[Very rough draft; incomplete]

A C T   F I V E

Scene 1.

ZEUS appears above, mounted on an eagle and brandishing lightnings.

ZEUS. All beings here on earth, now cease to move!

All actors freeze.

We are the monarch of the gods, immortal Zeus.
This Hektor we did grudgingly admire,
[And] now it seems the fool is dead.
We care not. If mortals cannot save themselves
Love must save them. But even gods sicken
At wails of mourning women, cries of abandoned infants,
Mis'ry mortals wreak upon themselves.
It is a stench assaults our nostrils. Enough! --
We will not overrule our oracle.
Kassandra's prophecies shall be fulfilled.
Yet one small thing, one little we will do --
-- If you request it --
Leaven of mercy provide. What's your will?
Shall we gods wipe out
From memory and utterly destroy
This hovel, Troy? Consume in flame,
Tear stone from stone, rip brick from brick,
Dust grind to dusty powder, and bury Troy
Till even its name in time is all forgot? --
Its fortress, high, proud houses but a hill
Behind a peasant village?
For such it is -- you know it is --
In many worlds existence spreads ahead . . . ;
I, Zeus, see them. Troy's name the soul of tragedy, its people
Stuff for plays. It can be here, too.
Or shall you choose a world, a future where Troy lives
And Hektor breathes, and crawls loving back from grave
A nobler man, a better
Stronger leader, father, son, and husband? Fools,
We gods always give you choice: these
Will be but actors of your will. Is there among you
One, one tender heart, one pleading voice to beg
The life of this bent prince, this puny struggler?
Chin in the dust, Hektor the failure?
.... None. We should have guessed. Mankind, we know, has Hard hearts to the last.

ANDROMAKE (suddenly moving, weeping). O husband! Hektor, live, live! if my life be taken for 't, time and the world collapse!
O!

ZEUS. One. One human. How you miscall yourselves.
Fortunate scum, live better!
Great eagle of Olympos, to your aerie mount!
Up, wingèd one! Great wheel of fate, restore!

ZEUS disappears above.

Music and movement begin again in the midst of a measure.

ANDROMAKE. No use. O dead, dead! and I must bear't. O Zeus!

PRIAM. --Cease that music. Daughter . . .

ANDROMAKE. The city will fall. We have all failed.

HEKTOR's arm moves.

ANDROMAKE. Now no more the sun will fight the dragon dark,
now no more black night will lift. Sun and earth
are sunk forever, the sea
is salt forever, winter will never end.

PRIAM. Did ever any suffer as my family? Great Zeus, protect us!

LAOKOON. We have all done badly.

ANDROMAKE. I could have lived if he'd returned,
I would have had my child to make like him;
I could have borne the deaths of mother, father,
brothers, I could have borne it all. Hektor,
you betrayed us, you betrayed us, made fools of us.

HEKTOR. O.

ANDROMAKE. Hektor's voice? Hektor? Oh, gods,
Look, Hekabe, I dare not.

HEKABE. My son.

PRIAM. Son, alive?

DEIPHOBUS. My brother -- he lives, he lives!

ANDROMAKE. Can it be? If it is, I am [the] happiest.

HEKTOR. Mother . . . Androm . . . 'ke . . .?

ANDROMAKE. Oh, here, here!

HEKTOR. I dreamt . . . I lost you in the darkness.

ANDROMAKE. No, no.

HEKTOR. I fell . . . Dark stair all the way. A muddy bottom . . . A man, he turned in the dark and showed his face.
. . . Androm'ke, am I alive? Are you . . . really here?

ANDROMAKE. O, I hope so.

AKILLEUS' VOICE (off). Send out the Trojan bastard! Where is Hektor? I want to kill Hektor!

HEKTOR. I . . . can't seem to see. What . . . is that voice?

ANDROMAKE. It does not matter. I see you.

HEKTOR. I feel your warmth in a/the cold world. Father?

AKILLEUS' VOICE (off). PRI'MSON, COME OUT! I'VE NO MORE TROJANS LEFT!

HEKTOR. That voice.

ANDROMAKE. The wind.

HEKABE. A mob.

HEKTOR. Strange. Strange world. That voice --
No, help me to my feet.

ANDROMAKE. Rest, rest.

HEKTOR. That voice . . . sounded like . . . who, like --
What happened to --

ANDROMAKE. Please, Artemis!

LAOKOON. Merciful Apollo, do not let Hektor go outside the gate.

HEKTOR. Was it
Akilleus? It was Akilleus.

ANDROMAKE. No! No, not Akilleus!

HEKTOR. Akilleus . . . City's in danger . . . I'm weak; help me stay, love, on my feet.

ANDROMAKE. No, no, dearest, no --

HEKTOR. Andromake, if it is Akilleus, the city's in grave danger.

ANDROMAKE. No, Hektor! Let someone else! Hektor, he will slay you as in the last part of the prophecy! No, no . . . Help, help! Please...

AENEAS. My lord, I'll not let you go. I'll face Akilleus. Davik, get me a new sword.

HEKTOR. Brave friend. Is that ... Aeneas? Come to me. --There. That's your hand? Is this your face?

AENEAS. Yes, my friend.

HEKTOR. Come here. I have a gift for you.

Hektor strikes Aeneas unconscious.

HEKTOR. Lay off your hands. Stand back! Stand back; I've already died once. By Zeus, I'll be myself again. Never again, never, no!

(shouting)

I'm ALIVE, Akilleus! I'm coming out! I, Hektor the Priamson!

ANDROMAKE. No, no, Artemis . . .

HEKTOR. Androm'ke, it must be so. It was my fate, from the first of time.

ANDROMAKE. No, Hektor. Not when I have you back.

PRIAM. Son, consider your mother, me, if you won't your wife.

HEKABE. Remember your fam'ly! Your boy, Hektor, without a father to protect him in this world of soldiers!

LAOKOON. Consider the gods, Hektor, their power when defied.

HEKTOR. No, Laokoon my brother. None of you can have me . . till I have success.
And Akilleus has stol'n my blood, stol'n my sight, almost ta'en my city.

ANDROMAKE. Don't let him take your life as well!

DEIPHOBUS. The city needs you, brother, here; without you it surely falls.
Let us fight for you this time.

HEKTOR. Deiph'bus, it's for all of us I do this.
Troy must not fall. I must fight a/the final time.

ANDROMAKE. What good to us the city without you? What good to me?
What good t'Astyanax, o Hektor, if you are dead?

HEKTOR. What good am I, Andromake, what good are we,
Without a city?

ANDROMAKE. But you are blind!

HEKTOR. Give me your hand. Like Oedipus, Andromake,
I see more clearly with what remains.

ANDROMAKE. Hektor, for our love! for your son, I beg you!

HEKTOR. Never on your knees to me, Andromake.
We live each other to ourselves. I lift you always to myself.
To hold you close, I came from death;
for these soft arms, ascended Hades' wall;
for what's between your legs and eyes
I throw my life on the table. The cards are down.
Please me yet once more, my love: give me one last.

ANDROMAKE. O my lord, my lord, ah, o.

HEKTOR. You must learn, my wife, always to hope.
Now I will save Ilium.

ANDROMAKE. My lord, what shall I do.

HEKTOR. Arm me with your love:
Dress me brave in Patroklus' armor. Come, love.

ANDROMAKE. I will trust you. -- I'm not used to this.

HEKTOR. Davik, help. (aside) --You'll not have do't again.

ANDROMAKE. You'll win?

HEKTOR. Have I ever said 'twas so, and it was not?
Help us, Deiph'bus. (aside) Not even in my own.

ANDROMAKE. What, love?

HEKTOR. I have loved you since I saw you at your father's house.
Friends, point me to the gate.

HELENUS. Brother, do you mean to fight Akilleus blind?

HEKTOR. Open it! Quickly! Clap it smart behind me!

HELENUS. Splenitive ass, this is not war!

HEKTOR. Open? Is't open?

ANDROMAKE. Yes, my lord.

HEKTOR. Androm'ke, wait for me by the well. I'll not be long.

ANDROMAKE. Farewell.

HEKTOR. Farewell, my love.

Andromake exits.

HEKTOR. Farewell, all!

Hektor exits out the gate.

PRIAM. Close.

The gate shuts.

HELENUS. Well, what the devil. Have you seen such a thing?

LAOKOON. He's done well.

HELENUS. He's gone to's death!

LAOKOON. I think that he has saved himself.

HELENUS. You're crazy as he is.

LAOKOON. So mad to love? City, woman, father,
Hel'nus, even your child?

HELENUS. Yes!, above yourself!

LAOKOON. Then this is madness suffered by the world.
Hel'nus, you know not who you are.

HELENUS. I am Helenus, no fool!

LAOKOON. Say it more loud, lest you forget. Hektor thinks he is alone. But he is not alone. No greater power on this earth but that which goes with him.

HELENUS. What I don't understand is, he is still loved, despite the murders he has done.

LAOKOON. You coming? I'm going to the temple to pray.

HELENUS. Not I.

LAOKOON. But I've the last torch.

HELENUS. Go!

LAOKOON exits.

Lights down on Helenus alone on the stage.

HELENUS. Madness! Madness! He exits.

Blackout.

Scene 2.

Lights up. Enter Akilleus.

AKILLEUS. At least the light is up. Perhaps he'll come out by this gate. Come out, Trojan bastard!

Enter Hektor through the gate in Aeneas's armor and helmet.

HEKTOR. (voice muffled) Here, Thracian.

AKILLEUS. Nameless dog, I seek only Hektor, the bloody prince. Run before I kill you.

HEKTOR. We are afraid of no one.

AKILLEUS. By your armor you look noble. But flee, Trojan! We are the prince of Myrmidons, our sword is red.

HEKTOR. We know it, and we fight.

They fight.

AKILLEUS. You fight clumsily, for one so skilled. You thrust where I am not. Well, but we want Hektor.

Strikes him a blow.

Get out of our way. Hektor, come out! Will your people die alone?

HEKTOR. You will kill him soon enough. First lay your sword on me.

AKILLEUS. You fight strangely. Have you lost an eye?

HEKTOR. I've more than two.

AKILLEUS. I have you now.

The fight goes back and forth.

AKILLEUS. Aeneas, is it not?

HEKTOR. His armorbearer.

AKILLEUS. His armorbearer. You've learned well, armorbearer. You fight like Hektor. You're swift enough, but only in response.

HEKTOR. You fight like that dog Patroklos. Hektor taught me all I know.

AKILLEUS. You mention Patroklos? You dare mention him? For that, die.

AKILLEUS launches a furious attack on Hektor but is beaten back.

HELENUS enters in Patroklos' armor.

HELENUS. Turn, Akilleus, from carrion. Turn to Hektor.

AKILLEUS. Villain! Then die, both.

HEKTOR. Who's that? Draw back. I can hold him.

AKILLEUS. Now you can only die.

HELENUS. No, brother, you need help.

AKILLEUS. Your brother, armorbearer? Then die, brother. You interfered. Then take your death, Hektor [interfering brother.]

Akilleus mortally wounds Helenus.

HELENUS. Ah!

HEKTOR. No, iron, prevent.

Hektor wounds Akilleus.

AKILLEUS. Ah, in the back. Falls.

HEKTOR. Is it? I did not see. --My helper...

Hektor takes off his helmet.

HEKTOR. I see a little of a face.
Who's this? Deiphobus?

Hektor takes Patroklus's helmet off HELENUS.

HEKTOR. Helenus?

HELENUS. It is not much. Not much at all. You say nothing.

HEKTOR. Helenus ...

HELENUS. Hektor, it is not much to die. Me, in a good cause. Ha, ha, that's not much ei-- O. Oh, haha.

Dies.

AKILLEUS. Is he dead?

HEKTOR. You should have been a little careful.

AKILLEUS. We'll follow. Zeus, it hurts.

HEKTOR. I see you now.

AKILLEUS. You're fading fast. To be near death
is not like living. All's rich. Life was poor.

HEKTOR. Can I help.

AKILLEUS secretly draws a dagger.

AKILLEUS. Give me your hand. I always respected you.

HEKTOR. We, you.

AKILLEUS. We would have been friends.

HEKTOR. It was your fault we weren't.

AKILLEUS stabs with the dagger. Hektor catches his arm, struggle, and the point turns into Akilleus.

AKILLEUS. Uhh!

HEKTOR. We have our sight back.

AKILLEUS. We wish we had our life to live again.

HEKTOR. What would you do?

AKILLEUS. I would not murder.

HEKTOR. Your wounds are slight. Live long in prison.

They drag Helenus off.

Scene 3.

Enter some Trojans.

FIRST TROJAN. Climb up to the top. See if you can see them.

SECOND TROJAN. I'll bet lord Hektor's dead by now.

FIRST TROJAN. Deserved it, I say.

Enter POLYXENA, KASSANDRA, and KOROEBUS.

KOROEBUS. They were fighting in the shadow of this gate.

KASSANDRA. O Zeus, I hope he is all right.

FIRST TROJAN. Aw, they're fighting by the gate. I can't see anything!

POLYXENA. Koroebus, climb up. We're afraid.

KOROEBUS. One moment. It's as he says.

KASSANDRA. Can we open it and help Hektor?

KOROEBUS. And let Akilleus in?

KASSANDRA. Hektor would have saved us.

Enter Priam, Hekabe, and their retinue.

PRIAM. How goes the fight.

KASSANDRA. Father, they're hidden.

PRIAM. We must open the gate and help him.

DEIPHOBUS. We cannot.

HEKABE. Not [to] help your brother?

DEIPHOBUS. Not at the cost of the city he fights to save. Calm down, you people! We'll see what can be done. You! What do you see?

FIRST TROJAN. Dust and blood, lord.

KOROEBUS. Who's winning?

FIRST TROJAN. Why, the one who's kept more blood. Isn't that winning in war?

DEIPHOBUS. Get down from there!

Enter AENEAS.

AENEAS. Who's in charge?

DEIPHOBUS. We are.

PRIAM. He is.

AENEAS. Deiphobus, the riot in the town is stilled. Kleto is put to sleep.

DEIPHOBUS. The revolt?

AENEAS. Put down. When they saw Antenor they threw down their arms.

DEIPHOBUS. Well done, Antenor!

AENEAS. What's happening?

DEIPHOBUS. We mean to know. Get every soldier you can find. We'll sally out the gate.

AENEAS. The men are weary.

DEIPHOBUS. Is not Hektor? We'll charge Akilleus before he gets away.

KOROEBUS. Someone's coming from the shadow of the gate.

DEIPHOBUS. The sun is setting.

PRIAM. Open the gate!

DEIPHOBUS. What, father?

PRIAM. Open the gate. Give me a spear.

DEIPHOBUS. No, father.

SOLDIER. (to DEIPHOBUS) My lord, he is the king. Give ground, sir. --Follow me, lord. I'll lead you.

PRIAM. But give us room to cast.

AENEAS. We'll all go. Spread out, give each other room to fight.

DEIPHOBUS. With you. Ready? Open, gate!

The gate opens. HEKTOR stands there in AKILLEUS' armor, dragging AKILLEUS in AENEAS' armor.

HEKTOR. Trojans, perish with this one!

DEIPHOBUS. We do not fear you, Thracian. The men of Troy will cry upon your heels and drag you down. Take a spear!

AENEAS. We'll make a cage to hold you with the beasts.

DEIPHOBUS attacks; he is defeated; AENEAS, PRIAM, too.

AENEAS. Damned, damned forever.

HEKABE. Lord, lord, on my knees I beg: spare my son Deiphobus.

HEKTOR. Why, when I have not spared the brother?

HEKABE. For an old mother's sake. Remember your own mother.

HEKTOR. Rise. Our mother cannot die.

PRIAM. All of my kingdom will be yours, but spare his life!

HEKTOR. You did not offer this for Hektor, old man. What would you pay for his life?

Hektor removes the helmet he is wearing.

PRIAM. Hektor?

HEKABE. Hektor?

AENEAS Hektor!

HEKTOR. No phantom.

DEIPHOBUS. Praise the gods he's alive. Sound bells, alarms, carry the word through all the city.

HEKTOR. No! --Kassandra, Andromake: No word of this to her.

PRIAM. But Akhlleus...?

HEKTOR. This. Still alive.

HEKABE. And Helenus?

HEKTOR. Out there. Fetch him, good Aeneas.

AENEAS exits.

HEKABE. Is Helenus...?

HEKTOR. Wounded, mother ... unto death.

HEKABE. Did you...?

HEKTOR. Akilleus. Akilleus killed him.

HEKABE. It can't be helped.

PRIAM. He was a wild boy.

Enter AENEAS carrying HELENUS.

AENEAS. Not quite dead.

PRIAM. Lay down our boy. Give him water.

Can you speak?

HELENUS. A little.

PRIAM. I think he said, "a little".

HEKTOR. My hearing's better. Hel'nus ...

HELENUS. Father. Closer. I never meant... Mother.

Dies.

DEIPHOBUS. Dead.

HEKTOR. Cover him with my cape. I will put on him myself my finest armor. He will be laid on Ida's side, with the most revered ancestors. Had he lived, he would have made all right.

AKILLEUS. Oh... Faints.

HEKTOR. Remove Akilleus. Tend's wounds, lock him in the strongest empty granary; triple the guard. Then tell Lady Andromake the king orders her here. Say nothing else.

Exit messenger, and bearers and soldiers with AKILLEUS.

HEKTOR. One thing remains. False helmet, we wear you one more time. Puts it on.

Enter Andromake with Astyanax, Kassandra, and Jessika.

ANDROMAKE. Stay quiet, baby, quiet. All is revealed. That black sight. The lord of Thrace. And there's my lord at length. Sweet liar, did you not say you would return. By Artemis, I swear I'll never take thy word again.

HEKTOR. You will belong to us, forever.

ANDROMAKE. Armor cannot own me, or a voice in a mask. No. We belong here, baby, in this city with your father. Now I see. Still, my lord, you are a promise breaker.

HEKTOR. You will live with us, and love us.

ANDROMAKE. The sun is dead, we cannot. Hush, baby,
the time for pain is later, when they throw
you off the wall. Come, and kiss thy father.

Removes the helmet from HELENUS.

But this is Helenus. Where's my lord? Not twice!

(to HEKTOR)

Monster, what have you done with my lord's corpse? Can you spare me nothing! I would have done anything for him, and now he's gone. I'd throw my baby at your head, you villain, if you could feel a mother's pain! Oh, Zeus, forgive me, he's dead, Hektor's dead, and even his cold bones are taken!

HEKTOR. No, for I will remove the obstacle to your sight. He ...(removes helmet) is me.

ANDROMAKE. But that... you are... is this some ... image? Magic?

HEKTOR. No. It is. (Andromake faints) Don't drop Skamandrius!

DEIPHOBUS. She's fainted.

POLYXENA. I didn't think that happened.

HEKTOR. She'll revive. She's more complaints to make. See. Her wild eyes... No, speak.

PRIAM. Daughter, he is alive. Hektor is alive. Akilleus is defeated. The Greek slaves, I have just heard, are revolted. The Greeks are in confusion. See.

Enter SLAVE LEADER.

SLAVE LEADER. Friends, may we bring in monsters? Where can you see such pretties in a cage?

Enter Greek slaves dragging in AGAMEMNON and the other Greek kings in chains.

DEIPHOBUS. But then....the war is over! Ring, ring out the bells, all the bells of victory!

ALL. Victory! Victory!

HEKTOR. You say nothing. How unlike Andromake. Have you no reproach? Do you know you keep shaking your head?

ANDROMAKE. I cannot understand ... how can this... how can this be real, you alive.

HEKTOR. It's like some happy ending in a play, that in a light fantastic shows us how the world is not, but might be.

ANDROMAKE. I'd be the faithful heroine.

HEKTOR. I would come back living from my grave. But this is not a play. --
--Attention!

You have all forgot. I've done great wrong. I must be forgiven ... or be killed.

Enter DEMOS.

DEMOS. But I have not forgot.

[To Be Revised, Concluded and Shortened]

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This act last modified: 1:14 PM 6/13/2002