Scene 3

 

 W1 – W4 lower their masks.

 

W2:                  Have you noticed our lord’s disposition of late?

 

W3:                  Have I noticed!?  Who hasn’t?  Every day he’s irate.

 

W4:                  He constantly grumbles about all our wages.

W2:                  To be truthful, I haven’t worked so hard in ages.

 

W1:                  Just because he’s been for this past month or so

                        Is no reason to threaten to quit work and go

 

W3:                  I’m not threatening to leave.  But I’m not staying by choice.

                        So I would like to give my opinion a voice.

 

W4:                  (Snidely.)  Nobody’s ever been able to stop you.

 

W3:                  I’ll ignore that.  But I do want to say                 

                        I don’t like how he raises our workload each day.

                        And remember how at first he worked right beside us

                        But after a while he decided to “guide” us

                        Now he just checks to make sure we’re not cheating.

 

W4:                  It’d be better if he didn’t spend all his time eating.

 

W2:                  It’s a sickness!  A curse!  Due to something he did!!!

 

W3:                  Look – we don’t want to hear about goddesses, kid.

 

W2:                  I said He did, not WE did!  I didn’t mean that!

 

W1:                  All of you, stop!  (Long pause.)  We agreed not to say

                        Nor to mention a thing in regard to that day.

 

W2:                  I didn’t agree!

 

W4:                              You did so!  (simultaneously)  W3: Yes, you did!

 

W2:                                          (Suddenly in a great rush of words.)  I did not!

                        I wish I had never set foot in that spot!

                        You’ve all seen his hunger, you’ve seen how it’s grown:

                        How day after day he does nothing but moan

                        And devour his food on a horrible rush -

                        And now I’m afraid it might happen to us!

 

W4:                  Get a grip!

 

W1:                                          Just calm down!

 

W3:                                                                              Enough of this chatter!

                        Although he’s gone mad, it just doesn’t matter

                        If we were involved.  He alone is to blame

Since he gave the orders; so it's not quite the same

As if we went and murdered some stranger up there

Only he could condemn us, and we know he won't dare.

W2:                  But the gods might inflict us with hunger as well!

They might curse us all! You never can tell!

W3:                        I can hardly believe that you still fear the gods!

Have you ever considered that the probable odds

Are he cracked from the guilt and went swiftly insane

And his ravenous eating's just to cover the pain?

In any event: SO WHAT? and WHO CARES?

He still hires our labor and he still buys our wares.

Let him sink into madness, just as long as he's able

To provide for my needs and put food on my table.

W4:                  True, we're still earning money.

W1:                                                                  Show some respect!

Your attitude's nothing but callous neglect.

W3:                        Don't start preaching at us!

W1:                                                            I'm not preaching at you.

But to show some compassion is the least you could do.

He may treat us badly, all the same, he's our lord.

W4:                  (Interrupting ) Shit! Here he comes!

W3:                                                                  (to W2 )  You shut up! Not a word!

(Women's chorus begins the Hum. E. lowers his mask, holding a tray of vegetables in one hand. )

E:                     (E. pauses and looks around )

You're here to help the work's progression?

Or are vacations your profession?

(to W1 )  You've done no work from what I see,

So nothing's what you'll get from me.

W1:                        Forgive us, sir, but this wall demands

Careful discussion of our plans.

E:                     Your plans discussed? That's what you're doing?

I don't believe these lies you're spewing.

You're squandering my money and abusing my trust,

It's employees like you who make businesses bust.

Since I am the victim you're trying to rob,

Consider yourself to be out of a job.

W1:                  (stunned )  I...I...  But sir, do you mean

I'm not working for you?

E:                     You are not to be seen!

Get out of my sight!  I'm not willing to pay

For a swindler loafing about all the day!

(E. throws the tray of vegetables at W1 who leaves the stage hastily)

And as for the rest of you, finish the frame

For the wall or by sundown you'll all get the same.

W4:                  But sir!  Without our foreman we may err.

E:                     You're free to quit for all I care.

W2:                  But -

E:                                 Silence! You're not paid for speeches.

Your grumbling talk's for money-leeches.

Of course you're free to stand about,

And emulate that other lout,

And if you do, I think you see

Exactly what you'll get from me! (The Hum fades away as E. raises his mask again.  )


W3:                  (Interrupting their stunned silence. )  It's impossible. We can't do it!

W4:                  (desperate ) But we must!

W2:                                          (also desperate ) Yes, let's get to it!

W4:                  I've got to keep my family fed.

W2:                  He might hire someone else instead!

W3:                  Don't worry. He'll keep us. We're faithful and cheap.

The right kind of worker to work for that creep.

Besides, if he fires us, we'd be better off.

W4:                  It's easy for you to stand there and scoff,

You've got enough wealth on your farm to survive,

I have to work to keep my family alive. 

 

W3:                  Are you saying I don't work as hard as you?


W4 and W3 begin quarrelling :     No, I didn't say...

 

What are you saying?

I only...

Well, it just isn't true! (ad lib )



W2:                  Stop it! Just stop it! We've got to stones to be setting.

W3:                  You're right. I just noticed how late it is getting.

W4:                  (grimly )  Maybe that tyrant, Erysichthon's still lurking.

W3:                  Who cares?

W2:                                          Let's get to it!

W4:                                                                  Yes, we've got to get working!

(Exeunt Woodcutters from the stage. )