In the Eye of the Beholder
MEDUSA sits alone in her kingdom. The throne she sits on is ornate, carved and powerful. Dotted around the cavern are countless statues: men, women, children, animals, trees, all calcified and turned to stone, all bearing horrified, tortured expressions.
MEDUSA
They say a woman’s fatal flaw is her vanity. Women must be beautiful, of course. They must be desirable. But if she herself knows this to be true, she is scorned, vilified. Outcast. They convince her of her wrongdoings, they manipulate her into believing the opposite of herself. They subordinate, force into submission, reduce her back to her place as a quiet, pretty little thing. Knowledge, for a woman, is power. Knowledge of herself, of her worth, her value, her potential, is threatening. Women are expected to be vessels to be poured into and used, a reflection of their desire. But I know a little now, I have my own power. Now my reflection is no longer desired. Now they see what I am, and they are scared. I am in control.
Suddenly, STHENO and EURYALE, Medusa’s two Gorgon sisters, enter and hurry to the throne. By comparison, they are hideous: tusked, hunched, monstrous. They clutch the throne with clawed hands and move with snakelike grace.
EURYALE
Someone approaches, Medusa.
STHENO
Making haste from the western shore.
MEDUSA
Another sailor wrecked at sea? They all find their way here in the end.
EURYALE
Not wrecked – his ship is beached in the bay.
MEDUSA
Have you spied him yet?
STHENO
From a distance. I could not make out details, but they are armed for battle, burdened with sword and shield.
EURYALE
The fool. He comes unprepared, he knows not what looms before him. Swords and shields are needles and platters in our home. Decorative trifles.
STHENO
But he gains on us by the minute. It is as if he knows our exact location.
EURYALE
How could he know that? Do not be absurd, sister. He is a mere mortal, they cannot possess divine knowledge.
MEDUSA
May I remind you, dear sister, that I, too, am mortal. Choose your words with greater care.
EURYALE
You need not remind me of your condition.
STHENO
Your mortality reeks like rotting carrion, dear Medusa.
MEDUSA
And yet it is I who sits on the throne, not you, Stheno. When will he arrive?
EURYALE
Imminently. We lost sight of him as he began to ascend the crags.
MEDUSA
Perfect. We shall lie in wait here. I’m sure this unfortunate man will be a fine addition to our collection.
Footsteps echo in the chamber as the man finds his way in, still unseen.
STHENO
He is here!
EURYALE
Prepare yourselves.
MEDUSA
I am always prepared.
Footsteps continue to ring out for a while, but after a moment they stop. Suddenly, a voice penetrates the silence, echoing through the cavern.
AMBROSIA (O.S.)
Medusa!
Medusa freezes. She recognises the voice. Euryale and Stheno look at her, intrigued.
STHENO
What’s this? A woman? She knows of you.
EURYALE
Who is this woman?
MEDUSA
I do not know.
EURYALE
You lie.
STHENO
She has come here for you, has she not?
EURYALE
A mortal, you can smell it in the air.
STHENO
Has she come to kill you?
EURYALE
Or does she have different motives?
MEDUSA
Enough, I do not know her.
AMBROSIA (O.S.)
Medusa! Are you there?
MEDUSA
No.
EURYALE
You’re afraid, Medusa.
STHENO
We can smell it.
MEDUSA
I fear nothing. I am a Gorgon.
STHENO
You are afraid she will kill you.
EURYALE
You are afraid you will kill her.
MEDUSA
Enough! Stop this.
STHENO
She approaches.
AMBROSIA enters, sword shaking in her hand as she wanders through the labyrinth of statues. Medusa is clearly shaken at her appearance, and the mask she has held up for so long begins to slip away.
AMBROSIUS
Is anybody there?
EURYALE
Her death approaches.
STHENO
I can taste it.
Ambrosia approaches, and Medusa jumps to her feet.
MEDUSA
STOP! Close your eyes!
AMBROSIA
Medusa?
MEDUSA
Close them! Now!
Stheno and Euryale hiss at Medusa as she runs down to Ambrosia. She turns to look at her, but she clamps her hand over her eyes.
EURYALE
What are you doing, little sister?
STHENO
Inflict your power upon her.
AMBROSIA
What are you doing? Let go, Medusa.
MEDUSA
I cannot! You must not look.
STHENO
Our sister is mad, Euryale.
EURYALE
Not mad, sister. Can you not sense it?
STHENO
Sense what?
EURYALE
In the air. Their connection. It glimmers like dust in sunlight.
Stheno gasps.
STHENO
I see.
MEDUSA
You see nothing!
STHENO
I see enough.
AMBROSIA
Medusa, who’s there? What’s going on?
MEDUSA
(To the Gorgons.) Leave me.
EURYALE
Sister-
MEDUSA
LEAVE ME! NOW! Or so help me I will unleash my wrath upon the two of you.
STHENO
Do you threaten us, dear sister?
EURYALE
I should like to see you try, mortal.
MEDUSA
Please! Please, sisters… give me some time alone. Leave us.
The Gorgons contemplate the request for a moment.
STHENO
Come, sister. Let us give dear Medusa a moment or two of privacy.
EURYALE
This is unnecessary. Kill the girl.
STHENO
Euryale. Come. Medusa must bid her love farewell.
Stheno takes Euryale by the hand and leads her away from Medusa and Ambrosia. They exit. The two lovers remain in place, Medusa’s hand still firmly over Ambrosia’s eyes.
AMBROSIA
What did that mean? Medusa? Why did she say you must bid me farewell?
MEDUSA
Because I must, Ambrosia. You should not have come here.
AMBROSIA
Let me see you. I want to look at you.
Ambrosia struggles to break free of her grip, but Medusa is firm and strong, and does not release her. She is surprised.
AMBROSIA (CONT.)
I never knew you to be so strong.
MEDUSA
You do not know me now. I have changed, more than you can imagine.
AMBROSIA
I need not imagine, let me look at the woman I love while I speak with her.
MEDUSA
You cannot! You do not understand. If you look upon me, you will die.
AMBROSIA
You are not serious-
MEDUSA
Deadly! Think you I would jest at a time like this? After all this time? If you look into my eyes, you will see death itself. I do not want to hurt you, I cannot.
AMBROSIA
Okay, Medusa. I believe you. I will not look.
MEDUSA
Promise me.
AMBROSIA
Medusa-
MEDUSA
Promise me! And do not dare break it!
Pause.
AMBROSIA
I promise.
Medusa takes a deep breath to steady herself. Slowly, she removes her hand from Ambrosia’s eyes. She keeps them shut, as per her word.
AMBROSIA
There. Now you may explain what is happening without me looking.
MEDUSA
Why are you here?
AMBROSIA
Why do you think? To rescue you.
MEDUSA
I do not need rescuing.
AMBROSIA
I want to take you home, Medusa. I want to be with you.
MEDUSA
You cannot. Not anymore. I cannot leave this place.
AMBROSIA
Why? What is wrong, my love?
MEDUSA
I am not the same woman I once was, Ambrosia. I am not the Medusa you once knew. Only I know my true nature now.
AMBROSIA
You speak in sphinx’s riddles. Tell me the truth, Medusa. Why can I not look into your eyes?
MEDUSA
I have power now, Ambrosia. So much power. I can wield it upon anyone, anything, I desire. I am so strong now. It courses through me. But my power has power over me. I cannot choose when to use it, I cannot be parted from it. It is my greatest strength, and my largest burden. It has given me my identity and stripped me of myself.
AMBROSIA
What do you mean, Medusa?
Pause.
MEDUSA
Do you like the way I have decorated my new home? My statues?
AMBROSIA
Of course.
MEDUSA
I need honesty, my love. Please.
Pause.
AMBROSIA
They unnerve me. They are so lifelike, so real. I can feel their anguish as my own. What made you choose such graphic depictions of human suffering?
MEDUSA
It was no choice of my own. It was a gift from the gods. From Athena.
AMBROSIA
The gods? They have blessed you indeed with these gifts.
MEDUSA
Ambrosia. These are my victims. You stand amidst a marble graveyard. Any unfortunate soul that looks upon me, upon my hideous form, gazes into my slitted eyes, finds themselves transformed into perpetual stone. I am petrifying. I will petrify you if you look at me. Do you understand?
AMBROSIA
How can this be true? You have killed these people?
MEDUSA
It was not my choice, my love. It never was. I cannot be ambivalent. My gaze is not selective.
AMBROSIA
Why… why has Athena done this to you? What did you do to deserve this?
MEDUSA
What makes you think I did anything?
AMBROSIA
That is not what I meant.
MEDUSA
You think I deserve this? This isolation? This pain?
AMBROSIA
Of course not. Medusa, I love you.
MEDUSA
If you love me, you must stay far away from me.
AMBROSIA
You know I cannot. Your power over me is too strong.
MEDUSA
You have not seen the extent of my strength yet. You must leave while you still can. My sisters will not hesitate to kill you.
AMBROSIA
Let them try. I will not leave until you tell me why this has happened. Why have the gods torn our lives apart?
Medusa sighs.
MEDUSA
I was blamed for something I had no control over. I was a victim. I was not doing anything. I was in the goddess’ temple, watching the waves… thinking of you. I watched the sunset. Apollo’s chariot had set the sky ablaze. It grew dark. Then I saw someone in the water. Standing not far from me. They walked towards me, out of the sea, dripping wet. I thought it was you, Ambrosia. For a moment. Then I knew it was not. He held me down. He was stronger than I, but I suppose that should not be a surprising characteristic of a god. He pinned me down. He pushed my legs apart, he… I had no power. No control. The temple floor was cold and hard, unforgiving. His fingers pinched my arms like claws. His sweat smelt like deep brine. Eventually, the goddess Athena found us. Found him. Naturally, she blamed me for the misdeed. She said I had asked for it, said I was too desirable, too exposed in a temple. She blamed me for it. She punished me for it. She turned me into a monster, the monster of his desire, so that no man may ever be tempted by me again. More than that, though. She gave me strength. She gave me self-control. She gave me agency. I do not know if she meant to, if that was her aim. But Athena is strategic. She does not make mistakes. And now I have the power to see these men for who they are, to freeze them in place when they come to hurt me once again. To end them so that they may not hurt any others. It is ironic, I suppose. If I had had this strength back then, back in that temple, before the god of the sea took what was not his to take, I should not be here today. A cruel irony. (Pause.) What are you thinking, Ambrosia?
AMBROSIA
I am thinking you are either mad, or the strongest woman I know. Or both.
MEDUSA
I am not a woman anymore, Ambrosia. I am a Gorgon.
AMBROSIA
This is not fair.
MEDUSA
The gods rarely are. No one with their status, their authority, ever is.
AMBROSIA
What does this mean, Medusa?
MEDUSA
It means I cannot leave. I fled with my sisters once I knew the full extent of my strength. I cannot return with you. I wish that I could. But that choice, like so many choices before, has been taken away from me.
AMBROSIA
I can’t let you stay. Don’t you see, Medusa? I can’t let you. You have to leave now. It is not safe for you here.
MEDUSA
Not safe for me? I determine my own safety now.
AMBROSIA
But I have seen it, Medusa. I have seen it myself.
MEDUSA
What do you mean?
AMBROSIA
Before arriving here, on your island, I visited the Oracle. The things she showed me… I raced here as fast as I could. I am lucky that I have come in time. The gods may have cursed you, but they smiled upon my journey here.
MEDUSA
What did she show you?
AMBROSIUS
You, Medusa. Your head. Mirrors and reflections, glinting light in shining surfaces. Armies cowering before you. Blood, so much blood. A son of Poseidon hunts you even now, my love. He will cut you down and use you for his own gain. I know it, I have seen it. I did not understand it until I knew your history, but now I know.
MEDUSA
Knowledge is power.
AMBROSIA
Yes. Don’t you see? You know, now. You can escape this fate. You and I, together, we can flee, we can hide away where they will never find us. He knows you are here, he comes bearing gifts from the gods, they usher him on with fanfares and celebrations. They seek your death, Medusa. I have seen it.
MEDUSA
So the hand is dealt. My fate is decided for me once again. We little mortals have no power, no sway, no will. We are the playthings of those who wish to control us. They do not face consequences. They do not have to deal with the repercussions. But I do. I must bear it. No. I am sick of being played with. I am sick of being played. I am strong. I will fight, to my dying breath, to keep that strength. My gaze is more powerful than they know. Let Poseidon send his spawn. It is fitting that this sad tale will start and end with the result of his burning loins.
AMBROSIA
You sound defeated. Please, Medusa, please, leave with me. We can still be happy together. I know we can.
MEDUSA
You are a fool. You should not have come here.
AMBROSIA
Do not say that. Come with me, my love.
MEDUSA
Do not tempt me like this.
Ambrosia stumbles towards her and grabs her shoulders, then her wrists in her hands. She shakes her.
AMBROSIA
Listen to me! You will die! Do you not understand what that means? Are you not scared?
MEDUSA
I have no fear for myself. I lost that on the floor of the temple.
AMBROSIA
Listen to yourself, Medusa! This is not you! This is who they want you to be, who they have made you be! You are not the monster they say that you are. I know you are not. They do not know the Medusa I know.
MEDUSA
I have told you, you do not know me any longer. Let go of me!
AMBROSIA
I have strength too. My love for you is strong. If you do not leave now, you will die.
MEDUSA
I know! I know! I will face it head on. I will look death in the eye and petrify it.
AMBROSIA
We both know it will not end that way! You have to escape. Time is running out!
MEDUSA
I am tired of running. No more.
AMBROSIA
If you will not leave… then…
MEDUSA
What? Ambrosia, let me go, and flee this island while you still can.
AMBROSIA
I am not leaving without you.
MEDUSA
I cannot leave!
AMBROSIA
Exactly.
Pause. Medusa stops struggling as his words settle in.
MEDUSA
What are you saying…?
AMBROSIA
I love you, Medusa. So much. You have made me the happiest woman alive.
MEDUSA
Stop, what are you saying?
AMBROSIA
The gods are cruel. They have hurt you. It kills me that you are hurting like this. I know you are not cruel. I know you are kind, and sweet, and generous and loving. You are not what they say you are. I won’t leave you here to die. I can’t.
MEDUSA
What do you mean? Please, Ambrosia, don’t say that.
AMBROSIA
Your sister was right. We must bid farewell now.
Medusa struggles again, trying to wrench her hands away from her, but Ambrosia holds on.
MEDUSA
Stop, don’t…
AMBROSIA
This is the way it must be. Before I leave you, my love, I must tell you…
Ambrosia opens here eyes, and looks at Medusa. For a moment she takes everything in: the snakes in her hair, the pallid skin, the slitted eyes, the cruel beauty of her love. Then she smiles.
AMBROSIA (CONT.)
You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.
Ambrosia turns to stone. Medusa howls in anguish as her love disappears forever and begins to sob. She tries to free herself from her lover’s grip, but the stone holds her in place. She weeps and falls to the ground, her arms stretched up above her, as if shackled in place.
Euryale and Stheno enter. They glide over to Medusa and hover over her, looking at the new addition to their statue gallery.
STHENO
A lovely addition, dear sister. What a nice change – this one seems almost happy.
MEDUSA
Do not look at her. Leave me! I do not wish to speak to you. Leave me to grieve.
EURYALE
You mortals are all the same. Your attachments make you weak, Medusa. Even now, they keep you locked in place. This is for the best. We only have each other now.
MEDUSA
Please… leave me.
STHENO
Come, sister. If my ears did not deceive me, we have an uninvited guest whom we must prepare for.
EURYALE
So be it. Let us ready ourselves for this son of Poseidon.
Stheno and Euryale exit. Medusa stays on the ground, shaking. She looks up at the face of her lover and sighs.
MEDUSA
Farewell, my love.
