“Laius decided he should probably leave me alone, or else one of us would end up dead, and it wasn’t going to be me.”

— Jocasta

 

 

Jocasta

 Written by

 

M. Kay

 

Jocasta is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

 

Copyright @ 2025 by M. Kay

CHARACTERS

Jocasta: Queen of Thebes

Megeara: Midwife employed by Laius

Laius: First husband of Jocasta and the King of Thebes

Aetos :  Teenage lover of Laius

Rhene:  Midwife employed by Menoeceus

 

 

ACT 1

SCENE 1 CADMEA

    Enter Jocasta 

   Jocasta looks to be around eighteen years old and is wearing a loose red robe. She is heavily pregnant and wanders around the stage with one hand pressed flat     against her lower back. She lets out a faint whimper and grabs onto a nearby couch for support.

    After a few moments, she sits on the couch and slumps back against a pile of cushions. She seems to relax but, within seconds, jerks her torso back upright.         Wincing, she hisses and grabs her stomach when the baby kicks her.

JOCASTA: Stop that. Stop it this instant. Am I not miserable enough for you? Must you torture me even more? If I had to guess, I would say that you are angry at me. I can’t say that I blame you. I would be, too. Although, you are not nearly as angry at me as I am at myself. Hard to believe, I know, but it’s true. I am quite simply furious at myself. I have failed you again and again, and probably not for the last time, either. Here I am, a queen no less, yet I lack the power to change anything.

    She rubs her hand in circles over her swollen belly. 

JOCASTA (CONT’D): I know it may not seem like it, but I have done the very best I could for you. I have. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself. I’ve begged and pleaded and tried to reason with your father, but all to no avail. He will not listen to me, and there is nobody here who will go against him. They wouldn’t dare.

    Getting to her feet, she moves around the stage and then stops before a shrine honoring Zeus[1].

JOCASTA (CONT’D): We are all alone, you and I. Not even the gods will help us. I have made sacrifice after sacrifice to them, but all they’ve done so far is ignore me.  I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. After all, my own family, the very people who are supposed to protect and support me, have turned their backs on me—on us, and we are running out of time. It has all been for nothing. No matter what I’ve done, no matter what I’ve said, it has not made a difference, not in the slightest. I no longer have a choice; I must face the inevitable. Somehow, I must accept our fate because nothing I have tried to do has managed to alter it. Not in any way. Nor will it.

    Jocasta picks up a small metal bowl from a nearby table and throws it across the stage. Tears run down her face as the bowl clatters to the floor.

JOCASTA (CONT’D): After you are born, they’ll take you from me, and I’ll never see you again. I won’t get the chance to watch you grow up into the wonderful man I know you’ll become. I’ll never get to cradle you in my arms and sing you to sleep or hear you say you love me. Never witness you take your first steps or kiss away your tears when you skin your knee. I’m going to miss all of your achievements, all the special occasions, like when you take your first sip of wine or discover the magic of fireflies. I won’t even get to stand by your side and wish you well when you fall in love and get married, let alone be there when your own children are born, but oh, how I wish I could. I would give anything to do all those things with you.

    Enter Megeara

JOCASTA (CONT’D): There’s so much I want to….

MEGEARA: My lady, are you all right? I heard…

      Jocasta turns away from Megeara and wipes away the tears.

JOCASTA: I’m fine. The baby kicked, that’s all. It startled me, and I dropped a bowl. Despite what you’ve been told, I do not need to be managed.

MEGEARA: I…

JOCASTA: The bowl skittered over there somewhere. Please retrieve it and put it back where it belongs.

    Jocasta gestures toward the bowl and then moves to face an exit while Megeara goes to pick it up.

JOCASTA (CONT’D): Megeara, while you are here, would you bring me some water? Some cool water. It’s so hot tonight. I feel as though I’m burning up.

   Megeara returns the bowl to the table. Then, she fills a goblet with water from a pitcher. A breeze ruffles Jocasta’s hair.

    Moving to Jocasta, Megeara hands her the goblet. Jocasta drinks. 

JOCASTA (CONT’D): I said I wanted cool water. (Throwing the water in Megeara’s face) Does that feel cool to you?

MEGEARA: I’m sorry my lady, I…

JOCASTA: Go! Just get out of my sight!

    Jocasta thrusts the goblet at Megeara. Megeara returns the goblet to the table.

JOCASTA: Megeara, please forgive me. I’m not myself today.

    Exit Megeara

    Jocasta closes her eyes as a gust of wind washes over her.

JOCASTA (CONT’D): That’s what I need. A walk in the night air.

    Exit Jocasta 

    Enter Laius and Aetos

LAIUS: If you thought that speech Phaestus graced us with this afternoon was monumentally stupid, you should have heard the one Isokrates gave last week.

AETOS: Was it about the moral decay of our society, too?

LAIUS: No. Thankfully. It was about how Thebes should reach out and try to build an alliance with the Athenians of all people.

AETOS: What was he thinking? Athens and Thebes have been at each other’s throats for as long as I can remember. Athens would never consider allying with us, and I would be hard-pressed to trust them if they did. Why would he advocate for such a thing now?

LAIUS: I have no idea. But it is never going to happen. Not as long as I’m king.

 AETOS: For the life of me, I can’t understand why you chose to appoint him to the Council of Elders in the first place. You never take his advice, and his knowledge of politics is...is…  

LAIUS: Limited at best. There are times when I think you know more about governing this city than he does.

AETOS: Then why do you put up with him?

LAIUS: He amuses me. I like watching him twist himself into knots, trying to please me.

AETOS: He’s only able to twist himself into knots because he’s spineless.  I don’t believe I have ever heard him disagree with you or challenge you in a debate, not about anything. Plus, he’s always fawning over you and telling you things that other people have told him in confidence. It’s revolting.

LAIUS: I find him to be quite valuable, especially in that respect. 

AETOS: Valuable? Why? I…

LAIUS: (Playing with a ring on his finger) You should not be so quick to judge, young man. Now, I want you to think about this carefully. How would a man such as Isokrates, a man who cannot keep a secret to save his life, benefit me?

AETOS: I don’t know unless…you’re using him to find out what the other nobles are thinking.

LAIUS: Precisely. If I know what someone is talking about when I’m not there, I can anticipate what they will do when I am. I simply have to be careful not to tell him anything that I wish to keep secret. That way, he can never betray me.

AETOS: That’s pretty smart. I wasn’t looking at it like that.  

LAIUS: I know you weren’t. When you are a king, you must always remember that at any given moment, your worst enemies and your closest friends may, in fact, be one and the same.

AETOS: I don’t think I would dislike him so much if he would shut up every once in a while. 

LAIUS: He does love to hear himself talk. Doesn’t he?

AETOS: He’s the only one who does. Still, I think I like him better than Phaestus.

LAIUS: You’ll never believe what I heard about him the other day. It seems that in his spare time, he likes to write essays on the nature of the universe and has only recently completed his masterpiece: a treatise that instructs men on how to act more manly.

AETOS: That fat old fool fancies himself a philosopher? Ugh! I can see it now. Gather round children. Come and hear Phaestus, the Great…Idiot of Thebes, convince you of his immense stupidity. It won’t take but a second of your time. Honestly, I can’t imagine how anyone can bear to listen to him for more than a minute or two. Much less look at him for that long. I swear I have never seen a more unattractive man in all my born days.

LAIUS: He’s not that ugly. You should see his wife.

AETOS: I bet she’s ghastly.

LAIUS: No. No. On the contrary, she is one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. She’s older now, but back in the day, she was as fresh and bewitching as Jocasta.

AETOS: If she was that attractive, why would she settle for someone like Phaestus?

LAIUS: There’s only one reason that I know of, and that’s money. Lots and lots of lovely money. I have it on good authority that her father sold her to the highest bidder, like a prized sow.

AETOS: Ooh! He’s rich! What do you know? He’s starting to look better by the second.

LAIUS: Don’t you mean by the drachma[2]? I’m afraid you are out of luck there. That hypocrite would not consider you worth a second of his time. You’re not pretty enough for him.

AETOS: Ah! Are you saying I’m not pretty?

LAIUS: You aren’t for him. He only desires what he himself lacks. He would turn his nose up at you. He only likes pretty, pretty boys. Besides, you’re much too old for him.

AETOS: That hurts my feelings. First, you call me homely, and then old. How dare you insult me like that? I should…

LAIUS: Be grateful. That you’re pretty enough for me.

    Laius and Aetos smile at one another. Aetos leans toward Laius for a kiss.

LAIUS (CONT’D): Not here.

AETOS: Why not? We’re not doing anything wrong. 

LAIUS: I know. Later, pet. When we can truly lose ourselves in each other.  

AETOS: But… 

LAIUS: We’re too exposed here. Anyone could walk in and see us.

AETOS: So what if they did? Sometimes, you act like you’re ashamed of me. Of what we…

LAIUS: It’s not that.

AETOS: Isn’t it? Because it certainly seems that way to me.

LAIUS: Listen, I cannot afford to flaunt my affection for you in front of the whole world. There are some people who wouldn’t…couldn’t begin to understand our relationship. If word got out that we were…someone would attempt to use the information against me, and that is the reason why my private life must remain exactly that —private.                         

    Enter Jocasta stage right

LAIUS (CONT’D): Jocasta, I thought you went to bed. 

JOCASTA: I did, but I couldn’t sleep. The baby is restless, and it’s so hot tonight that I went for a walk in the courtyard to try and cool off. (To Aetos) What? You obviously have something you want to say. So say it. Come on; don’t keep us in suspense, boy. Spit it out.

LAIUS: Go ahead, Aetos. Tell her.

AETOS: I couldn’t help but notice that you look terrible. Like you haven’t slept in days, you’re all sweaty, and your hair is...

JOCASTA: What exactly are you attempting to do? Make me feel better?

AETOS: No, I was only…

JOCASTA: Oh, wait. I could care less what you think about anything. Go away. I cannot stand the sight of you a moment longer. No wonder you spend all of your time with him, Laius. He’s a regular ray of sunshine.

LAIUS: Aetos, leave us. I need a quick word with my wife. Alone.

AETOS: My lord.

     Exit Aetos stage left

JOCASTA: Your pornos[3] grows more insolent by the day. You should teach him some manners.

LAIUS: His manners are fine.  You asked him what he thought. He told you. If you didn’t want the truth, you shouldn’t have asked. 

JOCASTA: Pardon me; I momentarily forgot how enthralled you are by him.

LAIUS: I admit it freely. I enjoy his company. Why should I not? Unlike you, he amuses me.

JOCASTA: I’m sure he does, but I doubt if that will last. You’ll soon grow…

    Jocasta cries out and grabs her lower belly. 

LAIUS: Are you? Is it…

    Enter Megeara stage left

JOCASTA: No, it’s only the baby kicking. He’s as strong as Hercules[4]. I’m surprised my body isn’t black and blue from his ministrations.

    Laius notices Megeara and waves her away.

    Exit Megeara stage left 

LAIUS: At any rate, Aetos was right about one thing. You look awful. You really should try to get some rest. It might improve your mood. This perpetual sullenness of yours is becoming rather tedious.

JOCASTA: That sounds like a great idea. And how do you suggest I do that? I’m so huge I can’t get comfortable no matter what I do. Not to mention, I’m worried sick about the baby. 

LAIUS: Do not start with that again. I told you I don’t know at the times. We have no choice. We have to get rid of it.

JOCASTA: He’s not an it. He’s your son.

LAIUS: If I listen to you, he will end up being my murderer. 

JOCASTA: Pssh! Did you know that before we were married, I used to hear such stories about you?

LAIUS: You don’t say.

JOCASTA: They were all about how bold, how brave, how fearless you were.  Everyone said that you were one of the greatest fighters in all of Greece, if not the world, and look at you now, the quintessential warrior utterly terrified of a helpless baby. You must be enormously proud. I certainly am. I brag about you all the time to my friends, and they are so jealous.          

LAIUS: Mind your tongue, woman.

JOCASTA: Why? What are you going to do if I don’t? Cut it out? I hate to tell you this, but I’m much bigger than a baby. Stronger too. I might hurt you if you tried it. No, you wouldn’t dare do anything to me. How would you explain it? What would people say? What would they believe? 

LAIUS: They would believe whatever I told them to believe.

JOCASTA: Or perhaps the truth about you might come out, and you can’t have that. Surely, you don’t want everyone to know why this misfortune befell the esteemed King Laius, that the rumors about him are true, and the gods are punishing him for breaking the laws of hospitality, along with a great many other things.

LAIUS: I’m warning you, Jocasta.

JOCASTA: Oh, come now, Laius, don’t be like that. There’s no need to pout. I swear it wasn’t my intention to upset you. I was simply pointing out that you haven’t changed one bit. You haven’t learned a thing from your mistakes. For example, you still can’t seem to keep your hands off those little boys, now, can you? 

LAIUS: Are you jealous because I would rather have that boy in my bed than you? 

JOCASTA: That’s not nearly as insulting as you seem to think it is, darling. What makes you think I want to spend any time at all in your bed? I assure you, the time I did spend there was more than enough to last me a lifetime.

LAIUS: I see you’ve had a change of heart, or wasn’t that you who got me drunk and then bedded me like a common whore? Isn’t that how we got here? In this untenable situation? Because you wanted to prove the prophecy wrong? 

JOCASTA: Don’t try to blame this fiasco on me. I didn’t crawl into bed with you. 

LAIUS: Then how did it happen? When I don’t even…

JOCASTA: Are you serious? You honestly think I tricked you into getting so drunk you couldn’t see straight and then had my way with you? Really 

LAIUS: That’s how I remember it.  

JOCASTA: Let me correct you, then. The truth is you were drunk, and you wanted to have sex. You didn’t care who with. It didn’t matter to you who was there in bed with you. All you wanted was a body. 

LAIUS: Well, anybody would have been better than you. All you did was lay there and cry.

JOCASTA: What did you expect? You hurt me, and you didn’t care that you did.  

LAIUS: You’re mad that I was a little rough with you? What did you want? Romance and roses? Poetry? Declarations of my undying love? Now that you mention it, I guess I didn’t live up to your expectations. Did I? I would tell you I was sorry, but I don’t like to lie. 

JOCASTA: Since when? The only thing I wanted from you was kindness, and you all but raped me. Just like you raped Chrysippus[5]. Go on. Deny it. 

LAIUS: A man can’t rape his own wife. Sex is the only reason why men get married in the first place. That’s your purpose, Jocasta, to give your husband pleasure whenever he wants it. Outside of that, it’s to deliver him an heir, but you cannot do either of those things, can you? And as for Chrysippus, you don’t know what you’re talking about. The boy was asking for it. He was practically begging for it. He wanted me. You wouldn’t believe how much he wanted me, but he was too ashamed to admit it, even to himself.

JOCASTA: Sure, he did. Everybody wants you, don’t they? I don’t believe that for a second, but even if that were the case, I bet he hates you now. The same way I hate you, and I hate you more than I have ever hated anyone or anything in my whole life. I’ll never forgive you for what you’ve done to me. Never.

LAIUS: I don’t recall asking for your forgiveness. I don’t want it, and I don’t need it. I don’t want anything from you except for you to keep that big mouth of yours shut and to do what you’re told. (Grabbing her jaw and forcing her to look him in the eye) And you will do that, or I swear you won’t live long enough to regret it, and neither will your pretentious father or that insipid brother of yours. Now hurry up and give birth to that thing so we can get this over with once and for all. I’m tired of talking about it. I’m tired of thinking about it, but more than anything, I’m tired of listening to your pathetic whining every day that comes.

    Laius pushes her away and moves toward the exit.

    Crying out, Jocasta clutches her belly. She cries out in pain and slowly sinks to her hands and knees. Laius stops and turns to look at her. 

LAIUS (CONT’D): Megeara! Rhene! Come and attend to your mistress!

    Enter Megeara and Rhene stage left 

    The two women move to either side of Jocasta and help her to her feet.

RHENE: My poor lady, I know it hurts. Hold on to me. Let’s get you to your chambers.

    The two servants support Jocasta between them.

JOCASTA: I think the baby’s coming. I’m not ready. What if…?

MEGEARA: It will be all right. Between us, we’ve helped countless women give birth before today. You are no different from any of them. You’re acting as though… 

RHENE: You’re in good hands, sweet girl. You don’t remember this, but I was there with your dear mother when you were born. Why do you think your father sent me to you? I’m here to help you.  Everything will be fine. I promise. 

JOCASTA: But I don’t know what to do. I’m scared.

MEGEARA: Your body will know, and we’ll be right there with you every step of the way. 

RHENE: Aren’t you excited? It’s almost over. Soon, you’ll have a precious little baby to love, and all this pain will seem like a distant dream..

    Exit Rhene, Megeara, and Jocasta stage left

LAIUS: Finally. At long last, this torment will come to an end.

    Exit Laius stage left

    The lights go down.

[1]  In the Greek pantheon, the King of the Gods.

[2] Monetary unit of ancient Greece

[3] Male prostitute

[4] Greek hero famous for his strength

[5] The beloved illegitimate son of King Pelops of Pisa who was kidnapped and raped by Laius. He later committed suicide.