Akhenaten (Egyptian Dynasty)

 

 

play by Ruth Salles

This is an adaptation of the play “Da Dynastia Egipcia”, by Wilma Schuvadener, translated by professor Gisela Bremberger. It deals with an unprecedented period in the history of Egypt, in which a dissident pharaoh tries to worship the god Aten (the “sun disk”), instead of Amun and other gods, and ends up being killed for doing so. This pharaoh was formerly called Amunhotep ("Amon is satisfied") and changed his name to Akhenaten ("Active spirit of Aten"). He was married to the beautiful queen Nefertiti, and they both had several daughters, one of whom married the future pharaoh, Tutankhamun. A strange and unique figure in the Egyptian dynasty, Akhenaten left us a beautiful hymn to the sun. He was considered a monotheist before Moses, a Christian before Christ. For this very reason, the author makes the spirit of Joseph of Egypt suddenly appear in the play, interpreting a dream of the Pharaoh. See if any percussion instrument can indicate the departure of Sakerê, the entrance of the other groups and the departure of José from Egypt.

CHARACTERS:
(“OF EGYPTIAN DYNASTY”)
Sakere, sculptor
Sphinx
Voice of the Sphinx Choir
1st and 2nd Nubians
1st and 2nd Priests
1st and 2nd Scribes
Horemheb, general
1st and 2nd Warriors of Horemheb
Akhenaten the Pharaoh
Merit, your daughter
Tutankhamun, his son-in-law and his successor
1st and 2nd Women
Devils
Joseph of Egypt

 

On one side of the scene is the Sphinx. At her feet Tutankhamun sleeps. On the other side is the Pharaoh's throne.

SAKERÊ (with sculptor's instruments, he addresses the Sphinx):
– I worked in stone so many nights
and at last I finished you, O great Sphinx.
You shine in the eyes of the world.
With lion's paws, bull's body,
wings of an eagle and the face of an angel or man,
convey your teaching to everyone! (he bends over and retreats onto his back)

ALL (they form a choir, from which the groups stand out when their time comes):
– Oh, Sphinx, millenary mystery!
All the winds have dug you up
from archaic Egypt. there was not yet
the great Delta, and there you were.
Where today the desert sand insists
to surround you, the sea roared.
You eternally propose to the walker
the enigma of himself in four faces.

CHORUS OF THE VOICE OF THE SPHINX:
– All of you, decipher my riddle!

1st NUBIO (approaching with the other Nubian):
– Is that voice from Akhenaten?
Is it the voice of our Pharaoh?
What does he command his servant?

CHORUS OF THE VOICE OF THE SPHINX:
– You must bring fruit and honey for Pharaoh to offer to the people.

2nd NUBE:
– Pharaoh is generous.
That's why he's revered.
My hands, chained,
wielded a heavy rudder.
In the name of Aton, solar god,
Akhenaten freed me.

(Priests and warriors stand out, with General Horemheb.)

1st PRIEST:
– Today the Pharaoh must fulfill our request.
He must give us his son-in-law Tutankhamun to be our future ruler.
Tutankhamun will reinstate the god Amun and all the other gods!

2nd PRIEST:
– Pharaoh does not love our gods!
It only submits to its own laws.
Not even images of gods adorn our walls; only images of peasants, flowers and birds.

1st PRIEST:
– Akhenaten was sick and weak after the death of Queen Nefertiti.
Your god can no longer protect you.

HOREMHEB (aggressive):
– He no longer leads the country! And if you don't want to serve Amon, you must die!

1st WARRIOR:
– Who do I see sleeping next to the sphinx? It's Tutankhamun, lying on the rock like a peasant!

2nd WARRIOR:
– People are corrupted when kings sleep. Wake up, Tutankhamun! (Tutankhamun stands up hesitantly.)

1st NUBE:
– You cannot stay here!
Leaves! I left until it arrives
our blessed Pharaoh!

1st WARRIOR:
– Well, leave us! He will look with pleasure on his warriors and priests.
What are these fruits that women bring?

1st WOMAN (standing out with the other, bringing fruit):
– Fruits and flowers we bring
for Aten, the god of love.
Thanks to a bountiful harvest,
the fields shine like gold.

2nd WOMAN (with flowers):
– All planting matures.
The Nile River overflowed
and, overflowing, distributes
prosperity and life to all.

2nd NUBE:
– Akhenaten the Pharaoh
today will present his people.

HOREMHEB:
– Did you hear? Pharaoh is giving Egypt's harvest as a gift!

1st NUBE:
– Akhenaten is a good man,
for he delivered me from captivity.
I was an oarsman, slave
of Horemheb the general.

HOREMHEB:
– But Horemheb is me! Don't you recognize me?

1st NUBE:
– Yes, now I recognize you.

HOREMHEB:
- Well then, kneel at my feet!

1st NUBE:
- Pharaoh taught us
the commandments of the god Aton:
all men are equal.

1st WARRIOR:
- That's not fair.

HOREMHEB:
– Here we reign! come on! Obey!

1st NUBE:
- I'm not afraid to die.
If Horemheb wants to kill me,
Aton teaches me to forgive him.

2nd WARRIOR:
- We don't know how to forgive. The strong dominates, wins and kills.

2nd NUBE:
- You must keep your swords
and listen to Aten, the sun god.

HOREMHEB:
– It fills us with fury!

AKHENATON (detaches with his daughter Meryt and the scribes and sits on the throne; Meryt stands by his side):
– Come with me to the throne.
Who wants to talk to Pharaoh?

1st WRITE:
— First, the Babylonians ask for money.

AKHENATON:
– Give them everything they need.

2nd WRITE:
– The Hittites, to the north, don't want to pay taxes anymore.

AKHENATON:
– Why do we charge taxes?
Also animals and plants
live on the goodness of Aton.

1st PRIEST (bowing):
- Pharaoh! We have come to seek Tutankhamun, your son-in-law and successor, to bring him to serve our god Amun.

AKHENATON:
– Is this true, Tutankhamun?
Do you want to serve false gods?

TUTANCHAMON (bowing):
– Forgive me, Pharaoh, I want to serve Egypt. Priests have always been my brothers.

AKHENATON:
– You must serve Pharaoh,
that Pharaoh serves Egypt.
(He stuns. Joseph of Egypt detaches himself from the chorus and appears before him.)
– But what is this I see now?
It feels like I'm dreaming...
I see the rubble of the city.
Beasts prowl our temple.
Does our god Aten no longer reign?

JOSEPH OF EGYPT:
– I can interpret for you everything you see, Pharaoh!

AKHENATON:
– Who are you, foreign spirit?

JOSEPH OF EGYPT:
– Joseph of Egypt was my name on earth.

AKHENATON:
– Well, interpret this dream for me.

JOSEPH OF EGYPT:
– It will take a long time for men to find the path that leads to the true sun god… (Joseph turns away and disappears.)

DEMONS (appear and pull Tutankhamun):
– Come with us! Come with us! We will empower you and deliver you from all riots.
Egypt will be at your feet. In all fields you will be victorious!

TUTANCHAMON:
– I will go with the priests! (he is being pulled and leaves with the priests)

AKHENATON (rising):
– Oh, come back, come back, Tutankhamun!

HOREMHEB:
– Whoever stops Tutankhamun will have to die!

(Akhenaten and the two Nubians are stabbed by Horemheb and his warriors. The three fall dead to the ground. Meryt runs and leans over Akhenaten.)

MERYT:
– Oh, my father, do not abandon us!

1st WARRIOR:
– Now our power will subdue Egypt!

2nd WARRIOR:
– Help us, Sphinx!
(The Sphinx, with her paws, crushes the two warriors.)

1st WARRIOR:
– The Sphinx crushes us!

2nd WARRIOR:
– The gods have abandoned us!
(Horemheb flees from there)

CHORUS OF THE VOICE OF THE SPHINX:
– Decipher my riddle, O little human being.
By four paths I lead you.
Wield the luminous beam of my mystery and, in the night of the earth, you will discover your heavenly soul.
Only then will you feel the heat of the great Sun.

 

 

 

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