SCENE 31:
Hera’s office. She and Minos are on the couch, looking through a photo album. A knock at the door. Minos opens it to find Athena. He looks surprised, but beckons her in.

Minos: And what can we do for you, Athena? (Hera looks up, warily)

Athena: I came to speak with Hera.

Hera: Then speak.

Athena: Alone. (Minos nods and goes, Athena waits until the door is shut) I left them. I didn’t want to start a war.

Hera: I see. We are all very grateful, then. You should tell Apollo, he will be most relieved.

Athena: I don’t want to talk to anyone.

Hera: Then I will pass the word along. Without you, I doubt that Zeus has the capacity to cause much more trouble, that is most reassuring. (she looks back to her pictures with a slight frown, Athena starts to lose control) You fought with him, didn’t you?

Athena: No, no it was much more than that. He turned on me, after everything I did. And he said that I only wanted to be a politician to… to get people to like me… but that no one ever would. (she begins to cry, Hera stands up and brings her to the couch)

Hera: I’m sorry.

Athena: Sorry because he said it or sorry because he’s right?

Hera: You haven’t exactly made yourself easy to get along with. We did try, maybe not enough, and certainly not early enough, but you never let us in.

Athena: No, of course not. Because none of you know, you can’t begin to realize that I don’t need family because I already have my family inside of me. (Hera looks confused) Oh come, on, what did you think happened when Zeus so cleverly ate my mother? That She just dissipated then, poof, I was born, and she just disappeared? No, she spread into both of us, like osmosis, Zeus and I. The one thing we have that no one else ever will, the little bits of Metis stuck inside that give me memories I don’t want and thoughts I never knew and urges that I can’t even begin to tell you about. (she breaks down completely, but not loudly, not showily.) I carry everything my mother ever wanted inside of me, every emotion started from her, every dream brought on her desires. And you wonder why I don’t want to be close to anyone, to love anyone? You wonder why I believe in intellect, the one thing that is untouched by the memories of her, the only part of my mind that I can call pure. And all of you call me a bitch behind my back and make fun of me for not wanting to be touched…

Hera: We had no idea, although that is no excuse. I would like to say that if I had known, I would have behaved better, but we both know I would have destroyed you. But if you let me, I will help you now.

Athena: I don’t want help.

Hera: You can’t go on like this forever. Cringing every time someone puts their arm around you? Being terrified of happiness? That’s no life at all. And there must be someone, somewhere that can separate you, that can distill your memories and remove the Metis from your mind.

Athena: Don’t you think I’ve thought of that? And tried, tried the Fates and I tried psychoanalysis, I invented it, and it never did a fucking thing.

Hera: There may yet be a way. (Athena looks at her and is about to ask when the door swings open with a boom and Zeus walks in. He is shocked to see Athena, especially in tears, and looks about to leave again) Why are you here?

Zeus: Obviously to speak with you, I had no idea that Athena was here. I’ll be waiting outside.

Hera: How generous. (he glares at her but goes)

Athena: I’d better go.

Hera: You are certainly not well enough to go off on your own, you will worry yourself sick.

Athena: I have survived worse than this, without you, but thank you for your concern.

Hera: No. It is far worse to suffer in front of someone, because then you must think not only what you feel, but what they could feel, and must feel, and you must be reminded that they pity you, which is not always the most comforting of emotions. What you need, Athena, is to not be alone, or you will only be reminded of the true solitude you cannot yet achieve. Go to Aphrodite, bring her this (she slips off a ring, not because that will mean anything to Aph, but it will ensure that Athena goes there, out of honor if nothing else) and she will know what it means. I will not tell anyone what you have confided to me. (Athena nods, and looks at the ring, and seems to decide to go, disappears, Hera opens the door) Well, you have chased your daughter away, do come in and have a chat.

Zeus: I did not realize that Athena was here, nor that she was so unhappy. I was very rash in what I said to her, I will apologize presently.

Hera: I’m sure you will. Until then there is the small matter of why you are here. Certainly without the possibility of pigs flying you would not be here to apologize to me. So what do you want?

Zeus: I have put my plans for the earth on hold. It appears that I was too impatient in my attempts to garner human support. I’ve decided to conserve my resources and spend some time watching and learning.

Hera: So you gave up. A smart choice. Have fun watching and learning, I imagine you’ll have the good graces to do that far away from the rest of us.

Zeus: But it occurs to me that I would be best served spending time with the other Gods whose experience of humanity is vaster than mine. And who else should I turn to but my wife?

Hera: You can’t be serious. However much damage you think you can inflict upon me by living with me, I promise you I will be more annoying to you.

Zeus: Why must you always assume that my intentions are bad? You are not willing to believe that I could have had some selfish reasons in marrying you? (he brushes his hand against her cheek, she looks slightly ill but then decides to play along)

Hera: I had always imagined it had rather a lot to do with power.

Zeus: The power of lust, yes. The power of two similar minds, meeting to direct the purpose of this world. That is the future I meant for us, and yet we have been sidetracked and distracted from the beginning.

Hera: I wonder why.

Zeus: Too many other Gods competing for our attention (he kisses her neck intermittently during this speech), our constant need to help the humans along, a lack of communication about our differences, a tendency toward passionate anger.

Hera: Ahh. As enjoyable as this charade is, Zeus, I must put an end to it. As I recall, the last time I got you into bed I needed Aphrodite’s girdle to get you horny enough, so I somehow doubt that you’re truly overcome by my feminine charms. Let’s cut the shit, what do you want, money?

Zeus: I can get my own money.

Hera: Well, I’m not going to give you advice on how to take over humankind, so you had best look elsewhere.

Zeus: That’s not really what I was looking for either.

Hera: My imagination fails. What is it then?

Zeus: I need the challenge. It’s boring without you. We’re a dynamic pair, and you need me to compete against as much as I need you. You can’t claim it’s more interesting here on earth with no one worth your energy.

Hera: (sarcastically) Oh, how well you know me. I must be an open book. (sitting back on couch) No, I’m afraid you’re quite wrong on that one. I do much better here without your camaraderie. If you want to perfect a love-hate relationship I suggest you have a chat with Aphrodite and Hephaestus, but I can’t really see it in my future. I like being content and there are enough challenges in any life to avoid having to go out and make them from spending time with someone you ought not to. (Zeus looks at her a minute as if trying to break down the defenses, then finally laughs a large, genuine laugh and sits down on the couch)

Zeus: Well, it was worth a try anyway.

Hera: Perhaps. You would have been miserable if I’d said yes.

Zeus: It’s not an unfamiliar concept.

Hera: And that is not entirely my fault. It is bad enough that one’s husband should be an incessant cheat without him bringing home his conquests to flaunt in your face.

Zeus: Better to know than to discover after hundreds of years your supposed first born son is not really after all. (He sounds more tired than angry, Hera too is playing by rote)

Hera: To what are you referring?

Zeus: To what… oh, come on. Who’s putting on whom now? Hephaestus, you didn’t really think I wouldn’t have found out eventually. You were the first to pollute our marital bed, the first to lie, and yet you would insist the blame of everything lies with me.

Hera: You’re right, I’m a liar and I’m no better than you are. Do you really want to talk about things that happened thousands of years ago? Or do you want to discuss what’s going to happen now?

Zeus: An admirable way to change the subject. However, the future is much more important than the past. I am going to go find a nice city to settle down in, to sit back and gather information. I have no real interest in maintaining contact with the other Gods right now.

Hera: Because they are all angry with you.

Zeus: Because they are weak. When next you hear of a powerful person across the sea, perhaps you will think of me. And we will see who will win, not this time, not next year, but one hundred years from now, one thousand years from now, because if you look at history, I have always been the champion, and you have been but the shrewish wife, always walking three steps behind.

Hera: Time changes all things. And history repeats itself only in style, not in substance. You had best get used to losing, after a few hundred years you stop taking it personally.

Zeus: It will always be personal between you and I. You might pretend otherwise, but we are what we are. (he disappears. Hera looks frustrated, then collects herself and picks up the phone).