Washington Square Plays

torica

ilip

1915, by Ph

Players, under the direction of Philip Moeller, at the

der of their appearanc

n of Sparta.

slave. He

the King.

is librarian.

epherd. Har

Paul T. Frankl and the c

Square Players at the Comedy Theatre, New York City, beginni

RAC

A, th

ck woman, sl

US, th

, the King

, a s

nning the full length of the wall, is a window with a platform, built out over the main court. Beyond is a view of hills bright with lemon groves, and in the far distance shimmers the sea. On the wall near the QUEEN'S room

massaging

re's no dou

ys there is much dou

hat he says. I envy

before HELENA]. Whom the

Tsumu. You make me nervous

loor]. Why does the g

r.] I envy you because you can run about

he radiant beauty of th

mean a jolt. [She goes over and looks at her reflection in the shield.] I can't see myself as w

mirror]. The Gods will kee

c tone with me. There's one thing I can't stand, and tha

. Gods grant you

s the only thing in which I can see myself full-length

n a table near the QUEEN].

t. Have you noticed that he spends mo

usy with quest

ent it's always straightened out at the other end of the palace. Finish my shoul

o massage the Q

uch of deep carmine right here in th

ng the QUEEN]. An in

om a low woman I saw at the circus. I can't understand how

sty doesn't sit sti

rs]. None of your tri

Descendant of par

My beauty is his religion. He can sit for hours, as if at prayer

y the Gods make me wo

enough. Tsumu,

n so busy having babies I ne

a great dis

aghast]

ds, but sometimes being adored too much is trying. [She si

w in the courtyard. TS

the palace. It's almost time for your bath. [She beg

ful with that ointment

things need pr

s who dares lift a head when I pass by-and all those nice-looking soldiers! Why-t

h, those

eaming]. I wish, I wis

ut to speak your

ow can you think of such a

would di

d]. Ah! Do you

esty is a lover of peace, and yet he

love to have me

]. May Zeus turn a d

ent, Tsumu. I've got to h

t week, and you can see another of

nger. The girls are positively beginnin

have five fathers o

. War,

een so long your slave that

]. Well, I should l

aw the curtains across the door to the library. A

s over eighty. [She bursts into a loud peal o

uldn't make so much noise in here. A King mi

ready. [TSUMU exits.] You used no

es must I tell you that my name is M

l never do it again,

ts on my nerves. It's l

h it, I'll never,

've promised

Things are not a

you going to s

ancholy]. I suppose you'd l

too much to hope that you

I'm really quite worried, but much you care, much you care. [A note of tears comes into her voice.] I'm sure you don't love me any more, Moo Moo. No! No! Don't answer me! If you did you couldn't speak to me the way you do. I've never wronged you in deed or in thought. No, never-never. I've given up my hopes and a

ing]. Well! H

a great deal more, but I

omes in from

jesty, are we to re

e King. [ANALYTIKOS goes toward the l

are a wise man and will under

HELENA]. Helena is wis

o prove to me in a thousand w

t. [HELENA resents this.] Their be

, indeed, taught you w

ond water awai

u haven't forgott

mmanded but he's alwa

ring tone to MEN

bored, tu

think after all I'l

go into the QUE

all we go back

ged again-that woman with

orry the poets no

tle poetry is a

orrow we will tr

historians. I want t

KOS. Th

scape from the grim reality of being

. Philosop

ds made woman necessary t

have been resolving the proble

up, old man. The

ch endless var

. There are only two sorts of women! Those

, the model wife of your co

And then with deep bitterness.] Why didn't he marry Helen when we all wanted her? He was

ld not blame the God

lack the will to rid myself of this painted pup

across the rail of the balcony and bounds into the r

OS. Who

An adve

eached the end of your stor

ve no faith

you faith. Don't you know that it means death f

to the other]. Oh! So yo

for ANALYTIKOS to bear. He rushes to ca

ANALYTIKOS

hank me for telli

It's taken me a long while, but I knew I'd get here. [A

here do you

et-place to sell my sheep. I had my hood filled with

You might skip tho

air I met three

ve they to do wit

story in my own way? They asked me for the apple I

t interested in

ing so literally. I'm s

with meani

ld beg, and the second was to tell me all the truth she could learn by list

nnot escape by spi

d of one story and the

! Come to the point.

I'd been in the hills for a l

ve been better for you

knew you'

spoken truly. In a

old have forgotten life

u chose the gir

"You may as well seek the Queen of Sparta: she is the fairest of women." And as I turned away I heard thei

ized]. Haven't we h

how the story ends. It may amuse the

g Helen. [ANALYTIKOS makes an involuntary movement toward the balcony but MENELAUS

th of the King will

'm not afraid of the Ki

call the guards? [

]. So you would give your li

ul, and if the fables tell the truth

jumping up]. It s

ly]. Venus has

rary you will find a room with a

is some tric

A Spartan

ppen to you if the

ill answer fo

ts into th

his hands]. Shall I

[surpri

t he is being clean

e will be greater th

m hurled from the walls of the palac

so blind as he w

Majesty is subt

years taught you the

ed]. You do not int

fore has destiny b

Then the b

ination]. No! He has been

esty! [He is trembli

able conviction]. Hele

lling into a s

dn't divorce the Queen. Th

KOS. Ye

desert her. That woul

eply]. Was the

, and besides I hate the smell of blood. Are y

-night I will

t I'll not need you to tell me. [AN

Ethics cite

u mean to say I

n establish the punctilious rat

This is no time for language.

ing you, how c

choke on your dialectics! Zeus hi

you given her sou

roll of papyrus. He takes it up and in utter disgust reads.] "The perfect hip, its development and permanence." Bah!

rself with a war or two you might h

kind-my dream was perpetual peace in comfortable d

. Is not t

ected to face that woman every morning at breakfast for the rest

alter destiny. I warn you, whom

tburst]. Is for ma

shocked]. You tal

ee that he be left alone with the Queen. [MENELAUS exits and ANALYTIKOS goes over

t it? Ah! So you're alone. I suppose that stupid friend of

S apartment and claps his hand. TSUMU enters and at the

ght the Queen

her here. [TSUMU exits, her eyes wide on PARI

. You do it for me. I can ne

tand riveted, looking at each other. Their attitude might be described as fatalistic. ANALYTIKOS

he most strange sensation of having seen

ons. Under the influence of Analytikos and my husband, life has become a mess of

[He comes a step nearer to her.

e a fatalist. It's very Greek. I don't se

e are no dramatists. We a

le must be uncivi

enuine people. There is

't tell me

S. I

ren't any money, there wouldn't be

n't money. I

n sincerity. It's the lov

the most

truth is nev

xcept wh

for him to sit next to her]. Yo

ur theories s

. Truth is eternal a

all, your soul is not read

I'm not religious? Religion

aught you to lo

ately sitting down again]. How

as right. [He goes

him]. Whatever

alk of the King. You could

A woman's first duty i

is a higher r

conviction].

ation]. The world

Me! Th

as wise as yo

coyly]. Why, you

you! I, better

NA.

w has given you to Menelaus,

n amazeme

ate your beauty. I alo

ENA

u hate yo

ck]. Why do you lo

one woman in the world

sband doesn't

iction]. I knew

er listens to

S. E

of being only lovely. He doesn't realize the mea

S. F

dare call Mo

that your soul outshines your beauty? [T

ring her thr

ngs. [HELENA, jumping up, shifts her po

silly. It's ver

tumbling, and I have come to l

.] No man but the King can come within

on his knees before her.] I shall come close to

areful what you say to me

his words who has b

ke an actor. [He leans very clos

u are the clear glass in which I

e universe. Ah! Perhaps

ou must unders

tively taking u

unconscious gesture he sweeps a tray of toilet art

The oi

and pointing to the distance]

, says very blandly]. There is

ou ever heard the poignan

don't believ

er smelt the powde

uld sneeze my

listened to the sap

But please don't stop talkin

han words. Shall we go han

ding him]. That's ver

ent of life left me. I shall stifle it

urprise]. You're not making

S. H

o me so little, and alr

am a lover of life. I

Remember

Daughter of Heaven. [Suddenly

the King and Analyt

n't you hear the

NA.

cally]. Venus,

larmed].

r messenger. I hear th

e the soldiers below in the

on breaking through his emotion

A. Ki

me and sav

A. My

escue you and le

ever spoken to me

irst time your ears

t of you I've

m was but your u

feel like this. [And then with a su

S. N

ve been living with

. Yes

A. I'

loss]. No! Y

a profanation o

ou, Helena! Our love will l

s never spoke t

the first whispe

at breakfast for the rest of my life.

waiting to

stood it fo

ming to you since t

urging me to go with you, s

akes her rapturously in his arms. There is a passi

chiropodi

e my outer garm

, her eyes w

Helena!

akes up the papyrus that MENE

looks at the papyrus.] No, this won't

What

nda's discour

nds below in t

r hip may cost me my head. We have

apyrus. She looks for a place to put it and seeing the shield she

ir women and your name will blaze as a symbol throughout etern

purse to PARIS]. Her

is for your silence, daughter of dark

ing at him]

]. My prince of po

nely]. My q

ment. Suddenly she sees the papyrus on the shield, runs ov

hides the purse in her bosom. AN

Has the Quee

ly]. A terrible t

. What's t

here's t

S. In the

more precious tha

ng her a purse].

nd watching the effect of her words

osophically]. Swift are the ways of

forsaken the King t

TIKOS

He was

ehensively]. Why

below in the courtyard. MENELAUS rushes in expectantly. TSUMU falls prostrate before hi

rgetting himself and flingi

Woe! Wo

]. Out of my sight

nger. Find out who he was. [TSUMU sticks t

bust of Zeus]. Ye Gods, I thank ye. Peace and a happy

ews has spread th

nging up]. No one would dare s

elf before the KING]. Woe is me! The

anxiously]

has dared gaze upon Her Majesty.

[TSUMU gets up and points to shield. ANALYTIKOS and the KING look toward it. ANALY

hat I had to do." How Greek to blame fate for what

ore the KING]. A rumor fli

[anxiously]

U. H

ANALYTIKOS]. Rid me o

has fallen o

KOS. Ye

n. [Sounds of confusion in the courtyard. Suddenly she

s Paris, Pri

mbles into a seat. MENELAUS turns pa

usly]. Who can read th

ghtened]. Wha

s the son of Pri

uba, Queen of the Trojans. [She

makes the matte

]. But we have tr

nces alter treaties.

US. No

scrap of papyrus. Sparta wi

t I don't wa

arta? Remember, the King can do no

. After the scandal I can't be e

will see with the

g]. But I don't

pledged of old, with Ulysses and Agamemnon? They have swo

. I didn't think of

n Sparta ask l

her side. We can perhaps ar

ome bargains

lessly]. But I

laus of Sparta, and Spar

ately]. I am too

ANALYTIKOS steps out on the balcony and is greeted with shouts of "The King! The Ki

unparalleled efficiency, the military system of Sparta is the m

US, the papyrus still in hand, crawls

tugs at ANALYTIKOS' robe.] Broken in spirit as he is, he is already pawing the ground like a battle steed. Never will we la

quirms. A l

on his shield. [More cheers. ANALYTIKOS steps f

and one alone! [Y

ter and ha

head and hat

ris and ha

the Queen for

ls grow

ill shatter the

e hate and

tedly looking at the papyrus. A t

te and one alo

e air. The cheers grow tumultuous, tru