The Arrest of Bacchus
by Joseph M. Barat

CHARACTERS

BACCHUS - the God of Wine
PENTHEUS - the intolerant King of Thebes
AGAVE - King Pentheus' Mother
TEIRESIAS - Prophet and seer to the King
GUARDS - in service to King Pentheus (one who speaks)
BACCHAE - madwomen followers of Bacchus (one who speaks)

[PENTHEUS sits on a throne with AGAVE, TEIRESIAS, and GUARDS at his sides.]

Pentheus: This Bacchus comes to my kingdom and wreaks his havoc
in my streets and in my countryside.
He brings with him his drunken-mad followers,
Who dance provocatively and commit obscene acts!
[Enter the BACCHAE, dancing, giggling, and frolicking about wearing ivy & carrying small thyrsus's and drinking wine.]
This will not be tolerated in my kingdom!
Go and seize this man whose cheeks are flushed with wine
Who claims to be the son of Mighty Jove.
[Exit guards]

Teiresias: This man you so reject is a new God.
He is, indeed, Jupiter's child by Semele.
He, with Demeter, is a great God on Earth.

[PENTHEUS turns to TEIRESIAS to find that the BACCHAE have dressed him in ivy, and he is holding a thyrsus.]

Pentheus: Out! Senile man! You blind seer!
Out of my court!

[Re-enter guards with Bacchus.]

[Unseen by PENTHEUS, AGAVE partakes of the wine the BACCHAE brought with them.]

Guard: This man has come to Thebes with many wonders.
And he came freely to this court.
Pentheus: [angered] You're a fool to have come freely!
I shall have you locked in jail until you rot!

Bacchus: [gently and calmly] You cannot lock me in a prison,
For Jove will set me free.

Pentheus: Jove?

Bacchus: Yes,my Father. He is here and sees my suffering.

Pentheus: I do not see him!.
I see only a drunkard who thinks he's important!

Bacchus: He is where I am.
You cannot see him, for you are not pure.

Pentheus: [greatly angered] Guards! Bind him and cast him into prison!
I've had enough of his drunken stupidity!

Bacchus: The wrongs you do me are wrongs you do to the Gods.

[The GUARDS round up the BACCHAE, and one tries to fasten BACCHUS' hands, but the ties fall off.]

Guard: We bind his hands but the tethers fall loose!

Bacchus: I have told you, no bonds can hold me.
Accept that I am a God
And embrace my worship and my teachings.

Pentheus: I will not worship a drunken fool
Who is followed around by hussies, loose women, and intoxicated mad men!
You are nothing but a delusioned drunkard,
Who is worshipped by lushes, sots, and inebriates!

[PENTHEUS rises to approach BACCHUS, and Bacchus snaps his fingers or claps his hands].
Agave: [pointing at Pentheus] Look! A wild boar!
Let us catch it! It will be a feast!

[AGAVE and the BACCHAE tackle PENTHEUS to the ground and tear him apart, giggling and cheering. Another snap or clap from BACCHUS, and the BACCHAE return to his side, and AGAVE weeps and screams at the horror she realizes. Exit AGAVE, screaming and crying.]

A Bacchae: In strange ways, hard to know Gods come to men.
And hard to believe men come to know Gods in tragic ways.
And so this has come to pass.

[Exit Guards dragging Pentheus' remains]

[Exit Bacchus and Bacchae]

©Copyright 1997 by Devyn