Forget Herostratus! (play)

• Theater man
• Tissafern is the lord of Ephesus , satrap of the Persian king.
• Clementine is his wife.
• Cleon - Archon - Basil of Ephesus.
• Herostratus is a bazaar merchant
• Krisipp is a loan shark .
• Erita - Priestess of the Temple of Artemis
• Jailer
• First citizen
• Second city dweller
• Third Citizen

The scene is the city of Ephesus . The duration is 356 BC .

The man of the theater of our time is trying to figure out the "sources of the disease, which subsequently brought grief to humanity" ^[1] . To this end, he observes the events of more than two thousand years ago. He can only observe, but not interfere ^[2] .

Bazaar merchant Herostratus burns the temple of Artemis of Ephesus . He is thrown into prison and should be executed the next day. He is despised by all for unprecedented sacrilege. Nevertheless, he manages to bribe the jailer to bring his father-in-law, loan shark Krisippa, into his cell. While the jailer was absent, a crowd broke into the prison to kill Herostratus, but in time the archon Cleon arrived in time to prevent lynching and convinced the citizens of the need for a lawful trial of the criminal.

Left alone with Cleon, Herostratus tells him his story and explains the true purpose of his act: he wanted to become famous as a man who defied the gods. Herostratus is sure that now his name will not be forgotten, and that soon the townspeople will love him.

After Cleon's departure to Herostratus comes his former father-in-law Chrysippus. Herostratus promises him to repay his old debt, but Herostratus has no money. Instead of money, he gives Krisippe his manuscript - "memoirs of a man who set fire to the greatest temple in the world", containing the biography of Herostratus, his poems and philosophy. Herostratus offers Crisippus to duplicate this manuscript and sell it. For her, he wants money, and much more than the amount of debt. After the auction, they agree on the amount of 500 drams . Herostratus transfers this money through the jailer to the tavern of Dionysius, where all the drunkards of Ephesus gather to be drunk.

Meanwhile, the ruler of Ephesus and the satrap of the Persian king Tissafern is discussing with Cleon and his wife Clementine what happened and what to do next. Cleon assures Tissafern that Herostratus burned the temple in order to perpetuate his name. Clementine, however, puts forward a more romantic theory that the temple was burned in the name of unrequited love. She even envies this woman, because she herself really wants to leave her mark on history. To this end, she flooded her home with chroniclers recording every act of Tissafern. (“These historians and poets just snoop around the yard and look, what to describe and capture,” complains Tissafern ^[3] ).

Erita, priestess of the temple of Artemis, comes to Tissafern. She weeps, cursing both Herostratus, and the Ephesians, and all of humanity. Cleon calls the court the next day, and he does not want to make a spectacle out of execution, so as not to flatter the ambition of the criminal. But Erita unexpectedly announces that she is against the punishment of Herostratus by people, and Artemis should punish him. In order to find out whether this is true, she sent a messenger to the Delphic oracle . Erita asks to postpone the decision for a month until the messenger returns. Cleon v. Tissafern, not knowing what to do, decides to resort to voting. For the immediate execution of Cleon and Clementine, for deferment - Erita. But the situation changes when Clementine learns that Herostratus is young and handsome. She also votes for a respite. A controversy is emerging. Tissafern cannot make a decision.

The drunk jailer returned to Herostratus and said that the drunkards of Ephesus were outraged by the act of Herostratus. But, arguing, what to do with the money (To drown in need? Or to drink it all the same?), They decide to drink it. Having completed their plan, they decide that Herostratus is a bastard, of whom there are few, but still there is something human in him.

The jailer also reports that several people are waiting for a date with Herostratus, including some woman who covered her face. The Herostratus orders the woman to be brought first and, having paid the jailer, demands that they be left alone. This woman is Clementine. She decided to check her version that Herostratus burned the temple out of love, and was very upset when she found out that the motive of Herostratus had nothing to do with her ideal. Herostratus understands the cause of her anger and says that he loves her. Yes, he does not hide that this is not true, but who is interested in the truth? He immediately creates a legend according to which he burned the temple precisely because of his love for Clementine. And he will publicly announce it during the execution. For this, he requires the love of Clementine. The theater man, despite his rules of non-interference, is trying to stop Clementine, to which Herostratus threatens to name another woman. Suddenly the jailer Clementine was intimidated, after which Clementine and Herostratus were removed.

Theater man "forced to declare intermission"

Twenty days have passed since Herostratus burned the temple. And Herostratus is still alive and well.

Court. Two townspeople drag a third. These are the very townspeople who tried to kill Herostratus twenty days ago. Now the situation has changed. The third citizen wanted to set fire to the city theater, and the first two captured him. The court is appointed the next day, but the third citizen, hysterically admiring the "son of the gods" Herostratus and his "feat", threatens Cleon with a new order and refuses to believe in the possibility of justice. After he was taken away, the second townsman told Cleon about the emerging cult of Herostratus, that in the tavern of Dionysius, every day drunkards of Ephesus drink on the money of Herostratus and glorify him. The second citizen asks Cleon to imprison him in order to kill Herostratus, without waiting for the court. Cleon refuses, citing the fact that then the second townsman is executed as a killer, but the second townsman is ready to make this sacrifice in order to save his city. Still, Cleon insists that everything be in accordance with the law.

Cleon shares his observations with the theater man. He claims that Herostratus is not a philosopher, and his whole program consists of mediocre words: “Do what you want, not fearing the gods and ignoring people! By this you will also gain humility for yourself! ”The theater man warns Cleon about the dangers of such ideas.

Meanwhile, the jailer was brought to Cleon. Unable to withstand the threats of torture, the jailer told Cleon that Chrysippus and another man had come to Herostratus. At that moment, Clementine comes to court, and the jailer, wanting to show her that he did not name her, gives her away. Cleon drives the jailer away and begins the interrogation of Clementine. Clementine says that Herostratus really burned the temple out of love, and to her. Cleon, on the other hand, understands that Herostratus could not have invented such a legend that it was invented at the prompt of Clementine herself. And Cleon requires Clementine to name the price that she paid Herostratus for accepting the legend. Clementine refuses to answer. Then Cleon arrests Clementine and informs her that he learns the truth from the jailer.

Chrysippus is summoned to court. He is accused of illegally selling the works of Herostratus, but Chrysippus claims that he sold these scrolls only before the law came out, and then destroyed all the remains. Cleon threatens him with a search. Chrysippus calmly gives Cleon the keys to the warehouses. Cleon realizes that the scrolls are hidden elsewhere. Having pressed on Chrysippus, Cleon realizes that the scrolls are hidden in the gynec . In response, Crisippus says he wants to make a sincere confession and says that a certain noble man ordered him fifteen papyri. Cleon insists that Chrysippe name the customer. At this moment, Tissafern enters the hall, and Chrysippus points to him. Cleon drives Chrisippus away.

Tissafern does not particularly hide that he ordered papyri for himself and several other rulers and “respected people”. He does not believe that he violated the law, since this law itself was issued. And there is no bad example in this, since everything happens in secret. Cleon informs Tissafern of the arrest of Clementine on charges of conspiracy with Herostratus. Cleon assures Tissafern that Clementine did not deny the fact of visiting Herostratus. In addition, there is a jailer Herostratus, who can confirm her words. They bring Clementine. She refuses her words, claiming that she has never been with Herostratus. Tissafern is extremely annoyed and upset that either his wife or his friend is lying to him. The name of the jailer, but it turns out that he was killed. Cleon suspects Clementine or Tissafern. Clementine blames Cleon for this and leaves with Tissafern. Left alone, Cleon asks the theater man to return the knife to him.

Cleon appoints himself the jailer of Herostratus, which delights the latter and confirms the accuracy of his calculations. Tissafern visits Herostratus in prison to find out the truth about the relationship of his wife and criminal. Herostratus declares that Clementine has fallen in love with him, and offers Tissafern a deal: the ruler will free and bring Herostratus closer to himself, and he will restore order in the city and stop all rumors about his relationship with Clementine. Tissafern indirectly confesses to the murder of the jailer and gives Herostratus a dagger to kill Cleon.

Tissafern leaves, and Cleon tries to find out from Herostratus what the conversation was about. But Herostratus refuses to say anything, and Cleon addresses his question to the Theater Man. At this moment, Herostratus is trying to inflict a fatal blow to Cleon from behind, but the Theater Man warns the archon and gives him the dagger .

In the battle, Cleon kills Herostratus. The song of the masons who rebuild the temple of Artemis is heard. The theater man asks for the names of the builders, but Cleon does not remember a single one.

• 1972 - Academic Drama Theater named after V.F. Komissarzhevskaya (Leningrad)
• 1975 - The satirical theater of the Palace of Culture and Arts of Ukraine (now the Old House Theater) ( Yekaterinburg ), staged by Nikolai Stulikov.
• 2003 - Norilsk Polar Drama Theater named after Vl. Mayakovsky ( Norilsk ), director - people's artist of Russia Alexander Zykov ^[4]
• 2006 - Rainy Theater (St. Petersburg), staged by Natalia Nikitina
• 2009 - Youth Theater on the Fontanka (St. Petersburg), staged by Vladimir Maslakov
• 2011 - Commonwealth of Taganka actors (Moscow), staged by Ekaterina Koroleva
• 2011 - Sterlitamak Russian Drama Theater ( Sterlitamak )
• 2012 - Municipal Theater "Hermitage" (Tula), staged by Igor Nebolsin
• 2012 - Kharkov Russian Drama Theater named after Pushkin , staged by Anatoly Wetsner
• 2013 - Crimean Academic Theater named after M. Gorky - staged by Victor Navrotsky.
• 2013 - Tomsk Regional Drama Theater (Tomsk), staged by Alexander Zagoraev
• 2013 - State Russian Drama Theater of the Republic of Mordovia ( Saransk ), staged by Ursula Makarova
• 2013 - Belgorod State Academic Drama Theater named after M. S. Shchepkin , staged by Yuri Ioffe