Clytemnestra by David Elendune
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This Play is the copyright of the Author and may not be performed, copied or sold without the Author's prior consent
ACT ONE - SCENE ONE
1200BC - Sparta's throne room DEATH (the boatman) approaches
the broken statues that infest the gloom. Prying a scroll from a
marbled hand
DEATH: "Ten long years this night will roll away - When the Lords
of Heaven thus convey - Zeus charging forth with pride of place
Leads warrior chiefs of human race Beloved sons don amour
forged red in blood &war!"
DEATH discards the scroll &awakens the statues of ODYSSEUS,
CLYTEMNESTRA, TYNDAREUS, AGAMEMNON &AEGISTHUS. Breaking the 4th
wall
DEATH: A wise man once wrote, "All the world's a stage &all the
men and women merely players. They have their exits and their
entrances. One person in their time plays many parts (and one part is
played by many people)." And yet the undeniable truth remains
that no matter how you mortals struggle, how you strive, your lives
still amount to nothing more than bloody Greek Tragedy.
DEATH exits, causing a cross fade to a warm spring day. Note: during
the following scene a young baby in a shawl is often passed around
making unclear its exact parentage.
IPHIGENIA: [Entering, dialogue tumbling] Quick, everyone quick,
he's coming, Achilles, Achilles is coming!
CLYTEMNESTRA: Hydra's teeth girl.
IPHIGENIA: But Achilles is
CLYTEMNESTRA: Just a man.
IPHIGENIA: Father!?
AGAMEMNON: Shhh princess, your mother's right.
IPHIGENIA: That thing's not my mother.
CLYTEMNESTRA: Now listen here 'princess'; I've had just about
as much as I can take of your tongue.
IPHIGENIA: Shame father doesn't feel the same way about yours.
TYNDAREUS: Ladies, what say we to a truce just for today.
Clytemnestra: daughter, come sit next to me. And Iphigenia don't
glower so, it'll give you furrows beyond your years. Shoo, go stand
with your uncle Menelaus.
IPHIGENIA: But I won't see anything from back there!
TYNDAREUS: You mean you won't be able to see Achilles. Very well,
over by Odysseus, yet be fonder of hearing than talking, yes?
IPHIGENIA: Thank you grandfather. [She kisses him.]
TYNDAREUS: You're welcome little one.
CLYTEMNESTRA: You spoil her.
TYNDAREUS: Yes, as I spoiled you.
A horn interrupts. Enter AJAX, flanked by ACHILLES &PATROCLUS. They
carry many gifts which the women receive.
ACHILLES: Mighty Tyndareus (King of Sparta, High King of all Greece),
Lord Odysseus, General Agamemnon, Ladies - We present: Prince Ajax
(heir to Kingdom of Salamis).
ACHILLES kneels and hands TYNDAREUS a blood stained scroll.
TYNDAREUS: We thank you Achilles of Myrmidon. Ah, and who have we
here: young Patroclus of Opus? But we didn't recognize you. Don't
tell us in your absence you have grown yet taller?
PATROCLUS: No Sire.
TYNDAREUS: Then surely it is I who must be shrinking.
PATROCLUS realizes his mistake and kneels. AJAX does not.
ODYSSEUS: Prince Ajax, those who fail to kneel before Mighty
Tyndareus are either very brave or very stupid.
AJAX: Salamis does not kneel before Greece.
AGAMEMNON looms. TYNDAREUS dismisses him with a smile.
TYNDAREUS: You're three days beyond late.
AJAX: My ship was delayed by storms.
TYNDAREUS: Don't lie to me boy.
AJAX: Also your blockade of our ports
TYNDAREUS: And don't think for one second you can buy your father
the time he believes he needs.
AJAX: For what?
TYNDAREUS: Why to persuade Pharaoh to honour that little 'secret'
treaty of theirs of course.
AJAX: Treaty, I don't know of any treaty.
TYNDAREUS: No, not even the one your father prays will unleash the
entire Egyptian navy upon poor unsuspecting Sparta?
AJAX: You know about that?
TYNDAREUS: I do now.
AJAX: My father feels you've left him no choice.
TYNDAREUS: There are always choices.
AJAX: He would rather die than kneel before you.
TYNDAREUS: Do your people feel the same way?
AJAX: They care for him as deeply as he for them.
TYNDAREUS: Yet if only he were to swallow his pride.
AJAX: Great men don't swallow their pride.
TYNDAREUS: Great men don't send their sons to sing their praises.
AJAX: I'll not kill him because, I mean, if that's what you
were thinking.
TYNDAREUS: Well I'm sorry lad but you won't get very far in this
world with that attitude. For correct me if I'm wrong Priest but
wasn't that how Almighty Zeus gained his crown?
AEGITHUS: As always you need no correction Sire.
TYNDAREUS: There, you see: divine precedent It seems all families
must have their differences.
TYNDAREUS sniffs the food CLYTEMNESTRA makes IPHIGENIA exit with
the old food/wine. Looking through the gifts
TYNDAREUS: I do so love presents. I'd like to say it's in the
giving My, this is heavy.
AJAX: Legend has it, it fell burning from the heavens It's for
your wife. What's the matter, I've said something wrong, I will
see her later, won't I?
TYNDAREUS: We all will.
On a nod ACHILLES goes to take AJAX'S hammer. He objects.
AJAX: No.
TYNDAREUS: Careful boy, I don't believe Achilles knows the meaning
of that word.
AJAX: But it has sentimental value.
CLYTEMNESTRA: What young man's weapon doesn't?
AJAX: It's just I mean, they say it was made by the blacksmith
of the gods himself.
CLYTEMNESTRA: Well, if I were you, I wouldn't put too much stock in
what 'they' say For 'they' only say what 'they' think
'we' want to hear.
TYNDAREUS: Tut-tut daughter play nicely, we don't want to scare
the lad away. Prince Ajax, I swear as long as you remain as my guest
on Sparta not a single drop of your blood will be spilt. This I pledge
to you is truth or may Medusa bite the hand from my arm.
TYNDAREUS places his hand in the mouth of a stone Gorgon's head.
Pause - AJAX nods &hands over his weapons.
TYNDAREUS: Oh what a shame. It's a fake, good one mind, yet
certainly not Hephaestus' work. See Odysseus, give the lad fifty
drachmas.
AJAX: No.
ODYSSEUS: There's that word again.
AJAX: Cheiron gave it to me.
TYNDAREUS: Now there's a name I haven't heard in a Cyclops's
age. Didn't he train you, Patroclus?
PATROCLUS: Yes Sire.
TYNDAREUS: And you too Achilles?
CLYTEMENSTRA: Oh father, nobody taught Achilles.
TYNDAREUS: Really, that's not what Odysseus told me And how is
good old Cheiron?
AJAX: Dead.
TYNDAREUS: Well then, sixty drachmas it is. [AJAX nods. IPHIGENIA
enters with new food &drinks.] Ah cheese: the gods' way of saying
thank you. [AEGISTHUS tastes for TYNDAREUS. IPHIGENIA hands AJAX a cup
He doesn't drink.]
IPHIGENIA: You don't trust me my lord?
AJAX: I offend you with my honesty?
IPHIGENIA: It is not my intention to appear offended.
She drinks from the cup.
AJAX: I'm sorry, it's just
IPHIGENIA: What is it just?
AJAX: My mother told me to never to put my faith in strangers.
IPHIGENIA: And do you always do what your mother tells you?
IPHIGENIA holds the cup to Ajax's lips. CLYTEMNESTRA takes it and
AJAX away.
CLYTEMNESTRA: If he's got any sense left he would. Come my young
prince, pay no heed to this one, her head is full of nothing but
butterflies.
TYNDAREUS: What woman's isn't? For the less they have to say the
more pours forth from their mouths, eh? Now where were we? [Odysseus
whispers in his ear.] Ah yes the scroll; what do you suppose it
contains?
AJAX: I've no idea My father's seal is sacred.
ODYSSEUS: And what if it says you're to be held here, hostage a
tiny, burnt offering, sacrificed in order that we lull our sails
before Pharaoh's wrath?
AJAX: It won't.
ODYESSEUS: How can you be so certain?
AJAX: Because I trust my father.
ODYSSEUS: Ah but does he trust you?
AJAX: What parent doesn't love their child?
ODYSSEUS: I never mentioned love.
AJAX: There's a difference?
ODYSSEUS: To some.
AJAX: To you?
ODYSSEUS: We're not talking about me.
AJAX: Shame.
ODYSSEUS: Never waste shame. Well?
AJAX: I believe, no, I know my father will do anything for me.
ODYSSEUS: And you for him? [AJAX nods] How touching, would you die
for him?
AJAX: I would not be worthy of the name if I did not.
ODYESSUS: Name's are for tombs.
TYNDAREUS reads the scroll. He hands it to ODYSSEUS, who reads it,
who hands it to AGAMEMNON, who destroys it.
TYNDAREUS: Your father's a fool, who, in common with all fools,
will die a fool's death.
ACHILLES puts a rope around AJAX'S neck from behind.
AJAX: But you swore on the Gorgon.
CLYTEMNESTRA: Like father like son.
ACHILLES: Strangling don't spill blood.
ODYSSEUS relays his throttled answers to the rest.
ODYSSEUS/AJAX: What is it you want?
TYNDAREUS: What do you think we want?
ODYSSEUS/AJAX: Would I ask if I knew?
TYNDAREUS: No, I suppose not Information.
ACHILLES: Ah-ah, don't struggle, or I'll grind your neck to
powder.
ODYSSEUS/AJAX: What information?
TYNDAREUS: Oh no, no, no - we don't want answers, quite the
opposite in fact: we want questions.
ODYSSEUS/AJAX: I don't understand.
TYNDAREUS: The questions people ask tell us what they don't know.
ODYSSEUS/AJAX: And those they don't, what they do?
AGAMEMNON: He learns fast.
ODYSSEUS/AJAX: What did you want it to say?
TYNDAREUS nods, Achilles releases AJAX.
TYNDAREUS: That Greece will finally be united and sail under one
banner.
AJAX: Yours presumably?
TYNDAREUS: Lords of Perdition boy, don't you see I'm trying to
protect you!?
AJAX: From who?
ODYSSEUS: Whom.
TYNDAREUS: Why, the Hittites of course!
AJAX: But Emperor Hattusilis has always been our friend.
TYNDAREUS: Then why hasn't your little fat friend lifted one of his
fat little fingers to help you!? When he's already amassed the
largest fleet the world has ever seen. Big enough to swallow all of us
bite by bite.
MENELAUS: [Aside] Not so friendly if you ask me.
TYNDAREUS: General Agamemnon, your brother was warned before about
speaking in assembly, yes? Then please remove him from my sight before
I make you remove his.
AGAMEMNON drags MENELAUS off stage. Sounds of MENELAUS being beaten.
TYNDAREUS shrugs (what can you do) Then indicates AEGISTHUS should
talk.
AEGISTHUS: Prince Ajax, do you really want your daughters to kneel
before strange gods; your sons before foreign soldiers? Yet this
future need not pass; for if Salamis were to join with Sparta, Emperor
Hattusilis' greedy little eyes would be forced to look elsewhere.
AJAX: My people are not for sale.
ODYSSEUS: Everything has its price.
AJAX: Even honour?
ODYSSEUS: Honour will not ease the starving stomachs of your
country's children.
AJAX: Yet my treachery will?
ODYSSEUS: 'Oh the certainty of youth.'
AJAX: 'Oh the ambiguity of age.'
ODYSSEUS: Now I'm confused: are we negotiating here, or merely
calling each other names?
AJAX: Only the weak negotiate.
ODYSSEUS: Then be strong.
AJAX: Very well - On her throat be it.
AJAX grabs IPHIGENIA from behind and holds a fruit knife to her face.
ACHILLES menaces.
AJAX: Ah-ah. One step closer soldier boy and I'll carve her a new
hole! I mean it!
TYNDAREUS: Stand down Achilles. I said stand down. Achilles! [He
moves away.] What do you want?
AJAX: Joint command of the armed forces with your son-in-law General
Agamemnon. Or he could take the navy, or I could fight him in the
arena, winner takes all.
TYNDAREUS: Well, well, there's hope for the lad yet. Perhaps
you'd like to keep her into the bargain as well?
AJAX: Why, who is she?
TYNDAREUS: You take her hostage yet you don't know
AJAX: Does a corpse need a name!?
TYNDAREUS: She is The Lady Iphigenia, daughter to General Agamemnon
by his first wife and is by his marriage to my first born,
therefore third in line to the throne.
AJAX: There would be a dowry?
TYNDAREUS: I dare say something suitable can be arranged: how about
Malta?
AJAX: Malta? I must warn you.
TYNDAREUS: Careful boy. My patience only runs so deep.
AJAX: Advise you then.
TYNDAREUS: Better.
AJAX: That what you've seen so far is only a fraction of my
father's forces. Crete
TYNDAREUS: Is but a pale veneer of its former self. Theseus saw to
that; slayer of monsters, pah! Try again.
AJAX: Salamis.
TYNDAREUS: Yes?
AJAX: We, we are allied with Troy. King Priam has
TYNDAREUS: Long been weighed down by make-up, opium and the
geographical need to remain neutral. And so, apart from fraternal
jealousy, give me one good reason why my little brother would raise
himself from his self-imposed exile?
AJAX: Because we hold Hesione, his youngest daughter, hostage.
TYNDAREUS: Now that is a good reason. And yet it changes nothing. If
anything it simplifies matters. For when you join me so will Troy.
AJAX: Join you, I don't how, how do you know the Trojans
won't take up arms with us against you?
TYNDAREUS: Because on his way to capture you, Achilles intercepted
and killed your father's messenger.
ACHILLES moves forward with the bloodied scroll he presented to
TYNDAREUS at the start of the scene.
AJAX: Uh-uh, not him, him.
[end of extract]
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