Home is the Hunter

by Helen Macinnes

  And the shining point of the bright spear went gleaming through.

  (MELAS, dishevelled somewhat, appears silently in the doorway. Behind him, the yard is bathed in a golden sunset.)

  And the boar fell— melas

  (Angrily, as he takes a step into the Hall, drawing his sword, looking around searchingly)

  Where’s Eryx? Where is he?

  ULYSSES

  How should we know? We’re listening to Homer.

  MELAS

  The perfect audience—a pig-keeper, a boy, and a beggar— listening at sunset to an old wife’s tale! Get the torches lit!

  CLIA

  It’s too early—it’s a waste—

  MELAS

  Light them!

  (CLIA, at a small sign from ULYSSES, goes over to the fire, to ignite a long taper and start lighting the nearest torches on the fireplace wall. Meanwhile, MELAS goes on speaking. He has taken a step toward the dais, looks up toward the door to PENELOPE’s room. ULYSSES rises, as MELAS moves. At that moment, ATHENA appears from downstage right and stands very still, behind ULYSSES. MELAS points with his sword.)

  Is he up there, with Penelope?

  ATHENA

  (As ULYSSES reaches for his knife)

  Wait, Ulysses, wait!

  TELEMACHUS

  (Rushing forward, his knife out)

  Keep away from there, or I’ll—

  MELAS

  (Swings round to meet TELEMACHUS, catches his upraised wrist, twists the knife out of his hand, shoves him back, and picks up the knife to slip into his belt)

  You’ll what, sonny?

  (TELEMACHUS, still defiant but watching the sword, is moving along the wall to the left of the door, in order to reach the steps to PENELOPE’s room. EUMAEUS is moving too, quietly, keeping close to the right wall to try to reach MELAS from that side of the Hall. By the hearth, HOMER sits, watchful and ready, while CLIA seems frozen as she stands, taper in hand. ATHENA has one arm held out, as if restraining ULYSSES, who has taken a step forward. MELAS, unaware of all this as he turns his back on them to keep his eyes on TELEMACHUS, suddenly notices the Great Bow, which is now behind the boy as he moves toward the steps to the dais.)

  Who has touched that bow? It has been moved. Eryx—

  (He slashes with his sword at it, as TELEMACHUS dodges toward the steps, and the bow falls to the ground.)

  Yes, Eryx tried that bow, didn’t he?

  (ULYSSES drops back onto the bench. ATHENA’s arm falls. All movement stops as MELAS whirls round to face them again.)

  Didn’t he?

  ULYSSES

  (Unconcerned, bored)

  Stop shouting. We can hear you.

  (His calm voice acts as a signal to the others. CLIA lights the taper and goes on with her job. The rest remain where they are, silent.)

  MELAS

  So he did try that bow! And then?

  ULYSSES

  He didn’t tell us much. Secretive kind of fellow. Oh, he did say you nearly got smashed to pulp, up on the mountain. A crag fell.

  MELAS

  And why didn’t you bring help?

  ULYSSES

  Help? Did someone get hurt?

  MELAS

  (Grimly)

  A man is dead, because no help—See here, I’m asking the questions.

  ULYSSES

  (Smiling)

  Then you’d better start asking who gave that crag a push. It was meant for you, wasn’t it? Kind of lucky you jumped aside.

  MELAS

  (Quite still, staring at ulysses)

  Stay here, all of you... Clia, get their knives! Gather them in your apron! Bring them here!

  (CLIA hesitates, taper in hand.)

  Or else—!

  (He threatens telemachus with his sword, for a moment. ULYSSES pulls his cloak back, just enough to let him take his knife out. He places it on the table behind him. CLIA drops the taper, and moves quickly across the Hall to the table, to collect the knife. EUMAEUS, grumbling, comes forward to hand over his knife.)

  That’s what I call reasonable. And remember, anyone found wandering outside is liable to get hurt.

  (The sun has set. The yard is darkening. PHILETIUS enters quietly, slipping around the side of the big door, his hand going to his knife in his belt.)

  Like this one, here!

  (MELAS whips round, as he speaks, to strike PHILETIUS on the right arm with his sword, and the knife falls to the ground. MELAS laughs as he puts his foot on it, and PHILETIUS, his right arm badly wounded, stumbles toward TELEMACHUS.)

  Don’t forget your knives, Clia!

  CLIA

  (Turns back to the table to pick up two kitchen knives to add to her apron)

  How can I cook for you, without a knife to cut?

  MELAS

  That’s your problem.

  (He grins as she comes toward him with her apron bundled around the knives. He points to the knife at his feet.)

  And this one, too.

  (She picks it up, adds it to the apron.)

  Drop that bundle down the well! Then come back here.

  ULYSSES

  (As CLIA hesitates)

  Why argue with a sword? Do as he says, old woman.

  (CLIA goes out.)

  MELAS

  (Almost genial, now)

  That’s what I like—co-operation.

  (The three men who had come down the mountain with MELAS appear at the door.)

  Well—did you find Eryx? And the others?

  FIRST MAN

  Not a sign. Their horses are here, but they’ve vanished.

  MELAS

  (Grimly)

  We’ll find them...

  (To ULYSSES)

  You seem to have sense. Keep them quiet! When we return, I want to see this Hall blazing with light, the food and wine set out, and Penelope—there! At my right hand.

  (His sword points to the head of the table. MELAS and his friends leave abruptly, ULYSSES has risen to his feet, his hands clenched. MELAS’ voice shouts a command to CLIA.)

  Get inside!

  (CLIA stumbles forward into the Hall as if she had been roughly pushed.)

  ATHENA

  Even I am surprised by so much restraint, Ulysses. Congratulations!

  (ULYSSES unclenches his fists, walks slowly over to the hearth. He looks at no one. They all look at him, accusingly, CLIA is totally bewildered as she moves to the table, and stands there, helpless. EUMAEUS crosses quickly to the steps where TELEMACHUS is trying to help PHILETIUS.)

  TELEMACHUS

  (Forgetting that ULYSSES is playing the beggar for HOMER’s benefit)

  You could have stopped him. Why didn’t you—

  (He remembers, and stops.)

  HOMER

  (Rising, avoiding ULYSSES)

  Why?—Would a man be a beggar, if he had any courage?

  (He sighs and looks around.)

  Now what?—I have a small knife in my room, somewhere or other. But quite useless, I’m afraid.

  (He sighs again, and moves very markedly away from ULYSSES, toward the table. ULYSSES signs to CLIA to get the old boy out of the Hall.)

  CLIA

  (To HOMER)

  What you need right now is a drink.

  (She pours him some wine.)

  HOMER

  No... No, thanks...

  CLIA

  Just one sip. You’ll feel much better.

  (She hands him the cup of wine.)

  HOMER

  Look after Philetius: he needs your attention more than I do.

  (But he takes the cup and drinks eagerly.)

  CLIA

  I don’t think he does, somehow. You’re an awful responsibility, Homer. What are the people of Greece going to say about us, when they hear we got you killed?

  (She goes over to one of the chests, opens it, takes out a piece of linen, and starts tearing it into strips.)

  HOMER

  Well, if I can face death with a little of the courage I’ve always prais
ed—at least they can write on my tombstone: Here lies a poet who practised what he preached.

  (He shudders, and then tries to laugh. He drains the cup and sets it down on the table. CLIA watches him as she prepares the bandages.)

  I think I’ll go and search for that little knife of mine, such as it is.

  CLIA

  And why not rest?

  HOMER

  (Now almost reaching the door to the men’s quarters)

  Call me. Call me when I’m needed. Suddenly—I feel very tired.

  (The door closes behind him.)

  ULYSSES

  (Rising quickly, throwing away his cloak, moving swiftly toward PHILETIUS)

  How bad is it, eh?

  (He examines the wound.)

  Better come over here, where there’s some light.

  (Puts his arm around PHILETIUS’ shoulders and draws him toward the hearth, where the torches have been lit. The rest of the Hall is shadowed, now, and the yard outside is quite dark. ULYSSES gives a brief order to EUMAEUS.)

  You stay near the door. Keep your eyes and ears open. Clia, where’s that bandage?

  (To PHILETIUS, with a grin)

  Did success go to your head—coming in here, without scouting around first? Mission accomplished, I take it.

  (PHILETIUS nods.)

  TELEMACHUS

  (Hovering around anxiously)

  Oh Jupiter!—If you could only give him back his tongue!

  ULYSSES

  (Kneeling beside PHILETIUS, who is now sitting on the stool beside the hearth, examining the arm under the torchlight, taking the bandage from CLIA)

  He doesn’t need a tongue. The knives did all the talking necessary. He took two with him. He brought one back.

  (PHILETIUS nods. ULYSSES waves CLIA away.)

  I’ve learned how to do this, Clia. Go to Penelope. Stay with her. Keep her quiet. And don’t let her come down into this Hall.

  CLIA

  But—

  ATHENA

  (Moving away from downstage right, where she has been standing quite motionless, walking obliquely across the Hall toward the steps to the dais, passing close to CLIA, who stands hesitating in the centre of the stage)

  He’s right, Clia. You know Penelope—she’s getting restless. She’ll be down here any minute, to see what is going on.

  CLIA

  (To ULYSSES)

  She’ll ask questions.

  ULYSSES

  Then answer them.

  CLIA

  (Going toward the steps where ATHENA waits for her)

  But what shall I tell her?

  ULYSSES

  Tell her I’ve been practising. She needn’t worry about the contest. Everything is under control. I hope.

  CLIA

  Is that all I can tell her?

  (She has now reached the dais.)

  ULYSSES

  The less she knows, the less she’ll worry.

  CLIA

  (Hesitating at the door to the women’s quarters)

  I’d rather face Melas than this.

  (She goes out. ATHENA almost follows her, looks back at ULYSSES, pauses, and then compromises by standing on the dais in front of PENELOPE’s door.)

  ULYSSES

  (To EUMAEUS, who is still standing very close to one side of the big doorway)

  Anyone out there?

  EUMAEUS

  The courtyard’s clear. They are searching the barns now.

  ULYSSES

  (To TELEMACHUS)

  Get out the swords.

  (He finishes bandaging the arm.)

  What took you so long to get back here? You had me worried.

  (PHILETIUS makes quick signs with his left hand, pointing eastward to the fireplace wall.)

  You came home by the shore?

  (PHILETIUS nods.)

  You scouted round the Bay?

  (PHILETIUS nods.)

  Did you see any signs of Eryx? How many men with him?

  (PHILETIUS nods, holds up four fingers.)

  Were they setting sail?

  (PHILETIUS shakes his head.)

  Still waiting?... For what? He must know something has happened to his scout by this time...

  (ULYSSES rises quickly, paces worriedly. To PHILETIUS again)

  You made sure the man was dead?

  (PHILETIUS draws a finger across his throat.)

  ATHENA

  (Calling gently over to ULYSSES, as he paces to the table, pauses there, turns)

  You dangled a carrot in front of Eryx’s nose; why not try a stick, now?

  ULYSSES

  (Staring thoughtfully at the ground)

  An added incentive—that’s what is needed.

  (He snaps his fingers, looks up at PHILETIUS again.)

  Your arm is useless, but how are your legs?

  (ULYSSES begins to smile, as he meets PHILETIUS in the centre of the Hall. TELEMACHUS has already opened the chest concealing the weapons, and sorted them out on the floor.)

  Slip outside. Let Melas and his men get a glimpse of you. Then run! Run like hell—to the Bay. Make sure they follow, like a pack of hounds in full cry. Just let Eryx hear them, coming toward the boat, and he’ll set sail in a hurry.

  (As ULYSSES speaks, he gives PHILETIUS a farewell clap on his back, and crosses to the hearth to light two tapers. PHILETIUS only stops to lift a knife from TELEMACHUS’ hand, and slips round the side of the door into the darkness of the yard.)

  TELEMACHUS

  (Picking up a sword, following PHILETIUS)

  I’ll go with him. I want to be there when that boat—

  ULYSSES

  (Sharply, and yet not loudly, so that his voice will not carry outside)

  Stay here! You can start lighting the torches. You, too, Eumaeus!

  (He goes toward the door, hands them each a taper.)

  We’ll give Melas that one wish, at least.

  TELEMACHUS

  But—

  ULYSSES

  (Already pushing stools nearer the walls, shoving benches closer to the table but leaving the head chair angled out to face the Hall)

  I said I needed you here!

  (EUMAEUS is already lighting the torches on one wall. TELEMACHUS begins on another wall.)

  TELEMACHUS

  I only wanted to see—

  ULYSSES

  (Still clearing the floor space)

  You’ll see plenty, out in that courtyard with Eumaeus. That’s where I want you to wait. Keep in the shadows. Stay hidden. When Melas and his men return—

  TELEMACHUS

  We’ll trap them!

  ULYSSES

  (Very sharply, yet not loudly)

  No! Let them pass into the Hall.

  TELEMACHUS

  But we could ambush them, out there.

  ULYSSES

  And scatter them? In this darkness, we’d never round them up.

  (He has moved over to the fallen bow, picks it up, looks at it sadly.)

  No, I want them here, all of them.

  (He throws the bow, like a spear, angrily, at the quiver with its four meagre arrows lying beside the opened chest.)

  Your job is to cut off any retreat from the Hall. Got that?

  (There is a shout, outside, as PHILETIUS has let himself be seen, and a sudden clatter of running feet, going farther and farther away.)

  Quick! Get in position—now!

  (EUMAEUS picks up a sword and moves to the door, waits for TELEMACHUS.)

  Out!

  (Suddenly, in a roar of command)

  Jump to it!

  (TELEMACHUS moves to the door, grips his sword, and enters the yard.)

  EUMAEUS

  (As ULYSSES watches his son leave)

  I’ll keep him safe, Ulysses.

  (ULYSSES grasps the old man’s shoulder, and then EUMAEUS hurries after the boy.)

  ULYSSES

  (Watches them go, looks at the quiet darkness of the courtyard for a moment. Then he turns away, grimfaced. He speaks angr
ily.)

  This isn’t the time for emotion—or fear—or worry.

  (He moves toward the open chest, and the scattered weapons.)

  ATHENA

  (With her hand on the door that leads to the women’s quarters)

  Not even a time for reflection. All you need now, Ulysses, is a quick eye, a strong arm, and a brave heart.

  (She watches him as he picks up a sword and tests its weight. He chooses another, carefully.)

  You have them all. And I can’t take any credit for them. I’m not even supposed to admire them. Yet, strange—strange that I can almost love men when they face this moment in their lives. Ulysses—you are bad for me. Let me go to Penelope, and become the cold, calm goddess again...

  (She opens the door and goes through, closing it quietly.)

  ULYSSES

  (Fastening the sword to his belt, and then selecting a couple of throwing knives)

  I could be wrong, all wrong. Perhaps Philetius stumbled, and then Melas would be on him like a wolf. Or Eryx—he could have changed his plans. Scoundrels are unpredictable: they fall out, yes; but they can join forces again when you least expect it...

  (He secures the knives at his waist.)

  Well—too late, now, to worry about all that. There never was a battle yet, when I didn’t feel nervous to begin with...