A Garland For Anaxarete
By Joseph M. Barat

CAST
IPHIS
ANAXARETE
NURSE
SERVANTS

[Enter Iphis]

Iphis: I am Iphis,
A young man of Cypress and of humble parentage.
I have come to this house as a suitor -
To court and woo the fair Anaxarete.
Anaxarete! [Enter Anaxarete, above]
Thou fair and most beautiful Lady;
I, Iphis, come to woo thee!
Here I bring garlands and poetry
To demonstrate my affection for you!
[Hangs them on the gate post]
Aphrodite hath declared that I shall love,
And, by Her decry, Her son hath pierced me with his arrow;
That bolt which Man nor God hath power to resist.
By this, thou art the aesthetic creature I am bound to love.
Come, My Lady, and read the words that proclaim my heart's emotion!

Anaxarete: I'll come not, and I'll read not,
For I care not, and feel not for you. [Exits]

Iphis: [Removes poem from gatepost and reads]
Oh! Cupid have mercy!
Thy arrows fly fast
And stick deep.
Emotive tips intoxicate.
My heart swoons

Oh! Blind Archer!
Sweet Cherub of Love!
In your Quiver of Affection,
Have you a bolt for my beloved?
Charm her as you have me.

Oh! Son of Venus
Aphrodite's Child!
If I must love,
Let me be loved,
And let it be true!

[Enter Nurse from house]

Nurse: Get away from here boy!
You belong not on our step!

Iphis: I belong anywhere my love is.

Nurse: My Lady wishes you away from here.

Iphis: As it is her wish, I shall make it true. [Exits]

[Nurse removes garlands and poems from the gate post and throws them in the street.]

[Exit Nurse back into house]

[A few moments]

[Enter Anaxarete, above]

[A few moments]

[Enter Iphis with more garlands and poetry]

Iphis: Here I bring more garlands and verses for my beloved.
I hang them here for you. [Hangs them on the gate post]
And I shall hang here on thy doorstep until you come to read them.

Anaxarete: Then thou shall wait an eternity!
I will not read your foolish writing!

Iphis: I shall wait as long as the Fates allow.
As long as Clotho spins,
Until the end of Lachesis ruler, when Atrpos cuts,
I will wait here till you allow me to make you happy!

Anaxarete: When the Fates cut your thread, then will you make me happy!

Iphis: But I die already of the love sickness.

Anaxarete: Then die of the malady of love!
I shall offer you no cure.
[Exit Iphis, crying]
Nurse!

[Nurse enters and throws the garlands and the poetry in the street again]

[Exit Anaxarete. & Nurse]

[Re-enter Iphis with a garland and climbs the wall/fence next to the gate post.]

Iphis: [crying] Anaxarete! Let your heart rejoice!
[Enter Anaxarete, above]
You have triumphed! Crown your head with laurel!
You have conquered me!
You shall no longer after this day see me here!
You shall no longer need to endure my advances!
I love you, and so I give you that which makes you happy!
[ties garland to gate post]
Perhaps this last garland will please you, cruel girl!!
[hangs himself with garland and dies]

[Anaxarete flinches and screams. Out of the house rush the Nurse and Servants.]

Nurse: Take down the boy and bring him to his mother!

[Anaxarete turns her head away. Nurse returns to the house]

[Servants take down Iphis and begin to carry him away.]

[Enter Aphrodite. Anaxarete glances back at the body.]

Aphrodite: Look upon this sad procession!
Curses 'pon you! you hard maiden!
As your heart is stone, so shall you be!
A statue for eternity!

[Re-enter Nurse, above to comfort Anaxarete, she touches her to find her a solid stature]

Nurse: O Horrors!! My Lady Anaxarete! Thou art stone! [cries]

Aphrodite: Cold-hearted maidens, have not my favor! [Exit]

©Copyright 1997 by Devyn