AN ILIAD Part One ‘THE ARMIES GATHER ‘An empy space, Dim light. Sudden a door in the back teal opens and a man enters. Hes wearing an old cas, bat pled down over bis ee, and carrying suitcase. Tere is Something ancien ase bi, bu may just be the he oaks swear, a fet been traveling for a very long time He walks toward, psd heise, He pont a, aking us in. Hest, no entirely sure fb inthe righ place. ‘Te man shakes bis head, clos bis jes, gathers his energy sand begin POET, jw GetBe Ged Tintabiow Ayia" ‘MEH nin a [ET de the |A PEH | LEH ia |DYO aki | LEH os obionévmy A nop Arauoig Gye" Ke ‘OUlome|NEHN HEH MUzia|KHAIOIS|AL gee |THE ke sais 8igbinous yon Ata npotayey POLLAS|D'IPHTHI| MOUSPSU /KHASah [DI pro ijAHpsen fpoov, HEH RO | ON— (Trarseion "Gadde sng the rege of Peles'om Achilles cde: dsmed th ote Aces cunts ast Farling doo tthe Hout of Death 0 mary wry ul, peat fighter ule]He ops, los He loos out at us, embarrased. wep Hob ata He shuffles down othe he oe sted pers oun te dark ests and enn Back heh cold cog oe ae ad igh, Oa soe bate ery ald geo, val anand on Nose oncfamg trates julont lees i lon, Tang ie difecad, bc he crowds came in lean Jae geo ew empty wat, but ang Shot sche a de a ae on, ha ricaf couse np wee ie ere hedged nee on ables snd sng long, he hestened oaks he whole is, ‘over, went outside, screaming, building fires, terrible. me ery time Ising this song, I hope it’s the las ie. (ib (Wht Homeric ites Oh, sing ome ov Uy fps Ome seeped on we Seno Ygplaow cron! Allwe ar the dan ng of go adn hing mbit — darn) You ei te ‘ouch eer tcikahow tes hot ieee [ced ea nes Pate iad two great Fighters — Achilles and Heccor—— (Cmploring.) Ohbhbh .. Muses He cancerae very herd, sad Gipsy hen cing bis menr een te Mus thu dae O08 Miaico Aya gor MEH nin ah | El de the ny Deb inh tee AL | DvO LEH os OU ome NELIN (Wits The, in a bur of ie Ten i bare of inp be aco oi nes of RAGE! Goddess, Sing che rage of Peleus som Achille, Murderous, doomed, tha co dhe Ackaeans coundes loses, "Hluling down eo the House of Death so many suedy souls, Great fighter souls, ut made ther bodies cation, Feasts forthe dogs and birds ‘What drove them to fight with suc a ary? ‘Obhh ... the gods, of course... um .»- pride, honor, jealousy “Aphvodite =, some game of othe, an apple, Helen bein tore benutifl than somebody — it doesn’t mater. The point EHden's been stolen, and the Greeks have to get her back (Tired by te ides of i.) Vb es alas something ai. Buc — ith good story. — [remember loc of it, I remem loc fie.» Imagine a beach —socky, jagged —and ob abour a mile fond bal inland imagine a cay, with tone ramparts protecting ie Thi dy ws called Troy, and from the walls ofthis city Hector faa see the watt down by the beach, and in that wates there are fRundeds of ships. Iris rowed with all kinds of Greck ships. ‘This is where my story cakes place Ages ago (With Hlomevie intensity.) Who were the captains of those Greek Ships Who were the capeains of Achaea? Ahhih! The mass of teoope Leoald acer tall, 1 could [could if. if had en wongues lnven mouths if if fl iL ad aheare made of me bronze. (He (ts than) Ye A heart rade of me bronze. And if could ernember the names, that is — if could acually cemember everybody. Sing! Sing in memory “Allwho gathered under roy “The Litt of Ships... the numbers of men on those hips... Muses? (Ne assuer fom the Muse, He concenraes very bard — wing bis memory to oake up — and slowly a fis, be calls up the of hips.) lee goes: a le"Firs came the Bocotan units led by Lay-i-us and Pen-elay-or: ‘Arsesilayus and Proth-e-cesor and Caius eared command (Of the armed men wio lived in Hyel, rocky Auli. (Grasping be skips abead,)Thespia and Gray-ah, the dancing ngs of My-kereseus, ‘Men who lived round Hlarma, I-e-si-on and Eey.thee (Ship ced agin) Corie Euan Tbe onged ‘Ab. is coming back to me, yes (He picks wp the pace.) Fighters from Corones, Haleartus deep in meadows, ‘And the men who held Pataea and lived in Gli, ‘Men who held the rough ewe gates of Lower Thebes, (On-kee-tus the holy, Pseidons run ied grove, ‘Men from the town of Ame green with vineyards. (le stups himself) Ab, thats sighs, you dont know any of these places... but these names — these names mean something to me. And Tine these boys ‘The point is, om all these ship, ae boys fom every small town {5 Ohio, from farmlands, from fishing villager... the boys of Nebraska and South Dakota... the wangy boys of Memphis the boys of San Diego, Palo Alco, Berkeley, Antelope Valley. You can imagine, you cxa imagine, you know wm... there are soldiers fom Kansas. There are soldiers from Lawrences Kanss.* There ate soldiers from Springfield, Ilinois. Branston, Uinas. Chicago, nals. Bofalo, New York. Cooperstown, New Yod. Brooklyn, ‘Queens, Suen Iland, uh, the Bron, South Bron. You have soldiers from Florida, from the Panhandle, with its snake charmers and evangelists, ffom the Okeechobee. You have soldiers from Miami ‘who speak Spanish, Miami who speak French, Miami who English. You have Puerto Rien soldier. You have soldiers ‘Teas fom the fatland, from Dallas, from Plan, from Houston “There are soldiers from Tennesse, fiom western Tenneiee, fora the mounting, from the mountalas in Virgina, the mountains in tein sat he ee py pe e oe PERS SSS PESTS pels lc el ond er 2 «fom —fom fiom Benton Habos 7 Seale Fe in Mii ow al sen in chet ‘Thats i. Thats ‘You get he Poin. own a wknowt i “ene tang ef oes of cn emp ot ees men ie i 0 an ; inhi mind ede vu hese cil ot ee ‘to his favorite ‘commanders.) 50, 40: 0 (alo be co 1 Ate uc gem cnn Tia Ao 99 Neer spans of ip : men op ex sip eyo ands bane of “has 120 en 09 a obec en DO you ee a = — ; it me do this alone, (No ee anon damm ae Greeks win one seen tne pet inthe nex ike «game of 6 ej nis prea nl see oS So ea we How seus Sofor—s0 yout home wen your waste 7 Nine 8come back and your baby is ten. You left your baby was onc, you ome back your baby is dead. You come back your — your wife i ‘ded. You come back your wife is fa. You come back your wife has tna three afi and ro more kids. “Ul, bi honey, y-uhihbh, don _getmad, dan ge mad” You know, or you come back, and dhe arm F ruined. Or heres been a war and youte ao longer Greek, You'e ‘ow Diodeian or whatever i ie — joule Spartan now. They eame tnd cook ove, while you were hanging out ae Troy, and you have ‘oti to your land anymore. Un, you father died while you wert gone. You know, ob no (Gasp) we dont wear chose leggings any- nore, we stopped wearing chem like dha long dime ago [And so jou can imagine, afer nine years ofthis, wel they want to 0 home, Theyve forgotten why theye fighting _— Br what humiliation it would be “To hold out 9 long then sil home empey handed. How do you know wien youve won? You know, someone sid ch hhow do you ate uh a pean toe che lse man co di fr a, fora losing cause and I, Pm paraphrasing bus the idea being, you'e in the supermarket lin, and youve been dhete for twenty minutes tnd the other line's moving faster. Do you switeh lines now? Noy fovddaman it, Tve been here for twenty minutes, Tm gonna waitin this line, I done care if wait. And look — otherwise Pve wasted ny dime. hot leaving ‘ox Courage, my fiends, bold ou afte longer Pare Two ACHILLES POET, Now this whole time, of course the gods were watching, Upon Moune Olympus. And some of them cheered on the Greeks — "Achille" Anil some of them cheeted on the Tojans —"Hec- Cort” Like sports Fun. And realy, back then, this was thet only “ ————<—$_$—$ $$$ ——$—— seinaneny, ty were adic 0 hey could allow 0 casesinen A op doa and pinch and prod ad whit, to make sare the barces kept raging, Ah, the ol pots 3 jus wae a ee, Hera! Apolo? Athens? Loking veel ney havent been und (ate opens te tee, tes out a tle 7H) roa cha ara ee saa ae me) Cas me Se, Te) Ae SS pale eee sarge “Athena tequila. Ah very good. (Ameer dink) ‘Os che things the gods could do rows, nan rt fine taser nt fs rely tee) Muses?! (Sade Mae sper, the world fl epson i, Feed mean recorded music, or lve mews Fappens The Pots cri change comple.) wenn outchrh Bel cn Hw eye polishing their booes the Pest they toling 2 mae Ss ke snc Gin sesh Sect a ibe lp Poo leader out rll you: weve angered te gos. pemcn, out ear, Lely ee ene spoof wots gil — geass comands a yc happens oe dang of Pi dpi of Apel 15Thelma comes Apmerson ih cr pd high “Pe te he gi ss a pene kp eget ‘erect ay anh pi clea w ry Br be at Giyocligve ntsc bc Auta sn ok crak ommnds coe Action tad dy tog Bhd Aymecn ao “The priest it hearsck, he goes to Apollo and Apollo ges mad. [rer seen an angry god? (Sick his bed) Apollo aes these arom, and he coves te tps in sickness, in plague. Nay stu. “The arrows clanged at his back athe god quaked with age, (Over agains the ships he dropped eo knee ee ya shaft ‘And a telying cash rang ont from che grea ver bow = (he Poe shoots a plague arrow, and another, and another.) TUNG TUNGITUNG! Infecion. Disease, Death There only one way to end che plgut: Agamemnon hast give the gisl back, Pigs ® AGAMEMNON. T woe give up che gel! POET, Hes th commander noone going tel what 0 do So he Gress cll grand asembly ll te bey all ehe ‘sina all dhe wari gacher and the meeting grounds shook, cererybody buzzing like, like bees, you know? They'e angry and ightened and sick of the plague — and Agamemnon sweeps in A she men shout, “Resp the pret Take de ransom! Give back!” Someone yells “Quiet, quiet, vice! The King of Men, ‘Agamemnon ir speaking” Silence. ‘Agamemnon grabs te scepter and vise: AGAMEMNON. OK — (Megnanimoush) — ‘To willing to give er back if chats wht you all want mn noc a tyrant. [aa se dae is best Fr everyone if da, Bart fetch me another prize — and straight off woo — lee Lalone ofthe Argives go without my honor. ‘That would be a disgrace. POET. And the men allkind of murmur ‘caus chere are no prizes lef, theyve al been dstibuted — someone will have to give up ‘hele prize — and eaddenly a huge figure rises inthe back ~~ AH! (Bscted whisper) This is our man — Achilles, In the mide ofl this — misery —~ chete i this one genius Ac; the GREATEST WARRIOR tes ced big get than Feral, bigger chan Sinbad, bigger han .. Asking be ‘udience) well, whol the rete warior living now 2 He ois foram annwer and then guicly moves on) Andes not just good ‘ling. estat he good a hear of wat Now — you have © desand cat Ache i superhuman, Fl’, uh balf mora but tls half god. His mother Thea, fea ex-aymph, he war used by 4 centaursnd, you know, amasg thingy ike hi his he could ek to heould undestand animal Animas eked wo him. His bose = ean remember the hones name — talked to his emer bral, once, once his hors sat him down. His hone sid — no, 20, one ay, Ahlen was, he was, he was uh he was eal he vss overeating and his hore sid, (Neng. “Whoa-o-0u-od" (Cash). Weal laughed (Oh yes... and Achilles knows he's going to die — here, in Troy. He dest naw when, he does know bows bute knows he wont be {olng home, Thats been prophesied. Achilles wil have a bref but _lorios life. Limagine living with hat. 7‘This is Achilles. Here be i (The Poet rss, transforms 10 embody Achille) ACHILLES, Just how, Agamemnon, (Geet field marshal... most grasping man alive Flow can the generous Aryives give you prizes now? I know of no troves of uessur, pled ying ile, anywhere. Whatever we dragged from towns we plundered, alls been portioned out, But elle tell t back fom the tank and ile? That would be the disgrace — POET. And oh — he shouldt have suid tha, the men start to shinke buck now, leaving Achilles alone to face the commander. incchiek AGAMEMNON, You can elle 10 me ike that, even ifyou are the bravest fighter we have. Youseso gifted, Youre such a great wastior Bus dont forget youte half god. Pm only man, but [ll show you. ‘whos greater ‘Whac do you wane? Te cling to your own pre while [st cally by — empty andes hee? Til ake what I want — Give me Bris! POET: Now Briss is someone that Achilles won, far and sare. ‘Not only bas he won her hes come to le her. Brzeis his com: anion — she cooks for him, she sleeps with him, sh’, she’ be- come dear to him, ACHILLES, Doni give me commands! ‘The Trojans never did me damage, notin che east No, you colossal, shameless — we al fllowed you, to please you, vo ight for you, to win your honor back fiom the Tojans— Menelaus nd you, you dog- face! POET. The men all gap! ACHILLES. "Never once did you arm with the tops and go to bate ‘or risk an ambush — You lac the courage, you can se death coming. Safer by fs, you fr, to foray all through camp, ‘commandeeting the prize of any man who speaks aginst you. King who devours his people have no mia wo linge here, disgraced, beimming your eup and piling up your plundes! POET, He stars ro leave — AGAMEMNON, ‘Desert, by all means — ifthe spice dives you home! [wil never beg you to say, not on my account Butler chit be my warning on your ay Iwill be therein perton at your teat “To take Briss inal her beauty, your own prize — So you can lean just how much greater |am than you aod the next man up may sink from matching words with me! POET. And Achilles ies into a RAGE: He gab the sept — now tis scepter a Grek ration, whenever anybody want ¢o speak offically we take the sceper likes talking sick, the origins of democratic proces and all ofthat — and Acie says "By his sexperts mighey tal that will neve agua ower I ewe [wll nevecSighe ait eral the Greek de, lel the men be swept wor unt an, and let you, Agamemnon comme on your kacs to me, mpenian, Iiibieg’ thing you ba ert ed tee words you ean ext your heart out, you cin eat your words, Iwill never Bg for you {pin Trojan Hector wll daughter you all you dae to harll- Ae hutnilate me!" — He rales hig atm egunst Agamemnon, ‘Al he men sre aiag at hin, What he doing? And suddenly ha head yanks bath, The men cat see what Achilles can ‘eAthena bar grabbed him bythe bai he whispers nhc, “Hold Back You an kell Agamemnon”. Aad Achilles say, “Why?” And she says, “Obey”Achilles has no choice. He takes te sceper and he BSHHHLH tothe ground, smashes icin pieces — not real, but — Furious! "None of ‘oui cis meeting wil speak for me? See how you do without ae” ‘Ade sors out And ll the Grek army sanding the gi (He shows 1c lackjewed) and Agatvemnon's Linda Going "ao the fuk cies about him!” Aad elas Tha che rage of Pelee ton, Achilles Wedding, confirming, calling it up.) below dende 6c Tanda Appa? MBH nin ah [EI de the | A PEE] LEH ia DYO aki | LEH os (The Poet prs another gla.) [And chere iis. that how ita, iss .. infuriating, (Drink bf the gles — ed rather not els his ut be doe) “hey take he glo Agamemnons eat And Aches wept an sipping sway from his companions, far apres down on theese of re heaving gay en and Scanned the endless ocean. (Shakes bis bead.) So ..: che war rages on, but Achilles exays in is rent. Waiting, fuming, besing agaist his ow side, the Gree, (The Poe drains bs la, the our agin — abi pour looks up, smiles.) ® Mena a The Poet 20 Part Three HECTOR POET. [wish I could show you a photograph of Try. But here is what ie was like: Wil rough the Scacan Gates andthe Sine hing youl sei eat pray get par witha fountain, there water everywhere lide cele, lite pool, every hou as its own pool and you hear che sound of water Bowing all thee and the wera form Of rouse, and char sic mingles with seal rai Hts, pe, slaging, Aad then a you walk cough, you bepn coe how every house both pate nd public So every howe ha pete ea and yet eal into «common ar, soa youre wang through the cy of Try yu sec everybody. and ereybody set you They tfien have evens they Ie to have thelr concer, they have pile meetings they have performances of all Kinds and teres 4 great fenie fcvc duty so they get ogee to cs igs ke: what do we do withthe Bg tee tha dying? How do we save the fig ‘ted And thoy have a tommine oral about che Byte. And oF ovr, espe fer hei sherpa Sy, eam and isons They actualy brow Toy peace they've acally fought ofin- ‘asions theyve actualy giver them aie thats able So what ou Fel wien you wall Into Toy isa get see of elm and 2 gat sentc of etely hss before te ws of coun. [Now the man called Hector (Sengling) Shining Flector. Man killing Hector. Hektoroship- podamoto. (He manslze.) Hector breaker of horses — its aways {ohard to describe Hector — is litle brother calls him a “sharp ax? — a sharp edge, always cleaving forward. “Heeror believes in —he believes in instiutions, he beievesin— 2‘country, he believes in his fail, he believes in the army. Isic Funny how hard cis to dereibe a good man? Hea brave man, but deep down, hid rather be aming horses. Bur Hocto sth cldext — fret born and hes got DOZENS, and I sean DOZENS of brothers and siers, more than ify, by various smothers, I cane remember all their names now — my god — I ‘ould have to look that up, isall wstten down somewhere. (He (digs through his mites, 1 no avail) But one brother especialy — Pati — everytime Flexor secs Pais he ca seem to sop yeing at im, And for good cezon, of course, beeause Paris was the kind of — heal enjoying himelf) Pais cell figured outa way vo make the cate chat ie was beter for him to stay inside, with the women, than go out and fight. And cven when he did try vo fight — ence = Apheodiee swooped in and picked him up by the sruf of his ‘nec, wrapped him ina blanket made of fog, and cosed hin back in Helert bed. And he stayed there. That's who Paris was, I iewas something like you know, “Ohhh, bu if] go, and ifthey catch me, you know they wall hold me for ransom and chen youl be putin ln awlovard postion. Better for me to stay here and, and, you know, live out my day knowing that Lam a coward and.” You know you couldnt argue with someone like thar because he acully mad the ‘ate for you and you were lke .. ub. you ae 2 coward, you [Know what I mean? But he had already called himself a coward — ‘where ate you going zo go from thee? (Leaning in) Everyone always wanss eo hear more about Pati, "Pare! Pari Tellus more abous Pais!” Buc accaly Pars is really that important — I know, know he stole Helen avay fom Mene- Tus and broughe her to Troy and that sarod che wat, and yes, be was SO HANDSOME and everything — but hes not interesting Nor interesting to me. Anymore (More serious now.) But Hector, ‘You know, che thing shout Hector is: Hes proud. He wont let anyone lec lead the charge for Troy. Theyve go allies, come in fom all 2 isis cover, but Hector wont let them lead their own tribes, He wants to be in charge. Complicated. Full of hubs, bu also deceat. Hector? a good husband, and a good father. Heb alt like .. He sails ff The Mise ures him enseard) (One tenble day — the Tiojane are sruggling — because the Greek sumy is ul of ferocious warriors — Great Ajax, Diomedes — and tren though Achilles wont fight, dhe Grecks ate winning because “Athena .. oh the gods have made a mess of things, you woulda’ blew all he... Athena even puts on her helmer and fights fr the Greeks, stabbing her own brother Ares inthe stomach, and he goes crying to Zeus no, no, its 2 mess (On thie day the Greeks, with the help of Athena, they hack and chop and decimate the Trojans, pushing them back coward the city wall. Hector and hie bochere fry to hold heir ground but they keep geting pushed back, pushed back, and Hector becomes afi that che Trojan soldiers mighe give up and ran away, or hide inside the city gates. Hector and one of bs brothers — uh .. (Shrage off ‘ying 0 name bin.) — realize tha they have to get Athena on thei ‘de. So Hector nuns alone back toward Toy to atthe czens pray co Atena. is mothe, Heoub, catcher sight ofim nd rans and grabshishand, HECUBA. My child — wiry have you left che bicter fighting, ‘why have you come home? Look how they wear you out. But wait, I'l bring you some honeyed, mellow wine ‘When a mans exhatsted, wine will build his seength — HECTOR. Doni offer me mellow wine, Mother, nor now — youd sap ny limbs, Td lose may nerve for wat [No— pray ro the gods—ask Athena co stop helping the Grecks, POET. And he runs on. Then “the fice that launched a thousand ships” Helen — she stops him: 23HELEN, My dea brother, dear to me, bitch that Iam, vicious, scheming — horror to freze the heart! Oh how I wish that frst day my mother brought me ico the light some black whitwind had rushed me out to the mouncains! Bue since the gods ordained ill chese desperate yeas, wish had been the wife ofa beter man, But come in res om this seat with me, deat brother Yu ate the one hic hardest by che Sighting, Heton you more than ll — and al For me, whore chat Tam, fd this blind mad Pars. Oh the two of ue! POET. But Hector doesn have ime for this, che only one he wants to scishis wife, Andromache, and his son, Asyznay, hos just, ob, ‘maybe si months old. he goes to his house and theyre nor there, he loks for them everywhere, he cat find them, he's starting to panic, then someone tls him chore up on che tower, on the wall of | the iy, and he runs up there, helmet ashing — sil in is fllarmoe “Thee they ae his wife, Andromache, and his baby boy. Hetor smiles — that rare thing. ANDROMACHE. Oh Hecor. Why are you just staring a us? Canteyou spe (Cecsor only shakes bis bead at their beauty, He doen't know what 0197) “Whac are you doing home in the middle of che day? (Smiling) Is the war over? HECTOR. (A lie laugh) No, is a bad day for us. Tve come home to stare the prayer ANDROMACHE. Oh, Hector — please listen to me. You's all I have — Achilles killed my mother, my fer, eny brothers. Now Ihave only you — and 4 ‘our child. Tm begging you — say on the ramparts. Why cant you ‘draw your amy up by chat fg tee down there, where the gate i ‘eakest — you know they've atacked us three times on that very por where che wall is lowe HECTOR. But that would make me look like a coward. I cant recreat — even though every night I wake i a sweat, dreaming of you widowed, enlaved, and the boy — POET. Hector reaches for the baby — bu Astyanax suddenly wails WAHHHEH! HECTOR. What? Whar did I do? ANDROMACHE, Caighing) Ki your hele Takei off Take HECTOR. (Langhing, sking offhis heimet,) No, no, no, done be afd — that nly Bday heme Here fing te hid) Some day you'll wear helmet like this. Some day youll be an ‘even gretcr soldier than your fathez. You'll ide a big horse, 2 ‘dak one, jus like mine, Yo'l y on that horse, chvough the ai! ‘Youll come home wearing the bloody gear of the moral enemy youive lied in bare — ANDROMACHE. (Light matching Ananc bak) Thats enough! Reckless one, “Hector — your fery courage will destroy you. “Have you no pity for im, our helpless son? Or me, and the decay thar weighs me down, your widow, HECTOR. “Andromache why so desperate? ‘No man will hurl me doven to Death against my fate ‘And fate? Noone alive has ever escaped it, neicher brave man nor coward, [tll you-— Feeborn with us the day cha we ae born. 25ANDROMACHE. Oh Hector bur ifyou say home — HECTOR. Lhave o go, Give mea kis. Now go home, love, Dont cy. Pray. POET, Hector putson hisheayy helmec and goe bak to the front lines. (Tired fiom the knowledge of what came, Hubhh, Have you ever seen a front line? (Shakes is head.) Lee's eke —Twant to show you what chat bloody feld looked like, what Hector walked back to just chem, with all those ether boys scat tered arose it Te ike, i ike —U have a picture here. (He fos through his suscase) Te from another wat but — ob, I cane — (Can't find it) — well here (He holds up is band intend, ing it ‘25a map.) — you see, outside the renches where there had been particularly bad day — chis was, ob, a hundred years ago but you get the picture — and uhhh the batlefeld was jus littered with bodies and when you look at it you thiak, “Oh, well ehese area bunch of bodies” but chey'te not just bodies cz thie is — this Js Jamie and this s Matthew and thi is Breanan and this is Pel ‘This is Scottie, he was nineteen, (About Paul) he was ewenty- cone, About Brennan.) he was eighteen, Brennan was meant to g> © Oxford — he had goten a scholarship because of hie writing — his father was 2 postman. He would have been the fet child in his whole family ever to goto universicy — but he didat Do yousee? Bur this is che bate I want co ell you about now: because the women of Toy prayed, and those prayers seemed ro work, and the ‘Trojans begin to fight ike never before — and ell no Achilles, and that begins co take ie cell on che Grek, “This is what che war look ike: (The Mase provide sound ths takes us there.) ‘Avast the smies clashed stone strategie point, ‘hey slammed ther shields cogether, pike scraped pike ‘wit che grappling srengeh of Fighters armed in bronze 6 aod de sound sheds pounded, boss on welded bor, fd the sound of rae roared and rocked he earth, Steams of nen and ccs of eiumph breaking in one beth, gies ling ihrer, ond the grovnd steamed blood “fil ewe wine ocens ging down fom the moans, engin a. er eo ae lngog down In got vd ils avy ince le» shepherd hears che thunder — 12 om the rng amit rok he re and crash of wa ed Teo and out and lentes Sif ormed to, ‘incr of manaupheting res, Are comrades — Sune onipa igh hing when she Se rears er head Iter ead soa hits they ache des across he earth Now Se haled down the ler Hat ami both Se, ‘wading im the onsaught Hoding men wth pi. Part Four PATROCLUS POET. (Pouring a drink) I never could come up with che right uh epithe for Patou. Son of Menoetus. Hocseman, ‘You know what I should call him, 1 suppose: Biend. Puctoclus was Achille fiend. His only fiend. They were boyinood fiends. Pacrocus was ent by bié own fer co live with Achilles ‘amily — be’ slightly older than Achilles, good wich horses, and practical His father said to Patrocus “Tes your duy ro take care ‘f Achilles, Youre wiser than he is. Counsel im and hell listen to you” And so Pawroclus and Achilles were more than fends, they awer bros Andale ere moths Boers thy ved sath other. When Ache couldnt se, Parcs Wow ld Him — thas Kindo ting Pens (4p hit) Now Patroclus was a good fighter, buc when Achille rereat to his ‘ent, Ptrocus tops ghting too. There® no question, his fist al legiance i to his fend: Bur on this day, thie day when Tiojan ae slaughtecing Greeks let and right, and the Thojans have gotten past, the Greek rampant, chey've crashed through all the Greek defenves, and Parocls hasbeen running up and down the beach, watching the bodies carted — but theres nowhere to cary them —~and he Sees that Agamemnon is wounded, and Odysseus is wounded, and. she on mac is wounded, se heen ae i anymore, Henne PATROCLUS. (Catching bis breath.) Dorit be mad at me — ‘but your anger is making you blind! Can't you se char Hector is desttoying us? Is your hear made of iron? you wore ight, dive the Tojans bac, then lee me. Give me your armor — they might thin Tim you. ake that chance — inc yout ‘re wrong, you willbe remembered as oo. fou wor ight this day ACHILLES. Bor swore, I won' break my word I wont Behe for Agamemnon, T won't Sgt even fhe Trojans sweep into my on text. es noteven my anges now the thought of bean my word, / can’ do it. - Ms * But you~ that’ 2 good idea, Yu fight in my place. ‘Te tl cy of Tyce tamgling dv on ring ld — why? They cao sex the brow of ny helt ‘Bash before their eyes: a 7 1 you put on my armor .. (Sing nom) they eink in back Jus the choughe back Inthe Bcd wll end them acing intro Here take i my bret y rete may Renee bryonic yeu many ani ee jantbock fom our mpers And ne further Dost push dave {he jan wale nor wahour me mae 28 PATROCLUS. I promise POET. Can you sei, can you? “The young Paerochus — I cant help it, T always see him as young, tho small for Achille srmor, so hat, you know, he's kind of Iknocking around inside it Patroclus O my rider serught atthe presing Tojansanks you sweoped .. (Oe deain the sas.) [And at fist he does as bs promized — the tight of Achilles aemor terrifies che Teojan Fighters, chy lose their nerve, and Pa troclus drives chem back from the Argive ships, and then further, tnd further Hee good at this, Patroclus, he never knew he was 0 good at it — he’ gifted, he breathes inthe smell of blood and ‘bronze hes been waiting NINE YEARS to show what he's made of, and here he is wearing Achille’ armor and he feels GOOD, ya know? (Guuddenly sifting his tme,) You know that feeling when, for what- ‘ever reason, you could kill somebody? Right then and there. You. ‘could kl them, You could tea their fucking head off. You could rend them limb from limb. The guy in fronc of you who you off, you could ram him with Your car, you dont care about the result — jart ram him And you could see the charred metal and you could see the eee the smoking thing and you could see the aie bag, and you hope the air bag smothers him. And if ic doesnt, youl gt out and youl go, "You fucking idiot Why did you fucking out me off!” AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH! (Vaulting inv he bare) lint ofa spe ‘ore his opponent’ chest nabbed bis right Jawbone, ramming the speathead ‘square berween his teeth so ard — hoisted, dragged the Trojan — fury busting hie heare— »iH if mouth gaping — —ippest him down facefiet, dead ate fell — (Phe Pos geting into the bloodlust now) Hal Hat funging in — fe flange sock suck beeen bis eyes erated bth brows ‘bela cued in dd both ee re rom socket (The Pos cls up on te table ra, fcerich,raayngsoutng out sfeonnel—) NOTHING cin re Parcs nom, he ling MACHINE, nyt arcs ke something rperbuman — Paced and hieten = Hiengry ss wher ha rend and bole af, ere fled wih bate fey tht nee dies — they gorge one ll al ther jaws ip with blood, Belcing bloody seat butte fu never shaken, builded th chest hough ek glated belies Buse — {gs @ BLUR OF KILLS! One man — SLASHED! Another — (GORED! Another — HAMMERED! Another — SPLINTERED! — SINEWS SHREDDED! — BRONZE RIPPING! — SPLIT ‘THE BELLY! — RAZOR SLICING! — Another — CUTTING AWAY THE TONGUE! One guy — CRACKED THROUGH THE BONY SOCKET! Then — WRENCHED THE WHOLE, ARMOUT! (Pas paring ns a th Rage Fee bil be ca ep 5 wild-jed a be’ forgotten himself caaghe up fn the od ag ine Fr 30 IMPALED! (Urpin bimuelfon) Moce ‘WHIPPED! Urging himslfon,) More... STABBED! (Liging bimzelfon,) More. CHOPPED! SNAPPED! HEWED! SMASHED! HACKED! ‘WHOLE EARTH RAN HOT WITH BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD. And RED DEATH ANDTT FEELS GOOOODDi" (Hesnddeny tops bimself pontine oe ut ata desperate lt) Ob go. (Catching hi brent) Vn sorey soe, thee — Sometimes just — “This is why I don do chs, This why I dot does (Afr log ramet he reso find hs way back w bis srg.) ‘So Pao cow cop on comer the cat at eat al And then. inthe mile of ll — impos ike T have never quit undaoed what happened. silt flo some of hs armor fills of he suddenly ges shoved tothe ground like some _massive force hi him, something hi him. His elmer dda fc anya. The armor did fc anyway. mean ke toceven put iron he ed co sal rags in his head and rags i his chest, 1 keep the thing on. Itt not his aro, ite Achille? aemor. Achilles ‘has like four bundred pounds on him, ox wharever itis. So Patrodus, you know after ll dhe struggling, has los is helms, Ihe los his azmor. I mean a the time, you know what some people ‘id war that — Apolo knocked icoffhim. Apollo was on Hecto’s ‘de. And that Apollo, weat ike thie 31(Click wit wink) ‘Came up behind him and just went, (Click wih wink) ‘With his lcd fngee and his helmet, “Chhh* Racking ofthe bem) ‘And Apollo kind of went, Exhale) ‘And the straps broke on the breastplate. And i fll ff ‘And so Patroclus sands up and goes, Inhale) ‘Tally exposed, And out of nowhere comes this Dardan, this guy. 4 nobody — never fought before — ae day of L . very pF ‘ery wal ya know running around think he as lle sine people : so Bs ht noc ive chat cides of ths —uh — things Takes his spear and literally, happens tobe behind Petocus and jus kind of ees, “Uhhh.” (Makes pearthracing gener) ‘then, Patrols, the end of life came blzing up before you — Hector Hector ses Achille?’ atmor and Hector makes his move. He comes unning arhim, from, I dont know how faraway, but be ges up a ‘bead of steam, Comes running aim ruasing st Aim, so Jim, He takes his spear and, how di is work? What we say is Fe wenc up his bowels — and the brazen point went juring straight out through Patrocl' back, 22 Right though him. And Patodus, ike dosnt even fli just kind of goes (Taming bak)... and ses this id, the Dasdan. The Dardan takes is pear Padi par ou) pulls cbc out, and ne sy, ‘Paros crashes the ground. And then Heetor bens to RAGE: HECTOR, Paroclus— surely you must have hought youl orm ny cy down, Jou wesc om he wi of Foy he aso You fol The vultures wl ec your boy ss ‘Not forall is power could Achilles suv you now — ad how he must have led your eat with andre you masse you obeyal POET. And then Pavol — holding kis body ager with is ‘bands — Patroclus curses Hector. ma PATROCLUS, you wont lie long yourself, I swear. iy Lsce them looming up beside you— death and the song force of fie, vo bring you dawn — POET: (A simple fimera ritual) ‘Death cut him shore. The end closed in around bie, lying fee of his limbs Ais soul went winging down to the House of Death. Buc Hector cant sop yelling ar Patrclus, even though he's dea HECTOR. You think you know my fete? Why should 1 fear Death? No, Death ison my side, He & my brother And eogsher we will evastae you, we will murder all Greeks! POET. ‘With thar he planted a hee agninetPatroclu’ chest, renched his brazen spear from the wound, kicked hima over, Ala om bis back Aad then he teas the rst of Ackil’ armor off the dead body, savagely awkwardly, crying out lke an animal Hector is. a good guy, an honorable man, But at that moment wal. 33(Pi some same abou bison infin, Ve. Thats how it happens. ‘We thnk of ourselves: noc me, Tm not ike ta, Tm a pecefal — but ie bappens anyway, some trick in our blood and — (A ferce whisper) — rage Do you see? (He pours thers of the bose nso the gas, gulps ie down) Part Five ACHILLES’ NEW SHIELD POET, ‘Abblack cloud of grief came shrouding over Achilles, (Overpowered inal his power, sprawled inthe dust, Achilles suddenly loosed a tertile, weenching ery ‘And his noble mocher heard him “lee is wha Achilles says his mother: ACHILLES. Hes dead. And I sone him oue cher. Te should have ‘been me. What do Ido now? only sie could de from te ives of pod and men fang anger that eves the spent man fae in tage — ier ah sweser than deiping seams of hon ‘hac vaca in peopl’ chest and Uline ie smoke — jest lke che anger Agamemnon king of men fs ose within me now Enough Lee bygones be bygones, Done is dane [Now Tl go and meee that murderer head thar Hector who destoyed the dearest EI "THETIS, Wait — you have no armor, Hector wean your armor 2, Sic here, wait. POET. His mother runs eo Hephaestus, the crippled god of fire, and asks him to make new armor for Achilles Hephacscus fics his hand and tripods swing into place. He waves his hand again andl wenty bellows begin pumping and blowing ‘nthe fice and the coals star to glow white hoe. Again and again he waves his hands and tin, bronze, gold, slvr fy dough the ai plunging into cauldron, eo be melted down for Achilles — a ireasplate greaves for his lege, a helmet made of bronve and a shield — che most magniicen shield I've ever seen. Hephaestus begins to fashion an immense oc) — a shield as big as a room — swith the river of the Ocean circling he puts ehe eat, the sy, ‘he oceans, the sun, the moon, all the stars. He hammers out 0 ‘ces on this shield: in one chere is a wedding talking place, a bide fs led down a hillock pas wees to her nervous groom —a city at pesce, The other city ia walled city and ouside ica sige is going fon wo armies cash by a sver. He Fashions 3 fed, lage wich furrows and he shows the horsr dling back and forth and the farmers being teffeshed with large cupe of wine and honey — 3 ‘emer bringing bome his eatdle and alion attacks one ofthe bulls, and blac blood pools on the bottom ofthe shield — a boy playing ‘lye — heartbreaking musie—a song ofthe dying day —a cle ‘of boys and gils dancing, witha crowd gathered around, dapping, Singing laughing This ie Achilles’ new shield and i leamed with a, with 2 beam that i — it — ie wont so fac It was as tEyou were— you wer, you were far out ace, you kona slo when they have eo look our ac the shoe ander find their bearings and they look for alight and you se lighthouses now — but thea, ometimes, we woul have, lke one guy on 2 mounsin, herding his sheep anel he would have a ‘xy song light, you know, to ty to». keep the sls, sailors safe, And... and theye way out ata, and ti light beam comes Bing ‘out. Thcs how Achille? shield locked from a ditance. it —it Just bounced the igh back, sho ic way out like sha. (A great wind bck up, and quickly grows) 35Part Six, HECTOR’S DEATH Wind, and tate thas wind, mse, sbich grows and changes adjoins the Poet ar be continues, POET, ‘Achilles .. dashed roward the city, heart acing .. rushing on like champion stallion drawing chariot fll uk, sweeping across the plan in eay, tearing strides — fo Achilles hurled on, driving legs and knee. ‘And Hector was ft tose him coming, suring over the plain blazing like a stax ‘And I dost have otellyou, do — The ide has turned, of course, because Achilles is back ie the game. The Greeks are winning rag ing, driving the Trojans bac inside hei own wal But there stood Hector, shackled fase by his deadly fate, boing his ground, ‘exposed in font of Troy and the Scacan Gates. “This ie whac he locks ke, (Holding his round.) And this is what be thinking HECTOR ‘No way out If slip inside the gate and wal. ‘Now my army’ ruined would die of shame to face che men of Troy and the Tojan women tailing ‘heit long cobes So now, better by far for me co sand up o Achilles, kill him, come home alive 36 or die achis hands in glory out before the walls. POET: And then he stops — listen: HECTOR, ‘But wait — wher if pur down my studded shield and heavy helmet, prop my speat on the rampart and go forth, jase a Tam, to mect Achilles why, could promise to give back Helen, yea, and all hee teasues with be, all those sche Pacis once hauled home to Toy in the hollow ships — ‘and they were the eause ofall ou endless fighting POET. And that’ what we've all ben thinking init ie? Tene fe? JUST GIVE HER BAC! HECTOR, ‘Yes, yes setur ill to the sons of Ateus now to haul away, and then, at che same time, divide the rest with ll che Argives, ll he city hole and ther T'étake an oath for che Trojan royal council ‘that we will hide nothing! Share and share alike the hoards ‘our handsome citadel stores within its depths and — (He stop.) Why debate, ny fiend? Why thrash things ous? [No way to parley with that man — not now — from behind some oak or rock to whispe, ike @ boy and a young gr loves secrets boy and gil mighe whisper wo each other Beuer to dash in bate, now, at once — POET. So he wavered, waking ther, but Achilles was closing on him now like the god of war, the fighters helmet flashing, ‘over his ight shoulder shaking the Peian ash spear, that rerio, and the bronze around his body fated ikea raging Sie or the ising, blaring sun ‘Heor looked up, saw him, scarce to wemble, nerve gone, he could hold his ground no longer, 37he left the gts behind and away be ed a fe — $3 Ailes ew him, besneck oni uy ‘wih Hector fecing slong the walls of To. Encashis les would go, On and on they reeds ‘ting the lookout pia, pasing the wd teed by ce wind, aways out fom under the ramparts down the wagon tral they catered unt they reached thetdear running springs where whiing Seamander sc up from es doublewellaprings bubbling rong — Fas hese hey aed oe exponen purse fru the one who fled was get but the one pursing fee eve peter thei pace mousing in Spec {power saline — so che ewo of them ‘white thre times around he cy of Pam, ring 809 spe Fn oP ee ad Hector could never throw Aci offs al che vi ce Ach — time and again bed ale a dash for ehe Darden Gas, trying ish bencath the rckbuile empars, hoping shen Sn the heights igh sve him somehow ning spas ‘bucime and ain Aches would inereept him quickly heading him of forcing him out cee pain and always spicing along the cy side ise — sedis sina dream. trhen& man can catch another Beng on ahead Tad he an neve cape noc is loreal fo he one could never nun the othe down nis sped tor th rhe spring ay And how could Hector hve ed the Fates of death 30 long? (The Pet bods ou is hands) This the scale the gods use to weigh the fates of men, Zeus weighs the fates of Hector and Achilles in the scales — and thave aze rel, acsual things, these scales — and dlown weae Hector’ day of doom, drageng him down othe song, louse of Death — and the god eft him. HECTOR. (Bshaused, panting, finally sexs) "No more running fom you in feat, Achilles! Now my spre ses me ro meee you face-to-face. Now kil or be killed! 38 Come, wel swear vo te god che highest witnesses — 1 Zeus allows me colar ir out and eat your life away, wll give your body back to your loyal comrades, ‘Swear you'll do the same. ACHILLES. Hectog, pt “There are no binding oaths berwoen men and llons wohes and lambs can enjoy no meeting ofthe minds they areall bent on hating each oter the death Sowith you and me — POET. Oh Ifyou could se che way they look at ech other What do they ee? (An intense whisper) I wonder if he's seared — ook at him, he may be yelling and shaking hie spear bu when ix comes right down to ice wants to say alive. And I can even imagine, we could lve here, now, welll get drunk together somewhere and well talk about like, “Hey remember chat bale, when was i four days ago when ‘you guys ad us pinned against the wall and shen out of nowhere that young spearinan gor your charioter and you guys go thrown that was intense” "Yeah, yeah, and how "bout tha bid that ame out of nowkere, thar was kina fel” “Yeah, chat thing jute lended in the middle ofthe field and fora minute we were all ar. ingat ic. Wa ita heron?” "No nono, it was an egret” "Oh we ell ‘em herons." "No, isthe heron with dhe blue tinge to ies upper swings?" "Weel ub, I think we cal eran egret.” Bar ... no. Whatever he may have been thinking, this is what ‘Acie ACHILLES. Now youl pay ata stroke forall my comrades grief all you lille inthe fury of your spea POET. Wich char, shafe poised, Achilles hurled and hie spear log shadow few 39‘but scing ic coming glorious Hector ducked away, ‘rouching dow, watching the bronze tip fy past and sxb the exh HECTOR, ‘You missed, lok — the great godlike Achilles! All buf, cunning wih words, that’ all you are — But now is for you co dodge my brazen spear — POET, ‘Stal poied he hurls and ht sea Tong shadow few andi scuck Achilles shield —a dead-center hit — ini offand synced and Heceoe sete, urtng spt, whole at's power poured inawatel dot He stood there, case down bead no spear in reserve Pe Yes and Hcor know the truth in is ear and the fir eed loud, HECTOR, My time bas come! ‘Aad now death, grim éeath is looming up beside me, fo longer Ft away. No way to escape it now. ‘Wall lex me die — but aot without struggle, not without glory, no, in some great clash of arms that even men to come vill hea of down the years! POET. ‘And on that resolve Hector swooped now, swinging his whetted sword and Achilles charged too, busting with rage, bacbati, ‘And fire fared from the shaip poin ofthe spear Achilles brandished high is his ight hand, bear on Fectors death, scanning his splendid body ~ where vo pierce i best” “The rest ofhis es seemed all encased in armor, burnished, brnen — Achille’ armor thac Hector stripped fom atong Proc when he led him 40 “Thats right! Hector is wearing Achille’ armor, my gody and +0 there is Achills, spear in hand, and he's looking at himself, in a ‘way, atan image of himself — he's looking fora weak spot, and he knows exactly whece that is, Ease ibis armor. one moray exposed, ‘thr cllaboncs ifthe nctbone ofthe shoulders, the open thou whee the end of ie comes quickest — re ts Hector cared fay lan Ahls drove hs peat, fd the point went subbing ean rough the tender ec Hector crashed inthe dase — elle Ach hoved over ins ACHILLES. “Hecor —surdy yu thought when you sipped Pauochs armor that you, you would be sf! Never afer of me— far from the Sighting a T wae — you fool “The doge and birds will maul you, shame your corpse while Achacans bury my deat Fiend in glory! POET. ‘Struggling for breath, Hector, his helmer ashing, sid, HECTOR, ‘beg you, beg you by your fe, your parents — don lee che dogs devour me by the Argive ship! ‘Whit, ake the princely ransom of bronze and gold, the gifs my father and noble mother will give you— ‘bur give my body to iiends vo carry home again — ACHILLES, Beg no more, you fawning dog — begging me by my parents! ‘Would to god my rage, ny fury would dive me now whack your dedh away and ext you raw — such agonies you have caused me! Ransom? “The dogs and bicde wil rend you — blood and bone! HECTOR. T know you well — Ise my fire before me, aSE Ion inside your ches, cht heart of yours, But now beware, or my curse will draw god’ wrath ‘upon yous head, that day when Pris and lord Apollo forall your fighting heart — deauoy you a the Seacan Gated POET. (Poforming a brefritual) Death cur him shore. The end closed in around him. ying fee of his limbs his soul wene winging down to the House of Death ACHILLES. (Doing a bind of ictry dance) Now, ‘come, you sont of Achue, rate «song of riumpht! ‘Down to the ships we march and bea this corpse on high swe have won ourselves great glory. We have brought smagnificen Hector dow, that man the Tojant plored in cei iy lke & god! POET, Sobe tumphed ‘and now he was bent on outrage, on shaming noble Hector. Piercing the tendons ankle co heel behind both fet, ‘he knotted staps of rawhide through them both, leeds oh chai ete ead dag and mounting the ar, hhe whipped his tam toa run and breaaneck on they flew, holding nothing back. And a thick cloud of dst rose up from the man they dragged, his dak hair swing round that head so handsome once, ll eumbled low inthe duet So his whole head was dragged down inthe dust. 1s so — (te shakes bis bead.) — if youtd seen ithe — the wate Just ike... (le blinks, seems have le is place) tee was one tiie... ubhiin... Trying 20 remember)... ye yes (Shaker bimsel) ie was arerrible hot day during ehe Conquer of Samer — (He stops to comec himself) — I mean the Conquest of Sargon — uh the Pesan War — no— the Peloponnesian War a War ofAlecander the Great Pane War Gale War Cesar invasion of Brin Gre Jesh Revle Yow Turban Rebelion “arate Moon North Aion Romat-Perian War Fallot Rome Byeaning Arab War Main Congest of Eaype Bis Sige of Constancnople ‘Anb-Chinete War Sezon Was ‘Viking rid aco Earope Blin Sigs of Conteainope Zan} Rcbelon in souchera roy eonian-Bulgaian Wr Ving Ciel War Norman Conquer of Eagland Fine Crusade Second Crusade “hid Crunde Fourth Cronde Gites Grade wai Sith Seventh Eighth ‘Ninh Crusade ‘Necmnan vain fil Mongol invasion of Chinn Mongol iomaon of Russa Mongol invasion of Afghanistan Mongol imasion of Viewam ‘he Hundied Yee Wae lines Domination of Vietnam Fels Liheanan-Textonle War iuger War Fallof Constantinople %‘Ware ofthe Roses War ofthe Priests Mauscovite Lithuanian Wass “The Spanish Canquesc of Mexico ‘The Mughal Conques of India War of theTwo Brothers “The Spanish Conquest of Peru ‘Thirty Years War Pequot War ‘Fin, Second and Thied Baglsh CCromaells conquer of leland Cromwell’ conquest of Seodand “The 335 Yeuré War French and Indian Wass Second Cherokee Wat ‘American Revolution French Revolution Haan Revolution The Napoleonic Wars “The Bolvian War of Independence Argentine War of Independence Mexican War of Independence Venezuelan War of Independence Weel 1612 lombian, Chilean, Perwian, and Beusdodian Wars of Independence Lower Canada Rebellion Upper Canada Rebelion Second Seminole War Mormon Wat Pasry War Honey War Fire Anglo-Afghan War Fist Opium War Ceimean War American Civil War Sioux Wars Second Anglo-Afghan Wac “The Boer Ware Cuban War of Independence Spqolsh-American War Sill Wars Mesican Revolution World Wee I Russian Revolution “Third Anglo-Afghan War Irish War of ladependence Afghan Civil War Japanese Invasion of Manchuria SeudicYemeni War Spanish Civil War ‘World War It Palestine Chil War Arab-lercli Wor Cold War Korean War (Caban Revolution “Tibetan Rebellion Viemam Bay of Pigs Sand War She Day War Lace Coda The bls Prague Spin Nicraguan Revolucion Sabadoran Cl Wae Sov lmao of ghaninan Conia warn Nirague Scond Saanee Cl War lealng War Falllands War Tal ivi of Lebanon US Invasion of Grenada US van of Panam Fir Inds Afghan Cov War Reandan Chil War Boma and Hleregvinn Cheskoya ‘ann %Kose bn eetaye ‘games Reade Date 1g tau iran Len Kon Zinkabwe onge ca Ste oom frag Flic es Sye.* oy ie ape ea aaco ie en ‘henner , 4 Part Seven FUNERAL GAMES ‘The Poets sumped in the chair, lore. Hef is ead, es the audience and make bis oy back tthe sorg POET: Hecubs opent her mouth: ‘Because allthis time, ub... they were all watching — theTro- as fo the top of he nate hr mother Heh ao, brothers Hn Allo he jan, wang Heo ie (he Poet opens his mouch andl et a 74) Qocaoocodhih (The Poet begins to wail Ancient Grek — grit sung sore) _oevov dy Bef ot vo Below aivs xafodoa TEK non a] GO DEI LEH da |/BETo mai Al nape [THOUS 365 xorebunéxog, SEU ah po | TETH NEH | O tort Viv a Bavarog Kat poipa wiive +» NUN | AU tha na | TOS /KAI | MOI ki | KHA NEL (Translation ‘My child — my deolaion! Hew cen 1 g0 00 living? now death and fase base ised you dragged you down) And all around the ramparts, Hector family walled with the sieving Hecuba But his wife, Andromache, wasnt ar the wall, she was inside weaving, she hadnt seen a thing. Busy drawing his bath. shell talked herself into the idea that he was coming ome, hed need baththen she hears che women wailing, she hears her motherindaw’s ‘oie, she recognizes chat voice — shes newer, rer, heard thar voice Sound like that before — her heart pounds, her lege go numb ANDROMACHE, —Oh know. something exiles coming down on Prisms children, POET. Thar’ an avfil moment, sn i I starts with uhh, a bad fesling ot an intuition or way did che phone ring t 3 o'clock in the morning? Or I didnt geea phone ello, he din come home or its late, ies cally late, he should have been home by now, Should have heard by now, che plane should have landed by now, he should have called She sas 0 wall tyngo kep he cm, ying oc paic— but her eae gin oo tac and she are ging hat wei hob bing and se sar, heroes at ogo kinda dan — she ca ac alysce wheres going — and she comes out and cen bei she gto aes question she looks ou aco the plain and he acaly fresher husband dead, bng dragged behind the charoe— And she sare ro yell ac ira — ANDROMACHE. [Now you ge down to the House of Death, the dark dept of the earth, and leave me here to waste ava in graf a widow Tost in the royal halls — and the boy only a baby ‘Hecror, what help ae you to im, now you ae dead? ‘What help ise ro you? Think, even fhe escapes the wrenching horrors of war agains che Azgives, pain and labor will plague him all his days €o come. POET. You know what she’ relly saying? She’ saying: ald you so, Hiczoe' body dissppeac i a cloud of dus. 48 [Achilles drags his prize to the Greek camp and dumps icin the Sand — nett to the Argive ships. The Greeks cheer and drink td celebrace, But Achille fury jase wont end... and so he drags “Hectors body round and round Datrocls tomb, day after day af- ter day, And the thing you have co sk yourself iz les been TEN DAYSIE What’ there lef to drag? (The Poe shakes bis bead.) No no no, you be wrong, se, because "THE GODS. The gods lock down and —I mean really, afer all, thelr meddling, afer leaving Hector to die, well now they change thele minds... Hecinsbody a ob, magi sil of STORM — ie hm sera wd so Heat body pe, at — hanno Sreraclig Impossible, So. For ten days he Ton ave ben watching fom a dance: ‘hc dus ing, ancl pes anokng the Ciel crasing and Siping sonp of te Tigh of Ache, And and Hess Fake Prt, deeds ogo cen though ht alot gh years (id he decides to slog through lhe baelis to the Greek pte anom imac he kgm, lbs, Aches to peso dy back. He sets off with only one old chariteer in che middle of che night. es dare and dangerous and — just as Priam and geting dred, a young man with febulous sandals appears in Front of them. HERMES, Wht ar you od guy up ro? ae owing ono Greek eritory now, your about to cross enemy lines — with your ‘wagon fall of treasure. Youve lost your minds. Listen (Wink,) — ilhelp youl show you che way. POET, Priam asks him who he is. Bur che young man goes (Shh. fingertips). “They sweep unseen across the bated, past the ramparts, past 49‘he sentis and when chy ge o the masive gate — so big that it ‘usualy rakes eight men to push open the doors —~ the young man, their guide, simply whistles (He while) and the gate iy open, HERMES. Old man, [il ell you who Iam. 1am Hermes. (Wink) And I an go no further. POET. ‘Then he’s gone. (Snap.) Prism look upto see Achilles — Standing up from the dinner table. Je ike ating int the face of deathless god. Brethiaking, = PRIAM, Great Achilles — You are surprised to see me here, an oe man. Iam Pram, King of Toy. ve driven a wagon, fl of treasure all the way here from my ety. 1 will ransom — everything .. Look how I knee et yout fee. have endured hat no one on earth hat ever done before — 1 puro my lips che hand ofthe man who llled my son. POET: Achilles says, he cays — ACHILLES, You amaze me old man. Ger up Dont knee! at ny feet! PRIAM. You have a father Remember your father. Yute so fur sway from home, your fathers probably suffering right now, no ‘one is there co help him, Your father needs your and youte far vay in Troy. What would be give ro have you home with him? Ym asking you now s you father would ask me, give me the body. Let me have the body of my son, ACHILLES. I never cred before I came to Toy. But in chese ltt oty days, I ind myself crying almost every day. Ihave eason ery tnd $0 do you, old man, POET. And they both start ro weep... Priam crying for his dead son, Achilles crying for his aging fac, so fr away, and for his ead fiend, Pattoclus, and for himself ACHILLES. Enough. Enough grief enough tears. What good will , 30 our tears do? I wont see my father again. You cart bring your son ‘ack to life. PRIAM, (Springing ap.) Give me my sn You oli fom me His bey ong a the on he beach —~ Ive ad enaugh of (bi —-LET ME SEE MY SON! ACHILLES, (A dark lence.) Doni make me mad. You dont know — the way my hearts — 20 fll of rage — I'm sic with i, old ‘man — dont si my rage, dont make me angry oT — POET. And now here the thing, What Love singing, and I hope I ‘can make you see: For once, Achilles, who isaddiced to rage — a250 many of us are, realy when i comes tight dow to — this fighting man feds che rage wel up in his hear. and he makes ie dispar, He just — (The Poet breathes on, showing how Achilles les go of bis rage) How did he do tha? Achilles lets goof his rage, and goes outside, and he life Hector up in his own arms... (Ue Poet raises bis arms as if caring the broken body.) Achilles lifted Heetor up in is own arms-— ‘And laid lm down in hs fathers wagon. [ACHILLES. OK, iés donee lid him in your wagon, old mn, No — dont mun out there now — Yl have my men make a bed fr you, out oa the porch—in the morning, you wil se hit, and thea youll ake him home, Oh — one more thing: How many days do you need to bury Prince Hector? PRIAM. (Taken aback.) Well, we need time ose up bie memorial ‘our iis far fom the hills — wed have to go out and baal in timber forthe pyre .. wed need nine days ro moun him, and then, ‘wed bury him onthe venth day, and one more day to finish his tora, 3nd havea feast in his honor... eleven days, We would need eleven ley. And then we could fight again on the ewelfth day = if tha absoluely necessary ACHILLES. Done. Youtthave your 11 days I'l make the Grecks ‘top fighting for 11 days. PRIAM, (Beat, Pur me to bed. POET, Priam reached out is hand, and Achilles took it, and led the old man to che porch. Priam slept, dreaming of the journey home, and Achilles slepe, dreaming of his fuher, and the ene Greck army slept, dreaming ofthe next day's bate tnd the senties guarding the walls of Toy slepe, and ll of che ‘Trojan civilians slept, and all ofthe Tiojan soldier slope Aud inthe countryside, the facmers and che shepherds and the tnimaleslepe and in the Grek ships the slaves and the ousmea sep, and orca, way up on Olympus, Zeus lay his head on Herds shouldes, end even the gods fll alep (Passe) [cont wat oe you shot what happens next—linow you foe ythent the ck ths di it the jan Hone Lean do fe Ge sar packing ap) how te Grek peed voles 2nd Ty ‘hi nd hy hog at he wares ak sigh Geek lies snuck out and xp edgar sale buming ~ the Sack flog. dha ace —Ts not doping thatoong the woog ofthe mun of Pram, te sng ofthe dose als, ‘he song of Fico’ ifare son thrown fem the bfemens how the Giek sole ied him pin one hab the baby Igoe soldieshloet mad him think of iat and this ie ong {wats game —the ound ofc hoy head eungon separa (eat isco) ne ogo un wornen ao he ‘ddngped and apd and alent Gree the ong of ence certo ‘with ihe on is back the song of Gyn ying ope Rees 10th oo much lease songs (Grabbing bis suitcase.) Imagine ie for yourselves, the destuction of 32 cya ciilization, you know what that looks lke . ke Alezandtia al chat history last. (Pa, searching..) eke +» Cantantinopl, burning for weeke ss ke sv the Aztec temples razed ke Dresden .. Hiroe... ike Sartor eer aoe ae esd nn onthe He pla’ wt on i ft en tthe dp bath econ kee) {wil el you this: (Cassandra saw them fet Priam and che wagon and the body of Hector, oe er ere Se ree rote ou a7 coat ey pee Feet er acai 3 a(aking another sep coe tothe audience.) Atlas ‘when young Dawn wi her rose-ed fingers shone once more, the people massed ssound illustrious Hecto' pyre ‘And once they gathered, crowding the meeting grounds, the frst pur out che ies with plitening wine, ‘wherever the lamer sl burned in all dei fury “Then they calleeed che white bones of Hecor — allhis brothers, his frends-in-arme, mourning, and warm tears came steaming down thee checks ‘They placed the bones chey found ina golden ches, shouing them round and cound in soft purple cloths “They quickly lowered the chest in a deep, hollow grave and over ie pled a cope of huge stones closely set then hasly heaped a bareow, posted lookouts all around for fear che Achaen combat Woops would laune! their artack before the time agreed (Slow, with ceremony.) And once they heaped the mound they sumed back home to Troy, and gathering once again they shared a splendid funeral feast in Hector’ honos, held inthe house of Priam, king by will of Zeus, oly", upienov rigov “Exxopos inxoB4010 HOSHO|GAM li PON upben |HEK em Ippo MOTo ‘And tothe Trojans busied Hector breaker of hort, (The Poet stands therefor a moment silent, He obs ot a be audience, cexpecanty.) You see? (lectus) End of Play 34 PROPERTY LIST (Old coat (ald) Fiat (male) Suivere ‘Whiskey bore Chass Table Chait (Old sink with running wacee SOUND EFFECTS