATHENIAN 3: Everyones talking about it. ATHENIAN 4: Everyones talking about him. ATHENIAN 5: A hero, fit to rival Heracles. ATHENIAN 6: A hero, here in our own city of Athens. ATHENIAN 1: But who is this hero? ATHENIAN 2: Whats his name? Where does he come from? ATHENIAN 3: Where does he come from? ATHENIAN 4: What great feats has he performed? ATHENIAN 5: No need to ask, well soon find out. ATHENIAN 6: I can see him. Hes coming this way. DURING THE ABOVE, THESEUS HAS ENTERED. HE CARRIES A SWORD, AND SPEAKS TO THE CHORUS THESEUS: My names Theseus, and I come from Troezen. CHORUS SPEAK TO THE AUDIENCE ATHENIAN 1: And that was the first time that we saw him - ATHENIAN 2: The man who was destined to become our king - ATHENIAN 3: Hardly more than a lad, then, standing before us - ATHENIAN 4: With the dust from his journey still on his feet - ATHENIAN 5: But a pride in his features, and a light in his eye - ATHENIAN 6: And fresh scars on his body, and a story to tell. THESEUS: Aethra is my mother, daughter of Pitheus, king of Troezen. Together they raised me. I never knew of a father. On the morning of my sixteenth birthday, my mother to me to a place just outside of town, where a large rock stood next to the road. Lift up that rock, she said to me, and take what you find beneath it. ATHENIAN 1: And thats just what he did. ATHENIAN 2: Without thought or question. ATHENIAN 3: He lifted the rock. ATHENIAN 4: A rock neither you nor I could even budge. ATHENIAN 5: Lifted it, and rolled it aside. ATHENIAN 6: And picked up the thing he found lying beneath it. THESEUS: This sword. Old and a little rusty. It must have been lying there for years. But no ordinary sword, I could see that. Then mother said I should bring the sword to Athens, and Id find out who my father was. So I said goodbye to her, flung my lion-skin across my shoulders, and set out on the road from Troezen to Athens. ATHENIAN 1: The road? Why didnt he come by sea? ATHENIAN 2: Everyone knows the roads dangerous. ATHENIAN 3: The whole countryside between here and Troezen ATHENIAN 4: Teeming with cut-throats and robbers and bandits ATHENIAN 5: Brigands and outlaws and things far worse ATHENIAN 6: And what was that he said about a lion-skin? THESEUS: It was a gift from Heracles. He was a friend of my grandfather and he visited us several times. And one occasion he gave me his lion-skin. I wear it in his memory, a man I greatly admired. ATHENIAN 1: Now we know why he took the road. ATHENIAN 2: He wanted to make a name for himself. ATHENIAN 3: To become a hero like his hero, Heracles. ATHENIAN 4: By ridding the road of all its roughnecks - ATHENIAN 5: And there were plenty of them to be got rid of ATHENIAN 6: And the first one he came across was ATHENIAN 1 TAKES ON THE ROLE OF PERIPHETES, TAKING UP AND WIELDING A LARGE CLUB PERIPHETES: Periphetes the Clubman! PERIPHETES IS A THUG AND SPEAKS LIKE ONE. THIS ENCOUNTER, AND THE OTHERS THAT FOLLOW, ARE PLAYED WITH SLAPSTICK HUMOUR Anybody crosses my path, I take my club to them. Bash their skulls in! Spill their brains! And Ill serve you, stranger, like Ive served all the others! PERIPHETES SWINGS THE CLUB WILDLY AT THESEUS, AND THESEUS DODGES OUT OF THE WAY, AS HE NARRATES. THESEUS: And he swung his club at me. And missed. Swung it again. Missed again. I was too quick for him, too nimble on my feet. Each time he swung, each time he missed. Until he began to grow tired. He raised the club to swing again. I sidestepped, grabbed the club, twisted it from his grip THESEUS NOW HAS THE CLUB and broke his head with it! THESEUS HITS PERIPHETES WITH THE CLUB. HE FALLS, IS CAUGHT BY THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CHORUS AND RE-JOINS THEM ATHENIAN 2: Then he continued with his journey. ATHENIAN 3: One danger overcome, others awaiting. ATHENIAN 4: And it wasnt long before he came upon the next ATHENIAN 5: At a place where two pine trees grew close to the road ATHENIAN 6: A man with a dagger and a wicked grin ATHENIAN 1: A thoroughly nasty piece of work. ATHENIAN 2 TAKES ON THE ROLE OF SINIS, COMING UP BEHIND THESEUS AND PUTTING A DAGGER AGAINST HIS BACK. SINIS LIKES TO CAUSE PAIN. HE THINKS HES CLEVER. HE ISNT SINIS: Sinis! Thats my name. Hold it right there, stranger. Take your sword out of your belt. Nice and easy does it. No funny business. Thats it. Drop it on the ground. Now step aside. THESEUS HAS DROPPED HIS SWORD AND STEPS AWAY FROM IT, WITH SINIS BEHIND HIM THESEUS: What do you intend to do with me? Run me through the ribs? Cut my throat? SINIS: Oh, no! Thats far too clean and simple. What I have in mind for you is something far more messy. Far more painful. Over there. Go on. Now, turn round and watch. SINIS PUSHES THESEUS AWAY. THESEUS TURNS. ATHENIANS 5 AND 6 ARE RECRUITED BY SINIS TO STAND AS THE TWO PINE TREES, AND ARE BENT OVER BY SINIS AS THESEUS NARRATES THESEUS: Then he took hold of the two pine trees and bent them over until their tops touched the ground. SINIS: They dont call me Sinis the Pinebender for nothing! THESEUS: And he secured them there with two pegs. And I noticed that their branches were hung with bones, scraps of skin and hair, dried human flesh. SINIS: Strange fruit these trees grow, eh? The fruits of my labours. And soon, my friend, youll be growing there among them. THESEUS: And there was a loop of rope attached to each treetop. And this villain gave me a particularly nasty grin, and said SINIS: Right. Put one of your hands in this loop, here, and the other hand in this loop here. Understand? THESEUS: No. Im sorry, I dont. SINIS: What? Its simple enough. One hand here, the other hand here! THESEUS: Its very complicated. SINIS: No, its not! Its easy. A child could do it. Several have, in fact. THESEUS: Could you show me? SINIS: All right. Watch. SINIS ATTACHES A HAND TO ONE OF THE PINE TREES. THIS IS DONE SIMPLY BY THE CHORUS PLAYING THE PINE TREE TAKING HOLD OF ONE ATHENIAN 2S HANDS You put your hand into the loop of rope. Like this! THESEUS: I think Im beginning to get the idea. And I assume my other hand goes into the other loop. Something like this. THESEUS ATTACHES SINIS OTHER HAND TO THE OTHER PINE TREE. SINIS: Thats it. Youve got it now. THESEUS: Then what? SINIS: Then comes the really nasty bit. I loose the pegs that are holding the trees down. Up they go! And up you go with them! One half that way. One half that way. And there you hang, ripped in two. Clever, eh? And nasty. THESEUS: Very clever and very nasty. Like this, you mean? SINIS: Yes, like - ! THESEUS FREES THE PINE TREES. THEY SPRING UP. SINIS GIVES A LOUD SCREAM AND HANGS SUSPENDED BETWEEN THEM. THESEUS: And up he went. One half that way, one half that way. Ripped in two. And there he hung, and there he hangs, food for the ravens and crows. As he deserves. ATHENIANS 2, 5 AND 6 REJOIN THE CHORUS As for me, I picked up my sword, put it back in my belt, and continued with my journey. ATHENIAN 3: By now beginning to make a name for himself. ATHENIAN 4: No thug or robber on the road was safe. ATHENIAN 5: Many lay in wait for him many got their just desserts. ATHENIAN 6: And not just bandits. There were fearsome creatures. ATHENIAN 1: Monsters that dwelled among the caves and mountains. ATHENIAN 2: Such as the fearsome Crommyonian Sow! ATHENIAN 3 TAKES ON THE ROLE OF THE SOW, WEARING A HORRIBLE PIG-MASK, COMING FORWARD WITH A CRY TO CONFRONT THESEUS. THE SOW SPEAKS IN A HIGH-PITCHED RANT SOW: A monster of a pig! A ferocious brute! Huge, gleaming tusks like half moons! Teeth that could chomp through bone and rock! A hide so thick no weapon could pierce it! THESEUS: (wincing) And a voice that squealed like the tearing of metal! THERE IS A LOUD, HIGH-PITCHED SQUEALING NOISE, AS THE SOW PREPARES TO CHARGE SOW: Make ready to die! I am a creature from the old times! Hecate the witch is my mistress! The vengeful Furies feed my hot blood! Youre beyond the help of any god! The rage of the ancient past falls upon you! THESEUS DRAWS HIS SWORD AS HE NARRATES THESEUS: Screaming, she charged! Screaming, she opened her mouth wide! I stood my ground, let her come close then thrust my sword deep into her throat! THESEUS MIMES DOING THIS. THE SCREAMING NOISE STOPS And she screamed no more. THE SOW FALLS BACK, THEN TAKES OFF THE PIG-MASK AND REJOINS THE CHORUS. AT THE SAME TIME, ATHENIAN 4 STEPS UP BEHIND THESEUS, AS CERCYON CERCYON: I see youre good with a sword. But how are you with your bare hands? Care to wrestle with me? You have no choice. My names Cercyon and no man survives my grip. Let my fingers bite your flesh. Let me break your neck. THESEUS TURNS TO FACE CERCYON THESEUS: No. I think Ill break yours. CERCYON AND THESEUS WRESTLE AS THE CHORUS NARRATE ATHENIAN 5: And, of course, thats what he did. ATHENIAN 6: Otherwise he wouldnt have been here, telling us this. ATHENIAN 1: How the two of them wrestled on the hot, dusty road. ATHENIAN 2: And though the bandit was strong, Theseus was stronger. ATHENIAN 3: And he twisted him round and forced him down - ATHENIAN 4: And broke his neck, and left him dead. THESEUS MIMES BREAKING CERCYONS NECK. CERCYON GIVES A CRY, IS STILL, THEN RISES TO REJOIN THE CHORUS. ATHENIAN 5 NOW APPROACHES THESEUS, AS SCIRON SCIRON: And I fared no better. Sciron. My custom, it was, to wait for strangers as they travelled the clifftop road above the sea. There Id trip them, send them tumbling down to their deaths in the waves below, where a giant turtle waited, to feed upon their flesh. THESEUS: But I CERCYON: Theres no need. They can guess what happened. I was tripped in my turn. I fed my own pet. My bones lie white on the seabed. I was the last of my kind. With him around, theres just no place for us in this world any more. ATHENIAN 5 REJOINS THE CHORUS. ATHENIAN 6: And indeed it seemed as last that the land was safe. ATHENIAN 1: All villains disposed of, and Athens on the horizon. ATHENIAN 2: But it was evening, and dark was falling. ATHENIAN 3: A welcoming light was twinkling from the windows of a house. ATHENIAN 4: Theseus approached. He was footsore weary ATHENIAN 5: And longing for a bed in which to sleep for the night. ATHENIAN 6 APPROACHES THESEUS IN THE ROLE OF PROCRUSTES PROCRUSTES: Then youve come to the right place, sir, if thats what you want. For thats just what I have! A bed, for weary wayfarers like yourself. Allow me to introduce myself. Procrustes. I keep this humble guest-house, and have the one bed only. But it is a most marvellous comfortable bed, if I do say so myself. As those that have slept in it could testify. Theres not a one of them but hasnt slept long and peaceful once theyve laid their head and legs upon it. THE OTHER FIVE CHORUS MEMBERS MAKE THE SHAPE OF THE BED AS THEY SPEAK. ATHENIAN 1: And there before him was the bed - ATHENIAN 2: And it did look comfortable ATHENIAN 3: And very inviting ATHENIAN 4: And Theseus was very tired ATHENIAN 5: And longed to lie down and just fall asleep. THESEUS: (to Procrustes) The only trouble is, it does look a little small. PROCRUSTES: Yes, youre a tall chap, its no doubt. But not to worry! I am not without resource, and have a small device back here which will secure your comfort, sir. Lie down and take your ease, and I shall return in a few moments. Then you and this bed shall find yourself in complete agreement. PROCRUSTES MOVES TO THE BACK OF THE STAGE, AS THE OTHER CHORUS SPEAK ATHENIAN 1: But Theseus did not lie down. ATHENIAN 2: He hid himself behind the door instead. ATHENIAN 3: And waited as Procrustes went out ATHENIAN 4: And returned a few minutes later ATHENIAN 5: Carrying in his hands an axe! PROCRUSTES RETURNS WITH AN AXE. HE DOESNT GLANCE AT THE BED PROCRUSTES: Heres my little device to make your stay more comfortable, sir. A couple of blows o this shall shave your height, and then youll fit the bed most regular PROCRUSTES RAISES THE AXE STILL FAILING TO NOTICE THAT THESEUS ISNT IN THE BED. THESEUS STEPS UP BEHIND AND SNATCHES THE AXE THESEUS: No, friend, Procrustes! A poor old man like yourself should take the weight off his feet from time to time. Here. Have a lie down in your own bed! THESEUS PUSHES PROCRUSTES BACK ONTO THE BED. THE CHORUS HOLD HIM FAST. PROCRUSTES: What are you doing? Help! I cant get up! THESEUS: Stuck, are you? Too big for your own bed? Id better trim you down to size, then. THESEUS MIMES CHOPPING OFF THE HEAD AND FEET OF PROCRUSTES, AS THE OTHER CHORUS NARRATE ATHENIAN 1: So he shaved his beard right down to his neck. ATHENIAN 2: And trimmed his toenails right up to the knees. ATHENIAN 3: And just for good measure, cut his fingernails too ATHENIAN 4: Right up to his elbows ATHENIAN 5: And Procrustes lay sound asleep forever. THE CHORUS RE-FORM THEMSELVES AS CHORUS, AS THESEUS SPEAKS THESEUS: Then I left that place, and walked on through the night until I came to Athens. I slept outside the city walls. And when the sun rose I entered the city but it seemed that my fame had entered here before me. Now you know my story. You know the kind of man I am. A man wholl overcome all obstacles, wholl never let anything stand in his way. And you know why it is I have endured these hardships, and travelled here to Athens to find the man who left this sword beneath the rock the man who is my father. THESEUS DRAWS THE SWORD. AS HE DOES SO, AEGEUS ENTERS TO THESEUS. THE ATHENIAN CHORUS FALL BACK, BOWING AEGEUS: Look no further. Im the man who placed that sword beneath the rock. Im husband to Aethra, your mother, father to you. Im Aegeus, king of Athens, and you, Theseus, Im proud to own as my son. Come with me now. Ill explain the reasons for the secrecy of your birth, and then well feast and celebrate, and give thanks to Zeus and all the gods for re-uniting son with father, father with son and bringing home to Athens her prince and future king. AEGEUS AND THESEUS GO. THE CHORUS SPEAK TO THE AUDIENCE ATHENIAN 1: Soon the news spread throughout the city - ATHENIAN 2: Everyone knew, and there was great rejoicing - ATHENIAN 3: And the celebrations lasted for over a week - ATHENIAN 4: A champions welcome for our new-found prince - ATHENIAN 5: The bold adventurer, fearless, ruthless - ATHENIAN 6: Theseus the hero, born to be king. THE ATHENIAN CHORUS MOVE BACK, TO MAKE WAY FOR THE NEXT SCENE 2 OUTSIDE THE PALACE OF MINOS PHAEDRE, ANDROGEUS AND ARIADNE ENTER, AS THE CRETAN CHORUS SPEAK. PHAEDRE HAS HER MIRROR WITH HER, ANDROGEUS HIS PUPPET, AND ARIADNE HER WINGED FIGURE. THE THREE SIT. PHAEDRE GAZES AT HERSELF IN THE MIRROR, ANDROGEUS SPEAKS TO THE PUPPET, ARIADNE MAKES HER WINGED FIGURE FLY. CRETAN 1: In the Knossos the children of Minos are playing CRETAN 2: His son and daughters, in the palace yards CRETAN 3: Under the fierce glare of the Cretan sun CRETAN 4: Where the shadows of the trees give no relief - CRETAN 5: In this city shimmering with heat and fear - CRETAN 6: A heat that hammers the white stone - CRETAN 1: A fear that drums in the dark earth - CRETAN 2: Hammering and drumming beneath the ground - CRETAN 3: Down in the dark - CRETAN 4: Deep under the palace - CRETAN 5: Under the heat-seared, white-blinding courtyard - CRETAN 6: Where the children of Minos are playing. HAMMERING BEGINS IN THE BACKGROUND, LIKE A STEADY DRUMMING, AND CONTINUES OVER THE NEXT SPEECHES PHAEDRE: (to Ariadne, but not looking at her) Should I wear my hair up, like this? ANDROGEUS: (petulantly, to his puppet) Achilles! Look at me when Im talking to you! ARIADNE: (dreamily, to the toy figure) Higher. Fly higher. PHAEDRE: Or down? Like this? ANDROGEUS: Stand up straight! And dont talk back! ARIADNE: Above the earth, above the sea. PHAEDRE: (still looking in the mirror) Swept back from my forehead? ANDROGEUS: (still to the puppet) Pay attention! This is your last warning! ARIADNE: (still to the toy figure) Fly to the sun. PHAEDRE: No. It makes my eyes too big. ANDROGEUS: Right! Im just going to have to kill you again! ARIADNE: The sun, the sun. ARIADNE CLOSES HER EYES. SHE IS LOST IN A DAYDREAM. PHAEDRE: Do you think my eyes are too big? ANDROGEUS REPEATEDLY AND VIOLENTLY THUMPS THE PUPPET ON THE GROUND ANDROGEUS: Take that! And that! And that! And that! PHAEDRE: Ariadne ARIADNE, STILL WITH HER EYES CLOSED, IS HOLDING THE WINGED FIGURE ALOFT. SHE PAYS NO ATTENTION TO PHAEDRE Ariadne ANDROGEUS: Hes dead! Ive killed him! Poor little Achilles! PHAEDRE: (Suddenly noticing Androgeus) What? ANDROGEUS: But now hes alive again! Look! HE MAKES THE PUPPET JUMP UP PHAEDRE: Youre an idiot. SUDDENLY THE DRUMMING IN THE BACKGROUND STOPS. ARIADNE OPENS HER EYES ARIADNE: Its stopped! PHAEDRE: What has? ARIADNE: That noise! Down there under the ground. Its been going on for days! PHAEDRE: Theyre building something. ARIADNE: But what? What are they building? PHAEDRE: I dont know. THE NURSE ENTERS, AND SPEAKS TO THE CHILDREN NURSE: Neither do I, but its sending me round the bend. Thump and bang, bang and thump, all day and all night with hardly a let-up. Its that Daedalus whos at the bottom of it all. One of his schemes. Ill say it now, I never liked the man, and I dont trust him. Tinkering with this, trifling with that. Every five minutes he comes up with some new-fangled contraption or other. The man just wont let anything be. And your father lets him have his way in everything! Wont hear a word said against him! And now hes come up with this new scheme, whatever it is. Top- secret. The noise it makes isnt no secret, Ill tell you that. I havent slept for a week with all that hammering and banging. Its driving me to distraction! And Im not the only one. Its sent your poor brother mad. PHAEDRE: (indicating Androgeus} Hes already mad. NURSE: Not him. Your other brother, Asterius PHAEDRE: (angrily) That creature is not my brother! Hes a monster! NURSE: Monster he may be, but hes still your brother, whether you care to admit it or not PHAEDRE: I do not admit it! I will never admit it! And if you mention him again ARIADNE: (interrupting her, and speaking to the Nurse) Is something wrong? Whats the matter with him? PHAEDRE: (sarcastically) You mean you hadnt noticed? ARIADNE: (to the Nurse, ignoring Phaedre) You said the noise had upset him. NURSE: Upset him? Hes gone berserk. Broken his chains and gone rampaging around the palace. PHAEDRE: (starting up, alarmed) What? NURSE: Yes! Thats what Ive come to tell you. And your father says youre to go to your rooms and shut yourself in until ANDROGEUS: (Defiantly) I shant! Im not scared of him! Ill fight him! PHAEDRE: You? On your own? ANDROGEUS: (holding up the puppet) No, silly! The two of us! Achilles isnt afraid of anything! NURSE: Now, come on, the three of you, get along to your rooms. Ive told you what your father said ANDROGEUS: I dont care what he said! Or what you say! Im not a little boy, Im a man, and I can do what I like. And Im not going to my room - ASTERIUS, THE MINOTAUR ENTERS. HE WEARS A BULL-MASK, AND IS CARRYING SOMETHING IN HIS HANDS. ANDROGEUS CRIES OUT IN FEAR Nurse! Help me! Its him! The monster! HE HIDES BEHIND THE NURSE. PHAEDRE TOO BACKS OFF IN FEAR, DROPPING HER MIRROR AS SHE DOES PHAEDRE: Dont let him come near me! NURSE: I told you to go to your rooms ASTERIUS IGNORES THEM, AND SQUATS. HE BEGINS TO EAT THE THING HE IS HOLDING. IT LOOKS LIKE SOME SORT OF DEAD ANIMAL. ARIADNE: I dont know whats the matter with both of you. He wont hurt us. PHAEDRE: Wont he? He attacked me once before. ARIADNE: Thats because you were tormenting him. PHAEDRE: And who wouldnt torment a beast like that? ARIADNE: Hes not a beast! PHAEDRE: Isnt he? Look at him! Hes hideous! And whats that hes got? ANDROGEUS PEERS FROM BEHIND THE NURSE ANDROGEUS: It looks likea dead cat! PHAEDRE: And hes eating it! Urrgh! The nasty, filthy, horrid brute! ANDROGEUS: Hell eat us next! Come on, Achilles. Lets get away from here! ANDROGEUS RUNS OFF. PHAEDRE TAKES A STEP TOWARDS ASTERIUS PHAEDRE: He really is quite disgusting ASTERIUS LOOKS UP AT HER QUICKLY AND WARNS HER AWAY. SHE CRIES OUT Help! Hes going to attack me again! SHE BACKS OFF, STOPS Father should have strangled you at birth! SHE TURNS AND RUNS OFF. ARIADNE TAKES A STEP TOWARDS ASTERIUS ARIADNE: Asterius NURSE: Dont go near him, Ariadne. ARIADNE: Im not afraid of him, nurse. Hes my brother. I know he wont hurt me. NURSE: Youre the only one hes gentle with, its true. ARIADNE: Thats only because Im gentle with him. I dont treat him like a monster. NURSE: Maybe theres something in what you say. But, like it or not, youve got to admit hes no natural human being. ARIADNE LOOKS SHARPLY AT THE NURSE. ARIADNE: Which of us is? NURSE, DISCONCERTED, GOES ARIADNE APPROACHES ASTERIUS AGAIN ARIADNE: Asterius HE TURNS TO HER, AS IF AFRAID OF ATTACK Its all right. Its me. Ariadne. Can I sit next to you? ASTERIUS NODS. ARIADNE SITS NEXT TO HIM. HE FINISHES EATING THE DEAD CAT Did you kill it? ASTERIUS: Yes. ARIADNE: Why? ASTERIUS: It scratched me. It bit and spat. (He pauses a little) And I was hungry. ARIADNE: But we feed you. ASTERIUS: Hungry for raw meat. Hungry for hot blood. I must have meat and blood. I must tear and rip and eat. Its my nature. I cant help it. (Pause) I disgust you. ARIADNE: No ASTERIUS: I disgust myself. Afterwards, I feel ashamed. I run and hide. I tell myself I wont do it again. But then the hunger comes. (He turns his face towards Ariadne) Look at me. (Ariadne looks into his face) The others cant bear to look at me. My face is hideous to them. I am a monster. You dont turn away like they do. But even though you dont look away, I can see I am a monster in your eyes, too. ARIADNE: Yet I do not look away. ASTERIUS: No. And you taught me to speak, and you sing me songs and tell me stories. Like the one about the winged boy. ARIADNE HOLDS UP THE WINGED FIGURE ARIADNE: The boy who flies to the sun. ASTERIUS: I once dreamed I was him. I stood on a clifftop above the sea and there were wings on my arms. I spread them wide and leapt into the air, and the wind took me above the earth. I flew above the birds. I rose higher and higher, towards the sun, and there was golden light all about me. And then DAEDALUS HAS ENTERED AND HEARD THE ABOVE. HE NOW SPEAKS TO ASTERIUS DAEDALUS: Then the sun burned your wings and you fell into the sea. I know. Ive had that dream myself. ASTERIUS STARTS AND TURNS IN FEAR. ARIADNE: Its all right. Its only Daedalus. He wont hurt you. DAEDALUS: Of course I wont. Why should I want to? ASTERIUS: Because you fear me. Because Im a monster. DAEDALUS: Not in your sisters eyes. She sees no monster. She sees a boy who dreamed he could fly. (He turns to Ariadne) You still have the winged boy I gave you. ARIADNE: I said Id always keep him. DAEDALUS: In the hope that one day he might fly? Im still working on it. But your father keeps me very busy. ARIADNE: The work beneath the Palace. DAEDALUS: Yes. But thats finished now ARIADNE: What is it youre building? DAEDALUS: (Smiling) My greatest work yet. A masterpiece. A web, a maze, a pattern of dancing feet set in stone. It is a thing of powerand a thing of beauty. And at its heart lies HE STOPS ARIADNE: (Eagerly) Yes? What? DAEDALUS: Come and see for yourselves. Both of you. Why not? You and your brother will be the first to witness it. EXCITED, ARIADNE RISES. ASTERIUS STAYS WHERE HE IS. ARIADNE: Asterius? Whats the matter? Dont you want to see? ASTERIUS: Im afraid ARIADNE: Theres nothing to be afraid of. (She turns to Daedalus) Is there? DAEDALUS: No. Nothing. You have my word. ARIADNE HOLDS OUT HER HAND TO ASTERIUS ARIADNE: Ill be with you. I wont leave you. I promise. ASTERIUS PAUSES, THEN RISES SLOWLY AND STANDS WITH ARIADNE DAEDALUS: Good. This way. Follow me. Ill show you the entrance to another world. A world of wonder. A world of mystery. Follow me. THEY MOVE OFF. ASTERIUS STOPS AND TURNS BACK ARIADNE: Asterius - ? HE PICKS UP THE WINGED FIGURE THAT ARIADNE HAS PUT DOWN ASTERIUS: You left this. HE GIVES HER THE FIGURE DAEDALUS: Come on, now. Hurry. This way. THEY GO THE CHORUS SPEAK TO THE AUDIENCE AND EACH OTHER CRETAN 1: Listen. The streets of Knossos are silent. CRETAN 2: The air is still, taut as a drawn bowstring. CRETAN 3: And the heat is intense, a blinding haze CRETAN 4: And the light is merciless, scouring the eyes, numbing the brain CRETAN 5: Nothing moves, nothing can move, everything lies stunned CRETAN 6: Unable to stir under the weight of the heat and the light. CRETAN 1: Its like waiting for a storm to break CRETAN 2: And the silence is oppressive like the approach of the thunder CRETAN 3: Like waiting for an earthquake to shock through the whole city - CRETAN 4: And the heat and the light grind together like bedrock CRETAN 5: And the tension is unbearable CRETAN 6: And everything is straining towards its breaking point CRETAN 1: So we wait CRETAN 2: We, the people of Crete, wait CRETAN 3: In the city of Knossos where the air is screaming CRETAN 4: Like victims prepared for sacrifice, we wait CRETAN 5: For the snap of the bowstring, the shockwave, the screech - CRETAN 6: For the terrible thing that is preparing to happen. ARIADNE RUNS ONSTAGE, DISTRAUGHT. ARIADNE: How could they do it? How could they do such a thing? He knew all along! Daedalus! Planned it, while he was here, talking. I didnt realise! I didnt know. But Im the one who led him there! I betrayed him! CRETAN 1: What is it? Whats happened? CRETAN 2: Something terrible, just as we feared. CRETAN 3: Tell us. Who did you betray? ARIADNE GATHERS HERSELF WITH EFFORT AND TRIES TO SPEAK CALMLY ARIADNE: We followed Daedalus into the palace, to the enclosed courtyard where the dancing-floor is. Daedalus made it for me. Youve seen it, you know it. CRETAN 4: Yes, we know it. A beautiful piece of work. CRETAN 5: The floor tiled with an intricate pattern. CRETAN 6: A path that winds and twists and curves CRETAN 1: Weaving in and out to the centre and back CRETAN 2: Weve seen you dance there at the great festivals CRETAN 3: Your feet following the paths pattern. ARIADNE: Yes. Ive danced there. But Ill never dance there again. Its a place of horror now. And he led us to it Daedalus, talking, smiling. He showed us a doorway hed cut into the dancing floor, so cunningly made you couldnt see it until it was opened. He opened it, raised it, pointed out the steps hed made. Steps going down, into the dark. Then, for the first time, I felt afraid. And Asterius. I could feel him trembling. But what was there to be afraid of, I thought? So I turned to re-assure him, tell him everything was all right. And as I did, soldiers appeared. Five or six of them. My fathers bodyguard... HER VOICE FALTERS A LITTLE AND SHE STOPS SPEAKING, TO COMPOSE HERSELF AGAIN. HAVING DONE SO, SHE CARRIES ON SPEAKING. THE ACTION SHE NOW DESCRIBES MAY BE ENACTED ONSTAGE AS A DUMB-SHOW, HIGHLY STYLISED, OR PERHAPS AS A SHADOW-SHOW BEHIND A BACK-LIT SCREEN Everything happened quickly, then too quickly suddenly the soldiers had taken hold of my brother they were dragging him from me he roared and struggled, tried to break free, but they were too many, too strong then they were forcing him through the doorway pushing him down, down into the dark he looked up at me it was the last I saw of him his face staring into mine filled with terror, rage and in his eyes a look it pierced me through a look Ill never forget an accusation- then the door slammed shut and he was gone SHE STOPS AGAIN, COMPOSES HERSELF, CONTINUES Thats what they were building. A prison. For him. For the monster. Hes locked in there, now, trapped underground. Hell live and hell die there. And in the dark he truly will become a monster. And Im trapped too. The palace is a prison. The city. The whole island, the land of Crete, has become a prison. And all who live here are monsters. ARIADNE GOES THE CHORUS SPEAK TO THE AUDIENCE. AS THEY DO, OFFSTAGE, THERE IS A DEEP, OMINOUS RUMBLING SOUND, THAT GRADUALLY GROWS LOUDER CRETAN 4: And beneath the silence that follows her words - CRETAN 5: We hear for the first time a sound like thunder - CRETAN 6: Seeming far-off, but growing closer CRETAN 1: A sound like thunder, but not thunder - CRETAN 2: A sound perhaps more like the slow grinding of rock - CRETAN 3: Or the drumming of hooves deep beneath the ground - CRETAN 4: A sound rising up from deep beneath the ground - CRETAN 5: A howl, a sheer animal roar of rage - CRETAN 6: That shakes the earth, that shocks up through our bodies CRETAN 1: And runs underneath whole city, worse than any earthquake - CRETAN 2: And all hear it, and are stunned with fear CRETAN 3: A voice that cries out from their very worst nightmare CRETAN 4: The voice of the monster under the ground CRETAN 5: Hungry for meat, hungry for blood and revenge CRETAN 6: The voice of the caged beast, the voice of Crete. THE RUMBLING SOUND GROWS EVEN LOUDER NOW, A TERRIFYING, DEAFENING ROAR. LIGHTS GO TO BLACKOUT, BUT THE ROAR CONTINUES IN THE DARKNESS, THEN STOPS ABRUPTLY END OF PART TWO PART THREE 1 THE CITY OF TROEZEN AETHRA ENTERS AND SPEAKS TO THE AUDIENCE AETHRA: My sons gone to Athens, a mighty champion, and made the name of hero for himself. Aegeus, my husband, has proclaimed him as his son and heir. The Athenians have taken him to their hearts. As for Aegeus enemies his brothers sons Theseus led an army against them, defeated and destroyed them all. So now Athens is safe, and my son even more the champion and hero. All that Aegeus wanted hes been given. His gods smile on him and on his son. HER TONE CHANGES, AND SHE SPEAKS WITH SOME BITTERNESS. As for me the mother of this hero, the wife of this king do I share in the glory? Am I honoured in Athens? Is my name cried aloud in the city streets? My names not even known! I remain here in Troezen, cast-off, abandoned, forgotten. But I do not forget. I do not forgot the goddess Athenas words to me. One day your son will bring death to Aegeus, and on that day you shall have your revenge. So here in Troezen I bide my time, watch from afar and wait for what will come. AETHRA GOES 2 THE CITY OF ATHENS THE CHORUS OF ATHENIANS ENTER ON ONE SIDE OF THE STAGE AS THEY SPEAK ATHENIAN 1: Black ships are coming from Crete. ATHENIAN 2: Black ships with black sails, coming from Crete to Athens. ATHENIAN 3: And on each sail, a red bull. ATHENIAN 4: And a bulls head carved into each prow. ATHENIAN 5: And the prows are black, plunging through the black wavetops. ATHENIAN 6: Black ships with black prows, coming to Athens from Crete. ATHENIAN 1: What do they want with us? ATHENIAN 2: Why are these fiercesome ships coming here? ATHENIAN 3: Their coming fill us with terror ATHENIAN 4: Black dreams sweating in black nights ATHENIAN 5: Lost in the winding paths of nightmare, unable to escape ATHENIAN 6: Unable to wake from the beast beating at the skulls door. ATHENIAN 1: Look! I see them! The black sails! ATHENIAN 2: Like birds of death theyre coming, skimming the waves. ATHENIAN 3: And the ships themselves, black-hulled, streaming black water - ATHENIAN 4: Plunging towards, like vessels out of the dead land. ATHENIAN 5: What cargo do they carry? What transport of terror? ATHENIAN 6: What horrors stored in the dark hold? THE CHORUS OF CRETANS ENTER ON OTHER SIDE OF THE STAGE AS THEY SPEAK. CRETAN 1: We carry no cargo. CRETANS 2: Our holds are empty. CRETANS 3: Nothing has been carried from Athens to Crete. CRETANS 4: We come with black ships empty. CRETAN 5: Only a darkness in the hold. CRETAN 6: Only an emptiness waiting to be filled. CRETAN 1: You fear us. You are right to fear. CRETAN 2: Our shadows fall upon the bright streets of Athens. CRETAN 3: The shadows of our ships darken the waters in the harbour. CRETAN 4: They stand with empty holds. CRETAN 5: We have come seeking cargo. CRETAN 6: Portable cargo, human, fresh meat. AEGEUS AND THESEUS ENTER. THE ATHENIANS BOW. THE CRETANS STAND DEFIANT, UNMOVING. AEGEUS: (to the Cretans) Whats going on? What are those Cretan ships in the harbour? And what are you doing here in our city? Answer me. Im Aegeus, king of Athens, and this is my son, Theseus. THESEUS: You have a dangerous look about you. Theres a threat in the way you stand, defiance in your eyes. Is it trouble youre here for? If it is, dont worry. Theres plenty we can give you. AEGEUS: Tell us now, what is it you want? THESEUS: Speak, before we assume the worst. THE CRETAN CAPTAIN ENTERS CAPTAIN: Ill explain why were here. Im captain of this fleet, sent here with express orders from Minos, king of Crete. AEGEUS: Orders? Since when does Crete give Athens orders? CAPTAIN: Since now. Listen to me. Minos sends you this message. He gives you a choice. Either you comply with his demands, or hell send a fleet, much bigger than this, and with it hell destroy your city. THESEUS: Minos makes demands on us! Threatens us with war! You can tell your king AEGEUS: (to Theseus) Wait. Lets hear what these demands are. CAPTAIN: Ill be glad to inform you. Theyre simple. Choose seven youths from among your people. Male or female, either, or both will do. Let them say goodbye to their families and friends. Then theyll come onboard one of our ships and return to us with Crete. A kind of tribute, if you like. Thats the demand. If you agree, all well and good. You wont see us again. If not, you will. And, as I said, a bigger fleet next time. Warships. Packed with warriors. Well burn your city to the ground, slaughter all who live here. Thats the choice. Its yours to make. And make it quick. We plan to leave today. THESEUS: You dont leave us much time to consider. CAPTAIN: What is there to consider? The choice is plain enough. AEGEUS: Let me ask you one question. Why does Minos want seven of our people? CAPTAIN: Thats his business, not yours. I dont have to tell you. But I will. Each spring we hold a great festival. It lasts seven days. Each day one of your people will be dedicated to our gods. AEGEUS: Dedicated? CAPTAIN: Yes. Its a great honour. THESEUS: Speak plainly. Theyre to be sacrificed. CAPTAIN: If thats the way you want to put it. THESEUS: Now let me ask you a question. Why people from Athens? What have we done to deserve such a great honour? CAPTAIN: Our Cretan gods demand it. They spoke to Minos in a dream. THESEUS: So, seven of our people are to die throats cut or heads caved in, and all because your king has a dream! CAPTAIN: Not just any dream. A holy dream. You know such dreams cant be ignored. When the gods speak, you listen. THESEUS: We listen to our own gods, not yours. CAPTAIN: You, young man, had best listen to me THESEUS: Listen to you! An ordinary captain! I am a prince - ! CAPTAIN: When I speak, Minos speaks. And Minos is a king, ruler of Crete. And he doesnt quibble words with boys. THESEUS: Take this reply from me to your king! HE RAISES HIS HAND TO STRIKE THE CAPTAIN AEGEUS: Theseus! No! Therell be no violence! CAPTAIN: Best listen to your father, boy. Hes wiser than you. AEGEUS: Lower your hand. Do as I say! THESEUS LOWERS HIS HAND AND TURNS AWAY ANGRILY. THE CAPTAIN SPEAKS TO AEGEUS CAPTAIN: Well, King Aegeus? Whats your decision? AEGEUS: How long do I have to give you my reply? CAPTAIN: We sail with the evening tide. Ill wait till then. But if you want my advice, for the good of your people AEGEUS: Ill decide whats for the good of my people! CAPTAIN: Very well. Ill return to my ships, now, and wait there. Till evening. THE CAPTAIN GOES. THESEUS TURNS TO AEGEUS THESEUS: Good thinking, father, to delay them until evening. That gives us five hours. More than enough time to gather an army. They have only three ships, a handful of men in each ship. Well make short work of them, I promise you. But their captains to be taken alive. Therell be no quick death for him. AEGEUS: Nor a quick death for any of us, when Minos sends his fleet. THESEUS: Let him! Were more than a match for him and all his ships. AEGEUS: But were not, Theseus. Were no match for him at all. Athens is one city. On Crete there are ninety cities, all bound to Minos. Each city can raise an army to match ours. Can you imagine what will happen when such a force is sent against us? It will be no war. It will be slaughter. Athens will be destroyed. THESEUS: Well ask for help from other cities Thebes, Argos, Sparta AEGEUS: Why should they help us? Whats the fate of Athens to them? We stand alone, Theseus. Alone against Minos and the power of Crete. And it will crush us utterly. THESEUS: Better to die fighting, and with honour, that to crawl like dogs to those Cretans. AEGEUS: Better for you, perhaps. But what about the others who live here? Those who arent warriors? Old men and women, mothers and their children? Will you condemn those to die because of your honour and pride? THESEUS: Will you condemn seven to die like slaves in Crete? AEGEUS: Yes for the sake of the many who will live. THESEUS: Youve made your decision. AEGEUS: There cant be any other. THESEUS: Then you condemn me to die. AEGEUS: What? THESEUS: I shall go as one of the seven. AEGEUS: No! You cant! THESEUS: Can I stay here and watch others go to their doom? My honour my pride, wont allow it. AEGEUS: Youre prince of Athens heir to the crown you have a responsibility THESEUS: My responsibility is to go where danger threatens, cut my way through to its centre, root it out. AEGEUS: I know youre not afraid of danger. Youve proved that often enough. But this youll be going to certain death. THESEUS: Perhaps. But once Im there, who knows? Minos wont send me lightly to my death a prince of royal blood. And I may find a way to defy him and his gods, and break his power. AEGEUS: You? One man? THESEUS: If not me, then who else? AEGEUS: No I cant allow it. THESEUS: Youve made your decision, father. Now Ive made mine. Im going whether you allow it or not. Ill go to the square, tell the people there whats happening. When they hear Im going to Crete, therell be no shortage of those that that jump to follow me. AEGEUS AND THESEUS TURN FROM EACH OTHER, BUT REMAIN ONSTAGE AS THE ATHENIAN CHORUS SPEAK TO THE AUDIENCE, LEAVING ON THEIR LINES ATHENIAN 1: And hes right. There arent. ATHENIAN 2: The way he puts it when he tells us, its like an adventure. ATHENIAN 3: A great enterprise well be setting out on. ATHENIAN 4: A quest with glory and honour waiting at our journeys end. ATHENIAN 5: So we volunteer, we six, willing and eager. ATHENIAN 6: And before the suns set were ready to go. AEGEUS AND THESEUS TURN BACK TO FACE EACH OTHER. AEGEUS SPEAKS TO THESEUS AEGEUS: Your minds made up? THESEUS: It is. AEGEUS: Still I cant dissuade you? THESEUS: The others are boarded and wait for me. AEGEUS: Very well. Go, and take my blessing with you. And promise me this. Should you return, let the ship you travel in have a white sail. Ill watch every day from the clifftop for your return. And when I next see a ship from Crete, Ill know for sure if youre alive or dead. THESEUS: A white sail. Yes. Ill do that. AEGEUS: You wont forget? THESEUS: I wont forget. You have my word. THEY EMBRACE, THEN THESEUS TURNS AND GOES THE CRETAN CHORUS SPEAK TO THE AUDIENCE, LEAVING ON THEIR LINES CRETAN 1: As the sun sets the ships leave the harbour. CRETAN 2: The black ships, with the black sails. CRETAN 3: And night falls over the dark sea. CRETAN 5: Wine-dark, blood-dark. CRETAN 6: Carrying its cargo southwards, to Crete. AEGEUS STANDS ALONE. HE SPEAKS TO THE AUDIENCE. AEGEUS: I stood on the headland above the sea and watched them go. The sun was setting and the sky was deep red, and the waves red too. A redness in the west turning to dark. The ships black on the wavetops. The dip and plunge of the airs, the snap of the sails. They grew smaller as I looked after them, their edges dissolving into the darkness that gathered about them. Then the sun sank into the sea and they were gone, and there was only the black water and the black sky and a cold wind from the south that whispered among the dry grasses. AEGEUS GOES 3 THE INNER COURTYARD IN MINOS PALACE ANDROGEUS AND PHAEDRE ENTER. THEY LOOK ABOUT THEM, AS IF TO CHECK THAT THERES NO ONE ELSE THERE, THEN THEY GO TO THE CENTRE OF THE STAGE. THEY SQUAT DOWN ON THE FLOOR. PHAEDRE BENDS HER HEAD TOWARDS THE FLOOR, LISTENING ANDROGEUS: Can you hear him? PHAEDRE: No. ANDROGEUS: Let me listen. ANDROGEUS BOWS HIS HEAD AND LISTENS Nothing. Hes not there PHAEDRE: Wait! ANDROGEUS: What is it? PHAEDRE: Ssh! ANDROGEUS: Is he there - ? PHAEDRE: Be quiet! SHE LISTENS, INTENTLY ANDROGEUS: softly Can you hear him? PHAEDRE: Yes! Hes there! ANDROGEUS: Are you sure? PHAEDRE: Listen. ANDROGEUS LISTENS ANDROGEUS: I can hear him! Hes down there. Moving about. PHAEDRE: Shuffling around in the dark. ANDROGEUS: Snuffling. PHAEDRE: Snorting. ANDROGEUS: Its horrible. PHAEDRE: Nasty. ANDROGEUS: Wicked. PHAEDRE: Evil. ANDROGEUS: Shall we tell him? PHAEDRE: Thats what we came here for. ANDROGEUS: Go on, then. PHAEDRE: Me? ANDROGEUS: Yes. PHAEDRE: Why not you? ANDROGEUS: Hell hear you better. Your voice is louder. PHAEDRE: No, its not. Youre scared of him. ANDROGEUS: So are you. PHAEDRE: Not as scared as you are. ANDROGEUS: Go on. Tell him. PHAEDRE SPEAKS TO THE MINOTAUR, BENEATH THE FLOOR PHAEDRE: Brother. Can you hear me? I know youre there. I can hear you. Its me, Phaedre. Ive got something to tell you. ANDROGEUS: Is he listening? PHAEDRE: I think so. Hes stopped moving. ANDROGEUS: Perhaps hes gone away. PHAEDRE: No. Hes there. I can hear him breathing. ANDROGEUS: Let me speak to him. Listen to me, brother, listen! Some people are coming from across the sea. PHAEDRE: Far away to the north, and theyre coming just for you. ANDROGEUS: To be your dinner. Fresh meat. PHAEDRE: And when they arrive theyll bring them here. ANDROGEUS: Send them down to you one by one. PHAEDRE: Theyll wander around in the dark. ANDROGEUS: Wont see a thing. PHAEDRE: Wont know where theyre going. ANDROGEUS: Till they find you. PHAEDRE: Or you find them. ANDROGEUS: And then crack! PHAEDRE: Smash! ANDROGEUS: Bite! PHAEDRE: Crunch! ANDROGEUS: Youll eat them up. PHAEDRE: Tear their flesh. ANDROGEUS: Drink their blood. PHAEDRE: Chew their bones. ANDROGEUS: Maybe while theyre still alive. PHAEDRE: Listen to them screaming. ANDROGEUS: But you wont care. PHAEDRE: Just go on eating. ANDROGEUS: Because youre a beast. PHAEDRE: A brute. ANDROGEUS: An animal! PHAEDRE: A monster. ANDROGEUS AND PHAEDRE CHANT TOGETHER, THEIR VOICES GROWING LOUDER ANDROGEUS/ PHAEDRE: Monster! Monster! Monster! Monster! Monster - ! SUDDENLY, THERE IS A DEEP, TERRIFYING ROAR FROM THE GROUND BELOW. PHAEDRE AND ANDROGEUS CRY OUT AND SCURRY BACK IN FEAR COLLIDING WITH THE NURSE, WHO HAS JUST ENTERED. THEY CRY OUT AGAIN ANDROGEUS: We werent doing anything! PHAEDRE: Dont tell our father! ANDROGEUS: It was just a bit of fun! PHAEDRE: What are you doing here anyway? NURSE: I came ANDROGEUS: To spy on us NURSE: No PHAEDRE: Youre not allowed in here. NURSE: I know, but ANDROGEUS: Perhaps well tell our father about you. PHAEDRE: How you came in here. ANDROGEUS: How you upset the monster. PHAEDRE: And then hell send you down there. NURSE: Listen to me ANDROGEUS: Lets send her down there ourselves. PHAEDRE: Yes! Open the door and push her in. ANDROGEUS: She can go and say hello to our brother. PHAEDRE: And nobody would ever miss her NURSE HAS GROWN TIRED OF THIS AND SHOUTS AT PHAEDRE AND ANDROGEUS NURSE: Stop it! Thats enough! SHOCKED, THE TWO FALL BACK You two are getting worse! I dont know whats the matter with you, these days! Look at you! Grown up, and still behaving like children! Ive a good mind to walk out of here now and not tell you the news. ANDROGEUS: News? What kind of news? PHAEDRE: What is it? Tell us. ANDROGEUS: Please. Were sorry for what we did. PHAEDRE: We didnt mean any harm. ANDROGEUS: Just a bit of fun. PHAEDRE: Whats the news! Tell us the news! NURSE: All right. The ship have returned from Athens. (The two look at her blankly) From Athens. With the strangers ANDROGEUS AND PHAEDRE SUDDENLY UNDERSTAND ANDROGEUS: The ships! PHAEDRE: The strangers! ANDROGEUS: Theyre here! PHAEDRE: (To the Nurse) Why didnt you tell us straight away? ANDROGEUS: Lets go and see them! PHAEDRE: See if we can guess who theyll send in first! ANDROGEUS: Im going to be here when they do! PHAEDRE: Me too. I want to listen to his screams! ANDROGEUS: Theyll be horrible! PHAEDRE: Blood-chilling! ANDROGEUS: Loud! PHAEDRE: Theyll give us nightmares! LAUGHING AND GIGGLING WICKEDLY, ANDROGEUS AND PHAEDRE GO, LEAVING THE NURSE ALONE NURSE: Like children. Worse than children. I dont know whats got into them. A kind ofmadness. And not just them. It seems to me that everyones got it. And now this bringing of strangers from Athens and we know for what reason it makes me shudder to think of it madness, it is! And whos to blame for it? The king? Hes the one who gave out the order. Bring them here to feed my son. For his son must be fed. That one down there, then, hes the one to blame. The poor beast under the ground who hungers for flesh of the human kind. But he cant help his appetite, nor what he is. Thats gods doing. So theres where the trail of blame ends, with the gods, as it usually does, though I may be damned and blasted for saying it. And what their purpose is, and what will come of it, that well never know, till it happens. And probably best that we dont. THE NURSE GOES THE HARBOUR AT KNOSSOS THE CRETAN CAPTAIN ENTERS, LEADING ON THE ATHENIANS AND THESEUS. THEY STAND CENTRAL. THE CAPTAIN SPEAKS TO THEM. CAPTAIN: Here we are at last. Your journeys done. Theres the road that leads to Knossos, and there you can see the city itself. Grander than your own, youll have to admit. Youll go there later. For now, wait here on the harbour-side. King Minos is coming to greet you and to tell you what your fate will be. THE CAPTAIN STANDS ASIDE, AS THE CHORUS OF CRETANS ENTER, GAZING WITH CURIOSITY AT THE ATHENIANS, AND TALKING EXCITEDLY AMONG THEMSELVES CRETAN 1: Look! Theyre here! The strangers from Athens! CRETAN 2: From across the sea, another country! CRETAN 3: Foreigners, northerners not at all like us! CRETAN 4: How strange they look! their clothes! their faces! CRETAN 5: Savages, really! Nothing refined about them! CRETAN 6: But proud! The way they carry themselves! THEY DIRECT THEIR ATTENTION TO THESEUS CRETAN 1: And that one there even more proud than the others! CRETAN 2: He must be their leader he has a look about him! CRETAN 3: Something fierce in his gaze! Fierce and fearless! CRETAN 4: The way he looks at us as if we were his prisoners! CRETAN 5: That wont last long when he finds out whats in store. CRETAN 6: Hell have a new look, then fear and terror! THESEUS SPEAKS TO THE ATHENIANS THESEUS: Stand firm. Hold your heads up. Dont stir or speak. Even if youre afraid, dont let them see it. Barbarians are what they are nothing to make us tremble. And if you do feel yourself start to shiver a little, tell yourself its just the breeze coming in off the ocean. And remember who you are Athenians, Greeks, and theres no one better. CHORUS OF ATHENIANS SPEAKS TO THE AUDIENCE ATHENIAN 1: We hear his words, try to hold them in our hearts. ATHENIAN 2: But its not easy words dont seem to mean much here. ATHENIAN 3: We cant help wishing we hadnt come here now. ATHENIAN 4: We shouldnt have been so eager to volunteer. ATHENIAN 5: His words back then filled us with thoughts of glory. ATHENIAN 6: Now theres only the salt-taste of fear. ATHENIAN 1: As we look at the crowds gathered about us. ATHENIAN 2: Pushing and shoving, trying to catch a glimpse. ATHENIAN 3: And their cries are frenzied, and theres hunger in their eyes. ATHENIAN 4: And theres music and acrobats, jugglers and tumblers. ATHENIAN 5: The whole place is like some madhouse carnival. ATHENIAN 6: A lunatic circus - a festival of fools. THE CRETAN CHORUS CHANT CRETANS: Minos! Minos! Minos! Minos! THEIR CHANTING GROWS LOUDER AND MORE FRENZIED, BUILDING TO A CLIMAX AS MINOS HIMSELF ENTERS, DRESSED RICHLY AND GRANDLY. ON HIS ENTRANCE, HE HOLDS UP A HAND, AND THE CRETANS FALL SILENT. HE TURNS TO THE ATHENIANS AND ADDRESSES THEM. AS HE SPEAKS, HE GROWS MORE AND AGITATED MINOS: Welcome, dear guests, to the land of Crete. Your coming here is an honour to us, an honour to our gods and an honour indeed to yourselves. What you see here is the beginning of our great yearly festival the festival at which we celebrate the birth of god, his resurrection and return to life, springing forth, renewed, from the dark earth that has held him reborn in all his might and power and glory. And you, my Athenian friends, have been brought here to partake in this rite and celebration. For you must know that our god, unlike others, is no god of air and spirit! Here, on Crete, god has descended to earth, has taken the form of flesh and blood, and sleeps now in the dark beneath us. And to you will fall the great and glorious task of awaking this god. Each in turn shall descend into earths deep, and with your flesh and blood shall give him strength to stir, and upon the seventh day, to rise once more. To stamp his feet, to bellow, to roar! And with his rising he shall renew the life of Crete, in which your spirits, freed from the bonds of flesh, shall dwell eternal! HE PAUSES, CALMS HIMSELF, TURNS AND SPEAKS TO THE CAPTAIN Bring them to the city. Tonight theyll sleep there, as our honoured guests. And tomorrow well see which one shall be first to face the god. MINOS GOES. THE CAPTAIN APPROACHES THE ATHENIANS AND THESEUS CAPTAIN: You heard. We take the road to Knossos. A road, for you, that leads only one way. THESEUS: Perhaps. Whether we return or not remains to be seen. CAPTAIN: Brave words. I hope to hear you speak them tomorrow. Follow me. THE CAPTAIN GOES, FOLLOWED BY THE ATHENIANS AND THESEUS THE CRETAN CHORUS SPEAK TO THE AUDIENCE, LEAVING ON THEIR LINES. CRETAN 1: We follow too, take long road back CRETAN 2: And though theres still laughter, noise and music CRETAN 3: Though the masks and the costumes are bright in the sunlight CRETAN 4: We fear what well come to when the revels are ended CRETAN 5: What well hear in the silence when the singings over CRETAN 6: What well see in the mirror when the masks are off. THE STAGE IS EMPTY THE INNER COURTYARD IN MINOS PALACE DAEDALUS ENTERS. HE SPEAKS ALOUD TO HIMSELF DAEDALUS: Its plain hes mad. Of course, I always knew he wasunbalanced. Neurotic. Even, at times, a little deranged. But now that beast under the ground is gods son! And he himself, therefore, must be god! Its obvious hes gone completely insane. A madman on the throne of Crete and a dangerous one. Those seven from Athens wont be the last to feed his madness. The more its fed, the hungrier it will become. And he cant always send abroad for his fodder. The last time we spoke together, he looked at me and what I saw in his eyes I didnt like. I should have realised then(he looks down towards the door in the floor) Itll be a special treat for you to find me down there, wont it Asterius? The one who built your prison for you, caught in his own trap. The tormentor destroyed by the tormented. No, you wont have that pleasure. If theres to be a death, it must be yours, not mine. Kill you, and cure the kings madness. But how to bring that about? Im no hero. And where in Crete is such a man to be found? ARIADNE HAS ENTERED DURING THE ABOVE, UN- NOTICED BY DAEDALUS. SHE SPEAKS TO HIM NOW SHE IS COLD, HARD, ALOOF, AND SHOWS HER DISLIKE OF DAEDALUS ARIADNE: I think I know of one. DAEDALUS TURNS QUICKLY, STARTLED AT SEEING ARIADNE DAEDALUS: Ariadne - ARIADNE: A man who may bring an end to this madness. Destroy the monster, set Crete free of its tyranny. Thats what youre talking about, isnt it? Finding someone wholl kill my poor brother. Dont pretend otherwise. Theres no time for pretence. We must speak plainly. You want to save your skin. I want to bring an end to his misery. They both mean the same thing. Killing him. DAEDALUS: Very well. Plain speaking it is. If were all to be saved from this insanity, the monster your brother must die. But it will take no ordinary man to slay him. You said you knew of someone. ARIADNE: I do. At least, if anyone is the man, I think its him. DAEDALUS: Who is it? ARIADNE: One of the strangers who came today. DAEDALUS: An Athenian? ARIADNE: Yes. Their leader. DAEDALUS: What makes you think he could dodo this deed? ARIADNE: I was at the harbour when they arrived I saw how they stood amidst all the noise and shouting and shouting calm, silent, dignified. And I saw him. Their leader. There was something special about him. A light, that seemed to shine around him a strength within as if hed been truly touched by god. And I knew I saw man who knew nothing of fear a man whom nothing could ever harm or hurt. DAEDALUS: A hero. ARIADNE: Yes. DAEDALUS: And youll offer this hero your help. Which of course hell accept. ARIADNE: He wont go into the labyrinth unarmed. DAEDALUS: Going in is easy. Getting out agains a different matter. Which is where, I presume my helps needed. Unless, of course, hes just left in there ARIADNE: Leave a man to wander in the dark until he dies? That may be your way, Daedalus, but its not mine! Youll help him find a way out. DAEDALUS: I bow to your wishes, Princess Ariadne. But its no easy matter. Ill have to give it some thought. Some deep thought. Well speak again later. HE MAKES A MOVE TO GO ARIADNE: Before night. DAEDALUS: Indeed. Of course. Before night. DAEDALUS GOES ARIADNE SPEAKS TO HER BROTHER, IN THE LABYRINTH BENEATH THE FLOOR ARIADNE: My poor brother. Do you know what youve become? Kept in the dark, starved, half-crazed yourself with hunger. A beast they called you, and a beast is what theyve made you. Do you understand? And would you understand if you knew what Im doing now? I think the madness must have touched me too. Im plotting your death, the only one who ever cared for you. The only one who cares for you now. Because its the only way to free you from your torment and your prison and free me from mine. Crete. A prison and a torment to us both. Your death. It must be. Its all that I can do for you now. All that can be done. SHE REMAINS ONSTAGE THE INNER COURTYARD, NEXT DAY CHORUS OF CRETANS ENTER AND SPEAK TO THE AUDIENCE CRETAN 1: And this is what was done. CRETAN 2: Last night, while all were sleeping CRETAN 3: Ariadne went secretly to see Theseus. CRETAN 4: She told him of the beast that lay in the labyrinth. CRETAN 5: That this beast was no god, but her monstrous brother CRETAN 6: And that she, the beasts sister, would help him destroy it. THESEUS ENTERS TO ARIADNE. SHE TURNS TO FACE HIM AND THEY SPEAK TOGETHER THESEUS: You? Minoss daughter? Why? ARIADNE: I hate the tyrant my fathers become and pity that beast thats my brother. THESEUS: You pity him, but want me to kill him? ARIADNE: He lives in torment. Its the only escape for him and for me. THESEUS: Escape for you? ARIADNE: After youve killed him if you kill him youll flee from here, return to Athens. When you do, I want you to take me with you. Thats my price for helping you. THESEUS: Its fair. I agree. Youll come with me to Athens. Now tell me. How do you propose to help me? ARIADNE: They intend to send you unarmed into the labyrinth easy prey for my brother. But you wont go unarmed. Take this knife. Kill my brother with it. A single blow if you can. THESEUS TAKES THE KNIFE FROM ARIADNE THESEUS: A single blow. Ill do my best. ARIADNE: If you do if you succeed in killing him, the danger wont be over. The labyrinth has been made in such a way that none who enter can return. Youll be lost among its winding passages, wander there until you die. Thats the intention. THESEUS: But you know a way I can escape? ARIADNE: Yes. The man who built it told me the means. (She takes out a ball of thread ) Take this ball of thread. Unwind it as you walk through the passages. Then, when youve killed my brother, follow the thread and it will lead you back. THESEUS TAKES THE THREAD THESEUS: A knife and a ball of thread. A heros weapons. ARIADNE: Theyre all the weapons you have and all youll need. THESEUS: Its true. Ive faced dangers with less than these and survived. ARIADNE: If you survive this, remember our bargain. Take me with you to Athens. THESEUS: Ill remember. ARIADNE: Give me your word on it. THESEUS: You have my word. ARIADNE: If you break it youll be cursed. Your whole life blighted. And not just you all of your blood. Remember those words and see to it they never come to pass. ARIADNE TURNS AND GOES. CRETAN CHORUS SPEAK CRETAN 1: Then she was gone. CRETAN 2: Theseus waited alone. CRETAN 3: For the sun to rise, the day to come. CRETAN 4: And now his waitings over. CRETAN 5: The suns risen. CRETAN 6: The day has come. MINOS ENTERS AND SPEAKS TO THESEUS. ALTHOUGH HIS WORDS ARE SANE, THE DELIVERY OF THESE LINES, AND THE WAY MINOS BEHAVES, SHOULD INDICATE HIS INSANITY WITHOUT GOING OVER THE TOP MINOS: Youre to be the first to meet with the god? THESEUS: I am. MINOS: Were you elected, or did you choose the honour? THESEUS: I chose, freely. It was I led the others here. It was my words persuaded them to come. Its right and just, therefore, that I go first into the dark. Im their captain and their prince. Im Theseus, son of king Aegeus. MINOS IS TAKEN ABACK BY THIS. MINOS: The kings son? And you came here as a slave? THESEUS: Not as a slave. As a free man. As a free man Ill face this beast of yours. And, if the gods will it, as a free man Ill die. MINOS: He wills it. You can be sure of that. He waits for you, now, in the dark earth. He hungers for you. And you shall feed that hunger. A kings son! Royal blood for the god to drink! Its fitting. As you said yourself, right and just. Theseus, prince of Athens, for this brave deed your name will live forever. Though I fear you shall not. MINOS GOES THESEUS SPEAKS TO THE AUDIENCE THESEUS: Im ready. The times come. Let me enter the labyrinth. HE CROSSES TO ONE SIDE OF THE STAGE AND WAITS THERE 7 INSIDE THE LABYRINTH THE CHORUS OF ATHENIANS ENTER. THEY AND THE CRETANS BOTH SPEAK NOW. AS THEY DO, THEY TAKE UP POSITIONS ON THE CENTRE STAGE, CREATING A MAZE-LIKE PATTERN, REPRESENTING THE LABYRINTH. THESEUS WALKS AMONG THEM, AS IF THREADING HIS WAY THROUGH THE WINDING PASSAGEWAYS. ATHENIAN 1: He enters the doorway ATHENIAN 2: Descends the dark stairway ATHENIAN 3: And darkness enfolds him ATHENIAN 4: A living creature ATHENIAN 5: Wrapping its tentacles around him ATHENIAN 6: Dragging him down, deeper and deeper - CRETAN 1: Through winding passageways CRETAN 2: Turning and twisting CRETAN 3: Like the coils of a snake CRETAN 4: Writhing in darkness CRETAN 5: Digesting him into its darkness CRETAN 6: Where dreams die black in the bedrock horror. THESEUS HAS NOW COME TO THE CENTRE OF THE LABYRINTH, WITH THE CHORUS AROUND HIM. HE SPEAKS TO THE AUDIENCE THESEUS: Suddenly theres light. A single shaft of pale light coming down from far above. Facing me is a chamber hollowed out of the rock. The passage Im standing in leads to the chamber. Theres no other entrance. And I know that Ive come to the centre of the labyrinth. THE CHORUS BEGIN TO MOVE AWAY FROM THESEUS AS THEY SPEAK ATHENIAN 1: A smell of decay CRETAN 1: Air close and hot ATHENIAN 2: Bones on the floor CRETAN 2: Rags of skin, dried blood ATHENIAN 3: Grim trophies hung from the walls CRETAN 3: Feathers, claws ATHENIAN 4: Scalps of human hair CRETAN 4: And a deep breathing ATHENIAN 5: Some creature moving CRETAN 5: Shuffling out of the dark - ATHENIAN 6: A knot of the dark given form, shape CRETAN 6: Horned, monstrous, the shape of the beast. AS THE CHORUS FINALLY PARTS, THE MINOTAUR IS REVEALED, STANDING CENTRAL, FACING THESEUS. THESEUS SPEAKS, KEEPING HIS EYES FIXED ON THE MINOTAUR THESEUS: It comes forward, stands before me, its bulk blocking the entrance. Part-man, part-beast. More terrible than Id ever imagined. And most terrible of all its eyes human eyes gazing out of an animal face. And its voice when it speaks is human too. THE MINOTAUR SPEAKS TO THESEUS ASTERIUS: Welcome, man. This is my home. The bottom of the world. These are the last paths your feet will walk. That light is the last light you will see. You have come here to die. THESEUS SPEAKS TO THE MINOTAUR THESEUS: To die? No. I have come here to kill. ASTERIUS: Kill me? You do not have the power or strength. THESEUS: Perhaps not. But I have this. HE RAISES THE KNIFE ASTERIUS: That blade will not harm me. THESEUS: Well see about that. No more talking. Lets fight. ASTERIUS: To the death. THESEUS: To the death. ASTERIUS NOW NARRATES, AS HE AND THESEUS FIGHT. THE FIGHT MAY BE STYLISED, PERFORMED IN SLOW-MOTION. ASTERIUS: I watch him, this man. I see how he moves. How he watches me. Looking for the chance, the right moment. It comes! He strikes! I fling him away. But he does not fall. He watches again. Strikes again! Again I fling him away. Again! And again! But always he returns. And now I fear him. I fear this man. His eyes, watching me. Not human eyes. The eyes of an animal staring from a human face. THESEUS SPEAKS TO ASTERIUS THESEUS: You still think Im not the man to kill you? ASTERIUS: No man can kill me. I am a god. THESEUS: Youre no god. And youre nothing human. Youre a monster, a beast. ASTERIUS: A beast, then. A beast that will feast on your flesh. THESEUS: Your days of feasting are finished. ASTERIUS: Why deceive yourself, man? Your death is certain. You can never escape from here. Even if you do kill me, you will wander in the dark until you die. THESEUS: Thats not the case. I know a way out. ASTERIUS: How can you know? THESEUS: I was given help. ASTERIUS: Who would help you? THESEUS: Ariadne. ASTERIUS: Ariadne? My sister. THESEUS: She wants you dead. Her brother who is no brother. A beast. A monster. A thing of horror. She wants me to kill you. And so I shall. ASTERIUS PAUSES FOR A MOMENT. THEN HE SPEAKS, SOFTLY ASTERIUS: And so you shall. ASTERIUS STANDS STILL. HE DOES NOT MOVE. THESEUS NARRATES HIS OWN ACTIONS THESEUS: It stands still. Doesnt move as I approach it. Looks outward, beyond me, as if it doesnt see me. Theres something shining on its face. Wet. Its tears. Tears on the beasts face. But I have no pity. I move around the creature, stand behind it, push it to the floor. It falls without a sound. Then I grasp its hair, pull its head up and back, raise my knife, and cut its throat. THE MINOTAUR IS KNEELING, FACING OUT, THESEUS STANDING BEHIND IT. HE DRAWS HIS KNIFE ACROSS THE MINOTAURS THROAT. OFFSTAGE, A LOUD ROARING SOUND. THESEUS PUSHES THE MINOTAUR FORWARD. IT FALLS FACE DOWN. HE RIPS OFF THE BULL-MASK AND HOLDS IT UP, TRIUMPHANTLY. THE ROARING FADES TO SILENCE. ARIADNE ENTERS. SHE WALKS UP TO THESEUS, TAKES THE MASK FROM HIM. FOR A MOMENT SHE HOLDS IT, TENDERLY, THEN PLACES IT ON THE FLOOR BESIDE THE BODY OF THE MINOTAUR. ARIADNE: Its done? THESEUS: Yes. ARIADNE: We must go, then. THESEUS: Is it safe? ARIADNE: Yes. Everyones sleeping. THESEUS: And theres a ship? ARIADNE: As I promised, in the harbour. THESEUS: And my companions? ARIADNE: Waiting there for us. Quickly, now. Hurry. THESEUS AND ARIADNE GO. CHORUS OF ATHENIANS SPEAK, LEAVING THE STAGE ON THEIR LINES. ATHENIAN 1: In the dead of night we boarded the ship ATHENIAN 2: Raised the anchor, cast off from the quayside ATHENIAN 3: Took to the oars and rowed out of the harbour ATHENIAN 4: Hauled on the ropes, hoisted the sail ATHENIAN 5: Let the wind fill it, driving us onward ATHENIAN 6: Away from Crete, to the open sea. THE FIRST FOUR CRETANS LEAVE AS THEY SPEAK CRETAN 1: And with the suns rising Crete wakes to the news - CRETAN 2: The beasts killed and the strangers have fled CRETAN 3: And the princess is gone and Minos is raving CRETAN 4: And the people are out and it looks like trouble THE LAST TWO CRETANS DRAG OFF THE MINOTAURS BODY AS THEY SPEAK CRETAN 5: Crowds in the streets, rioting, looting CRETAN 6: It looks like everythings falling apart. THEY GO WITH THE BODY 8 THE PALACE OF MINOS ANDROGEUS RUNS ONSTAGE, FOLLOWED BY THE NURSE ANDROGEUS: I wont go! I wont! NURSE: You must ANDROGEUS: No NURSE: Your father says ANDROGEUS: It doesnt matter what he says. Hes mad. NURSE: Thats a terrible thing to say. ANDROGEUS: Its true, though. NURSE: Well have no more talk like that. Now, come along ANDROGEUS: No! You cant make me! NURSE: But its not safe here! ANDROGEUS: This is the royal palace! Of course its safe! NURSE: Not any more. Cant you hear them? That crowd outside? Theyre at the doors. It wont be long before they break them down. ANDROGEUS: They wont dare! NURSE: Theyll dare anything today. Gone completely wild, they have. ANDROGEUS: Where are the soldiers? Why arent they dealing with them? NURSE: The soldiers are with them! You must go! Your father has a ship waiting ANDROGEUS: Ive told you I wont go! Not without him! NURSE: Without who? ANDROGEUS: He must be here somewhere. NURSE: Who? Who are you talking about? ANDROGEUS: Achilles, you stupid old woman! Im not going without Achilles! PHAEDRE HAS ENTERED, WITH THE PUPPET PHAEDRE: He means this. His puppet. ANDROGEUS: You found him! HE SNATCHES THE PUPPET OFF PHAEDRE, PUTS IT ON HIS HAND Now we can fight them all! Achilles and I, well stand together, well beat them back PHAEDRE: Fool! What are you two going to do against that mob? A puppet and an idiot! Theyve got weapons! The citys burning! Weve got to go. ANDROGEUS: I dont want to! This is my home! PHAEDRE: All right, then. Stay! I really dont care! SHE TURNS ANDROGEUS: Phaedre! Dont leave me! Im scared! PHAEDRE: Come on, then. ANDROGEUS: What about Ariadne? Isnt she coming? PHAEDRE: You are such an idiot, arent you? Ariadnes gone! She ran away to Athens! She helped the stranger kill our brother. All this is her fault. NURSE: You cant be sure of that PHAEDRE: Yes I can. Daedalus told everything. After hed been tortured. And now hes locked up in his own labyrinth. ANDROGEUS: Is he? Is he in there? PHAEDRE: Yes. ANDROGEUS: Good. Serves him right. I never liked him. NURSE: Listen! Theyre beating the doors down! Youd better go! There isnt much time! PHAEDRE: Arent you coming? NURSE: Ill follow you. Go on, go on! Hurry! PHAEDRE AND ANDROGEUS GO. THE NURSE SPEAKS TO THE AUDIENCE I shant follow. Ive done with them. Not that I want to see them harmed, but Ive given that family enough years service, and all for no thanks. Good riddance to them, I say. Now Ill go to the doors and let the mob in. Join with them, ransack the palace. And help myself to a share of the loot. NURSE GOES 9 THE RETURN JOURNEY THE AEGEAN SEA AND SKY, THE ISLAND OF NAXOS, ATHENS. THESEUS ENTERS AND SPEAKS TO THE AUDIENCE THESEUS: Theres a fair wind blowing from the south, the skys clear, the seas calm. No thundercloud covers the sun, no storm whips up the waves to bring us trouble. As if some god is with us, watching over us. Heaven itself has blessed our enterprise. And as I lift my face towards the sky, I see the sign of that blessing. ATHENIAN CHORUS ENTER AS THEY SPEAK ATHENIAN 1: We see it too - ATHENIAN 2: A miracle, - ATHENIAN 3: A wonder - ATHENIAN 4: Soaring above us - ATHENIAN 5: A messenger from heaven - ATHENIAN 6: A winged figure flying out of the sun. DAEDALUS ENTERS ON ANOTHER PART OF THE STAGE AND SPEAKS TO THE AUDIENCE DAEDALUS: No gods messenger, no sign from heaven. But a wonder certainly. Not least to myself. I escaped from the labyrinth. Id built a secret passage that led up to the clifftops above the sea. Once there, I constructed my true masterpiece. Feathers, wood, wax. Where Talos failed, I succeeded. I spread my arms wide, and stepped off into space. The wind took me, lifted me up, above the earth, above the sea, out of this story and out of this world, to a destination no man knows. DAEDALUS GOES ON ANOTHER PART OF THE STAGE, ARIADNE ENTERS. ARIADNE: I saw him too, as I stood alone on the shore of the island. I knew it was him. I held in my hands the winged figure hed made for me. And I raised it up, and in grief and rage, flung it into the air. It rose, shining, flashing in the sunlight. Then turned and fell, and dropped into the waves. And now I stand alone at the seas edge, and I weep bitter tears, and I curse the man who abandoned me here. ATHENIAN 1: Theseus isnt to blame. He had to do it. ATHENIAN 2: He was forced to leave the girl there. ATHENIAN 3: We put in at this island, Naxos, they call it ATHENIAN 4: Put in there for fresh water and food ATHENIAN 5: It was a hot day and the work made us drowsy ATHENIAN 6: And after wed loaded the ship, we slept. THESEUS: And as I slept a god appeared to me. Wooden staff in his hand, vine-leaves in his hair, a leopard at his side/ Dionysos, god of wine. This was his island, he told me, and he wanted a gift. Ariadne. He wanted her to be his bride. Hed put her into an enchanted sleep. She wouldnt wake until shed gone. I must leave her there, he told me. leave her to him or endure his wrath. And though it grieved me, thats what I did. There was no choice. The god had spoken. ARIADNE: Thats what he says. Thats what hell tell everyone. But he lies! He lies in his teeth and the truth is this! He never intended to take me to Athens. Used me, and then discarded me, abandoned me here, a piece of flotsam. I know I shall die here, and Ill die cursing him. I send my curse to him now, screaming like a seabird across the waves. A curse to blight his life, him and all his blood! ARIADNE GOES ATHENIAN 1: We sailed on, speeding towards Athens. ATHENIAN 2: The wind in our hair, the salt-spray on our faces. ATHENIAN 3: The sunlight flashing like bright laughter from the waves. ATHENIAN 4: Then the smell of earth, seabirds circling. ATHENIAN 5: A dark shape rising out of the sea. ATHENIAN 6: The cliffs of our own country, the headlands of home. ON ANOTHER PART OF THE STAGE, AEGEUS ENTERS AEGEUS: I stood on that headland, where Id stood each day, looking out for my sons return. And, as on the day of his leaving, a cold wind blew, a cold voice whispered. I shivered. Suddenly I felt old. Then I saw the ship coming over the horizon, watched eagerly as it approached from the south. A black ship with a black sail. Then I knew my son was dead. Despair seized me. I stepped off the headland into empty air, and fell to my death on the rocks below, and my bones lie white on the seas bed. ON ANOTHER PART OF THE STAGE, AETHRA ENTERS AETHRA: So the words of the goddess were fulfilled at last. And at last I had my longed-for revenge. AETHRA GOES TO THESEUS, TAKES HIS HAND, AND LEADS HIM TO THE CENTRE, WHERE SHE CEREMONIOUSLY PLACES A GOLDEN CIRCLET, THE CROWN OF ATHENS, ON HIS HEAD. AS SHE DOES THIS, THE CHORUS SPEAK ATHENIAN 1: It wasnt his fault. You cant blame him. ATHENIAN 2: He was sleeping as we approached land. ATHENIAN 3: And we didnt know about his promise. ATHENIAN 4: By the time he woke, it was too late. ATHENIAN 5: And he entered the city to the bad news. ATHENIAN 6: And a heros welcome, and the crown of Athens. THESEUS MAKES A SPEECH TO THE AUDIENCE HE BEGINS WITH SADNESS IN HIS VOICE, BUT THIS GRADUALLY GIVES WAY TO TRIUMPH THESEUS: Citizens of Athens. You offer me this crown and I accept it. But in accepting I grieve for the death of my father, and that his name shall never be forgotten, the sea which took his life shall bear his name for all time. In that name too, Ill rule as well and wisely as Im able, and pray well know prosperity and peace. For no enemies are left to Athens, now. The monster of Crete has been destroyed, Minos overthrown, his power broken. Theres nothing to prevent our city from rising to true greatness - wealthy, powerful, a place of justice and just living a haven and harbour to citizens and strangers, a shining beacon of glory throughout the known world. THE ATHENIANS CHEER AND CALL OUT. AS THEY DO, THE CRETAN CHORUS ENTERS. WHEN THE CHEERING DIES DOWN, THEY SPEAK. CRETAN 1: But even as the people cheered CRETAN 2: Even as they called out their new kings name CRETAN 3: At that moment of celebration and victory CRETAN 4: A shadow fell across the city CRETAN 5: A shadow from the south CRETAN 6: Horned, black, the shadow of the bull. ASTERIUS TOO HAS ENTERED, AND SPEAKS ASTERIUS: My shadow, that shall haunt you all your days, called from the grave by my sisters curse. A shadow that lies in your heart, and the hearts of all men, your doom and your fate, the bane of your blood and all your kind. ATHENIAN 1: So it was. So it shall be. Hell make Athens great, bring law and peace to all the country around. CRETAN 1: Have a son, Hippolytus, by a foreign queen. A son whom he worships and adores. ATHENIAN 2: Hell marry Ariadnes sister, Phaedre, and so unite Athens and Crete. CRETAN 2: But then Phaedre will fall in love with his son. And when he rejects her, shell accuse him of rape. ATHENIAN 3: Fearing for his life, Hippolytus will flee, and Theseus, in his rage, will call on the gods. CRETAN 3: And the gods will hear him, and send a bull from the sea, and Hippolytus will go down to his doom. ATHENIAN 4: Phaedre, his wife, will hang herself. In grief at these deaths, Theseus will go mad.. CRETAN 4: Hell become a tyrant. His people will fear him. Even his own mother will turn against him. ATHENIAN 5: Fear will become anger. Theyll take the crown from him, turn him out of the city, banish him forever. CRETAN 5: Outcast, alone, hell wander the world, tramping its trackways, a beggar on the road. ATHENIAN 6: And at last, in some remote place, hell be set upon by bandits, beaten, murdered. CRETAN 6: And his body thrown in some deep pit. And no one shall know where his bones lie. ALL EXCEPT THESEUS AND ASTERIUS, TURN, AND GO. WHEN THEY HAVE GONE, ASTERIUS SPEAKS ASTERIUS: Once there was a king. ASTERIUS GOES. THESEUS TAKES THE CIRCLET OF GOLD FROM HIS HEAD, RAISES IT UP, THEN LOWERS IT AND PLACES IT ON THE FLOOR. HE TURNS AND GOES. 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