The Olympian Myths

Cast:    12 narrators, one for each god. Together they are the Chorus.

            Zeus

            Hera

            Athena

            Poseidon (and Hades)

            Dionysus

            Hephaestus

            Demeter (and Callisto)

            Hermes (and pirate)

            Apollo (and pirate)

            Ares

            Aphrodite (and Persephone)

            Artemis

 Chorus stands in two lines facing the audience at an angle on the right side of the stage. Gods stand on left of stage at same angle

Chorus:

We welcome you to see our play

Of gods who never die

The greatest twelve of all did dwell

On Mount Olympus high

Chorus gestures to the gods

Narrator for Zeus: The king of all the gods is Zeus.

Zeus steps forward

Zeus is the most powerful of all the gods, and he is master of the sky. With his thunderbolt he can destroy anything, and make any god do whatever he wants. Zeus is the father of many gods, including Athena, Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis, Hermes, and Dionysus.

Narrator for Hera: Zeus’s wife is Hera, the queen of the gods.

Hera steps next to Zeus

Hera is the goddess of wives and marriage. Her husband’s many love affairs make her furious, and she has often punished his lovers and his children.

Hera and Zeus step back, middle stage

Narrator for Athena: The wise goddess of war and crafts is Athena. She was born from Zeus’s head already armed with helmet, shield and spear.

Athena steps forward

Narrator for Poseidon: The god of the sea is Poseidon, brother of Zeus. He can start storms and earthquakes with a stroke of his trident.

Poseidon steps next to Athena

Narrator for Athena: Poseidon and Athena both wanted to be the god of Athens. The other gods decided that the winner would be the one who gave the city the most useful gift.

Narrator for Poseidon:  Poseidon struck the rock of the Acropolis with his trident, and a stream of salty water sprang out. Athena stamped her foot and there grew the first olive tree. Olives are good for eating and for oil, but no one can drink salt water. The gods made Athena the winner and the city was named after her.

Athena and Poseidon perform actions and step back

Narrator for Dionysus: The god of wine and theatre is Dionysus.

Dionysus steps forward, pirates attack, turned into dolphins

Dionysus taught people how to make wine. On one sea journey Dionysus’s ship was attacked by pirates. The god made the ship sprout all over with grapevines. The oars turned to snakes, and lions appeared from nowhere. The terrified pirates dived into the sea, but were turned into dolphins.

Narrator for Hephaestus: The god of smiths, of fire and metalwork, is Hephaestus.

Hephaestus steps forward then Hera, casting him out

He was born ugly and lame, and his mother Hera threw him down from Olympus. In revenge he made her a magic throne. When she sat on it her bottom stuck and she could not get up.

Hephaestus takes hammer and makes chair, sends to Hera who sits and is stuck

Dionysos came to the rescue. He got Hephaestus drunk on wine and persuaded him to free his mother.

Dionysos gives Hephaestus wine in a bowl; he frees his mother; All leave stage.

Narrator for Demeter: The goddess of farming and fruit is Demeter.

Demeter steps forward, then Persephone and Hades; Hades takes Persephone away; Demeter wanders; Zeus makes Hades give her back

The god of the underworld, Hades, stole her daughter Persephone to be his wife. Demeter sadly wandered the world in search of her daughter. All this time the earth was cold and nothing would grow.

At last Zeus forced Hades to allow Persephone to spend half the year with her mother and half with Hades. This is why the crops grow in spring and summer, when Persephone is with Demeter, but not in winter, when she is with Hades.

Narrator for Hermes: The messenger of the gods is Hermes. He can fly at great speeds with his winged feet.

Hermes steps forward then Apollo

Narrator for Apollo:  The god of light and the sun is Apollo. He is also the god of music and poetry.

Narrator for Hermes: Hermes stole some of Apollo’s cattle. He then invented the lyre, a musical instrument like a small harp.

Narrator for Apollo: Apollo was angry, but he liked the lyre, and he took it in return for his cows. He soon became a master on the instrument, and is now the god of music.

Hermes gives Apollo lyre, he plays it; they step back

Narrator for Ares: The god of war is Ares. He enjoys killing and in wars often helps one side against the other.

Ares steps forward, then Aphrodite

Narrator for Aphrodite: The beautiful goddess of love is Aphrodite. She was born out of a giant shell, and had a magic belt that could make anyone fall in love with her. Her husband is Hephaestus.

Narrator for Ares: Ares and Aphrodite had a love affair. Hephaestus was angry. He made a magic net from bronze and trapped them in it.

Narrator for Aphrodite: The gods came round to laugh at the helpless lovers. Hephaestus only freed them when Ares paid him some money.

Hephaestus makes net, traps them, Ares pays him; all exit

Narrator for Artemis: The goddess of hunting and the moon is Artemis, twin sister of Apollo.

Artemis steps forward, turns Callisto into bear

With her silver bow and her dogs she spends her time hunting. She has never had children, and expects her friends to do the same. One of these friends, Callisto, became pregnant. Furious, Artemis turned her into a bear. The dogs wanted to tear Callisto to pieces. Zeus saved her by turning her into a constellation of stars called the Great Bear.

Chorus:

And now our tales of gods are done

We hoped you liked our play

The greatest of them all is Zeus

And so we kneel to pray

Everyone kneels and prays, arms up, then stand, everyone faces the audience and bows

Poseidon

       Pronunciation: (IGH as in SIGH)

            Zeus - Zoose or Zyoose

            Hera - HEAR-a or HAIR-a

            Athena - A-THEE-na

            Poseidon - Puh-SIGH-dun

            Hephaestus - Heh-PHIGH-stus

            Demeter - Duh-MEE-ter

            Hermes - HER-meez

            Apollo - A-POLL-o

            Aphrodite - Aphruh-DIGH-tee

            Persephone - Per-SEPH-uh-nee

            Ares - AIR-eez

            Artemis - AR-tuh-miss

            Dionysus - Digh-uh-NIGH-sus