Euripides, Bacchae 1

Euripides’ BACCHAE Trans. Bryan L. Doerries CHORUS LEADER: And the Bacchic one, holding high the blazing flame of the pine-torch, lets it stream from his fennel rod, like the smoke of Syrian frankincense, rousing the wanderers with running and dances, swinging them to and fro with his cries and casting his dainty locks to the air. Amid the E-YO cries he roars out these things. CHORUS howls with excitement, hopping around in the audience. CHORUS: Go Bacchants, Go Bacchants, Go! Sing and Dance for Dionysus. E-YO. E-YO, E-YO! Sing and Dance for Dionysus. OLOLOLOLU!! CHORUS trills the victory cry. TIRESIAS hobbles toward the palace, aided by a servant.

He is a gaunt, scrawny old man, barely covered by a Bacchant’s fawn-skin skirt. He stops just short of the steps and waves off the servant, and strikes his ivy tipped staff on the

ground. TIRESIAS (annoyed): Call Cadmus. Announce that Tiresias wants him. And he knows what I have come for, and the agreement that we made, one old man with his elder, to tie together the fennel rods and wear fawn-skins and to crown our heads with ivy.

Enter CADMUS from inside the palace. HE is grotesquely bursting out of a tight fitting fawn-skin skirt, carrying an ivy-tipped staff. HE hesitates and then crosses to the public

platform halfway up the palace steps, center stage. CADMUS (embarrassed): Dearest friend. I thought I heard your voice. It was the wise voice of a wise man. And look, I have come prepared with this dress for Dionysus. Don’t get me wrong, I wear it for him because he is my daughter’s child, who has appeared to men as a god. We must magnify him as much as we can. Where do we dance? Where do we shake our feet and our gray hair? You are the expert, Tiresias, for you are wise.

TIRESIAS begins to dance, and CADMUS joins HIM. The drums follow the rhythm of TIRESIAS’ ivy-tipped staff. This dance should be clunky and hard to watch.

CADMUS (excited): I will not tire striking the earth with my rod all day and all night. Look, we have pleasantly forgotten being old men. TIRESIAS: Well then, you experience the same feeling. I too feel in the prime of my youth. CADMUS: Shall we travel to the mountain by chariot?

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TIRESIAS (laughs): Heavens no. The god doesn’t ride in a chariot. CADMUS: Then shall this old man lead you like a child? TIRESIAS: The god will effortlessly lead us there. CADMUS (stops dancing, silence): And are we the only men from the city who will dance for Dionysus? TIRESIAS (pointing his staff at audience): Yes. Only we are sane. The others are crazy. CADMUS: We have delayed for too long. Come, hold my hand. (to audience) I for one won’t scorn the gods, being just a man. TIRESIAS: We mortals seem foolish to the gods. No rational argument will destroy our traditions. Will someone say that I have no shame, because at my old age I plan to dance with ivy on my head? Not so, my friends. For the god has made no distinction between the young man and the old man, and he wants all of us to dance and honor him together!

PENTHEUS comes charging in from stage right.

CADMUS: Shhhh! Tiresias. It’s my grandson, Pentheus. PENTHEUS: My fellow Thebans, I only went away for a few days, but now I hear of evil things in the city. I hear that our women have abandoned their homes in fabricated Bacchic frenzy and run around in the mountains, honoring yet another new god with dances. Dionysus, whoever that is. I hear they dance around brimming wine-bowls, and that slinking off into the woods our women render “services” for men pretending to be maenads making sacrifice. I hear they worship sex more than their god. So, as many as I could catch are now sitting in the prison with their hands in shackles. BUT, there are more at large whom we shall hunt from the mountains and tie down with iron nets. WE SHALL PUT A QUICK END TO THIS BACCHIC WORK! PENTHEUS steps down from the platform and assumes a more casual tone, trying to win audience support. Tells servants to find this Bacchic “god” and bring him to the palace.

He continues… They say some stranger has arrived, a preacher, a charlatan from Lydia, with fragrant hair and flowing locks, with wine-red-cheeks and bedroom-eyes. This charismatic keeps company with our young girls, dangling before them his so-called “rites.” I promise you, good Thebans, I will put a stop to this cult. I will cut off his head and chop off his rod! This fruitcake says that Dionysus is god. He even has the audacity to say Dionysus was stitched into Zeus’ thigh. Wait a minute. Do you mean the fetus that Zeus aborted with his bolt? HA! Is such insolence not worthy of the noose, whoever this stranger may be?

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HE discovers CADMUS and TIRESIAS cowering.

PENTHEUS: Oh great, here’s a ridiculous sight. I see the prophet Tiresias in a fawn-skin skirt. AND MY GRANDFATHER! A laughing stock. Trying to be a Bacchant with a fennel rod. I shrink, good sir, to see this exploit of your senile old age.

Enter SERVANT with DIONYSUS from rear of house, arm in arm. Both are laughing. SERVANT: King Pentheus! We’re back. We hunted down the game. The “beast” you sent us to catch. We got it. But we found this “wild beast” to be tame. It did not run away, but put out its hands willingly. It didn’t turn pale, nor did its “wine-red complexion” ever fade. But it smiled at us and actually asked for the handcuffs, and then politely requested that I lead it away. It made my job so easy that I felt ashamed and said, “Stranger, I don’t want to take you away, but the King of Thebes commands me to do so.”

PENTHEUS makes a move toward DIONYSUS, but the SERVANT blocks him. But as for the Bacchants, the ones you threw in the dungeons, those women took off. I saw them lightly skipping to the mountain, calling out to Bacchus as their savior. The shackles unbuckled themselves and the latches unlatched. I tell you this man has come to Thebes full of miracles! PENTHEUS: If you like him so much, then why don’t you free his hands.

DIONYSUS tosses SERVANT the rope. He isn’t going anywhere now that he is in my net. Well, stranger? You aren’t so ugly, as far as women go.

DIONYSUS poses, playing the crowd for a response. PENTHEUS laughs along with the audience.

And isn’t that why you came? For our women. That must be it, pretty boy, for your locks are so long, obviously you haven’t come here to wrestle, and you have such a pale complexion. I suppose you never go out in the sun. You just sit in the shade and take advantage of virgins by seducing them with your charming looks. Am I right? Huh? Tell me, who the hell are you? DIONYSUS: Oh. That’s easy. I presume you’ve heard of flowery Tmolus? PENTHEUS: I know the mountain range. DIONYSUS: I am from there. And Lydia is my fatherland.

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PENTHEUS: So why are you here, Lydian loverboy? Why do you bring these dirty initiations to Greece? DIONYSUS (lightly waving his finger): Oooooh. Be careful. Dionysus himself initiated me. The son of Zeus. PENTHEUS: Hmmmm? And is there some man named Zeus over in Lydia that likes to make up new gods? Was it in a dream that Dionysus told you to come to our land, or did you really see him? DIONYSUS: Face to face, my friend, he gave me his rites. PENTHEUS: And these rites? What, may I ask, are they? DIONYSUS (chuckles): No-no-no-no. They may not be spoken to kings who aren’t Bacchants. PENTHEUS: And what advantage do these rites have for kings who sacrifice to the Olympian gods? DIONYSUS: I told you. It is not lawful for you to hear. Too bad. They are very much worth knowing. PENTHEUS: Ooooh. You’re a smart one. (to audience) He’s trying to prick my interest. DIONYSUS (private tone): Listen up king. I’m just trying to protect you. The rites are hostile to the non-believer. PENTHEUS: Since you assert that you have seen the god plainly, what was he like? DIONYSUS: Whatever he wished. PENTHEUS: Well put. (to audience) Too bad it’s nonsense. DIONYSUS (to audience): One will seem to have no sense when speaking wise words to a stupid man. PENTHEUS: More nonsense. Let me get this straight. You’ve come to Thebes to show us your new god? DIONYSUS (shrugs): Everyone in Asia dances for Dionysus.

CHORUS makes the ritualistic symbol and hoots with approval on “Dionysus.” PENTHEUS (to audience): Well, that’s because they have less common sense than Greeks.

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DIONYSUS: In these matters, pal, they have good sense. (to audience) But their customs are different. PENTHEUS: I see. And do you dance at night or in the light of day? DIONYSUS: At night, for the most part. (to CHORUS) I find that darkness holds the most majesty.

CHORUS cheers. PENTHEUS: Darkness is dangerous and rotten for women.

CHORUS hisses, distracting PENTHEUS.

DIONYSUS: You can find scandalous behavior in broad daylight—

DIONYSUS sneaks up and plants a kiss on PENTHEUS’ mouth. —if that’s what you’re looking for.

PENTHEUS backs away, wiping his mouth, and then lunges for DIONYSUS. PENTHEUS: You’re going to pay the price for your smart-ass sophisms!

DIONYSUS prances away from PENTHEUS. DIONYSUS: And you for your ignorance and insolence toward the god! PENTHEUS (to audience): Look how bold the Bacchant is, and not a bad speaker either.

DIONYSUS gives up the chase and drops to his knees in ironic tones… DIONYSUS: Oh mighty Lord Pentheus, please spare me. Tell me what I must suffer. What terrible things are you going to do to me?

PENTHEUS grabs DIONYSUS by the hair. PENTHEUS: First, you need a haircut. DIONYSUS: My hair is sacred. I grow it for the god.

PENTHEUS: Second, you’ll hand over your rod.

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DIONYSUS: Why don’t you take it from me yourself, big boy. This is the staff of Dionysus. PENTHEUS: Third, I’ll throw you deep down in my dungeon.

DIONYSUS pokes PENTHEUS with his rod on the words “whenever I wish.”

DIONYSUS : The god will liberate me…whenever…I…wish.

PENTHEUS grabs the rod and breaks it over his leg. The CHORUS cries out in agony. PENTHEUS hands the broken pieces back to DIONYSUS, who looks to the CHORUS,

whimpers, and then turns out to the audience, sticking out his lower lip. PENTHEUS: Right, right, whenever you call him. DIONYSUS: Even now he’s close by. He sees what abuses I suffer. PENTHEUS: So? Where is he then, this imaginary friend of yours? For he is invisible to my eyes

DIONYSUS put his arm around PENTHEUS, begins channeling the god, eyes reeling, hands tightly clasped. HE starts off whispering and then shouts, “HERE!” as he squeezes

PENTHEUS’ buttocks. DIONYSUS: He’s…right…HERE! But since you lack the faith, you do not see him.

PENTHEUS signals for the SERVANT. PENTHEUS: Seize him, he must learn not to antagonize me or this city.

DIONYSUS casually raises his hand in protest. DIONYSUS: I who am sane tell you who are insane not to tie me up again.

PENTHEUS points at the SERVANT. PENTHEUS: I, who am more powerful than you, say tie him up—and twist his arms while your at it. DIONYSUS (laughing): Oh—Pentheus! You do not know what your life is. You have no idea what you are doing or who you are. PENTHEUS: I know who I am. I’m King Pentheus, son of Agave and Echion. DIONYSUS: Your name fits you well, Pentheus. Do you know what it means? They didn’t tell you? (pause) It means: man of sorrows. Now you will truly be sorry.

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PENTHEUS: Go. Lock him up next to the horses’ mangers so that he can see the gloomy darkness. Why don’t you dance there, my preacher? And these women you brought as your accomplices in crime. Either we will sell them off to slavery, or I, that is after I have silenced that racket, that INCESSANT DRUM BEATING…--I will keep them as my personal slaves. And I can assure you: they won’t like their new master. DIONYSUS (relaxed): Kind guard, I’m ready to go now. This is a waste of my time. The god will punish the king for these insults. By doing me wrong… CHORUS LEADER:

Do you see this, DIONYSUS, Son of Zeus? The preacher oppressed! The King is obsessed! SHAKE YOUR GOLDEN THYRSIS, LORD,

DOWN FROM OLYMPUS, AND STOP THIS MURDEROUS MAN!

Soon Dionysus escapes his captivity and liberates all of his Bacchic women dancers. PENTHEUS comes barreling out of the palace.

PENTHEUS (to audience): A terrible thing has happened. The stranger has escaped me. He was here a minute ago, in shackles.

HE sees DIONYSUS sitting amongst his women. DIONYSUS waves cutely. DIONYSUS (falsetto): Hello. PENTHEUS: What the hell is this? How did you get out here? DIONYSUS: Calm down. PENTHEUS: Tell me how you escaped. DIONYSUS: Didn’t I already tell you? Or were you not listening? That someone would free me? PENTHEUS: Who? DIONYSUS (points up): Who? That’s who. PENTHEUS (to audience): I command the entire palace to be surrounded and shut down. We’ll catch the culprit. DIONYSUS: Think for a minute, Pentheus, before you act. Is a god incapable of scaling a wall? PENTHEUS: Clever, clever man. (to audience) Except where it counts.

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DIONYSUS: Where it counts the most, my dear friend, (to audience) there I am by nature clever. But first, listen and learn. Here comes a messenger. I’m not going anywhere.

The MESSENGER comes flailing down to the steps from the back of the house. HE trips, falls, rises, and rushes to hide behind PENTHEUS.

MESSENGER: King Pentheus, I have come from Mt. Cithaeron. PENTHEUS: What is your message? MESSENGER: After seeing our wild women in the hills, I now know what strange acts they perform, acts greater than miracles. But, before I start, I want to know whether I can speak frankly with you. I’m afraid you might not like what I have to say. PENTHEUS: Speak. I won’t hurt you. (to audience) I never hurt honest people. Rest assured, the more terrible things you report about our women, the more torture I will subject this man to. For it was this preacher who poisoned our women with his religion. MESSENGER: Well, our cows were heading for the hills around mid-afternoon when I first caught a glimpse of the women dancers. Your mother Agave, along with your aunts Ino and Autonoe, led them. They were all asleep when I approached. Some were spread out, leaning against bushes, while others slept contently on the ground. They were not “drunk from the wine bowl and the sound of the pipe,” as you say, nor were they “hunting for sex in the woods.” PENTHEUS: All right! MESSENGER: Suddenly, your mother jumped up and cried the Bacchic shout: OLOLOLOLU! DIONYSUS and CHORUS: OLOLOLOLU! MESSENGER: And they all leapt straight up, almost effortlessly, as if some god had lifted them off the ground and lightly placed them on their feet. First, all the women—virgins and grandmothers—let down their hair and hiked up their skirts. Some of them, the ones who had just given birth, held wild wolves and bear-cubs in their arms, breast feeding the animals while their babies cried out at home. Others placed ivy, oak, and flowering Bryony upon their heads. One girl struck her rod against a rock, and a stream of water leapt forth. Another struck the earth and up came a fountain of wine. Those women who wanted milk scraped the ground with their fingernails and jets of white milk sprang up, and sweet streams of honey dripped off their fennel-rods. PENTHEUS: I order the entire cavalry and infantry to march against our women. No, my friend, this really goes too far, when women think they can do whatever they please.

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DIONYSUS: I’ll bring the women here without a fight. PENTHEUS: You’re trying to trick me again. DIONYSUS: What sort of trick? I just want to save you. PENTHEUS: You started this. You got my women in to this. Why should I trust you? DIONYSUS: I want to help you win back your women…peacefully. If you kill all the women— PENTHEUS: (pacing back and forth): —Peacefully? Peacefully? Bring me my dullest, rustiest sword. I want to watch them scream in agony as I slowly cut off all their parts. DIONYSUS: Ahhh Pentheus? What if I said you could spy on their orgies in the hills? Would you like that? Huh? PENTHEUS (to audience): It would be painful for me to see my women drunk! DIONYSUS: All the more reason to go. You will see very offensive things there, I assure you. (DIONYSUS puts his arm around PENTHEUS) Now, be honest. Between men, you’d enjoy it wouldn’t you? PENTHEUS (hesitates, then speaks under his breath): Yes, but only if I can’t be seen by them. May we hide in the bushes? DIONYSUS (smirks): But they might track you down, even if you go secretly. In order for you to go unnoticed, you must wear a skirt. PENTHEUS (alarmed): What? You didn’t say anything like that— DIONYSUS: They’ll kill you. PENTHEUS: Well said. I apologize. You are a clever man after all. DIONYSUS: Everything I know (to audience) I learned from Dionysus. PENTHEUS: Where can I find a skirt? DIONYSUS: Inside the palace. I’ll dress you myself. Ooooh! You’re going to look fabulous. PENTHEUS and DIONYSUS begin walking toward the palace. PENTHEUS stops, turns.

PENTHEUS: Wait…I’m ashamed.

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DIONYSUS: Remember, you are doing this for the city. (to audience) Pentheus’ fame will last for all time…time…time. PENTHEUS: What kind of skirt? DIONSYSUS: First, you’ll need a wig. Long flowing locks. PENTHEUS: And some make up? DIONYSUS: Yes, and some high-heeled boots…and a rainbow-colored headband. PENTHEUS (getting excited): Anything else? DIONYSUS: Of course. A long hard rod and a fawn-skin miniskirt. PENTHEUS: I can’t do it. DIONYSUS: What do you mean you can’t do it? (to audience) Is this man a coward? (to PENTHEUS) Or are you just the youngest, most inexperienced politician in the world? You’re either going to murder all of the women in town, or you’re going to get all of your men killed. PENTHEUS: I don’t know where my head was. DIONYSUS: You don’t even know how right you are. PENTHEUS: But I don’t want any of the citizens to see me. DIONYSUS: No worries. I know a back route. PENTHEUS: All right. Let’s go inside. I’m not saying “yes.” But I’m not saying “no” either. DIONYSUS: As you wish. Whatever you decide is fine by me. DIONYSUS escorts PENTHEUS into the palace, after PENTHEUS goes in, HE turns out

to the CHORUS and audience. Ladies and Gentlemen, he is walking into my net. Soon he will go to the mountain and die. Dionysus, the deed is yours for the doing—for I can feel your presence in the wine. Give him a loose tongue and take away his inhibitions so I can dress him in a miniskirt. I want the whole city to laugh at their King. I will lead the little woman through the center of town. He’ll wear his new costume to Hades, slaughtered by his mother’s hands. There are a few moments after a man has been decapitated during which he can still see and hear. Then, and only then, will he recognize Dionysus!

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DIONYSUS: Come on out honey! Don’t be bashful. Don’t worry, no one will recognize you. You look just like one of Cadmus’ daughters. PENTHEUS (from within): I’ll be there in a minute. (He peeks out the door.) Oh, there you are. Listen, can we rest a minute? I’m so dizzy. I see two suns and a double-Thebes and YOU, you look just like a bull. ( DIONYSUS growls jokingly.) Oh, I get it. A disguise. (to audience) But were you a beast all along? For you sure look like a bull now. DIONYSUS: The god is with us. Once your enemy, he is now your friend. You finally see clearly. PENTHEUS: Right. PENTHEUS stumbles out of the palace wearing a tight fawn-skin miniskirt, a wig, make-

up, the whole nine yards. HE carries an ivy rod. How do I look? More like Aunt Ino or my mother? DIONYSUS: You look like both, except prettier. Oh, look at your hair. Here, I’ll fix it. (DIONYSUS messes up PENTHEUS’ hair) DIONYSUS: There, you look fabulous! PENTHEUS: Make me beautiful. DIONYSUS: You are beautiful. Just…let me straighten your falsies.

PENTHEUS holds out the rod. PENTHEUS: Do I hold it in my right hand? DIONYSUS: You don’t hold it; you shake it. Shake it in time with your right foot.

The musicians start up with e-yo beat. PENTHEUS rocks back and forth with the phallic rod. DIONYSUS rocks behind him sticking out his tongue and smiling at the audience.

PENTHEUS contorts himself into several awkward positions, trying to affect the Bacchic steps. DIONYSUS steps back and lets him dance freestyle.

I must say Pentheus, you make one hell of a Bacchant.

Scene changes to Mt. Citheron PENTHEUS: I can see them now, like bunnies, making love in the thickets! DIONYSUS: Perhaps, if you’re smart, you’ll catch one of them, that is, if you’re not caught first.

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PENTHEUS climbus up a tree to get a better look. A spotlight hits him, the Bacchic

dancers notice him and stampede toward him to beat and shake the tree with their rods. AGAVE, PENTHEUS’ mother enters and stands before the tree.

AGAVE : Let’s stand in a circle, Maenads, and shake the trunk. We must capture the climbing creature and prevent him from telling other impious men the secret dances of the god! PENTHEUS: Mother! Mother! It’s me. Your boy, Pentheus. Pity me Mother! I didn’t know. How was I to know? Oh please don’t kill me. Please don’t kill your son because of one mistake. I believe! I believe! CHORUS: Dance, Dance for the Bacchic One. Sing, Sing for the serpent Pentheus. Oolololu! CHORUS LEADER: Bacchants, we announce our victory, but the end is mourning, the end is tears. Look! It is not a pleasant thing for a mother to smear her hands in the blood of her child.

AGAVE appears at the back of the house, covered with blood, holding PENTHEUS’ severed head. Her eyes are reeling.

AGAVE : Asian Bacchants! CHORUS LEADER: What is it Agave ? AGAVE : I bring this great prize from the mountains.

AGAVE rushes down to show the CHORUS her catch. The CHORUS, revolted by the sight, squirms away from her every advance.

CHORUS LEADER: I see. AGAVE : I caught this lion with my bare hands. CHORUS LEADER: Where did you catch him? AGAVE : On Mt. Cithaeron. CHORUS LEADER: Cithaeron? AGAVE : I slew him. CHORUS LEADER: Who else?

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AGAVE : My sisters. CHORUS LEADER: We must go. Our work is done. AGAVE : Will you at least stay for the feast? CHORUS LEADER: The feast? Poor Agave . AGAVE : Yes, your leader, the Bacchic hunter, helped us trap him. CHORUS LEADER: Our lord is a hunter. AGAVE : Do you praise this prize? CHORUS LEADER: We praise it. AGAVE : And soon the people of Thebes— CHORUS LEADER: —and your son Pentheus— AGAVE : —will praise his mother for catching this fierce lion. CHORUS LEADER: A wonderful catch. AGAVE : The hunt was full of wonders. CHORUS LEADER: Do you take delight in this? AGAVE : I am overjoyed!

CHORUS scatters past AGAVE and runs out the rear of the house. CHORUS LEADER

turns, says her last line, and then indignantly follows the rest. CHORUS LEADER: Then show the city your spoils, wretched woman. AGAVE : People of Thebes. Come here and see my catch. I caught it with my bare hands, without nets and spears. My sisters and I tore it to pieces. (Pause) Where is my father, Cadmus? Tell him to come here. And where is my son, the king? Call him! Ask him to bring the royal ladders so we can hang this head from the highest point for all to see. CADMUS and SERVANT enter from top of the hill. CADMUS doesn’t see AGAVE who is mingling with the crowd and showing off PENTHEUS’ head to individual members of the audience. The SERVANT is carrying PENTHEUS’ remains in a wooden crate.

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CADMUS: Come on. Follow me. But don’t drop him. I want every piece of him placed in front of the palace gates. It took me a long time to collect him. (to audience) When Tiresias and I came back from the mountain, I heard all about my daughters’ madness. And so I went back to Mt. Citaeron and saw them with my own eyes. They were stark raving mad. But someone told me that Agave was heading for the palace. AGAVE: FATHER! CADMUS: Oh. I see we were told correctly. There she is. I can’t even look at her.

AGAVE comes running up to greet CADMUS with the head. AGAVE : I have the GREATEST NEWS! You can boast to all of your friends that I am the best daughter a father ever had. I won for you and for Pentheus this prize. I left the loom for higher things—to hunt beasts with my hands.

AGAVE forces CADMUS to hold the head. CADMUS hands it back violently and turns

away from her. AGAVE : Here. I want you to have this. Take it and display it in the city and call your friends for a feast. For you are blessed to have such a daughter as me. CADMUS: You want me to invite Thebes to a feast? (CADMUS drops to his knees and shakes his fists at the sky.) I shake my fists for human suffering. Look how the god has destroyed us. He had his reasons, but this is too much. He was born in this house.

AGAVE laughs and lightly slaps CADMUS on the cheek.

AGAVE : What a grumpy old man you are. Why are you scowling? I hope my son becomes a good hunter, like his mother, so that she might be given such a prize someday. But he never hunts beasts, only gods. You should talk to him again. Tell him that he shouldn’t be so arrogant. Someone call Pentheus. Tell him to get out here as fast as he can. I want to scold him for his stupidity. CADMUS: You’ll be sorry when you see your son. I hope you remain in this state forever. AGAVE : What is the matter with everyone? As her mania recedes, she begins to realize what she had done… Looks down at the blood on her hands and screams. FATHER!

DIONYSUS arrives and struts toward CADMUS who runs to him, drops to his knees, and put his head to the ground.

CADMUS: Dionysus! We have done you great injustice—

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DIONYSUS: —Too late. CADMUS: We figured it out. Only Pentheus did not. Why do you keep attacking us? DIONYSUS: I am a god and I am insulted. CADMUS: Gods should not resemble men in their anger. DIONYSUS: Cadmus. (chuckles) You will become a snake, and your wife will become a snake. And you will, as an oracle of Zeus declares, drive an ox-cart full of foreigners from region to region. These things I, Dionysus, say, not as the son of a man, but as the son of Zeus. And if you had remained level-headed when you did not want to, the son of Zeus would still be your friend. Long ago Zeus decided all of these things. CADMUS (whimpers): It is decided? DIONYSUS: What’s keeping you?

AGAVE runs up and spits in DIONYSUS’ face. CADMUS pulls her aside.

CADMUS: Child, it is over. I will go to foreign lands and live without a home. And I will never find rest, not even in death. DIONYSUS gets back in his car full of Bacchants, pulls away from the palace slowly, and

then races out of sight.

AGAVE : Father? But where can I go? I have nowhere to go outside my fatherland. CADMUS (detached): I don’t know child. Your father is a foolish old man. AGAVE : I am crying for you father. I’ll never stop crying. CADMUS: And I for you, my dear, and your sisters. AGAVE : DIONYSUS has brought this brutality against your house! CADMUS (without looking back) Yes. And he was insulted by you. AGAVE (turns, indignant) I don’t care. I never want to see that filthy mountain again. Never! No more dances or songs or fennel rods or any other remnant of what happened here today. AGAVE indignantly walks up the center isle and out of sight. CADMUS casts his crown to the ground and stumbles stage right. Lights fade to black