The Bacchae
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The Voice of the is heard from within, crying,
at first inarticulately, then clearly
The Women, intent upon the voices from the Castle, have not noticed
the approach of He enters from the left; his dress and the
garland on his head show that he has returned from some oracle or
special abode of a God. He stands for a moment perplexed
The confusion and horror of the Women's faces gradually affects him.
A dirge-cry comes from the Castle
The Women hesitate; then the Leader comes forward
stays for a moment silent, and puts his hand on his brow.
He notices the wreath
The great central door of the Castle is thrown open wide, and the body
of is seen lying on a bier, surrounded by a group of
Handmaids, wailing
A throng of Men and Women has gradually collected
He turns suddenly on the Attendants
He bends over then, as no one speaks looks fiercely up
There is no answer. He bends again over
has read the tablet and breaks out in uncontrollable emotion
He raises his hand, to make proclamation to all present
The people gather expectantly about him
Murmurs of amazement and horror; THESEUS, apparently calm,
raises both arms to heaven.
stands silent in fierce gloom. comes in from the right.
The murmurs in the crowd, the silent gloom of his Father,
and the horror of the Chorus-women gradually work on
and bewilder him. He catches sight of the bier.
Murmurs in the crowd.
remains silent. The murmurs increase.
to himself
as before
misunderstanding him; then guessing at something
of the truth
Murmurs from the crowd
falls back with a cry and covers his face with his robe
Murmurs again in the crowd
He sees from the demeanor of and of the crowd that his words
are not winning them, but rather making them bitterer than before.
It comes to his lips to speak the whole truth
He waits a moment; but sees that his Father is unmoved.
The truth again comes to his lips
in a sudden blaze of rage
The thralls still hesitate in spite of his fury.
comes close to him and kneels.
rises, makes a sign of submission, and slowly moves away. as soon as he sees him going, turns rapidly and enters the
Castle. The door is closed again. has stopped for a
moment before the Statue of and, as departs,
breaks out in prayer.
goes away to the right, followed by many Huntsmen and other
young men. The rest of the crowd has by this time dispersed, except the
Women of the Chorus and some Men of the Chorus of Huntsmen
Men
Women
Men
Women
A Maiden
enters in haste
comes out from the Castle
as though unmoved
The departs to fetch sits waiting in
stern gloom, while the sing. At the close of their song a
Divine Figure is seen approaching on a cloud in the air and the voice
of speaks
The cloud has become stationary in the air.
at first bewildered, then dumfounded,
now utters a deep groan.
A throng is seen approaching; enters,
supported by his attendants.
gently
The cloud slowly rises and floats away
supporting him in his arms
bends down and embraces him passionately
covers his face with a mantle and rises.
They move into the Castle, carrying the body of
THE BACCHAE
OF EURIPIDES
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
son of Zeus and of the Theban princess Semelêformerly King of Thebes, father of Semelê
King of Thebes, grandson of Cadmus
daughter of Cadmus, mother of Pentheus
an aged Theban prophet
following Dionysus from the East
"The play was first produced after the death of Euripides by his son who bore the same name, together with the Iphigenia in Aulis and the Alcmaeon, probably in the year 405 B.C."
The background represents the front of the Castle of PENTHEUS, King of Thebes. At one side is visible the sacred Tomb of Semelê, a little enclosure overgrown with wild vines, with a cleft in the rocky floor of it from which there issues at times steam or smoke. The God DIONYSUS is discovered alone.
As he departs, there comes stealing in from the left a band of fifteen
Eastern Women, the light of the sunrise streaming upon their long white
robes and ivy-bound hair. They wear fawn-skins over the robes, and
carry some of them timbrels, some pipes and other instruments. Many
bear the thyrsus, or sacred Wand, made of reed ringed with ivy. They
enter stealthily till they see that the place is empty, and then begin
their mystic song of worship.
A Maiden
Another
All the Maidens
Some Maidens
Others
A Maiden
Another Maiden
All the Maidens
Enter He is an old man and blind, leaning upon a staff
and moving with slow stateliness, though wearing the Ivy and the
Bacchic fawn-skin
Enter from the Castle. He is even older than and wears the same attire
At the first movement of worship his manner begins to change;
a mysterious strength and exaltation enter into him.
after looking away toward the Mountain
The two stand back, partially concealed, while there enters in hot
haste followed by a bodyguard. He is speaking to the in command.
the words are not heard by
Drawing nearer to
He makes as if to set the wreath on head
The guards set forth in two bodies goes into the Castle.
The two Old Men go off towards the Mountain.
Some Maidens
Others
Divers Maidens
As the Chorus ceases, a party of the guards return, leading in the
midst of them bound. The in command stands forth,
as hearing the tramp of feet, comes out from the Castle.
The guards loose the arms of studies him for a
while in silence then speaks jeeringly. remains gentle
and unafraid.
DIONYSUS is silent.
brutally
He beckons to the soldiers, who approach
The soldiers cut off the tress
takes the staff
The soldiers begin to bind him
The soldiers obey
mocking
without his wand, his hair shorn, and his arms tightly
bound, is led off by the guards to his dungeon. returns
into the Palace.
Some Maidens
All
Other Maidens
All
A Maiden
An Earthquake suddenly shakes the pillars of the Castle.
Fire leaps upon the Tomb of Semelê.
The Maidens cast themselves upon the ground, their eyes earthward. alone and unbound, enters from the Castle.
Enter in fury
He advances furiously upon him.
to his guard
Enter suddenly and in haste a Messenger from the Mountain.
has started as though to seek his army at the gate.
turning from him
after regarding him fixedly, speaks with resignation
He fixes his eyes upon again, while the armourers bring out
his armour; then speaks in a tone of command.
who during the rest of this scene, with a few exceptions,
simply speaks the thoughts that puts into him, losing power
over his own mind
somewhat bewildered at what he has said
after a struggle with himself
again doubting
after hesitating once more and waiting
Exit into the Castle.
Exit following PENTHEUS into Castle.
Some Maidens
Others
Re-enter from the Castle
Enter clad like a Bacchanal, and strangely excited,
a spirit of Bacchic madness overshadowing him.
tending him
while tending him
not listening to him
more wildly
with a laugh
Exit towards the Mountain.
Exit following
Some Maidens
A Bacchanal
All the Chorus
Other Maidens
A Bacchanal
All the Chorus
Enter hastily a from the Mountain, pale and distraught.
The departs into the Castle
Some Maidens
A Bacchanal
Others
Enter from the Mountain mad, and to all seeming wondrously
happy, bearing the head of in her hand. The
stand horror-struck at the sight; the also horror-struck,
strives to accept it and rejoice in it as the God's deed
very calmly and peacefully
The tries to speak, but is not able; begins gently stroking the head
lifting up the head, more excitedly
brooding, with horror
She goes through the crowd towards the Castle, showing the head and
looking for a place to hang it. Enter from the Mountain with
attendants, bearing the body of on a bier
turning from the Palace and seeing him
after hesitation, resolving himself
troubled
beginning to tremble, and not looking at what she carries
earnestly
turning from him
leading her to the bier
As there is no answer, she lifts the veil of the bier, and sees.
Kneeling by the body.
copies of "The Bacchae" are derived. It evidently contained a speech of
Agâvê (followed presumably by some words of the Chorus), and an appearance
of upon a cloud. He must have pronounced judgment upon the
Thebans in general, and especially upon the daughters of have
justified his own action, and declared his determination to establish his
godhead. Where the MS begins again, we find him addressing
turning from him almost with disdain
with her group of attendants goes out on the side away from
the Mountain. rises upon the Cloud and disappears.
Exeunt