Theseus and the Minotaur

play by Ruth Salles

This piece, made at the request of professor Melanie Mangels Guerra, is a Greek choir, composed in hexameters, and which must have a lot of movement and lightness, in addition to strength at the time of Theseus' fight with the Minotaur. At the beginning, instead of asking the Muse to sing, I ask her to move in the voice of the aedos, because I wanted to quote those poets of ancient Greece, who recited or sang to the sound of the lyre, at a time when all stories were transmitted by oral route. Two students can play the aedos, sitting to one side with a lyre in their hands or another similar instrument. Any music should be, if possible, in modal Greek style.

BOYS CHORUS:
– Move, O Muse, in the voice of the aedos counting and singing!
They sing on the lyre the wrath that burns in the god of the Ocean.
He, Poseidon, betrayed by Minos, who reigns in Crete,
he feels a shadow roll in his chest: secret revenge.

CHORUS OF GIRLS (who exclaim, frightened):
– Oh, on this beautiful island a fateful fate is tied…
For King Minos a son was born with a bull's head!
If he's hungry, he only eats humans! Dire Minotaur!

MINOS (calls Daedalus):
– Daedalus!

DAEDALUS (appears quickly): – Yes, O king Minos!

MINOS: – You are my best engineer.
Make me a good labyrinth. There you will be prisoner
the fierce Minotaur. May my servants put him in there!

(Daedalus builds the labyrinth. Music. Movement.)

MINOS (proclaims):
– Here is my new demand to the Greeks who pay tribute:
I want that every month, instead of wealth and products,
send me seven maidens and seven stout boys
as food for my Minotaur of voracious hungers.

DAEDALUS (horrified):
– Rei, is this how you will use what your engineer designs?
Oh, it's too terrible. I want to leave Crete.

MINES:
“Daedalus, that I will never let go of. Obey your king. (warns loudly):
– Sailboats are forbidden to take my best engineer! (leaves)

DAEDALUS (to himself):
– I have to escape. If birds have wings and can fly,
wings I will collect, with wax joining and gluing
on each other, and I make a very strong leather strap,
to attach these wings to me. It's my new transport.
I take my son on the run with me. (calls Icarus) – Come, Icarus! Comes!

ICARUS:
- Dad! I heard your plot. I'm ready and I want to go too! (leave)

GIRLS CHORUS:
– Ah, we wish that Daedalus and Icarus fly in the air.

BOYS CHORUS:
– Icarus is too young. And will he obey his father?
Do not go near the sun, as the wax will melt.
Do not go near the sea, as the wax gets wet.

GIRLS CHORUS (looking into the distance):
– Oh, one of them did it! That daring traveler escaped!
Daedalus! It's him! And land with wings in distant Greece!
He weeps when he sees the imprudent son drown in the waters:
“Icarus, Icarus, wax melts in the scorching sun!”

MINOS (enters, furious):
– How could the best engineer in Crete escape?
He wasn't on the boat that sailed out to sea today
to take my orders to Greece. Dared to escape!

GIRLS CHORUS:
– Terrible orders! The seven maidens and the seven boys!
They will be food for the monster of voracious hungers!
The Greeks everywhere weep in sad lamentation.
This King Minos of the island of Crete has no feelings.

BOYS CHORUS:
– There is salvation! In Athens, Theseus the hero appears!
He has already decided to go with the young people, but his father argues.
He is Aegeus, king of Athens. The son listens to him silently.

AEGEUS:
– Listen, Theseus! If you leave with the young, you will be devoured.
Yes, the Cretan monster, the fierce Minotaur, is terrible!

THESEUS:
– Rest assured, my Father, for I will defeat the enemy.
Look at these young women crying. I can't run away from danger.

AEGEUS:
“I believe, Theseus, that the gods hear me. They will give their assistance.
Take this blessing from a father who trusts in his son's luck.

BOYS CHORUS:
– Follow the sailboat in the waves and dock on the island of Crete.
The young men descend and are received with a lavish banquet.

(Here there may be a dance.)

GIRLS CHORUS (while the action goes on):
– Princess Ariadne takes the young men to their rooms.
And at last valiant Theseus lies back on his bed.

THESEUS (hears a knock at the door):
– It's late at night, and there's a knock at the door? (opens and is surprised) – Princess Ariadne!
With your great beauty, this cell seems to shine!

ARIADNE:
– Noble Theseus, I know you are a hero. I came to offer my assistance.
I brought this sword, which is magic, and this ball of thread.
Attach one end to the entrance to that fatal labyrinth.
And, unraveling the ball, little by little you reach the center.
There, with his sword, he faces and defeats the fierce Minotaur.
Then come back rolling the ball that was unraveled,
for only then will you find the place of entry again.

THESEUS:
– Ah, you offer the Greeks, princess, a blessed help.
I thank you.

ARIADNE: And I beg, Theseus, take me with you,
when you return safely with the young to the land of Greece.
King Minos is so cruel...

THESEUS: Ariadne, you travel with me!
Wait and give my warning to the young men I have brought.

GIRLS CHORUS (watching the scene that takes place):
– Run Theseus, sneaky, arriving at the fatal labyrinth.
Attach one end of the yarn to the entrance and unravel the ball.
The hero does many laps. And more turns. Master your fear.
He carries the enchanted sword held close to his chest.

BOYS CHORUS (watching the scene that takes place):
– Look, Theseus! You've already stepped into the center. Here's the monster! He attacks!
Put the ball on the floor! Beware! Grab your horn!
The big head bends him! So! With sword drawn,
cut it down and kill the fierce Minotaur! You have won, Theseus!

GIRLS CHORUS:
- The hero returns. Come running, winding the ball of yarn.
Ah, if it weren't for the princess giving him a blessed help...

BOYS CHORUS:
– Go to Greece, returning Theseus and the beautiful Ariadne.
Together the seven maidens and the other boys sail.

GENERAL CHORUS:
– Glory to the gods who so inspired such a beautiful princess!
Glory to Theseus who delivered so many young people from a sad fate!

END