Weekly Assignment: Skit

Characters:

Achilles (Athenian Citizen)

Delbin (Wife of Achilles)

Makis (Achilles’s son)

Pericles

Socrates

Lysander

Aspasia (Pericles wife)

Adonia (Nurse)

Orpheus (Servant)

Gyles (Athenian Solider)

Prologue:

The Athenians had just won the Persian War and entered a time of Prosperity of the Golden Age. The Athenians now ruled the East Mediterranean and ruled most trade in that area. The Athens become very wealthy and their government of democracy becomes stronger along with their navy. As we know, with prosperity comes down fall.

Achilles’s house

Makis: Father, did you hear?

Achilles: Hear what?

Makis: Pericles is building a new acropolis that would worship the goddess, Athena.

Achilles: Sounds expensive

Makis: It is, but imagining how great and big it will be.

Achilles: I know son, but what about what Socrates is saying.

Makis: What do you mean? About how there are empires greater than Athens?

Achilles: He may be right you now.

Delbin: He’s just another crazy old man who doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

Achilles: Whatever you say, Delbin.

Delbin: Makis go out and get us some food from the market for supper.

Makis: Ok mom, be back soon.

Makis leaves, and we go over to look at Pericles’s life.

Aspasia: You should really take a break.

Pericles: I have to please the people, and make the Acropolis perfect.

Aspasia: You work too hard.

Pericles: I know, I just want to finish the plans.

Orpheus enters

Orpheus: My lord would you like anything.

Pericles: Yes bring me two wines, quickly.

Aspasia:  Pericles, what do you think about Sparta?

Pericles: Actually………… (Interrupted by Orpheus)

Orpheus: Lord, Sparta has attacked the port!

Pericles: We must take action now.

Aspasia: Be careful my love.

Pericles leaves and suits his army up to go down to the port. We now go back to Achilles’s house.

Achilles: I wonder where Makis is; he should be back by now.

Delbin: Your right, I just hope he’s ok.

Makis enters

Achilles: There you are, my son.

Delbin: What took you so long?

Makis: There were crowds of people everywhere, I don’t know why.

Delbin: Did you get the food?

Makis: Yes

Gyles enters

Gyles: The Spartans just attacked the main port. Suit up and report to North Wall immediately.

Achilles gets his armor and sword and walks out the door.

Makis: Mother, where are they taking father.

Delbin: Son, before you were born, you father fought in the Persian war and would return to the army if there was any other emergency.

Makis: So what you’re telling me is that he’s going to war.

Delbin: Yes, but if he did it once he can do it again.

Makis: I hope so.

Now back to Pericles.

Gyles: I’m back with a couple more men.

Achilles: It’s an honor to fight by your side, my lord.

Pericles: Thank you, but let’s focus on stopping the Spartans.

Gyles: Achilles, you come with me.

Pericles: Gyles you take your men right down the middle.

Gyles: Perfect, my Lord.

Pericles: Ready, attack!

The Athenians fight the Spartans and are forced to retreat, and the Spartans take over the port.

Gyles enters Achilles’s house

Delbin: Where’s Achilles?

Makis: Mom, Where’s dad?

Gyles: I’m sorry, but Achilles was killed while in combat. He was a very brave man.

Delbin: I know. Can I have some privacy please?

Gyles leaves.

Makis: What? Dad died. He can’t be gone.

Delbin: We can make through together, Makis.

Athens has been trapped in the walls of the city for weeks and they start to sun out of food and supplies due to the Spartans blocking the port. To make matters worse, a plague hits Athens.

Orpheus: My Lord, are you feeling any better?

Pericles: No, get me a nurse.

Orpheus: Adonia, get in here.

Adonia: Oh my Lord, It looks like you have the plague.

Aspasia: Will he be ok.

Adonia: I’m sorry, but he probably won’t make it.

Adonia and Orpheus leave.

Aspasia: Pericles, I love you.

Pericles: I, I ……………..

Pericles dies.

Aspasia: Oh why have the gods taken my Pericles? They should have taken me instead.

 The plague hits Athens hard and destroys 1/3 of the Athenian population.

Back to Achilles’s house

Makis: Mom did you hear?

Delbin: No, but Makis don’t go out anymore. I don’t want you getting the plague.

Makis: Whatever you say Mom, but Pericles died because of it.

Delbin: You mean the plague.

Makis: Yes

Delbin: This is not good something has to be done.

Now without Pericles, the Athenians look toward their democracy. And the people choose to continue you the war without any real commander.

Gyles: Where should we go from here?

Hristos: I believe we should attack Sicily first,. After all they won’t be expecting it.

Gyles: Great idea we should head out by dusk and get there in a month or two.

Hristos: Surely we will win in a surprise attack with triremes.

The Athenians take sail to Sicily and it takes about two months to get there. However, what they don’t know is that there plan completely back fires. There was a traitor who was persecuted in Athens while he wasn’t there, and turns his ship around to tell the Spartans. Then the Spartans tell Sicily, and Sicily gets prepared for the battle.

Gyles: I see some ships right off the coast.

Hristos: Your right, they’re tons of ships.

Gyles: They must have been expecting us.

Hristos: Athenians, get ready for a bloody battle.

The battle of Sicily was the downfall of Athens. Athens was now only a population of the diseased and war. Lysander, the leader of Sparta, now started to fully take over Athens.

Delbin: How could we lose. We had so much to live for.

Makis: Mother, everything is going to be ok.

Delbin: No it’s not Makis, Athens as lost hope and spirit. Now Lysander is progressing his troops into Athens.

Makis: Who is there to blame?

Delbin: I blame Socrates, the crazy old man for this, he always doubted Athens. I believe he is the traitor and responsible for all of this.

Makis: The gods have cursed Athens; we were the strongest empire with fortune and stronghold, now we are nothing, just like the Persians we had destroyed before. Athena please protect the city of Athens, we need you the most now.

Athens had to surrender to the Spartan commander, Lysander. Lysander ordered Athens to tear down their walls and destroy all the ships but twelve. Athens was truly humiliated. This was the story of the rise and downfall of Athens.

Daily Assignment, "Write the script for a skit exploring the Persian Wars from the Persian point-of-view."

Characters:

Xerxes

Amjad (Xerxes’s Father)

Alma (Xerxes’s Mom)

Aref (Solider 1)

Amin (Solider 2)

Slave

Amjad: We shall set out by dawn tomorrow by sea.

Slave: To where my Lord.

Amjad: Athens, for their empire has grown to a threat.

Slave: Surely, we will win, for our empire is far more superior.

Amjad: Did I say you could speak, Go get me some food, slave.

Slave: Yes, right away sir.

Slave Exits and Xerxes’s Mom enters

Alma: Please be careful dear.

Amjad:  Have peace, we outnumber two fold.

Alma: Just promise me, you’ll be safe.

Amjad: I can assure you; we will win.

It has reached dawn and the Persian army sets forth to Marathon

Amjad: At last we are here; Marathon.

Aref: Surely, We cannot lose.

Amjad: We are the largest empire in the world; Athens is so small compared to us.

Aref: My Lord, here comes the Greeks.

Amjad: Ready soldiers; Attack!!

Amjad leads the army in front, and gets stabbed by the enemy

Aref: Lord, are you alright.

Amjad: No, just leave me and tell my wife I love her.

Amjad dies, and the Persian army retreats

Amjad:  My Lady, Our lord has died along with 6,000 others

Alma: What! This can’t be.

Amjad: I’m so sorry; he wanted me to tell you that He loves you.

Alma: That is enough; Let me have some privacy please.

The Slave enters

Slave: My lady, would you like anything.

Alma: No, just let me be.

Slave exits, and Xerxes enters

Xerxes: Mom, are you alright.

Alma: I have to tell you something.

Xerxes: Yes

Alma: Your father died at the battle of Marathon.

Xerxes: Curse those Greeks, I shall have revenge.

Two years pass, and Xerxes is trained to be a great leader and solider in combat.

Xerxes: Tomorrow, we set forth for Athens.

Aref: Your father would be so proud.

Xerxes: I shall revenge him, and conquer all of Greece.

Aref: This time we shall have five times the Athenian people.

Xerxes: We shall wipe the Athenians off the map.

Xerxes reaches Athens

Xerxes: Where are the cowards hiding? They shall be in shame.

Aref: What do you want us to do?

Xerxes: Raid the city and burn down the acropolis, and then we shall head out to conquer the rest of Greece. First we go to Salamis, and the rest of Greece.

Aref: Sounds like a brilliant plan.

Amin: Agreed.

Xerxes and his army head off to Salamis in their ships.

Aref: My lord, Greek ships.

Amin: They look like Athenian Triremes too.

Xerxes: They are Athenian ships. Persians, attack!

One day later

Aref: They look to strong.

Xerxes: I know, but we must give it our all.

After the Persians were trapped in the small area, they were destroyed and Amin returns to the Persian Empire.

Amin: My lady, you must here this.

Alma: Spit it out.

Amin: We were destroyed, only of few of us made it out.

Alma: What about Xerxes.

Amin: I’m truly sorry, but he drown.

Amin exits

Alma: Oh, why have the gods cursed. Now both my husband and my son are lost due to the Greeks.

The End

Daily Question, "Do you think Socrates got what he deserved? Why didn't he accept exile?"

I really don’t think Socrates deserved anything. Socrates also didn’t think he did anything wrong, and that questioning the Athenian culture and the wise were alright.  Socrates just stood strong in his belief and preached it. Socrates was a Greek Athenian Philosopher, who questioned many things that the Greeks had and did. Socrates lived during the rise and downfall of Athens. Athens was in a time of trouble, and wanted someone to blame. Who else better to blame than
Socrates for the loss in the Peloponnesian War. Socrates questioned the Athenian law and preached it. Also it was said that Socrates also recognized and discerned the powere of Sparta over Athens. For this Socrates was sentenced for death, but could have begged for a lesser sentence, like exile.

 Socrates didn’t accept exile because it would have made him look weak if he begged for mercy. Also because of his old age, he didn’t have much to do if he was exiled, and if he would have gone with exile, It would have made him like he didn’t stand strong for his belief. I really think he did this for a matter of pride and dignity, because if he would have gone with exile, he probably would have lived in shame for the rest of his life. If he would have begged for mercy, it would have looked like he was wrong, but again he wanted to stand strong for what he believed in. Also if he would have taken the exile, he probably will still have been persecuted by the society. 

Daily Question,"Was Athens really a 'democracy'?"

           I believe that Athens was a real democracy. The definition of democracy, according to Encarta, is “the free and equal right of every person to participate in a system of government.” In Athens, Cleisthenes made what is known now as the common vote after being exiled from Athens. Even though Cleisthenes started the democracy by a white pebble for “yes” and a black pebble for “no”, Pericles had led the democratic government of Athens at its highest. What started the whole democracy was Cleisthenes needing good new boats for the Persian War. He had thought the idea of voting so everyone could have their own fair role in government and everyone could be their own hero. Cleisthenes then made everybody in the council vote for what to spend the money on; navy or art. Cleisthenes’s plan worked, and the Athenians ended up winning the Persian War. Basically, this democracy government was what lead Athens into its Golden Age and also its down fall.

            Athens’s democracy was a “democracy” in terms of the definition, by letting the people vote and each person has equal rights. However, today the democracy we have in the United States is much more advance then just a gathering of people to vote.  Even though Athens’s form of democracy isn’t advanced as ours today, the United States wouldn’t have even gotten the idea for democracy. Just like democracy the Greek have shown us a lot about art and architecture that we use today. Overall, Athens was a ‘simple’ democracy that we based our democracy today off of. 

Daily Question,"Give several examples of monuments in Maryland / DC / PA that might be familiar to folks who live here but which would not be understood by outsiders without an explanation. Please include your own or public domain photos."

        In 1827, during a visit to Baltimore, President John Quincy Adams referred to the city as “Monumental City” because of the memorial monuments erected throughout the city. Geographically, Maryland ranks the 10^th smallest state in the US (including the District of Columbia) but is among one the top10 states with the most declared National Historic Landmarks. In addition to Maryland’s 71 declared historic landmarks, embedded in the middle of the state, is the District of Columbia which is also among one the top 10 states with the most declared National Historic Landmarks, having 74 of its own. Having 145 National Historical Landmarks in one small geographical area attracts millions of visitors each year to Maryland.  However, aside from the declared landmarks, Maryland has many less known monuments but ones that are equally as fascinating.  Below are some of these less known monuments.

National Katyn Memorial

Baltimore, Maryland

http://culture.polishsite.us/articles/art281fr.htm

        Since I am of Polish descent, I found the National Katyn Memorial interesting. This monument located the roundabout on Felicia Street in Baltimore City, is dedicated to all the victims of the Soviet communist rule but especially to the massacre of 15,400 Polish officers by the Soviet Secret Police in 1940 in the Katyn forest. Below is a picture of the monument.

The Reese Monument

1035 E 33rd Street, across from the YMCA

http://monumentcity.net/2009/04/19/reese-memorial-monument-baltimore-md/

        Another interesting monument is one that is located ion 33^rd Street in Baltimore. The sculptor, Grace Turnbul, dedicated this as a memorial to her friend, teacher and poet Lizette Woodworth Reese who died in 1935. The monument entitled the “Good Shepard”, was dedicated in 1939 and referenced her friend’s most famous poem, “Tears”. Both Grace Turnbul and Lizette Woodworth Reese were residents of Baltimore during their life. The monument was originally located next to Eastern High School then move to Lake Clifton High School when Eastern High School closed. It recently has been returned to its original location now occupied by Johns Hopkins University. Below is a photograph of the Reese Monument.

Columbus Obelisk

Harford Road & Walther Avenue Baltimore, Maryland

http://monumentcity.net/2009/04/12/columbus-obelisk-baltimore-md/

        The first monument dedicate to Columbus both in the United States and the world. The stone obelisk was erected in 1792 to celebrate the 300^th year anniversary of the discovery of America.  The monument is forty-four feet in height and is the oldest monument in dedication to Columbus that is still standing today. 

Black Aggie Monument

http://paranormaland.com/TheLegendofBlackAggie.html

Original location: Druid Ridge Cemetery, Baltimore Maryland 1907

        The monument, entitled “Grief” once marked the grave of General Felix Agnus, the publisher of the Baltimore “American” and his wife Annie. Many urban legends surround the black mourning figure. Some stories told about the statue suggest that the other spirits in the cemetery meet in front of the statue nightly and that no grass ever grows in front of the statue. Stories of Black Aggie’s glowing red eyes and being haunted by ghosts if you’d sat on the statue’s lap has made this grave monument the subject of one of Maryland’s most popular ghostly legends. The statue became such a disruption to the Druid Ridge Cemetery, that it was donated In 1967 to the Smithsonian museum in Washington D.C.  After years of being in storage, it was eventually moved to the courtyard of the Dolly Madison House on Lafayette Square in Washington, DC.

Weekly assignment, Megalith

Standing Stone of Archbishop John Carroll

            Archbishop John Carroll, the archbishop of Baltimore, died on December 3, 1815 and this standing stone is believed to be the marker of his tomb. The standing stone itself is eight feet tall and weighs 1,200 pounds, surrounded by fourteen smaller stones with lit torches of fire on the sides. The rocks were believed to be positioned here by his closes followers. One theory is that the fourteen small rocks that surround the standing stone are believed to represent all the institutions he had established. The lit torches hold the fire that is said to never burn out. I believe the fire represents the everlasting love of God that Archbishop John Carroll brought to the Baltimore area. Every December 3, the myth is that the ghost of Archbishop John Carroll roams the halls of the John Carroll High School in Bel Air, Maryland to continue his life he had as a teacher. Other people also believe the standing stone was used for a place of worship for a church that Archbishop John Carroll had built. They believe the fourteen stones surrounding the standing stone were people who were turned into stones for not keeping the Sabbath day holy. The correct explanation of why the standing stone and the circle of stones surrounding it, is a complete mystery.

Andrew Beard, Josh Mannion

Daily Question, "Structures, both social and physical are continually improving." agree or disagree

           I agree, structures, both social and physical are continually improving. Physical structures are being made stronger, cheaper and more reliable. One example is of boats. The titanic was supposed to be unsinkable, but it sank. However, there have been many structure improvements with the boat today.  Today, boats are built stronger and made not to sink. Boats are not the only example of improvement, there are also many buildings. Buildings like Fuji Sankei Building in Tokyo are very futuristic and unique, which is also a form of improvement because I think all change is improvement in some way. Not only has there been improvement with physical structures, but there has also been improvement with social structures. When I think of social structures; I think of things like social networks and social relationships with other countries. The social group as a whole has improved enormously. Things like Facebook are social networks. Facebook has over 500 million users, which is more than the population of the United States. Social relations with other countries have improvements and also downfalls. There have been trades and war with other countries which shows a social relationship and this relationship is part of this social structure. Overall, I think the social and physical structures have been improving in their own ways. Some are major improvements and some are minor improvements that people don’t even see. Improvement never comes alone though. There are consequences with everything, even improvement. With prosperity also comes downfall.