SCOPE.SCHOLASTIC.COM • 11

MYTH

Drama

he

from t

a story nt world

ancie

Into

MAZE

the

OF

DOOM

Can one young

hero save his

people from a

deadly monster?

ALLAN DAVEY

BY SPENCER KAYDEN

?

SCOPE. ? DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017

11

Characters

Circle the character you will play.

Damia, Liontis, Borus,

Courtiers 1, 2, 3

*Starred characters are major roles.

Athenian teenagers

Minotaur, a monster

*Narrators 1, 2, 3 (N1, N2, N3)

*Minos, King of Crete

*Aegeus, King of Athens and

Guard

Court, to be read by a group

Theseus¡¯s father

*Theseus, a young prince

*Ariadne, Minos¡¯s daughter

Spirit

As You

Read

Think about the character traits of a hero.

Theseus: Must you delight in the

torment of others?

Theseus: How do you know? Can you see the future?

Minos: That is the putrid smell of death.

N3: Aegeus wipes his beard with a silk napkin. He sighs

N2: Minos nods to the guard, who shoves Theseus

heavily.

through the door.

Aegeus: Many years ago, the son of King Minos of Crete

Minos: Good riddance!

came to Athens to compete in our sporting games. A

N3: The door slams shut with a loud clang.

strong and graceful young man, he won almost every

Minotaur (offstage ): ROAR!

event. I am ashamed to say that some Athenian youths

Scene 2

Athens, A month earlier

were jealous. There was a fight and . . . King Minos¡¯s son

was killed.

Theseus: How terrible!

Aegeus: Indeed. Minos threatened war. But he agreed

a fitting punishment.

fruit and roasted meats.

to peace under one condition: Every nine years, we

N2: Minos turns to his daughter.

N2: He is feasting on a leg of lamb when his son Theseus

must send 14 youths to be sacrificed to his horrible

N1: In a gloomy dungeon, several teenagers are curled

Minos: It is time for this prince to enter the maze and

approaches.

Minotaur.

up on a cold dirt floor. A guard pokes Theseus.

meet our monster. Wouldn¡¯t you agree, Ariadne?

Theseus: Father, why is all of Athens shrouded in black?

Theseus: What¡¯s a Minotaur?

Guard: You there¡ªget up.

N3: Ariadne locks eyes with Theseus.

Are we in mourning?

Aegeus: A violent beast¡ªhalf bull, half man¡ªthat feasts

N2: Theseus rises slowly.

Ariadne (quietly ): Yes, Father.

Aegeus: There is something I must tell you. I spared you

only on human flesh.

Guard: Time to face your doom.

N1: The guard opens a big iron door. Air rushes in.

this knowledge as long as possible, but I can protect you

Theseus: Surely there would be more honor in going to

N3: Theseus stands tall and proud. He turns to the other

Court: Gasp!

no longer.

war than in sending our own people to be eaten.

prisoners.

Courtier 1: What is that smell?

Theseus: What knowledge? Father, what is going on?

Aegeus: Minos¡¯s army is powerful. It would destroy us.

Theseus: Friends, I will see you again.

Courtier 2: It¡¯s horrendous!

Aegeus: Fourteen young Athenians are about to die.

Theseus: So instead you condemn innocent young

The island of Crete

ALLAN DAVEY

N1: King Aegeus sits at a long table covered with trays of

Scene 1

Minos: You call it torment; I call it

Go to Scope

Online to hear

these names

pronounced

aloud.

Courtier 3: I might faint!

Guard: Not likely. No one has

Athenians to death?

ever come back from where you

Aegeus: It is not a decision I make lightly, Son. The

are going.

youths are chosen randomly. I sacrifice a few for the

N1: The guard takes Theseus

good of the many. This is the burden of being king.

away.

N1: Theseus considers this.

Damia: Do you think he will

Theseus: Send me to Crete as one of the 14.

survive?

Aegeus: Absolutely not!

Liontis: I don¡¯t see how he can.

Theseus: How can you ask your people to sacrifice their

Borus: And we are next.

children when you are unwilling to sacrifice your own?

N2: The guard leads Theseus

N2: Aegeus slams his fist on the table.

down a long corridor. Finally,

Aegeus: I will not send you to your death!

they arrive in a chamber where

Theseus: I am strong and clever. Let me reason with

King Minos and members of the

King Minos. And if he will not end this horrible custom,

royal court have gathered.

then I will slay the beast so that no others must die.

N3: Minos smiles menacingly at

Aegeus (softly): I could not bear to lose you.

Theseus.

Theseus: Let me do this, Father. For Athens.

Minos: Good morning. Did you

enjoy your breakfast?

N1: Theseus glares back.

Minos: Oh, that¡¯s right. You are

breakfast.

Court: Ha, ha, ha, ha!

12

SCHOLASTIC SCOPE

THE LABYRINTH: A PLACE OF NIGHTMARES

If you lived in ancient Greece, you would have grown up

hearing stories about Theseus and the labyrinth, a terrifying

maze that no one ever escapes. Through their deeds, great

heroes like Theseus demonstrated virtues that were

important in Greek society¡ªvirtues such as courage and

perseverance. How does Theseus show these traits?

Scene 3

THE SHORES OF Athens

N3: A ship sits at the water¡¯s edge. Wailing families are

saying their goodbyes.

N1: Aegeus grips his son tightly.

SCOPE. ? DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017

?

13

THE ANCIENT WORLD OF THE MINOTAUR

Aegeus: Don¡¯t go, Theseus. I

Ariadne: Either you are very brave or very foolish.

N1: He takes a deep breath and steps into the darkness.

Theseus: Perhaps I am both. All I know is that I could

N2: He feels his way along the tall stone walls,

Theseus: You cannot change

never live with myself if I do not try.

stumbling over piles of sticks and branches. He reaches

my mind. It is my duty to save our

Ariadne: Then you will need this.

down to pick one up¡ªand realizes that it is not a stick

people.

N3: Ariadne hands Theseus her sword.

at all. It is a human bone.

Aegeus: My son, heroic deeds often

Theseus: Why are you helping me?

Theseus (shuddering): How many have met their deaths

Ariadne: My father¡¯s hatred of Athens was something I

in this vile place?

never questioned. But now I am old enough to see that

N3: Theseus is startled to hear a voice answer him.

the answer to killing cannot be more killing.

Spirit: Hundreds.

Theseus: Well spoken, Princess.

Theseus: Who . . . who are you?

Ariadne: Theseus, the labyrinth is as deadly as the

Spirit: The spirit of one who died here.

monster. Even if you were to succeed in killing the

Theseus: What do you want?

beast, you would need a way out.

Spirit: I am here to comfort you in your time of dread.

N3: After arriving in Crete, Theseus

N1: Ariadne pulls on a loose thread at the bottom of her

N1: A roar echoes off the walls.

and the other youths are brought to a

cloak. She winds it around and around Theseus¡¯s hand.

Minotaur: ROOAARR!

Ariadne: Take this thread. Tie one end at the entrance.

Spirit: The beast is near.

Unwind it as you walk, so you will be able to find your

N2: Theseus presses on, careful to let out the thread as

way back.

he goes. He smacks into a wall.

will send another in your place.

come at a great cost.

Aegean

Sea

N2: Theseus joins the other youths on

the ship. The wind carries them away.

Scene 4

Athens

THE PALACE OF KING MINOS,

CRETE

palace.

N1: King Minos sits on a golden

Mediterranean Sea

throne. His daughter Ariadne sits

Crete

0

100 miles

beside him.

ADVANCED CIVILIZATION

Theseus: I admire your courage.

Theseus: A dead end!

N2: Minos¡¯s cold eyes scan the

Today, Greece is a country in Europe. When we say ¡°ancient Greece,¡± we mean a culture

that started about 2,800 years ago, lasting from around 800 B.C. to 500 B.C. During that

period, Greece was a major world power, and its civilization was one of the most advanced

in the world. Ancient Greece consisted of city-states. (Athens was a city-state.) Citizens

were extremely loyal to their city-state.

Ariadne: My courage? I am not the one risking my life.

N3: Theseus turns and walks back the way he came.

Theseus: Aren¡¯t you, though? Defying your father will

Minotaur: SNORT. SNORT.

have consequences.

Spirit: The beast has caught your scent. Your end will

N2: Ariadne smiles sadly. Then she turns and leaves.

come soon.

trembling youths in front of him.

Minos: Athenians, as my son was

cut down in the prime of his youth,

so too will you be.

Scene 6

Theseus: I do not accept that fate.

Theseus: With respect, your majesty, we are not the ones

Minos has given me no choice: We must kill the

who killed him.

Minotaur.

Minos: Who is this bold young man who dares to speak?

Borus: But its horns are sharper than any blade.

N3: The labyrinth before Theseus is dark and cold.

Theseus: I am not going to die. The beast is.

Theseus: I am Prince Theseus, son of King Aegeus.

Theseus: We will work together.

Theseus shivers as he ties one end of Ariadne¡¯s thread to

Spirit: Be warned: The beast can be killed only by its

Minos: The king sent his own son?

Damia: But we are sent into the labyrinth one by one.

a large rock.

own horn.

Theseus: I volunteered.

Liontis: And it was designed so that it¡¯s impossible to

Minos: A prince with a death wish. How fascinating.

find the way out.

Theseus dodges to the side.

Theseus: I am sorry for your loss, but all this killing will

N2: Theseus paces around their small cell.

N3: The Minotaur turns quickly and charges

not bring your son back.

Theseus: There must be a way.

with his head down, one horn cutting

Minos: You know nothing of my pain.

N3: A cloaked figure appears at the gates of the cell. She

Theseus¡¯s leg.

N3: Ariadne places her hand on her father¡¯s shoulder.

lowers her hood.

Minos: Take them to the dungeon. They will enter the

Theseus: Why are you here, Princess?

labyrinth at first light.

Ariadne: I have come to set you free. Take your fellow

off one of its horns with the sword.

Athenians back to your ship.

Minotaur: RRRRRRAAAHHHH!

Ariadne: You must go. Now! Before my father wakes up.

N2: Theseus turns to the others, then reconsiders.

Liontis: Why did you volunteer for this?

Theseus: I cannot flee. I must kill the Minotaur, or

Theseus: I hoped to solve this with diplomacy, but

more young Athenians will die.

14

SCHOLASTIC SCOPE ? DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017

N1: Theseus leaps onto the beast¡¯s back, slicing

N2: The Minotaur shakes Theseus off, turns, and

charges again. Theseus stands his ground and

ALLAN DAVEY

The dungeon, that night

Minotaur: GRUNT! GRUNT!

N1: Theseus is too stunned to speak.

N1: Theseus and the other youths huddle together.

Spirit: Better to die quickly than to fight.

N2: The Minotaur thunders toward Theseus.

STEVE STANKIEWICZ

Scene 5

the labyrinth

N1: Theseus brandishes the sword Ariadne gave him.

plunges the horn into the monster¡¯s chest.

Theseus: Aaaaahhhhh!

Minotaur: RRRRRRAAAHHHH!

?

SCOPE. ? DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017

15

Essay

What¡¯s With

These Guys?

THESEUS VERSUS KATNISS

N1: Theseus and Ariadne run

off to the dungeon.

Spirit: Valiant hero, I have long wished for this

N2: They fling open the doors to the cell. The other

impossible day!

Athenians shout with joyful disbelief.

N1: Limping, Theseus follows the thread back to the

Damia: You are alive!

entrance and collapses against the door. Ariadne

Borus: How can it be?

opens it.

Liontis: I never doubted you. I knew you would do it.

Ariadne: You are alive!

Theseus: Come, there is no time to spare. Ariadne will

Theseus: And the Minotaur is dead.

lead us to our ship, and we will sail for home at once.

Ariadne: It is over.

N3: As Ariadne leads Theseus and the other young

N2: The smile falls from her face.

Athenians to freedom, a voice echoes above them¡ªa

Ariadne: My father . . . he will not understand. His

voice that none of them seem to hear.

heart is twisted with grief.

Spirit: Oh Theseus, you have chosen to be a hero. You

Theseus: You must return with us to Athens. We will

will be a great man.

keep you safe.

N1: They step out of the dungeon and into the bright

Ariadne: Will Athens accept me? I am a Cretan, a

light of day.

sworn enemy of your people.

Spirit: Stories about your bravery will be told for

Theseus: When I tell them what you did for me, they

generations.

will cherish you as I do.

N2: They quickly board their ship and prepare to leave.

N3: Ariadne blushes.

Spirit: But the life of a hero is not an easy one.

Theseus: Our work is not finished. We must free the

N3: As the ship sails toward Athens, Theseus and the

others.

others hug joyfully.

Ariadne: The guards are easily bribed. Follow me.

Spirit: Heroic deeds come at great cost, young prince.

16

SCHOLASTIC SCOPE ? DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017

H

e runs faster than a speeding bullet. He bends steel with his

bare hands. He vanquishes the world¡¯s most heinous villains.

?

SHUTTERSTOCK (FIRE BACKGROUND); ABC STUDIOS/NEWSCOM (DAREDEVIL); COURTESY EVERETT

COLLECTION/?20THCENTFOX (PROFESSOR X, STORM, WOLVERINE); JAY MAIDMENT/?MARVEL (CAPTAIN AMERICA, BLACK

WIDOW, THOR); FILM FRAME/?MARVEL (IRON MAN, GAMORA); ZADE ROSENTHAL/?MARVEL (NICK FURY, ANT MAN).

ground and dies.

Superheroes are EVERYWHERE these days.

But . . . why? BY KRISTIN LEWIS

ILLUSTRATION BY ALLAN DAVEY; MURRAY CLOSE/?LIONS GATE/COURTESY EVERETT COLLECTION (KATNISS)

N3: The beast crashes to the

The story of Theseus and the Minotaur has inspired

many modern-day tales, including the best-selling

Hunger Games books. In that series, children are

randomly selected each year to compete in the

¡°Hunger Games,¡± a brutal battle to the death. The

games started after a civil war and were designed to

remind people of the absolute power of the

government. How is the Hunger Games similar to the

myth of Theseus and the Minotaur?

He is Superman, America¡¯s first superhero.

Superman first appeared in 1938, at a time when comic

books were becoming increasingly popular. Kids would save

up their pennies and rush off to the corner store to buy the latest comics.

There were dozens of characters to follow¡ªmagicians, detectives, ancient

warriors. But it was Superman who kicked off the golden age of comics.

Superman was invented by two high-school buddies, Joe Shuster

and Jerry Siegel. Their ¡°Man of Steel¡± had an ordinary name:

Clark Kent. He had an ordinary job at a newspaper. On the

surface, he appeared to live an ordinary human life. There

was nothing ordinary about Superman, though. He came

from the planet Krypton and possessed unparalleled

strength. He could fly, withstand bullets, and see through

walls with his X-ray vision*.

Superman was an immediate hit. Some say he

represented how Americans wanted

to see themselves: fighting for

justice in a dangerous

world. And the world

?

*Some of these powers were added to the character after 1938.

SCOPE. ? DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017

17

was dangerous in 1938. World War II was brewing

for what is right. They risk their own lives to protect

in Europe and Asia. Newspapers were filled with

the innocent and the vulnerable, often against

frightening stories of bloody battles and diabolical

seemingly impossible odds.

leaders, like Adolf Hitler in Germany. What a relief it

Then consider that today, as in the 1930s, the

must have been to read about Superman, who fought

news is often dominated by frightening reports. Our

the forces of evil and always won.

world has big problems: terrorism, war, disease.

Since the creation of Superman nearly 80 years

It¡¯s easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless. And

ago, the popularity of superheroes in books, movies,

so we look to the fantastic world of superheroes,

and television has ebbed and flowed. Now, though,

where one mighty individual can rescue the entire

superheroes have returned to pop culture on a

planet from any threat. How cathartic it is to watch

scale never seen before. TV shows like Agents of

a superhero prevent a war or save a city from alien

S.H.I.E.L.D., Arrow, and Supergirl have millions

invaders.

of devoted fans. Recent movies featuring not just

But even more than that, superheroes show us the

Superman but also Batman, Wolverine, Captain

world as we want it to be¡ªnot only a world in which

America, Thor, Iron Man, and Black Widow have

good defeats evil, but also in which it¡¯s usually pretty

made millions of dollars at the box office.

clear who and what is good and who and what is not.

Many of these characters have been around for

decades, with small but loyal fan bases. Today, their

adventures, heartbreaks, and triumphs are enjoyed

by fans of all ages. This is all to say, superheroes

have gone mainstream.

But . . . why?

Better Selves

Superheroes also reflect who we want to be.

They are the Theseuses and Ariadnes of today.

Their stories are modern myths that celebrate

qualities we value in our society: selflessness,

courage, grit, and resilience.

Consider the nature of a superhero:

He or she possesses extraordinary

power¡ªwhether physical,

mental, or technological¡ªand

is committed to using that

When we watch Captain America stand up to

a corrupt leader, we feel like maybe we can find

the courage to stand up to that kid at

school bullying our best friend. When

we see Thor try to save his brother

even after his brother betrayed him,

power to help others.

we are reminded of the power of

Superheroes fight for

compassion and forgiveness.

good, for freedom,

In other words, superheroes

inspire us to be our better

Superman today versus

Superman in 1938

(inset). The outfit hasn¡¯t

changed much!

selves, to stand up for what¡¯s

right¡ªeven if we get nothing

in return.

?

WRITING CONTEST

In the essay, Kristin Lewis writes that heroes inspire us to be ¡°our better selves.¡± How do

superheroes of today and mythological characters from Into the Maze of Doom inspire us to

be our better selves? Use details from both texts in your response. Send it to HEROES

CONTEST. Five winners will get The Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan.

GET THIS

ACTIVITY

ONLINE

18

SCHOLASTIC SCOPE ? DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017

SHUTTERSTOCK (FIRE BACKGROUND); ?WARNER BROS/COURTESY EVERETT

COLLECTION (SUPERMAN); COMICCONNECT/SPLASH NEWS/NEWSCOM (COMIC BOOK)

Overwhelmed and Powerless

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download