Greek tragedy intro

Sophocles.

Our study of Greek literature this year was guided by Aristotle's Poetics, the first known work of literary theory in history. In it, Aristotle presents his ideas on all aspects of drama and epic poetry: why humans engage in storytelling in the first place, tragedy vs. comedy, and narrative conventions like character and plot. Homer's Odyssey in graphic novel form and viewing a production of Oedipus Rex by Sophocles (both works Aristotle discusses at length in Poetics) illustrate some of the most enduring themes of Greek literature: fate vs. free will, heroism, and mythology. Those were the texts we studied in preparation to write our individual tragedies as well as our class play, "Alexander the Great and the (Gorgeous) Heir."

The upper graders' tragedies include many of these themes, as well as common motifs like disguises, vengeance, betrayal, and "twists" at the end of the play-- what Aristotle called the reversal. And, of course, not all characters live through the play, either. Our class definition of tragedy is a story that begins in order and ends in chaos, so characters' deaths are to be expected. 

In addition to the thematic stuff, the upper graders learned proper formatting and structure of playwriting using http://www.celtx.com, a site I have used for years to teach screenwriting in my filmmaking workshops. Our class learned how to structure acts and scenes and how to write stage direction and dialogue. Enjoy!

--Chris

The Heist by Luke Demeter-Willison

ACT 1

SCENE 1

A Ragged Person and Bejeweled lady are sitting next to a fit man with a bow and a quiver (Bowman) at a pub.

BEJEWELED LADY:

We want you, umm... actually, you were secretive about yourself so all we know about you is that you work in the shadows and you're very good at whatever murdering job you do. Anyway, we want you to...eliminate any problems we encounter on our...job.

BOWMAN:

Hmmm...I wonder what you're doing.

Bowman rolls eyes.

BOWMAN:

Anyway, tell me who you are first.

BEJEWELED LADY:

I am a magician, using a branch of magic unseen to most people. I have the ability to manipulate objects, especially an animals will.

She demonstrates this by making Bowman's chair levitate, then makes it spin in a circle and makes it come back down, by accident making the chair face away from the gypsy and the ragged man. Bowman awkwardly waits for a second and scoots the chair back noisily.

BOWMAN:

So who are you, rag?

RAGGED MAN:

I am an master of disguises.

BOWMAN:

Hilarious.

RAGGED MAN:

I kid not. 10 minutes and the right materials, I could make you a diplomat, a pop star, a king, a priest, a-

(Bowman interrupts)

BOWMAN:

I got it.

MAGICIAN:

So, who are you?

BOWMAN:

I am a mist. It is not magic, but I can seep through everything. Including security.

MAGICIAN:

So will you join us?

BOWMAN:

Not until I know what you're doing.

MAGICIAN:

Follow us.

BOWMAN:

Not ri-

Bowman's laces tie very tight, and then his boots fly a foot up. a rag clumps into a ball and shoves itself in Bowman. Bowman reaches for his bow but a chair whacks him in the head and knocks him out.

ACT 1

Scene 2

Bowman wakes up in a cart, shakes his head, tries to speak without remembering that there's a gag in his mouth. He tries to get up, but winces and goes back down. he feels himself lifting as the Magician...lifts him.

MAGICIAN:

How ya doing?

Bowman gurgles and points to his gag.

MAGICIAN:

Sorry.

The gag is lifted from Bowman's mouth with a pop. Bowman jumps out of the cart, bow and arrow ready to fire.

BOWMAN:

Where are we?!?!

MAGICIAN:

I'm afraid I can't tell you that. You never got around to telling us your name. What is it?

BOWMAN:

I'm afraid I can't tell you that.

Bowman fires bow at Magician's heart but the arrow is raised landing next to Magician head.

MAGICIAN:

Now that wasn't very nice now was it?

Magician pulls out a feather,throws it on the ground. The feather starts flaming and transforms itself into a phoenix with a half invisible fire around it. Bowman pulls out three arrows and fires them through the phoenix, setting them on fire. The Magician thrusts an open palm towards the arrows emanating a glassy purple pulse that spreads out to touch the walls of the room, all while the pulse quickly moves towards Bowman. When the pulse touches  the arrows are pushed back sending them firing at Bowman. Bowman ducks and rolls under the phoenix while pulling a samurai sword from his back. Once past the phoenix, Bowman deflects the arrow with the machete in a slow-motion swipe. When the pulse hits Bowman, he slams into the wall behind him and falls unconscious.

MAGICIAN:

Goodbye.

Magician throws indistinguishable shiny object on the ground and smoke flourishes around him.

ACT 1

Scene 3

Magician, Disguise Master, Bowman and a scribe are in a moving donkey cart.

MAGICIAN:

Sorry Bazyli again about the fight. I forgot my sleep spell. So you remember the plan, right?

BAZYLI:

Yes,Makaila Gluken. Scribe?

SCRIBE:

I wrote your whole story, (winks) Bowman.

RAGGED MAN:

Are you ready?

BAZYLI:

Go over the plan once more, Demuritus.

ACT 1

Scene 4

Scene changes to an altar.

DEMERITUS:

The altar has nearly all the money in Peritis due to the humongous amounts of donations. And almost completely undefended. Two guards and twenty falcons are the only thing defending a mass of gold and jewels and early retirement! So what we're going to do is M. will make a portal from here to the falcon's cages, causing them to be crazed and useless defenders. B. will take out the two guards, disguised as a priest curtsy of me. Then Viola! We're in the Greek equivalent of the Bahamas.

BAZLYI:

Alright. Let's do this!

ACT 2

Scene 1

Two bulky men are in a room with falcons in cages beside them. The men are also holding spears and have their backs to a feather-encrusted door. Then a light appears in the cages causing the falcons inside to FREAK out. This then causes one guard to check the perimeter and another to try to contain the falcons unsuccessfully. A howl echos through the room and the other guard goes to check. There is another howl. Some magicians come and cast a light to see what happened. In the midst of the group, you can barely recognize M. in the clump of magicians. She opens the feather-encrusted door in a way that no one notices and comes back with a clinking heavy sack. One apprentice notices, tries to warn the magicians, and *poof* is gone. Then a arrow whizzes past the archmages head and you can plainly see "LEAVE" written in feathers across the arrow. The archmage opens a giant portal that all the magicians fall into except for M. standing on a small pillar of stone with void around her, against the archmage. M. grabs a bit of soil and a seed, throws them,then fires a purple blast that surrounds the soil and seed and suddenly a bridge made out of vines appears across the void. The archmage snaps his fingers and a fireball streaks down the  bridge, obviously intended for M. but is deflected with an wall of water. The remaining water extinguishes the flame and splashes the archmage in the face. The stone beneath the archmage is pulled up violently and wrapped around the bridge, securing it. The archmage pulls up the ground beneath him, using it as a shield. It turns to magma and you can hear a scream. A purple haze forms around the magma and it explodes, revealing a scorch faced man, and the archmage grabs a piece of the bridge, which glows purple for a second then fades. He then bends the piece of bridge into a pole shape. The bridge does the same. He then throws the piece of bridge at the ground that M. is standing on. The bridge does the same. M. falls and the bridge lands on top of her and crushes her.

BOWMAN:

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

The archmage turns and B. fires an arrow at him and the archmage's last sight is that of an arrow to his brain. A another group of mages come, see the archmage, look in the direction of the arrow and see B. They fire purple bolts at the pillar he hides behind, each with explosive charge, obliterating the last thing it touches. B. tries to shoot an arrow at one of the magicians, but a bad aim shoots his head clean off. In the meanwhile, the archmage is slowly turning into a humongous purple aura and the portal disappears. D. goes over to the archmage and tries, from the little he learned from the Magician, to destroy the archmage's body firing a beam at him but it hits the aura. Blinding flash of white light.

ACT 2

Scene 2

It shows a scholar writing.

SCHOLAR:

Our current theory is that three people tried to take the stash and one of them killed the archmage. Another tried to take out the body, but hit the aura, which amplified the explosion approximately 1,000,000 times, effectively destroying the Mesopotamian and the goddess herself had to intervene and restored Mesopotamia, minus the criminals, of course. The only reason we know about this is that a small patch of gold opened up and the archmage's aura told us all that he knew. That piece of gold was buried in honor of the many years he served us in our magic military. Fin.

Rhetoric by Rodrigo Torres-Clar

RHETORIC

ACT I

Scene 1

Two people sitting on logs next to each other eating some sort of sooty meat cooked on a huge hardened stake. They are quietly discussing something.

DAFNI:

Yeorgia, why do we wait until the winter to attack? Why not attack sooner? 

YEORGIA:

I've told you four times now! We wait because at winter the forces of the wrathful is most powerful at winter, Dafni.

DAFNI:

Shall we make the snow fall right now or later?

YEORGIA:

We shall now.

DAFNI:

Hoi ta da selo DIMA!

Snow stars falling at a fast pace so that houses are buried under snow in the space of 24 hours. Lady comes out of her house screaming. Children of all ages come out and start playing in the snow.

WAITOR:

Would you like some more? Or would you like something else? We have excellent drugged soup here.

Dafni and Yeorgia say at the same time "No thank you, I think we're satisfied."

WAITOR:

(startled)

Oh.... Okay! I hope that you enjoyed the food here!

YEORGIA

Oh, it was magnificent! thank you very much!

WAITOR:

Farewell!

DAFNI:

Farewell and good night!

ACT 1

SCENE 2

Will is sleeping. He wakes up and everyone else is still asleep.

WILL: 

(to Robin gruffly)

Get up!

Robin does not stir.

WILL:

EVERYBODY GET UP!!!

There's no response.  Will does not expect any. Will gets his clothes on and goes outside. There are no houses in sight. Will sees a rough trail and follows it. He follows the trail to the main road. On the main road, he sees a blacksmith's shop.

WILL:

Hello, John Smith.

And then he notices a person in large black robes petting a horse. John Smith is making the horseshoes for that horse.

WILL:

Hello, sir.

The man goes stiff.

WILL:

Hello? Uh, sir? Are you okay? Do you need a medic?

MAN:

No, thank you Will. I think I am fine.

WILL:

How do you know my name?

At that moment, John smith fits a horse shoe onto the horse. It fits perfectly. Then he puts it in the water to cool. There is a loud hissing sound.

MAN:

(mounting his horse)

Come, Will.

WILL:

No thank you.

The mysterious man reaches for Will, but he dodges out of the way. Then the man makes a swift curving movement with his arm and comes very close to touching him but John Smith pulls him back. 

JOHN SMITH

And that will be the last we see of you!

The man rides away

JOHN SMITH

I'm sorry, Will. I know why you are here. You are the last of The Olde Ones. Come will you are hungry and weary. Beatrice!

A slightly overweight woman comes bustling out of the house wearing the formal middle-class clothes with slices of bread with honey. Will takes a piece. It is very sweet and the bread is very hearty and not used to the type he had at home that was made with nothing other than a few seeds. This bread is more to his liking: it has many types of mixed seeds. He can't help it, but he is eating as muuch as he could and stuffing his mouth with bread. Every time he looks at Beatrice she is beaming off at someone or staring to space. He crams a mouthfull of bread into his mouth for the umpteenth time.

BEATRICE

Are you done, sweetheart? We are almost out of bread!

WILL

Thank you. I think that I will be satisfied. Thank you for the bread. It was spectacular!

JOHN

(bristling with excitement)

Well here comes The White Horse!

The horse was like no other he's ever seen. It is white, a deep snowy white that made it seem like snow, but peircing dark blue eyes that seem to have a bright blue, brilliant fire burning in them. The horse is mysteriously tall, almost twice as tall as Will himeslf. In awe, Will stared at John. John looks at him crookedly and smiles

JOHN SMITH

Go ahead, Will. Mount him.

Heartily Will laughs.

WILL

How can you expect me to mount a horse twice as large as me?

JOHN SMITH

Like this!

John smith lifts him in the air, and despite his best efforts he ccan't get free. He struggles to not scream and then he gets heaved up onto the horse. John Smith lays panting on the floor. Then suddenly the horse rears back and begins to run on a trail. 

Then Will sees what he never thought possible: a portal. A portal to what looks like a grassy field. Then, suddenly, as abruptly as he started the horse stops. It is the man.

MAN:

Hello, Will. It hasn't been very long.

WILL

Who are you!

MAN

My name stays hidden. But you may call me The Rider.

WILL

Rider, leave me be! I have done nothing!

The horse begins at a very fast run toward the portal. The Rider lets an arrow fling by Wills ear by a bow the like of which Will had never seen. It is black, a deep dark black with skulls playing around the handle which is made of fox fur. The string is made of fine ox tail hair and some kind of metal. He has a quiver full of arrows and prepares a volley. The seven arrows fly by. One of the arrows catches will on the arm and another on his back. He bellows in pain as the blood starts to blossom on his shirt. The rider prepares another volley, this one of more arrows but he never gets to fire. A man in a green and brown suit comes and slits The Rider's throat.

MAN IN GREEN AND BROWN

Come! You are injured! My name is Max!

Will manages to stop the horse from reaching the portal. He goes to Max. He is on the floor. Will panics and eight men surround him each with a full quiver and a bow like The Rider's.

MAN ON HORSE

Good night.

They all fire. Will stands no chance. He bellows in pain as each arrow strikes him in the chest or the back. Then one puts him out of his misery. He is dead.

Iyetis' Song by Garnet Phinney

"IYETIS' SONG"

ACT I

Scene 1

Eraia walks to closet in her families temple. She picks a beautiful dress that she is allowed to wear because of her royalty. She looks like a little girl, which she is.

ERAIA:

(singing)

Upon the day that Iyetis born, the wings she grew so delicate. She blew mother Oramas's horn, sending the song of goddesship. She grew to be cunning and strong. Clever and kind. Amazing and rulerly. She declared to rule the world.

The song slows.

ERAIA: 

But then one day, her half brother came. He declared he'd discovered a power. He needed one wing, for the spell, and promised to bring the power back to her. But he smashed the wing, and took her power, turning the wing to dust. He ate the dust, swallowing it all, and took half her power. She declared him to die, so die he did. And her power went to the land of dead. Someone tricked her again, as she gets tricked so easy. He took her wing, said he could make one into two. And her wing was turned to dust again. She declared him to die, so die he did. The power went to the land of dead. And that's how Iyetis lost her wings.

Now that she has gotten dressed, she applies some make up on, to show her royalty, and heads downstairs, still humming. She meets up with her family for breakfast

ERAIA: 

Hello Mom, Pa, Brother Daimis, Sister Iela, Brother Olan, and Baby Brother Emai, how are you all on this fair morning Iyetis is watching us upon.

DAIMIS: 

Eraia, there is no need to be so formal, It is not the day of a festival, we are your family, and you are merely six.

ERAIA: 

I am sorry.

DAIMIS: 

No need to be sorry, it is very good behavior. In fact, I will give you my goat cheese for breakfast this morning.

PA: 

Yes, Eria and Iela are the best girls in all of the world. Iela is by far the best weaver, and Eria is by far the best server. A toast to them.

The family gathers around the table. Eria tries to pour the wine, but the family doesn't let her because the toast is for her.

PA: 

A toast to my beautiful daughter Eria, to the best child now, and to the many beautiful children that will become.

FAMILY: 

Alaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Everyone eats merrily and talks around the table.

MOTHER: 

So, everyone, what are you doing on this fine day?

DAIMIS: 

Well, you know I am not possibly going to war soon because they don't want a fine man that is related to Iyetis to be hurt or killed. They want those men to have lots of children so we have even more powerful people.

(He sighs)

IELA: 

I'm sorry.

ERAIA: 

I don't get what's so bad. You don't have to die.

(baby wails)

MOTHER: 

I've got to go take care of that.

DAIMIS: 

(being very serious)

Eraia, you have to learn that if you are male and are born in Petritis, your biggest hope is to die dignified in the line of duty.

Eraia nods, a bit baffled, but very serious.

ERAIA: 

And woman?

DAIMIS: 

Their goal is to have the best of the best children.

He taps Eraia on the nose.

DAIMIS: 

Actually, Iela, now that you are fourteen, you will marry and have children soon.

IELA:

(smiling) )

Yes, I am going off to marry in two weeks. I am very excited.

OLAN: 

Pa, can we go play yarn-stick?

PA: 

I have to help Eraia fix her royal make up.

OLAN: 

After that?

PA: 

Then I am going to go lead a military class.

IELA: 

It's okay Pa, I can manage her make up.

PA: 

Thank you.

OLAN: 

Thank you sister.

Olan and Pa go outside after gathering a ball of yarn from Iela's weaving basket. Once outside, they each get a stick and toss the yarn back and forth with them. The game looks extremely hard, but it is obvious they have lots of practice.

(Someone screams from inside)

Pa: 

(panicked)

That sounds like Eraia!

They run inside.

SCENE 2

They run up the stairs, to find Iela working on Eraia's makeup.

PA: 

I heard a scream.

Iela looks a bit shaken, but Eraia looks just fine.

ERAIA: 

There was a spider, that's all.

Pa looks relived.

PA: 

You scared me there, next time you see a spider, don't worry, you are under the protection of Iyetis.

ERAIA: 

Actually, Pa, could I talk to you for a moment.

PA: 

Sure, what?

ERAIA: 

Without Olan in the room.

PA: 

(hesitantly)

Alright. Olan, go down to your mother, she knows what you're doing today.

Olan walks out of the room and down the stairs. Once downstairs he looks around for his mother, but can't find her. He finds his big brother Daimis, instead.

OLAN: 

Daimis, where's Mother.

DAIMIS: 

I don't know. I think she might have taken Emai out for a walk.

OLAN: 

But your 16, you're almost 17, you are supposed to know.

DAIMIS: 

Being older doesn't mean you know where people are all the time.

OLAN: 

Uhhhhhhhhg.

The sound of footsteps come from the hall. Mother walks in the room.

MOTHER: 

Hello, Daimis, Olan, I was just taking Emai for a walk.

She rocks Emai and tosses him in the air, making him giggle.

DAIMIS: 

He's so cute!

OLAN: 

He's annoying.

MOTHER: 

Don't say that about your little brother.

OLAN: 

Daimis says that about me!

MOTHER: 

Fine, but you know he's only annoying when he cries or whines. You were once like that too. You still are very young you know. Your only 4.

OLAN: 

But I want to be as old as Daimis!

MOTHER: 

One day, one day.

Sound of footsteps down the stairs. Eraia, Pa, and a very scared looking Iela  enter the room.

ERAIA: 

Daimis!

Eraia runs to Daimis to hug him.

DAIMIS: 

Eraia!

Iela runs as fast as she can, pushes down Eraia, and runs in front of Daimis, spreading her arms out to protect him.

IELA: 

Don't you dare touch my brother!

DAIMIS: 

What is going on!

IELA: 

Daimis, go away from here.

Eraia regains her feet and runs toward Daimis.

IELA: 

Daimis run!

ERAIA: 

Brother, don't listen to her! She tried to kill me!

Daimis frantically tries to get in front of Iela.

DAIMIS: 

You tried to kill her?

IELA: 

Never! She is not even your sister!

Eraia is almost at Daimis when Iela manages to get in front of him again.

ERAIA: 

You care about him this much?

IELA: 

I care about him more than you care about power.

ERAIA:

(whispering)

So enough to die?

IELA: 

Yes.

ERAIA: 

Then die you will.

Eraia pulls a knife out of the top of her dress and stabs her in the stomach. Iela fell to the ground, coughing blood and sputtering.

DAIMIS: 

How dare you!

Daimis is about to care for her, but sees Eraia charging for him and runs.

MOTHER: 

Daimis, it's not Eraia! She doesn't have the birthmark on her lower right leg!

DAIMIS: 

You are truly evil.

He jumps onto a counter and climbs up a cabinet.

UNKNOWN GIRL: 

I know you'd be the hardest.

The unknown girl runs to the Mother and stabs her before stabbing Emai.

UNKNOWN GIRL: 

You have a choice, you die, or your sister does.

DAIMIS: 

Where is she?

UNKNOWN GIRL: 

Answer!

DAIMIS: 

I'd rather die.

UNKNOWN GIRL: 

Good.

The unknown girl runs up the stairs, and returns with Eraia looking just like her. Pa also comes down the stairs.

DAIMIS: 

Pa!

UNKNOWN GIRL: 

Sometimes you have to make sacrifices.

The unknown girl stabs Eraia in the stomach.

DAIMIS: 

Eraia!

Daimis falls to the ground crying.

DAIMIS: 

Pa, do something.

Pa is silent

DAIMIS: 

Pa, do something!

Pa punches the unknown girl in the face before taking her knife and stabbing her in the stomach. Then he goes up to Daimis and stabs him in the stomach as well.

DAIMIS: 

Dad?

UNKNOWN GIRL: 

Your dad couldn't resist the power it would give him if he was the only one in the royal family, the only one related to Iyetis. He would kill for it and he did. He even killed me, his favorite daughter. The daughter he had with Iyetis. I would do anything for him, even kill my own relatives. When I die, I will go to the immortal world, the world of gods. I'm just dissapointed I didn't get to live here longer. 

The unknown girl notices Daimis is dead, sighs, and closes her eyes too.

Masquerade by Becca Wittman

MASQUERADE

ACT I

Scene 1

An old man and a young flaxen-haired boy are sitting at the edge of a river in silence.

BOY:

Father, why do we live in such poverty? You have always told me I was the son of a king.

FATHER:

Not so much a king as a coward. But even cowards have stories. Long ones.

Scene/Flashback 2

Aspasia and Sappho are sitting on a rock above the river in Petritis. Elpis, youngest of the three, is standing halfway in the river, singing an old tune. Hesperios, son of Theocritus, one of the high priests in Petritis, appears behind the rock. Elpis spots him.

ELPIS:

(singing)

Hesperios! Son of our uncle, hide no more, you are seen!

HESPERIOS:

(singing back)

Elpis! Daughter of my uncle, no need to tell me I am seen!

Elpis laughs and Hesperios smiles.

HESPERIOS:

But alas! Elpis, if only you could keep a secret, I might have been able to play my prank! To frighten your sisters is a great reward.

ASPASIA:

Hesperios! What games you play with us, my brother! Child of Hermes, child of mischief!

Hesperios climbs up onto the rock between Sappho and Aspasia.

SAPPHO:

What brings you here, cousin-of-sorts, to the lair of your humble citizens; to brag, as you must, of your conquests in our city?

HESPERIOS:

Hardly, sister, cousin-of-sorts; I would not call you either humble or a citizen for then you should not be special! and as the daughter of a high priest, you will always be special; I should call you proud and rich, affectionately, for your place in this city of my conquests.

SAPPHO:

And yet this is still the city of your conquests!

HESPERIOS:

Forgive me for speaking, sister, if I should not be able to speak of my triumphs!

SAPPHO:

Your insolence!

HESPERIOS:

My victories!

ASPASIA:

Hush, you two; anger not the gods, anger not our fathers. It would do you both good to agree on something or the other - harsh words never helped a soul.

SAPPHO:

Of course! Our sister comes to the aid of her lover, encourages him as he revels in his ignorance! Oh Zeus, Lord of Heaven, save me from the oversweet words of these two; save me from their strange affection for each other; save me from standing between the two greatest insu-

ASPASIA:

Of all things! My own sister turned against me; and I could say the same-

ELPIS:

Both of you, silence! For shame, Sappho, to say such things to your sister as well as a prince; and for shame, Aspasia, to talk back after you should tell Sappho to speak no more! Both of you deserve not this river, this kingdom, if you should bicker so; what actions, of a princess!

SAPPHO:

(snarling)

No princess am I, madame! For one would have to be respectable to be a princess, and I am far from that!

SCENE/FLASHBACK 3

Aspasia is sitting in her bedroom at night. A book lays open at her side. She is looking out of her window, evidently distracted. Hesperios enters. She jumps to her feet.

ASPASIA:

Hesperios!

HESPERIOS:

Aspasia!

ASPASIA:

Prince!

HESPERIOS:

Love!

ASPASIA:

Such words; and what would make a prince so kind?

HESPERIOS:

You ask what compels me to speak. A strange thing; my conscience.

ASPASIA:

And anything else?

HESPERIOS:

My heart.

A thump sounds outside their door. Hesperios crouches down behind her dresser. Aspasia sits on her bed and pretends to read her book. The door is kicked open. Sappho enters.

SAPPHO:

What noise heard I right now?

ASPASIA:

None but the sound of the wind, my sister.

SAPPHO:

And the wind howls "My love, my heart?"

ASPASIA:

I suppose it does; who else is in this room?

Sappho looks around and spots Hesperios, but says nothing.

ASPASIA:

None other.

Sappho takes a seat on the window sill and surveys her sister with cold eyes.

SAPPHO:

Hateful to me as the gates of Hades is that man which hides one thing in his heart and says aloud another.

ASPASIA:

I am no man.

SAPPHO

(doing an impression of Elpis)

Hesperios! Son of Cerberus, hide no longer, you are found!

From her seat on the sill, she kicks him viciously, and he flies onto the floor. Aspasia rises to stand in front of him.

ASPASIA:

Foolish sister! What noise you make with your witch's pot of vengeance; and what business have you with him and I?

SAPPHO:

O foolish sister! Have you no idea what lies ahead? This may only end in trouble!

ASPASIA:

And why?

SAPPHO:

(mocking)

O all-knowing sister, intelligence of this town, would you not know the trouble Theocritus brings? I should die of shock had you not heard the gossip, sister; and gossip spread by our father alone!

ASPASIA:

Our father, a priest!

SAPPHO:

A priest on this ungodly coast! Indeed, a priest, our father, and with gossip spilling out of his twenty different mouths, of twenty different faces! Had you not been distracted by the filth at your feet-

HESPERIOS:

Her side!

SAPPHO:

You might have known the trouble he brings!

HESPERIOS:

The fortune I give!

SAPPHO:

The curses you cast!

ASPASIA:

Both of you, quiet! Else Father may-

Elpis bursts into the room, with Cosmas, their father, right behind.

COSMAS:

What is this devilry?

ASPASIA & SAPPHO:

Father!

COSMAS:

A dog in our place! in our house! in your room!

ASPASIA:

This is not what it looks-

COSMAS:

An innocent scheme!

SAPPHO:

I suppose it is so!

COSMAS:

I will not have it!

ASPASIA:

You must let it be!

COSMAS:

This dog! This monster, in my house! Let it be, as if I would! 

A nuisance, a rat, a bloodthirsty snake! As if I would; and let him feed his hungry eyes on all this house holds? On all that lies inside? 

ASPASIA:

Yes! Dear father-

COSMAS:

As if I would! Out, rat - I will see no more of you!

ASPASIA:

Father!

COSMAS:

Daughter!

HESPERIOS:

Sir!

COSMAS:

Out! CALLIOPE!

Calliope enters, a serving maid of Cosmas' house.

CALLIOPE:

Yes sir?

COSMAS:

(furious)

Escort this bottom-feeder out of the house - throw him into the streets - run him over with a horse! In fact, throw him into the streets - fetch me Arion - I will trample him myself!

Two guards enter and assist Calliope in dragging Hesperios out of the room. Aspasia clings to her father's robes as he sweeps out of the room. Elpis and Sappho are left in the room.

SCENE/FLASHBACK 3

Calliope is washing clothes in the river and singing.

CALLIOPE:

How strange,

This feeling that my life's begun at last,

This change,

Can people really fall in love so fast?

She pauses, then sloshes out of the river, blonde ringlets bouncing on her shoulders.

CALLIOPE:

What's the matter with you, Calliope?

Have you been too much on your own?

So many things unclear..

So many things, unknown.

Hesperios is watching from behind a tree and wondering who she speaks of. Calliope is a near-stranger to Petritis and works in Cosmas' house to make a living, though she is around Hesperios' age.

CALLIOPE:

In my life,

He has burst like the music of angels,

The light of the sun.

And my life seems to stop...

As if something is over, and something has barely begun!

Hesperios accidentally brushes against the ferns growing out of the tree's roots. Calliope's voice trails off. She grows alarmed, stepping back into the river, but Hesperios remains silent. Her voice is the most beautiful he has ever heard and he is quite literally entranced.

CALLIOPE:

Who goes there?

Hesperios steps halfway out and starts singing. He knows the rest of the song - an old love ballad.

HESPERIOS:

A heart full of love,

A heart - full of song,

Oh Zeus, for shame!

I don't even know your name...

Won't you say?

Won't you tell?

A bird chatters in the forest, something that sounds like a cry of fear. Hesperios and Calliope both know they will be punished - Hesperios for adultery and two-timing and Calliope for socializing with a higher class, not to mention an enemy of the master of the house she works for.   They crouch down and grab each other's hands. Hesperios doesn't know Calliope is quarter-harpy, making her voice so beautiful, and neither does Calliope. She only knows she can use it to her benefit.

HESPERIOS:

(whispering)

We must not be found!

CALLIOPE:

(whisper/hissing)

Of course not! What idiot do you take me for, stranger?

HESPERIOS:

A beautiful one.

Calliope smacks him lightly.

SCENE/FLASHBACK 4

Hesperios is sitting by the statue of Iyetis in the town square, half-asleep on the sunny plaza. He is quickly joined by his friends and half-brothers Kallias - a boy with wildly curly dark brown hair and bright blue-green eyes - and Phaedrus, his features a strange combination of light blonde hair and warm honey-brown eyes. They come up bare-back riding their two horses, Balios and Aeton. 

KALLIAS:

Hesperios!

Hesperios looks up lazily.

PHAEDRUS:

(showing off on Balios)

Cat got your tongue?

HESPERIOS:

(stumbling to his feet and straightening up)

Priest more like it.

KALLIAS:

(sighing)

I keep telling you she's not worth it.

HESPERIOS:

And Sappho is?

KALLIAS:

(smirking)

Worthy of my beauty.

HESPERIOS:

And where is my steed, the best of them all - Bucephalus?

Kallias and Phaedrus look extremely confused. Kallias looks behind him and curses as he realizes someone has stolen Bucephalus. Just then, Elpis rockets around the corner wearing a short toga and bare feet, which are clutching the sides of a large bay Arabian.

KALLIAS, HESPERIOS, AND PHAEDRUS:

ELPIS!

Elpis and Bucephalus skid to a stop near the trio and make their way over with Elpis nudging Bucephalus into a shortened, showy prance none have seen before.

KALLIAS:

(in awe)

What is that?

HESPERIOS:

(offended, lunging for his horse)

Get off!

PHAEDRUS:

(intensely curious)

How would you do that?

ELPIS:

(pleased and smug)

Like this-

She demonstrates a complicated series of pulls and twists at Bucephalus' mane, which Phaedrus repeats perfectly on his horse. Balios replicates the movements, if somewhat jerkily. Elpis claps, then pulls Bucephalus away from Hesperios' grabbing hands.

HESPERIOS:

(humiliated, shouting)

Get off!

He grabs Elpis' leg and pulls her off of Bucephalus. She hits the ground hard and lays shell-shocked as Hesperios stands protectively at Bucephalus' side. Phaedrus jumps off Balios and helps Elpis up while Kallias looks at his half-brother in complete shock.

KALLIAS:

Tell me, Zeus, Lord of the Heavens, I witnessed not such a vulgar act as so I think I saw, carried out by my own brother!

PHAEDRUS:

(helping Elpis up)

Brother, you must not be serious. To throw a girl to the ground - to throw anyone to the ground - a girl such as this? Your own cousin!

HESPERIOS:

Cousin-of-sorts, and without being related! Priesthood, brotherhood, are not the same thing.

KALLIAS:

(furious)

And to talk as if that changes anything! Such idiocy as carried out by my own brother! A barbarian, you are - and a disgrace - as if I would care, anymore, to be related to you beast!

HESPERIOS:

This not what it looks!

ELPIS:

(harboring a suspicion that his entrance into her sister's room was not what it looked in the same way)

And in the same way your entrance into the chambers of my sisters was not as it looked!

KALLIAS:

(whirling)

And more than one sister!

HESPERIOS:

(panicking)

No!

ELPIS:

Not as it looked, I would suppose!

HESPERIOS:

(snarling)

Stay out it of this, daughter-dog!

ELPIS:

(growling)

The insolence to talk to me as if I were a child!

HESPERIOS:

More of a murderer!

Elpis snarls at him.

ELPIS:

More an adulterer!

HESPERIOS:

But I did not plot to murder a love!

ELPIS:

A love between three - the mess of a two-timer!

KALLIAS:

Brother - what have you done?

HESPERIOS:

I did nothing!

ELPIS:

Nothing you have gotten caught for!

PHAEDRUS:

What in Hades are you two talking about?

ELPIS:

(whirling)

His love affair with Aspasia and Calliope!

Hesperios slaps Elpis across the face, furious. She has only seen the two meeting each other and singing the love song, but they have done much more since she does not know about. Elpis stumbles back into Phaedrus and Kallias instantly pins Hesperios.

KALLIAS:

(hissing)

You know much trouble you're going to be in.

HESPERIOS:

(hissing back)

Only if you tell.

KALLIAS:

(rearing back in surprise)

You think that I wouldn't? that I, son of a holy priest, son of Iyetis, the martyr of this state, our god, would not tell the truth to the people I hold dear?

HESPERIOS:

(angry, spitting)

You hold them dear, my brother, close to your heart for the benefit of your selfish soul.

Kallias punches him.

ELPIS:

(shouting)

TRAITOR! ADULTERER! 

Hesperios struggles to get out of Kallias' grip, kicking and growling. A crowd has gathered, including Aspasia, Sappho, and Calliope. Aspasia has tears streaming down her face and Sappho is clutching her sister's arm. Aspasia catches sight of Calliope and stalks up to her.

ASPASIA:

(spitting)

Wench! Are you the demon feeding on my happiness? stealing my love? Daughter of a disgrace, feel the wrath of the mother Iyetis, feel such hands locked around your throat - I will make you suffer!

Cosmas enters.

COSMAS:

(striding up to Hesperios)

You - filth! You have been playing with my daughter's heart, using your rich mouthful of dirt, spewing lies - filthy demon, I will not allow you to rise! Face the wrath of the mother Iyetis, feel these hands locked around your throat - you will know no happiness while I am alive!

He picks Hesperios up by the toga and throws him down again. Aspasia, seeing this, runs over and attempts to drag her father off Hesperios, who is taking punches to the face from numerous people. Aspasia is screaming, holding onto her father, making excuses for Hesperios. Sappho attempts to drag her off and Elpis, traumatized by the entire event and regretting having said anything, sits stunned by the fountain.

SCENE 5

A pitch black place, with the sound of a river running in the background. You can see nothing, though Hesperios and Calliope are there.

HESPERIOS:

Listen, Calliope, you must be careful, there is nowhere to go if you are caught. Don't let your master know. I am lost until she is found. 

CALLIOPE:

I understand. And you will come back for me?

HESPERIOS:

(crossing his fingers)

Of course.

SCENE 6

The back of Cosmas' house. It is near midnight and almost pitch black save for the tiny candle carefully burning in Calliope's palm. She is barefoot and very carefully creeping around the house. She stops under a window, blows out the candle, and throws it into the bushes. Then she begins climbing. She reaches the open window and very carefully slides in. Then - going against the plan - she lights one of Cosmas' candles and brings it over to the man.

CALLIOPE:

(whispering)

Old man; how strange you seem to me. How quiet it must be, with only a god for company.

She laughs very quietly at this, and then a troubled look comes into her eyes. Her fingers begin to twitch, and she carefully leans over and opens to cabinet above Cosmas' bed. She reaches in and comes back out with a knife in her hand and a very sad look. 

CALLIOPE:

No pain, no more.

And she cuts the old man's throat. The candle drops, extinguished on the cold wooden floor. Calliope slips back out the window.

SCENE NO IDEA

Aspasia enters Cosmas' room in the morning and screams. Sappho comes running into the room with Elpis behind her and finds her sister unconscious and her father dead. She immediately pushes Elpis out of the room, screams, and faints as well. Hesperios comes in, not knowing that Calliope is right outside the weekend.

HESPERIOS:

(dropping to his knees by Aspasia)

My love, are you alright? How did this happen - your father, of all men, dead! I will avenge him, love -

Sappho wakes up with eyes full of rage.

SAPPHO:

(deadly)

You.

HESPERIOS:

(sarcastic and smug)

Me. The murderer, as only you would expect, wise one.

SAPPHO:

(relaxed, prepared)

What a compliment to receive from such an animal; what gore you have, a wicked son! And why would no one else expect you?

Hesperios lazily flicks his eyes over to Sappho, stroking Aspasia's hair.

HESPERIOS:

You underestimate me, and yet I have never underestimated you. What a way to repay me.

Sappho is up in an instant and throws him against the wall. She pins him there, with her arm across his throat.

SAPPHO:

You sick bottom-feeder, son of a dog, there are no words to describe my disgust for you - you killed him! My own father! And I will kill you!

Indeed, she reaches for the knife Calliope so foolishly left on the bed and then stops. Dried blood crusts the edge of the blade. She spots the candle on the floor, grabs the knife, and turns back to Hesperios.

HESPERIOS:

(unaffected)

How fitting you should kill with a knife.

SAPPHO:

There is a difference. I kill with the knife you killed my father with, but, then again, I shan't kill. I will make you suffer.

Calliope bursts through the window and knocks Sappho the ground. Aspasia has been hearing the conversation - she woke up a while ago. She jumps to her feet, punches Hesperios straight across the face, and kicks Calliope so hard she slams into the wall and makes the room shake. Hesperios attempts to bring her into his arms, but she kicks him between the legs and he crumples.

ASPASIA:

(cooly)

I kill him.

Sappho tosses her the knife and Aspasia turns to her lover, kneeling to his height. Elpis has slipped through the door and steps toward Sappho, making the floor creak unexpectedly. Without a second thought, assuming it is Calliope trying to sneak out, Sappho picks up a chair, whirls around, and with a killing blow hits her sister in the head. Elpis crumples and Sappho goes into shock. She has just murdered her sister. By this time, Aspasia has hauled Hesperios to his feet and is in the middle of thrusting the knife into his chest, but Sappho catches her sister's arm and so the knife sinks into her own chest instead. She falls backward and hits the floor. Calliope picks up the chair Sappho used to kill Elpis and proceeds to kill Aspasia with it. The three sisters end up in a pile on the floor. Hesperios thrusts the knife into his own chest and joins them. Calliope, now going into shock, stumbles back toward the window, tripping on the bedsheets of the old man that have wound around her feet.

CALLIOPE:

(scared, half-screaming)

Alone! At last! And how- and how strange it is-

Elpis is not dead. Her head is bleeding steadily and she will die soon, but she is not dead yet. She hauls herself to her feet and with a set jaw, picks up the chair that will kill her eventually, and murders Calliope with it. The beautiful lass falls out the window and the vibrantly red bedsheet falls too, concealing her body. Elpis collapses, really dead now.

THE END.