Polydectes

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Polydectes, read by TeaCraft.

Perseus, read by Beeswax Candle.

Mercury, read by Todd.

Stage directions, read by Inko.

Perseus and Medusa.

Scene one: The palace of King Polydectes.

The king is seated upon his throne.

Characters

Polydectes, read by Teacraft Perseus,

read by Beeswax Candle.

Mercury,

Bid Perseus come hither.

Perseus enters, equipped with sandals, sword, and shield, and carrying Medusa's head in his pouch.

He kneels before Polydectes.

King Polydectes, I have done your bidding.

He was a kind man, this shepherd Dictys.

His brother Polydectes had put him away from the palace, but Dictys did not grieve for that, for he was happy minding his sheep upon the hillside, and he was happy in his little hut of wattles and clay.

Polydectes the king was seldom spoken to about his brother, and it was years before he knew of the mother and child who had been brought to live in Dictys' hut.

But at last he heard of us, for strange things began to be said about my mother, how she was beautiful, and how she looked like one who had been favored by the gods.

Then one day when he was hunting, Polydectes the king came to the hut of Dictys the shepherd.

He saw Danaë my mother there.

By her looks he knew that she was a king's daughter, and one who had been favored by the gods.

Often he came storming around the shepherd's hut, and at last my mother had to take refuge from him in temple.

At length she bethought herself of writing and traced her name, it was a short one, on the sand with her hoof.

Inachus read the name, and discovering that his lost daughter was hidden under this disguise, clasped her white neck, saying to her, "Alas, my daughter, it would have been a less grief to lose you altogether." While her father thus spoke, Argus, observing, came and drove her away and took his seat on a rock from which he could see in every direction.

So the hateful keeper watches continually.

Do you guess what I require of you?

Scene Four.

Mount Olympus.

Phoebus Apollo, dressed in squalid garb, gives himself up to grief for the loss of his son.

It was not enough to lose Phaethon, the bright, unconquered boy.

Characters

Polydectes, read by Teacraft Perseus, read

by Beeswax Candle.

Mercury,

Terms at DKNG.co slash offer.

He will never return.

The courtiers followed Polydectes out, laughing and repeating, he will never return.

He will never

And he said, This isle is called Seraphos, and I am a Helen, and dwell in it.

I am the brother of Polydictes, the king, and men call me Dictes, the netter, because I catch the fish of the shore.

Then Danae fell down at his feet, and embraced his knees, and cried, O sir, have pity upon a stranger, whom a cruel doom has driven to your land, and let me live in your house as a servant, but treat me honourably, for I was once a king's daughter, and this my boy, as you have truly said, is of no common race.

I will not be a charge to you, or eat the bread of idleness, for I am more skilful in weaving and embroidery than all the maidens of my land.

But the strange lady vanished, and he awoke, and behold, it was a dream.

But day and night Perseus saw before him the face of that dreadful woman, with the vipers writhing round her head.

So he returned home, and when he came to Seraphos, the first thing which he heard was that his mother was a slave in the house of Polydictes.

Grinding his teeth with rage, he went out and away to the king's palace, and through the men's rooms, and the women's rooms, and so through all the house, for no one dared stop him, so terrible and fair was he, till he found his mother sitting on the floor, turning the stone hand-mill, and weeping as she turned it.

Jupiter heard her cries, and no storms came to beat the frail boat upon the rocks, nor did any rough seas imperil the voyager's safety.

At last, the cask was washed gently up on the shores of the island of Seriphus, where a friendly fisherman rescued Danaë and her child and took them to the king, Polydectes.

This ruler received them kindly and allowed them to live at his court, and here the young Perseus grew up into manhood, learning all the games and sports that belonged to the training of a Grecian youth.

Meanwhile, Polydectes had become so enamored of Danaë that he wished to marry her and grew very angry at her continued refusals.

His wrath was increased when Perseus forbade him to distress Danaë any longer with his unwelcome attentions.

As Polydectes did not dare to kill Perseus or banish him from the kingdom, for he knew that his suit would then be hopeless, he began to taunt the youth with his inexperience and asked him why he did not set out on some adventure to prove his mettle like other heroes.

Perseus did not consider himself a hero, but he hoped someday to do great things, and the sneers of the king worked on his proud heart, as that wily old monarch had expected.

The youth then demanded to have his courage and endurance put to the test, and Polydectes promptly told him to go and slay the Gorgon Medusa and bring her head back as proof of his valor.

And he said, This isle is called Seraphos, and I am a Helen, and dwell in it.

I am the brother of Polydictes, the king, and men call me Dictes, the netter, because I catch the fish of the shore.

Then Danae fell down at his feet, and embraced his knees, and cried, O sir, have pity upon a stranger, whom a cruel doom has driven to your land, and let me live in your house as a servant, but treat me honorably, for I was once a king's daughter, and this my boy, as you have truly said, is of no common race.

I will not be a charge to you, or eat the bread of idleness.

But the strange lady vanished, and he awoke, and behold, it was a dream.

But day and night Perseus saw before him the face of that dreadful woman, with the vipers writhing round her head.

So he returned home, And when he came to Seraphos, the first thing which he heard was that his mother was a slave in the house of Polydictes.

Grinding his teeth with rage, he went out and away to the king's palace, and through the men's rooms, and the women's rooms, and so through all the house, for no one dared stop him, so terrible and fair was he, till he found his mother sitting on the floor, turning the stone hand-mill, and weeping as she turned it.