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NEVER WAS A GOOD WAR* - PART TWO
HECUBA AGAIN: 10 Page Sample - Frank Canino
*There never was a good war or a bad peace.” – Benjamin Franklin
[After the Trojan War Queen Hecuba has lost her last daughter as a sacrifice for the
Greeks. But worse news is coming that will lead her to a desperate act of revenge.]
Scene 6
CHORUS
Justice who has seen justice in this world? Go to your courts.... go to your government,
and what do you find? Indifference, corruption and plain cruelty.
Ask the gods why there is suffering, and starvation in this world.
What do they answer? “Oh, I was going to put the same question to you.”
So what rules us all then: gods and men? Remorseless Necessity, blind and unfeeling?
Better never to have been born than live as a man or woman in this cruel world. So the poets
and philosophers tell us. But they cling to life as desperately as we do.
Then is it better to live in this nightmare of a world, than go down to the house of the
dead? Of which we know nothing! Why do the gods keep us in darkness, in ignorance, of what
happens after death?
Why can’t the gods be compassionate? Do they ever feel our suffering? The suffering
they inflict on us.
I dreamed that some god suffered with us– and for us. A god who gave good for evil.
And the world was amazed.
Only a coward or a madman gives good for evil. Keep your dreams – your fantasies –
to yourself.
Look someone else is coming. Watch out! It’s more bad news.
Scene 7 [ Talthybius enters.]
TALTHYBIUS
Where’s Hecuba? I have to talk to her.
OENONE
There: my poor mistress lies on the ground, broken and bleeding --- and all because of you
goddam Greeks.
CHORUS
Goddam Greeks!
TALTHYBIUS
All right, ladies! Let me tell you I hate this fucking job. I always have to be the messenger that
delivers the bad news. Knock on the door....” Sorry to inform you, ma’am or mister or little girl
or grandma, but your son or brother or nephew or grandson was killed in the line of duty.”
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HECUBA
I recognize you now. You herded us out of Troy before you burned it. Then you took my
daughter Cassandra away and my daughter-in-law, Andromache with her little boy, Astyanax.
TALTHYBIUS
Correct, ma’am.
HECUBA
What’s your name?
TALTHYBIUS
Talthybius, ma’am.
HECUBA
Yes! You’re the man who killed my grandson.
TALTHYBIUS
Right, ma’am.
HECUBA
Why?
TALTHYBIUS
Just doin’ my duty.
HECUBA
Killing a child is your duty?!?
TALTHYBIUS
Yes, ma’am. I just follow orders. War is about order and discipline.
HECUBA
So what kind of order kills a little boy?
TALTHYBIUS
Just what we had to do, ma’am. I made it as fast and painless as possible. The sergeant says,
“You can cut his throat or just shoot him.” But I knew a better way. “Hey, kid”, I says, “here
we go flyin’ high.” So I pick him up and whirl him around. And he loves it. He’s screaming
“More... more!” I’m swinging him around, faster and faster, higher and higher..... until I let go
of him and he sails over the city walls and – crash– he’s dead on the ground. Never felt any
pain, ma’am, I can promise you. Just laughing and flying till the last second.
HECUBA
Do you have children?
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Yes, ma’am.
TALTHYBIUS
Three... and maybe more since I left home.
HECUBA
I hope they all die..... horribly.
TALTHYBIUS
Yes, ma’am. I understand, ma’am.
HECUBA
Tell me how my daughter died.
TALTHYBIUS
They made it a media event cameras with reporters all over the place. All our soldiers were
hyped up, screaming for blood. Pyhrrus, Achilles’ stupid son, is there, twirling his sword like a
baton and hollering “Avenge my father’s ghost. Only blood will satisfy my father, the blood of
a Trojan — and a virgin!” The crowd goes wild again, cheering him on. So Pyhrrus starts
praying “Father Achilles, be gracious to us, your fellow soldiers and Greeks. Accept the blood
of this girl. Send us winds to fill our sails so we can get back home to our families.” And the
crowd groans, “Amen! Yes, Lord, get us back home.” Then Phyrrus starts to twirl his sword
around again. He’s getting ready to execute Polyxena, but he’s playing to all the cameras and the
crowd first. I can see that the damn fool is nervous as hell, and that he isn’t even sure how to
go about killing her. Meanwhile Polyxena is standing there next to me, trembling and her
knees shaking. She says to me “I can’t let them see I’m afraid. Help me, Talthybius..” Soldiers
come forward to drag her to the scaffold. But she says, “ Don’t touch me, anyone of you Greeks.
Let me die free. I’m a princess of royal blood, and I scorn to die the death of a slave. When the
soldiers hear this, they start cheering her. Suddenly they’re on her side. “Free her!” they’re
screaming. Even Agamemnon ordered his men to step back. I could see she was ready to faint,
but she kept walking forward toward Phyrrus and his goddam sword. Then I knew what I could
do. So I took out my pistol: Bang! A bullet to the back of her head while she was distracted by
the sword. Fast and painless, ma’am, I can promise you.
HECUBA
I don’t understand . You seem like a decent man, but you kill innocent children and young girls.
TALTHYBIUS
War, ma’am.
It’s a bad business.
HECUBA
So what am I left with? One crazy daughter and a half-grown up son. I’ll never see Cassandra
again, and only the gods know what’s happening to my Polydorus. No, shut up up, Hecuba.
All this is the rambling nothing of despair, when the gods leave you desolate and alone. ...... Do
me this last favor.
TALTHYBIUS
Anything I can do, ma’am.
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HECUBA
Go back to the Greeks and tell them no one is to touch my daughter’s body. I’m afraid of your
soldiers a mob that can cheer you one moment and tear you apart the next. Only I and my
women will be responsible for preparing her body for the funeral rites. We’ll come soon. Go
on. Just do it!
TALTHYBIUS
As you wish, ma’am.
[Talthybius exits]
Scene 8
HECUBA
Oenone, go down to the shore and fill your pitcher with water. We’ll wash Polyxena’s body and
dress her for the grave. At least we can bury her decently.
OENONE
Yes, majesty.
HECUBA
Don’t call me that. I’m not a queen anymore. And you’re only the slave of a slave now.
OENONE
Yes,.... ma’am.
HECUBA
See if you can find some fishermen who can help us carry her back here.
OENONE
Yes, majesty.
HECUBA
And I told you not to call me that.
OENONE
I’m too old to change now!
HECUBA
Go on then. Women, I beg you bring me anything – a scarf, some earrings – anything to dress
my poor Polyxena, a bride who was never a bride. Let’s not bury her like a beggar bundled into
a hole in the ground. ....... So this is what I’ve come to: No home, no husband, no children. A
stranger on this earth. The gods have stripped me of everything. I even have to beg for trinkets
to bury my daughter. Destiny or divine will: whatever you call it — has toppled me from a
throne to a ditch — worse than a beggar or a stray dog. Are the gods laughing at me? What
more can they do to me? ........ What did my poor old granny say? “Count yourself lucky at the
end of the day If no calamity has come your way.”
[She exits]
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Scene 9
CHORUS
Who brought this disaster on us? Helen! That bitch! That slut! Putana! Troia! Korva!
Who asked her to spread her legs for Paris, that mindless fucker with a perpetual hard-on?
Two beautiful animals met and made the beast with two backs. And because of them, we lose
our city, our husbands, our children – everything. Mindless as rutting dogs in heat, they fucked
their way to ecstacy And left us behind — in misery.
O these beautiful people - without a
thought for us: the less than beautiful with a nose – a bust – an ass – too large – or small.
We’re the women who raised the children and lost their waistlines, Who cooked three meals a
day and grew fat thighs, While Helen bathed in rose water and doused herself in perfume,
Waiting for another rapturous night with Paris of the golden thighs And tireless dick! O these
beautiful people who make our life a living hell — FUCK THEM ALL!!
Scene 10
[Oenone enters with two fishermen carrying a covered corpse]
OENONE
Jesus, Mary & Joseph ! What are the gods doing to us!
CHORUS
What’s wrong now, Oenone? What are you dragging back with you there? We send you for
water and you bring us a sack of .... what??
OENONE
You don’t want to know. I found him on the shore, washed up like a piece of garbage. Thank
the Lord, these fishermen were nearby to help me. Call the queen, right now.
CHORUS
She’s resting in her tent. Let her be.
OENONE
Not for long. O Jesus! That I have be the one to bring her this news.
CHORUS
Shush! Or you’ll wake her up.
HECUBA
I’m awake. Stop your caterwauling. Oenone, why have you brought me Polyxena’s body? I
told the Greeks I would come to their camp to bury her.
OENONE
Majesty, my poor queen, it’s not Polyxena’s body here.
HECUBA
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O gods, no! Not my Cassandra? Has Agamemnon tired of her so quickly and murdered her?
OENONE
No, Cassandra’s safe in the Greek camp.
HECUBA
Then what have you and these fishermen dragged here?
OENONE
My poor lady, I can’t find the words to tell you.
HECUBA
Shut up then. Uncover the body – or whatever it is – and let me see.
[She uncovers the body of Polydorus, Hecuba’s
youngest son.]
HECUBA
No, no. Not my son. Not my baby, my Polydorus. Please, God, tell me this is another dream.
OENONE
I didn’t know what to do, majesty. So I begged these fishermen to carry him back to you.
HECUBA
I thought the gods had destroyed me utterly. Now I see there is a place worse than destruction
and far beyond hell.
CHORUS
Did he drown. Or was he killed somewhere on land?
OENONE
No, he was washed up on the shore. Slaughtered first then thrown into the sea.
HECUBA
Now I know what my dream meant. That innocent animal was my son.
CHORUS
But who did this? Did the dream tell you that?
HECUBA
Nestorius, King of Thrace, king of this goddam country that only knows how to kill my children.
CHORUS
Why would he do such a thing?
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HECUBA
We thought that Nestorius was our friend, our closest ally. So we sent Polydorus to him to
safeguard our last-born. And with him we sent a treasure of gold and jewels.
CHORUS
So Nestorius killed him for the treasure?
HECUBA
Greed, greed unspeakable and endless. To hell with friendship, honor, trust. To hell with all the
laws of God and man. What is there left in this world – in this universe –if one man’s greed can
hack my child to pieces? And leave me alone in the world.
CHORUS
Watch out! Some Greeks are coming again. Who is it? Agamemnon. Another goddam
Greek!
Scene 11 [Agamemnon enters]
AGAMEMNON
Hecuba, what’s taking you so long? You’re holding us up. Talthybius passed on your
message. So why aren’t you helping to bury your daughter? I’ve ordered my men to keep their
hands off of her, which is the best I can do in this bloody business. And that “best” doesn’t mean
much in this shithole of a war.
HECUBA
Look here, Agamemnon.
AGAMEMNON
What the hell is this? Some Trojan kid? We’re not killing them anymore.
HECUBA
This boy — I carried him in my womb, and gave birth to him with such pain.
AGAMEMNON
He was your son?
HECUBA
My last .... my youngest.... my angel.
AGAMEMNON
His name?
HECUBA
Polydorus.
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AGAMEMNON
Was he in Troy with you?
HECUBA
No, we sent him away to keep him safe — our worst decision.
AGAMEMNON
Then who did this?
HECUBA
Your friend, King Nestorius of Thrace.
AGAMEMNON
Jesus Christ, I knew these Thracians were as bad as savages. But this is.... this is ....
HECUBA
Obscene.
AGAMEMNON
Yeah, OK. I’m not good with words, but I know a shit deal when I see it. Ahh!!! Sorry, Hecuba.
Talking like this....I’ve been living with soldiers in the field for ten years. It rubs off on you.
HECUBA
No, you spoke well. And to the point.
AGAMEMNON
Why would Nestorius kill your boy like this?
HECUBA
We sent Polydorus to him for safekeeping, with a treasure of gold and jewels.
AGAMEMNON
So he killed your boy for the treasure?
HECUBA
As soon as he heard Troy had fallen, and he thought we were all dead. Your Thracian ally
butchered my little boy. I thought he was a loyal friend --- now I know he’s my worst enemy.
AGAMEMNON
Where did you find the boy?
HECUBA
My slave found him by the shore – accidentally. She went to fetch some water to prepare my
daughter’s body for burial. Now we have two mutilated bodies to bury.
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AGAMEMNON
Christ almighty! If I had the son of a bitch here, I’d strangle him.
HECUBA
Yes, you can feel my pain – a little, because you too lost a child. Your own Iphigenia.... we all
know the story. The gods demanded her life so your fleet could sail to plunder Troy. Ten years
later and my daughter is sacrificed to a ghost so your ships can sail back home. Are the gods
laughing at us? So you and I have that much in common.
AGAMEMNON
Don’t talk about that. Please. I didn’t understand the gods then, and I still don’t.
HECUBA
No, some wounds never heal, do they? If there’s such a thing as a goddess of Misery, she
knows a little of what you and I have suffered – and will suffer forever. Here I’m on my knees.
Just listen to me for a moment.
AGAMEMNON
Get up. I don’t like anyone kneeling to me.
HECUBA
I have to kneel , because I’m begging you – like a god. Listen If I had done something very
wrong, broken a rigid taboo, then all the disasters the gods are visiting on my poor head might be
justified. Yes?
AGAMEMNON
Right enough. You violate something sacred, and the gods will shit on you.
HECUBA
But I’ve done nothing wrong, while this man, this Nestorius...... !! We entrusted him with our
most precious possession: our last son, and the treasures of Troy. Nestorius swore to safeguard
both with his life. But what does he do instead? Slaughters my poor boy and throws his body in
the sea.
AGAMEMNON
Yes, he stabbed you in the back – and much worse.
HECUBA
See me here a slave with no power. But there are still gods above us. And above them is the
rule of law of justice and injustice. If this man kills a trusting guest – my innocent baby – and
goes unpunished, then there is no law, and the gods are useless, and there’s nothing but death
and corruption left for us here on earth.
AGAMEMNON
All right, I get your point. But I’m not one for this kind of philosophy Not my field.
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HECUBA
Right then: I’ll give you a personal argument: you’ve taken my daughter Kassandra to your bed.
AGAMEMNON
What’s that got to do with your problem here?
HECUBA
You’re a rough soldier and I am a queen, but we both know about that magic that happens in the
darkness of a bedroom ---a bonding between both partners, stronger than any other. You become
a member of each other’s family, stronger than a blood tie, because you chose to take that
woman into your bed, naked and vulnerable, delighting in each other’s body.
AGAMEMNON
Get to the point.
HECUBA
Quite simply You’re a member of our family now. This boy, my sweet Polydorus, is your
brother-in-law. So it’s your sacred duty to avenge his death. If not, you break a taboo that even
the gods cannot forgive.
AGAMEMNON
A good argument, Hecuba. And true maybe. But here’s my problem I’m the commander of an
army of surly and exhausted soldiers. Ten years of war have been too much for all of us. Now
we’re stuck here in Thrace, but Nestorius is our ally. I can’t be connected with whatever
punishment against him you’ll contrive. Nestorius may be a fucking vicious cowboy, but your
dead son there is still our enemy. That’s my dilemma. Nothing personal. It’s just business.
HECUBA
No, no, you misunderstood me. I’m not asking you to march against your ally. Nestorius is my
problem to solve. All I’m asking is that you turn a blind eye to whatever I do with him. You’ll
be innocent of my deeds. Turn your back on this maundering old woman and her few friends
here. What do you know of my plans? What need you know anything?
AGAMEMNON
Fair enough. I don’t know a goddam thing about what you crazy Trojan bitches are doing!
Whoever could figure out what goes on in a woman’s mind anyway?
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