Austin Che
5/6/96
Period 4
Mythology

A student for his mythology class writes, "With everything I do I try to improve the world. I want 
to help others. I..." There is a flash of lightning. And Austin disappears.

Austin: (looking around) I...I have no clue where I am.
Zeus: Welcome to Mount Olympus. I am Zeus. Hermes has brought you to me to serve my needs.
Austin: Wow! You are Zeus!?! Can I see your thunderbolts?
Zeus: (shouting) Do not waste my time!
Austin: Could you explain the significance of time to the immortal gods?
Zeus: (sighing) Look. I heard that you care a lot about helping others. There is someone that you 
need to talk with. His name is Achilles. He is totally ruining this war. There are so few Greeks 
and Trojans dying in this war. The Greeks need someone to slaughter the Trojans. Without 
Achilles, the Greeks will not be able to fulfill their destiny of conquering Troy. Your job will be 
to convince Achilles to stop sulking and to help the Greeks.
Austin: Do you think it is possible for me to go back to my previous job? I need to finish my 
dialogue.
Zeus: (furious) I don't care about your dialogue. You still have several thousand years before 
your dialogue is due. Achilles needs to join the fighting and it is your job to get him into the 
battlefield. Hermes will guide and accompany you in case you need help.
Austin: (Suddenly finds himself in a dark place in front of a tent) What??
Hermes: This is Achilles' tent. He is alone inside. Good luck.
Austin: (muttering) I guess there is nothing else to do now. (Walks into the tent and cheerfully 
announces his presence) Hello!
Achilles: (springing to his feet, pulling out his sword) Identify yourself!
Austin: (meekly) I...I'm Austin. Don't kill me, please.
Achilles: Hey! Isn't some city named after you? My mother, Thetis, she is a goddess, you know, 
told me that there will be a great city named Austin in the future. Nice to meet you. (puts down 
his sword)
Austin: Yep. That's me. Well, I was sent...
(In comes another stranger)
Austin: Ahhh...how much more complicated can this get?
Achilles: (addressing the stranger) Who are you?
Ramses: I'm Ramses the Third, the Pharaoh of Egypt. I have come to see Helen of Troy. Who do 
you think you are? I should have you executed for your insolence.
Achilles: You don't know who I am! I'm Achilles. And what right do you have in threatening me 
like that?
(Ramses and Achilles continue to argue)
Austin: (thinking) What is going on? What do I do now?
Hermes: (whispering) It seems that Zeus owed this Egyptian god a favor and when this god heard 
about you...Well, you now have two people to argue with and to convince to change.
Austin: Will you two be quiet! (Ramses and Achilles stop arguing) Achilles, if you continue this, 
Zeus will make sure you will not get the fame you deserve. And Ramses, I can only guarantee 
your safety here if you behave yourself. (silence) Much better. Now Ramses, are you the one who 
built the Treasure House?
Ramses: Of course. Everyone knows that.
Austin: Do you have a lot of valuable treasure that you store in the Treasure House?
Ramses: Yes. I protect my treasure well. There was a Treasure Thief who stole from my 
valuables but now he is loyal and obeys me.
Austin: You have all this treasure that you store aside. Why don't you give it to the people who 
need it? Then, people won't need to steal from you.
Ramses: It's mine! Why should I give it to others when it belongs to me? The more wealth that I 
have, the better.
Achilles: Wealth? Why is wealth so important to you. I would not accept all the riches in the 
world if it meant I had to forgive Agamemnon for what he did to me.
Ramses: How stupid can you be? All you have to do is tell Agamemnon that you forgive him, 
rejoin the battle, and you will have all the riches you could possibly want.
Achilles: What good are riches without the glory? You may have enormous wealth but you will 
not be remembered honorably after your death.
Austin: I agree with both of you. And I disagree with both of you. Ramses, I agree that Achilles 
should put aside his selfishness but Achilles shouldn't join the battle for the riches. Achilles, you 
should fight for the Greeks because they are your friends, because you have a responsibility to 
help them, and because they desperately need your help.
Achilles: I will not tarnish my honor by fighting for someone who has disgraced me!
Austin: You have to give Agamemnon another chance. Everyone can be forgiven. My best friend 
once made me very, very mad. At that time, I didn't want to talk to him ever again. However, 
when he needed help, I was there to help him. And when I needed help, he was there. No one is 
perfect. Forget the past; let it go. Friendship is important and there is no easier way to make a 
friend than by helping someone in need. Agamemnon has already extended his hand in 
friendship. Grasp it and you may find friendship is worth more than your honor.
Ramses: I can't agree with you that friendship is very important. Everyone will die and so we 
should all prepare for the afterlife. The more wealth that I accumulate while alive, the more that I 
will have when I am dead. Worrying about making friends while alive can make someone lose 
sight at the real meaning of life.
Achilles: Ramses, why would anyone want to be a friend of yours? I agree with Austin that 
friendship is important. But there is nothing that is more important than my honor. My honor is 
who I am.
Austin: How would you feel if your friend Patroclus was killed by Hector? Would you not take 
revenge on Troy?
Achilles: Of course I would.
Austin: So it seems that friendship is important to you. Think about everything that your 
friendship with Patroclus has brought you. Wouldn't it be nice to have more good friends? 
Others will be more willing to be your friends if you are also willing to be a good friend. Sitting 
around, thinking about yourself, will not do anything for anyone. No one will care when you die. 
No one will want to be your friend. Your life would be meaningless. If you can't make a 
difference in the world, by helping someone out, you have no reason to live and you do not 
deserve to live.
Achilles: I can see your point. If I join the battle, even though I know I will die, I would be 
helping out many people. They will remember me when I am killed.
Ramses: Why would you go fight the Trojans when you know you will be killed?
Achilles: I can not let the Greeks who are counting on me to die in vain. I will help them even if 
it costs me my life. I would want the same from them if I ever needed help.
Ramses: I have never seen someone so willing to die before!
Achilles: You shouldn't be so selfish. You keep all the treasure you have to yourself when many 
around you barely have enough to survive. You sit around doing nothing with what you have and 
you crave even more wealth that you don't need. Your time can be better spent thinking about the 
people. You are the Pharaoh. You have to think about the people.
Ramses: Everyone else exists to obey my command. I don't need to provide them with the wealth 
I have.
Austin: But what would you be without your people? Could you have defeated Palestine? You 
wouldn't be the rich Pharaoh you are today without the support of your people. You can not live 
life alone. Others have helped you, and now it is your turn to help them.
Achilles: I remember now when Agamemnon saved my life in battle. I will rejoin the battle 
tomorrow morning. Troy will fall!
Austin: (thinking) Yes! Finally! One down, one to go.
Hermes: Congratulations on a job well done. Zeus thanks you for what you have done. You are 
not needed anymore. Achilles will be able to convince Ramses to think more of others and less 
about money. As a reward for a job well done, Zeus has decided to put you up into the stars. 
Austin, the Helper will be seen by everyone throughout the world. Good-bye.
Austin: Thanks a lot. I'm glad I could help someone. Now I have something to write for my 
mythology dialogue. (With that, this ends)