Chansons de Geste, etc.
Clovis Les Douze Pairs de France
Mustafa, le Grand Turc Les Quatre Fils Aymon
Astiaga Geneviève de Brabant
Charlemagne Richard Sans Peur, Duc de Normandie [187]
Thibaut Jeanne d'Arc
Godefroi de Bouillon et la Jean Caillabit
Deliverance de Jerusalem La Princesse de Gamatie
Marie de Navarre Jean de Paris
Roland Jean de Calais [188]
Modern.
Napoleon--(1) Le Consulat
(2) L'Empire
(3) Ste. Helène
We will now give a brief epitome of "Abraham" as a specimen, not of
the best, but of the only one which we have at hand in MS., [189]
for none of the Pastorales, we believe, have ever been printed in
extenso. The dramatis personæ are:
The Eternal Father, who speaks chiefly in Latin quotations from the
Vulgate, and always from behind the scenes, i.e., the suspended sheets
mentioned above.
Three Angels--Michael, Raphael, Gabriel--all of whom mingle quotations
from the Vulgate with their Basque.
Abraham, Sara, Agar, Isaac, and Ismael.
Lot, and Uxor (sic) Lot's wife.
Tina and Mina, Lot's daughters.
Salamiel and Nahason, shepherds of Abraham.
Sylva and Milla, shepherds of Lot.
Melchisedec.
Escol, a companion of Abraham.
All / Raphel (Amraphel) \
these | Arioch | Kings of the Turks (Turcac).
names | Thadal |
are | Chodorlaomor /
from < Sennaab \
the | Bara |
Vulgate. | Bersa > Good Kings.
| Semeber |
\ Bala /
Pharaon, King of Egypt.
Corion and Gober, Pharaon's courtiers.
Astaroch \
Telemar | Good Soldiers, defenders of the Holy Religion.
Cormaim |
Zuzite /
Chavoq and Chorre, good giants, killed by the Turkish kings.
Cocor, Patar; Maneton, and Catilie, inhabitants of Sodom. The last
two are ladies. Maneton is a diminutive from Marie--Manon, Manette,
Maneton; like Jeannette, Jeanneton, from Jeanne.
"Satans"--Satan and Bulgifer--who swear most frightfully in French,
on the principle, perhaps, of omne ignotum pro magnifico, and because
swearing, while more terrible, is less mischievous when uttered in
a tongue "not understanded of the people."
Abraham is the model of a Christian, and Abraham and Pharaon both
address their followers as "barons." Satan flatteringly addresses the
shepherds by the Spanish title "Caballeros" when he wants to lead them
into mischief. The actors are by no means so numerous as the "rôles";
one takes several successive parts, often without change of dress,
a custom which heightens not a little the difficulty of following an
acted Pastorale.
There is more dramatic unity in "Abraham," and the main plot is
more skilfully conducted than might be expected from its title. The
key-note of the action is given at once when Satan and Bulgifer
appear on horseback in the "Place" in front of the stage, and
announce their project of "tormenting Abraham," and of "weakening
the Christian Faith." The plot then follows pretty closely the Bible
narrative. Only it is Satan and Bulgifer who are the authors of all
Abraham's misfortunes and vexations; although the angels constantly
appear to save him when matters are at their worst. It is the
"Satans" who inflame Pharaon in Egypt with the report and sight
of Sara's beauty; it is they who stir up strife between Abraham's
and Lot's herdsmen; they are delighted with the wickedness of the
inhabitants of Sodom, which they direct to suit their own purposes;
they stir up war against Abraham and Lot in the persons of the
Turkish kings with Biblical names. These at first conquer Lot, and
one by one slay all his partisans, including the good giants Chavoq
and Chorre, whose corpses are carried off by Satan to be feasted
upon, with the licorish exclamation: "O what cutlets! what a fine
leg!!" Then they tempt Agar, and make her quarrel with Sara. In the
scene preceding the destruction of Sodom, although the angels are
present, the inhabitants round Lot's door are blinded, not by them,
but "by some magician." Lot's wife, Uxor, when to be changed into
a pillar of salt, ingeniously falls under the stage, and there the
transformation takes place unseen. When Isaac is born, he is forthwith
baptised. Agar and Ismael are driven into the desert, and are saved
by the angel Gabriel. The play then gradually works up to the climax,
the sacrifice of Isaac--the last and terrible temptation--in which the
"Satans" tempt the "two Christians," Abraham and Isaac, to unbelief
and disobedience, and are foiled as ever. After this, the action
languishes, Abraham dies, and the Pastorale comes to an end. All the
actors appear on the stage and chant the De Profundis, then the angels
sing, and all unite in a concluding chant. We give a few verses from
the scene of the sacrifice as a specimen of the whole:--