Monologues

• Please prepare and memorize one monologue from the list below and one of your own choosing (or choose two from the ones given)

Talos

Context for monologue
In this scene, Talos has just been given life. He awakens fully conscious, and throughout the scene he rapidly gains intelligence as he observes and analyzes Hephaestus’ work. When you are performing this monologue, don’t worry about sounding like a robot; think more about Talos gaining understanding as the monologue goes on. How different is his tone at the beginning of the monologue compared to the end? Is he angry with Hephaestus, or does he ask his questions purely out of curiosity?

Words to Know
Psyche: Greek goddess of the soul  

Monologue:
A single bit of flesh. A weakness. A vein. That is all you gave me. Why? Can nothing but the gods be perfect, not even their own creations? Countless hours, you pored over every detail of me, molded the bronze of my breast, forged a soul worthy of Psyche; why? So you may watch as a simple knife grazes my heel and the blood you gave me rushes to the ground? No. Was it carelessness? Longing? Confined, ineffective retribution? No. Duty? A lesson? You think this a trial? Yes. You would think that.

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Callisto

Context for monologue
Callisto is an Arcadian princess who is part of Artemis’ band of hunters. When she joins Artemis, she swears a vow of chastity to her. However, she breaks this vow with Zeus and becomes pregnant, and is cast out of the group. Depending on the version of the myth, either Zeus, Hera, or Artemis then turn Callisto into a bear, and when she dies, Zeus places Callisto in the sky as the constellation Ursa Major. This scene will follow Callisto and her shepherd friend Daphnis just before Artemis discovers Callisto’s pregnancy.

Words to Know
Hemerasia: epithet meaning “She who Soothes”
Epithet: a descriptive title given to deities, often used by ancient Greeks out of fear and respect
Philomeirax: epithet meaning “Friend of Young Girls”
Prostateria: epithet meaning “Guardian”

Muses: goddesses of music

Monologue
She calls me closer, Daphnis; if I stand, she will see. She will accept no broken vow, yet the thought of silent Hemerasia cloaked in shade still puts me at ease. Go with me, Daphnis. She need only a glimpse to cast me out, but let her hear us first. Create a wondrous noise with your pipes, and I shall raise my voice in praise of Philomeirax. The persuading chorus of the Muses themselves could not stay her hand, yet let us go to her! She will see my face, and I wish to see the face of Prostateria a final time– even though it shall brim with rage.

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Daphnis 

Context for monologue
Daphnis is a shepherd and poet who was blinded by a naiad after breaking his promise to love only her. In the show, he will comfort Callisto as she hides her pregnancy from Artemis, often quoting poetry to help put her mind at ease. The stanza below is taken from Theocritus’ “Idyll VIII. The Second Country Singing-Match”, translated by J.M. Edmonds. The first five lines resemble dactylic meter (one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables), and the final line is in iambic meter (one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable). The words that you should put stress on are in bold. The stanza is Daphnis telling a story about a boy who played a prank on a girl; what tone should he have when reciting it? Is he gleefully retelling the story, or somberly using it as a lesson? You get to decide how he should feel about the poem.

Words to Know
Neat: Cow
Neatherd: Cowherd
Jape: A practical joke
Kine: A group of cows

Monologue
“Yestermorn a long-browed maid, spying from a rocky shade
Neat and neatherd passing by, cries “What a pretty boy am I!”
Did pretty boy the jape repay: Nay, bent his head and went his way.
Sweet to hear and sweet to smell, god wot I love a heifer well,
And sweet also ‘neath summer sky to sit where brooks go babbling by;
But ‘tis berry and bush, ‘tis fruit and tree, ‘tis calf and cow, wi’ my kine and me.”