OTI:one poem and notes:9/14/16

Open To Interpretation

Zeus

continued...see two previous posts...
a play...

Olympus' Hall of Judgement
the chorus to one another


chorus
The Prosecutor is nameless...
Faceless...
The Defense is nameless...
Faceless...
Both covered head to toe!
They're automaton inventions...
Marvels of Hephaestus!
We must protest...
We're one short...
Now?
No, wait...
Something strange to these faceless adjudicators...
Only Zeus looks normal...
If that's what can be said
Of an incessantly weeping Lord of the Universe.
We can't address him...
We're mere mortals...
No... yes...wait...
Oh!

Ares enters the Hall

Ares
What in hades is going on here, Hades!

chorus
He's furious...
He's Ares!
Look how Hades looks down from the upper gallery!
Ares sees him...
Not us...

Ares
Don't you belong else ware!
And you Zeus, what are you blubbering about!?

chorus
Oh! see how Zeus takes a deep breath...
And composes himself in mid sob...
And dries his eyes immediately!

Zeus
It is only show for them.
I'm in control.

Ares
Control?

chorus
Ares grabs Zeus' chains...
He'll break them...
He's Ares!
Oh, the chains defy Ares!

Ares
These are adamantine,
Titan made. 
You are in a fix,
And what care you that Hades and his crowd
See you making crocodile tears?

Zeus
Oh, it's not for Hades and his lot I weep, but for them.

chorus
Zeus points to us...
Ares sees us...
This is no good...
There's no where to hide!

Ares
What the hell are they doing here?
Why ask...I slay them now...
Mortals can mingle with gods in hell, not here.

chorus
Ares draws his sword...
We're doomed...
Tears stream from our eyes now!


Prosecutor
Wait...

Ares
Why should I wait, you automaton piece of Hephaestus' junk...

Aphrodite enters the hall...

chorus
She IS beautiful!

Aphrodite
Yes, wait a moment, rash one,
It is my bequest that brought them here.
We immortals are not to be trusted to resolve this issue,
Those chains will only part by mortal's wisdom,
Such is the spell Artemis cast on them.

Ares
What wisdom have brief-life mortals?

chorus
to one another
We know war...
Yes...
Say it...
No you...
I'm terrified...
It might stay Ares' sword...
No, you...
We together then...
We stand...
And shout loud...
All of us...now!
We know war!

Ares
Then know this...

chorus
Ares rears back his sword high over his head!
Ares will lop our heads with one swoop!
Duck!
Too late!

Achilles
Wait!

chorus
That voice!
Sharp as the edges of Ares sword!
Achilles is standing!

Achilles
I vouch for them.

Ares
I know you.

Achilles
And I know you.

Ares
For half a god
I'll give them half quarter.

Ares slays two of the chorus

Aphrodite
Leave us brother,
Your ill  temper ill suits the subject at hand.

Ares
What subject?

Aphrodite
Love is in abeyance...

Ares
I hadn't noticed...hmmph...I can go frolic!

Ares leaves...

recess, the chorus together

chorus
I'm covered in sweat...
I wet myself...
I crapped...
Please...
We're all covered in blood...
Hephaestus servants attend to us...
Bath us...
New clothes...
Feed us...
Would that they could free us!
Oh, so many stars to see...
The air is cold and clear from this lofty perch...
Our town...
All dark now...
It's midnight...
Would we were sleeping, dreaming too...
Safe in our beds.

Prosecutor
Take your seats.

chorus
We're three short now.

Defense
Take your seats.

chorus
No, to be bold, no!
Our tradition requires twelve.
We stand on our traditions!

Zeus
And just so gods as well...
Hades, give them three...

Hades
It can't be done.

Zeus
We break that tradition this bit, and these chains break with it.

Hades
It can't be done, it would raise such a clamor!

Zeus
Hades, have you looked in your heart of late?

Hades
What do you mean?

Zeus
This pall...
Love's absence void...
In your heart,
Look for Persephone, as I looked for Hera....

chorus
Oh!
Hades is lost in thought!
His dark pupils shrink from fear!

Hades
Which three?

Zeus
Aphrodite's Achilles, to please her.
Artemis' Hippolytus, to please her.
And Phaedra, to please Hippolytus.

chorus
Look!
No longer dappled,
Achilles, Hippolytus, Phaedra,
Fleshed out,
And seated with us!

Prosecutor
We call our first witness, Hippolytus...
Hippolytus, tell us...

Artemis enters with Cupid's bow and arrows

Artemis
Enough of this, I was rash...whatever...
We must hurry, Ares prepares his chariot!

Prosecutor Defense together
Judge now, mortals!

chorus
Oh!
What to say!
We don't know!
We're mere mortals!

Zeus
Say any old thing...

chorus
The Earth is round.
Look!
The chains fall from Zeus!

on the road not far from the chorus' town

chorus
Do we know where we are?
I can't remember where we've been...
Nor I...
Yesterday, last night, seem just gone!
This morning is lovely,
The birds greet the sun.
That tall farmer with his plow,
Ask him...
Is this the road to town?

Achilles
It would be, I believe...

chorus
You look familiar...

Achilles
Maybe so,
I once knew fame and glory.

chorus
Pardon our hurry,
We're anxious to be home.
So long.

Achilles
So long.

Hippolytus and Phaedra enter on Pegasus

Hippolytus
How goes it, Achilles?

Achilles
It's new, but familiar,
I've planted men,
I can plant corn.
And you?

Hippolytus
Zeus has foresworn his dalliances on Earth,
But enjoys the mortal's gossip.
He returned Pegasus to me,
And on occasion now I make it to Olympus with the news.
See you...

Achilles
Yes, see you.

Pegasus flies up with Hippolytus and Phaedra.

DolphinWords

Notes: ...thank goodness for deus ex machina!

:)

DavidDavid