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| POLYAENOS: a slave, in love with Circe
GITON: a slave, lover of Polyaenos CORAX: a brawny, muscular slave MESSENGER: another slave EUMOLPUS: a wealthy old man, their master |
CIRCE: a well-to-do lady, in love with Polyaenos
CHRYSIS: her servant OLD WOMAN: a witch-doctor PHILOMELA: a Madame |
(Curtain up. POLYAENOS and GITON are discovered in a wood kissing.)
EUMOLPUS: (from off-stage) Giton! where are you,
you fucker?
GITON: Oh shit! the old fool has caught up to me.
POLYAENOS: Sounds like our master's mood is as foul as ever.
GITON: Worse. His gout has not only crippled his loins
but his head too.
POLYAENOS: So poor faithful Corax has to carry him 'round everywhere
now?
GITON: That's old news. But of course you wouldn't know!
(Arietta)
GITON: You're never anywhere to be found, especially when there's
work to be done. I slave like a dog and get a thrashing for the slightest
mistake. What's your secret? You must be a fucking genius!
EUMOLPUS: (from off-stage) Giton! come here, you fucker!
POLYAENOS: You had better run along and tend to that shit-prick, before
he commands a repeat performance in your role as 'whipping boy.'
GITON: (sarcastically) Thank you for your touching sympathy...
EUMOLPUS: (from off-stage) Giton! You motherfucker!
POLYAENOS: Oh Giton! You know that I adore you.
GITON: One more little kiss? (they kiss)
POLYAENOS: Goodbye little 'brother.'
GITON: Goodbye, lover.
(exit Giton)
(Aria)
POLYAENUS: Goddamnit! Goddamnit! Goddamnit!
What a shit-life being a slave, forever dreading the lash of the master's
tongue or whip!
(a girl of far from unpleasing exterior calls from a laurel wood)
CHRYSIS: Polyaenos!
POLYAENOS: Giton? is that you again?
CHRYSIS: Polyaenos!
POLYAENOS: No, I think it's a woman's voice.
CHRYSIS: (she enters) Polyaenos, my mistress wishes to
speak with you.
POLYAENOS: You have made a mistake; I am only a slave, and not
fit to speak to a lady.
CHRSYIS: But you are wrong! are you not Polyaenos, a slave
of that good citizen by the name of Eumolpus?
POLYAENOS: I know of no good citizen named Eumolpus, but I am
indeed Polyaenos, slave of that no-good Eumolpus.
CHRYSIS: But I see, because you are concious of your own beauty,
you put on airs, and sell your favors, instead of giving them.
(Aria)
CHRYSIS: What else can that well-kept hair mean, and that made-up
face, and the delicate look of your eyes? For what else that affected
pace, but to sell yourself by the flagrant display of your charms?
Look at me; I am no fortune-teller, no astrologer, yet I can see a man's
intentions the moment I see his way of walking. So, if you are willing
to sell us what I need, there's a customer ready for you; or, if you will
give it, like a gentleman, we'll be glad to be under this obligation to
you.
POLYAENOS: Tell me, my dear, is this lady who loves me yourself?
CHRYSIS: Well! Well! don't be so mighty pleased with
yourself. I've never given myself to a slave yet. For my part,
though I'm only a servant, I never go with anybody below a knight.
POLYAENOS: Why! it's outrageous to find the servant so
refined, and the lady with such vulgar taste.
(Duet)
CHRYSIS AND POLYAENOS: Tastes differ, as chance disposes;
Some like thorns, and some like roses.
CHRYSIS: You tell me you're a slave.....
POLYAENOS: .....a common low-life;
CHRYSIS: well, this only the more inflames my mistress's heated
imagination.
CHRYSIS AND POLYAENOS: There are women who prefer the dregs,
whose passions are stirred only at the sight of slaves or runner boys with
bare legs.
CHRYSIS: This is the sort my mistress is.
POLYAENOS: Clearly a lady of taste!
(CHRYSIS tucks up her skirts and dives into the laurel wood)
(In a very few moments her mistress, sans Chrysis, emerges from where
she was hiding, and walks up to POLYAENOS)
(Aria)
POLYAENOS: There are no words to express her beauty,
for anything I say will fall far short of the reality.
No artist ever has created a more perfect being.
Her eyes shine brighter than stars in a moonless sky,
her little mouth is more delicate than Diana's.
(she smiles)
(fingers punctuating her words, laughing),
CIRCE: If you are not too proud to enjoy a woman of distinction,
and one who only within the year has known your sex, I offer you a 'sister'.
You have a 'brother' already, I know, for I made some inquiries, but what
hinders you to adopt a 'sister' too? I would be as honored as your
'brother'. Only taste and try, when you will, how you like my kisses.
POLYAENOS: No! No!!
(Duet)
POLYAENOS: I swear to you, this lowly slave will be your most
sincere disciple, if only you give him the chance to adore you. And
as I enter this temple of Love, I will sacrifice my 'brother' to
you.
CIRCE: You would sacrifice to me the one you cannot live without?
the one you love as I would have you love me?
POLYAENOS AND CIRCE: And as I enter this temple of Love,
POLYAENOS: I will sacrifice my 'brother' to you.
CIRCE: You would sacrifice your 'brother'?
POLYAENOS: May I ask, sweet lady, what is your name?
CIRCE: Why! did my maid not tell you I am called Circe?
POLYAENOS: Circe.....the daughter of the sun.....
(With these words Circe throws her arms around his neck, and draws him down on the flower-bespangled grass)
(Duet)
CIRCE AND POLYAENOS: Our Love is secret, but the beautiful day
is bright, like you,
As we express our happiness and joy with lawless heat in open view.
CIRCE: (infuriated) What is this? are my kisses revolting?
is my breath offensive? are my armpits dirty and smelling?
If it is nothing like that, can it be that you are afraid of Giton?
POLYAENOS: Please! Don't add to my misery. I must
be under a spell.
CIRCE: Help! Chrysis! Help!
(Chrysis comes running forth from behind the wood, looking concerned.)
(She turns her eyes contemptuously away from him, and glancing towards
her maid)
(Aria)
CIRCE: Tell me, Chrysis, and tell me the truth. Am I repulsive?
am I sluttish? is there some blemish which ruins my beauty? Do not lie
to your lady; there must be something strangely wrong with me." (as Chrysis
stands silent, she snatches up a mirror, looks into it with affected looks
and smiles, then shakes out her robe that lays crumpled on the ground,
and flounces away. Exit CIRCE. CHRYSIS follows behind her,
exiting.)
(Aria)
POLYAENUS: I'm left standing like a convicted felon, or a man
horror-struck with some awful vision. I can't even get up off the
ground.
Oh! is the ecstacy I've been cheated of a reality or only a dream?
(End of Act I)
Go to ACT II
Go to EXCERPTS
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