Run Melos

Run, Melos

Author: Osamu Dazai

One of the Japanese literature I included in my study 'Literature Circle for Philippine High School Students'

A story that tells not to be a second late...

Recommended Extension Project: Verse Choir　

Summary: Melos left his village to go to the city of Sycaruse to purchase a wedding dress for his sister and some food and drinks for the wedding feast. After the purchase, he went to visit his friend Selinuntius who lived in Sycaruse working as a stonemason. On his way, he felt something odd and learned that the King of Sycaruse, Dionysus, was putting people to death on the grounds that people can’t be trusted and are full of evil intent. Enraged, Melos resolved to do whatever he must to rid the land of that ruthless king. On his way to the castle, he was arrested and sentenced to death. Melos was desperate, but most of all he wanted to be present at his sister's ceremony, so he asked the king three more days to go back to his village for the wedding and then promised to be back to Sycaruse to accept the death penalty. The king did not trust him, but, trying to demonstrate that nobody could trust him, asked him to find a volunteer substitute in case he'd escaped. The sculptor friend, Selinuntius, accepted to be Melos' substitute. If Melos couldn’t return on the appointed time, if he will be late, his friend will be executed. Running against time, Melos returned and fulfilled his promise. The tyrant king’s heart was subdued and he again believed that trust between men is not just an empty illusion.

Extension Project: Verse Choir. Below is an example.

Run, Melos, Run!

Solo 1: I run to meet my own death.

Solo 2: Run, Melos, run!

Solo 3: I run to save my friend.

Solo 4: Run, Melos, run!

Solo 5: I run to deal a blow to the wicked heart of a king.

Solo 6: Run, Melos, run!

Solo 7: I have no choice but to run!

Solo 8: Run, Melos, run!

Solo 9: Youth, honor is thine to preserve.

Chorus: Run, run, run!