tales from ancient greece - bbcdownloads.bbc.co.uk/schoolradio/pdfs/greece/theseus_minotaur.pdf ·...
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Tales from Ancient Greece
1
3. THESEUS AND THE MINOTAUR
HERMES Wee!IlovetoflylikethisovertheAegean,therollingsea betweenGreeceandtheisleofCrete.Icanseeashipdown
therewithagreatwhitesail,carvingitswaythroughthewaves...andwheneverIseeashipheadedforCreteitremindsmeofanotherthatmadethatsamejourney,onlythatshiphadablacksail…
I’lltellyouwhy.Cretewasoncethemightiestislandinthesea
–andallbecauseofagreatinventor.HisnamewasDaedalusandhisspecialitywasinstrumentsofwar.Hemademachinestoflingrocksatcitiesandwrecktheirwalls…
MINOS Loosethecatapults!!!
HERMES …andotherstohurlfireandseteveryroofablaze…
MINOS Andgivethemflame!!!
HERMES AndthankstoDaedalus’sterribleinventions,Creteanditsking,Minosbyname,weresoonmastersofallthesurroundinglands.Butyoucouldn’tcallMinosorhispeoplehappy.Because,well,theyhadabitofaproblem…
ItwascalledtheMinotaur.Itwasamanfromthefeetasfar
upasthewaist,butfromthewaistup…itwasahuge,black,massive-hornedbull.Nooneknewwhereithadcomefrom,butitrampagedthroughKingMinos’spalace,smashingdownthewallsanddoorsandeatinganyoneitcaught.
Obviouslyitcouldn’tgoon,soKingMinoscalledforhisinven-tor...
MINOS Daedalus!Surelyhe’llcomeupwithsomething.
DAEDALUS I’vehadanidea,mylord.
MINOS Ithadbetterbegood!
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3: Theseus and the Minotaur
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DAEDALUS I’mgoingtobuildalabyrinth!
MINOS Awhat?
DAEDALUS Amaze!
MINOS Notwithyou.
DAEDALUS Abafflingwebofwindingtunnels,deepdowninthepalacevaults,fullofdeadends.
MINOS Goon.
DAEDALUS We’llluretheMinotaurintothelabyrinthandit’llneverfinditswayout!It’llbetrappedinsideforever!
MINOS Brilliant,Daedalus–gettowork!
HERMES SoDaedalusgottowork.Andwhenthis‘labyrinth’wasfin-ishedtheyluredtheMinotaurdeepintothemaze…andsoonitwascompletelybaffled…anditcouldneverfinditswaybacktotheentrance!Buttherewasasnag.Thebeastgothungry-ofcourseitdid.Andbeinghungrymadeitmadderthanever…andtheroaringandbellowinginthevaultsmadethepillarstrembleandthepalaceshake.Itwentondayafterday…
MINOS Thenoise!Ican’tsleep,Ican’teat,Ican’tlivelikethis! Daedalus,whatcanwedo?
DAEDALUS I’vehadanotheridea.
HERMES Butthisideahadnothingtodowithinventions.
DAEDALUS TheMinotaurneedsfeeding.
MINOS Ye-e-es…
DAEDALUS Anditonlyeatshumanflesh.
MINOS Ye-e-es…
DAEDALUS Andthankstomyweaponsyouhavemasteryofallthesur-roundinglands.
MINOS Ye-e-es…
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3: Theseus and the Minotaur
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3: Theseus and the Minotaur
3
DAEDALUS Youcandemandtribute,taxesinwhateverformyoulike.
MINOS Ye-e-es...
DAEDALUS So?
MINOS Notwithyou.
HERMES Minoswasn’tthebrightestkingyou’veevermet.Hewas powerfulandrichandlookedthepart…buthehadn’tgotalot
uptop.
DAEDALUS Soaskforpaymentfromthoseotherlands…intheformoffood.FoodfortheMinotaur.
MINOS Butitonlyeatshumans.
DAEDALUS Yes.
MINOS Sowhatdoweaskfor?
HERMES Whatwashelike?Buteventuallyhegotit.
MINOS Ha,ha,ha.Ohyes,Daeadaluswelldone.Whataverygoodidea!
HERMES Everyyeareachoneofhisconqueredcitieswastopayatrib-uteintheformof-you’veguessedit-people.Youngmenandwomen,allofthemtobesenttoMinos’spalaceandintothelabyrinthtofeedtheMinotaur.IrememberthesceneinAthens,astheyoungpeoplegatheredtodrawlotstoseewhichofthemweretobesent…
MINOS FromAthensyoumustsendfourteen–sevenyoungmenandsevengirls.
HERMES Imagineyournamegoingintoabagknowingthatifitwaspulledoutyouweregoingtobeeaten!
*****
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3: Theseus and the Minotaur
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HERMES Sothedrawingoflotsbegan.Andaseachnamewasdrawnwell,someoftheyoungAthenianstriedtobebravebut,well,youcanimagine.Butthen,abovethecrowd,onthepalacesteps,IsawthekingofAthens–Aegeuswashisname–argu-ingwithhisson,youngTheseus.SoIflewoverandlistenedin.
AEGEUS Theseus,no!Iwon’tallowit!
THESEUS It’sonlyright!Listentoyourpeople’ssuffering!
AEGEUS You’remyonlyson!Heirtothethrone!Youmustn’tgo!
THESEUS Onlysixyoungmenshallbechosenbylot.Ishallbethe seventh.
AEGEUS Theseus–!
THESEUS IshallkilltheMinotaurandbringouryoungpeoplehomewithme–ordieintheattempt.
AEGEUS Theseusmyson,Ibegyou!
THESEUS No,father.Imustdothis.
AEGEUS ButhowshallIbearwaitingforthenews?
THESEUS You’llknowassoonasourshipappears.We’llmakethecross-ingtoCreteunderablacksail.ButifIkillthemonsterandwereturnalive,thesailIhoistwillbewhite.
AEGEUS I’llwatchthehorizoneveryday,mybrave,bravesonandprayforawhitesail,awhitesail!
HERMES SothefourteenyoungAthenianssailedacrosstheAegeanSeatoCrete.KingMinos’ssoldiersgrabbedthemwhentheyarrivedandledthemuptohispalace.Andassoonastheygottheretheycouldhearitbelowthem:theMinotaurinthelabyrinth,itsbellowsshakingthefloors.KingMinos,though,wassmiling…
MINOS You’llbesentintothetunnelsonebyone.Youmightbeabletoeludehimforawhile–buteventuallyhe’llhuntyoudown.AndthenI’mafraidhe’lleatyou!
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3: Theseus and the Minotaur
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3: Theseus and the Minotaur
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HERMES Whatapickle,eh?Theseuswasbrave,forsure,buthowwasheevergoingtosavehispeoplefromamonsterliketheMino-taur?TheseusandtheotheryoungAtheniansweretakentoadismalcellandlockedupforthenight.Iwasflittingaroundthepalace,wishingIcouldhelp,whenIsawacloakedandhoodedfigurehurryingtowardsthecell,clearlynotwantingtobeseen.Ayoungwoman-andshehadsomethinginherhand.Sheun-lockedthedoorandslippedinside…
THESEUS Whoareyou?Anotherprisoner?Orhaveyoucometomockus?
ARIADNE Prisonersdon’tusuallycarrykeys.AndI’venowishtomockyou.ImaybeKingMinos’sdaughter,butIdon’tsharehis
cruelty.
THESEUS Minos’sdaughter?!
ARIADNE MynameisAriadne.AndI’vecometohelpyouescape.
THESEUS Whyso?
ARIADNE Ican’tbearthissavagery.WhateverhascausedtheMinotaurtoterroriseushere,it’snofaultofyours.
THESEUS Thenhowwillthebeastbefed?
ARIADNE Itwon’tbe.Itmustbekilled.Andyou’retheonetodoit.Andwhenyouleavehere,takemewithyou!Takemeawayfromthisterribleplace–takemebacktoAthens-andmarryme!
HERMES Well…understandablyTheseuswasabitsurprisedbythat…buthemanagedtosay:
THESEUS Er–yes!YesIwill!But–howexactlydoyoumeantohelpme?
ARIADNE Withthis.
HERMES Andthat’swhenIsawwhatshehadinherhand.
THESEUS Aballofthread.
ARIADNE Yes!Andthis.
THESEUS Ah!Asword!
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3: Theseus and the Minotaur
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ARIADNE TheMinotaurisaterriblebeast,buthemovesslowly.Ifyou’requickyoucankillhimwiththesword.
THESEUS I’lldomybest!
ARIADNE You’rewonderingaboutthethread.
THESEUS Well,er–yes.
ARIADNE Noonewhoentersthelabyrinthcaneverfindthewayoutagain.Usethethread.Unwinditbehindyouthroughthetun-nels,thenfollowitbacktotheentranceonceyou’vekilledtheMinotaur.
HERMES Nifty,eh?Anyway,nextmorningtheguardscametothecellatthecrackofdawnandaskedwhichofthefourteenwas
goingfirst.Theseusstrodestraightout,headheldhigh,andwasledtotheentranceofthelabyrinth.Iguessedhe’dhavehiddentheswordsomewhere–uphistunic,probably–butIknew,Ijustknew,he’dforgetthethread!
Iflewupthetunnelafterhim,and–sureenough–theballofthreadwasstillstuckinhispocket!Honestly!SoIyankedtheendoutandletitdanglesohecouldseeit…
THESEUS Ah,thethread!
HERMES AndthenhestartedintothetunnelandIfollowedbehind.
*****
HERMES So,Theseusstartedtospooloutthethreadbehindhimashewounddownthepitch-darktunnels,gropinghiswayalongtheslimywalls.Andthen…
THESEUS What’sthatnoise?
HERMES Onlyonethingitcouldbe.
THESEUS TheMinotaur!
HERMES Yes.Andithadcaughthisscent.
THESEUS Whereareyou,monster?
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3: Theseus and the Minotaur
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HERMES Hewasseriouslybrave.Youcouldtellhewasscaredbuthedrewhisswordandmarchedstraightofftowardsthebellow.Butashemadehiswaytowherehethoughtthenoisewascomingfrom,itsuddenlywentdeadquiet.
THESEUS Whereareyou?Comeandfaceme!
HERMES Youcouldn’tseeathinginthedarkness.
THESEUS Keepittogether.Youcandothis.
HERMES Theseusgropedhiswayalongawall.Ihopedhewasstillspin-ningoutthethread,orhe’dneverfindhiswayback.Cometothinkofit,neitherwouldI!Hecarriedongroping…
THESEUS Itmustbethisway.Butwhat’sthisIcanfeel?No!
HERMES He’drunintoanotherdeadend–thelabyrinthwasfullofthem.He’dhavetoturnback.WhereonearthwastheMino-taur?Andwhywasitsoquiet?
THESEUS Ahhh!!!
HERMES Don’taskmewhathappenednext–Icouldn’tseeathing–butitwaslikebeingintheshopofsomemadbutcherwho’dlostcontrolofhischopper.Thensuddenlytherewasadeafen-ingroar–aterriblecrash-ashoutfromTheseus–
THESEUS Aaahhh!
HERMES -andasquelchychoppingsound-andIknewitsheadwasoff!Iknewthisbecause(a)nomoresnortingand(b)–andthiswastheclincher–Theseuswasyelling:
THESEUS Ihavethecreature’shead!I’veslaintheMinotaur! HERMES Butthen-suddenly-Theseusdidn’tsoundsocheerful.
THESEUS Thethread.Where’sAriadne’sthread?
HERMES Oh,great,Ithought!Nowwe’restuckhere!
THESEUS Ah,here,Ihaveit!
HERMES Itookitallback.Icouldhavekissedhim.
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3: Theseus and the Minotaur
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3: Theseus and the Minotaur
THESEUS Blessyou,Ariadne:you’vesavedme.
HERMES Yes,Ariadnedeservedsomecredittoo.AndTheseusfollowedthetrailingthread,windingitallbackupagain,retracinghisstepsthroughthelabyrinthtillhefoundhimselfbackattheentrance.
THESEUS Ariadne!Princess!Areyouthere?
ARIADNE Theseus!You’realive!Andthemonster?
THESEUS Dead!
ARIADNE Oh,Theseus!Comequickly!Backtoyourship!Run–beforemyfatherknowsI’mgone!
HERMES AndalltheAthenians,savedfromdeath,raceddowntotheharbourwheretheirshipwasanchored,hoistedthesail,theblacksail,andpulledawayfromtheshore.
ARIADNE Oh,Theseus!You’verescuedyourpeople!
HERMES ‘Noproblémo’,Ihearyousay.‘Sorted.’Mnn.’Fraidnot.Firstoff,itwasalongwaybacktoAthens.SoTheseusstopshalf-way,atanislecalledNaxos,togetfreshwater.Andohdear:NaxosisafavouritehauntofthegodDionysus–andhe’sabitofawildoneisDionysus.HeseesAriadnewhileshe’shavingaswimand…
ARIADNE Oh!Help!Help!
HERMES …thenextthingsheknowsshe’sonMountOlympus…inthepalaceofthegods,marryingDionysus,who’sfallenheadoverheelswithher.Meanwhile,backonNaxos,Theseuscan’tfindheranywhereofcourse…
THESEUS Ariadne!Myprincess!Ariadne!
HERMES SobacktoAthenshehastosailwithouther.Andhe’ssocutupthatwell,disasternumbertwo.Rememberthisfromearlier?
AEGEUS But how shall I bear waiting for the news?
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3: Theseus and the Minotaur
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3: Theseus and the Minotaur
THESEUS You’ll know as soon as our ship appears. We’ll make the cross-ing to Crete under a black sail. But if I kill the monster and we return alive, the sail I hoist will be white.
HERMES Aneatidea.Onlyproblemis,Theseusissoupsetatlosing Ariadne…
THESEUS HowwillIlivewithouther?
HERMES …thatheforgetswhathe’smeanttodo.Sothere’shisfather,Aegeus,uponthecliff,lookingouttosea,waitingfortheship,andwhatdoesheseecomingoverthehorizon?
AEGEUS Ablacksail!Black!Oh,Theseus!Mybelovedsonisdead!
HERMES He’sdevastated.Andwhatdoeshedo?
AEGEUS Aa-a-a-h!!!
HERMES Hethrowshimselfoffthecliff…kerbloosh,straightinthesea.Whichiswhyit’scalledtheAegean.TheAegeanSea–afterAegeus.Sothereweare:TheseuskillstheMinotaur…buthelosesPrincessAriadneandheloseshisfather.Well,Isupposeyoucan’talwayshaveahappyending!