© John Mack, 2003
A play in four parts
Sinope - daughter of Maya, mother of the human race
Callisto - son of Maya, father of the human race
Pasiphae, Elara, Lysithea, Himalia - daughters of Sinope and Callisto
Carme, Anake, and Ledo - sons of Sinope and Callisto
Rukal, Lakspura - children of Anake and Lysithea
A Chorus
[Scene: A blasted landscape, rocky, barren. The few wretched plants are tainted by Chaos. The chorus stands centre stage.]
Chorus: Before mortal reckoning, Maya, fairest of the Aldar,
Most perfect, most gentle, jewel of Godly pride,
Found in the garden, by the unnameable horror,
Raped, by the beast of Chaos, and cast aside.
On torn ground she fell, and peace torn as well,
Fair form marred by fell deeds disgrace,
The Aldar wept, yet Caymus did foretell,
That from fell deed would rise fairer race.
Two children born: Sinope, Callisto
And from these two, four daughters:
Pasiphae, Elara, Lysithea, Himalia
Three sons: Carme, Anake, Ledo
Charged by Proteus to found the new race,
A pact, that none should seek to rule, was sworn.
With that, the Gods made for them a place:
The wondrous, golden valley, Ceylon.
[Exit the chorus, as the scene is transformed into the Golden Valley of Ceylon. Enter Sinope, Callisto, and the seven Offspring]
Sinope: My brother, my lover, my joy ... it is you, and only you, my heart adores.
Callisto: My sister, my lover, my life ... I live for you, only you, my heart beats with yours.
Anake [staring hard at Sinope]: Mother ... I would say I love you, but I fear the words have lost their meaning here.
Lysithea [gazing at Anake as she takes his arm]: I do know how you love, brother. I love one so dear.
Pasiphae: Love cleaves us. Cleave ... a word meaning to join as one ...
Carme: ... and also to strike asunder, to tear apart, to bring undone.
[Exit all but Anake and Lysithea]
[Anake slowly sits on a rock, his head in his hands. Lysithea bites her lip as she watches him, and hesitantly comes closer]
Lysithea: Anake ... what is it? I feel you hurting all the time now ... is there anything I can do?
Anake: There's nothing you can do. There's nothing anyone can do.
Lysithea: Can't I comfort you, somehow? [She kneels by him, resting her head on his shoulder] It's the task Proteus has set us. It's our duty, to become lovers, you and I ...
Anake: And all of us, I know. I wish I felt that love ...
Lysithea: We all love you, as you love us, brother.
Anake: Not all. One will not lie with me.
Lysithea: Sinope has vowed she will lie with no-one but Callisto. Forget her ...
[she takes his cheek in her hand and turns his face towards herself. He screws up his face in pain and turns away]
Anake: You don't understand.
Lysithea: I do. More than you know.
Anake: Do you? Do you know what it's like to love another, so much that they become all you want in life?
Lysithea: I do.
[Anake stands up impatiently, pacing]
Anake: Can you understand the burning, this gnawing hunger that drives away every other appetite and every joy until only the pain of wanting her is left?
Lysithea [standing to face him]: I can
[Anake turns away again, exasperated]
Anake: Do you know what it's like, to love only one person, until you lose yourself in that love, until you can't tell where you end and they begin, until you have no feelings left of your own but what they feel, their joys, their sorrows, their every pain and pleasure is yours?
[Lysithea turns him to face her, cupping his face in both her hands and gazing into his eyes]
Lysithea: Yes
[Anakes' face softens. He takes both her hands and kisses her fingers]
Anake: Lysithea ... I'm so sorry.
[Lysithea pulls away and turns, blinking away tears]
Lysithea: I could tell you ... the same things I tell myself, but I already know how useless that would be.
[He nods, wrapping his arms around her, comforting]
Anake: We both hurt, then. If only we could take comfort in each other.
Lysithea: Can't we? Gods, if only she could see you the way I see you, if only she could see what she's losing ...
[Lysithea bursts into tears, and Anake holds her more tightly, rocking her gently]
Anake: I wish I could make it better.
Lysithea: So do I. I wish you could just look at me, and fall in love, and make us both happy ...
[She shrugs, shedding a few more tears]
Lysithea: You were right. There's nothing I can do.
[She pushes him off and steps away]
Lysithea: I'm sorry if I couldn't comfort you. I hope one day, you'll open your eyes and see ...
[she wipes away another tear]
Lysithea: Be well, Anake.
[Exit Lysithea, as Anake hangs his head]
[Enter the chorus, carrying the sleeping form of Sinope. As they carry her to centre stage, the sky darkens, and becomes night. The chorus lays Sinope gently on the ground, then stands around her facing the four points. Anake watches them enter, then gazes down at her for a long while, slowly circling.]
[Anake approaches her; a chorus member glances down irritably as Anake pushes him out of the way to kneel behind Sinope, leaning over her.
[Anake touches her cheek, stroking one hand slowly down the side of her body. As his hand rests upon her thigh, she stirs]
Sinope: Anake?
[She places a hand to his cheek]
Sinope: What is it, my son?
Anake: I want you.
Sinope: Anake, what is it? What do you need?
Anake: I need to be with you.
Sinope: Oh ...
[She sits up, to look him in the eye, as each member of the chorus takes a step backwards, crowding around the pair.]
Sinope: Sit with me, Anake. Tell me what 's wrong.
Anake: A wound , a hurt too deep for you to mend.
Sinope: What do you mean? I want to help - tell me how?
Anake: Something I want, and I mayn't have, and must take ...
[He takes her in his arms, and she squirms]
Sinope: Ow! Gently! Be more careful, you're too strong!
Anake: Not strong enough ... but I will make it end.
[As she looks at him, realization dawns, and she struggles as he tries to bear her to the ground]
Sinope: No! You're frightening me! Stop this right now!
Anake: If you only knew how I burn, I ache ...
[They wrestle awkwardly, spinning across the stage, scattering the chorus]
Anake: I love you so much
Sinope: I can't love you that way, Anake, I won't.
Anake: Your tenderness, your touch ...
Sinope: You're hurting me! This is madness! Please, don't!
[She struggles harder as he locks his arms clumsily around her neck]
Anake: Let me lie with you!
Sinope: Anake! I can't breathe! Please let me go!
[The chorus scatters to the four winds in horror as she twitches in his arms, then lies still]
Anake: Let me die with you ...
[Silence. Stillness. Darkness]
[The light rises over the scene - Sinope still lies dead in the centre of the stage. Anake sits in the back corner, wretchedly examining his hands. Enter Carme. He stops dead as he sees the body, and rushes to it with a cry]
Carme: Mother!
[He cradles her in his arms]
Carme: Anake! Did you see what did this?
Anake: An abomination. A creature so wretched it longs for its own death.
Carme: The unnameable horror has returned?
Anake [nods]: If I could name the horror, it wouldn't be so horrible.
Carme: Lysithea! Come quickly!
[Enter Lysithea]
Carme: Where is Father?
Lysithea: He's hunting, with Ledo, and Pasiphae, and Himalia ... what's happened?
Carme: Our mother is dead! Murdered!
[Lysithea gapes in horror at him, then moves her gaze to Anake, who stares back at her wretchedly. As he looks away, she slowly sits down, staring at the body, covering her mouth with her hands.]
Carme: I'll go find him. You two, fetch the others.
[Exit Carme. Lysithea looks up at Anake.]
Lysithea: Anake ...
Anake: We'd best get the others.
[Anake turns and exits. Lysithea stares after him for a moment, then also exits. The body lies alone on the stage for a few moments. Enter all. Callisto cries out and falls to his knees beside Sinope, cradling her.]
Callisto: Sinope ... oh, my love ...
Pasiphae: What happened? Who or what did this?
Carme: We should search! We should find the murderer and destroy it!
Lysithea: Do you even know what to look for?
Anake: Destroy it ... yes, Carme. Take up your blade. End the horror.
Carme: We'll know it when we see it, surely. Let's go, now!
Pasiphae: Calm down, Carme. We don't know what happened yet.
Lysithea: Carme ... another murder won't undo this one. It won't bring her back.
Pasiphae: Father, let me see.
[Callisto, blinded with grief, stares blankly at Pasiphae as she kneels to examine the body of her mother.]
Pasiphae: Did anyone see anything?
Carme: Anake was here. Anake, where did it go?
Anake: Not far.
[Pasiphae recoils in shock, leaving Callisto to cradle the body.]
Pasiphae: Murdered, alright. She struggled ...
Carme: Murdered! I'll kill it, I'll find it and kill it!
Lysithea: Carme, you can't make that decision on your own. It affects us all.
Anake: No, Carme's right. A death for a death.
Carme: How can you just stand here talking?
Pasiphae: Carme, we can't go rushing off until we know what happened, and what we mean to do about it. Anake, tell us what you saw?
Lysithea: You can't put it all on Anake. He's still in shock, he can't know what he saw. He might not have all his senses.
[Lysithea stands protectively in front of Anake.]
Anake: I know what I saw.
Carme: Then tell us, damn it!
Anake: Do you promise me that you'll slay the murderer?
Lysithea: No! We've sworn a pact ...
Carme: Yes! I swear it!
[Pasiphae peers curiously at Lysithea as she grasps Carmes' arm.]
Pasiphae: Wait ... Lysithea, do you know who killed our mother?
[Lysithea gapes, looking horribly guilty, struggling for words. Carme stares at her in horror, then steps towards her.]
Carme: You!
Anake: No!
[Anake steps between Carme and Lysithea, grasping Carmes' garment at the neck.]
Anake: Look to me, Carme! Look to me!
Lysithea: Don't hurt him! To me, Carme!
[A golden light beams down from the heavens, spotlighting Anake as he grasps Carme, and for the first time, the blood drenching his hands is visible. He releases Carme and steps back, as everyone steps away from him, leaving him centre stage standing over Sinope and Callisto while all the others form a circle around him.]
Pasiphae: Maya ... grandmother.
[All fall to their knees but Anake. As the light fades, Carme straightens, staring at Anake with murder in his eyes.]
Carme: You ...
[Carme rushes at Anake, Pasiphae and Lysithea restrain him.]
Anake: Let him go! Finish it, Carme!
[Carme backs off, reluctantly, staring hard at Anake.]
Carme: He dies. He must die. How can you say otherwise?
Lysithea: He's done nothing wrong! Our pact was that none of us should seek to dominate the others, we never said anything about mother and father ...
[She looks desperately around at the other offspring. One by one, Elara, Ledo, and Himalia move to stand behind Carme. Pasiphae shakes her head.]
Pasiphae: No. I can't allow my brothers' blood to be shed. There will be no release for you, Anake. You will have to live with what you've done.
Carme: Then banish him. He no longer has a place among us.
Lysithea: No! I can't live without him!
[Lysithea bursts into tears, clutching Anakes' arm and gazing pleadingly at Pasiphae. Pasiphae looks from the pair of them, to her father still dumbly cradling her mothers' body, to the other offspring, standing united behind Carme.]
Pasiphae: Very well. Banishment. Goodbye, Anake.
[Anake nods, and slowly turns. Exit Anake. Lysithea stares at Pasiphae, with a look of utter hurt and betrayal, then runs after Anake. Pasiphae walks over to Carme, and begins to cry softly as he comforts her. Exit all but Sinope and Callisto.]
[One of the Chorus enters, bearing a golden hourglass, walking across the stage in front of Callisto to exit on the far side.]
[As the first Chorus member exits, a second enters, bearing firewood, and swiftly builds a pyre.]
[The second Chorus member exits, and a third enters, taking Sinopes' body from Callisto, leaving him holding air. The Chorus places Sinope on the pyre and lights it before exiting.]
[As the pyre burns to the ground, the fourth Chorus member enters, gathers up a handful of ashes, and drops them into Callistos' empty arms. Clutching desperately at the ashes, watching as they pour through his fingers, Callisto begins to wail, in deep, shuddering sobs.]
Chorus 1 [offstage]: Why do you weep, Callisto? It's too late now to pretend you love her. You already let her die.
Callisto: I'd give my life to have her back again!
Chorus 2 [offstage]: Easy words, Callisto. And yet you live, and she is ashes.
Callisto: My life is ashes. I want to lie with her on her pyre.
Chorus 1: You swore to her you couldn't live without her. Why aren't you dead yet?
Callisto: I don't know, I don't know how I can feel this much pain and not die ...
Chorus 2: You don't want to die. You don't want it enough, you didn't love her enough.
Callisto: I loved her with all my heart and soul, and my heart and soul have been ripped from me!
Chorus 1: Do you even have a heart? A soul? You have four beautiful daughters to spawn your heirs upon, what's one less woman to you?
Callisto: She is everything to me!
Chorus 2: And yet you crawl here, and weep and wail, and do nothing.
Callisto: What would I do? I'd do anything for her, anything to bring her back ...
Chorus 1: Would you now? And why have you not done it?
Chorus 2: Why have you not avenged her?
Callisto: Avenged her ... ?
Chorus 1: Her murderer yet lives.
[Callisto looks about in confusion, picking up his blade to gape at it as if trying to recognise what it is]
Chorus 2: He dwells in the forest beyond Ceylon. Show us how much you loved her, Callisto.
Chorus 1: Yes ... show us ...
[Callisto staggers to his feet and rushes offstage with an inhuman scream of pain and rage, as cruel laughter is heard from offstage.]
[Outside a crude hut in a forest. Lysithea watches Rukal and Lakspura as they play on the ground: they rush to show her something with a cry of 'Mama! Mama!']
Lysithea: Hush children! Your father is asleep!
Rukal: But mother! Look, we've seen the tracks of the wild thing again!
Lakspura: It's out there mother! Like a man, only fierce and wild, like a beast!
Rukal: Or like a beast, only with legs and hands and a face like a man!
Lysithea: Now, children, what manner of creature do you think that might be? One invented by idle young minds, hmm?
Lakspura: We will catch him, mother! With our ropes, we will catch him and throttle him like a rabbit for supper!
[Lysithea smiles indulgently as she ushers the children away]
Lysithea: Come, help me gather firewood
[Lysithea exits. Rukal and Lakspura make as if to follow her, but then nod conspiritorially to one another, and hide in the bushes]
[Enter Callisto, wild-eyed and haggard, his hand clenched around the handle of his blade]
Callisto: Anake ...
[He stares insanely around the clearing, his eyes lighting on the door of the hut. He staggers towards it, grabbing the door frame with both hands as he leans in. He steps, or perhaps falls, into the hut]
[Screaming is heard from within, two voices, mangled, inhuman. One of the screams is suddenly cut short, the other stops for a heartbeat and then resumes, stopping only when the screamer runs out of breath. Callisto scurries out of the hut on all fours, straightening to peer back at the hut in horror]
[Callisto staggers towards the audience, his eyes staring wild, rivulets of blood coating his face and chest and running down his body to the ground]
Callisto: Blood of my blood ... flesh of my flesh ... child of Sinope ... my love ... oh my love, what have I done? Oh Gods ... oh, Gods, please make it stop ...
[A rope drops around his neck from above, and he is yanked upwards, clawing desperately at the noose. For a long time he flails, his struggles growing progressively weaker, until he slowly stops, his body swinging back and forth on the end of the rope. From the trees from which the rope fell, Rukal and Lakspura emerge from hiding, smiling at each other with satisfaction]
[Curtain]
[Enter the chorus]
Chorus: Anake slain, Lysithea she grieved,
And struck a dark pact with Lorielan,
For his return, but was by Her deceived,
Enslaved forever on the crystal plane.
Elara sought to bring her back, but failed,
Dragged by some monster to another plane.
Himalia sought new lands, westward sailed,
And ... found them? For, she was not seen again.
Ledo, lone hunter, had devoured been,
By a dragon; while Carme ventured forth,
Exploring the tundra, now seldom seen:
A whispered figure in the frozen north.
Pasiphae alone remained in Ceylon,
Lived many centuries, and passed away.
Her descendant, Imithia, went on,
To found the Church, to honour her, to pray.
So ended Sinope and Callisto,
And their offspring. But their children, gave birth,
To the race of humans, who thrived, and built,
And multiplied themselves across the earth.
[Curtain]