Act 1 Scene 1 The Fall of Troy

Act 1 The Fall of Troy

Outside the palace of Priam, the night Troy fell. Soldiers are running through a door. There are sounds of fighting inside. As the last soldier enters, a furtive figure steps through the window.

PHILISTES
Free at last...
Five years a Trojan captive, taken in battle and cast into the dungeons, brought low by hardship and perversity; the guards, the filth, the sweltering heat, foul water and food not fit for rats, and each morning taken to the quarry, to labor under sun, weight of stone, lash and the numb squeeze of exhaustion. Once carefree and light-hearted, I've changed under the unrelenting adversity, surrendering in pieces all honor and self-esteem, to pay the wages of survival. At length, having nothing else to sell, my body spent, empty of further will to live, I laid down and begged the pestilence to take me. For such was my state of mind, that I saw the plague not as something horrible, but as something good. Then as I lay there, praying to be delivered, there came a miraculous intervention, beyond all explanation, for amazingly, at that moment, footsteps came to the dungeon. I heard clanging doors and rattling keys, and unbelievably, I was struck from my chains and taken to Priam's palace. There, I was given many duties of mean and low servitude. But a palace slave is better than a prison monarch, and soon I regained my vigor, working hard, fearing the least complaint, would cause good fortune to change her mind. And while the Trojans had many a laugh at my expense, I bore it gladly, for the part of me that once cared was long departed, and they're not laughing now. I must go and find my dear friend Pyrrhus, and tell him I'm alive and free once more.
(Departs as captives are being brought out under guard, among them Andromacha, with her baby and Helenus the sage.)

HELENUS
Take heart and be strong. These are bad times but the future is not without hope.

ANDROMACHE
(Pensive)
What hope is there to ease this heart and chase my fears away?
The cock crows and soon the truth will see the light of day.
(Speaks to Helenus)
If you've revelation for me, speak up and raise my spirits; for my ears are in sore need of cheering. Tell me this's all a bad dream.

HELENUS
This's no dream. The worst has happened. A fearsome specter.

ANDROMACHE
And you see the future and know what follows?

HELENUS
It's my curse. I can and I do. It makes me tremble.

ANDROMACHE
Then tell me what lies in store?

HELENUS
It's better not to inquire of such things, for I can't hide what I'm asked to reveal. Let tomorrow slumber, to unfold its secrets in due course.

ANDROMACHE
Then forget I asked, for no good comes of it. My life's one misfortune piled on the next. If the future follows, mine's a heavy woe.

HELENUS
A wise choice. Your destiny is not an easy path. Better that you face your trials one day at a time, but be warned; nothing in life's ever as it seems. Don't let anger choke the whispers of your heart. I say too much... How's the child?

ANDROMACHE
Better than expected; he's strong like his father.

HELENUS
And what's this talisman about his neck?

ANDROMACHE
His good luck charm, an emerald pendant, crafted in silver, with a long golden chain. Hecuba gave it, in our last moments together.

HELENUS
Keep it covered or have it taken.

ANDROMACHE
There... How's that?

HELENUS
None too soon. Now keep your wits and watch your tongue. Here comes trouble of the worst sort.
(Enter Menelaus and Orestes with a company of Spartans.)

MENELAUS
I fear the worst, that Helen's slain, if not by the Trojans then by the Greeks. All blame her for what's taken place, her alleged weakness being responsible for all that's happened in this damned war. A shallow notion but eminently convenient. As if man's miserable greed played no part, or the vanity of cruel gods had no hand. Yet men are loath to take responsibility and fear even more, offending the heavens. My wife's a most opportune scapegoat. Poor Helen, condemned by her beauty. Don't you see the irony of it all? The very thing that should be a blessing, incurring the wrath of divine jealousy. This is mostly the god's doing, Orestes, and my wife used shamelessly, a pawn to the perversity of Almighty Olympus. But I'll find Helen and take her back, and pity the man who stands in my way.

ORESTES
Take heart, Uncle. At hand are opportunities we've long-awaited. Look there... I see captives, taken in the fight, "Hoplite, is the palace taken?"

GUARD
The fighting continues to this very moment. These prisoners have been placed under my safeguard. Pyrrhus threatened my life to keep them from harm.

MENELAUS
Is the fighting fierce?

GUARD
FIERCE? When the fight began, the ceiling fell, and all was chaos and confusion. Pyrrhus, rallied us amid great bewilderment, bidding us take heart and use that pillar is a ram to breach the barricade. Fierce can't describe it. The defenders were mad, driven by desperation and the most terrible fear, for women and children stood behind them. Pyrrhus, young son of Achilles, was ever in the lead. A finer example there never was, urging us on with a terrible vengeance, until at length, sire, he stood helm to helm with Priam, the king himself.

MENELAUS
And what happened then?

GUARD
How can I forget it, standing close by, as we fought for our lives. With my own ears I heard the Trojan monarch cry out, "How dare you desecrate the temple of Apollo?" For at that moment we were fighting on the steps of his chapel.

MENELAUS
And how did Pyrrhus answer that?

GUARD
He became even angrier and cried out... "Should I tremble before the god that killed my father?" In reply, the old sovereign roared back, "Blasphemer!" and delivered a stroke that sent sparks flying. Mind you, it would have brought a lesser man to his knees, but Pyrrhus held shouting back, "Then damn you both!" and struck a blow parting the King like a stick of celery. It was the most glorious moment of my life.

MENELAUS
And what then?

GUARD
With that all resistance melted. Most of the enemy were by then slain and those remaining lost heart and fled. My lord, Pyrrhus, bid me to gather the captives and take them to safety. Then, from the roof came a fresh onslaught and while everyone else is getting the glory, I'm left outside attending this low duty.

MENELAUS
Captain, take your men inside.

CAPTAIN
(Raises sword crying)
"Ahhhhhhhh...LACEDAEMON!"

TROOPS
(They respond...."LACEDAEMON! Hut, hut, hut, hut, hut..."moving into the palace with the cadence.)

MENELAUS
Are there more noncombatants inside?

GUARD
No sire, these are all the women and children, except for that one over there.

MENELAUS
(To Orestes)
Go and see if Helen is among them or if any know her whereabouts.
(Walks over and peers through window)
You've done well this night Pyrrhus, a real credit to your father's name. It's said by those who dared the "Wooden Horse" that only you were fearless. Then, there was your role in the "Bow and Arrow Intrigue", what guile. Had you failed to answer the prophecy, where would we be now? But here you've eclipsed everything and Achilles would be proud. You carried the fight, killed Priam and bid that knave Apollo, go to hell. Not bad for a lad of tender years, hidden too long in his father's shadow. Tonight you come of age, standing alone, a warrior to be reckoned with. Actions are ever the truest test of a man's character and I like what I see. What father wouldn't be blessed to have such a son, sire his grandchildren? Now that's an engaging thought, better whispered, lest Orestes get wind of it .

ORESTES
Uncle, see what I discover

MENELAUS
(Walks over to captives)
What do you find?

ORESTES
Andromache, wife of dead Hector, and standing there our old friend Helenus, high prophet of the fallen city. The Seer without peer.

MENELAUS
(To Andromache)
Have you seen Helen?

ANDROMACHE
Only when the occasion's unavoidable.

MENELAUS
You're princess no more, highborn lady. Answer directly, or I will show you ugliness such as you've never seen.

ANDROMACHE
You presume much, high Lord.

MENELAUS
Don't trifle with me. Do you know her whereabouts?

ANDROMACHE
She's not here.

MENELAUS
Then where's she taken?

ANDROMACHE
To Hell, if any justice remains in this world.

MENELAUS
Don't disparage my wife, It won't go well for you.

ANDROMACHE
Nothing goes well for me. This night's but one example. As for your chaste wife, I've nothing to offer but sympathy.

MENELAUS
Insolent brat, not yet schooled as a slave, take heed while I administer the first lesson.

HELENUS
High Lord, she knows nothing.

MENELAUS
Who speaks? Ahhh yes, Helenus, I'll be with you after I beat this woman.

HELENUS
While opportunity slips away?

MENELAUS
You know where she is?

HELENUS
Taken by Aphrodite.

MENELAUS
How long ago?

HELENUS
Not two hours past.

MENELAUS
Where to?

HELENUS
A safe place.

MENELAUS
I'm disposed to go easy on you. Your prophecy stood us well in the past, but listen carefully ...
(Takes out dagger putting it to Helenus)
Your life hangs by the hinge of this tongue. Speak true in you walk free, false, and I'll seek you to the ends of the dark earth.

HELENUS
Didn't my revelation bring ruin to everything I love? Could your terrible purpose have succeeded without my words. Had it been in my power to speak falsely, I would have done so when you made me prisoner. Sadly for me, my curse makes deceit impossible. All favors and threats are wasted on the likes of me. I only ask that you pity these women and children.

MENELAUS
Agreed. Now where's Helen taken?

HELENUS
That requires no gift. To the hill were Aphrodite's temple stands.

MENELAUS
Is she safe, will we be reunited, will we live again as husband-and-wife?

HELENUS
These I cannot answer without recourse to my powers. To know the future is a treacherous knowledge. The present weighs heavy enough on any man's shoulders. Glimpsing tomorrow flirts with many an unknown consequence. Think about it; know fully the grave peril.

MENELAUS
I grow weary of your evasiveness, are you going to answer or not?

HELENUS
You will find Helen and make a new life,
and be reconciled as husband-and-wife.

MENELAUS
Such a relief! These are welcome tidings. And my daughter Hermione and her betrothal to Orestes; will the union give me a grandson?

HELENUS
Orestes will suffer a lifetime of woe.
Clytemnestra will bring the family low,
and rubbing and scrubbing will never efface,
the blood of a dishonor, the stain of disgrace,
and the pride of your name will never abide,
Orestes as son, and your daughter his bride.

MENELAUS
No grandsons to carry on my lineage? To rule Sparta, maybe all Greece.

HELENUS
By the power of Zeus revelation I bring.
A son will be born to a father the King.
A philosopher youth to unify Greece.
A lover of war and a scoffer of peace.
And before his standard is finally furled,
he'll rule over all of the civilized world.
In the history of battle his glorious name,
will be trumpeted over and over again.
And it'll be writ in the annals of war;
"greater was he than his fathers before."

MENELAUS
Now that's more like it.

HELENUS
But he won't be from your line...

MENELAUS
What?

HELENUS
He'll be a from Hector's.

MENELAUS
The Devil take your tongue. Enough! You rascal. Depart this evil city, and woe be onto you if you aren't long down the road when the sun comes up.
(Aside)
I pray him right as I pray him wrong. Soon I'll see the truth of the first part. For the rest I'll speak with Orestes, and as for Hector's boy... Huh! That's easily remedied.