THE OLYMPIC FLAME
Panagiotis Karousos
Tragedy in two acts related to the legend of Heracles and the founding of the Olympic Games.
First
Act
Stadium of Ancient Olympia. Near the tomb of Pelops,
everything is ready for the first Olympic Games…
Introduction of the Opera
Deianeira: I secretly left Traechina to see Heracles.
He will enter crowned
for the games in honor of the Olympian Gods.
I will stay here just so I may see him, ornated as the
Apollo Helios at the start of the Olympic Games. No one can see me.
Who might she be that stands in front of the stadium’s
entrance?
She holds a bow… (she
quickly heads to Iole but as soon as Iole notices her staring, Deianeira goes back quickly)
Voices are heard
Deianeira: There is Heracles arriving, Euristheas follows, I
wish I could approach him...
Chorus: Hail
the King of the Myceneans
Euristheus! Hail! Hail Heracles the Great Hero, son of Zeus
and of Alcmene!
Hail!
Conversation of Heracles and Iole
Iole: Heracles!
Heracles: Iole why are
you here?
Iole: I brought you Apollo’s Bow
Heracles: Here I honor
the Gods, I didn’t request it
Iole: The oracle read that I must bring it to you here at the stadium before the
games begin
Heracles: But of what
oracle do you speak?
Iole: Iphitos came to me in my sleep, he was
injured, he asked for an oracle from Apollo, so his soul could find peace in
Hades. Take the Bow...
Heracles: It was not
enough for Eurytus to beat me even
if it were divine.
Iole: But after you killed my father Eurytus and destroyed my
kingdom, why would I want someone who annihilated my family?
Heracles: But if you cared so much about your family
you would not prefer to see them slaughtered before your eyes without giving
up, your own father called for a Pan-Hellenic Archery contest with you as a trophy for the
winner. Eurytus believed that with this Bow his gift from
Apollo he could beat me, but Apollo desired for me to win, so why did you bring
it to me?
Iole: My brother Iphitos gave it to me before you killed him. And
now I was told by the oracle to give it to you so you can pass it to Odysseus
the Kefalonian King. As he goes to Ithaki he will have that to
eradicate those wanting to take his wife, Penelope. That way the Bow
shall be absolved for the evil it brought to my home.
Heracles & Iole:
(Duet)
Heracles: Three years as a slave of Omphale I was purified
by the sacred lunacy that Hera imposed on me, and all of that for you Iole.
Heracles: Tell me now, you Muses who have
dwellings on Olympus—for you are goddesses and are present and know all things,
but we hear only a rumor and know nothing
Iole: In the dark seas
Heracles: There I see you
Iole: In the dark seas
Heracles: There I see you
Iole: In the dark seas
Heracles: Wild waves
Iole: You only look at the passion
Heracles: Why should I avoid it?
Iole: Only stubborness remains
Deanera: What shall I do?
Iole: A darkness stiffles me
Heracles: So suspicious
Iole: and a blur
Heracles: Such insecurity
Iole: but I’ve suffered so much
Heracles: have trust in me
Iole: I trust in your words
Deianeira: He is
trying for her
Iole: My soul darkens for you
Heracles/Iole: The Glory of the Olympian Gods torments
us and Hera’s hate!
Heracles/Iole/Deianeira:: Aphrodite shines
on the cyclone of Pluto’s love in his castle
Iole: Let me leave..
Heracles: Do not
resist the will of the Gods
Iole: Oh when will I be free?
Deianeira: She doesn’t want him, what does he see in her,
heartless Gods!
Heracles/Iole: They who bow before Adrastia are wise!
Iole: Let faith have me
Heracles: I owe it
to my Father Olympus!
Iole: Oh Gods! Father Euritus!
Heracles: Father Zeus!
Deianeira: Cursed
hour!
Heracles/Iole: It was the right time..
Deianeira: Cursed
time!
Iole: Heracles, I fear death. I see dark seas ahead of me!
Deianeira: Cursed
faith. What things must I listen to. He wants one that does not want him.. Oh
Heracles I desire you so!
Chorus:
Where is Heracles to commemorate the Athletes?
Heracles: Iole return to Oichalia and I shall come for the wedding before we head to
Trachinia (Trachis). I now am the King of
Oichalia and you will obey my orders. I must commemorate the
athletes with a wreath, I must go now.
Iole: Heracles goodbye!
Heracles: Iole goodbye!
Deianeira: Heracles don’t leave, stay a little longer even if you are to be with
her,
Stay a little, stay..
Heracles: The glory of the Hellenes is above all!
Heracles/ Deianeira/Iole: Together we
shall all be when all is done!
Deianeira: Stay a little longer... He desires a woman that does desires him not..
The undefetable Hero was defeated by love. Love is man’s fiercest
enemy... What shall I do? Oh, if only I could scream to him how much I love
him.. that the fire of my love never ceased to burn for him not even for a
moment...
Heracles I want so much to tell you how I want you, to fall to your feet
to pity me and return home with me...
No matter what I say or do is to no avail, your passion has conquered
you, I must return back to Trachinia, now I know it all... Calamity
comes slowly, just as the Great Serpent slowly spirals
around his victim.
I am so lonely, I
feel the fog covering my body…
Heracles, I’m so
lost… I must speak to him… to tell him how much I love him…
If you’d only stay a
little longer with her… you left… and your shadow moves on…
Heracles I love
you! How I wish it were all over and you could join me forever at our home.
Come Heracles our children are waiting for you...
I don’t know what
it is I’m feeling, I want to hide in your arms...
Do not deny to return to home. Do not deny Heracles.
Heracles I love you!
King Eurystheus enters the stadium
Chorus
Sing, clear-voiced Muse, of Castor and Polydeuces,
the Tyndaridae, who sprang from Olympian Zeus.
Beneath the heights of Taygetus stately Leda bare
them,
when the dark-clouded Son of Cronos had privily bent her to
his will.
Hail, children of Tyndareus, riders upon swift horses!
Pythia
The King of Argos Eurystheus
Chorus: Hail!
Eurystheus (aria): Oh God of Olympus we are offering you the Olympic
Games.
Let the first
Olympic Games begin, the Hellenic Games.
Praise to our
Gods, Glory to our young, Glory to our generation. Glory to Heracles
Our hero. Who
saves our land from all evil, and formed these Games. Glory to our Athletes.
Glory and honour
to our athletes. Hellas brings all it’s children together!
Chorus: Honour
and glory to our athletes. Hellas brings all it’s children together.
Eurystheus: And now Heracles shall bring the Olympic Flame.
Chorus: Hail Heracles
and the Olympic Flame. Hail Eurystheus, Argos and Hellas!
Heracles: The message of these games is «Keep trying and
you will succeed. No matter how difficult the circumstances are, success is
possible»
Eurystheus: If you are victorious in the Olympic Games, then you are exalted among people.
This institution brings mortals as close as possible to the Gods, this
gathering will help the Hellenes to befriend each other.
Heracles: Oh King Eurystheus, and oh people of Hellas, hear me.
(aria) The flame
of knowledge I’ve lit, the gift of Prometheus to us.
Oh people of
Hellas to Prometheus we owe
our knowledge and abilities.
The birth of
civilization belongs to us! Oh Hellenes, we all want a sun to shine over the
sky of our wisdom. An immense shining sky here!
Prometheus’ flame burns! Oh Light of knowledge, holy light
of truth!
How you enlight
the dark! To shine with you we can, eternal light of knowledge. Holy Flame of
the Gods! Oh Prometheus we
hold the light of the future in our hands, the knowledge of the Gods.
Eurystheus: Oh Heracles. We owe it all to our Gods, but most of all to Prometheus.
Chorus:
Glory to Prometheus! Glory to the Hellenes!
Eurystheus: Let the games begin!
Pythia: The first challenge
is wrestling. Iolaus and Phoebos.
Chorus:
Iolaus, Iolaus! Phoebos, Phoebos!
Pythia: Iolaus is victorius! Bring the wreath!
Chorus:
Wreath the winner with olive branches!
Pythia: Alexander and Nikomachos
Chorus:
Glory to the Hellenes!
Second Act
Trachiniae. In front
of Heracles palace alone is Deianeira
Alcmene (aria): Dame Deianeira, I’ve seen you bitterly mourning for the loss of Heracles many times.
And now it’s time that relatives may share their thoughts. And I believe what I
will say is for your own good. Since you have children, why not send one to
find your husband Heracles. Hyllos surely wouldn’t people to believe that he
did not care about his father’s fate. There is our young one approaching.
Hyllos (aria): Last night
Zeus appeared in the dark and asked me to find my father Heracles. That it was
time he returned home and ended his labours, so Zeus told me. Mother I shall
return with father, back to our home for you and Alcmene. But I fear that now Gods and men now agree
for father the hero to return home. Oh glorious Zeus light the way with the
flame of Olympus so Heracles may be praised and we may honour you!
Conversation
Deianeira: My child, my flesh and blood Hyllus. I believe
that Alcmene’s words were right, and as the mother of
Heracles these words she uttered.
Hyllos: Tell me what he said, if you think you
may
Deianeira: She told me that it’s shameful that the father is
away without knowing where his child is
Hyllos: But I know what to believe out of all
they say
Deianeira: and what is it you hear them say
Hyllos: They say that last year he spent a long
time with a woman named Lydia.
Deianeira: I can expect anything if that is true
Hyllos: But I heard that he was absolved
Deianeira: Is he alive or dead my child?
Hyllos: They say that he is campaigning in Euboea, for Euritus town
Deianeira: You know I have certain prophecies for that land
Hyllos: Tell me mother
Deianeira: That either he will lose his life trying or he
will conquer this challenge too and live the rest of his life in peace. If it
comes down to this, my child, won’t you help save your father as that is our
only path to salvation.
Hyllos: Sweet mother I too desire that father
returns. It is a huge burden to be the hero’s first born. But now I feel like I
don’t want to be without knowing the truth. But mother I must go, and if I knew
of the prophecies I would gave gone long before.
Deianeira: Go my child, learning the truth even late is of
benefit to us all
Alcmene: Yes my child Hyllos, go.
Duet Hyllos and Macaria
Hyllos: Let
them sing hymns in our palace,
and let harmonius Orphaic
voices be heard.
For our protector Apollo with Bow and Quiver.
Let us sing a song to thank him.
Happily I soar and am inebriated by sounds of the flute
while I merrily stray into a Bacchic dance of
victory.
Hyllos/Macaria:
As divine siblings like Artemis and Apollo with the moon
as our torch guiding us.
Macaria: Hyllus bring forth the news along with
Heracles with
Sailing along the shining winds of the Muses
On the Lyra play a sweet song of return
Happily I soar and am inebriated with the thought of the sweet tune
Of the flute making me dance a victorious dance
Hyllos: Sacrifices
he will offer for the beast that desires
Macaria: The Lyra will
sweetly play on
Hyllos: To
the song of the Olympian Gods
Hyllos/Macaria:
As divine siblings like Artemis and Apollo with the moon
as our torch guiding us.
Oh! Makaria wish me godspeed
And as I return the stars will shine brighter in the sky!
Macaria: Brighter!
Hyllos: Goodbye!
Deianeira (monologue):
One old proverb reads “Until one is dead, it cannot be said if he lived happy
or sad life”. However I could say that my life is a tormenting and sad life
before my descent to Hades. Poor Deianeira in you I see all my life. The Achelous river appeared in three
shapes to hunt Deianeira. Sometimes as a Bull others as a Dragon and other times as an Ox.
Heracles witnessing her despair, and defeating Achelous liberates her. I
couldn’t hide my happiness, I was just staring from far. As soon as she became
his wife then my fear was endless. Oh! Because my heart always suffers for him.
Night brings him and night takes him away. He had children which he witnessed
as the farmer does a crop, only when he sows and reaps it. And now that he
could have finished all his labours I still suffer. And in a bitter suffering
he has left us. We remain in the montrous Trachina, but where Heracles is no one
knows. And my mind makes me think that something bad has happened to him. Oh,
oime! For it is not a short time that we haven’t heard from him. I fear a
terrible thing has happened and I beg for the compassion of the Gods. Oime!
Alcmene &
Deianeira (duet)
Alcmene: Deianeira my sweet child,
constantly you cry and are full of passion for my son
Deianeira: All these years I fear of losing him mother
Alcmene: Zeus who gave him to me put you on his life’s
path to stay
Deianeira: How nice it is to hear, but a sorrow consumes me
Alcmene: I feel that too
Deianeira: But then by the sadness that you see on me, do
you wish to feel the same?
When will Zeus
bring him to me..
Alcmene: The time is approaching
Deianeira: How much longer, time flies
Alcmene: every moment of yours and every pain is eternal.
Deianeira: Oh Mother my pain is horrible
Love is victor,
mother
Alcmene: Love never stops hurting you
Do you fear what
you feel my queen
Deianeira: Oh mother the wine of Aphrodite was very bitter.
Alcmene: Oh Aphrodite woman of all women the heart will
always suffer by a man.
Be it child be it
husband, only a woman can heal the heart of a man.
Deianeira: It depends on the man.. may he return home, Oh
Aphrodite help me, bring him home, show him the way.
Trio Alcmene, Deianeira, Macaria
Women of Trachina (Trachineae/Trachiniae) (choral)
To him who as he dies away to the night, the night
gives birth to again, the flaming sun, I ask of the Sun to me to reveal where
the flesh and blood of Alcmene can be found. You musn’t lose hope oh
great Deianeira.
I cry for you, for you are a sad bird my queen.
Deianeira: I assume you heard of my tragedy and you came,
but may you never now the pain that eats away at my heart. Many horrific events
have made me cry but none more than what I shall tell you.
Before Heracles
left for his final journey, he left his will to me, for what his children will
receive as paternal inheritance, if he is to be away for over a year and three
months.
As the ancient
beech said with the voice of two pigeons to Dodoni.
Time has come for
all these things to come true and be done with one by one.
And this is why I
wake from my sleep troubled, from sweet sleep.
I fear so much
that from having the greatest of all men to end up without him. Oh pity me and
my sorrow.
Women
(choral): Aphrodite is
victor with her great strength.
No one can subdue
her.
When the Angry Achelous river and the sun of Zeus Heracles fought for Deianeira’s love only she were left standing.
Alcmene: Up on the hill the Dame with her beautiful eyes awaited for the Victorious
Heracles.
Women
(choral): The flute with
it’s sweet sound, must play now a holy sweet song, and bring back the son of
Zeus and Alcmene.
Alcmene: May he return as he did then, victorious by his
wife’s side.
Deianeira: Dear beloved
Women
(choral): Goddess Aphrodite bring back Heracles to Deianeira and his home with this sweet song of the flute.
Alcmene: Be always optimistic, and now you see someone
bearing wreath, be joyous!
Deianeira: Who could that be?
Alcmene: It looks like Iolaus, Heracles’ friend.
But I cannot see
Heracles, but one woman that is with him.
Who could she be
I’ve never seen her...
Deianeira: I know her...
Let us get inside
and I have gifts to send him for the gifts that he sent.
Alcmene: Come inside my children.
They enter the palace. Deianeira sends the tunic to Heracles. Sun
is setting.
The shriek of Deianeira is heard who runs out troubled.
Deianeira: Ah! I fear my beloved ones that I may have done
more than I should have
Women
(choral): What’s wrong Deianeira? What?
Deianeira (Cavatina): Hear my sorrow women, and you shall cry
with me
Dark tears hard
as stone!
About the Tunic I
sent to Heracles, hear me.
When on our
wedding trip with Heracles we reached the Evinos River, there the Centaur
Nessos was going to take us across for a sum of money. As we were crossing he
layed his hands on me. I screamed and immediately a poison arrow Heracles shot
in to his lungs. Before he died he said «daughter of the old man Oeneus, if you gather my blood and add to it
the Hydras poison you will have a potion to keep Heracles eternally faithfull
to you, he will never stare at another woman». Thus I remembered where I had it
hidden in the palace. I painted the tunic with the potion. And so I try with
potion to br victorious and make him come back to me. I love him and I want him
next to me forever, I am the
wife of Heracles.
Women
(choral): Why are you so fearful then?
Deianeira: (caballeta) But the wool that I used to apply the
potion to the tunic that Heracles shall wear is lost. I hid the potion from the
sun as the centaur had told me when he had the arrow deep inside his side. And
so I did. But desiring to use it, I went into the hidden part of the palace and
took it. And with a piece of wool dipped in the filter I applied the potion to
the tunic. I then folded the tunic in a crate and hid it from the rays of the
sun till Heracles would wear it. But as I entered the palace I saw the piece of wool which had fallen into
the light of the sun and it was dissolved, like saw dust falling from fresh cut wood!
I believe I have
done a great evil to Heracles. I didn’t understand that the Centaur Nessos had
betrayed me, And Why would he have done any good to me when I was the reason of
his peril, he simply desired to destroy he who shot him with the arrow. Oime!
Alcmene: It is natural to fear unhappiness but not before
it has come true one should not lose hope.
Macaria: Mother,
Hyllus is coming home bearing news from our father…
Hyllos: Macaria what misfortune has struck our home
Macaria/ Alcmene: Hyllos what is wrong
Hyllos: How I wish this mother was not ours for
she has brought so much sadness upon our family
Deianeira: What have I done for you to bear such hate for me
my child? What did you hear?
Hyllos: Let it be known that you murdered our
father
Deianeira: No!
Hyllos: Yes, you!
Deianeira: Me? But how? Tell me!
Hyllos: With the tunic that you sent him
Deianeira: Ahh! What misery has struck me
Hyllos: He is slowly dying a little further down,
soon he will be here, I got here first.
Chorus: What
Horror
Deianeira: Look at me now Zeus
Hyllos: He cannot be saved... quivering in pain
from the poison
Deianeira: Oh Gods of Olympus, my poor father... what
have you done mother!
Alcmene: Oh fate! Heracles my poor child
Chorus:
You killed your own husband you wretch
Deianeira: (Aria) Look how all the prophecies came true.
The well of tears
has overflowed with all this evil
I’m done, oh misery.
Oh Heracles oime!
What will I do?
How will I end this life? Oh, oh oh!
The wailing is
not dull, no, they are shrieks of despair.
A curse upon your
grave Centaur, a Curse!
Oh, my husband
the great hero. Heracles where might you be now, what are you thinking, do you
hate me? Gods! Oime! You hate me, the horror! Heracles your blood is boiling
with hate, oime! Let me be lost. Forgive me Heracles! I love you Heracles!
Chorus:
Where are you going?
Deianeira roams as if she’s lost, suddenly she sees a
piece of Iron, she grabs it and kills herself in front of them all.
Chorus:
Ah!
Alcmene: Deianeira No!
Macaria: Mother!
Heracles is carried
in groaning. Iolaus gives his hand to Heracles, he clenches it
and stands up
Heracles
(aria) : Oh Zeus
my father, why have you left me to die like this? So unfairly at home and not
at battle? Your own demigod son. Open up Hades. Father cast your lighting upon
me. What I horror I’m enduring. Look at the miserable state I am in. Is this what I get for the sacrifices I made Zeus? These hands, these
arms, are you the ones who beat the Lion of Nemea, the Hydra, Kerveros and the
Centaurs? My Glory has reached the stars all the way to Olympus. No one has
defeated me till now, and I have endured all the pain. Now I moan. Ah!
Conversation
Heracles: This tunic is tearing my body
apart, what horror ah!
Hyllus you are my
son, prove it to me, do not honour your mother’s name over mine! Bring her to
me...
Macaria: Father... you should know that she killed
herself not long ago
Heracles: Ahh! She took her own life when I should have
been the one to take it away
Chorus:
Without a mother and a father what will the poor child become of
Heracles: Mother, come to my arms
Alcmene: Heracles my child, only Deianeira truly loved you
Chorus: She took her own life for you, for she
could not face you Heracles
Alcmene: My children... My son, son of Zeus, where is your
father to save you? Why has he abandoned you? Why? My child, when I laid by
Zeus I always believed you would be invincible and immortal. But Deianeira as she beared witness of your love with that slave desired to win you
back with a potion, she was so mistaken.
Heracles: Who was this wise wizard from
Trachinae?
Alcmene: The dying Centaur Nessus had convinced here that
such a potion would secure your passion only for her
Heracles: Oime! An ancient prophecy by my
father read that I would die from someone who had passed already to Hades. I am at the peak of calamity.
Hyllos where are
you my child come to me
Macaria: Father what it is?
Tell me and I’ll
do whatever you wish, Hyllos went up the hill for he could not bear witness
Heracles: Tear out the olive and oak branches
and with a resin soaked torch make a large fire and throw me in so I may burn
Macaria: But father how can you ask of us to do
such a thing? How could our own hands do this?
Heracles: It must be done my child. I do not
ask you to murder but to free me. Do not just stare at me, order them. Call
Hyllus to give the order, Hyllus my beloved child come so I may see you...
Alcmene: Did you hear him? Gather the wood
Chorus:
Disaster! Zeus! Fire! Oime! Fire! Start a fire!
A lighting bolt
tears through the sky, and the thunder of Zeus is heard. The Titan Prometheus
appears
Prometheus: Heracles!
Heracles: Prometheus... you came?
Prometheus
(aria): I came to take you to
Olympus, to Zeus your father.
O Heracles son of
all people, come, we will go to another world, shiny as the sun.
Wish earth
farewell. The soul of God is as the fate of one mortal!
Do not despair
people. He is lucky to climb Olympus while he is still alive.
He will leave
this life with great joy. The time will when all of you will soar amongst the
Gods.
Chorus:
Oh what heavenly words
Prometheus: Let us go now Heracles.
Heracles: My pain has subsided, look at me my
children with joy, my sweet mother... Lead the way Prometheus!
Prometheus: Above the skies, beyond mortal and the earthly
Chorus:
Beyond earth, beyond humans, above the sky, to the great Zeus. To Golden
Olympus
Prometheus: An Olympian God will come to earth but as a mortal!
Chorus: The flame which you gave us we shall give to the
one who will come
Prometheus: The Olympic Flame of wisdom shall shine for all the world!
Chorus: Flame!
 |
| Hellenic American Orchestra conducted by Jestin Pieper Heracles: Demetrios John Tsinopoulos, tenor Deianira: Elisabeth Shoup, Soprano Hyllos & Prometheus: Kofi Hayford, bass Macaria & Iole: Stella Papatheodorou, soprano Alkmene: Viktoriya Koreneva, mezzo-soprano Stage director: Eli Markos Production manager: Billy Chrissochos |
