MELAS
I’ve got enough proof. I saw the embroidery today. Now I know why it was such a god-damned mess.
(To CLIA)
Get your mistress down here!
(CLIA doesn’t move.)
All right, I’ll fetch her myself. I’ll teach her a new trick or two.
(He springs toward the steps, but ERYX is even quicker. He catches MELAS roughly by the arm and swings him around. MELAS whips out his short sword. ERYX raises his spear watchfully.)
ERYX
(Extremely dangerous, now, although his voice is quiet enough)
We’re all in this. Don’t forget that!
HOMER
(Watching them face each other, about to fight)
That could always be one solution. Go ahead, gentlemen!
(To ERYX)
But drop that spear and use your sword. Equal weapons, you know.
ERYX
(To MELAS)
The old boy made a point there. Why fight? Not much future in that for either of us.
MELAS
Sure—especially when I’m the best swordsman around here. Go on! Equal weapons—if you dare!
(A man’s shadow falls over the threshold. A beggar stands there, hesitant. It is ULYSSES, dressed in his tattered wool cape, his traveller’s hat pulled well down over his forehead, his shoulders drooping, his whole appearance that of age and weakness. No one pays the slightest attention to him, as he stands humbly by the left side of the door.)
ERYX
Use your brains! If you are crazy enough to pick a fight, what then? Either you kill me, or I kill you—
HOMER
What’s wrong with that?
ERYX
—but there are nine other men left. Is the winner going to fight them all, too? Will they wait to be picked off, one by one?
MELAS
(Lowers his sword)
All right, then. But I’m going to wait no longer. Let Penelope choose now.
(He walks back to the head of the table.)
ERYX
Choose? Just how will she choose?
MELAS
(Shrugging his shoulders, one hand on the master’s chair)
I’ll agree to stick by her decision.
ERYX
Isn’t that generous of you? You think you’re her favourite!
(He faces MELAS angrily, again, his spear ready.)
MELAS
(Ready with his sword, but confident and smiling)
It’s all a gamble, anyway. I told you that when we first came here.
ERYX
Then why don’t we throw dice and let them choose the winner?
MELAS
(Angry, now, and shouting)
Because none of us would have a fair chance if you got your hands on a set of dice.
HOMER
Gentlemen, gentlemen! Really, this could go on forever.
CLIA
It has been going on for three years.
HOMER
Frankly, I don’t think you’ll ever find a solution, for each wants to win and no one intends to be the loser. When you came here, no doubt you thought there was strength in numbers; but now, your numbers defeat you. Oh, happy band of brothers!
ERYX
You keep out of this!
HOMER
I wish I could. Oh, why didn’t you leave this morning, before I ever arrived!
ERYX
(Very softly)
You know, I almost forgot that... Penelope kept us here. I wonder why?...
(He and MELAS lower their weapons. ULYSSES straightens his back for a moment, and then bows his head to stare at the ground once more.)
I don’t like this. Come on. We’ll both see Madame Penelope. Now.
(He and MELAS move purposely together toward the steps.)
HOMER
You did mention nine others, who seem to have a part-interest in this too. Shouldn’t you at least appear to consult them? Clia, will you step into the yard and inform—
ERYX
(Speaking to CLIA as MELAS turns on HOMER)
You’ll find them at the stables. Tell them that Penelope’s little comedy is over. Bring them here. We’ll make her choice for her.
PENELOPE
(Suddenly appearing from her doorway. She pauses at the top of the steps, watching HOMER standing his ground as MELAS and ERYX advance on him. PENELOPE is carefully dressed in green, in a chiffon robe of flowing grace. There are jewels in her high-coiled hair. She has never looked more beautiful. But for one moment, too, she looks a little frightened. Then the goddess ATHENA emerges from the wall and stands on the dais near PENELOPE. PENELOPE recovers herself.)
Will you, indeed? That was not the bargain we made.
ERYX
(Swinging round, along with MELAS, to see PENELOPE on the dais)
You broke the bargain.
PENELOPE
I? I broke my word?
MELAS
You ripped out that embroidery as fast as you stitched it.
PENELOPE
But—but—I never made any promise not to rip it out.
ATHENA
(Relaxes and smiles)
Not bad, not bad at all. But be careful, Penelope, careful!
(HOMER is laughing now; and ERYX and MELAS look at each other.)
PENELOPE
And haven’t you broken your promise to keep out of this Hall for two hours each afternoon, so that I can walk in peace?
(ERYX and MELAS exchange a second stare.)
ERYX
Look here—who’s questioning whom?
PENELOPE
Please don’t shout. After all, there is only one more day before I make my choice, so why annoy me?... You see, I admit you’ve won.
HOMER
(Shocked)
Penelope!
MELAS
(Going toward her)
In that case, why not choose now?
(His voice is gentle; his smile is charming.)
PENELOPE
A personal choice would be—invidious. Certainly difficult. Perhaps even a little dangerous. I’ve a better idea: I choose a contest in which you will all have an equal chance. That’s fair, isn’t it?
ERYX
(Delighted)
We’ll choose the contest.
PENELOPE
(Sweetly)
But can you? Can you agree on the choice of weapons?
(She watches ERYX and MELAS exchange looks.)
Then that’s settled—I’ll announce the contest tomorrow night.
ERYX
You’ll do it now.
MELAS
Yes, now.
ATHENA
I told you to be careful... Oh, why don’t you look at the doorway?
PENELOPE
(Coming down the steps)
But I—I first must go to Athena’s altar, and offer her some flowers, and a prayer... You know how cross she can get, if things aren’t done properly.
ATHENA
Well, really!
ERYX
No more delays, Penelope. It’s now. Or never.
(He and MELAS take a quick step to intercept penelope as she hurries toward the door. She now can see the beggar, and halts suddenly. ATHENA folds her arms and leans against a wall. No one, of course, is aware of her physically. She stands there, seeing but unseen.)
PENELOPE
Who—who’s this?
ERYX
(Sarcastically)
A beggar, I believe.
ULYSSES
(Takes a step forward humbly, touching his hat)
Asking your help, lady. Some food, a place to sleep.
PENELOPE
(In a low voice)
Oh, Clia!
CLIA
(Apologetically)
I haven’t had time to welcome him properly. At first, I didn’t see him, and then when I did, you came into the Hall, and—
ERYX
That’s right! Change the subject.
MELAS
Oh no, she doesn’t!
(Roughly, to PENELOPE)
Announce the contest.
PENELOPE
(Turning away from the door)
Now?
HOMER
No! Penelope, don’t! Don’t give in!
PENELOPE
(Ignoring HOMER, and smiling to MELAS and ERYX)
What about the others? Shouldn’t they be here, too?
ERYX
We’ve had enough delay. You tell us; we’ll tell them.
PENELOPE
(Pausing at the foot of the steps)
I said the contest would be fair to all. None of you has ever shot with a great bow, has he?
MELAS
One of those old things our grandfathers used to shoot with? Why, there hasn’t been one of them around in years.
PENELOPE
(Pointing to the unstrung bow that rests on the wall beside the door)
There is one... I’ll marry the man who can string that bow and shoot an arrow through a hole bored in the head of an axe. We’ll drive the handle of the axe into the earth floor, over there, at the far end of this Hall.
(Now, she points to the back of the auditorium, and everyone on stage turns to look.)
You are all good marksmen. You will all have the same chance. What could be fairer?
ERYX
(Looks at the Great Bow)
So that’s a great bow, is it? I always thought it was some old yoke for a pair of decrepit oxen.
HOMER
(Angrily)
It’s a noble contest—heroic, in fact. Too good for any of you.
(Sadly, to PENELOPE)
So you no longer think of yourself as the wife of Odysseus? You feel free to marry one of them?
(He gestures with distaste to MELAS and ERYX.)
PENELOPE
I’ll marry the man who wins the contest. It will be open to everyone who is in this Hall tonight. Except Telemachus, of course—there’s no Oedipus complex in our family.
ERYX
See what you could win, Homer?
(He and MELAS enjoy this joke, but HOMER turns away from PENELOPE.)
HOMER
I want no part of this.
(At his bitterness, PENELOPE’s head droops. She covers her eyes, and runs toward the door on the dais. ATHENA shrugs her shoulders once more, and walks slowly back into the wall.)
ERYX
(As he sees MELAS edging over toward the bow)
Hands off!
MELAS
I was only looking.
ERYX
We’ll keep it that way. We’ll go up the Green Mountain and kill some meat. We’ll have a banquet tonight.
MELAS
You’re accepting the contest?
ERYX
We can talk it over with the others. Perhaps we’ll think of a better one, and use that old bow for kindling.
HOMER
Barbarians! Respecters of nothing except your own will-to-power! The history of that bow is—
MELAS
Save your breath and compose a wedding song for Penelope.
ERYX
(To CLIA)
Tell her we’ll be back, before the shadow reaches there!
(As he speaks, he gashes a line with a sudden stroke of his spear on the sun-covered threshold. Then he elbows the beggar aside, and melas follows him with another shove at the beggar. They hurry out, grimly amused.)
CLIA
(Covering her eyes)
Oh, Penelope!
HOMER
(Goes over to the beggar)
Come in, come in. Don’t judge us by the company we are forced to keep.
CLIA
(Remembering her duties)
Yes, come in, you’re welcome, you really are.
(To HOMER)
Oh, what are we going to do?
(To the beggar)
Just go over there by the fire. Yes, there.
(To HOMER)
I must go to Penelope. You hurt her. Did you see the way you hurt her?
(To the beggar)
Sit down, sit down. I shan’t be a minute. I haven’t forgotten my manners; it’s just that we’ve a lot of trouble in this house.
(She hurries to the dais. From outside, there is a clatter of horses’ hoofs in the distance, diminishing)
HOMER
I didn’t think my words would hurt Penelope, not this new and different Penelope.
CLIA
(Opening the door to the women’s quarters and halting there for a moment)
Then perhaps she isn’t so different, after all.
HOMER
A woman without faith is a woman without virtue; and a man without loyalty is a man without honour. But tell her—tell her I’m sorry. I did not mean to hurt her in front of everyone.
CLIA
You didn’t?
(She gives a disbelieving laugh, and goes out.)
HOMER
(Staring at the closed door)
Perhaps I did...
(He turns and walks thoughtfully over to the hearth. The beggar is now seated by the fireplace.)
We gave you a poor welcome, I’m afraid. And the advice I’m going to give you now will sound still poorer. Don’t stay! Leave!
ULYSSES
But I’ve just got here.
HOMER
Don’t you understand the situation? This house is occupied territory. Its invaders were too divided to win any complete victory, but—
ULYSSES
Then why worry?
HOMER
Because we are now giving in. We are helping them to win. Don’t you see? They had the power of numbers, and ruthlessness to match. We only had a moral strength.
(ULYSSES yawns.)
Ah, I see I am holding your complete interest.
(He looks with distaste at the beggar.)
Let me put it another way—I’m serious about this; stop yawning and listen! As our strength weakens, their power grows. They will come back from the Green Mountain drunk with the sense of victory. So leave now, while you can.
ULYSSES
What’s your stake in this?
HOMER
Why, I’m just a visitor, like you.
ULYSSES
Why don’t you leave, then?
HOMER
I’ve been wondering about that. Perhaps I’ve praised courage so often in my songs, that I’ve sung myself into staying.
(He rubs his head ruefully, ULYSSES only settles himself more comfortably on the bench.)
You don’t believe my warning?
ULYSSES
I’ll leave when you leave.
HOMER
Have it your own way. But if you are staying, why not be comfortable? Take off your cloak and hat.
ULYSSES
(Pulling his cloak over his legs)
First, I’ll warm my bones at the fire. Draughty places, these big halls.
HOMER
(Taking a seat opposite ULYSSES, on the other side of the hearth with its low but steady fire)
You’ve travelled far?
ULYSSES
Far enough.
HOMER
That’s quite a journey. Where are you going?
ULYSSES
Home.
HOMER
Talkative fellow, aren’t you?
ULYSSES
Tired men prefer sleep.
HOMER
But you must wash and eat, first. Then you can sleep all afternoon, until those barbarians return. There won’t be much sleep for anyone then. Do you mind if I ask you a question or two? I was hoping you could give me some news.
ULYSSES
When I travel, I mind my own business. Then I don’t run into trouble.
HOMER
I see. You prefer to walk into it, as you did today.
(There’s a moment of complete silence. Then HOMER tries again.)
On your travels, did you hear anything of Odysseus?
ULYSSES
Odysseus? Who’s that?
HOMER
You are sitting in his house.
ULYSSES
I am? Odysseus...
HOMER
He was the greatest general we had against the Trojans. He won the war for us.
ULYSSES
Wasn’t that the fellow who got killed?
HOMER
He’s alive. He’s travelling home, just like you.
ULYSSES
Well, I hope he had a better journey than I had. You a friend of his?
HOMER
I’d be honoured if he would call me that. Actually, I never met him. He was off on a secret mission when I visited the Trojan front. I was so sure that he’d be home by this time that I made a special journey to visit his house.
ULYSSES
Why?
HOMER
You’d rather ask questions than answer them, I think. You don’t know who I am, do you?
ULYSSES
Can’t say I do.
HOMER
I am Homer.
ULYSSES
Glad to meet you. Noman is the name.
(He taps himself on the chest.)
What’s your line of business? Or are you retired?
HOMER
I hope not. I’m a poet. A man who makes verses. I’ve been telling about the heroes of the Trojan War.
ULYSSES
Must be quite a story.
HOMER
But you can take it or leave it, eh?
ULYSSES
Well, heroes are just people.
HOMER
(Sharply)
Have you ever met a hero?
ULYSSES
Who knows a hero when he meets one?
HOMER
You certainly wouldn’t. What’s your trade?
ULYSSES
A bit of everything, and nothing very much. A hunter, mostly.
Home is the Hunter Page 8