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myNotes

SCENE I

SETTING: Ancient Greece
Lights up on a large banquet hall where people are standing and

chatting. Lights go up on Polydectes, who stands upper stage right.

1 Polydectes: (sweeping his arms toward the door) Behold my banquet.
Everyone is invited, but all know that the price of admission is a gift fit
for a king.

2 (A man bows and presents a golden goblet to the king.)

3 Yes, a golden goblet is a worthy gift. (He laughs.) Yet soon Perseus will
come with no gift. He is penniless but loaded with pride, which I
intend to use to my good. I have devised a plan to marry his mother,

Danae, who so far has refused me. Yes, the trap is set. Soon Danae will
be mine. (He raises his fist to indicate victory.)

4 (Perseus enters, holding the hand of his mother.)

5 Polydectes: Ah, Perseus, son of Zeus, and the lovely Danae. What gift
do you bring to your king?

6 Perseus: My king, you surely know I cannot afford an expensive gift.

7 Polydectes: Attention, everyone! This man insults his king by
bringing no gift!

8 (Crowd twitters in disapproval.) Are you so lazy that you spend your
time gazing up at the stars and wishing on them for your fortune?

(Crowd laughs.)

9 Perseus: (angrily) I can give you any gift you wish! (A hush fills the
hall.) Just name it!

10 Polydectes: That’s quite a claim.

11 Perseus: Tell me what you want.

devised If you devised a plan, you figured out a way to achieve that plan.

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