Atalanta

By Shashank Rao
498 Chaucer Cir
shashank_rao@me.com
October 2012
Setting
(Arcadia, Ancient Greece, 1000 BC. The Palace of Iasus. Other Scenes: The Temple of
Aphrodite; The Track; Atalantas Bower)
Characters:
King Iasus: Father of Atalanta, and the one who cast her into the wilderness.
Atalanta: The only daughter of King Iasus, and cast into the wilderness, because he wanted a son.
Melanion: One of the suitors of Atalanta, who beseeches the goddess Aphrodite for help.
Warriors (3) : Warriors who complain about Atalantas suitor choosing.
Aphrodite: The goddess of love, who aids Melanion in winning Atalantas hand in marriage.
Attendant: The servant in the House of Iasus.
Handmaiden (2): Atalantas personal attendants.
Note: Lines marked with * are the Narrators lines.
ACT I

SCENE 1: PALACE OF IASUS
(The WARRIORS and MELANION are seated at a
banquet table. They wear the garb of Greek youths.
The men eat heartily, laughing, acting boisterously.
*In the month past, the great Calydonian Boar was
slain by the huntress Atalanta. It was at this time
that the great King Iasus had reclaimed his long-
lost daughter that he had cast into the wilderness at
birth, when he had hoped for a son.)
WARRIOR I:
(While eating)
Friends! What of this Atalanta? Be she beauteous, and radiant?
WARRIOR II:
Nay, I have heard she is boisterous and versed in the ways of men, wielding a sword and bow as
they would.
WARRIOR III:
What if the legends doth hold true? She was nursd by wolves and bears!
MELANION:
Friends! Cast away these fears and doubts! Let us fight for the maidens hand, and savor the day!
WARRIOR II:
Good Melanion, thy heart is good. Thou wouldst see a rose sprout in the crags of a scarred field
of battle. Thine is a truly sage wisdom.
WARRIOR I:
Hold silent. Our good host doth approach.
(All stand. King Iasus walks in, followed by his
ATTENDANT.)
KING IASUS:
Suitors! I graciously welcome you valiant souls into my home! Heroes of Calydonia! Before
you, my good friends, I present to you, my daughter Atalanta.
(ATALANTA and HANDMAIDENS walk in.
ATALANTA wears a white Greek noblewomans
dress, with a gold necklace and armlets.)
ATALANTA:
Thank you, good father. Salutations, good suitors. May the best prevail.
KING IASUS:
I sweetly recall the day, that my dear daughter returned to me!
Clad in the garb of a huntress, she was nigh unrecognizable!
But when I harkened to the cries of the citizens
Granting laurels and garlandst to their champions
I knew Atalanta had returned to me!
WARRIOR I:
Good lord, what lies hath breached thy ears?
They of feminine grace are not fit for battle!
Their dainty crowns of flowers and trinkets
Would be trampled in its wake!
Twas I who had slain the boar!
WARRIOR III:
Nay, lord, twas I!
WARRIOR I:
Dare you test the veracity of my deed!?
Shall we cross swords ere the fight doth begin!?
KING IASUS:
Halt you both!
I hath seen the marvel
With mine own eyes!
WARRIOR II:
Thy Lordship, tis cruel
To bestow laurels upon a woman
For an unmarried woman is of no substance
And is wont to ridicule and hatred
KING IASUS:
Thou speaketh with reason
As were it Athena who spake
Through thy lips
Yet, stay!
What if thou art charmed?!
How dare thee!
Corrupting the victory
Of my daughter!
MELANION:
Friends! Harken to thy words!
Thou wouldst offend the very maiden
We intend to court!
WARRIOR II:
Melanion, once again
Thou speaketh with wisdom
As doth befit the disciple of Chiron-
ATALANTA:
(interrupts)
Silence thy foul words!
I doth scorn the matrimony
I wouldst quicker become a nun
Ere I be wed to a war-drunk sponge
Yet I would long for the train of Artemis
The holy virgin that I doth aspire to be
Thus I cannot abandon the woods
Let your mens banter land on deaf ears
And spare me such pains!
(points at Iasus)
And thou, cruel father!
Thou, rejector of me!
Wherefore doth thou
Seekest to marry me off
To a man not of my choosing!
Wherefore, doth thou derive
This authority, this cruelty!
Thou, who once cast me into
Pan, the satyr-gods wilds!
To rid thy hands of me
And seek to find a son
Thus, I, left without parentage
Suckled the she-bear
I was raised as were a beast
And now, thou commandeth me:
To invest myself with precious gems
And silken cloths and soft linens
What more doth am I behooved
To do for thou, treacherous father!?
KING IASUS:
(hands around Atalanta)
Peace, if not for the gods charity
Thou wouldst make a fool of me
With thy distressd stroke of life
Wherefore art thou so rebellious?
The hunters who raised thee
Would bolden thee thus
By thy distress and orphanage
To defy thy father
Or else be a despiser of etiquette
ATALANTA:
(whips Iasus away)
The hunters taught me well
For a father who do this unto his own
Is more a beast than man
Thou canst teach me to forget
This foul and horrible deed
KING IASUS:
Would thou be made pleased
If thou chose the manner of their courtship?
ATALANTA:
I shall be more pleased
When I am repaid
For my father lost to me
For you are a hollow husk of one
But this offer, I shall take:
(to suitors)
Warriors and heroes!
Lend me your ears!
My heart is not swayed
By simple trinkets, nosegays
And that which would enchant
The foolish, unhardened maids
My hand shall be won by a test
To feel affection to thy honor
And the veracity of which
Toward myself
A simple race
The one to best me in this
I shall be his bride
Yet, should I best him
His head is mine
To adorn the walls
Of my fathers hunting trophies
WARRIOR I:
Iasus!
What mockery is this?
I hath not come to court
By a mans sport
WARRIOR III:
Wherefore doth she stipulate
The punishment for our loss
When one man is sure to prevail?
KING IASUS:
(Sadly)
Thou shalt obey her intent
There shall be a race
And the victor shall have her hand
And the defeated
Shall be beheaded.
WARRIOR II:
Wise king, I beseech you:
Reconsider! You need not heed her whims!
KING IASUS:
Silence! There will be no more talk of this!
I would sooner be smote from the earth by Zeus
Than I would hurt my daughter any further.
(All exit, stage left.)
ACT II
SCENE I: THE TRACK
(There is a large circular track for the footrace.
WARRIOR I and ATALANTA are getting ready to
race, both wearing hunting tunics, suited for
running. KING IASUS and his ATTENDANT are in
the stands onlooking. *The pride of the warriors
clouded their vision to the fact that ATALANTA was
an extremely fast runner. Having grown up among
the beasts, she learned their ways, and further
improved upon being raised by the hunters. This
will prove to be their downfall.)
WARRIOR I:
Good Atalanta, I applaud thee
For thy attempt to entertain us.
But, sadly, this mockery must end
To uphold a true hunters honor.
ATALANTA:

We shall see this through.
Whether you will prevail is uncertain.
(The two prepare to run, while the ATTENDANT
calls for the signal.)
ATTENDANT:
(Delays between words)
Runners: to your marks!
And be off!
(ATALANTA breaks into a fast hunters sprint,
quickly outrunning the WARRIOR, who is horrified
at her speed. He tries to catch up, but fails. When
they reach the finish line, ATALANTA is not tired,
while the WARRIOR pants heavily.)
ATALANTA:
Thou art bested!
Thy head is mine,
To adorn my fathers walls!
(Gestures to the attendant)
Servant, take this fool away.
ATTENDANT:
As you wish, my lady.
(To Warrior I)
It was valiant effort,
But in vain, good sirrah.
(Drags the Warrior away, offstage)
WARRIOR I:
Nay! I cry nay!
Mercy, please, good sire!
Let not the whims of a woman rule thee!
KING IASUS:
(Solemnly)
Atalanta has spoken.
I shall hear no pleas for mercy.
(All exit, stage left.)
(*The remaining warriors were completely shocked.
They had not expected such a feat of ATALANTA.
The two immediately decided to withdraw their
names as suitors, leaving for their homes that night.
The races would be continued the next day.
MELANION wisely chose to go last, knowing that
ATALANTA was not so stupid as to choose an event
she would not win. That night, MELANION went to
the temple of APHRODITE in order to find
counsel.)
SCENE II: THE TEMPLE OF
APHRODITE
(MELANION walks in stage right, holding a basket
of roses and fruits. He sets it at the altar, where
there is a statue of Aphrodite.
MELANION:
O beauteous Aphrodite,
Lady of the doves,
I beseech thee for thy counsel!
She who is well-versed in the ways
Of love and courtship
Lend me thy ears!
(MELANION bows before the statue. The statue
then comes to life, as the goddess APHRODITE
herself. MELANION stares in awe, as APHRODITE
steps down from the pedestal.)
APHRODITE:
Righteous Melanion, rise!
I, Aphrodite, have come to aid thee!
(picks up the three apples in the basket)
Take these enchanted apples
When thou race the maid Atalanta
Spread them in her path
She will be entranced by their beauty
And you shall have your bride!
MELANION:
Praise be to thee,
Divine Aphrodite!
ACT III
SCENE I: THE TRACK
(*The next day, MELANION took the apples with
him to the race. He did as he was told, hoping
APHRODITEs plan would succeed. STAGE
DIRECTIONS: MELANION and ATALANTA get
ready to race.)
ATTENDANT:
(Delays between words)
Runners: to your marks!
And be off!
(MELANION and ATALANTA begin the race evenly
matched. Then, Melanion drops one apple, and
ATALANTA stops.)
ATALANTA:
(Staring at the apple)
What glorious beauty is this?
Such an incomparable treasure it is!
I doth desire to have it! It shall be mine!
(Grabs the apple, and continues to run, then seeing another apple)
Yet another treasure appeareth to me!
What an auspicious time this is!
The zenith of Eutykhias star is nigh!
(After dropping the third apple, MELANION arrives
at the finish line, with ATALANTA behind him.
ATALANTA stares in disbelief, first looking to the
three apples in her arms, and then to MELANION.)
MELANION:
Well, good Atalanta
This race is won
And I am the victor!
ATALANTA:
Melanion, you have bested me!
I shall honor my word,
And be your bride.
(All exit, stage left.)
(*ATALANTA and MELANION were then married
that day. However, this union was not to last.
STAGE DIRECTIONS: APHRODITE enters stage
right.)
APHRODITE:
The sin of ingratitude
Weigh heavy upon thy shoulders,
Wretched Melanion!
Thou hast failed to repay me as due!
Thou shalt suffer for this disgrace!
Behave ye as a beast,
And transform into its image!
(APHRODITE exits stage left and ATALANTA and
MELANION enter stage right. They carry bows and
arrows, hunting in the woods.)
MELANION:
Such grace in hunting
Neer have I espied
In the image of a woman
Thou art as the virgin Artemis
Many praises to thee!
ATALANTA:
Good husband, praise me not.
I am mortal by birth and by nature
Knowing only the base wants
And bound to the greeds of this world.
Melanion, seek us materials to make homely this glade.
(MELANION exits stage right. ATALANTA sets
down her bow and quiver. *As punishment,
APHRODITE turned MELANION into a lion.
STAGE DIRECTIONS: Enter Melanion as a lion.)
MELANION:
(Roars)
ATALANTA:
Fell beast! Back!
Lest you suffer my fury!
Melanion, where be you?
Let us fight this foul beast together!
(MELANION charges forward at ATALANTA.
ATALANTA draws her dagger, and stabs
MELANION through the chest. He then falls, dead.)
ATALANTA:
I shall claim the husk of this creature!
Let the glory be mine, and be celebrated!
(ATALANTA begins to tear away the skin, seeing
MELANIONS face. She is horrified, and yelps.)
ATALANTA:
Nay! What foul deed doth I behold!
What treachery, what horror!
What bride am I, to slay mine own groom!
Sweet Melanion, thy cheeks are now pale,
And I am scarlet with shame!
Artemis, virgin goddess, I beseech thee!
To abjure the society of men, I shalt vow!
Never again, shall I take another into my heart
To nurture, or to love in matrimony!
Only grief doth await me
To involve myself in dolorous romance!
I shall absolve myself of this love,
For it holds only to be tyrannous and rough in proof.
FIN